My Husband Invented a Dying Mother to Steal My Savings
My name is Kate, I’m thirty-five, and until last year I believed the worst betrayal in marriage was infidelity. I was wrong. My husband, Ethan, didn’t just break my heart—he built a careful, year-long deception to take every dollar I had.
A Marriage Built on Small Joys
When we married four years ago, our life felt safe and happy. Saturday mornings meant pancakes and jazz, evening walks through the neighborhood, and inside jokes whispered over burnt toast. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was ours, and I trusted it completely.
Ethan’s mother, Gail, was more of a name than a presence. I met her only twice—once at our wedding and once during a rushed holiday visit. She seemed polite but private. When I asked why we rarely saw her, Ethan shrugged and said, “Mom values her privacy.” I accepted that explanation.
The Call That Changed Everything
About a year ago, Ethan phoned me at work, his voice breaking. “Mom’s test results are bad,” he said. “It’s cancer. Aggressive. She needs chemo immediately, but it’s expensive.”
I promised we’d handle it together. From that day on, “Gail’s treatment” shaped every part of our lives. Ethan rushed to supposed appointments, sent me updates from waiting rooms, and returned home looking drained. I worked extra jobs, canceled vacations, even sold family jewelry. Each time he asked for money, I gave it—eventually totaling $113,000—because love meant trust.
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