This Marriage Is Not Worth It

My parents were murdered and dismembered in our home, and the family company was collapsing. I begged my fiancée Ginger for help, but she married a man named Finn in a lavish wedding of the century.
At my lowest point, Ginger’s sister Eleanor—a police captain—proposed to me at my parents’ funeral. She vowed to find the truth and be my support. I said yes.
The case eventually went cold and was closed. Grieving, I let Eleanor handle everything: my parents’ affairs, my debts. She brought me into her home.
Five years into our marriage, I overheard her talking to a colleague:
“Eleanor, there was only one real suspect in the Grant case: Finn. Why did you bury it? How can you live with yourself, letting Caleb stay under the same roof as his parents’ killer?”
“Finn is innocent,” Eleanor insisted. “He was just in the wrong place. I believe him.” Then she added, “I may have betrayed my badge, but I’ve been true to my heart. Even if he didn’t choose me, I’ll make sure he’s happy.”
The gift I held for her burned in my hands. My parents’ killer had been beside me all along, and the woman I loved had protected him for five years. This marriage was built on a lie—and it was over.

1
Through the door, I could hear Eleanor gazing at a photograph on the wall, her voice thick with the sorrow of unrequited love.
“Since Finn didn’t choose me, the only thing I can do is clear the path for him, remove every obstacle. As for Caleb… I’ll keep a close eye on him. He’ll never find out the truth.”
Her colleague sounded disappointed, almost pleading. “You’ve been on the force for eight years, your commendations could fill a wall. Why throw it all away for Finn? He doesn’t love you! And his presence at the Grant house that night was no coincidence!”
“If this ever comes out, you’ll lose your job, your reputation, everything. You could even go to prison. Are you insane?”
Eleanor let out a soft, dismissive laugh. “Insane? Maybe. Love doesn’t follow logic. The case is closed. Don’t bring it up again.”
“And what about Caleb? You brought him here, made him face his parents’ killer every single day. Have you ever thought about him? He loves you so much, and you—”
Eleanor’s voice turned to ice. “That’s enough. I said, Finn is not the murderer.”
A pause. Then, quieter. “If someone has to pay for this, then I’ll give him my life.”
“I just don’t get you… You have motive, you have evidence… Fine. If you think this is right, then so be it.”
Footsteps were approaching. I scrambled back to my room, a fugitive in my own home.
The images from five years ago flooded my mind—the blood, the horror. The company’s collapse that followed. Eleanor had been my salvation, pulling me from the wreckage, paying off every debt, welcoming me into her life.
I thought I had found true love, drowning myself in a bliss I never thought possible.
But it was all a meticulously crafted lie. She hadn’t brought me into her home out of love; she’d brought me here to keep me under her thumb. To monitor me. To protect Finn. Our marriage, these five years of affection, were nothing but compensation born from her guilt.
And I, like a fool, had paraded my gilded cage to the world, showing off the scraps of her pity as if they were treasures.
The irony was a blade in my gut.
The front door clicked shut; her colleague was gone. Moments later, Eleanor stumbled into our room, a little unsteady from drink. She cupped my face, her eyes, hazy with alcohol, full of a familiar tenderness as she kissed my forehead.
“Why are you standing by the door?”
“It’s nothing,” I lied. “I was going to get you some water, but I spilled it.”
“Let the housekeeper handle that. You’ve been so tired lately. You need to rest. It breaks my heart to see you like this.”
She leaned in and kissed my lips, her touch as gentle and loving as it had always been. But this time, I felt no warmth. Only a profound, chilling cold. To think a person could go to such lengths for someone else.
As I closed my eyes, a single tear escaped and traced a path down my cheek.
I helped her to the bed and tucked her in. She was asleep in minutes.
Sitting beside her, I reached for her phone. The password was Finn’s birthday.
Typing it in unlocked a secondary, hidden system on her device. The desktop was clean, except for a single, overflowing photo album.
She had photographed the entire case file of my parents’ murder. A thousand images.
And on every page, one name appeared again and again: Finn. From his motive to the evidence against him. There was even a still from a security camera video showing him at the gate of our villa that night.
It was all there.
But the final page was stamped with a single conclusion: UNSOLVED.
She had taken the physical file home, afraid her colleagues would grow suspicious, leaving only this digital copy for herself. A secret she alone could see. Her bias, her protection, laid bare. The sight was a punch to the stomach, leaving me breathless with a sour, burning pain.
Eleanor had always been a principled, decisive detective. It was one of the things I’d fallen in love with. I never imagined she would cast aside every principle for him.
