Home / Romance Short Story / He Built My Cage / Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

All Chapters of He Built My Cage: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

My husband's childhood sweetheart bought a mansion with the company's money, but my husband accused me of cooking the books. Because of that, I spent three years locked away in a cell without a glimpse of daylight.…"Dad, did I do a good job? It's been so long, and that dummy never doubted me once. Once Winona gets to be the chief financial officer, I'll get to see her every day."I was standing outside the door, about to knock, when my hand froze and my heart dropped like a stone.I heard Hank's voice coming from inside. "Make it convincing when you're around her. She has to come to Winona's promotion party tomorrow. If she doesn't show up, people will start whispering about Winona becoming CFO out of nowhere. With her there, she'll be the one they talk about, not Winona."However, my son did not seem to care. "Dad, you're the head at work. With you around, no one's going to badmouth Winona."Hank gave him a sharp look, and my son clammed up. He muttered under his breath, "Got

Chapter 2

On my way back, I ran into Hank, Samuel, and Winona. They were all smiles and laughter, walking together like a happy family.When they saw me, their smiles froze.I saw Winona wearing the special necklace Hank gave me and the dress I had made. I just frowned.Hank could tell I was not happy and tried to explain, "As you know, today's Winona's big day at work. She needed something nice to wear, so she borrowed your dress."Winona chimed in with a smile, "I really owe Hank for letting me wear this dress. I have no idea what I would've worn for the party without it."I could not take my eyes off their hands, which were locked together. It was just too much to bear.Ever since I got out of jail, Hank had not let me go to parties with him or be seen with him in public.Back then, I thought it was because he was famous and having me around, with my past mistakes, would look bad for him. He told me he was keeping me away from the gossip to protect me, and I believed him. I thought it

Chapter 3

Winona was so scared by my dad's mean streak that she stumbled backward right into Hank's arms."You're a convict. What right do you have to talk to me? If it hadn't been for you, your mom would still be here. You killed your own mother. How can you even show your face here?"My dad's loud scolding caught the attention of everyone around us.I kept my head down, not saying a word. Hank was about to come over and stick up for me, but Winona grabbed his arm before he could."Hank, Mr. Jones is here too. Let's go over and say hi," she said.Hank looked over at me, worried. "But...""It's okay," Winona reassured him. "Juliana's dad is just being really strict right now. He still loves her a lot."Winona did not let Hank say another word and pulled him away. Hank wrapped his arm around Winona's shoulder and walked off into the crowd, not even giving me another glance.My own son, whom I had raised, just sneered at me and followed Winona.I was surrounded by a circle of people, thei

Chapter 4

I stumbled home, and that was when I got the news that my divorce papers were ready and my flight was booked for tomorrow.I took a deep breath, ready to leave my husband and son behind for good.The moment I opened the door, smoke hit me, and I coughed over and over. I forced my stinging eyes open and saw Samuel tossing stuff into the fireplace. Looking closer, I realized it was the clothes I had sewn for him every year.Ever since Samuel was born, I had made it my mission to sew him clothes that fit perfectly every single year, even when I was behind bars.At this moment, those clothes that had been stitched with all my love had turned to nothing but dust.Samuel just brushed off some ash from his hands and did not even look at me.Blood was streaming down my head, and I felt dizzy from excessive blood loss. I rushed to my room to deal with the wound.As I wobbled to the door, I could hear Winona's breathy moans. Hank was on top of her, passionately ripping at the dress I had

Chapter 5

The next morning, Hank woke up and went to work like any other day. The company was buzzing just like always. Nobody knew I was gone.Only the maid, who brought my meals every day, felt something was off when the breakfast she left by my door was untouched. She knocked on my door, found it unlocked, and pushed it open.My room was empty, with all my things gone. It looked like no one had ever lived there.The maid freaked out and called Hank right away.Hank, who was in his office hugging Winona and giving her kisses, frowned when the phone rang.Winona, snuggled in his arms, pouted. "Who's that, ruining our moment?"Hank gave Winona a peck on the forehead and said sweetly, "Winona, hang on a sec. I'll just handle this and then I'll be right back."He fixed his pants and stepped out of the office like it was no big deal.As soon as he picked up the call, Hank asked, "What can't wait until after work that you have to call me now?"The maid blurted out, "Mrs. Chapman is missing.

Chapter 6

A whole month passed, and Hank never saw me come back to make things right. That was when a little worry started to creep into Hank's heart. He finally went into my room.The door swung open, and the emptiness hit him like a punch. His eyes went wide with shock. Every makeup product on my vanity and all the clothes in my closet had disappeared. My room was scrubbed of anything that said I had ever lived there.Hank was shaking all over. He tried really hard to keep his fear in check, telling himself I was just mad for a moment.Who else would want a woman with a past like mine, except for him? What did he do that was so wrong? It was just a fling with another woman. It was no big deal.The more Hank thought about it, the more he convinced himself he was right. He even got mad at me for not being understanding and not having the elegance expected of Mrs. Chapman.However, the moment he saw the divorce agreement on the table, his pride just melted away. His face went white, and his

Chapter 7

Hank came home feeling like he had lost everything.Samuel was the first to run up and hug his legs. When he saw Winona coming, he hugged her tight."I missed you so much. Now that the mean lady is gone, you can be my mom, and we'll all be happy," he said.Winona, thinking about finally becoming Mrs. Chapman, could not hide her glee.She held Hank's hand and looked at him lovingly. "Hank, nothing's in our way now. When can we get married?"However, Hank was too sad to care. All he could think about was his wife, who had left, and he did not have the heart to think about Winona.Winona would not give up her dream of living a life of luxury as Mrs. Chapman."Hank, our suburban house is just too small. For our new place, let's get a bigger villa, and I've always wanted a fancy car. We should have our wedding on Bariya Island, and I want a wedding dress with ninety-nine real diamonds, designed by the top designer."Winona was lost in her dreams of a fancy life, not noticing Hank's

Chapter 8

Winona clutched Hank's hand tightly."If she wants a divorce, why won't you marry me? I've waited three years for you with no title or recognition. Even Samuel calls me mom. Everyone thinks we're perfect for each other. What's your excuse for not marrying me?"Winona looked wild and desperate, like a monster from a nightmare, and it made Samuel start bawling."No, I don't want you. I want my mom!"When Winona showed her true colors, Hank was seething with hate."Don't even dream about it. I'll only ever marry Juliana, and Samuel's mom will always be Juliana," Hank said, crushing Winona's last bit of hope. However, after a moment of gloom, she burst out laughing."Hank, you've hurt Juliana so much. Do you really think she'd forgive you? She has divorced you, right? Maybe she has already married someone else and started a new family by now.""That's nonsense! Juliana has a record. Who else but me would want her? Besides, she loves me and Samuel too much to ever leave us." Hank s

Chapter 9

Time sure did fly. Before I knew it, I had been living in a new country for almost seven years. With my advanced degree and sharp skills in computing, I got a job at a big company doing what I do best. I worked hard and climbed the ladder quickly, becoming the chief financial officer in just three years. I had a house, a car, and a happy family.However, out of the blue, Hank showed up at my doorstep with Samuel. Hank had changed a lot in five years. He was not the confident man I remembered. He looked worn out and thin, like he was having a rough time. Samuel was with him, looking just as scruffy.When Hank saw me, he started crying. He came up to me, full of emotion. "Juliana, I've finally found you..."Samuel ran to me and hugged my leg tightly. "Mommy."I was taken aback and tried to step away, but Hank pulled me into a hug with tears in his eyes."I've been searching for you nonstop. I know I made mistakes. Let's go home and start over," he pleaded.Before I could even r

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP