She Wanted a $28k Dress, I Want His $800M Fortune

I had accompanied my husband from the ground up, been the boss's wife for ten years. But he had never taken me to the company annual party, not once. This year, the party was at a five-star hotel. I begged and pleaded to go. He didn't even look up as he put on his shoes. "You're the boss's wife," he said, "the employees would feel uncomfortable." Right before he left, he hurriedly gave me a peck. "Be good," he said, "once this busy period is over, I'll take you and Annie to Sea City." The door clicked shut. I stayed home surrounded by scattered LEGO and picture books, my chest tight with anxiety. My three-year-old daughter suddenly ran over holding a black phone. "Mommy!" she said, "Daddy forgot his phone!" I was stunned. This wasn't the phone he usually used. The moment my fingertip touched the screen, an INS preview popped up. Baby Ada: Honey, I've picked out my gown for the annual party. Twenty-eight thousand. Waiting for you to pay. The sender was labeled: Baby Ada. My breathing stopped. Blood rushed to my eardrums, buzzing. My finger slid the screen on instinct. Maybe David Allen was too confident, or maybe he trusted me too much. The phone had no passcode. I opened the chat with "Baby Ada." The earliest message was from three years ago, August. Baby Ada: David, I've finished revising the proposal. Sent it to your email. At that time, I was seven months pregnant with Annie, vomiting so badly I brought up bile. David said the company was in a critical period and he needed to sleep in the office. Last Valentine's Day, David transferred 520 dollars to me. David: Hard work, sweetheart. At the same moment. Ada: Everyone else wants flowers for Valentine's Day. Me? I'll take a Venmo from David. David: Transfer: 13,140.00 dollars. Ada: Love you! Finger heart! David: You're trouble. Same place tonight? That night he came home at three in the morning, smelling of alcohol and a strange perfume. He said, "For this family, I have to push through no matter how tired I am." On my birthday, he gave me a necklace worth over 2000 dollars, saying, "Hard work, sweetheart. I'll buy you something better every year." At the same moment, he transferred 8,888.88 dollars to "Baby Ada." Ada: Thanks, babe! You're way more generous than your wife. David: How could she compare to you? The words that stung my eyes until they ached. Annie hummed a tune while holding her Barbie doll. The sunlight fell on her fluffy hair, a soft gold. My daughter is three years old. And my husband's mistress had been by his side for three years. I kept scrolling. The last message from yesterday. Baby Ada: Honey, I think I'm pregnant... David: Really?! I'll take you for a checkup tomorrow. If it's true, I'll come clean. My world completely collapsed at that moment. Come clean? What did he want to come clean about? Divorce? The lock turned. David pushed the door open, his eyes scanning the living room. "I left my black phone at home. Did you see it?" "Annie found it," I walked over and pulled out the phone. "How could you forget something so important?" He snatched it, quickly turned off the screen, and stuffed it into his suit pocket. The whole process took less than three seconds. "I've been too busy," he cleared his throat. "Too much annual party preparation." "Then you should go." He paused, ruffled my hair. "I have a social engagement tonight. Don't wait for me to eat." The door closed. I leaned against the wall and slowly slid to the floor. The turrets of the Lego castle blurred and twisted in my vision. I knew that from today, there were some paths I would have to walk alone. And the first step was learning not to shake.