I Divorced My Wife for Sleeping With a Teddy Bear

I gently wiped the wine from my face, my expression perfectly calm.

Since you keep talking about spending the rest of your life with that stuffed bear, I am simply granting your wish.

Gunther!

Our daughter just turned one, and you are using this ridiculous excuse to divorce me. You are a complete and utter bastard.

Judy was shaking, her eyes rimmed with furious, red tears.

"Sign the papers," I said, entirely unfazed. "I will see you at the divorce attorney's office tomorrow at nine in the morning."

I did not want to waste another breath. I threw the divorce agreement onto the table and turned to leave.

The entire banquet hall fell dead silent.

None of the guests could comprehend why the city's most envied, picture-perfect couple was suddenly imploding.

A flash of panic crossed Judy's eyes. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kensington, frowned deeply, their expressions turning dark.

No one expected me to be this ruthless.

Simon, her executive assistant, lunged forward and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back. "Girls love stuffed animals. Stop acting crazy and apologize to Judy right now."

"Do you not remember what she went through for you? She almost died giving birth to your child. She labored for two agonizing days without an epidural."

"She sleeps in a separate room and takes care of the baby alone just so you can get a good night's rest. How can you be so blind to her sacrifices?"

The surrounding guests immediately joined in, burying me in criticism.

"Simon is absolutely right. You have a perfect life. What is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how many men would kill to have a wife like her?"

"If something is bothering you, sit down and talk like adults. You do not just take your anger out on your wife and throw the word divorce around."

Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Judy rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist. "Honey."

"We have known each other, loved each other, and stayed by each other's side for twelve whole years. I know you. You are gentle. You never lose your temper."

"Is something wrong at the company? Are you asking for a divorce because you are in trouble and do not want to drag me down? Tell us. We can figure it out together."

Seeing her defend me so fiercely, the crowd praised her grace, which only made me look like an ungrateful monster.

"Gunther, I may be retired, and I step back from the business these days, but people in this city still respect my name."

"We are family. If you are in trouble, speak up. Do not bottle it up inside."

Mr. and Mrs. Kensington finally broke their silence. They still chose to trust my character. After all, I was the son-in-law they had carefully handpicked.

Ignoring the piercing stares of everyone in the room, I shoved Judy away. My voice was ice. "It is very simple. I do not love you anymore."

A pin drop could be heard in the hall.

"What? Say that again." Judy froze, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.

"I said I do not love you anymore!"

"Did you hear me clearly this time?"

With that, I stepped around her and headed for the door.

"Stop right there!"

Simon violently grabbed my collar, screaming in my face. "Drop this act right now! Even as an assistant, I cannot stand to watch this."

"Did you forget how obsessed you were with her? You chased her for three entire years! You dated for six years before you finally got married!"

"Did you forget your own wedding vows? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health. She never abandoned you."

"Your daughter is only a year old! Do you want her to grow up in a broken home?"

Watching him play the furious protector, a mocking smirk touched my lips. "Why are you so desperate? Unless..."

Simon completely cut me off, his arrogance flaring. "Anyone with a conscience would be disgusted by an ungrateful parasite like you."

"You came from nothing. Judy never looked down on you. She gave you a high-level position in her family's empire."

"If it was not for the Kensington family, would you have this luxury life? Would you be sitting in a CEO chair?"

Smack!

I backhanded him across the face with everything I had. "You are just an assistant. Know your place."

Judy immediately panicked.

"Are you insane, Gunther? What gives you the right to hit Simon?"

She shoved me hard in the chest and rushed to help Simon off the floor. Her eyes were overflowing with frantic, undeniable concern.

"He deserved worse," I said, clenching my fists. I felt absolutely zero remorse.

My coldness instantly triggered the crowd's disgust.

They all whispered that my usual gentle demeanor was nothing but a fake mask, hiding a violent, hypocritical nature.

Simon looked at Judy, playing the wounded victim perfectly. "I am so sorry, Judy. This is all my fault."

"I should have kept my mouth shut. I made Mr. Kensington angry. Please do not blame him."

He kept his head down, looking terribly guilty.

"It is not your fault."

"I dragged you into this."

Judy comforted him softly before turning back to me, her tone shifting into a pathetic plea. "Honey, we do not need to take our issues out on other people."

"Today is our daughter's first birthday. Please stop causing a scene. I am begging you."

As she spoke, her tears began to fall again.

Her heartbreaking compromise contrasted perfectly with my brutal arrogance. The guests entirely sided with her.

Mr. Kensington took a deep breath, trying to be the voice of reason one last time. "Gunther, you have worked hard all these years. You have been a good husband and a respectful son."

"There is no need to make this so ugly."

"If you can show me actual proof that you have been wronged, I swear I will stand by you and seek justice."

He was handing me an olive branch.

I did not take it. My expression remained locked in stone. "This marriage is over."

Mr. Kensington's face turned completely purple.

Judy stared at me through her tears. "Are you seeing another woman?"

"Think whatever you want," I replied flatly.

