When my late father’s will revealed an inheritance tied to staying married for five years, I thought I could handle it. But my husband’s secret and my brother’s schemes shattered everything I believed.
When the lawyer opened the will, my chest tightened. It felt like the air in the room had been swapped with something heavier, making breathing harder.
The rain outside tapped persistently against the window, matching the rhythmic thud of my pulse.
A cold coffee cup sat abandoned on the lawyer’s desk, a forgotten detail that somehow made everything feel even more surreal.
The lawyer’s voice droned on, but the words blurred.
And then came the condition.
There’s always a condition, isn’t there?
“To my children, Jen and Henry, on the condition that both remain married for the next five years.
Any divorce during this period will forfeit one party’s share, leaving the full estate to the other.”
I glanced at Henry. He was leaning back, a picture of self-satisfaction. His fingers drummed lazily on the armrest, and a smirk played on his lips.
Sarah, his wife, sat beside him, Henry’s hand resting lightly on her shoulder.
They were calm and unbothered. Of course, they looked like they could win this game without breaking a sweat.
Then I turned to Ted.
My husband. He sat stiffly, his eyes fixed on some distant point, his jaw tight. If guilt had a face, it would look just like his.
The affair I’d discovered months ago was a ticking bomb, one I’d been planning to defuse—until that moment.
As we were leaving the office, Henry sidled up next to me.
“Well, sis,” he drawled, shoving his hands into his pockets, “looks like Dad wanted us to play nice.
Not that I mind. Sarah and I are solid. But you…”
He trailed off, the smirk widening as he tilted his head, studying me.
Henry knew more than he let on. He’d hinted at Ted’s affair months ago, casually mentioning he’d seen him at a hotel with his secretary.
The story doesn’t end here — it continues on the next page.
Tap READ MORE to discover the rest 🔎👇
