Chapter 2

I'd never done anything so rebellious.

For a moment, I was still stunned.

My mom sat at her massive office desk, tapping her index finger against the surface.

"Audrey, choose: be a princess or a nanny. Remember, you only get one chance. Miss it, and I won't help you again, and we won't see each other."

She meant what she said.

When I was hell-bent on marrying Brandon, she didn't answer my calls for five years.

She even went abroad and had a daughter twenty-five years younger than me.

My mom made it clear she couldn't entrust her vast empire to a fool like me.

Her aura was incredibly powerful; I'd always been intimidated by her. If it weren't absolutely necessary, I wouldn't have swallowed my pride and come to her.

I felt a bit guilty. "Mom, can I think about it?"

She pointed to the office door. "You have 24 hours. After that, the offer's off. Get out, I have a meeting."

On the way home, my mom's words replayed in my head.

She said the reason she didn't want me to marry Brandon was because he was the youngest child in his family.

People who are spoiled too much don't cherish people's feelings.

And she'd secretly investigated; Brandon had been flirting with girls since middle school.

I was just blinded by his good looks, utterly determined to marry him.

I had to admit, my mom was truly prescient.

As soon as I walked in, I noticed the house was quite lively.

Brandon was already home and had brought someone with him.

It was a young, beautiful woman in a white dress, with shoulder-length hair, stunningly gorgeous.

She was curled up on my carefully chosen sofa, my two sons nestled on either side, while Brandon sat nearby, looking at documents.

From my angle, they looked exactly like a family.

But only I knew that the four of us hadn't eaten together in a very, very long time.

When Brandon finally had time off, he always stayed in his study.

The kids didn't like going out with me either.

Now, Leo, who was usually quiet, was excitedly holding Chloe's hand.

"Aunt Chloe, you're amazing, you actually beat the Demon King! My mom can't even do that."

The girl named Chloe smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Of course not, I'm the star player on our school's esports team."

Brandon handed her a glass of milk.

"Alright, drink some milk first, you'll get a stomachache later. Audrey will be back soon to cook. Her famous steak is delicious, you'll definitely like it."

They spoke so casually, as if I wasn't the lady of the house, but a hired cook.

I looked at my sallow reflection in the mirror.

Almost instinctively, I dropped the grocery bags on the floor and bolted.

Twenty minutes later, I arrived at Vivian's mansion.

I rushed through the door, dropping to my knees with a thud.

Loudly, I cried, "Mom, help me! I don't want to be a tired, worn-out housewife anymore. I'll listen to everything you say."

My mom walked over.

"Starting tomorrow, go see Julia. She'll help you."

Then she turned to hug Lily, my little sister.

I wiped a tear and turned to leave.

Back at the Miller house, Brandon and the boys didn't realize I'd returned. Seeing the bags in my hand, Charlie cried that he was hungry.

"Mommy, I want fried chicken wings! Leo wants shrimp."

Brandon and the boys had sensitive stomachs.

We used to have a private chef, but after we got married, my in-laws said I stayed home all day and should learn how to take care of them.

So, I started from scratch, learning to cook delicious, healthy meals tailored to their needs.

I became a wife who perfectly catered to the Miller family, but I also became a complete nanny.

I casually tossed the bags onto the table and turned to face them.

"I'm a little tired today, so I won't be cooking. Order takeout. Tomorrow, I'll hire a chef. From now on, you can tell the chef directly what you want to eat."