My Husband And His Stepmother Called Me Their “cash Cow” While Sleeping Together. Then He Trapped Me In A Cave To Die For My Money. How Do I Make Sure They Never See Daylight Again?

Investigating the Past

That day, I finished cleaning the estate in a heavy state of mind, my actions mechanical, my thoughts consumed by a single question: Why? Why could a woman be so evil?

That evening, I didn’t stay at the estate as I usually would. I told Mr. Henderson I had an urgent matter back in the city. I drove through the night, not to the house I shared with Kevin, but straight to Mia’s apartment.

The moment she saw my distraught state, Maya knew something was terribly wrong. She pulled me inside and locked the door.

“Anna, what is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I didn’t speak, just handed her the journal. As Maya read, her face slowly changed from astonishment to horror, then to a gravity I had never seen before. After finishing, she looked up at me, her voice firm.

“Anna, this isn’t a family matter anymore. This is evidence of a potential homicide. We have to go to the police right now.”

“No,”

I said quickly.

“Maya, we don’t have definitive proof yet. This journal is just the suspicion of someone who has passed away. If we make a move now, she’ll deny everything and she could destroy any remaining evidence. It’s been 10 years, finding proof won’t be easy.”

Maya paced her apartment, her expression deeply troubled. She knew I was right.

“So what’s your plan?”

“I need to know what kind of medicine Evelyn gave to Kevin’s mother,”

I said, my voice calm again.

“I’m going to find a way to get a sample of the supplements she’s giving my father-in-law now. They might be related. I also need you to do something else. Find Kevin’s mother’s medical records from 10 years ago, and most importantly, find out about Evelyn’s mysterious ex-husband. I have a feeling he’s the key to all of this.”

Maya looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and admiration.

“Anna, do you realize how dangerous this is? If she finds out you’re investigating her, she won’t leave you alone.”

“I know,”

I replied, my gaze unwavering.

“But I can’t stop, Maya. I’m not just doing this for myself anymore. I’m doing it for Kevin’s mother, a woman who died unjustly, and for my father-in-law, a man living in fear. I have to bring the truth to light for them.”

That night I stayed at Ma’s for the first time in days. I had a dream, but it wasn’t a nightmare. I dreamt of Kevin’s mother. She was wearing a simple white dress, standing under a magnolia tree, looking at me and smiling a kind, peaceful smile. The dream felt like an encouragement, giving me strength.

The Memorial and the Medicine

The next morning, I returned home to prepare for the memorial. I knew today wouldn’t just be about remembering the deceased; it would be the day I officially began my war, a merciless war to unearth a truth that had been buried for a decade.

I wondered, on the anniversary of his first wife’s death, facing a daughter-in-law who held a terrible secret, would Evelyn reveal any cracks in her facade?

The memorial took place in a solemn atmosphere, heavy and suffocating. Early in the morning, relatives had gathered at the family estate. The smoke from incense mingled with the scent of white lilies, creating an air that was both sacred and sorrowful.

As the senior daughter-in-law, I managed everything perfectly just as I had for the past seven years. I wore a dark blue dress, my hair tied back neatly, moving quietly to arrange the food and serve tea to the guests. No one could have guessed the tempest raging inside me.

Evelyn was also dressed for the occasion in a black dress with a string of pearls. She moved through the crowd shaking hands, her mouth full of empty words of remembrance for her husband’s late wife.

“If she were still with us, she would be so happy to see the family gathered like this. I came into this family to take her place, to care for her husband, her son, this home…”

She played the part of the virtuous, magnanimous stepmother flawlessly. Looking at her, I felt sick. Kevin stood beside me, his expression also somber, but I knew his solemnity wasn’t for his mother. It was anxiety that his sinful relationship was about to be exposed.

He kept glancing at me, his eyes searching. My calmness since that night must have unsettled him. I ignored him, focusing only on observing—observing every gesture, every look from Evelyn and my father-in-law.

Evelyn, despite her attempts to appear natural, couldn’t hide the tension in her smile. Occasionally her eyes would drift towards the mantle where Kevin’s mother’s portrait sat, only to quickly look away as if afraid to meet the gaze of the deceased.

And my father-in-law, Arthur, remained as silent as ever. He sat in a corner fiddling with a cold cup of tea, his deep-set eyes staring into space. He didn’t say a word throughout the entire ceremony. His silence was more terrifying than any words. It was a silent accusation of a crime he had witnessed but could not speak of.

In the middle of the gathering, while everyone was eating, I made an excuse to go to the kitchen to prepare dessert. I knew this was my only chance. I headed towards the main wing of the house where Arthur and Evelyn’s bedroom was. The door was unlocked.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I slipped inside. The air smelled faintly of menthol rub and herbal medicine. I went straight to Arthur’s nightstand. I remembered seeing him put his bottle of supplements there once.

Luckily, it was still there—a small wooden box containing dark brown pills. With trembling hands, I took out two, carefully wrapped them in a tissue, and shoved them deep into my pocket.

Just as I was about to leave, my eyes fell on a small photograph lying face down on the table. Curious, I turned it over. My heart skipped a beat. It was a picture of Evelyn, but a much younger Evelyn.

She was standing next to a strange man, tall and muscular with a long scar across his eyebrow. But what horrified me wasn’t the man; it was the background. They were standing in front of the gates of a prison.

I quickly flipped the photo over. A line of faded handwriting was on the back:

The day you got out. A celebration for you. A celebration for us.

I quickly took out my phone, snapped pictures of both sides of the photo, and placed it back where I found it. A cold sweat broke out across my body. Evelyn and a convicted felon… what was this? Was this man her mysterious ex-husband?

I tiptoed out of the room, my heart still racing. The evidence I had just found was more frightening than anything I could have imagined. This wasn’t just a hidden past; it was a criminal past.

When I returned to the dining area, no one had noticed my absence. Everyone was still talking and laughing. Only Mister Henderson, as I walked by, gently tugged my arm and whispered,

“Be careful girl. The old fox seems restless today.”

I nodded my thanks, my heart heavy. I knew I was walking on thin ice. One wrong move and I could fall into the abyss.

That afternoon, immediately after the memorial, I didn’t go home. I went straight to the private clinic of a doctor friend. I gave him the two pills and asked him to send them for a lab analysis. Then I went to Maya’s office. I showed her the picture I had taken.

Maya studied it, her face grim.

“A prison, a scar… this man is no ordinary person, Anna. I’ll have someone run his identity, but you have to be extremely careful. Getting involved with this type of person is no joke.”

“I know,”

I replied, my voice resolute.

“But I have no choice but to see this through. Maya, I have to go all the way.”

Leaving Maya’s office, I felt like I was walking through a thick fog. The deeper I went, the denser the fog became, and the more dangerous the path ahead appeared. But I knew that at the end of that path was the light of truth, and I had to find it no matter the cost.