My husband, Dominic, sneered in Italian, calling my inheritance “crumbs,” not even enough to buy his mistress a handbag. Then he turned to me, his voice soft with English endearments. “Honey, why not go abroad to clear your mind? I’ll buy your ticket.” I smiled and accepted the one-way ticket. Dominic had no idea I understood Italian. He knew even less that the inheritance he scorned was a vast business empire, large enough to buy out ten of his companies. Elara’s POV Dominic was on a video call. Seeing me enter, he casually pulled me into his embrace. The man on the screen chuckled, his Italian fluent and relaxed. “Dominic, you’re not worried your wife will overhear us discussing your little secretary while she’s right there in your arms?” Dominic carelessly kissed my earlobe, replying in Italian, “Why would I be? She doesn’t understand a word. The farthest she’s ever traveled is an all-inclusive resort. She can’t read Italian. She can barely make sense of a French menu.” I leaned against his chest, compliant, my fingertips trembling slightly. Dominic didn’t know that I had spent three years learning Italian, just so I could understand those hushed phone calls he tried to hide from me. The man on the screen laughed even more brazenly. “So what about your little drama queen, threatening a hunger strike? Next week is your fifth anniversary with her, and she insists on having your spot.” Dominic’s fingers gently massaged my waist, his tone laced with cold indifference. “I’m trying to appease her. In fact, I’m planning to send the woman in my arms away. Her uncle left her some inheritance, perfect for her to spend half a month abroad. Get her out of the way, make room for the new one.” “Is it worth it? All this trouble for a bit of inheritance?” “Even crumbs are still something.” Dominic scoffed. “I don’t even care for that money; let’s just consider it her pocket change.” Then, he ended the video call. When he looked down at me, he had seamlessly switched back to gentle English, his eyes full of affection. “Honey, I was just discussing business with a partner. Don’t be too sad about your uncle’s passing. Since it was his wish, you should go ahead and handle it.” I looked up, flashing a sweet, innocent smile. “Okay, thank you, darling.” Dominic patted my head, satisfied, and quickly typed something on his phone. “I’ve transferred a million dollars to you. Have my secretary book your flight. Buy whatever you like over there, don’t hold back.” I smiled, accepting the transfer notification on my screen. It wasn’t until he turned and went into the bathroom that I opened the unread lawyer’s email on my phone. At the top of the attachment was a property deed for a Tuscan vineyard, along with a trust fund balance with so many zeros it made my head spin. I turned off the screen and calmly sent a reply to the lawyer. “Proceed as planned. See you in half a month.”
Elara’s POV The next morning, Dominic’s secretary sent me the flight information. “Ms. Hayes, Mr. Julian specifically asked me to book you the earliest first-class flight. He said he was worried you might miss the notarization appointment there.” I looked at the flight information on my screen, a mocking smile playing on my lips. Worried I’d miss the notarization? That was a lie. He was worried I’d mess up his anniversary with his mistress. “Thank you for your trouble,” I replied. “By the way, I’m not sure how long this trip will take. To make changes easier, please only book the outbound flight.” The secretary replied instantly. “Of course, Mrs. Hayes. Mr. Julian said the same thing-that you should enjoy yourself there and come back when you’re ready. A return ticket can be booked anytime.” I closed my phone, looking at the e-ticket, feeling eerily calm. Dominic thought this was just a one-way ticket for easy changes. But he didn’t know it was truly a one-way ticket. No return. Fifteen days left until departure. Fifteen days was all I needed. It was enough. After Dominic left for the office, I called in two people who dealt in second-hand luxury goods. In my walk-in closet, the Hermès bags and limited-edition jewelry Dominic had given me were piled high on the floor. “Ms. Hayes, do you really want to get rid of all of these?” The recycling store owner’s eyes gleamed at the sight of all the genuine articles. In this circle, wealthy women usually only bought, rarely cleared out their entire collection like this. “Yes, sell them all.” I casually picked up a limited-edition diamond necklace. Dominic had bought it at an auction last year, specifically to appease me and cover up a hickey on his neck. “I’m going abroad, these things are too much of a burden. Out with the old, in with the new.” The owner had his staff pack and appraise the items, while he chuckled, “Of course, Mr. Julian dotes on you so much, there’ll definitely be even better things waiting for you when you return.” Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked casually, “Oh, by the way, Ms. Hayes, aren’t you selling that sapphire necklace today? The one bought at the auction with this bag?” My hand, as I was tidying clothes, paused. That was Dominic’s birthday gift to me during our first year of marriage. A few days ago, I wanted to wear it, but he said the clasp was loose and he’d sent it for maintenance. Seeing my silence, the owner thought he’d spoken out of turn and quickly tried to mend it. “I just asked casually. Because a few days ago, I saw an influencer on Ins showing off a picture, and it looked like she was wearing that exact necklace. I thought maybe you’d lent it to a friend.” An influencer on Ins? I understood immediately, but my face remained impassive, maintaining a polite smile. “Oh, that one. It’s still being serviced. You must have seen wrong; that necklace is a one-of-a-kind piece. I don’t lend it to anyone.” The owner gave an awkward laugh and didn’t press further, swiftly getting his staff to clear out the items. “Don’t transfer the money to my card; just give me euros in cash,” I instructed the owner. Once the house was quiet again, I took out my phone and downloaded the app the owner had mentioned. Using the app’s location filter and a few keywords, I quickly found the account. The latest post was a selfie in the rearview mirror of a luxury car. The young woman in the picture was wearing my sapphire necklace. The caption read: “Even though it’s an old design, as long as he gave it to me, I love it. Can’t wait for next week’s surprise.” I wasn’t angry. I didn’t even bother to screenshot it. If I was leaving, I was leaving cleanly. I wouldn’t take a single thing that belonged to Dominic.
