My pregnant wife posted photos with her ex and implied her child was not mine. She spent my money, trashed my name online, and expected me to keep supporting her lies. Her family pushed harder, demanding I pay for everything while she vacationed with another man. I finally stopped protecting her reputation and ended the marriage, cut off every benefit, and exposed the truth she tried to bury. For the first time, I get to walk away while she’s the one begging. My pregnant wife ignored my protests and went on an overseas trip with her high school sweetheart. She posted on Facebook, “Travis, even if we can’t be together as husband and wife, I’ll still give birth to your child.” The picture? The two of them were holding hands and snuggled up together. I commented under the post, “If you’re this in love, isn’t it time to divorce me and be with him instead?” After posting my comment, I didn’t waste any time. I contacted the Postpartum Care Center, where I’d previously booked and canceled the reservation. I also called Summit Ridge Women’s Clinic and canceled the appointments I had set up there. For the countless baby supplies I’d bought in advance, I either returned what I could or gave away the rest. When I was done, I let out a long breath of relief. I called up a few close friends and invited them out for drinks. I needed the distraction. We were laughing and enjoying ourselves when my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen, and my smile disappeared. It was Madeline Harper. The room grew quiet as my friends noticed my shift in mood. One suggested, “Ethan, is that Madeline calling? Maybe you should head home before she gets upset. ” “Yeah, we can call it a night here,” chimed another. They meant well. Since marrying Madeline, I haven’t spent much time with my friends. Whenever I did, Madeline would call them my “useless drinking buddies” and blame them for anything that went wrong. Everyone knew how overbearing she could be. But I hit the decline button right before them and forced a smile onto my face. “Forget about her. Let’s keep going.” “Ethan, maybe you should—” Dex started, concern in his voice. I cut him off, “I know you’re all looking out for me, but I’ll tell you this now: once Madeline returns, I’m divorcing her. She’s not going to be your sister-in-law anymore.” The group fell silent, exchanging uneasy glances but not saying another word. My phone buzzed again. After hesitating, I answered this time. Madeline’s sharp voice came through on the other end of the line, furious. “Ethan Vaughn! Who do you think you are ignoring my calls? If this happens again, you’ll sleep on the couch for a month!” I stayed silent as she launched into another tirade. “Tell me this, Ethan,” she demanded. “Why did you cancel the Postpartum Care Center? If they hadn’t called me, I’d still be in the dark! Are you even planning to be this baby’s father? If you’re not, don’t worry—plenty of men love to step up. The line of guys wanting to date me back in the day could’ve stretched to France!” When Madeline first got pregnant, I’d treated her like a queen. Whatever she asked for, I made it happen. I booked the best Postpartum Care Center in Napa Valley for $10,000 a month without a second thought. I loved her. I wanted her to feel cherished. But she used my devotion as a license to trample all over me. “Hey, are you listening?” Her shrill voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Yeah, I’m listening. What’s the problem?” I asked calmly. “The problem is, you’re going to fix this,” she snapped. “Rebook the Care Center. And send me another $10,000. Travis and I want to stay here for a couple more days.” Her words made me laugh out loud. “Madeline, have you lost your damn mind?” Chapter
The moment those words left my mouth, Madeline’s fury erupted. “Ethan Vaughn, what did you just say? Repeat it, I dare you! Do you want me to divorce you?” This wasn’t the first time she’d used divorce as a threat. It was her go-to move, no matter how small the argument. In the past, I always caved. I’d apologize, take the blame, and do whatever it took to smooth things. I thought that if I compromised enough, we’d eventually find happiness. But things never worked out that way. I took a deep breath, lifted my drink, and said calmly, “Alright. Let’s get divorced.” Then I hung up and turned off my phone. My friends stared at me, stunned. “Why are you all frozen? Let’s toast—to my freedom!” That broke the tension. Laughter filled the room as they raised their glasses with me. The drinks flowed, and I felt truly happy for the first time in years. Back at home, I collapsed into bed, the buzz of alcohol and freedom making me smile. For years, my life revolved around Madeline’s demands. She controlled everything, and I let her. I gave up smoking and drinking for her. I handed over my entire paycheck every month. I cooked, cleaned, and ran our household so she could play “princess.” But somewhere along the way, she forgot she wasn’t royalty. When I woke up the following day, loud banging echoed through the apartment. At first, I thought someone was renovating. But as the sound continued, I realized someone was at my door. I didn’t need to guess who. I took my time, pouring a glass of water as the voices outside grew louder. “Ethan Vaughn, open this door right now!” Dolly Carter’s sharp tone cut through the noise. “How dare you cancel the Postpartum Care Center and the hospital appointments? Are you even human?” Her voice grated on my nerves, but I was used to it. Whenever Madeline and I had even the slightest fight, her parents would rush over to scold me. When I finally opened the door, I was greeted by their furious faces. Without waiting for an invitation, they pushed past me into the apartment. “You better fix this immediately!” Dolly demanded. “Madeline’s coming home tonight, and everything needs to be in place.” “Is she bringing Travis Reese back with her?” I asked coolly. “What are you implying? Madeline’s coming back alone. Stop spreading nonsense!” Dolly shot back defensively. “Oh, and I heard you got a $15,000 bonus at work,” Walt added. “When’s Madeline getting that?” I let out a small laugh, shaking my head. It was going to be a long day. Chapter
