I was a spoiled, high-maintenance wife who made my billionaire CEO husband give me foot baths and forced my five-year-old heir to massage my calves. That was, until a stream of holographic text suddenly floated across my vision, declaring that I was just the "toxic evil ex-wife" in a romance novel. I was scheduled to be written off soon—paralyzed in a horrific car crash—to make room for the pure, innocent, and kind-hearted female lead. Terrified, I immediately kicked over the foot spa basin and yanked my legs back. Are you kidding me? My legs are long, pale, and flawless. I am not losing them! 1 I’ve always had a pampered, diva-like temper. I married a giant iceberg of a man and gave birth to a mini iceberg. Even as my son turned five, I continued to rule the house like a queen, bossing the two of them around all day. I just loved watching them secretly annoyed but still having to wait on me hand and foot. Until today, when a row of glowing text suddenly scrolled past my eyes. [The toxic wife is finally getting written off! The female lead just transferred to the male lead’s company today, and she even took the little heir out for fried chicken. The plot is finally on track!] [She spends all day torturing our male lead and the little boy. Thank god this father-son duo will eventually kick her out to please the female lead. This pampered rich wife ends up homeless on the streets and gets paralyzed from the waist down by a car.] [Just thinking about the male lead’s new happy family of three visiting the hospital to laugh at that crippled witch makes me so satisfied.] Terrified, I jerked my leg up in a panic. My husband, who was soaking my feet in a warm basin, and my son, who was squatting next to him massaging my calves, were instantly splashed with warm water. The two identical, stoic iceberg faces immediately frowned in unison. I stuttered. "You... you don't have to do this. I'll do it myself..." Leo, my five-year-old, knitted his little brows together. His tiny brain probably couldn't figure out why I was throwing a fit this time. "Mom, is the water too hot?" I awkwardly placed my foot back into the basin. "No, I'm done soaking. You don't need to massage me anymore. You can get up." I swallowed hard and looked at my husband, who was also resting on one knee. "You get up too." Compared to Leo, Carter was much more composed. He seemed completely used to my erratic mood swings. He calmly stood up to grab a towel. [Look how humiliated the male lead and the little heir are, kneeling like that. It’s going to be so satisfying when they slap her in the face later.] [Making the little prince massage her legs, and the billionaire CEO wash her feet. She really has a death wish.] I stared at the scrolling subtitles in utter silence. So, after all this time, I was just a villainous supporting character. My husband and son were the main characters of this fictional world. Not only did I have to step aside for the female lead, but my son Leo only existed because the author didn't want the female lead to suffer the pains of childbirth—so they used me as an incubator! In the end, the female lead would make a glamorous entrance, take over my husband and son, "redeem" them, and show them that truly kind women existed in the world. Then, their new family of three would live happily ever after. I clenched my fists. Whatever, I could let Carter go. We were just a business arrangement anyway; we didn't have any emotional foundation. But Leo... I looked down at the obedient little boy standing nearby. Even though he had a face identical to his father's cold one, he was still the flesh and blood I carried for nine months! I was not about to just hand him over to some other woman on a silver platter. So, I cleared my throat and asked him. "Sweetie, if Mommy and Daddy get a divorce, who would you want to live with?" Leo froze for a second. Then his little eyebrows furrowed again, perfectly mimicking his father's cold tone. "Mom, please don't make meaningless hypothetical assumptions." I choked on my words. Looking up, I met Carter's indifferent eyes. His gaze was like a stagnant pool of water. He stepped forward, bent down on one knee again, and lifted my feet out of the basin. "Don't say things like that in front of the child." Leo nodded, turning around and walking toward the door like a serious little adult. "I'm going to bed." The live-chat comments erupted into mockery. [What is this villain thinking? The father and son are cut from the same cloth; they definitely find her equally annoying.] [CEO Vance can at least hide it, but the little heir practically has 'disgust' written all over his face.] [Lmao, forget about her not wanting to divorce. Even if they did, the kid would never go with her. Why would he? To be her little servant