Elara’s POV To appease his mistress, Dominic, for the first time ever, brought Chloe to a private business dinner that evening. The irony was, Chloe was there as a “translator,” but she was decked out in a custom-made gown flashier than anything I, the actual wife, would wear. From the moment she walked in, her eyes never left Dominic, that clingy intensity practically screaming their inappropriate relationship to everyone present. “Ms. Hayes, long time no see.” A few business partners came over to toast, and Dominic smiled, pulling me close by the waist, playing the part of the model husband. “My wife doesn’t understand much about business. I’ll drink this for her.” An important Italian client approached with a glass, and Dominic released me. He turned to Chloe behind him and whispered in Italian, “This old man is a lecher. Go have a few drinks with him, don’t let him bother Elara.” Chloe looked reluctant, pouting in Italian, “Darling, I’m not feeling well today. Shouldn’t Elara do the blocking? She doesn’t understand business talk anyway, it’s such a waste for her to just stand there like a flower vase.” Dominic hesitated for a moment, his gaze flicking between us. Ultimately, his heart, predictably, went out to his mistress. He turned to me, his voice gentle in English. “Honey, Chloe isn’t feeling well today, and this client is quite important. Could you help me toast him? Just smile, you don’t need to say anything.” I looked at his face, so full of feigned affection, and scoffed inwardly. In his eyes, his mistress held a higher position than I, his wife. “Of course.” I took the wine glass, smiling gracefully and generously. “Since Ms. Chloe isn’t feeling well, as the boss’s wife, it’s only right that I look out for the staff.” I walked towards the Italian client, glass in hand. Chloe, standing behind Dominic, flashed me a smug, defiant smile. She thought I hadn’t understood their Italian conversation. As I passed her, my high heel slipped. A full glass of red wine, without missing a beat, spilled directly onto Chloe’s expensive gown. “Ah!” Chloe shrieked, clutching her chest in embarrassment. “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!” I stood steady, feigning panic, my expression innocent. “Ms. Chloe, are you alright? You looked a bit pale, so I tried to steady you, but my hand slipped.” All eyes instantly converged on us. Dominic’s brows furrowed. He instinctively reached out to help Chloe, but seeing all the business partners around, he abruptly redirected his hand, steadying a seemingly startled me instead. “Elara, are you okay? Did you hurt your ankle?” His voice was concerned, but his eyes swept over the red stain on Chloe’s chest with unconcealed pity. Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears of indignation. She bit her lip and complained to Dominic in Italian, “Darling, she did it on purpose! This dress is the one you gave me-” “Shut up.” Dominic coldly snapped at her in Italian, his eyes warning her. “Go to the restroom and clean yourself up. Don’t make a scene here.” Turning back to me, he put on his doting husband persona, gently smoothing my hair. “It’s nothing, just a dress. If it’s dirty, it’s dirty. What matters is that you didn’t fall.” I leaned into his embrace, watching Chloe’s retreating figure, clutching her dress in embarrassment. A barely perceptible smile touched my lips. After the dinner, Dominic used the excuse of seeing a drunk client home, telling the driver to take me home first. I knew he was rushing to appease his wronged mistress. Back home, I didn’t turn on any lights. My phone screen glowed in the darkness, an unread message from my lawyer. “Ms. Hayes, your overseas account has been activated. All asset transfer procedures will be completed within a week. Please confirm your travel plans.” I glanced at the date circled in red on my calendar. That was the anniversary Dominic and Chloe were so eagerly anticipating. It was also the day I would finally leave. I calmly replied with two words. Confirmed.
