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Her Lie, My Fortune

Her Lie, My Fortune

Short Story · Emotional Realism
By:  Nightsky FirewheelCompleted
Language: English
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Synopsis

Feel-Good Story

Plot Twists

Male POV

Winning Back the Husband

To take care of my paralyzed mother-in-law, I quit my job and spent three years as a full-time househusband. That day, after cleaning up her waste, I hid in the bathroom with a cigarette between my fingers and came across a post on my wife’s boss’ Instagram. [You’re meant to be with me in the end. Since that freeloader can’t give you happiness, let me take you to the paradise of Maldev.] Above the caption were two plane tickets. Someone commented below. [That homemaker husband of hers is definitely clinging onto her. After all, she’s his meal ticket.] The boss replied. [Don’t worry. Tonight she’ll go home and come clean. She’ll say the company was caught falsifying accounts and is facing massive fines, and that she might need to serve jail time. [To keep that guy from getting dragged into it, the only option is divorce. He’s as timid as a mouse and will take any chance to flee.] I stared at the screen, stunned, until the cigarette burned my fingers. Ten minutes later, my wife rushed home, panic written all over her face. She dropped her bag on the floor. “Honey, something’s gone wrong with the company’s finances. They’re accusing us of falsifying accounts. I was solely responsible for the accounts. I might need to serve 10 years in prison, plus fines of more than ten thousand dollars. “We need to sign the papers before they seize our house. I don’t want to drag you and mom into this.”

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lisa Hamston was trembling all over, tears streaming down her face.

She grabbed my hand so tightly that her nails dug into my flesh.

The expression of utter devastation on her was astonishingly real. Lisa would easily win the Oscar Awards if she were an actress.

As I looked at her tear-streaked face, all I could think about was Kevin Zauc’s “Maldev travel guide” post.

Of course, along with the two first-class tickets to Maldev.

Nausea nearly overcame me, but I acted completely panicked on the surface.

The cigarette slipped off my fingers, ash scattering all over my pants.

“How could this happen? Lisa, didn’t you say the company was doing great? Why did you need to fake its accounts?”

Seeing the fear on my face, a faint trace of contempt flickered in her eyes.

She was probably thinking that Kevin was right about me being a useless coward, and that I was scared out of my wits at the prospect of prison.

She wiped her tears and took out a divorce agreement she had clearly prepared in advance.

“Honey, there’s no time to explain. The police could show up any minute now.

“This is the divorce agreement. As for the assets… The apartment will be transferred to my mom, and the savings will go to you.”

I glanced over it.

The apartment was old and run-down, but at least it was a place to live. Leaving it to her mother was no doubt leaving a lifeline for herself.

As for the savings, we had only five thousand dollars in our account.

Before I could speak, she added through tears.

“My mom is paralyzed. I can’t take her with me. If I go to prison, I won’t be able to take care of her either.

“Honey, I’m begging you. Please take care of her for a few days. You can send her to a welfare home once I’m ‘sentenced’.”

Hearing that, disappointment sunk in.

For the sake of running off with her lover, she was willing to say she needed to go to prison and was even ready to abandon her mother.

Her mother had been paralyzed for three years, and I was the one who had taken care of everything. I cleaned and fed her all day. In contrast, Lisa rarely came back home.

Every time she was back, she would complain about the smell of medicine, cover her nose, and leave after just a few minutes.

Now, she was going to dump her mother in a welfare home to elope with another man.

I pretended to hesitate, frowning deeply. “Lisa, is there no other way? We could figure out something together and pay the fine.”

Her expression changed instantly, and she snapped at me impatiently. “Come up with something? Do you even have money? Have you earned a single cent in the past three years?

“The fine’s more than ten thousand dollars! It wouldn’t be enough even if we sold you!

“Just sign it! Hurry up!”

