After My Husband Cheated

My husband, Ralph Stone, cheated on me. To get back at him, I spent six months straight partying hard at clubs.

But Ralph didn't care. He just kept throwing money at me.

The day I finally told him I wanted a divorce, another two million dollars landed in my account. The message that popped up on my phone read:

"Mrs. Stone, my little bird is being clingy tonight. I won't be back."

I calmly hung up the phone and headed straight to the exclusive club he frequented. Inside, I heard his buddies teasing him.

"Ralph, how many is this now? Aren't you worried your wife will get fed up and run off with some young stud?"

Ralph idly twirled the cigarette between his fingers, a dismissive smirk playing on his lips.

"Skye is all about money. As long as the compensation is right, she'd never give up being Mrs. Stone."

The room erupted in laughter. As I pushed the door open, Ralph reached out to pull me closer.

"What, two million wasn't enough? You actually chased me all the way here for more cash? There's a limit to playing hard to get, you know."

But I dodged his hand and handed him the divorce papers.

"Your little girlfriend is kicking up a fuss. Sign these, and I can give her some peace of mind."

The moment I finished speaking, the private room fell silent.

Ralphs smile slowly vanished as he leaned back into the sofa.

"Skye, I never cared what you got up to before, but this little stunt tonight? Isn't it a bit much?"

"Or have those pretty boys from the clubs gotten greedy, forcing you to come back to me for a raise?"

His friends around us burst into another round of mocking laughter, their gazes lingering on me with an unsettling familiarity. They all knew how wild I'd been these past six months, a desperate attempt to retaliate against Ralph's infidelity.

Every night Id paint the town red at the most expensive clubs, spending money like water, always flanked by a different man on each arm. Ralph never stopped me. He just figured I was throwing a tantrum, trying to get his attention this way.

I calmly pushed the divorce papers a little closer.

"I'm serious, Mr. Stone. Sign them."

Just then, a head popped up from behind Ralph. It was a girl with a choppy bob and a lollipop dangling from her mouth.

"So this is the wife? She looks so prim and proper, why's she such a firecracker?"

She said, slumping against Ralph as if she had no bones.

"Ralph, I told you, you can't spoil women, can you? Look, you spoil them, and they start acting up, always threatening divorce."

The girl was Allee Green, Ralph's latest darling. Not the seductive vixen Id imagined, nor the delicate, damsel-in-distress type.

But Ralph absolutely adored her act.

"Hear that? Even Allee knows you're being unreasonable. So, how much more do you want?"

Allee giggled, then took the half-eaten lollipop from her mouth and directly popped it into Ralph's.

"Ralph, have some candy, cool down. The wife must be on her period, messing with her hormones."

Ralph frowned, but he didn't spit out the candy. Instead, he just sucked on it, giving me a smirk.

"Skye, take your pathetic papers and get out. I'll pretend tonight never happened. Don't make me say it again."

Watching the scene unfold, a wave of nausea washed over me.

"You don't have to sign it. We can go to court!"

With that, I turned to leave.

Behind me, I heard the shattering of a glass hitting the floor.

"Skye, if you take this too far, there's no going back. Think carefully before you walk out that door."

My steps didn't falter.

My hand was just reaching for the doorknob when I heard Allees exaggerated gasp.

"Oh, Ralph, don't be mad! The wife is just so uptight. Not like me, I just want you to be happy."

"If you ask me, you shouldn't give her any more money. Freeze her cards for a couple of months, see if she still dares to cross you."

Ralph let out a cold laugh.

"You're right. Some people just need to be taught a lesson."

Not long after leaving the club, my phone buzzed. Notification after notification popped up, all credit cards frozen. Yet, a strange calm settled over me.

Just then, a familiar Ferrari roared to a stop in front of me. The window rolled down, and Allee whistled, tilting her chin up at me.

"Wifey, no ride home? Want us to drop you off?"

"Though this car only has two seats, you might have to squat in the trunk, boo."

Her laughter grated on my ears, and Ralph spared me a cold glance.

"Skye, it's not too late to apologize now."

"Just say you're sorry for ruining everyone's fun, and I'll take you home."

I tightened the collar of my trench coat.