Elara’s POV The day after I sold off my luxury items, Dominic, unexpectedly, came home in the afternoon. Normally, he’d be at the office, or having afternoon tea with Chloe. His sudden return today clearly meant something urgent had come up. I was sitting on the living room carpet, tossing the last few photo albums into a cardboard box beside me. They were photos from college, and a handful of anniversary pictures from our five years of marriage. “Why are you digging all these out?” Dominic loosened his tie, glancing at the box without much interest, asking casually. “Just tidying up.” I closed the box and sealed it with tape. “I’m going abroad, so I thought I’d send these things to my old house for storage, instead of letting them gather dust here.” Dominic nodded. “Good idea. It’s better to have fewer things around, more peace and quiet.” He probably thought I was carefully preserving these precious memories. In reality, that cardboard box’s final destination was the trash compactor downstairs. “Oh, by the way, Elara.” He suddenly turned and walked into the walk-in closet. “Where’s that pink diamond bracelet I bought at the auction last year? A client’s wife is having a birthday, and I wanted to borrow it as a sample for the designer to reference.” I sneered inwardly. “Client’s wife?” More like Chloe must be throwing a fit about yesterday’s spilled wine and demanding compensation, right? That pink diamond bracelet was a multi-million dollar piece; he certainly wasn’t shy about using it to appease his mistress. Too bad he was a step too late. Sounds of rummaging came from the closet. A few minutes later, Dominic emerged, frowning, a hint of frustration in his voice. “Why can’t I find it? The jewelry box is empty.” I remained seated, taking a slow sip of tea, and calmly said, “Oh, that bracelet. Last time you said the necklace was sent for maintenance, and I thought the bracelet hadn’t been worn in a long time, so I sent it along to the brand for care too.” Dominic froze. He clearly hadn’t expected me to do that. He knew better than anyone where that necklace was. But he hadn’t anticipated that I would use the same excuse to get rid of the bracelet. “Sent it overseas?” His brows furrowed even deeper. “When did you send it?” “Just two days ago.” I looked at him with an innocent expression. “What’s wrong? If you’re really in a hurry, I can call and have them intercept and return it now? But it’s already international shipping, so it might take a while.” Dominic’s expression stiffened for a moment. Intercepting it was impossible; once intercepted, his scheme to take the necklace would be exposed. Besides, going to such lengths to retrieve a bracelet from overseas for a mistress simply wasn’t his style. “Never mind. It’s not worth the trouble.” He waved a hand, hiding the disappointment in his eyes. “Since it’s gone for maintenance, that’s fine. I’ll have my assistant pick out another gift.” As he turned to leave, I suddenly called out to him. “Dominic, I also packed up and sent away all the other bags and jewelry from the closet.” I gestured towards the empty closet space, smiling sweetly and dutifully. “Since I’m going abroad, there’s no one to wear these valuable items at home, and they’re a hassle to maintain. Might as well store them together.” Dominic glanced back. The once lavish display shelves were indeed half empty. But he didn’t suspect a thing; instead, he seemed relieved. “That’s good. You arrange it.” He walked over and gave me a perfunctory kiss on the forehead. “Once you get your inheritance abroad, I’ll buy you new ones.” After Dominic left, the house became utterly silent. I looked at the sealed cardboard box, picked up a marker, and wrote TRASH across it in bold, black letters. Then I called the housekeeping service. “Hi, could you send someone up? There’s a pile of things in the living room that need to be taken away. Yes, no sorting necessary. Just remove it all.”
