My world tilted. Proof? What proof?
He claimed his mother had hired someone to follow me, suggesting there were photos of me meeting a man outside our home. He even implied the baby wasn’t mine—that someone had swapped babies in the hospital.
“This is insane,” I said, my voice trembling. “You really believe her? Your mother?”
“She wouldn’t lie to me,” he snapped.
“And I’m your wife!” I shouted, the weight of betrayal breaking my voice. “I carried this baby. I nearly died giving birth to him, and you have the audacity to say this?”
Ethan’s face was unreadable. “I’ll be back when I’m ready to talk,” he said, turning and walking out.
Once he left, I broke down. I called my best friend, Lily, and told her everything. She was furious.
“This isn’t normal,” Lily said. “Something’s going on, Claire. You need to dig deeper.”
At her urging, I hired Lydia, a private investigator. Two days later, Lydia called with news that shook me to my core.
“Claire,” she said, her voice steady, “Ethan has been living a double life.”
My hands shook as she explained. Ethan had been siphoning money from my inheritance for years, supporting another woman and their three children. He’d married me for financial security, and his family had orchestrated the plan from the start.
Even worse, Lydia discovered Ethan had sabotaged some of my fertility treatments. He never wanted me to get pregnant.
I felt like my entire life had been a lie. All the memories I had cherished now felt tainted. I had blamed myself for our struggles to conceive while Ethan had been actively working against me.
When Ethan came home days later, I was ready. Divorce papers sat neatly on the kitchen table.
“Claire?” he called, sensing the change.
“I’m here,” I said, holding Liam close.
“I’m sorry,” he began, his voice dripping with insincerity. “I didn’t mean what I said. I was stressed. Let’s start over.”
“Interesting,” I replied coolly. “What are your three kids’ names?”
His face drained of color, the mask slipping for the first time. He stammered, but no words came out.
“Save it,” I cut him off. “The papers are on the table. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
Ethan left that day. With my lawyer’s help, I made sure he couldn’t take another cent from me. The house, the cars, and the businesses stayed with Liam and me.
Weeks later, I sat in the nursery, rocking Liam to sleep. His tiny hand curled around mine, and I whispered softly, “You’ll never doubt your worth, little one. I promise you that.”
From the wreckage of my marriage, I found something unbreakable: my son and a future filled with hope, free from lies and betrayal.