When His Family Made His Mistress Their Priority

I couldn't help but laugh incredulously at their boldness.

Not only did they want the new house for her to live in, but they also expected Freya Bishop, my mother-in-law, to look after her—with me lending a hand as well? What nerve they had!

If it weren't for the legal bond between Orion and me, I might have thought Zoe Cruz was the one he had married.

Whenever Zoe, his childhood friend, came up in conversation, his face would soften with unbearable tenderness, as if our entire family was indebted to her. But her injuries weren't caused by me, and her child has nothing to do with my family.

With this thought, suspicion crept into my mind.

Orion noticed my fixed gaze and unusual expression. His tone became cold, as if he couldn't be bothered to explain, "Well, are you in or not? I won't waste my time."

His harsh, impatient tone for another woman showed no trace of remorse.

In an instant, it felt as if I had been drenched with ice water, chilling me to the core.

The tender words he reserved for Zoe and the disdain he showed me were worlds apart. He was indeed capable of deep affection and loyalty, just not for me.

With this realization, I stifled a bitter laugh, "If you're so set on it, then let her stay."

Orion's eyes widened in rare surprise, disbelief etched on his face.

The next moment, he pulled my hand with delight, "Thank you, sweetheart. You're amazing."

Inside, I was laughing mirthlessly.

Someone had recently expressed interest in buying that house, offering to pay in full. Back then, I couldn't bear to part with our wedding home, but now I decided to sell it and quickly messaged the buyer on my phone.

"There might be a few days of delay due to pest control," I lied effortlessly.

He paused for a moment before responding, "That's fine. Zoe can stay in a hotel for now; I've already booked her a suite."

I nodded silently, keeping my thoughts to myself.

At that moment, the door opened, revealing Orion's mom and sister, their faces brightened with relief as they chimed in.

"My daughter-in-law knows how to see the bigger picture. To keep a family peaceful and prosperous, a woman must be generous."

As if suddenly remembering, she added, "Why not choose a spa resort for Zoe? The scenery is lovely there. I'll go with Charlie."

Freya Bishop gave me a sidelong glance and feigned a casual inquiry, "Freya, doesn't your family's group own a resort? I've heard it has great views..."

Charlie nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, let's go there, sister-in-law. Mom and I will spend a few days with Zoe, and then our big brother can join us."

She spoke, her head bobbing with excitement as if they were the genuine family, with me just the host.

As though the resort belonged to the Cruz family, I was struck speechless by their presumptuousness.

Charlie's face soured when I didn't respond, and she insisted, "Sister-in-law, you'll set it up for us, right?"

Orion, worried I might change my mind about the house, hurried to smooth things over. "Your sister-in-law will call and sort it out, no problem."

He glanced at me meaningfully, trying to score points.

Finally catching on, Orion's mom grabbed Charlie, and they left the room, murmuring, "Don't worry, your sister-in-law is reliable; she'll set it all up."

In this household, my opinion carried little weight.

The three of them orchestrated everything flawlessly, leaving me no room to intervene.

As the door slammed shut, I laughed in frustration.

"Orion, you should have just married Zoe Cruz. She would take care of your precious darling, and you could all avoid this family separation."