Chapter 5

"Why did you ruin the painting?" Belen's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.

"It wasn't good enough." Ellen calmly took a new sheet of paper.

"You destroyed it just because Belen wanted it. You're so cruel," Nathan said, glaring at Ellen fiercely. "I'm telling Dad so he can punish you."

Belen shoved Ellen hard. "You don't deserve to be our mom!"

Faced with their snarling, ferocious expressions, Ellen remained oddly calm. "I don't think you deserve to be my kids either. If you want Rosalyn as your mom, go to her. You're not welcome here!"

Ellen turned back to her work, resuming her painting.

Belen's scream echoed behind her. "You're a terrible mom! I hate you!"

Ellen sensed something wrong and turned around.

Belen raised a vase and smashed it toward her.

Warm blood poured down Ellen's forehead, blurring her vision.

The searing pain made her vision darken, her fingers digging into the easel to keep herself upright.

She turned her head, seeing only Belen's vicious expression through the haze of blood. "You should be honored I even noticed your painting, and you dared to refuse!"

Nathan kicked a sharp piece of porcelain, the fragment grazing Ellen's ankle and drawing blood. "That's your lesson! Hurry up and repaint it for Belen!"

The faces of the two children suddenly seemed foreign and terrifying.

Were these really the children she had risked her life to bring into the world?

"What are you all fighting about now?" Samuel's irritated voice rang out, but he froze when he saw the blood on the floor.

Belen's tears spilled over. "Dad, Mom saw I liked her painting and destroyed it. She even said we don't deserve to be her kids!"

Samuel glanced at the ruined canvas, his fleeting sympathy replaced by displeasure. "Ellen, do you have to make everything a mess? You're their mother. You should guide them properly, not treat them like this."

Ellen endured the pain, looking at him and laughing. "Guide them? Am I, a mere housekeeper, qualified to guide the young master and miss? You think too highly of me. In Mr. Howard's eyes, even my breathing is unnecessary!"

Samuel stiffened. "The Mrs. Howard you want, the mother the kids want, is Rosalyn, not me, the housekeeper."

Ellen's gaze grew colder, but her tone lightened. "Isn't it better if I let you have what you want?"

The room fell silent.

After a long pause, Samuel broke the quiet, his teeth clenched. "What are you playing at? You didn't think about today when you climbed into my bed back then, did you? I've given you more than enough. What else do you want? Besides doing a housekeeper's work, what are you even capable of?"

Ellen laughed, anger surging in her chest.

For years after their marriage, no matter how she explained, he believed she had schemed to seduce him.

He was convinced she was useless.

Rosalyn took Samuel's arm, soothing him. "Mrs. Howard's upset right now. Let's take the kids and leave her alone."

Samuel glanced at Ellen reluctantly, then left with the children.

Watching their backs, Ellen's mocking smile widened.

She never should have stepped into that hotel, never should have drunkenly stumbled into Samuel's room.

That mistake led to this disastrous marriage and these misguided children.

But it wasn't too late to regret it now.

Samuel would pay for his bias and coldness.

...

The next day marked Samuel's father's eightieth birthday.

He had never mistreated Ellen, so after some thought, she attended gladly. From the second floor, Ellen looked down at the scene below.

Rosalyn clung affectionately to Samuel's arm, with Nathan and Belen bouncing around them, looking every bit like a family of four.

They noticed Ellen's gaze but only smirked, unfazed, crowding around Rosalyn with provocative looks.

Samuel's approving gaze rested on Rosalyn.

"Rosalyn has been by Mr. Howard's side for a decade now, hasn't she? Truly the woman who's stayed with him the longest," a guest remarked.

"Even the young master and miss only acknowledge Rosalyn, completely ignoring their real mother."

Ellen swirled her wine glass, quietly listening to the guests' chatter.

"Rosalyn is Mr. Howard's favorite. She's called his secretary, but she's really his true love."

"If someone hadn't shamelessly schemed back then, who knows who'd be Mrs. Howard now." The speaker glanced at Ellen nearby, sneering.

"All these years, it's always been Rosalyn at his side at every event. It's clear who Mr. Howard truly cares about."

"Some people got pregnant to climb the ranks, but they only ended up raising kids for Miss Rosalyn."

"She dared to scheme against Mr. Howard. She got what she deserved!"

Such scenes were nothing new to Ellen. She listened calmly and turned to leave.

But a few steps later, Rosalyn blocked her path. "The divorce process is almost done. You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

Ellen chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Not a chance. All I want now is the divorce."

Rosalyn studied Ellen, finding no trace of deceit, and smiled with satisfaction. "I'll take over the Howard family from now on. I'll take good care of Mr. Howard and the kids, but I won't be just a housekeeper like you..."

Her words were cut off.

Bang!

A bullet grazed Ellen's face, striking the wall beside her.