The Return of the Desired Heir

Chapter 2

"Splash—"

A basin of cold water was suddenly dumped over Neal’s head, catching him completely off guard. He jolted awake in terror, only to see his mother-in-law, Tina, standing beside the couch with a grim expression, a water basin still in her hand.

It was clear—she was the one who had drenched him.

“Mom, you—”

Before Neal could finish speaking, Tina’s face twisted in fury. She slapped him hard across the face.

“What did you just call me? Who gave you the right to call me 'Mom'? You think just because you got a marriage certificate with my daughter, you can go from gutter rat to swan and become part of the Nelson family? Let me tell you—keep dreaming!”

Tina’s shrill voice made Neal’s head throb with pain.

“Real men are out there adding value to the world and you're here doing the only thing you're capable of, wasting away like a rotten piece of wood,"

Tina continued. "How can a man be so lazy?" She added incredulously. Then, she hit him on the chest with her silver-stoned purse.

“Get your lazy ass off that couch right now! Go clean the house and prepare lunch. And be swift about it, an important guest is visiting today!”

Sluggishly, Neal dragged his injured body to sit up. He still ached from the beating he got from Frank the previous day. 

Just as Neal sat up, the door to the hallway that led to the utility room burst open. Tina and Neal turned to see Cathy standing in the doorway, eyes cold and indecipherable as she looked at him.

Tina let out a gasp. “Why are you in Neal's room?” She exploded, impatiently shooting questions at her daughter. “What happened between you two?" 

Neal cleared his throat meaningfully and started to speak just as Cathy opened her mouth to say something. "She was tired from work so she mistakenly entered the wrong room last night. That was why I slept on the sofa.”

Tina visibly relaxed. She cut a cold glare at Neal. "Just like you said, it was a mistake," she emphasized as if he didn't already know. “Get that in your head and don't begin to have unrealistic dreams.”

With that, she sashayed out of the room, chin high in the air.

The moment her mother was out of view, Cathy stomped toward Neal. Her eyes were hard, cold, devoid of the warmth that was always there whenever she looked at him as she inquired in an icy voice. “What happened?”

Having been unsettled due to the close proximity, Neal piped, “What?”

“Did something happen between us last night?” 

Cathy looked at Neal coldly—completely different from the girl who, just yesterday, seemed to be falling in love.

Neal gave a faint, resigned smile. “What do you think happened between us? I was lying in my room, and then you came in, and…”

“Shut up!”

Cathy slapped him across the face and hissed through clenched teeth. The ice in her gaze felt unfamiliar to Neal.

In the past few years, Cathy had never truly treated him as her husband—but she had never looked at him like this either.

Now, she seemed to be staring at an enemy.

Neal gave a bitter smile. He had finally lost all hope in the nightmare that was the Nelson family.

Seeing the look on his face, a trace of guilt flickered in Cathy’s eyes.

But then she remembered—Moise had just returned to the country yesterday. Cathy had no choice but to push those feelings down. If Moise ever found out she had slept with Neal, she could forget about being with him forever.

Forcing herself to calm down, she regained her usual cold demeanor and said flatly, “Don’t think you can stay in the Nelson family by using such dirty tricks. I know exactly what you’re trying to do.”

“You can’t stay here anymore. We’re getting a divorce. You leave today.”

She stared at Neal, waiting for his reaction.

Anger? Resentment? Begging? Anything?

Whatever tactic he tries, she wasn’t going to soften.

Neal must leave—immediately. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to face Moise.

But to her surprise, Neal’s expression remained calm—even a little relieved.

‎"Alright," he said calmly.

"You... agreed just like that?" Cathy frowned.

This was completely different from what she had expected.

“But I have one condition,” Neal said calmly.

As expected.

Cathy sneered inwardly. She knew it—Neal wouldn’t agree to the divorce so easily.

But strangely, instead of feeling angry, she felt… slightly pleased.

“When the old patriarch was still alive, he promised to give me $3,000 a month—to help pay for the medical bills of the orphanage director who raised me. If you're willing to continue paying that amount, I’ll agree to the divorce.”

What?!

Cathy had expected Neal to make some unreasonable demand—but this? Just this?

Three thousand dollars?

A surge of anger welled up inside her. She didn’t even know why, but she was furious.

“Three thousand dollars? You mean to say that all these years you’ve stayed with me… just for that ridiculous $3,000?!”

She forced herself to stay composed, unwilling to lose her temper. But Neal didn’t seem to notice her strange reaction at all.

“What else?” he said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “I’ve been treated like a dog in this house—forced to eat leftovers, insulted, beaten… all for that pathetic $3,000. Are you satisfied now?”

From being beaten nearly to death by Frank yesterday, to inexplicably ending up in bed with Cathy, then hearing her murmur her first love’s name in her sleep—everything had been a crushing blow to Neal. All he wanted now was to get away as fast as possible.

It was only then that Cathy noticed the bruises all over Neal’s body. A pang of pain struck her heart. She wanted to say something to comfort him—but what came out was bitter sarcasm.

“You’re something else, Neal. I used to think you were just a spineless servant… Ha! Turns out you were just hanging around for that damn $3,000!”

“Fine! I’ll keep sending you the money. Now get out of this house today—and don’t ever let me see you again!”