Chapter 3
In the fourth year, I noticed Michael started coming home late.
He claimed he was working overtime, going to business dinners, or joining after-work gatherings with colleagues. The excuses kept increasing.
I didn't ask.
I thought I was being paranoid.
Three days ago, in the fifth year of our marriage, I got home late after working overtime and found Wanda waiting for me in the living room.
Everything suddenly made sense.
Michael's late nights, his excuses, and his growing indifference.
Linda said, "Wanda's pregnant, and it's a boy."
Michael wasn't infertile. He just didn't want to have a child with me.
That night, I sat alone in the bedroom, thinking about everything.
I remembered the 300 grand I had before we got married.
I remembered the clerk at the Recorder's Office asking, "Just you?"
I remembered the deed that no one ever bothered to check.
I laughed.
Linda was right.
This house was bought before we got married. Michael had nothing to do with it. It belonged to me alone.
*****
The next morning, I called a real estate agent. "Hello, I'd like to sell my house."
The agent asked, "What's the address?"
I told him the address.
"Alright, are you the owner?"
"Yes."
"Just you on the deed?"
"Just me."
The agent sounded delighted. "That's great. Properties like this are easy to sell. I'll arrange some viewings for you today."
I hung up.
Downstairs, Linda called out, "Susan, come down for breakfast."
I got dressed and went downstairs.
In the living room, Michael and Wanda were sitting together. Linda was busy in the kitchen.
When Wanda saw me, she looked down, clearly awkward.
Michael stood up. "Susan, have you made your decision?"
"I have," I said, sitting down at the table. "Like I said, I'll walk away with nothing and leave the house to you."
Linda came out of the kitchen carrying breakfast with a big smile on her face.
"Susan, I always know you are sensible," she said. "Don't worry, once Wanda has the baby, you'll be the child's godmother. We'll still be family."
Godmother? She'd already decided my role for me.
"Linda," I said, "I need three days to pack my things. I'll move out after that."
"Sure, no rush," Linda replied, her smile grew even wider. "Take your time."
I kept my head down and quietly enjoyed my breakfast.
Three days later, Linda wouldn't have such a good mood anymore.
In these three days, I took care of a few things.
On the first day, I reached out to three different real estate agents.
The place was in a top school zone, with an excellent location and floor. Five years ago, I paid 280 grand for it. Now, it was worth 500 grand.
All three agents told me it'd be gone in a week for that price.
I picked the one who gave me the best offer.
The next day, someone came to view the house.
Linda was out shopping for groceries, Michael was at work, and Wanda was nowhere to be found.
I took the agent and the buyers on a tour, showing them from the first to the third floor.
The buyers were a young couple, and they looked very pleased.
"This place is great," the husband said. "Just want to make sure—everything's clear with the ownership, right?"
The agent replied, "Absolutely. The owner paid in full before marriage, and her name is the only one on the deed. The title is clean—no disputes or complications."
"Perfect." The husband nodded. "We'll take it."
That afternoon, we signed the contract.
The buyers handed over a 15-grand deposit, and we agreed to wrap up the handover in a week.
The house sold for 500 grand.
On the third day, I started packing my things.
Honestly, there wasn't much to pack.
I hadn't really bought much in the last five years.
Just a handful of clothes and a few bottles of skincare stuff.
Everything I owned fit into two suitcases.
Linda came over to help when she saw me packing.
"Susan, what are your plans now?" she asked, her voice unusually gentle. "Why not stay with us for a while? There's no rush to move out."
"No, it's fine," I replied. "I've found a place to stay."
"You already found a place?" She blinked in surprise. "Where at?"
"Just crashing at a friend's place for a few days," I said.
"Oh, that's good," Linda said, letting out a sigh of relief. "Don't hold it against me, Susan. Everything I did was for this family. If only you could have had a child, none of this would have happened."
I stayed silent and kept packing my things.
Linda lingered for a moment before heading upstairs.
That night, Michael came home.
He stood there in the doorway, looking at my two suitcases. "Susan..."
"Everything's packed," I said. "I'll be gone tomorrow."
"Are you really set on this?"
"Yeah."
Michael paused for a moment, and then said, "Susan, I know I let you down. But Wanda... She's pregnant, and I can't just leave her."
"I know," I said.
"You don't blame me?"
I looked up at Michael.
He was my husband for five years—the man I thought I'd be with forever.
"Michael," I said, "I don't blame you."
He froze for a second, caught off guard.
"Honestly, it just makes me sick," I said.
His face went pale.
"Susan!" Linda's voice rang out from upstairs. "How could you say that? Everything Michael did was for the Brown family—"
"Mom," Michael interrupted. "Stop it."
That night, the house was dead silent. No one said a word.