I looked at the twisted expression of anger on her face, and the rage inside me surged to its peak.
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10 Chapters
Chapter 1
Lisa Hamston was trembling all over, tears streaming down her face.She grabbed my hand so tightly that her nails dug into my flesh.The expression of utter devastation on her was astonishingly real. Lisa would easily win the Oscar Awards if she were an actress.As I looked at her tear-streaked face, all I could think about was Kevin Zauc’s “Maldev travel guide” post.Of course, along with the two first-class tickets to Maldev.Nausea nearly overcame me, but I acted completely panicked on the surface.The cigarette slipped off my fingers, ash scattering all over my pants.“How could this happen? Lisa, didn’t you say the company was doing great? Why did you need to fake its accounts?”Seeing the fear on my face, a faint trace of contempt flickered in her eyes.She was probably thinking that Kevin was right about me being a useless coward, and that I was scared out of my wits at the prospect of prison.She wiped her tears and took out a divorce agreement she had clearly prepare
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Chapter 2
However, a thought flashed across my mind. Since she was so eager to run into a fiery pit, why should I stop her?I could play along if she wanted to.I took a deep breath, putting on a helpless, frightened expression as I picked up the pen with trembling hands.“Fine. I’ll agree to the divorce for the sake of our family.”The pen touched the paper, and I signed my name, Ethan Johansen.I could see Lisa let out a sigh of relief. She snatched the divorce agreement and stuffed it into her bag.“Honey, don’t blame me. I’m doing this for you.”Lisa said she was sorry, but her body language spoke differently. She rushed into the bedroom to pack.She claimed she needed to lie low to avoid being caught at home by the police.However, I caught a glimpse inside her open suitcase. It was stuffed with bikinis, sunscreen, and several sets of sexy lingerie.Once she finished packing, she dragged her suitcase towards the door.She did not even spare a glance when she passed her mother’s r
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Chapter 3
All around us were high-rise buildings. This area was the only remaining part of the old neighborhood that had remained untouched.I never expected that it would finally be demolished at a moment like this.I gulped and probed. “So… how much compensation are we talking about?”The staff member tapped on a calculator and gave a number.“According to the latest policy, it’ll be a combination of property and cash compensation.“About two million in cash, plus two apartment units of around 1,200 square feet each as compensation.”Two million.Two apartments.In a suburban city, that was an enormous amount, and enough to make someone rich overnight.My emotions felt like a roller coaster.First, the suffocating weight of being abandoned by Lisa struck me, and I felt bad seeing my mother-in-law in tears.Now, I was overwhelmed with shock, followed by an indescribable surge of joy.Lisa had just dumped the house onto her mother to avoid the so-called “debt.”Right after that, thi
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Chapter 4
[Don’t celebrate too soon, things could still go wrong. That champagne looks fake.]Kevin replied instantly, [Who the hell are you?]I turned off my phone. I had no interest in arguing with an idiot like him.I had more important things to do.I immediately called the best housekeeping service in the city.“I want your best packing team. Please come right away and help us move.”After hanging up, I contacted the rehabilitation center at the city’s top hospital.I booked a VIP room with full-time care and prepaid a year’s worth of fees.While packing, I found something heavy inside a battered cookie tin under my mother-in-law’s bed.When I opened it, the contents nearly blinded me.The box was filled with gold bars.That tin had been under the bed for years. Lisa always thought it was dirty and never touched it.Seeing my shocked expression, my mother-in-law stuttered, “Those were… hidden by our ancestors.“I kept them… from Lisa’s unreliable father… and never dared… tell h
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Chapter 5
She switched to a public phone and called again.The moment I picked up, her shrill voice came through.“Ethan! Where the hell have you been?“Where’s my house? Where’s my mom? Did you sell the house?“You b*stard! Did you sell the house and run off while I was gone?”I held the phone away from my ear and said calmly, “The house was demolished for government construction. Mom’s in the hospital.”“Which hospital?” she shouted.“CitaMed Hospital. VIP wing.”Then, I hung up.Half an hour later, Lisa came rushing to the hospital, out of breath.She thought it would be an ordinary ward, but a nurse stopped her at the VIP entrance.“Sorry, ma’am, this is a premium ward. Please show us your visitor pass.”Lisa froze, staring at the luxurious interior, carpeted floor, and smelling the faint scent of aromatherapy in the air.It did not look like a hospital. Instead, it looked like a five-star hotel.At that moment, I came out of the elevator pushing my mother-in-law in the wheelch
