Chapter 2

Thora lay in a high-end hospital bed, holding a wrinkled newborn in her arms.

Wendy and Audrey stood on either side of her. Errol bent down and kissed Thora on the forehead.

It looked like a perfect family portrait.

And I recognized the place immediately. It was the Serenity Postpartum Center—the best in the city. It would cost 60 thousand dollars a month.

Errol's salary was just over 3,000 dollars. There was no way he could afford that.

I logged into my online banking right away and checked the recent transactions on my company account and our joint account.

Just as I expected, Errol had transferred one million dollars last month. He marked it as a "project advance" and sent it to a shell company I had never heard of.

The owner of that company was a man named Willard Smart.

I didn't need to think twice. He had to be one of Thora's relatives.

A cold laugh escaped me, even as tears fell onto the screen.

Errol had been my classmate in college. Back then, he had nothing. I married him against my parents' wishes because I believed he was honest and hardworking.

For five years, I pushed myself to the limit. I turned a small e-commerce shop into a company that made over three million dollars a year.

To protect his pride, I made him vice president. I gave him control over half of our family's finances.

And this was how he paid me back.

He used the money I fought for to support his mistress and his son.

And all this time, his whole family had been laughing at me behind my back.

Just then, I heard the front door click open.

Errol, who was supposed to be halfway to his hometown by now, walked in. He was sweating, like he had rushed all the way back.

The second he saw me holding his phone, his expression changed. "Megan, why do you have my phone?"

He hurried over. I caught the flash of panic in his eyes as he reached for it.

I turned my wrist and pulled the phone out of his reach. Then I calmly locked the screen and handed it back to him.

I said, "You were in such a rush this morning, honey. You grabbed my phone by mistake. I got hungry and was about to order something with yours."

I looked up at the face I had loved for five years and kept my voice steady. "But your battery was low, so I didn't end up ordering anything."

I watched the tension leave his shoulders. He took the phone and checked it as if nothing were wrong.

When he saw everything looked normal, that panic disappeared. His usual gentle smile came right back. "Oh, honey, why order takeout? It's not healthy."

He stepped closer and reached for me, trying to wrap an arm around my shoulders like he always did. "I'll make your favorite spaghetti with meat sauce."

The way he acted made my stomach twist. I felt sick just looking at him.

I asked why he came back so suddenly. He said there was something urgent at work.

"Honey, if I close this deal, I can make a lot of money. I want us to have a better future. For our kids," he said, leaning in like he wanted a kiss.

I quietly stepped back.

I could not believe he was still using "our kids" to fool me. His fake caring look made me want to throw up.

For the next two days, I acted as if nothing had happened.

Errol kept playing the perfect husband. He was gentle and attentive, just like always. But he spent a lot more time on the phone.

Every time, he stepped out onto the balcony. He spoke in a low voice, his face tight with nerves.

As soon as the holiday ended, he stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie. He turned to me with an apologetic look. "Honey, something came up with that new project. I might have to work late for the next few days."

I looked at his neatly styled hair and the expensive cologne he had put on, and I almost laughed.

Work late? He was going to the postpartum center to see his real family.

"Okay. Work comes first. Just don't overdo it," I said as I reached up and straightened his collar.

He pulled me into a hug, clearly moved. "You're the best, honey. When I finish this, I'll take you on a honeymoon."

I forced myself not to push him away. I smiled and watched him leave.

The moment the door shut, the smile dropped from my face.

I picked up my phone and called Holly, my finance director and my best friend.