My husband proposed an open marriage, and I agreed. A plan began to brew in my mind. Just as I’d anticipated, his mistress got pregnant and pressured him to divorce me. I didn’t cry, didn’t make a scene. I simply smiled and signed the divorce papers. But who would have thought that soon after, his business would take a sudden hit, his company would go bankrupt, and he’d fall gravely ill. As for me? I was just starting to reach the peak of my life. “Clara, listen, I have a friend—” David had just returned from a business trip, and he was unusually eager to talk to me. He grabbed my hand, his eyes sparkling with an almost predatory glint as he excitedly began: “Didn’t he have a big fight with his wife a while ago? They were about to divorce.” “But then they decided not to. Do you know why?” “They tried an open marriage.” My internal alarm bells screamed. His next words confirmed everything. “The benefits of an open marriage are just incredible, like for example…” “It can spice up a dull, boring relationship. You get to experience different lives with different people.” His eyes were full of a hungry light as he spoke, a stark contrast to the weary gaze I’d grown so used to. He used to just lie on the couch, glued to his phone, the moment he got home from work. The passion had faded, and the monotony of our life together had clearly bored him. I knew exactly what was going on. He’d made a lot of money now, and he wanted *more*. One woman was never going to be enough for him, was she? A bitter taste filled my mouth, but I pushed it down, interrupting him: “If an open marriage is so great, why don’t we give it a try?” “Seriously?” David’s face registered pure shock. I nodded. “No kidding, when have I ever fooled you? But I do have one condition.” “I get to pick your playmate.” “Uh…” David frowned, a conflicted expression on his face. I patted his shoulder. “Relax. I’ll pick someone perfect for you, I won’t just throw any random person your way.” “Alright then!” David and I had known each other for thirty years. We practically shared the same nursery clothes, growing up side-by-side. We started dating at sixteen, got married at twenty-three right after college, and had Lily at twenty-four. All these years, he’d always been decent to me. When I complained about work, he said he’d take care of me. When I said housework was exhausting, he’d help out after work. I honestly thought we’d grow old together, a perfect couple. I never imagined that the first thing he’d think about after making money was finding a mistress, all under the fancy guise of an “open marriage.” They say money changes men, and he was living proof. It was my fault too, I suppose. I believed him when he said he’d take care of me. Now, if I left him, I wouldn’t even be able to survive. I wouldn’t even have enough cash for a cheap motel room. 2. It took me a lot of effort to find the right “playmate” for David. Her name was Brooke. She was a fresh college graduate, from a poor family, and absolutely obsessed with money. She was stunning, no doubt. Flawless skin, delicate features, and a body that screamed ‘trouble.’ Her voice was a syrupy sweet whisper, the kind that made men melt. The perfect type for David, really. “So, what do you think? Happy?” I asked, looking at David, whose eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Happy. More than happy.” David nodded vigorously, his hand already reaching for Brooke’s waist, barely able to contain himself. Brooke didn’t shy away; she leaned into his embrace. They looked less like strangers meeting for the first time and more like a couple who’d been secretly having an affair for years. Less than two weeks after David and Brooke got together, he had her move in with us. Three was definitely a crowd, and I was clearly the odd one out, slowly being pushed to the margins of my own home. I wasn’t the lady of the house anymore; I was just the live-in chef. Brooke, especially, started off polite, but quickly became bolder and bolder. I figured she was trying to drive me out so she could marry David herself. One morning, as I was making breakfast in the kitchen, David and Brooke were practically glued together on the couch, making out as if no one else existed. Lily, my daughter, rolled her eyes as she helped me with the chores. “Mom, when are you going to divorce him?” “I can’t stand Dad and Aunt Brooke acting like animals in the house every single day.” I gave her head a comforting pat, smiling. “Don’t worry, sweetie. All according to plan.” At breakfast, Brooke deliberately flaunted the hickeys on her neck and collarbone. “David, you wore me out last night. I’m sore all over.” She glanced at me, a smug smile playing on her lips. “It must be nice, Clara. Sleeping alone every night, no need to worry about