"Enough!"

Mr. Kensington finally lost his temper, his voice booming across the room. "I am giving you exactly three days to think about this, Gunther."

"You either come home and fix your marriage."

"Or I will see you in court, and you will walk away penniless."

"Do not ever forget that everything you own today was given to you by me."

His threat was heavy. Everyone expected me to instantly fold.

Instead, I turned on my heel and walked out the door.

Outside in the cool night air, my junior from law school, Audrey, had been waiting for me by her car.

"I already sent my private investigators to Europe," she said with a sharp, confident smile. "You will have the answers you are looking for very soon."

"Thank you."

"We are going to trial against Judy in three days. I need you there as my lead attorney."

I collapsed into the leather backseat, utterly exhausted. I pulled out my phone and opened a saved security video.

On the screen, Judy's beloved giant stuffed bear was casually walking out of the guest bedroom. It stood in the middle of the living room and did a bizarre, rhythmic dance directly in front of the hidden camera.

Three days was more than enough time to set the trap and burn everything to the ground.

I originally planned to stay at a luxury hotel, but every single one of my bank cards declined.

That was when I remembered that over the past year, Judy had slowly manipulated the finances back under her family's control. Even the names on the joint accounts had been quietly changed to hers.

On the surface, I was the head of a happy, wealthy family. In reality, I was completely isolated.

I crashed on Audrey's couch for the night. The next morning, I went to the corporate headquarters to pack my personal belongings.

The moment I stepped into the lobby, the whispering began.

"A pathetic gold digger who does not know how good he has it. Asking for a divorce? What an idiot."

"So what if the boss likes sleeping with a giant teddy bear? I love stuffed animals too. It is harmless."

"He is probably just tired of her post-pregnancy body and wants a younger model. I bet he is hiding a dozen mistresses in the city."

They looked at me like I was a convicted serial killer. The judgment in their eyes was suffocating.

Before I could even respond, Judy's voice echoed behind me. "Shut your mouths. Who gave you permission to gossip? Get back to work."

The employees scattered like frightened mice.

"Honey."

"I bought you a new watch. Try it on."

Judy pulled a pristine, velvet-lined box from her designer bag.

Gasps immediately filled the lobby. "A limited edition Patek Philippe! Only three of those exist in the world, and they were supposedly bought by anonymous billionaires."

"She must have moved mountains to get that watch. She cares about him so much."

Jealousy radiated from everyone in the room.

My face remained completely blank. I pushed the box away. "I am just here to pick up my family heirloom. Give the watch to your teddy bear."

The room froze.

Judy stood there, completely stunned.

The employees were furious, whispering that I was a heartless piece of trash.

I tuned them all out and walked straight to the executive floor.

When my parents passed away, the only thing they left me was a simple jade pendant. They said it would ward off evil. I had worn it around my neck my entire life.

A few months ago, Judy kept complaining that her office felt freezing and creepy, claiming she heard weird noises. I took the pendant off and hung it in her office. The strange occurrences supposedly stopped.

She did not deserve to have it anymore.

I pushed open the heavy glass doors to her office and saw Simon playing with my daughter on the carpet.

"Mr. Kensington."

"You finally came back. Living a good life is better than throwing it all away. Look at your daughter."

"She is so precious. How could you ever abandon her?" Simon said, picking the baby up and stepping directly into my path.

"Get out of my way," I said, a deep frown carving into my face.

"Sir."

"This is your own flesh and blood. Are you really refusing to even look at her?" Simon demanded loudly.

"Move!"

Annoyed, I shoved Simon's shoulder aside and walked straight to the back wall to retrieve my jade pendant.

A second later, a loud, piercing cry echoed through the room.

I turned around. Simon and my daughter were both sprawled on the hard floor.

Right at that exact moment, Judy and several senior executives walked into the office.

Judy dropped her files, rushed over, and snatched the crying baby into her arms. She frantically checked her for injuries and let out a huge sigh of relief when she saw no blood.

"What exactly happened here?"

Her furious gaze darted between me and Simon.

Simon lowered his head, his voice trembling. "I just wanted him to look at his daughter. But he refused. He shoved me away."

"It is my fault. I am useless. If I had better balance, we would not have fallen."

What?

Hearing his pathetic lie, Judy stood up, marched over, and slapped me across the cheek. "How could you be this cold-blooded?! That is your biological daughter!"

"She is only a year old! What if you broke her neck?!"

My reaction was chillingly calm. "Say whatever you want. I do not care if she drops dead."

Judy completely broke down, sobbing hysterically.

Simon pointed a shaking finger at my face. "Are you even human?! Cursing your own baby to die? You are absolute scum!"

"Enough. Do not waste another breath on him."

Judy looked at me, her entire body trembling as she wiped her tears. "I am completely done with you."

"Get out!"

"Get the hell out of my building! I can live perfectly fine without you, and my daughter does not need a monster for a father."

"I will see you in court!"

She screamed the last sentence until her voice cracked.

I did not say a single word. I turned around and walked out.

