“What do you want at this hour?” he asked.
“I was rushed to the hospital,” I said. “I had signs of early labor. It happened after you and your parents left. Can you please bring me some of my things?”
His reply stunned me.
“That sounds tough, but I’m overseas right now, so I can’t help,” he said.
“Overseas?” I asked, shocked.
“I’m enjoying a vacation in Hawaii. Don’t bother me while I’m spending time with my parents. I’m just doing my duty as a son, something you clearly don’t understand,” he added.
How could someone with no job afford a trip abroad?
Since he kept talking about duty, I knew he must have used someone else’s money, probably mine.
My voice shaking, I ended the call with a quiet, “Got it.”
After that, I went straight to the hospital’s gift shop.
I bought a small box and envelope and made a phone call to a number I had saved.
The next day, my husband called, clearly panicking.
“The card isn’t working. I can’t check out of the hotel. I can’t even get home like this. Fix this now,” he shouted.
“I canceled the card,” I said calmly, though I was boiling inside.
“What? I can’t pay for anything. What are you going to do about it?” he cried.
“That’s your problem,” I replied firmly.
“This isn’t just my problem. I’m still your husband,” he yelled.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, confused.
“Our marriage is almost over. The divorce papers are already being processed,” I told him.
His voice changed. He sounded like he was about to cry.
“Please, just let me use the card one more time so I can get home. I’m begging you.”
But I felt nothing.
“Figure it out yourself. You’re no longer my concern,” I said coldly and hung up.
Four days later, my friend Jack, who is also the company’s president, came to visit me at the hospital.
“Don’t worry about work. Just focus on getting better,” he said gently.
I smiled and replied, “This is the first time I’ve done absolutely nothing.”
But before I could say anything else, the hospital door suddenly flew open.
My ex-husband and his parents had just returned from their overseas trip and stormed into the room.
As soon as he saw me, my ex-husband shouted, “What have you done? I had to borrow money from a friend just to get back.”
His mother screamed, “This is unbelievable. How could you treat us like this?”
His father yelled too.
“Our son’s well-planned trip was completely ruined.”
They were all furious.
Jack and some people nearby watched the scene unfold.
Still, I stayed calm.
“He paid for the whole trip using my credit card. Without my permission,” I said clearly.
The mood in the room suddenly changed.
My in-laws looked at each other, shocked and confused. Their expressions looked like they had just been hit by lightning.
I continued.
“Right after we got married, he quit his job and said he’d be a stay-at-home husband, but he’s hardly done anything around the house since.”
My words echoed through the room.
It was quiet now. No one said a thing.
I could see the worry on my in-laws’ faces.
“What? Paul isn’t working. That can’t be true. He told us he had a job,” my mother-in-law said, her voice shaking.
She looked clearly upset and confused.
My father-in-law stared at me, too, shocked and disappointed.
“The truth is, he hasn’t been working at all. I’ve been the one paying for everything,” I told them.
Hearing this, they turned to Paul with shocked and hurt expressions.
It was clear they felt betrayed.
My mother-in-law pressed her lips tightly, and my father-in-law clenched his fists in anger.
Paul couldn’t even look at them.
He looked down, avoiding their eyes.
Then Jack spoke up.
“Mr. and Mrs. Wesley, I need to speak with you. I’m the CEO of the company where Jennifer works. Through our talks, I’ve learned that Paul has been unemployed, and it’s Jennifer who’s been taking care of all the expenses.”
My in-laws looked stunned.
Jack calmly handed them his business card and showed them the company’s website.
Their hands shook as they looked at it, and it was clear they couldn’t deny the truth anymore.
Their faces showed both shock and confusion.
Jack continued, “Our company is currently working on a major project with Mr. Wesley’s workplace. But after this, we don’t want to keep working with unreliable partners.”
“This can’t be happening. What’s going to happen to the project?” my father-in-law asked, barely able to speak.
“Paul, how are you going to explain all of this?” he added, his face full of defeat.
My mother-in-law buried her face in her hands.
“How did things turn out like this?” she whispered.
They both looked pale and heartbroken.
Just then, Paul grabbed my hand tightly.
“Jennifer, please help me. I want to fix this,” he said with tears in his eyes.
His hand was shaking, and he looked truly scared.
After everything he had done, ignoring me, spending my money, and lying, I wasn’t surprised to see him begging now.
“It’s too late,” I said firmly. “I can’t forget what you did. This is the end.”
I pulled my hand away with strength.
“Please,” he begged again, falling to his knees in front of me.