what clothes to wear to cover up any… marks the next day.” David pulled Brooke into a tender hug. “Baby, I’m sorry. I’ll be gentler tonight.” Then he looked up at me. “Clara, while I’m at work, please take good care of Brooke. Make her some nourishing soup.” I didn’t actually feel anything, but I made sure my face showed obvious displeasure. “David, get this straight. I’m your lawfully wedded wife, not your personal assistant or maid. I’m already being incredibly generous letting you two carry on under my roof.” Brooke purred, wrapping her arms tightly around David’s neck. “It’s okay, David. I can take care of myself.” “Ugh…” David sighed, looking at me with a hint of resentment. I just lowered my head and sipped my porridge, pretending not to notice. 3. After David left for work, Lily and I stayed in the kitchen, cleaning up the dishes. Brooke followed us in. “Clara, don’t you see? David doesn’t love you anymore.” “You might be legally married, but they say the one who isn’t loved is the real third wheel.” “Honestly, instead of watching David and me be all lovey-dovey every day, why don’t you just divorce him? Then you could start a new relationship too.” I scoffed. “David and I have an open marriage. I can start a new relationship whenever I want, no divorce needed.” “Unlike you. Even if you and David broke up, you wouldn’t get a dime of his money.” “You…” Brooke stomped her foot, huffing with anger. “You just wait, Clara. David will ask for a divorce himself.” With that, she slammed the bedroom door shut and disappeared inside. Lily and I exchanged a triumphant look, a silent high-five for a plan well executed. That evening, the moment David walked through the door, Brooke clung to him like a limpet. “David, Clara was so mean to me when you were gone.” “What did she do?” David frowned, his eyes narrowed in displeasure as he looked at me, putting dinner on the table. Brooke pouted, looking pitiful. “She called me your… your bedmate.” “And she said you’d throw me away like trash once you were bored, that I was just your dirty little secret.” “Clara.” David’s gaze was icy. “Brooke is the one you personally picked for me. What are you trying to do, talking to her like that?” “If you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t have agreed in the first place.” I shrugged indifferently. “No big deal. Just making sure she knows her place.” Brooke’s eyes flickered with surprise. She hadn’t expected me to not only avoid explaining myself but to actually admit to what she’d said. That night, David, in an effort to protect Brooke, verbally tore me apart. “Clara, while you’re telling others to know their place, maybe you should know yours first.” “You need to understand, you’re just a useless old woman who never brought a dime into this house.” “Without me, you’d end up begging on the streets.” “So, if you want to keep having a roof over your head, stop bullying Brooke when I’m not home.” I peeled a tangerine, nodding in agreement with David’s words. He was right. In seven years of marriage, all I’d done was give birth, raise Lily, cook, and do housework. I truly hadn’t brought in a single cent. That’s why, rich or not, a woman needs a job. Because only money can truly prove your worth. Everything else? No one sees it. To prevent Brooke from being “bullied” by me again, David rented a large apartment for her. After Brooke moved out, David never came home. Lily started to worry. “Mom, what if Dad never comes home? Is our plan going to fall apart?” I gave her cheek a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Mommy has a backup plan.” 4. On Monday, while David was at work, I paid Brooke a visit. Following the usual etiquette of bringing a small gift, I even made sure to bring her favorite fruit: mangoes. Just kidding, she hated mangoes. Brooke’s face fell, turning sullen the moment she opened the door and saw me. “What do *you* want, old woman?” I placed the mangoes on the coffee table, then crossed my legs confidently on the sofa, immediately establishing my dominance. “I’m here to help you face reality.” “David might be doting on you now, but it doesn’t change the fact that in an open marriage, he can dote on anyone he wants.” “Today it’s you, tomorrow there could be a thousand more like you. So, I advise you to break things off with David sooner rather than later, before you get thrown out.” “What the hell do you know?” Brooke spat through gritted teeth. “David promised me last night in bed that he’d be good to me forever, that I’d get a share of all his assets!” “Ha…” I mocked her with a wry chuckle. “Whatever he gives you, I have the right to take back. After all, it’s marital property.” Brooke stared at me, her eyes ablaze with a fierce anger. She was silent for a long moment before finally