Elara’s POV The lawyer sent the final batch of documents that needed signing. A thick stack, filled with dense paragraphs of Italian and French clauses. When Dominic returned that evening, I was sitting by the living room coffee table, frowning at the pile of papers. “Dominic, you’re back.” I held a pen, my brows slightly furrowed, feigning a headache from the cumbersome procedures. “What’s wrong?” Dominic took off his jacket, tossing it onto the sofa, his gaze sweeping over the coffee table. “Still dealing with that inheritance business?” “Yes, the lawyers over there are incredibly particular.” I sighed, pulled a thin sheet from the stack, and handed it to him. “They said that for tax purposes and procedural compliance, my spouse needs to sign a waiver of inheritance and an informed consent form.” Dominic took the document, casually glancing at it. It was all obscure Italian legal jargon. He couldn’t be bothered to read it. In his eyes, it was just a few thousand dollars, and now he had to sign a stack of papers-what a waste of time. “This is such a hassle.” He frowned impatiently, tossing the document back onto the table. “For such a pittance, they’re acting like it’s hundreds of millions to inherit. And they want me to waive it? As if I’d be interested in your petty pocket money.” I gave an embarrassed laugh, handing him the pen. “I think it’s troublesome too, but the lawyer said the transfer of ownership can’t proceed without this signature. So please, just help me out, sign it, and I won’t bother you anymore.” Dominic took the pen. Without even glancing at the content of the page, he flipped directly to the last page, to the signature line. “Alright, where do I sign?” “Here, and here.” I pointed to two blank spots. Those spots were not just for waiving the inheritance; they were also for a cleverly concealed legal document voluntarily surrendering any claims to the wife’s assets and acknowledging no other property disputes between the two parties. Once he signed that name, even if I took every single thing that belonged to me, he would have no right to object. The pen tip scratched against the paper with a soft rustling sound. Dominic signed decisively. He completely failed to notice that another document, hidden under his elbow, was in fact a meticulously crafted divorce agreement with stringent enforcement clauses. “There.” He capped the pen and tossed the document back to me. “Next time, handle these small matters yourself.” “Thank you, darling. You’re so good.” I collected the documents in a good mood, tucking them into a file folder. “Oh, right.” Dominic stood up, glancing at his watch. “Chloe said she left an urgent file at the office. I’ll go pick it up and be back later.” It was almost ten o’clock. What kind of file required the boss to personally fetch it? Besides, it was Chloe’s birthday. I knew exactly what was going on, but my face remained compliant. “Okay, drive safe.” After Dominic left, I picked up the file folder and gently blew on the signed spots to dry the ink. I locked the folder in the safe; it was what I needed to take to the notary public in the morning.
Elara’s POV With only three days left until my departure, Dominic, to maintain his “devoted husband” facade, purposely canceled his evening engagements, claiming he would cook dinner for me. From the kitchen, I could hear his busy movements, punctuated by occasional phone notifications. He thought if he put his phone on silent, I wouldn’t hear it, but the frequent vibrations were jarringly loud in the quiet villa. “Dinner’s ready.” Dominic emerged with the last dish. “Try this.” He cut a piece of steak for me, but his eyes kept darting towards his phone on the table. Each time the screen lit up, his brows would subtly furrow. I pretended not to notice, taking a bite. “It’s delicious, thank you, darling.” “Glad you like it, eat more.” Dominic smiled, but the warmth didn’t reach his eyes. To mask his distraction, he picked up a plate of lobster rolls, intending to pass it to me, but then suddenly paused. “Oh, I almost forgot this!” He put the lobster rolls down with a look of annoyance, pushing them further away from me. “You can’t eat these lobster rolls, you’re allergic to seafood. You’ll break out in a rash.” I looked at the plate of lobster rolls, my hand tightening around my fork. It wasn’t me who was allergic to seafood. It was Chloe. I grew up by the sea; seafood was my favorite. Back when we were dating, he’d often shared seafood feasts with me. Now, he’d projected his mistress’s dietary restrictions onto me. I looked up at his face, so full of feigned concern, and felt a wave of nausea. But I didn’t expose him. I simply played along, pushing away the bowl of clam chowder in front of me as well. “That’s right, I completely forgot. Good thing you remembered.” “Of course. You’re my wife; of course, I remember everything about you.” No sooner had the words left his lips than the phone on the table vibrated again. This time, it was a call. The moment the screen lit up, I clearly saw the caller ID: a cat in a lace nightgown. That was Chloe’s new profile picture, changed just yesterday. Dominic’s face subtly changed. He quickly hung up the call and placed the phone face down on the table. “Spam call. Too many insurance salespeople lately.” “Is that so?” I put down my fork and knife, dabbing my mouth with a napkin. “Since they’re so persistent, maybe it’s urgent? Why don’t you answer it?” “Don’t bother with it.” Dominic cut a piece of steak, trying to change the subject. “How’s the packing coming along?” Just then, the phone stubbornly rang again. This time, Dominic couldn’t pretend not to hear it. He glanced at the screen, his expression growing anxious, and finally couldn’t sit still anymore. “I’ll take this call; there might be an issue at the office.” He grabbed his phone and strode to the balcony. Through the glass door, I watched his retreating back. He stood with his back to me, his shoulders relaxed. He said something into the phone, that look of helpless affection spreading across his face. That was a look he once reserved only for me. A few minutes later, he pushed the door open, grabbed his jacket with an apologetic expression. “Elara, things at the office are a bit complicated. I have to go in. You eat first, don’t wait for me.” “Okay, go ahead.” I smiled and waved him off. “Drive safe.” Dominic left quickly, probably in a hurry to see his mistress. The door closed. I lifted a lobster roll with my fork and took a bite. It was good. Genuinely delicious. A pity, then, that the hands that made it no longer held a place for me in the heart they belonged to. I stood, carried the plate into the kitchen, and scraped every last piece into the trash. If he’d gotten the love wrong, then the food deserved no better fate. Dominic. I don’t love you anymore.
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