"No thanks. I find it dirty."

Allee whined, hitting the steering wheel.

"Ralph, look at the wife! I was being nice and offered her a ride, and she called me dirty!"

"I don't care, I'm upset. Does your wife think I'm embarrassing you by being so chummy?"

Ralph chuckled, running a hand through Allee's hair.

"Skye, since your last little outburst, I really have reined it in."

"I only keep Allee around because she's a carefree, innocent girl, like a little sister. We haven't slept together!"

Right, they hadn't slept together, but he'd done plenty of other intimate things.

When I first discovered Ralph's cheating, I threw a massive fit. I even forced the other woman to abort his child.

But he never lost his temper with me. He let me yell and scream, promising he'd never sleep with another woman again.

Then, shortly after, I caught him in a suspiciously intimate situation with his secretary.

It was from that moment that my feelings for him chilled, and my half-year-long clubbing spree began. He thought I was copying him, trying to get back at him, to force him to return to me.

But this time, he was wrong.

Seeing my silence, Ralph instructed his bodyguards:

"Since Mrs. Stone finds it so dirty, let her walk home herself."

"Keep an eye on her. Don't let anyone give her a ride."

With a roar, the Ferrari sped off.

Several bodyguards immediately positioned themselves behind me, shooing away the curious onlookers. I reluctantly took off my heels and began walking home barefoot. After nearly three hours, my feet were covered in blisters, the pain searing.

By the time dawn was breaking, I pushed open the front door.

Allee was sprawled out on Ralph's lap, wearing my silk pajamas, looking completely at ease.

"The wife's back? Good stamina, are you a marathon runner?"

Ralph's gaze fell on my bloodied feet, and he looked momentarily stunned.

"Do you understand now? There's a bowl of porridge on the table. Allee specifically saved it for you."

"Drink it, and this whole thing is forgotten."

I looked at the living room table. The bowl of porridge was mixed with cigarette ash, wine stains, and a half-bitten lollipop.

I ignored them both and headed straight upstairs.

Ralph's voice, however, turned cold.

"I told you to drink it!"

Allee jumped off the sofa, bare-footed.

"Wifey, I made this myself! I don't really cook, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

She giggled, shoving the bowl towards my mouth.

The sour smell hit my nostrils. I tried to turn my head away.

But Allee's wrist flicked, splashing the entire contents over me!

"Oops, I'm such a clumsy idiot! My arm must be tired from serving Ralph earlier, and he just wouldn't let me go."

"Ralph, it's all your fault for taking so long! Come on, blow on my arm and make it feel better!"

Ralph strode over, roughly shoving me aside.

I was already unsteady and slammed directly into the entryway cabinet. But he didn't spare me a glance, instead, gently blowing on Allee's hand.

"Skye, Allee was kind enough to save you some food. If you don't appreciate it, fine. But what's with that death glare? Who's it for?"

"Apologize, now!"

I looked at him calmly.

"I'll apologize. You sign the divorce papers first."

Ralph was completely enraged.

"Skye! Are you ******* kidding me?! You think you're hot stuff?"

"Who do you think you are? A country bumpkin who flew out of some backwater. Without me, Ralph Stone, you're nothing!"

Allee, hiding behind him, made a face at me, exaggerating her mouth to form words.

"Nyannyannya, you mad?"

I laughed, casually tossing my soiled trench coat into the trash.

"If you can't stand it, sign the papers. Do you think I want to be around you two disgusting lovebirds?"

But then, a stinging slap landed across my face. Half my face instantly went numb.

Ralph retracted his hand, then threw a signed agreement onto my face.

"You've been bossing me around for too long. Did you really think I had no temper?"

Allee jumped up, thrilled.

"Woohoo, Ralph's a man! What an example for all men!"

I clutched my stinging cheek and picked up the divorce papers. Since he'd signed them, that slap wasn't for nothing. It was worth it.

Dragging my blistered feet, I walked out without a backward glance.

Penniless, no ID, just my phone in hand. But should I call him? He'd probably lose control, tear Ralph apart.

Before I could even think it through, Allee's malicious call came in.

"Wifey, Ralph was furious because of you just now. He's already thrown your favorite ragdoll cat into the alligator pond, you know."

