Katerina had learned fast in the three months since her wedding: in the Morozov mansion, she was never family. She was a “provincial girl” from Biryulyovo, a mere teacher unworthy of the heir to a business empire. Her mother-in-law, Valentina Sergeevna, made no effort to hide her contempt, openly humiliating Katya under the guise of concern.
“You should be serving my husband,” Valentina had snapped once, the words like a lash. Katya’s calm façade barely masked the storm within.
But the real blow came unexpectedly one bleak Thursday.
Valentina summoned her to the mansion for a “serious talk.” The house was colder than usual; even the servants seemed to shrink from the tension. Valentina’s offer was brutal—take millions and leave, or accept a life of submission as a shadow wife, cut off from inheritance, motherhood, and dignity.
Katya’s refusal was met with thinly veiled threats and cold fury. But she left that day with a resolve forged in indignation.
Wandering the nearby shopping center, trying to steady her trembling hands, Katya’s fate shifted again. She spotted Valentina—her poised, elegant mother-in-law—stepping out of a Mercedes with a man who was definitely not her husband. The way they touched, laughed, and kissed told a story of betrayal Katya hadn’t expected.
Hidden behind a column, Katya’s phone clicked rapidly, capturing undeniable proof of Valentina’s double life—her own lessons in hypocrisy.
Back at home, Katya pondered her next move. Would she expose the woman who threatened her marriage? Could she use this secret to protect her love with Artyom? Or would wielding such power only pull her deeper into the family’s ruthless game?
Katya realized the fight for her place in the Morozov dynasty had just begun.