Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable

Chapter 23 'Never shared a bed...' As a married woman, Adeline knew exactly what that phrase implied. "You're not messing with me, are you?" she asked, disbelief heavy in her voice. Sydney looked up, her small, delicate face dim and tired. Her voice remained soft. "How could I joke about something like this? Mom, other than divorce, I can't think of any way out." Adeline's anger boiled, but not at Sydney. Her fury targeted her son and Penelope-one was oblivious, the other selfish to the core.

Still, at this point, even as a strong-willed mother- in-law, she could not stop Sydney from divorcing. What could she say? Her own son had wasted three years of someone else's life. Sydney carried the title of a married woman but had never truly lived as a wife. Adeline drew a deep breath, trying to steady herself, and patted Sydney's hand. "I skimmed the divorce agreement. You're only asking for the apartment on Aurum Road?" Sydney nodded slightly. "If that's not okay, I can let it go." She knew her goal today was to finalize the divorce.

savings, she had more than enough to live comfortably. To outsiders, it might seem she had worn a multicolored crown of humiliation for three years and walked away with nothing-a joke in elite circles. But she knew the truth. In these three years, she had lived freer than ever in the Sterling family. Judging by how often she had been punished

1/3 Sun 24 Aug Chapter 23 spaces. Their sale price aside, renting one brought in at least five figures a month. The Hampton family had treated her decently, but they never shared a deep emotional bond. Logically,

and Grandma have all been very kind to me," Sydney replied. That was true. The Hampton family had no obligation to treat her like one of their own. The fact that they had treated her decently meant a lot, especially Benjamin, who had always shown her genuine affection. Adeline nodded, pleased.