1 I was out to dinner with a friend when I saw them: a young couple, obviously head-over-heels in love. As the man meticulously peeled a shrimp for his girlfriend, I couldn't help but sigh. "I wish my husband still did that for me." Then he turned his head. Holy crap… it was my husband. It was rare for me to get a night out, a chance to just catch up with my friend, Catherine. The moment we walked into the restaurant, we were hit with a blast of sickeningly sweet affection from a couple at a nearby table. The man was patiently placing food on the woman’s plate, his every move radiating adoration. They were in that blissful, early stage of love. I remembered when my husband, Devin, and I were like that, completely inseparable. But time had worn away the edges of his affection, leaving something dull and routine. If only he could still be this attentive, this caring. I found myself staring, lost in a haze of nostalgia. Then the man turned to the side to throw something away, and I saw his profile. My world stopped. It… it was actually him. My husband. I stood frozen for a beat, then grabbed Catherine’s arm and practically dragged her out of the restaurant. "Lily, what the hell?" Catherine asked, completely bewildered. "We haven't even eaten yet. What are you doing?" "Nothing, it's nothing," I stammered, pulling her toward the street. "I just remembered I left the stove on at home. I'm so sorry, Catherine, we'll do this another time, I promise." I cobbled together an excuse and rushed home, throwing myself onto my bed and burying my face in the pillows. The tears I’d been holding back finally came, hot and bitter. Why? Why? Devin and I had been married for three years. His mother was in poor health, and to ensure his career wasn't affected, I had quit my job to become her full-time caretaker. When she first got sick, we didn't have enough for her medical bills, so I sold the jewelry and cashed out the stocks my parents had given me as a wedding gift. I met Devin at work. He was the star of the company—handsome, charming, and brilliant. I was… average. But from the moment I saw him, I was completely smitten, utterly hooked. I started pursuing him relentlessly. He turned me down at first. But then he found out that I was the daughter of the company’s main investor, that my job was just a way for me to "experience real life." Suddenly, he was interested. I was so naive. I thought my sincerity had won him over. My friends all warned me to be careful, but I was too far gone to listen. During our relationship, he was perfect. He showered me with attention and cared for my every need. The little crush I had blossomed into a deep, unwavering devotion. After six months, he proposed. I married him against my parents’ wishes. They saw something in him I refused to, but they couldn't stop me. They gave in, gifting me a luxury car and a million dollars. Devin couldn’t stop smiling. Not long after the wedding, he told me his mother was sick and needed expensive treatments. His savings weren’t enough. He hoped I could help. Of course, I said yes. It was my duty to help my husband’s family. I gave him every last cent without a second thought. Her condition stabilized, but she needed round-the-clock care. Devin said his career was at a critical stage, and he didn't trust a hired nurse. He asked if I would stay home and look after her. High on love and a desire to please him, I agreed. I had been her caretaker for three years. I, who had been pampered my whole life, who had never so much as washed a dish, learned to cook, clean, and care for a difficult, thankless patient. All for the sake of a love I thought was real. And this was my reward. Him, out wining and dining another woman. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. If I didn't ruin him, I’d be disrespecting my own sacrifice. "Lily! What are you doing in there? Why is the door locked?" Devin’s mother started pounding on the bedroom door. I wiped my tears, took a deep breath, and opened it. "I thought you were going out to eat with your friend. What happened? Did you come to your senses? Good. I’ve told you, you shouldn't eat out so much. It’s not clean. Nothing is better than a home-cooked meal." The old woman droned on and on. It wasn't about hygiene; it was about control. She couldn't stand the thought of me enjoying myself. To keep up appearances, Devin had never told her that her medical bills and all our household expenses were paid for with my money. She still thought her son was a brilliant provider, and I was just a housewife who did nothing but spend his hard-earned cash. "Yes, you're right," I said, my smile not reaching my eyes. "The food out there is so unsanitary. That's why I came back. What would you like for dinner? I can go buy groceries." "I saw a video of someone eating salmon and lobster. That looked good. Let's have that." She even pulled up the video on her phone to show me. A young woman was feasting on a massive seafood platter, moaning with pleasure. "Mom," I said, my voice dripping with false sweetness. "You know, it’s possible I can't afford that. Your son hasn't given me any money for groceries. How about we stick to vegetables? They're green, healthy, and full of nutrients!" She was stunned into silence. Normally, I bought whatever she wanted, no matter the cost. It didn't matter; my parents were wealthy. But things were different now. Her son had just planted a forest on my head. If he wasn’t going to give me money, she wasn’t going to eat. "How is that possible? Devin makes so much money! Did you spend it all on yourself?" "If you don't believe me, I can call him and ask. Let's see how long it takes him to send the money over." I dialed Devin’s number and put it on speaker. His impatient voice filled the room. "What is it? I told you not to call me unless it's an emergency. I'm busy." "Your mother wants seafood for dinner, but I don't have any money. Can you send some over?" "Didn't your parents just give you money? Isn't that enough? We agreed, remember? My salary is for the down payment on the new house." "Well, I wouldn't be asking you if I had a choice. My dad's company is having some cash flow issues, so he's cut me off for a bit. It’s up to you. But if you don't send anything, your mother and I will just have to go hungry." I hung up. The old woman standing next to me was speechless, a look of pure disbelief on her face. The reality that her entire lifestyle was funded by me must have been a bitter pill to swallow. Without another word, she shuffled back to her room, her pride wounded. A moment later, I heard her screaming into her phone. "Devin! You get money into my account right now! Are you trying to starve your own mother?" She was a profoundly selfish woman. She didn't even care about her own son's financial strain. As long as she thought I was spending his money, she was happy to bleed him dry. Now that she knew the truth, her only concern was her wounded pride. She chewed him out and then demanded he deposit half his salary into her account every month from now on. Devin was