His Fake Prison, My Real Revenge

The day I found out I was pregnant, my OB/GYN husband, Julian Vance, cheated on me with his medical assistant, Valerie Moore.

The shock and stress caused me to have a miscarriage.

Consumed by hatred, I publicly stripped Valerie of her scrubs in the hospital lobby, completely ruining her reputation.

Then, I climbed onto the rooftop ledge of the clinic, threatening Julian with my own life.

"Either you send Valerie to prison for medical malpractice, or you sign the divorce papers."

Julian fell to his knees in front of me, tears streaming down his face as he begged.

"I promise you. I'll do it. You are the only one I love, Summer."

True to his word, Julian personally submitted the evidence of Valerie's malpractice to the authorities. He chose to stay and rebuild our marriage.

Every year on the anniversary of my baby's death, I would visit the prison to curse Valerie behind the glass.

Until today. I was leaving the restroom at the facility when I overheard two janitors gossiping in the hallway.

"Does that poor woman seriously not realize the person locked in there isn't actually Valerie Moore? It's just a paid actress."

"I know, right? Dr. Vance was so terrified his wife would lose her mind again and hurt Valerie. He spent a fortune renting this decommissioned private facility and hiring actors just to keep her calm. Dr. Vance and Valerie are the real soulmates."

"I heard their baby turned one today. The whole family is celebrating at his mansion. They look so happy."

The blood in my veins turned to ice. My mind went blank.

It turned out that while I was trying so hard to heal and start over, Julian had already built a perfect family with her.

My hands and feet shook uncontrollably. A deafening ringing filled my ears.

A fake set. Paid actors.

Three years of his guilt, penance, and begging for forgiveness. All of it was a meticulously staged lie.

I had been so close to letting go. Just minutes ago, I had looked at the woman in the orange jumpsuit behind the glass and said.

"I'm pregnant again. It's a new beginning."

"I won't be coming back here. Stay here and rot for what you did."

I stood frozen in the hallway, shaking silently, barely daring to breathe.

A guard jogged over, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Sorry, ma'am. An inmate caused trouble nearby. I had to step away for a moment."

Hearing his flimsy, rehearsed explanation, a bitter laugh escaped my throat.

I had lived the last three years in a traumatized fog. How had I never noticed the cracks in this theater?

After signing out, I slowly walked out of the "prison" gates. I got into my car but didn't drive away. Instead, I parked in a hidden spot down the road.

Sure enough, twenty minutes later, a group of people walked out of the building, laughing and chatting. The actress playing Valerie was among them, eagerly counting a thick stack of crisp hundred-dollar bills.

My heart sank into a frozen abyss.

I pulled out my phone, found my private investigator's contact, and dialed.

"Run a check on Valerie Moore. I want to know exactly where she is and what she's doing."

The investigator sounded taken aback.

"Mrs. Vance? Three years ago, you told me she was in prison and ordered me to stop tracking her and your husband. Why the sudden change?"

He didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

Within an hour, he sent a file to my Snapchat.

It contained Valerie's private Instagram account. For the past three years, she had been documenting her life with Julian.

From her getting a nose job and a new identity to work at a different private clinic, celebrated by Julian.

To her moving into a luxury penthouse, with Julian taking her on exotic vacations.

And finally, to her giving birth, and Julian throwing a lavish first birthday party for their child.

I stared at the photo of Valerie holding the baby, with Julian wrapping his arms tightly around them both. The pain in my chest was so sharp I could barely draw breath.

Yet, like a masochist, I kept scrolling. When I saw the comments below the post, my fingers froze.

My best friend, Chloe, who had spent three days straight cursing Valerie with me three years ago, had left a comment:

"My sweet goddaughter is one today! As her godmother, I have to prepare a very special gift!"

My brother, Nathan, who had helped me plaster Valerie's home with photos of her affair, wrote:

"Congratulations, Julian! Looks like we've got another little doctor in the family."

Even my parents, who had held me tight on the nights I wanted to jump off our balcony, had commented:

"You and Valerie are a match made in heaven. Wishing your beautiful family endless happiness."

Dozens of mutual friends and colleagues had liked the posts, leaving warm blessings.

Everyone knew. Everyone knew the truth, and everyone chose to keep me in the dark.

I stared at those comments for a long, long time.

I was still staring when Julian's call flashed across my screen.

"Hey, honey. You're not home yet. Did something happen at the prison visit?"

His voice was as gentle and caring as always, but I could catch a faint, nervous tremor underneath.

I forced my voice to remain steady.

"Nothing. Everything was normal."

"Julian, I won't be going back there anymore."

I could hear the massive wave of relief over the line. His tone instantly became cheerful.

"I'm so glad to hear that, Summer. The bad guy got what she deserved. It's finally time for you to let go and move on."

I bit my lip, feeling a wave of self-deprecation.

Yes. I was the one getting punished. And it was indeed time to move on.

My investigator sent me another update.

When I saw the child's name in the document, my knuckles turned white clutching the phone.

