Chapter 2
I came back home.
I sat down at my computer, keeping my cool, and started organizing every single document I'd ever written for Charles. I sorted them neatly by category.
Everything was there: the first lecture PowerPoints, the journal articles, and even the national project paper that won him the Aurora Prize.
Each file had its creation date, every revision, and all our email exchanges. Every detail was documented, clear as day.
This was the smoking gun that he'd stolen every bit of my hard work.
My phone buzzed, and the caller ID "Honey" flashed across the screen, so ironic that it almost stung.
I didn't pick up.
The buzzing stopped, and a text message popped up.
Charles: [Grace, what the hell are you trying to pull? Did you really have to embarrass me in front of everyone?]
[Get your ass back here right now and apologize to the guests! Say you were drunk and talking nonsense!]
I stared at his bossy text and shot back: [In your dreams.]
Suddenly, there was nothing but silence from his side.
I knew my sudden backbone had him fuming. He'd never seen me push back like this.
Sure enough, by the next morning, I was the talk of Westbridge University's campus forum.
A hot thread had rocketed to the top of the homepage.
[Breaking! Aurora Prize winner Charles Landon's wife goes wild at the celebration. She's jealous to the core, making a scene and acting out!]
Karen was the one who posted the thread.
She made me out to be some jobless housewife, mooching off my husband, and claimed that out of sheer jealousy, I caused a scene at his celebration, trying to grab a piece of the glory for myself.
Someone commented: [Heard she used to be one of us, graduated from our department, but then got hitched and never did anything with her degree. Now that her husband's finally making waves, she can't stand it and is acting jealous.]
Another joined: [Women like her are honestly terrifying. Got no skills of their own, holding their men back and making trouble.]
[Man, I feel bad for Mr. Landon, having to deal with a wife like that.]
[I've seen his wife. She's nothing special, honestly. No way she can compete with Karen. Karen's got both looks and brains.]
Attached below was a candid photo.
In the shot, my back was to the camera, body tense, while Charles and Karen stood side by side, looking like a picture-perfect pair.
The comments section was a total dumpster fire.
People dug up my name, my department, and even my student ID number back then.
Insults and mockery came at me like a tidal wave.
I was the laughingstock of Westbridge University.
The front door burst open, and Charles stormed in, tearing into me without warning.
"Look at the mess you've made! Now the whole campus is making a joke out of me!" he shouted.
He slammed his phone down on the coffee table, the screen still showing that trending post.
"Didn't I tell you to apologize? Why didn't you listen?" he yelled.
I watched him, face flushed and furious, and honestly, I almost wanted to laugh at how desperate he looked.
"You've got it all wrong. I'm not the one who owes anyone an apology," I said, my voice steady and cold.
"You're being completely unreasonable!" Charles snapped, his anger barely contained.
He took a few deep breaths, trying to keep his temper in check, then put on a show of wounded heartbreak.
He said, "We've been married for years. Do you really have to blow things up like this?
"How does ruining my reputation help you? Or our family?"
He launched into his usual "we're in this together" spiel again.
My silence made him even more restless.
All of a sudden, his eyes narrowed with suspicion, and he marched straight into the bedroom.
A chill ran down my spine, and I followed him in.
He pulled a black urn out of the nightstand drawer.
That was my mom's ashes.
Charles smirked with a cruel edge on his face.
"Grace, this is your last chance," he said. "Get on the forum right now, set the record straight, and apologize to Karen and me. Or else..."
He paused, letting the threat hang in the air.
"I'll dump this right into the toilet and flush it till there's nothing left," he said, his voice cold and vicious.