There was another folder, a private, locked album. I clicked on it. It was filled with pictures of Finn. Ten thousand photos documenting his life over the past five years, after he had married her sister, Ginger. Every public appearance, every family gathering—Eleanor had saved them all. And in every single group family photo, my face had been neatly cropped out.
The implication was brutally clear.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I couldn’t look anymore. I took pictures of everything with my own phone.
Then, I booked a flight out of the country, for three days from now. And I began the process of canceling my identity, every official document, every tie to this life.
I didn’t sleep.
At dawn, as I was in the bathroom, my phone buzzed with an official notification. Eleanor’s voice, laced with confusion, came from the bedroom.
“Caleb? Why are you canceling your ID?”
I hurried back, taking the phone from her hand, my voice even. “It’s nothing. It’s about to expire, so I scheduled an appointment to get it renewed.” I changed the subject. “Don’t you have training today? You should get going.”
She didn’t press, just wrapped her arms around me, nuzzling against my neck. “Honey, are you planning a surprise for me?”
I froze.
She reached up and playfully tapped my nose. “I saw the new necklace you bought. You can’t hide anything from me, you know. I can read you like an open book.”
She grew serious, her voice soft. “It’s almost the anniversary of your parents’ death. We should visit their graves, tell them we’re married. We could have a family dinner, too. Ginger hasn’t been home in a while.”
I managed a weak smile, saying nothing. She hugged me tighter, spinning me around in a circle, excited. For five years, she had constantly tried to mend the rift between me and her sister. I’d always thought it was a sign of her love for me.
Now I saw it for what it was. A calculated move. An excuse to see Finn.
This five-year charade had to end.
The moment she left for work, I left the house. I went to a lawyer and had a divorce agreement drawn up. I finalized the cancellation of my identity. With the original case file hidden by Eleanor, going to the police now would be useless. Leaving was my only option.
When I went to her precinct to drop off the papers, I overheard some of her colleagues talking.
“Is that Captain Hayes’s husband? He looks familiar… Oh, right! The Grant family massacre five years ago!”
“Do you want to get assigned extra drills? Shut up. The Captain said he’s not the killer. Don’t start rumors, she’ll lose it if she hears you. She’s fought with the Chief over this case more times than I can count.”
“Look at him, though. Dressed head to toe in designer clothes, probably worth a fortune. I heard he just got back from overseas. A guy that rich wouldn’t need to kill someone, right? And the way the Captain looks at him… she’d have arrested him herself if he was the one.”
My nails dug into my palms. I stood outside her office, frozen by the familiar voices inside.
“Has she been good to you these past few years?” It was Finn.
“You know your own sister,” Eleanor’s voice was laced with a bittersweet ache. “When she heard I was coming back, she insisted on buying me a private jet. She’s just like that… married for five years and still acts like a child…”
Eleanor’s voice was heavy with a sorrow she tried to suppress. “That’s good. Then I can rest easy.”
“Sister,” Finn said, his tone smooth as silk, “I have to thank you for what you did back then. If it weren’t for you, I’d probably be rotting in prison right now.”
He sighed dramatically. “I probably shouldn’t come to the family dinner tomorrow night. It’ll just upset Caleb. Every time he sees me, he’s reminded of his parents. I don’t want him to cause a scene…”
Classic Finn. He had gotten everything he wanted, and still, he couldn’t resist taking a passive-aggressive jab at me.
I remembered sneaking a look at the case file years ago. I knew he was the only suspect. At Ginger’s wedding, I had publicly accused him, tried to have him taken into custody. But everyone, my own fiancée included, had turned on me, calling me a disgrace. Only Eleanor had stepped in to defend me.
She had been my only salvation.
And now, she was the one who had cast me into the abyss.
Inside the office, Eleanor forced a smile and pulled a small ceramic sculpture from her drawer. “I made this myself. It’s not as fancy as what you can buy in a store, but it’s from the heart. I heard Ginger is pregnant. Think of it as a gift for the baby.”
Finn accepted it with a triumphant grin.
My hand trembled, rattling the door slightly. Eleanor glanced up and saw me through the glass partition, her expression instantly tightening.
“Caleb? What are you doing here?” She rushed to the door. “Don’t misunderstand. Finn just got back in the country and came to say hello. We were just talking about the dinner tomorrow.”
“Caleb, long time no see,” Finn said, rising from his chair. He was dressed in the latest bespoke suit, making me feel like a beggar off the street.
I forced a nod, swallowing the bitterness. “It’s fine. I was just passing by. If you’re busy, I’ll head home.”
Thinking I was angry, Eleanor followed me out, explaining all the way to the car. “Caleb, don’t overthink it. Ginger’s pregnant, and I was just asking him for some advice so we can start trying.”
She looked at me, her eyes pleading. “You’ve always wanted a child of our own, haven’t you? I’m ready now.”