Lily.

That was the name I had chosen for the baby girl I lost.

Back then, Julian had pressed his ear against my belly, smiling warmly.

"It's a beautiful name, Summer."

I thought that name had been buried forever in the dirt alongside my miscarried child.

I never could have imagined it would be stolen and given to Valerie's baby.

Even though it was the middle of July, I felt a bone-chilling cold wash over me.

"Send me the address of the birthday party," I texted the investigator.

Julian had spared no expense. He rented a stunning, high-security villa in the countryside. Without an invitation, no one could get in.

I paid a hefty fee to get a guest pass from a vendor and slipped into the crowd. I stood amidst the laughter and clinking glasses like a ghost.

Valerie, surrounded by a doting crowd, was proudly showing off the nursery.

Cream-colored walls, an organic wood crib, custom-built bookshelves...

Even the handcrafted crystal mobile hanging by the window was the exact one I had spent weeks customizing for my lost baby.

The nursery I had lovingly designed had been recreated block for block for Valerie.

The guests gasped in admiration.

"I heard Dr. Vance designed this entire room himself! He treats you like a queen, Valerie. Three years, and he's still this obsessed."

"Well, Valerie deserves it. She's already a chief resident at her age. Her future is incredibly bright."

Valerie blushed, a sweet smile on her face.

"Julian said this is his first child, so he wanted to give her the absolute best of everything."

Julian walked in, wrapping his arm around Valerie's waist with pure adoration.

Then, his eyes casually swept over the crowd and landed on me.

The loving smile on his face froze instantly.

Sensing the sudden shift in the air, the guests followed his gaze to me.

Valerie shrank back slightly, and Julian immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her.

"Summer, don't make a scene today of all days," Julian whispered sharply, his eyes darting around nervously. "We can talk about this at home."

I dug my fingernails deep into my palms, trying to hold onto my dignity.

"You've lied to me for three years, Julian. Don't I even deserve an explanation?"

Before Julian could speak, my best friend Chloe rushed over.

She frowned, looking down at me with a judgmental sigh.

"Summer, Julian only lied to keep you stable. He was worried you'd do something reckless again. He did it for your own good! Why do you have to be so incredibly petty?"

"Even if you're upset, ruining a baby's first birthday is just low. It's embarrassing."

My brother, Nathan, stepped up next, his voice cold and detached.

"Look, it's been three years. It's time to move on. Just because you're unhappy doesn't mean you get to drag everyone else down with you."

My parents walked over, their faces filled with deep disappointment.

"Summer, you are such a letdown," my mother scolded softly. "I can't believe you're still this vindictive after three years."

"You ruined Valerie's life back then, making her the laughingstock of the city. Isn't that enough payback?"

"Besides, Valerie didn't even ask for a marriage certificate. She just wanted to give Julian a child to carry on the Vance family name. What's so wrong with that? You don't have to be so heartless."

Julian let out a weary sigh.

"Well, now that you know, at least I don't have to keep paying actors to put on a show for you. It was exhausting."

"My parents were pressuring me for a grandchild. You can't get pregnant anymore, and I couldn't spend the rest of my life childless. You have to understand my position."

"From now on, you can keep your title as Mrs. Vance. We'll just live our separate lives. We won't cross each other's paths."

They stood in a protective circle around Valerie.

And I, their own flesh and blood, was treated like a toxic monster they needed to guard against.

I let out a soft, mocking laugh, hiding the absolute deadness in my eyes.

"Julian, what if I told you... I'm pregnant too?"

Julian's brow furrowed, his face twisting into an irritated scowl.

"Summer, are you seriously using this trick again? Aren't you tired of it?"

"You used a pregnancy to threaten me into banishing Valerie three years ago. If you hadn't been so stubborn and dramatic, none of this would have happened."

A wave of bitter sorrow washed over me, so painful I could barely stand straight.

The miscarriage. The resulting infertility. The agonizing post-surgery complications.

All those nights I screamed from nightmares were reduced to "my own fault" in Julian's eyes.

I smiled mockingly, deliberately stepping on his sore spot.

"I guess I'm just like your mother. I'm too 'petty' to share my husband with a mistress."

"What's next? Are you going to watch me jump off a building right in front of you, just like she did?"

When Julian was five, his father brought his pregnant mistress into their home.

That very night, Julian's mother jumped from their penthouse balcony.

Julian had witnessed the tragedy. He had sworn he would never become like his father.

Yet here he was, calmly asking me to play nice with his mistress.

The power of genetics is truly terrifying.

Julian's face darkened instantly, looking like he wanted to kill me.

Unable to watch any longer, my brother Nathan grabbed my arm and dragged me into the villa's storage room.

The cramped, dusty space was filled with Julian's discarded junk.

A customized designer pen I had gifted him, his original proposal ring, and the baby bracelet I had bought for our lost child.

These were things Julian had once claimed to treasure more than life itself.

Now, they were left here to gather dust, completely forgotten.

