Six months ago, I gave birth to our son, Caleb. Motherhood hit me hard—both beautiful and overwhelming. Sleepless nights, constant worry, and the love that left me breathless. Through it all, my husband Nate felt like my solid ground.
One evening, Nate walked in from work, looking at me with concern. “You look exhausted,” he said, loosening his tie and kissing my forehead as I tried to calm a fussy Caleb.
“That obvious?” I half-laughed, half-sighed.
Nate smiled and offered, “Let me take him for a walk every evening. You deserve a break.”
Surprised, I agreed, appreciating his thoughtfulness. That night, I took a long, relaxing bath, grateful for the small respite.
From then on, Nate took Caleb out each evening. It became their routine—father-son bonding while I had some time to myself. Nate always returned looking refreshed, too refreshed.
One evening, I asked, “You really enjoy these walks, huh?”
“Best part of my day,” he answered, avoiding my gaze. Something felt off, but I dismissed it.
Then came that fateful Wednesday. Nate left with Caleb, and his phone buzzed on the counter. I grabbed it and saw his boss’s name. “I’ll catch up to them,” I thought. As I followed at a distance, I saw Nate walk downtown instead of heading to the park. He stopped outside a coffee shop, where a stunning brunette appeared. She kissed him on the cheek, and my stomach dropped.
I didn’t confront him right away. Later, when he came home, I pretended to nap, needing more proof. That evening, I followed him again. This time, he met the same woman at the coffee shop, and they sat together, laughing and sharing intimate moments.
I decided I needed the truth. The next morning, I bought a realistic baby doll, dressed it in Caleb’s blanket, and placed it in the stroller with a baby monitor hidden inside. When Nate left, he didn’t even check the stroller before heading out.
I followed them to the coffee shop again, where I overheard Nate say, “She doesn’t suspect a thing. She’s too tired from the baby.” The woman asked, “How long are you going to keep pretending to love her?” Nate responded, “Until she gets her inheritance.”
Something inside me snapped. I marched up to their table and pulled the blanket off the stroller to reveal the doll.
“What the hell is this?” Nate stammered, staring at the doll.
I crossed my arms, cold fury rising. “Interesting question. I was about to ask you the same thing.”
The woman tried to defend him, but I couldn’t care less. “You’re helping him destroy our family,” I snapped. I dropped my wedding ring onto the table. “I hope you’re happy together. You just lost the best thing you had.”
I walked away, leaving Nate and his lover behind. The divorce was swift, with Nate not contesting custody or the house. He signed the papers and disappeared.
Three months later, my friend Mia called with news about Nate. His girlfriend was engaged to someone else, and Nate had been her side piece. She sent me the video, and as I watched it, I felt an unexpected sense of freedom. “Karma doesn’t need directions,” I whispered to Caleb as he played on the floor.
A year later, Caleb had grown, and I’d rebuilt my life. I even ran into Nate once at the supermarket. He looked smaller, diminished. He apologized, but I wasn’t interested in hearing it. “You lost yourself,” I told him as I pushed Caleb away, leaving him behind for good.
As we walked away, Caleb cheerfully waved to his father, who didn’t even recognize him. Some chapters are best left closed, and the best revenge is moving forward without them. The inheritance my grandmother left me? I put it in a trust for Caleb’s future. It was a better investment than anything Nate could have ever offered.
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