OWNED BY MY EX-HUSBAND'S STEPBROTHER

Victor's words stabbed through Gloria's heart like a knife; he knew his words were hurting her. He grabbed his secretary and gave her a kiss, not minding that people were gathering around them now.

"Where is Annabel?" Gloria demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut glass as she glared at the man standing across from her.

Victor didn't even flinch. If anything, the arrogance in his eyes only deepened. He looked like a man watching an amusing performance rather than facing his furious wife. The corner of his lips lifted slightly, not quite a smile, but close enough to make Gloria's blood boil.

"Oh, come on, don't be a killjoy," his secretary said. She was obviously enjoying the whole show.

"Annabel is with my mother," Victor said smoothly. "They are having a grandmother-granddaughter moment, and my mother has been waiting for you in her room, so go on."

Most of the guests had gone back to drinking and laughing as if nothing in the world could possibly be wrong. They were all the same all rich people were the same.

Gloria clicked her tongue, disgust curling in her chest. Without another word, she turned and was about to walk away when she stumbled on something and almost fell to the ground, but a strong arm caught her. She looked up to see Lukas, Victor's stepbrother.

"Hello, sister-in-law," Lukas said, smiling, his hand still holding her waist firmly.

Gloria quickly collected herself and wriggled out of his arm. "H-hi Lukas, t-thanks for saving me just now," she muttered.

"My pleasure, sister-in-law," Lukas said, his gaze never leaving her body.

Gloria turned to Victor's secretary. "You did that on purpose, right?" she asked angrily.

"Mrs. Anderson, you know you can't go about accusing people wrongly. It's not my fault you are too fat to even walk properly," the secretary said, laughing.

"Fat?" Lukas muttered to himself. The woman he had just held in his hands was anything but fat. She was perfect.

Lukas turned to Victor. "Brother, you allow your staff to disrespect your wife?" he asked. Victor was giggling with his secretary.

Gloria was shocked. This was the first time someone had stood up for her. But she didn't want to start a fight between the brothers.

"Lukas, just let it be. I'm used to it. I will go and find my daughter now," Gloria said as she walked away.

Lukas's eyes followed her. Her dress exposed most of her back, the fabric clinging tightly to her curves; she was breathtaking. No woman in the banquet room came close to Gloria in terms of beauty and full figure. Her skin was as white as snow. Not even the scheming secretary who was still clinging to Victor's arm. Gloria was everything Lukas needed in a woman and for his revenge against the Andersons.

Lukas turned to Victor. "Brother, if you don't treasure her, someone else will snatch her away from you soon."

Victor and his secretary started laughing. "Look at her," he said, pointing at Gloria's retreating figure. "Which other man would want her except me? She's already thirty years old. So you see, I'm doing her a favor by allowing her to remain my wife."

Lukas smiled. He knew he was closer to achieving his goal. "If you say so, brother," he said.

Gloria stormed down the long corridor, her heels striking the marble with furious echoes. The red carpet beneath her feet felt suffocating, like she was walking toward a battlefield she already knew she might lose.

At the end of the hall stood the massive double doors leading to her mother-in-law's room. The security guards recognized her immediately and opened them without question.

Gloria stepped inside.

Her mother-in-law sat on a luxury Italian couch, laughing warmly as she fed Annabel small cookies from a porcelain plate. The grandmother and granddaughter looked perfectly content-like a painting of domestic happiness.

The moment her mother-in-law saw Gloria, the smile vanished from her face, replaced by a deep frown. As she looked at Gloria from head to toe with disdain, Gloria knew she was looking for something to criticize.

"G-good afternoon," Gloria greeted her, forcing a thin smile.

Her mother-in-law didn't respond. Typical.

She turned to Annabel. "Sweetheart, can you give Grandma a moment?" she said sweetly.

"No, Mother, let her stay here with me," Gloria said, reaching for Annabel, who ran into her arms screaming. "Mommy! Where were you? Grandma and I have been waiting for you!"

The innocence in her daughter's voice stabbed straight through Gloria's heart.

"Sweetheart, Mommy had something to do," she said softly. "Did you have a nice time with your grandma?"

"Yes, Mommy! Grandma gave me a lot of chocolate and ice cream too," Annabel said happily.

"Gloria, the maid should take Annabel outside. I don't want you traumatizing my granddaughter with your sad stories about her father," her mother-in-law said. She signaled to her personal maid, who was always on standby, to take Annabel out.