dog?] [Her only purpose in this story is to be a total brat, get abandoned, and die a miserable paralyzed death to give the readers a satisfying payoff.] My heart skipped a massive beat. Without a second thought, I snatched the towel right out of Carter's hands. "I'll dry them myself." Carter's brow twitched slightly, but in the end, he didn't say a word. Lying in bed, I desperately tried to digest the information from those floating comments. I pulled up my silk robe, staring at my legs. They were so pale, so long, and so perfect. I absolutely refused to lose them! After thinking it over, I decided I needed to stop exploiting my husband and son immediately. According to the comments, I couldn't stop the male and female leads from meeting. Even if I forced Carter to fire this female lead, they would just bump into each other at the next intersection. That's how plot armor works. But if my son realized I was actually a gentle, loving mother, maybe when Carter and I divorced, he would willingly choose me. Just as I had this epiphany, I looked up and saw Carter walking out of the master bathroom. He had a towel wrapped low around his waist. Droplets of water trailed slowly down his chiseled chest. Seeing me lying in bed with my robe pulled up and my legs exposed, he paused mid-towel-dry. His eyes instantly darkened. I was still wracking my brain figuring out how to be a good mother. When I looked up again, Carter had already pulled out the "men's battle armor" I used to buy for him from the closet. In his left hand, he held a black, lace-trimmed harness. In his right hand, a purple silk sheer shirt. The tips of his ears were slightly flushed. He stared at me with a wooden expression, as if waiting for me to pick one. The floating text before my eyes went absolutely feral. [Why did my screen just go black?! What is it that my premium VIP membership doesn't allow me to see?!] [Villainess, I take back my insults! Turn the camera back on and let us all appreciate your husband's massive pecs!] [Serena, share your husband with the class! Turn on the camera right now!] Amidst the barrage of thirsty comments, a few original book fans chimed in. [I can't accept this. Even knowing how the kid was conceived, I still feel like the male lead is being forced. Can't she see that her husband has a cold, miserable face every time?] [Exactly. The male lead clearly rejected her the very first time, but she forces him to wear these things every single night just to satisfy her weird kinks. So gross.] [It's fine. Just remember that the legs currently resting on the male lead are about to be crushed into paste. It makes me significantly less angry.] I took a deep, sharp breath. Looking at Carter, who was just about to change clothes, I violently yanked the duvet up and buried my legs completely. "I... I'm not in the mood tonight! Let's just go to sleep early!" As soon as those words left my mouth, the air in the bedroom seemed to freeze solid. The comments boiled over. [Oh? The sun rose in the west?] [The male lead's face looks off. What kind of stunt is she pulling now?] [What else? She tried to force him to wear it and got rejected. Look at how his knuckles are turning white from gripping that lace shirt so hard. He is truly enduring humiliation for the sake of the family...] I noticed it too. Carter's face looked absolutely terrible. Especially when I said I wasn't in the mood, his expression visibly darkened by two shades. In the past, Carter was always extremely reluctant to put on these outfits, and I had to coax and pressure him into it. Right now, looking at the scrolling comments, I didn't even dare to breathe too loudly. "Understood." Carter's voice was just like his personality—freezing cold. He casually tossed the clothes back into the closet, lifted the covers, and got into bed. I covertly pinched my legs under the duvet and let out a long sigh of relief. Thank god. They were safe. Goodnight, legs. See you tomorrow. The next morning, the sun was already shining brightly when I woke up. I walked out of the master suite and saw the large iceberg and the mini iceberg sitting in the dining room. The moment I sat down, Carter stood up to get my toast from the kitchen. Leo grabbed a heavy carton of milk, grunting as he waddled over to me. He stepped onto a stool, preparing to pour it for me. The comments started roasting me again. [This woman totally deserves to die. They have so many maids in the house, but she forces the male lead and the kid to serve her. She's just looking for reasons to torture them.] [Exactly. She claims she wants the little heir to "develop a service-oriented mindset" so he won't be a useless husband when he grows up. Does the billionaire heir of the Vance family need to act like a servant?] [She covers it up by saying she's making the dad set a good example for the son, but she's just a control freak trying to torture them.] My eyelids twitched violently. I quickly reached out and grabbed Leo's little arm. Leo looked up at me, his face full of confusion. "I put a spoonful and a half of sugar in it this time." I took the milk carton from his hands, poured it into my own glass, and took two big gulps. "Mommy can do little things like this herself from now on. You go eat your breakfast." Leo stared at me. He probably couldn't figure out why I was acting so out of character. But he turned around and went back to his seat anyway. Carter came out of the kitchen, looking at me with a slightly troubled expression. "We're out of your favorite truffle mayo. I already asked Maria to go buy some..." I grabbed a plain turkey sandwich with one hand. "It's fine. I can eat it without mayo." The room went dead silent. Even the housekeeper was staring at me in utter shock. Carter looked down at his empty hands, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. "Mom, you didn't throw the sandwich at Dad's face..." My son blinked in disbelief. I took a deep breath. Was I really that awful before? The comments answered for me. [Why did she suddenly change her personality? Isn't her morning temper legendary? Last time they were out of mayo, she threw a massive tantrum and chucked the sandwich across the room.] [Look how scared our little Leo is. His stoic facade broke! He probably thinks his mom is possessed by a demon.] I took a bite of the sandwich, too guilty to look at the comments anymore. A small piece of lettuce slipped out and landed right on my thigh. Looking at my stained silk loungewear, I instinctively frowned. Suddenly, a tissue was gently placed over my leg, followed by a large, well-defined hand entering my line of sight. Carter's hand was massive; it practically covered my entire thigh. My pupils constricted. It felt like I was watching my beautiful legs turn transparent, grow wings, and wave goodbye to me. I immediately brushed the lettuce off myself. Looking up, I crashed right into Carter's icy eyes. "I can handle little things like this myself." I forced a tight smile, then turned to my son. "From now on, you don't need to massage my legs or pour my milk anymore. Mommy will do it herself." Leo's eyebrows twisted into a tight knot. His voice was cold. "Mom, are you sick?" I choked. This little brat! I try to be nice to him, and he asks if I'm mentally ill! I ate the rest of the meal in total silence. I didn't throw a temper tantrum or demand anyone hand me a napkin or pour my drinks. Leo looked up at me several times, his little frown deepening with every glance. Carter's gaze also swept over me intentionally or otherwise, before slowly looking away. It wasn't until Carter took Leo and left for work and kindergarten that I finally collapsed onto the sofa. Looking up at the massive, floor-to-ceiling wedding photo hanging dead center in the living room, I massaged my temples. Truth be told, before I was set up in this arranged marriage with Carter, I had a massive crush on him. But he was a legendary iceberg. All of my socialite friends who tried to flirt with him hit a brick wall. I had my pride. I wasn't about to lower myself and chase a man who didn't want me. Let alone try to melt an impossible glacier like him. Just as I was about to strangle my little crush in its crib, the arranged marriage between our two prominent families tied us together. I still remember how secretly thrilled I was when we first got married. But then, I overheard a conversation between him and his friend, Ryan, outside his home office. "Serena Sterling is famous in our circle for being an absolute spoiled brat. You really drew the short straw, man." Carter's voice had been flat. I heard him reply. "We each get what we need. That's how arranged marriages work." The tiny spark of hope in my heart was permanently extinguished. After pretending to be a sweet, obedient wife in front of my crush for a few months, I completely gave up. I shattered the facade and exposed the most authentic, demanding version of myself. Whatever. Just like he said, we each get what we need. From the major appliances to the smallest rugs, I demanded everything in the house be styled exactly to my taste. Carter never cared. The only time he ever showed a reaction was when I insisted on hanging this gigantic wedding photo right in the center of the living room. He had frowned. "Hanging it here... it clashes with the decor. It's ugly." I was just being petty back then. He didn't think the photo was ugly; he clearly thought I was ugly. But Carter's cold personality meant his temper was surprisingly tolerant. He rarely argued. So, I escalated. I started ordering