Chapter 1 01

Natalie Jackson:

I watched my husband, Franklin Howard, laughing heartily with my elder sister in the living room.

What pained me most was the ease with which he interacted with her. Franklin had never laughed like that with me before, and here he was, roaring with laughter alongside my sister, right in our living room.

Amelia Jackson was my elder sister. We shared the same father but had different mothers. My mother was my father's mistress, and because I was the unwanted child, my family never truly accepted me.

I had three older brothers: James, Asher, and Felix. They all doted on Amelia.

Amelia and I were close in age, only a month apart, making her technically my elder sister. We were both fair-skinned, but while she was tall and slender, I was short and rather chubby.

Franklin is a billionaire in this city we live in, and he has never shown me, his wife, any affection. Our marriage was a mistake, a mistake I should never have agreed to.

Three years ago, my father and Franklin's father were best friends. My father hosted a business party at our home, inviting many influential figures. One thing led to another, and Franklin and I were found in my room in a compromising position on my bed.

I knew Amelia had orchestrated the situation, but no one believed me. Even Franklin thought I had drugged him and lured him into my room to sleep with me.

We were forced to marry to avoid a scandal, as Franklin's family was also deeply disappointed. Everyone knew I was my father's illegitimate daughter, and they wondered why he had kept me around instead of allowing Amelia to marry Franklin.

It was after my wedding to Franklin that I discovered Amelia harbored a secret crush on him. She regretted drugging my drink-the drink I had offered Franklin when he came to speak with me that fateful night.

Many guests had brought their adult children to the party, but none of them bothered to speak to me. I was 22 years old then-naive and vulnerable. With Franklin and I caught in a compromising position on the bed, we were forced to marry, while Amelia wept, believing Franklin was supposed to be her husband.

Franklin didn't like me. After that night, we never slept together, and I didn't conceive, even though it was my first time. We lived like hostile neighbors. Now that Amelia had graduated, Franklin wanted to divorce me to marry her.

How shameless of a sister to pursue her younger sister's husband! Amelia is truly shameless. Franklin is five years older than me. I'm 25 now, making him 30.

I watched Franklin, wearing a white singlet that revealed his muscular physique, a result of his dedication to the gym. He was fair-skinned and more handsome than any man I had ever seen. His skin seemed to glow, and I could see Amelia practically drooling over him.

Franklin is very tall. His arms and thighs are large and strong. I barely reach his chest-I'm definitely a shorty, although I do have an hourglass figure. Franklin doesn't find me attractive in the slightest.

"How were your studies, Amy?" I heard Franklin ask Amelia. He had switched from calling her Amelia to Amy, a shortened, more intimate version of her name.

Amelia blushed as she picked up the glass of red wine Franklin had refilled for her, while I sat at the dining table, setting up our dinner.

We have no maid. Franklin insisted that I wouldn't work since I didn't have any meaningful qualifications. As the illegitimate child, I wasn't allowed to further my education. My stepmother forced me to learn tailoring, while Amelia went to university and became a certified accountant.

I wasn't even allowed to sew, as Franklin considered it a useless profession, dismissing the idea of me becoming a fashion designer. He calls me ugly and says I have no sense of style.

He doesn't like to take me out with his friends, nor does he give me money for upkeep. I only manage to get money for myself when he gives me money to restock the house with groceries. Only then can I save a little for my personal use.

"It was fine, Frankie," Amelia replied. However, I hated hearing Amelia and my husband using pet names with each other.

This was my matrimonial home, and Franklin only ever called me, "Natalie!" He practically shouts my name, as if he can't stand the sight of me.

"Natalie! Is dinner ready?" Franklin asked, settling onto the black couch across from Amelia in our exquisite living room.

I had finished preparing the delicious African delicacy of pounded yam and vegetable soup.

I looked at the food I had prepared and then at my husband and half-sister.

"Natalie! I'm talking to you!" Franklin shouted again.

"Hmm, no food for either of you," I replied, covering the food I had already served.

Firstly, I didn't invite Amelia to my home. Nor would I serve her any food. She should leave and return to our father's house and find her own husband to call by pet names.

Franklin immediately rose from the couch and stormed toward me.

"Where are you taking the tray of food? Have you lost your mind?" Franklin slapped me as he approached and snatched the tray from my hands.

I glared at him irritably, while Amelia smiled and rolled her eyes, revealing her intentions. She wanted to steal my husband.

She had sent me a text message the previous month, telling me she was coming back to take everything I had stolen from her, including my husband.

"Franklin, why did you slap me? I cooked this food, and you can't eat it?" I said, tears welling in my eyes.

"Why? Didn't I give you the money to prepare the meal? Did you earn that money? Move aside and get me a bowl of water to wash my hands. And don't think I'll apologize for the slap. Come, Amy, don't mind your sister. That's just how silly she behaves," Franklin called out to Amelia. I watched as she seductively rose from the black couch, her brown dress accentuating her hips and bust, making her look like a model.

Amelia walked to the dining table, and I stood there, watching as Franklin served her a generous plate of the pounded yam and vegetable soup I had labored over.

I knew Amelia was my sister, and I shouldn't be jealous. But Franklin had never served me food before, especially not food I had cooked myself.

Franklin noticed that I hadn't brought a bowl of water, so he went to the kitchen himself and brought one for Amelia to wash her hands.

He sat across from Amelia, who was blushing, not even bothering to invite me to join them.

"Franklin!" I shouted and walked toward the plate of soup I had served for myself, the portion Franklin had intended for Amelia.

"What's wrong with you, Natalie? Should we leave this food for you to eat? Come on, Amy, let's go out and get something more palatable," Franklin said, standing up from the dining table. I hated it whenever I slaved over a meal, and my husband would leave our home to eat elsewhere.

"Franklin!" I tried to stop him, and he warned, "Stay away from me, Natalie. Just go and eat your food since you don't want your sister and me to eat it. Who knows if you've poisoned it."

"What?!" I frowned, Franklin's words breaking my heart. He quickly took the stairs in the living room and dashed upstairs to his bedroom.

Although Franklin and I have separate bedrooms. I looked back at Amelia and shouted, "You shameless slut! Aren't you ashamed to be dating your sister's husband? As beautiful as you are, can't you use your beauty to find your own husband!" I cursed at Amelia, and she hissed.

"Get out of my house!" I was enraged, remembering how Amelia and her brothers had always disliked me. They often mistreated me, and I had thought that getting married would bring me happiness and a family of my own. Yet, this very same family that didn't want my happiness wouldn't let me be.

As I rushed to push Amelia out of the house, she fell down and pretended to be hurt.