"Baby, go out for a bit with her. I have something important to discuss with Grandma," Gloria said as she kissed her daughter's head.

"Okay, Mommy! Bye, Grandma!" the little girl said happily as the maid carried her out.

As the door closed, the room suddenly became silent. The two women remained, facing each other like opponents in a duel.

Gloria couldn't ignore the comparison. Her mother-in-law was elegance personified. She was wearing an expensive red gown hugging her figure, diamond earrings catching the light with every movement. Her skin was smooth, barely touched by age despite turning fifty years old very soon.

Gloria felt painfully aware of her own appearance. She was thirty but looked like she was already in her mid-forties. Her skin was dull, and she had eye bags around her eyes-an exhaustion that always showed on her face. She had aged quickly being married to Victor.

"Why were you late? You know today is the Andersons' banquet, and as the only daughter-in-law of the Andersons, you were supposed to be here before everyone," her mother-in-law said coldly.

"It doesn't seem like I'm needed here," Gloria muttered to herself.

"What did you say?" her mother-in-law asked.

"No, Mother, I'm sorry I was late. I was caught up in some personal issue."

Her mother-in-law sighed. "And why are you dressed like that? Did you come here just to embarrass my son again?"

"Huh? What is wrong with my dress, Mother?" Gloria asked, confused.

"Don't play stupid," the older woman snapped. "Victor buys you countless dresses, yet you choose to wear that outdated rag from years ago. It's embarrassing. Do you want the guests to start gossiping that my son doesn't take care of his wife?"

"Mother, this is my own dress. I bought it with my own money. I won't take anything from Victor," Gloria said firmly.

Her mother-in-law's brow lifted. "What do you mean you won't take anything from your husband?"

Gloria knew it was now or never. "He's not my husband," she replied, her voice trembling with restrained rage. "Not anymore." The words felt heavy coming out of her mouth.

"I still don't understand what you are saying, Gloria."

"I'm filing for divorce," Gloria said in a shaky voice. "I'm just waiting for Victor to sign the papers. Once he does, I'm taking my daughter and leaving him forever. He has done enough harm to me and my daughter."

Gloria knew what would follow, so she braced herself. She was expecting her mother-in-law to start shouting at her or even start insulting her like she always does-or better still, remind her of how her precious son brought Gloria and her family out of poverty. Victor was the apple of his mother's eyes.

To Gloria's surprise, her mother-in-law started laughing.

"I'm serious," Gloria insisted, her fists tightening. "I came here to take Annabel with me and also for you to convince Victor to sign the divorce papers."

Her mother-in-law's expression changed instantly. The smile remained on her face, but her eyes turned cold.

"Gloria, you really are funny," she said. "Do you think I care about what's going on between you and Victor? Hell no! I don't even care if Victor remains married or not. You were never suitable for my son in the first place."

Gloria's stomach dropped. "Mother, what are you saying?" she asked, surprised.

"You heard me right, Gloria. At first I didn't care if he married you or some prostitute off the street. All I needed was for him to inherit his father's empire and give me a grandchild."

She leaned back, pride gleaming in her eyes. "And he did both perfectly."

Her gaze shifted to Gloria with open contempt. "He built the company. He gave me a beautiful granddaughter." Her lips curled. "So your purpose is fulfilled. You're no longer needed. So you can divorce him for all I care. Do you know how many women outside are dying to marry my son? Take his secretary, for example. Do you see how she treats my son like a king?"

Gloria was shocked at what her mother-in-law was saying to her. "But-" she started to talk, but the older woman cut her off immediately.

"Let me give you some advice," her mother-in-law said as she poured herself another glass of champagne.

"You were never good enough for this family," her mother-in-law said bluntly. "You are not famous. You are not refined. You came from a family of generational poverty with a useless degree and no connections."

Each word landed like a slap on Gloria's face. "The only value you ever had was marrying my son and giving birth to my granddaughter. Otherwise, you are just good for nothing," her mother-in-law said, sipping her champagne.

The room went silent. Gloria could barely contain the tears streaming down her cheeks. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as humiliation, rage, and heartbreak tangled together inside her. She was just a tool for Victor and his mother. Now she understood why Victor stopped having sex with her immediately after she became pregnant. He only wanted the child to carry on their legacy, not her.