The news of our explosive divorce leaked to the press almost immediately.

The internet was flooded with wild rumors.

Anonymous sources claimed I was funding dozens of mistresses.

Tabloids published blurry photos claiming I frequented underground escort clubs.

Bloggers swore I had secret illegitimate children hidden across the country.

I was nailed to the cross of public opinion. To the entire internet, I was a cheating, ungrateful parasite who abandoned his perfect wife and innocent child.

I chose total silence. I did not offer a single explanation.

Three days later, I finally appeared at the city courthouse.

Because the trial was open to the public, the gallery was packed with mutual friends, business partners, and a swarm of hungry journalists.

"Gunther."

"I am giving you one last chance. Swallow your pride, apologize, and we can go back to our normal lives." Judy stared at me, her fists clenched tight in her lap.

Simon sat right behind her, chiming in. "You have absolutely zero legal ground. You are going to lose, and you are going to walk away with nothing. How will you even survive? You will be a pariah."

"Give up before you end up sleeping on the streets."

Mr. and Mrs. Kensington sat in the front row, their faces grim.

"Gunther, I strongly suggest you think about the consequences."

"Trying to take half her assets just because she likes sleeping with a stuffed bear is a joke. You cannot win."

I ignored every single one of them. I walked straight to the plaintiff's table and sat down next to Audrey.

The Kensington family let out a collective, disgusted scoff.

The judge slammed his gavel. The trial began.

The judge reviewed the massive stack of documents Judy had submitted. He looked down at me from the bench. "Sleeping with a stuffed animal does not constitute marital fault."

"However, the respondent has submitted fifty photographs of you being intimately close with other women."

"If you cannot provide compelling new evidence, this court will rule you as the party at fault based on the established facts."

I stood up, adjusting my suit jacket. "I have evidence, Your Honor."

The real show was about to begin.

Every camera lens in the room focused on me. The crowd leaned in, desperate to see what desperate trick I was going to pull.

"The plaintiff requests permission to play a video file," Audrey said, handing a secure USB drive to the bailiff.

The judge nodded.

The court clerk plugged the drive into the system, projecting the contents onto the massive screen above the witness stand. There were three locked folders.

At my instruction, the clerk opened the first folder and clicked play.

The courtroom gasped.

On the screen, Judy was wearing a sheer, electric-blue silk nightgown. She was straddling her massive stuffed teddy bear on their bed.

She was moving her hips in a slow, provocative rhythm, pressing her body intimately against the plush fabric. Her eyes were half-closed, her face flushed with pure, intoxicating ecstasy as she whispered breathlessly into the bear's ear.

"Oh my god... Judy was secretly doing that with a teddy bear?"

"That is absolutely insane. She is a married woman!"

"Who dry-humps a toy while their husband is in the next room?!"

The gallery erupted into shocked, scandalized whispers.

Judy's face flushed a violent, humiliating crimson. She never expected me to have this footage.

She knew for a fact there were no security cameras inside the master bedroom.

"She has a medical condition!" Simon suddenly shouted, jumping up to run damage control.

"Judy nearly died on the operating table giving birth. The trauma caused severe postpartum depression!"

"We have certified medical records from her psychiatrist. This was just a coping mechanism. A harmless way for her to relieve extreme stress!"

Hearing this medical excuse, the crowd's tone shifted.

"Oh, if it is postpartum depression, that actually makes sense."

"Yeah, trauma patients do really weird things when they are breaking down."

"When I had PPD, I used to sit in the closet and cry while holding a potted plant."

"What kind of monster husband films his sick wife having a mental breakdown just to humiliate her?! He is disgusting!"

Seeing the crowd side with them again, Simon went on the offensive. He pointed a self-righteous finger at me. "You have crossed the line, Gunther."

"You neglected your sick wife, and now you are weaponizing her darkest moments to publicly destroy her."

"You are doing all of this just to steal her money. Are you even a man?!"

He was masterfully manipulating the narrative, trying to trap me in a moral cage.

Judy buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Do not cry, sweetie. Mom and Dad are right here. We will protect you!" Mrs. Kensington wrapped her arms around Judy, glaring at me with pure hatred. "They say marriage is sacred. How could you abuse my daughter like this?"

"Do you know how important a woman's reputation is?!"

"How is she supposed to show her face in public after this? You are a psychopath!"

Mr. Kensington's eyes were bloodshot. He gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with rage. "I was blind to let you into my family. I fed a rabid wolf."

"I swear on my life, I will destroy you for humiliating my daughter!"

The entire courtroom was practically calling for my blood.

The reporters were furiously typing, live-streaming the drama to millions of angry netizens who were demanding I be locked up.

"Order in the court!" The judge slammed his gavel violently, silencing the chaos.

"Please open the second folder," I said, my voice cutting through the silence like a scalpel.

Since I had dared to walk into this courtroom, I was prepared to burn it all down.

The judge nodded.

The clerk opened the second folder. It was filled with dozens of video files.

They played the first video. It was the exact footage I had watched in the car.