Even after I hired a maid for them, my mother-in-law still insisted I quit my job and serve the family.

“It’s not just my family, Daniel. I’m the majority shareholder,” I replied calmly. “The ‘private investment group’ I worked for? I bought it three years ago. I didn’t tell you because I wanted to see if you were the man I thought you were. It turns out, you were exactly the man your mother raised you to be.”

Patricia, ever the opportunist, tried to force a smile, though her hands were shaking. “Claire, darling, there’s clearly been a misunderstanding. We were just stressed. We didn’t mean—”

“You meant every word,” I interrupted. “You wanted a servant. You wanted to break a woman you thought was beneath you to satisfy your own ego. And Daniel, you gave me an ultimatum to leave my home.” I leaned forward. “So, I took your advice. I left. And I took my capital with me.”

Daniel stepped forward, his voice cracking. “Claire, please. The company… our contract was cancelled this morning. We’ll lose everything.”

“The contract wasn’t cancelled,” I said, sliding a document across the table. “It was moved to a firm that values its employees and doesn’t rely on nepotism and outdated misogyny to function. As for the house you told me to leave? Check the mortgage records. I bought the deed from the bank two years ago when your father’s estate taxes came due. You’ve been living in my house for twenty-four months, rent-free.”

The silence that followed was absolute. Patricia looked as though she might faint onto the gravel. Daniel looked at his daughter, who was laughing in the distance, suddenly realizing he was a stranger in a kingdom he had tried to rule.

“You have until the end of the month to vacate the suburban property,” I said, standing up. “My lawyers will handle the divorce and custody. Don’t worry, Daniel. I won’t ask for child support. I think we both know you can’t afford me.”

I signaled to the security detail standing near the porch.

“Wait!” Daniel cried out. “You can’t just throw us out! We’re family!”

I looked at Patricia, then back to Daniel.

“A proper wife doesn’t outsource care,” I said, echoing Patricia’s own venom back at her. “Since you wanted a ‘traditional’ life so badly, you’ll have plenty of time to cook and clean for each other in whatever small apartment you can find. I have a business to run.”

I turned my back on them and walked toward my daughter. I didn’t look back when I heard the security guards escorting them to their car. For the first time in four years, the air at the Whitmore Estate felt perfectly clean.