all ego. His grand plan of buying a big house with his own money was nothing but a lie to placate me. His money, I realized, was likely being spent on that other woman. That night, Devin, who was supposed to be on a business trip, came home. "Lily, I know I've been neglecting you with work lately. I'm sorry. I brought you a gift." He took my hand and placed a small box in it. Inside was a simple silver bracelet. A cheap trinket. I feigned delight, putting it on and admiring it for a long time. The old me would have been thrilled with any gift from him. But now, knowing about his affair, everything he did felt disgusting. "Lily, I have to save for the house right now," he began, his voice smooth and earnest. "I want to give you a better life, so your father can't look down on me. For now, we'll still have to rely on your family for our expenses…" So that was it. The gift, the apology—it was all a setup. My father had always looked down on him. I never understood why he had such a strong prejudice against Devin. Now I knew. My father, a man who had seen everything, had probably read him like a book from day one. I was the foolish, disobedient daughter who had refused to listen. Well, my head was clear now. I wouldn't disappoint my father any longer. "Of course, honey," I cooed. "But I have one small request. No matter how busy you are, you have to come home more often. We can't have some vixen outside snatching you away." I whispered the words into his ear, putting extra venom on the word "vixen." His face tensed for a second before he forced a smile. Later that night, after he'd fallen asleep, I took his phone. The password had been changed. I hadn’t checked his phone in so long, I had no idea when. Thankfully, he was a heavy sleeper. I used his thumb to unlock it. I opened his messaging apps. He hadn't deleted the chat history. The other woman's name was Jenna. He called her "My Jen." I fought back a wave of nausea and opened their conversation. It was filled with explicit messages and a long history of money transfers, big and small. They had been in contact since before Devin and I even got married. It was as if I was the other woman. Every word was a needle stabbing at my heart. Devin had only agreed to date me for my money. His mother was sick, and he was desperate. I was just a rich fool who had delivered herself to his doorstep. He had played me, married me, and used my money to solve his problems, all while carrying on with his real love. What a brilliant plan. I opened Jenna's social media feed. The first post was a picture of a new gold bracelet. The receipt was included in the photo. Of course. My cheap silver bracelet was just the free gift that came with her expensive gold one. She loved to post. Every gift from Devin was put on display. I scrolled past the nauseating posts, looking for something useful. And then I found it. In the background of one of her selfies, I recognized a familiar office building. It belonged to a company my father was an investor in, run by a close family friend. My Uncle David. So, that's where she worked. I put the phone back and smiled. It was time for me to go back to work and "experience real life" again. The next morning, I was out the door before his mother could protest. "Mom, your son has a hard time making ends meet, and my parents have cut me off. If you want to maintain your quality of life, I have to go back to work. Toodles!" I called Uncle David, and he set me up with an easy, low-stress position where I could coast. The moment I walked into the office, I ran right into her. I recognized her instantly. She looked just as plain in real life as she did in her filtered photos. I acted like I didn't know her, but she definitely knew me. Her face was a mask of disbelief. She couldn't fathom why I was here. I ignored her, introduced myself to the team, and sat down at my desk, which I had specifically requested be next to hers. I spent the morning just watching her. "Why do you keep staring at me? Don't you have your own work to do?" she finally snapped. "I'm new," I said with a sweet smile. "I have to learn, don't I?" She fell silent, but I could see the guilt in her eyes. Just then, the CEO's secretary called me over. "Mr. Davies wants to see you." "Lily, my dear! What wind blew you all the way over here?" Uncle David joked as I entered his office. "I just wanted to help you out, Uncle David," I replied innocently. "Right. Just try not to cause too much trouble," he laughed. "Now, what are you really up to?" "Nothing much. Just bored. But I do have a favor to ask. Please don't tell anyone here about our relationship. And whatever you do… don't tell my dad I'm here." "Alright, you little troublemaker. Still full of schemes." Uncle David and my father were best friends. He’d always wanted a daughter, so he’d spoiled me like his own my entire life. For the next few weeks, I made a point of showing up late every day and doing as little work as possible. I spent most of my time drinking tea in Uncle David's office. The office rumor mill went into overdrive. Everyone was whispering that I was the boss's mistress. Jenna, of course, reported all of this to Devin. He started coming home more often. I snuck a look at their chats again. She was painting me as a shameless adulteress, urging him to divorce me immediately. But Devin kept avoiding the subject. I knew why. If he divorced me, his free nanny and personal ATM would be gone. His mother would become his financial burden. "Lily, I heard you've been getting close to your boss," he said one evening as I was putting on my makeup. "Oh? Who told you that? I didn't know you knew anyone at my company." "An old classmate of mine works there," he said, looking uncomfortable. "Really? What's their name? They don't seem like a very nice person. My boss and I were just discussing work. Why would they twist it into something so ugly?" "You misunderstood. My classmate was just trying to praise you, saying you must be very capable to get the boss's attention." "Is that so? Well, who is this classmate? I should thank them for the compliment." I put down my powder puff and smiled at him. "Ah… we don't really keep in touch. We just ran into each other. You know what, maybe you should just quit. It's not like you need the money." He was trying to change the subject. Fine. I wasn't ready to expose them yet anyway. The time wasn't right. "I don't need the money, but I was bored out of my mind at home. Work is a vacation compared to taking care of your mother." I applied my lipstick, admiring my reflection. "Maybe you should quit. You can stay home and look after her. I don't mind being the breadwinner." "Lily, you've changed! You were never like this before!" he said, his voice rising in frustration. He looked like a clown when he was angry. "I haven't changed at all," I said coolly. "The one who changed was always you, wasn't it?" He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. I ignored him, finished getting ready, and left for work.
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