The Husband Clause Novels & Stories

My disappointment was probably written all over my face, because he held me tight and said tenderly, “I’ll try not to go overseas as much after those kids settle in. Once I start staying at home more, I’m sure we’ll have our own baby soon. Believe me.” Staring at his familiar features, I remembered how he had hugged me just like this, promising me he would come back soon… right before his flight to Switzerland. He had come back, but his heart remained in the Alps. “Alright.” I forced a smile and watched him rush away. Since the New York administrative system did not contain any records of our marriage, that meant the marriage certificate we obtained in Vegas had no effect. That saved me the

Then, without warning, he pulled out a thick black folder and slid it across the table. What now? I opened it, my heart sinking as I read the bold letters. A CONTRACT?! Clause 1: The wife shall not develop any emotional attachment to the husband. Clause 2: After the birth of the heir, the wife will be immediately dismissed. Clause 3: The wife shall never attempt to contact the child thereafter. My fingers trembled. He’s really spelling it out, huh? Isn't this too harsh? I forced a laugh, though it sounded hollow. “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dream of falling for you.”

I had thought he was working hard for our future, but in reality, he had been traveling across half the world to visit the woman he truly loved. For three years, we had been in a hidden marriage. He had told me it was to protect me from unnecessary trouble. Yet, on his secret account, he had publicly shared their wedding photos, personally announcing their relationship. Even his friends and subordinates all addressed Riley as "Mrs. Lawson". Jay had never once explained. I closed my eyes, tormenting myself by replaying everything I had just seen. In my email inbox, an invitation from my brother was still waiting. Ever since my family moved overseas, my brother had never stopped persuading me

Most of them said the same thing—marriage clauses were binding if the clause was written clearly, unless you could prove coercion, mental incompetence, or fraud. After spending nearly an hour digging and scanning through, I was exhausted, hungry and needed a break. But most importantly, I need a fake husband. And then my heart stuttered as a thought collided into me like a storm surge. I picked up my phone and sent out a message with shaky hands. I left the Cafe and quietly hailed a cab to another part of town.

He just pointed to a thick stack of papers on the coffee table. Read it. Sign it. My lawyer has already notarized my portion. Aara walked over and sat on the edge of the sofa. Her eyes blurred as she scanned the legal jargon. Rule 1: The marriage shall remain private except for authorized public appearances. Rule 2: The parties shall reside in the same residence for three hundred and sixty-five days. Rule 3: There shall be no romantic involvement with third parties. And then she saw it. Rule 4: The husband retains the right to request the wife’s presence at any time, for any reason.

"In the case of a divorce triggered by the Husband's wrongful conduct, such as adultery or abuse, the Husband agrees to a full relinquishment of all marital property. He shall waive any claim to the marital estate and leave the marriage with nothing." He'd added that clause himself, eager to prove how much he loved me. Zachary's face drained of color. He stared at the line as if he were seeing it for the first time. Perhaps he'd forgotten that he'd dug his grave with his own hands. Rage overtook him. He grabbed the papers and tried to tear them apart. "Winona, you set me up. You've been setting me up from the beginning!" he shouted, his face twisting in rage.

I took the contract, flipping through the pages, and with each line, my outrage grew. “Dahlia Hayes must remain married to Alec King for one year. She must attend all public events as his wife. She must stay close to him and obey every one of his instructions in public. In exchange, Alec King will clear her name, rebuild her law career, and destroy Jason and Rachel.” At the bottom, printed in tiny font as if to hide it, was a final clause: Physical intimacy will be at the husband’s discretion. The audacity. My gaze snapped to him, my fists clenching. “I refuse this clause,” I said flatly. “It’s ridiculous.”

My husband, Calvin Ziegler, had recently acquired an odd fetish. Three months ago, he brought home a silicone doll. It was a life-sized thing with chestnut-colored curls, full pink lips, and a face that could have belonged to a femme fatale. He told me the doll was a prize from a company team-building raffle. Supposedly, it was made for stress relief. "It's all the rage these days for those who are overwhelmed by stress," he said. "You hug it while sleeping for decompression."

“Her husband’s gotten involved too, apparently. Wants to look at the terms himself before she signs anything.” Something in my chest went very cold and very still. “Her husband,” I said. Careful. Level. “Mm. She mentioned it when she called to ask a follow-up question. Said he’d offered to have someone draft a counter-proposal.” Clara took a sip of her drink, entirely unaware of what she was handing me, entirely unaware there was anything to be aware of. “I thought it was rather sweet, honestly. Most husbands don’t take that kind of interest in their wife’s work. He wants to protect her from a bad structure, apparently.”

Had stood at an altar in his brother's place and said I accept and lifted a veil and said you are my wife now with the certainty of someone who understood the exact legal and temporal dimensions of what the words meant. "You were racing the window," I said. "Yes," he said. "The marriage was not just about the Sterling arrangement," I said. "It was about cutting off Hale's window by establishing a competing claim that superseded the original arrangement before the window expired." "Yes," he said. "And it worked," I said. "In the sense that we are married and the Sterling claim is established. But it did not close the window because my father's instrument allows for a breach clause."