Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law

Mila Anderson glanced sideways at her, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Her intention just now had been to deliberately incite a misunderstanding between Julia Bluen and Glades Horne, essentially testing how much trust Julia had in Glades. How could she not know her own son? Having witnessed how his mother had endured the pain of solitude, how could Glades ever let Julia suffer that same agony? Glades was more responsible than Gian Horne. She had thought all women were suspicious by nature. With those words she had said, Julia surely would have some doubts. Now, Mila realized she was wrong; Julia trusted Glades absolutely. That reassured her. Indeed, she still didn't like Julia Bluen, and Ruby Bluen's elopement remained a shadow on her heart. Now that Glades no longer suppressed the truth about that affair, many in Upper Class Society were aware of the true nature of the "sister substituting for sister" marriage. Every day when she went out and met acquainted ladies, they would always find a way to bring up the topic, making her feel embarrassed. Some, envious of her status as the Lady of the Horne Family, would even deliberately say that her son, so handsome, so outstanding, so wonderful, was still abandoned by someone. Whenever she heard such schadenfreude, she would resent Ruby Bluen. Since Julia was Ruby's sister, by association, she couldn't bring herself to like Julia either, feeling that the Bluen sisters had manipulated her most excellent son like a puppet. But she also knew that once her son married Julia Bluen, there would be no chance to choose another daughter-in-law, and she would have to accept it.

At this moment, hearing Julia's caring and considerate words, her heart softened. Her own daughter, Adele Horne, had refused to accompany her on outings ever since she turned fourteen, much less go for walks with her, even though Mila herself was the sort of person who could shop all day without tiring.

"Mom, let's go," Julia Bluen said, standing up and helping Mila Anderson to her feet as well.

Mila Anderson glanced at her but said nothing, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Thus, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law stepped out together.

Seeing Mila Anderson and Julia Bluen leave together, Adele Horne followed. She worried that her mother might be won over by Julia, so she intended to go and cause a disturbance.

The trio—mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and sister-in-law—reached the Pedestrian Street on the main avenue in front of the estate. To their surprise, they encountered Gian Horne, Pheobe Rogers, and James Horne.

Legal wife and mistress, face to face.

Both parties stopped in their tracks.

The moment Mila Anderson saw Pheobe Rogers, she bristled like a hedgehog, her entire being radiating hostility. Her expression had already darkened, and her eyes blazed with anger as she glared fiercely at Pheobe.

The two women were actually about the same age, but Mila Anderson's meticulous self-care made her look even younger than Pheobe Rogers. However, nourished by Gian Horne's affection, Pheobe Rogers appeared vibrant and energetic, possessing a charm that, in that moment, outshone Mila Anderson's.

"Well, well, Elder Sister, out shopping too?" Pheobe Rogers said with a smile. Yet, right in front of Mila Anderson, she deliberately hooked her arm through Gian Horne's. Her fingers, now adorned with several glittering new diamond rings, were presumably spoils from her shopping spree on Pedestrian Street.

"You shameless old slut! Have you no dignity? You're ancient! Why are you still clinging to my dad's arm?" Before Mila Anderson could speak, the impulsive Adele Horne charged forward, furiously shoving Pheobe Rogers away from Gian Horne's arm.

"Adele!"

Gian Horne felt a surge of embarrassment. He glanced at Julia Bluen, whose eyes held a look of clear disapproval, making his old face flush. At home, Julia was always respectful towards him, her father-in-law. Yet here he was, caught shopping with his mistress and illegitimate son by his wife and daughter-in-law. Even though these affairs had been ongoing for a long time, and Julia was well aware of them, hearing about something was entirely different from witnessing it firsthand. Hearing his daughter berate Pheobe, he couldn't help but feel protective of Pheobe. One couldn't blame just one party for an affair. As they say, it takes two hands to clap. He had truly fallen in love with Pheobe Rogers back then, wishing he could marry her. His marriage to Mila Anderson had been an alliance. Although some affection had developed between them after marrying, it wasn't deep. The scales in his heart always tipped towards Pheobe. He felt guilty for turning her into a universally scorned mistress and for the fact that their love child, James Horne, had to live as an illegitimate son. He felt he owed the mother and son and wanted to compensate them emotionally.

"Who are you calling an old slut?" Hearing Gian Horne's rebuke, Pheobe Rogers's eyes darted. She immediately shot back, her face dark as she confronted Adele Horne, "Adele, however you want to put it, I am still technically your stepmother. As a junior, you should respect your elders. It speaks volumes about your mother's upbringing!"

This was the first time Julia Bluen had encountered a woman even more shameless than Orlando Evans. Pheobe Rogers had destroyed someone else's marriage, and yet she acted so righteous?

Mila Anderson turned pale with fury.

"Stepmother? Sorry, I only have one mother; no 'senior mothers' or 'junior mothers' for me! In my eyes, you're nothing but an old vixen, a shameless old slut who bullied my mom and stole my dad! Why should I respect you? What right do you have to demand my respect? No matter how my dad treats you, you're still a mistress who can't be seen in public! A mistress, you know, the kind who just sleeps with men. Speaking of which, you're so old now, you're probably past your prime, right? You'd better watch out. My dad might find a mistress younger and prettier than you, and let you taste what it's like to be betrayed and abandoned!" Adele Horne retorted sharply, her deep resentment towards Pheobe Rogers and her son palpable. She then scoffed, looking at Gian Horne's darkening face, and said sarcastically, "Dad, if you find another mistress, remember to let us know. I'll go set off firecrackers in the Coastal District to celebrate you chasing after the new and discarding the old!"

"You... Gian, look at this precious daughter of yours..." Instead of trading barbs with Adele Horne, Pheobe Rogers turned to Gian Horne, whining and complaining coquettishly.

Watching her cloying display, Julia Bluen felt her skin crawl with disgust; she almost felt nauseous. Her impression of her father-in-law, already poor, plummeted, while her view of Pheobe Rogers plunged even further, hitting rock bottom.

"Adele, Mila, aren't you leaving? Are you just going to stand here and make a spectacle of yourselves?" Seeing that a crowd of onlookers had gathered, Gian Horne suddenly put on the airs of a father and husband, scolding his wife and daughter.