Nathan looked at me with pure disgust.

"Open your eyes and look around, Summer! Julian threw your relationship in the trash years ago. He's moved on. You're the only idiot still clinging to the past."

Chloe squeezed into the room as well, letting out a dramatic sigh.

"To be honest, Valerie isn't as bad as you think. If she hadn't donated her kidney to your mother, your mom would still be rotting in the ICU right now."

"We've seen how much Valerie has done for this family over the last three years. You really crossed the line back then."

I froze, my hand instinctively drifting to the scar on my lower back.

When my mother fell critically ill, I had secretly gone for a donor match despite my weak post-miscarriage body.

Luckily, I was a match.

To prevent them from worrying about my health, I had begged the surgeon to keep the donor info strictly confidential. I quietly gave my mother one of my kidneys.

Even though the scar still throbbed with pain on rainy days, I had never regretted it.

Because my mother had always protected me when I was a child. I wanted to save her life.

But now, they were saying the donor was Valerie.

A thick, suffocating lump formed in my throat.

I looked down, my voice trembling with unshed tears.

"You all regret taking my side, don't you?"

"Not only do you regret it, but you also helped Julian gaslight me for three whole years."

My father sighed, his face a mask of weary resignation.

"Summer, watching you suffer makes us suffer too."

"If you're going to live in pain for the rest of your life, it's better for everyone if you just let go now."

I raised my head and slowly looked at the faces in the room.

These were the people who had wept tears of joy at my wedding, wishing me a lifetime of happiness.

These were the people who had rushed to my side, saving me from the brink of suicide.

Now, they were all standing together, begging me to give up.

Slowly, I slipped the wedding ring off my right finger. I dropped it onto the pile of dusty, discarded junk.

"Fine. I'll do what you want. I'm letting go."

After mailing the signed divorce papers to Julian's office, I drove to the cemetery.

Lily's grave was adorned with fresh flowers, cute toys, and tiny baby clothes.

She looked loved. Just like she did every year I came to visit.

"Lily, it's Mommy. I'm here again."

"I regret it every single day. My anger and pride cost you your life."

"I kept hoping you would find your way back to me. But now that the chance is here... I don't think I have the strength to start over."

Tears finally spilled over, heavy and unstoppable, mimicking the sudden summer downpour that began to crash around me.

I leaned down and gently kissed the cold tombstone.

Suddenly, the rain stopped hitting me.

I looked up and met Julian's pained eyes.

He was holding an umbrella over me, letting his own expensive suit get soaked in the storm.

"Your health is fragile, Summer. The ground is too cold. Let's talk in the car."

He wrapped his dry trench coat around my shoulders, his tone softening.

"I'm not signing the divorce papers. Whatever Valerie has, I'll make sure you have it too."

"We both made mistakes in the past. Let's just let bygones be bygones. Don't bring it up again."

Julian reached out, attempting to slide the tarnished ring back onto my finger.

I pulled my hand back, my expression dead.

"But I can't let it go. I will never forget it as long as I live."

Julian's face hardened, his voice turning cold.

"Summer, don't push your luck. I am not going to fake-banish Valerie again just to appease you."

I shook my head calmly.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt Valerie."

"I just want you to give Lily's name back to her. Just for today."

Julian blinked, then glanced at his luxury watch.

"Then make it quick. The demolition crew is about to arrive."

"The show is over. The studio lot where this cemetery is located is being redeveloped. My father wants to turn this entire zone into a private amusement park. It's a first-birthday gift for my daughter, Lily."

I stood frozen, unable to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth.

"What about Lily? What about my baby's grave?"

Julian sighed gently.

"Don't worry. I'll find a better spot for her. It'll be much nicer than this."

With a loud rumble, heavy excavators and a construction crew entered the gates. They drove straight toward the row of graves.

Instinct took over. I threw myself over Lily's tombstone like a lunatic.

"No! Stop! Don't touch it!"

"Julian, I beg you! I swear I'll sign the papers and stay far away from you and Valerie! Just leave Lily alone! I'll do anything!"

Julian took a step toward me, then stopped.

His brows knitted together in annoyance.

"Summer, stop acting crazy. It's just a plot of land. It's not that serious."

He reached out to drag me away, but in my panic, I swung my arm and slapped him hard across the face.

Julian held his reddened cheek, his expression turning pitch black.

"Ignore her. Start digging."

Leaving those cold words behind, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the vast, roaring cemetery.

The workers looked at each other, but ultimately, the giant metal claw of the excavator began to rise.

Shaking violently, I squeezed myself against the cold marble of the tombstone and closed my eyes in absolute despair.

On his drive back, Julian's phone buzzed. It was a call from the studio lot's management office.

"Dr. Vance, the actress playing Valerie's inmate just forwarded the transcript of Mrs. Vance's last visit to your email."

Exhausted, Julian opened the file on his tablet, his eyes scanning the lines lazily.

But when his eyes hit the final paragraph, every ounce of color drained from his face.