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Chapter 6
He stepped forward, pretending to be concerned.“Lisa, don’t panic. Your mom must be confused at the moment.“Or maybe she’s been misled by someone.”As Kevin spoke, he turned to me with a plastic smile.“Ethan, you’ve crossed the line.“A mother and daughter are bound by blood, and you can’t break that bond.“You took advantage of Lisa being away and tricked an elderly woman out of her property. That’s illegal.“You will hand over the money if you’re smart. We might even give you a little tip for all the trouble you went through.“Otherwise, we’ll see you in court. When that happens, not only will you lose the money, but you’ll also be going to jail.”Hearing that, Lisa felt confident again.She rushed to the bedside, dropped to her knees, and burst into dramatic sobs.“Mom, it’s me, Lisa! I’m ‘out’ of jail now, and I missed you so much.“I thought about you every day in there. I couldn’t eat and couldn’t sleep.“I know I was wrong not to tell you, but I was just trying n
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Chapter 7
The man who had been promising her love and devotion in Maldev was now throwing her under the bus without hesitation.“Kevin! What are you talking about?“You’re the one who told me to do this! It was your idea!“You said if I ditched him and left the house to my mom, we could elope together!“You said you’d marry me!Sitting on the couch, I almost laughed out loud.To clear his name and protect his reputation, Kevin raised his hand and slapped Lisa.Smack!The slap was loud and sharp, sending her stumbling back, nearly hitting the edge of the bed.“You b*tch! What are you blabbering about?“You’d abandon your own mother and even curse yourself for money. How could I ever fall in love with someone as vicious as you?“You seduced me! I’m the victim here!”Lisa clutched her face, her hair disheveled with a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth.Like a madwoman, she lunged at him, scratching and biting.Kevin fought back just as fiercely, and the two of them ended up in
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Chapter 8
I did not hastily respond even though the online abuse was overwhelming.I quietly organized the evidence I possessed.On the day of the trial, Lisa dressed to look pitiful.She wore plain, simple clothes, no makeup, and her face looked pale.In the court, she broke down in tears as she accused me, “Your Honor, my mother has been paralyzed for three years. Her mind hasn’t been clear for a long time.“Ethan Johansen won’t let me see her. He has been keeping her under control.“He was doing it for the demolition compensation! Please bring me justice!”The judge looked at me. “Defendant, do you have anything to say in your defense?”I said nothing. I submitted a USB drive to the court.“These are surveillance camera recordings from the past three years of me taking care of my mother-in-law.“We installed cameras at home to prevent her from falling.”The video began to play on the big screen.In the footage, I was caring for my mother-in-law every day. I turned her over, cleane
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Chapter 9
Kevin claimed that Lisa was the financial director, so all the accounts had passed through her hands, and he knew nothing.Lisa had no way to defend herself.While out on bail pending trial, she had nowhere to turn to.That day, a heavy storm raged, thunder and lightning crashing.Lisa came to the gate of the residential complex where I now lived and knelt in the rain.The security guards would not let her in, so she shouted from the entrance.“Ethan, I know you’re in there!“Mom! It’s me, Lisa! Please help me!“I’ve realized my mistake! Please help me pay off my debts!”I stood in front of the French window, holding a cup of hot tea.I looked at the petite figure downstairs, soaked to the bone.She knelt there, bowing repeatedly until her forehead bled.Blood and rain streamed down her face, making her look utterly miserable.However, I felt nothing.A person like her was not worth any sympathy.My mother-in-law sat in her wheelchair, looking out the window as well.Sh
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Chapter 10
After a year of careful treatment and rehabilitation, my mother-in-law miraculously managed to stand and take a few steps.Although she still needed a cane, it was already a medical miracle.The doctor said it was the result of a positive outlook and proper care.I used the demolition compensation to make some conservative investments, buying large-denomination certificates of deposit and government bonds.The annual interest alone was enough for us to live comfortably.Six months after Lisa was imprisoned, she strongly requested to see me.I went anyway to put an end to the past.Separated by the glass, her hair was now short, and she wore a prison uniform.She looked ten years older, and her eyes were no longer bright.Lisa looked at me, tears streaming down her face.“Kevin… if Kevin did not exist between us…“If none of that had happened, would you have kept treating me well?“Would we still be like we used to be?”I looked at her calmly.“Lisa, there’s no point in th
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