"Oh, the scene was so bloody, I almost cried."

My hand trembled violently, almost dropping the phone.

"What did you say?!"

That ragdoll cat was named Muffin. My mother loved that cat more than anything. Before she passed, she entrusted Muffin to me, saying seeing it was like seeing her. For seven years, Muffin had been with me through countless days and nights. To me, it wasn't just a pet; it was family.

Allees heartless laughter echoed from the other end of the line, and I could even hear a high-pitched shriek.

Ralph's cold voice cut in.

"Skye, Muffin is just the beginning. Tomorrow is Allee's birthday party. If you don't come back and apologize."

"The next one to be thrown into the alligator pond will be your grandmother, the comatose one in the nursing home."

My hands shook uncontrollably.

"Ralph Stone! The divorce is already done. Why won't you let me go?"

But the call was disconnected.

I rushed to the nursing home, but the room was empty. Equipment lay overturned, IV lines ripped out, and alarming bloodstains marred the floor. A nurse, face pale with terror, explained.

"Ms. Skye, Mr. Stone sent people just now, saying they were taking the old lady to another hospital."

"We couldn't stop them, they had guns..."

My vision blurred, and I nearly fainted. That was my only family, my very life!

By the time I returned to the mansion, it was filled with laughter and cheers. A group of wealthy heirs were gathered, celebrating something. Seeing me enter, Allee clapped her hands excitedly.

"Ralph, see? I told you this trick would work! She came running back to apologize, didn't she?"

My grandmother was tied to a wheelchair, pushed to the edge of the alligator pond. My whole body trembled.

"Ralph Stone, what do you want? Come at me!"

Ralph casually lifted his eyelids.

"Skye, your attitude last night displeased me greatly."

"Want to save her? Then crawl from here to everyone's feet, get on your knees, and beg for forgiveness."

The crowd instantly started cheering.

"Ralph, Skye was so mad she even signed the divorce papers. Did she really find someone else?"

"Don't let her mess around and get some nasty disease, why even let her back? Allee's fine, why not just change the wife?"

But Ralph stepped forward, wrapping his arm around my waist.

"My little woman's just throwing a tantrum. Skye, as long as you apologize, we'll remarry first thing tomorrow."

"But if you don't know what's good for you"

A bodyguard by the alligator pond suddenly kicked the wheelchair.

The wheelchair instantly slid towards the edge of the pond, half a wheel already suspended in the air!

"No!"

I shrieked, my legs giving out, collapsing directly onto the floor. Ralph smiled, satisfied.

"Behave. Everyone's here. You've had me wrapped around your finger for so long, I need to save face too."

"If you don't like Allee, once you apologize, I'll even scar her face to make you happy!"

With that, Ralph planted his foot on my back, forcing my head down. I wanted to vomit, to scream, to stab these animals. But the distant wheelchair swayed. All my rage instantly morphed into despair.

"Fine, I'll bow, I'll apologize."

A cheer went up from the group, and some even pulled out their phones to record.

"Awesome, Ralph! That's how you tame a wife! Even the wildest woman can be broken!"

"Skye, hurry up and bow! Let the guys get a clear shot!"

Just as I was about to lower my head, a loud bang echoed as the villa's front door was kicked open.

A voice cut through the air.

"You little bastards of the Stone family, you've got some nerve."

"How dare you touch my wife?"

Behind the newcomer was a phalanx of bodyguards. Ralph's smile froze. Allee and the others stopped their jeering, staring blankly at the unexpected guest. Someone recognized him, their voice stammering.

"Mr. Carter? That lunatic from Carter Group?"

"Why is he here?"

Leo Carter ignored them, kicking Ralph aside and helping me up.

"You're being mistreated and you didn't think to call me?"

"You had to endure it all by yourself?"

His voice trembled, and so did his hands. But just as I was about to speak, Ralph scrambled to his feet.

"Leo Carter? Who let you in?"

"This is my wife and my private family matter. If you know what's good for you, get out!"

Leo narrowed his eyes, looking at Ralph.

"Who's your wife? The divorce papers are already signed."

"Don't you know Skye is going to be the future lady of the Carter family?"

Everyone froze.