him around, making him do this and that. I forced him to wear clothes he hated, just to satisfy my own visual pleasure. Sometimes Carter looked unhappy, but his only way of expressing dissatisfaction was frowning. He looked incredibly handsome when he frowned. He already looked like a marble statue of a Greek god. I loved watching him frown—it was like a painting coming to life, finally showing a vivid, human expression. Over the years, he always indulged me and went along with my demands. Sometimes I even caught myself having the delusion that he actually loved me. But looking at that iceberg face, he treated the housekeeper with the exact same polite indifference he treated me. I knew it was just my ovulation cycle messing with my hormones, creating false delusions. "Maria, get someone to take this photo down." I pointed up at the massive wedding portrait. I had hung it up full of joy and fantasy back when we first got married. It's been six years. I finally see clearly that in Carter's eyes, I'm no different from anyone else. Honestly, I can accept a loveless marriage. But the floating comments acting like security cameras, live-streaming what the male and female leads were doing right now, was driving me insane. [The female lead just poured the male lead coffee! He actually looked up at her! I ship it so hard!] [The female lead didn't even realize she made a typo in the document. She's such a clumsy little cutie. The male lead is definitely going to find her adorable~] I closed my eyes, deciding to take a nap first. When I opened my eyes again, thunder was rumbling outside. It was pouring rain. My phone buzzed. It was Carter. "Did you fall asleep on the couch?" His voice was flat. I hummed in agreement. After two seconds, he spoke again. "I have to work late today. If it gets too late, I won't come back tonight. Let Leo sleep with you." Before I even had a chance to agree, the floating text sped across my vision in a frenzy. [The male lead is working late, but our female lead is still at the office too!] [It's raining, and the only people left in the building are a few extras and the two leads. Just thinking about it is so romantic!] [I love this power-couple dynamic! He's a workaholic CEO, and she's a career-driven woman. So much better than a certain spoiled housewife.] [Exactly. She's scared of a little thunder and needs someone to keep her company. If her husband isn't home, she forces her kid to do it. Is she a giant toddler?] Being roasted as a giant toddler, I let out a long, heavy exhale. "No need, you just focus on your work..." Before I could finish my sentence, I looked up and saw Leo standing a few feet away. He had a stiff, serious look on his little face. I didn't know how long he'd been standing at the doorway or how much he'd heard. As I looked up, the perspective of the comments shifted for two seconds. My son didn't say a single word. He silently took off his backpack, turned around, and walked to his room. Carter, however, spoke up. "The wall behind you..." I turned to look. Oh, while I was sleeping, the staff had already taken down the wedding photo. "Where is the photo?" he asked. I answered honestly: "I had someone throw it away. You just focus on your work. Hanging up now." Carter didn't say anything, but his face darkened instantly on the video call. I didn't notice, though. I was too busy staring at the empty wall, feeling stressed. Should I buy a giant abstract painting to hang up there? It really did look bare and ugly. After dinner, the thunder outside still hadn't stopped. I rubbed my sore eyes. When I opened them, the little boy was standing solemnly in front of me, clutching a storybook. "Let's go. I'll coax you to sleep." Honestly, I wasn't that scared of thunder. I just hated the gloomy, oppressive weather. So every time there was a thunderstorm, my mood plummeted, and I would find creative ways to torture Carter in bed. [The villainess is so annoying. Forcing a five-year-old to coax her to sleep. Talk about reversing roles.] [And she has zero self-awareness. The little heir's face is completely stiff; he's practically radiating disgust. Since the husband is working late and she can't torture him, she starts torturing the son. Can the romance plotline please speed up?] I looked at Leo. The boy was expressionless, his wooden face a carbon copy of his father's. "No need. Mommy can sleep by herself." I waved my hand to refuse. Leo bit his lip, looking a little wronged. "But Daddy told me to keep you company." I felt a headache coming on. Before I could say anything else, the sound of a car honking echoed from the courtyard. I froze. The comments were equally dumbfounded. [Why is the male lead back? What about the female lead?!]
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