Looking at her feigned concern, I almost laughed. She would violate her oath to protect Finn, even sacrifice her own marriage. Now that she had what she wanted, who was this performance for?
“Don’t worry,” I said, my voice hollow. “The past is the past. You said it yourself, it was all a misunderstanding. I’m not that petty. You two catch up. I’ll wait for you at home.”
She breathed a sigh of relief and personally walked me to my car. As I drove away, I saw the looks of pity from her colleagues. I ignored them, pulling over to make final edits to the divorce agreement on my phone.
Back at the house, I gathered everything Eleanor had ever given me over the past five years and set it all on fire in the hearth. As the last flame died, the doorbell rang. It was a delivery.
The package was purchased by Eleanor, but the recipient was Finn.
I signed for it. Inside, it was filled with high-end baby products. A moment later, a text from Eleanor arrived.
“Caleb, I had some office supplies accidentally delivered to the house. Don’t open it, I’ll pick it up when I get home.”
I sent back a simple emoji and resealed the box. I was already leaving. I had no energy left to unravel her clumsy lies.
That night, Eleanor called to say she was working late on a case. A few hours later, Finn posted on his feed for the first time in ages. His location was tagged at a luxury downtown hotel. In the photo, a woman’s police uniform epaulet was clearly visible on a chair. On the table, her hand, with the ring removed, showed a pale, untanned mark on her finger. In the reflection of a wine glass, a woman was smiling beautifully, a man gazing at her with adoration.
I gave the post a ‘like,’ just as he wanted. Then I packed my bags.
The next afternoon, Eleanor texted, telling me to meet at her parents’ estate.
When I arrived empty-handed, my in-laws’ faces immediately soured.
“Eleanor is working herself to the bone, and you can’t even be bothered to bring a small gift for us? Who are you trying to intimidate with that long face?”
A nearby relative chimed in. “It’s been five years. Do you still think you’re the golden boy of the Grant family? Wake up! The Grant empire is dust! If Eleanor hadn't used her life savings to pay off your debts, you’d be selling yourself on the street right now!”
“We’re your wife’s parents. With your own gone, we’re the only parents you have. Have you no manners? People will think our Eleanor was desperate to marry you!”
Just then, Finn appeared at the door, his arms laden with expensive health supplements. My in-laws’ faces lit up, and they rushed to greet him.
“Finn, you’re here! The flight must have been exhausting. Your brother-in-law will cook later, you just go upstairs and rest.”
“You always bring so much! We’re old, we don’t need any of this. You and Ginger should save your money.”
“See? Finn is so thoughtful. Not like some people who show up looking like we owe them money. His parents have been dead for five years and he still can’t let it go. Such bad luck.”
Despite her words, my mother-in-law eagerly took the gifts. Finn, beaming, linked his arm with hers.
“Mom, don’t say that. The Grant case is still unsolved after five years, it’s only natural for Caleb to be upset. He’s been through enough, let’s not rub salt in the wound. We’re all family now.” He winked. “Besides, Ginger is pregnant, and I hear Eleanor is trying, too! It’s a double blessing for our family today! So please, don’t make my brother-in-law cook. You know how sister gets when she comes home and finds him in the kitchen.”
At the mention of Eleanor, my mother-in-law’s smile faltered. “A daughter married is a daughter lost! And here I am, worrying about her day and night.”
If this were the past, I would have believed Eleanor stayed away to protect me from her family. But knowing the truth, I felt nothing. She didn’t want to come home because she didn’t want to face Finn as his sister-in-law. She didn’t want me to bring up the murder and make him uncomfortable.
The crowd of relatives fawned over Finn, praising how well he looked. I was left forgotten by the door, a cold wind whipping around me.
Just then, a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind. It was Eleanor, finally arrived. She gently tapped my nose. “Why are you standing out here? Did Mom and Dad give you a hard time again?”
Seeing her daughter, my mother-in-law’s tone softened. “How would I dare scold the great Grant heir? He’s far too precious. You’d better get him upstairs to rest.”
Finn stepped in, playing the peacemaker. “Mom, I’ve already ordered catering from the hotel. It’ll be here soon. You should rest, too. Don’t stress over these things.”
The relatives immediately started praising Finn again, and I was once again forgotten. Eleanor guided me to a guest room to rest, then went back to explain to her mother that I was feeling unwell.
The family’s chatter and laughter drifted through the closed door, the sound suffocating me. I decided to step out for some air, but Finn was suddenly standing in front of me, a smug smirk on his face as he looked at my pale complexion.
“Old classmate. Long time no see. What’s wrong? You don’t recognize me after five years?”
