My Mother-In-Law Thought I Was a Br0ke, Useless Housewife… Then She ᴛʜʀᴇᴡ Boiling Water on Me, ᴋɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ Me Out of My Own House, and Opened the Door the Next Morning to Police, a Locksmith, and My Lawyer

The corporate headquarters of Apex Marketing occupied the top three floors of a glass skyscraper in the financial district.

Wesley sat in the plush leather waiting lobby on the thirtieth floor, wearing his best tailored charcoal suit, nervously adjusting his silk tie. This interview was his last lifeline. After being kicked out of the house, he was staying in a dingy, six-hundred-dollar-a-week extended-stay motel on the outskirts of town, sharing the cramped space with his mother, who complained incessantly about the thin walls and cheap towels.

If he landed this Executive VP position, he would make two hundred thousand dollars a year. He could rent a decent two-bedroom apartment, hire a private defense attorney for his mother, and save face among his social circle.

"Mr. Walsh?" a young executive assistant called out, stepping into the lobby. "The board is ready for you in Boardroom A."

Wesley stood up, checked his reflection in the glass wall, forced a confident, winning smile onto his face, and walked into the boardroom.

The boardroom featured a massive glass table surrounded by eight senior executives. But sitting at the head of the table, sitting right beside the Managing Director, was Serena.

She looked stunning—dressed in an emerald-green pantsuit, her hair styled flawlessly, her presence exuding absolute authority. Her left arm was unbandaged today, though a visible red burn scar traced along the side of her wrist.

Wesley choked on his breath, stumbling slightly over the edge of the carpet. "S-Serena?!"

"Good morning, Wesley," Serena said, her voice dripping with cool, professional courtesy. "Please, sit down."

"What... what are you doing here?" Wesley stammered, looking frantically at the Managing Director, Arthur Hayes.

"Mrs. Walsh is our chief external brand strategist," Arthur Hayes explained, leaning forward with his hands folded. "She has managed our firm's high-stakes campaigns for the last four years. When we saw on your application that you claimed to be the 'Co-Founder and Principal Strategist' behind Walsh & Associates, we invited Serena to participate in this final interview to verify your credentials."

Wesley’s face drained of all color. Sweat broke out along his collar.

"I... well, as Serena's husband, I was heavily involved in the high-level operations of the firm," Wesley lied desperately, trying to maintain his composure. "I managed the administrative framework and oversaw financial logistics while Serena handled client outreach."

"Is that so, Wesley?" Serena asked, opening a tab on her laptop and projecting her screen onto the large wall monitor behind her.

"Let's look at the corporate registration filings for Walsh & Associates from four years ago," Serena stated clearly, pointing a laser marker at the screen. "As you can see, I am listed as the one hundred percent equity owner and sole managing director. Let's also look at the payroll records. You were never an employee, contractor, or strategic advisor to my firm."

"Serena, please... we can discuss this privately," Wesley whispered, pleading with his eyes.

"Furthermore," Serena continued, completely ignoring his plea and clicking to the next slide, "let's examine your current employment records at your actual job, where you hold an entry-level associate position. According to your performance reviews from last quarter, you were placed on academic probation for failing to meet basic project deadlines."

Arthur Hayes’s face hardened like granite. He closed his leather notepad and looked at Wesley with deep disgust.

"Mr. Walsh," Arthur said, his voice cold enough to freeze water. "Embellishing a resume is poor judgment. Outright inventing corporate titles and attempting to take credit for the work of an industry leader who happens to be your wife is grounds for immediate blacklisting."

"Mr. Hayes, listen to me!" Wesley panicked, stepping up to the table. "My wife and I are going through a difficult personal separation! She’s trying to sabotage my career out of personal spite!"

"No, Wesley," Serena said softly, standing up from her chair and looking down at him. "You sabotaged your career the moment you built your entire life on lies, vanity, and someone else's hard work."

Arthur Hayes stood up and motioned to the two security guards standing by the door. "Show Mr. Walsh out of the building. And notify human resources that he is permanently barred from applying to any Apex subsidiary."

As the security guards grabbed Wesley’s arms to escort him out, Wesley turned to Serena, his eyes wide with desperate humiliation.

"You ruined me!" Wesley yelled as he was dragged down the hallway. "You destroyed my life!"