saying, “He *will* divorce you.” “Oh really? I don’t believe it.” Then I pointed to the mangoes on the table. “I brought you some fruit. Don’t forget to eat it.” Brooke, fuming, threw all the mangoes into the trash. As I left, I didn’t forget to have the moving crew help me take away all the gifts David had given Brooke. Brooke tried to stop them several times, but the bodyguards I’d hired pinned her to the sofa, completely immobilized. Watching the truck fill up with clothes, bags, cosmetics, gold, and silver jewelry, memories slowly surfaced. From dating to marriage with David, fourteen whole years. He’d always given me gifts on holidays, but most of them were cheap trinkets. Especially after we got married, he’d mostly give me small household tools to help with chores, like aprons, electric griddles, or robot vacuums. Huh… Men. For them, love was just another transaction. 5. That evening, David, for once, came home. The moment he walked in, he started yelling at me, pointing at me as I ate at the dining table. “Clara, what the hell is wrong with you? We have an open marriage, what’s with you constantly trying to stir up trouble between Brooke and me?” “Have you forgotten the vows you made to me on our wedding day? You said your greatest joy was seeing me happy. What do you mean by making me unhappy now?” “And everything you have right now, I worked my ass off for it. If you still want to live a comfortable life, then do your job as a wife properly.” Facing David’s wild accusations and his complete dismissal of my years of dedication, I didn’t get angry. Instead, I calmly took out a divorce agreement, smiling. “Let’s get a divorce. Marry Brooke. She’s a much better fit for you than I am.” Just as I expected, David refused to divorce me. Truth be told, he loved neither me nor Brooke. He simply wanted someone to run his household while he swapped women on the side. An open marriage was the perfect excuse. He wouldn’t have to bear the shame of cheating, and he could openly date other women. After David left, I sent the recording of his refusal to divorce me to Brooke. [Oh no, Brooke! I want to divorce David, but he won’t let me!] [He might spend a lot of money on you, but that doesn’t change the fact that in his eyes, you’re just a playmate.] [You’re so pathetic.] Her status showed “typing,” but no message ever came through. I knew Brooke was so furious she didn’t know how to retort. So, I kindly offered her some advice. [How about you have a son for David?] [Only having a daughter has always been his biggest regret. He’s built such a huge business; he’s bound to want a son to inherit it.] Sure enough, her status no longer showed “typing,” and no message was returned. I figured Brooke had taken my advice to heart. Well, I wished her success. 6. Two months later, David returned home again, bringing Brooke with him. David slapped the divorce agreement onto the table, pointing to the signature line on the last page. “Clara, you know, the one who isn’t loved is the real third wheel.” “I’m sure, given your moral standing, you wouldn’t want to be a mistress.” I meticulously read the asset distribution page from beginning to end, and couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “David, you’re truly cheap. Why do I only get an electric scooter and ten thousand dollars?” David snorted. “You mostly use it for dropping off Lily and going to the grocery store. An electric scooter is perfect for you.” “The ten thousand dollars is my ‘salary’ for you. You haven’t created any value in all these years of marriage, but you’ve certainly put in the effort.” Brooke, nestled sweetly in David’s arms, chimed in, “Clara, ten thousand dollars is a lot!” “If you worked a normal job, it would take you ages to save up ten thousand!” “Besides, David and I have a baby to raise; our future financial pressure will be huge.” I didn’t argue with David about the asset distribution. Instead, I simply signed the document. My swift and decisive action actually surprised David. “Clara, you’re really okay with just an electric scooter and ten thousand dollars?” I smiled calmly. “Lily’s with me, isn’t she? Having her is enough. The rest doesn’t matter.” Before David could respond, I had already taken Lily into her room to pack our bags, ready to move out first thing in the morning. Lily sat on the bed, excitedly helping me organize my clothes. “Mom, I saw a house online that I really like.” “It’s super close to Dad’s place. If we live there, we’re definitely going to get lucky! And get rich!” I glanced at David, who was flirting with Brooke in the living room, and a subtle smile tugged at the corner of my lips. “That’s right! We’re going to get rich, and your dad is going to go bankrupt.”
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