His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “You know, I should really thank you. If you hadn’t brought me home that night, I never would have found my real enemy.”
My fists clenched. “Enemy? What are you talking about? What did my parents ever do to you? Why did you have to murder them, to… to cut them into pieces?”
He dropped the act, his eyes turning vicious. “What did they do to me? You should ask what they didn’t do! Because of them, my father’s company went bankrupt! He was driven to jump off a building! Your family destroyed mine, and now you can’t handle a little payback?”
He leaned closer, his voice a venomous hiss. “How does it feel? Seeing your parents’ killer standing right in front of you, living his best life, while you can do nothing? You know, I have to thank your fiancée and your wife. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
He grinned. “Your father was crying for you before he died. I even recorded a little video of him begging. Want to see it? Get on your knees and ask me nicely.”
The image of my parents’ mangled bodies flashed before my eyes. A red rage blinded me. I swung, my fist connecting hard with his jaw.
He grunted, but instead of anger, he smiled. He let my momentum carry him, collapsing dramatically to the floor.
Before I could react, Eleanor was there. She kicked me squarely in the chest, the force of a trained officer sending me sprawling. She rushed to Finn, cradling him in her arms, her eyes blazing with fury as she looked at me.
“Caleb, what are you doing? Are you insane? Finn came up here to call you for dinner, and you attack him?”
The family rushed in, their glares like daggers. Finn, clinging weakly to her shoulder, sobbed. “Ellie, I’m so sorry. I was just trying to apologize to Caleb for the misunderstanding five years ago, I didn’t think he would just… attack me.”
He sniffled. “It’s okay. Ginger broke off the engagement, we wronged him first. Let’s just call it even. Please don’t be mad at Caleb.”
A sharp pain shot through my chest. A broken rib. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead. “Misunderstanding? How dare you call it a misunderstanding?” I looked past him, at my wife. “Eleanor, what really happened five years ago? Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”
A flicker of panic crossed her face, but she held her ground. “I am still investigating that case. I told you it has nothing to do with Finn. Why do you insist on blaming him? I am a police officer. Don’t you trust me?”
Her voice hardened. “You had no right to lay a hand on him. Caleb, apologize to Finn. Now.”
My mother-in-law stormed forward and slapped me across the face. “You lunatic! Still trying to frame Finn! Everyone knows how good my daughter is at her job! If she says he’s innocent, he’s innocent!”
Her voice dripped with contempt. “You’re just an orphan whose parents are dead. Who do you think you are? If my daughter hadn’t saved you, you’d be selling your body in some hotel to pay off your debts! Your parents were crooks, and they got what they deserved!”
She turned to Eleanor. “Ellie, forget him. Let’s get Finn to the hospital.”
Eleanor didn’t give me a second glance. She helped Finn up and left.
Five years of my life, gone, in a single moment.
Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth. That night, my in-laws threw me out of the house. A passerby found me and took me to the emergency room. A broken rib, just a centimeter from my heart.
Late that night, I got a text from Eleanor. It was full of placating words.
“Caleb, don’t overthink what happened tonight. I know you didn’t mean it. Finn is my brother-in-law, I have to answer to Ginger. How about this, once he’s stable, I’ll take you to your favorite restaurant to apologize? Please don’t be angry. My parents were just upset, they didn’t mean what they said.”
So, she remembered she had a husband. A bitter, ironic smile touched my lips.
“Okay. I’ll wait for you.”
“Thank you for understanding, honey.”
That same night, Finn posted a photo from his hospital bed. In it, a woman was asleep in the chair beside him, her face etched with worry even in her dreams.
The next morning, I checked myself out of the hospital. I took my luggage and went straight to the airport. On the way, Eleanor sent me the location of the restaurant.
“Honey, I have a surprise for you. I’ll be home to pick you up soon. Wait for me, okay?”
I opened Finn’s social media feed. He had posted a video two minutes earlier. In it, Eleanor was carefully feeding him spoonfuls of porridge, her eyes filled with a tenderness I had never seen before.
I quietly liked the video, then deleted their numbers and blocked them.
As I boarded the plane, I sent an anonymous, formal complaint to the chief of police, attaching all the photos of the case file I had taken from Eleanor’s phone. I mailed the signed divorce agreement to her office.
At the restaurant, Eleanor was busy directing her colleagues, helping them set up for her surprise. Rose petals covered the floor. She kept checking her phone, a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach as my messages went unanswered.
She was about to call me when a uniformed officer rushed in, his face pale.
“Captain Hayes, it’s bad! You need to get back to the precinct, now! Someone filed an official complaint about the Grant case, and the Chief is looking for you everywhere! And… and there’s been an incident with Mr. Grant!”

First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "257959" to read the entire book.