I chuckled to myself. My father-in-law, Walt Carter, sure had his ear to the ground—he even knew about the bonus I’d received from my latest project. “So, when are you giving that money to my daughter?” Dolly, my mother-in-law, chimed in, her tone dripping with entitlement. “You must have misunderstood,” I replied flatly. “I’m filing for divorce from Madeline.” “Divorce?!” Dolly’s face twisted in shock. “Your darling daughter announced on Facebook that the baby she’s carrying belongs to her high school sweetheart, Travis. Whoever the father is, let him handle the hospital bills and the Postpartum Care Center,” I said, my tone cold. “You’re talking nonsense! That baby is yours!” Walt snapped, his voice rising in anger. Dolly, of course, doubled down. “Even if the baby isn’t yours, so what? You’re the one who married Madeline. If you truly love her, you should accept everything about her!” “And besides,” she added, crossing her arms, “that baby will take your last name anyway. So what exactly is your problem?” Listening to their absurd arguments, I realized trying to reason with them wastes time. I grabbed my car keys and left the house, ignoring their shouts as they trailed behind me. When they caught up in the driveway, I sighed and told them what they wanted to hear: “I’m going to sort out the Postpartum Care Center now.” That finally got them to back off. “You’d better,” Dolly said smugly. “After all, Madeline’s been carrying this baby for nine months. You can’t drop the ball now.” I didn’t bother responding and drove off. Once I was clear of the house, I called my former college classmate, Autumn Quinn, who now lived in Asheville, North Carolina. When she picked up, her voice lit up with excitement. “Ethan! You finally agreed! We’ve been waiting for the perfect leader for this project, and you’re it. The salary and benefits package we can offer you is top-notch!” Autumn had been trying to recruit me for months, but I’d always turned her down. I’d stayed because I thought Madeline and I were happy—and because she was pregnant. But now, I had no reason to stay. “Count me in,” I said decisively. She paused, catching something in my tone. “Ethan, is everything okay? Do you need help with something?” I chuckled softly. “No, nothing like that.” She didn’t push, but her excitement returned as she promised to arrange an interview. “Let me know if you need anything else,” she added warmly. “Thanks, Autumn.” We met in college when I was a junior and she was a freshman. We belonged to the same college society, and over time, we became good friends. After I got married, though, we drifted apart. With the interview set up, I turned my attention to the next step: consulting a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement. It was evening by the time everything was arranged, and I was ready to grab dinner when my phone rang again. It was Madeline. “Where the hell have you been?!” she demanded. “I’ve called you a dozen times, and you didn’t answer. I had to take a cab home, Ethan—a cab! Do you know how mad that makes me?” Chapter
Madeline’s voice dripped with anger as if taking a cab home was the most significant hardship she’d ever faced. Looking back, I realized I’d spoiled her too much. She wasn’t born into wealth or privilege, but I treated her like a princess, and over time, she began to believe she was one. “Sorry,” I said calmly. “I was busy and forgot.” “Busy? What’s your excuse? You don’t care about me at all! Get your ass home and apologize right now!” “Oh, and don’t forget to transfer the $10,000. My mom said you already withdrew it,” she added. I murmured an acknowledgment and hung up without another word. When I got home, Madeline was sitting on the couch, her pregnant belly prominent. But she wasn’t alone. Sitting next to her was Travis Reese, her high school sweetheart. Across the room, Dolly and Walt sat like they owned the place. “Ah, everyone’s here,” I said, stepping inside. All eyes turned to me, but Madeline was the first to speak. “If Travis hadn’t been kind enough to bring me home, I don’t know what would’ve happened,” she said, her voice laced with accusation. “Do you even care about the baby I’m carrying?” “Travis brought the baby’s father home. Isn’t that what he’s supposed to do?” I replied evenly, looking directly at Travis. His eyes widened in shock. “What are you talking about? What do you mean ‘the baby’s father’?” I handed him a stack of invoices. “Postpartum Care Center: $10,000. Summit Ridge Women’s Clinic VIP delivery package: $8,000. Baby supplies: $5,000. Total: $23,000. You’ll need to make those payments at the hospital soon.” Everyone froze, the weight of my words sinking in. “What’s that supposed to mean, Ethan?” Madeline finally asked, her voice rising. “It means I’m divorcing you. And whoever got you pregnant can handle the rest,” I said, pulling out the divorce papers I’d prepared. “Divorce?!” Madeline’s eyes blazed. “You think you can just leave me like this? If anyone’s divorcing anyone, it’s me! Travis’s better than you’ll ever be, Ethan. Once we’re done, I’ll marry him.” She smiled sweetly at Travis, oblivious to the horrified expression on his face. “Madeline, are you out of your mind?!” Travis blurted out, taking a step back. “Travis, don’t be shy,” she said, still grinning. “We’ve been waiting for this. Now’s our chance to finally be together.” Even Dolly jumped in. “Travis, you’re getting a wonderful girl here. My Madeline is one of a kind!” “And the baby will have your name, of course,” Walt added. But Travis’s expression darkened. “Madeline,” he said firmly, “we were just having fun. I’m not marrying you.” Madeline’s jaw dropped. “What? You’re joking, right?” He shook his head, stepping further away. “You thought I was serious? Madeline, you’re married! And honestly, who knows who else you’ve been with?” The color drained from her face, and her parents stared in stunned silence. I watched the scene unfold, saying nothing, a cold smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
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