He Buys Her a River-View Apartment While I Pay the Bills

Chapter 1

The day I found my husband's real paycheck, I realized I'd been living a lie for five years. "$4,197," I whispered, staring at the crumpled slip, my hands trembling in damp rubber gloves. I scrolled through Elaine's Instagram, her wrist adorned with my wedding gift to him, a watch I'd worked overtime to buy. "Who got the most thoughtful Valentine's Day gift?" her caption mocked, a river-view apartment glowing behind her.

The reflection in the floor-to-ceiling windows caught Lionel's face, affectionate, doting.

My hands shook, and the phone slipped from my grasp. It hit the floor with a dull thud. A sharp sting shot through me as I gripped my thigh tightly, trying to hold it together. This wasn't a dream.

For five years, Lionel had scammed me with fake wages. All that money he'd been hiding, the money he should have been using for us, he'd spent it on a house for Elaine.

I quickly scrolled through her Instagram. It all made sense now. All those times she posted about how perfect her life was, how Lionel treated her.

When Lionel went on business trips, Elaine's boyfriend went along. When Lionel worked late, Elaine's boyfriend was the one who prepared a candlelight dinner for her.

And that damn watch. The one Lionel wore all the time, my wedding gift to him. I saw it on Elaine's wrist in one of the photos. How could I have missed this?

I collapsed on the bed, feeling numb. The wounds on my hands from all the hard work I'd put in over the years burned like fire. My whole body was cold. Tears dripped into my ears as I lay there in silence.

Late in the night, Lionel came back. I didn't turn on the light for him. I didn't even want to look at him.

He called my name softly, "Wife…"

I pretended to be asleep, turning away from him. He reached out to touch me, but the sweet scent of lychee rose perfume made me sick. I flinched away, accidentally slapping his hand.

He froze for a moment, then lay beside me, tossing and turning. Neither of us could sleep.

His phone screen lit up, and I could hear him listening to a voice message.

"Lionel, you bought a house for Elaine, man, seriously?" It was Andrew, his best friend. I sat up slightly, my heart in my throat, straining to listen.

"Remember when you told me your wife handles your money? Well, how do you manage to afford all this?" Andrew's voice was filled with envy.

Lionel chuckled. "Thanks to her. She thinks my salary is $420, but it's really $4,197. I give her $280 every month for living expenses. She's so naive she believes it."

He went on, "Elaine's apartment? That's my reward. I've been saving for it for two years. She was dumped by her ex-husband and came crying to me. You know she's the one I love the most."

Andrew laughed. "And what about your wife?"

"She's too soft. She'll never leave me. Let her keep thinking she's the one supporting me. It's our little secret for now," Lionel said with a shrug.

I could barely breathe. The man I thought I knew, the man I worked myself to the bone for, was a stranger. And now, he was betraying me, lying to my face for five years.