Why Is Her Husband Mine？

At a college alumni dinner,someone brought up happy marriages and suggested we all place our phones in the center of the table. Whoever got the first call from her husband to pick her up would be the happiest woman there that night. Everyone assumed it would be me. Instead,the first phone to light up belonged to Selena,Nora's younger sister. She reached for it with a smile,and I saw the number on the screen. It was exactly the same as my husband Ethan's. I was sitting beside her,close enough to hear Ethan's voice through the phone. "Why aren't you at the apartment?" Selena smiled sweetly. "I was bored at home,so I came to Nora's alumni dinner with her.It's almost over." "You're pregnant.Don't tire yourself out.I'm coming to get you now." My fingers went cold. Soon,everyone else's phones began ringing one after another. Mine stayed dark. Selena seemed to be kindly helping me out. "Nora told me Chloe's husband is an investment banking executive.He must still be busy." I looked up at her. "He's already on his way.You'll see him soon." ……… "When Chloe's husband gets here,you'll see how much he adores her." The one who said that was Mia,my college roommate. Over the years,she had watched Ethan and me go from dating to marriage. Ethan was transparent about his salary,reported his schedule,and treated both me and my parents with care. In seven years of marriage,he had never even raised his voice at me. And yet this was the man who had built another home outside our marriage. I forced down my emotions and deliberately turned the conversation back to Selena. "The first man to call must be the one who loves his wife most." Everyone's eyes fell on Selena. She wore a Chanel suit,a Patek Philippe on her wrist,and an Hermès Birkin by her hand. Every inch of her looked carefully maintained by money. Someone asked,"Selena,what does your husband do?" She smiled. "He works on Wall Street.The pay is decent.His family's old house was bought out by a developer a couple of years ago,so he has a little cushion." My chest sank. Ethan's family did have an old townhouse. Two years ago,his parents moved in with us and said they would not be going back to the old neighborhood,so they sold the house. I kept my tone casual. "How much did it sell for?My relatives are negotiating a buyout too.I wanted a reference." "A little over 1.3 million dollars.Not that much." Nora immediately joined in. "You have no idea how lucky Selena is.Her husband gave her all the money from the sale." "Her mother-in-law Margaret adores her too.The first time they met,she gave Selena the emerald pendant necklace that's been passed down in the family."

Nora nudged Selena. "Take it out.Let everyone see it." Selena took an emerald pendant necklace from her bag. The center stone was clear and vivid,ringed with small diamonds. Under the table,my hands clenched. I had seen that necklace when I married Ethan. Ethan's relatives had laughed and said it was the piece the Walker family passed down to the new Mrs.Walker.One day,it would be mine. Last Thanksgiving,his aunt had brought it up on purpose. "Chloe has been married into this family for seven years.Are you still not giving her that necklace?" Margaret's face had stiffened. Ethan smoothed it over for her. "There's no rush.Chloe understands.She said it can be passed down later." I had never said that. For seven years,Margaret and I had no open conflict. When she was hospitalized,I took time off to care for her.When she moved into my home,I never complained. But she was always distant with me,and she was just as cold toward my son,Noah. So she was not slow to warm up. She had simply accepted another woman as Ethan's wife long ago. I pretended to gossip. "How long have you been married?Margaret treats you so well." "One year."Selena lowered her head and smiled."Ethan's parents are wonderful to me." Someone asked how she and her husband had met. Nora rushed to answer. "Selena used to be a consultant at a wellness center.She's honest and knows how to charm older people.Margaret really liked her." Selena added,"I met Ethan because I knew Margaret first.If she hadn't brought us together,Ethan and I wouldn't have gotten together so quickly." My nails dug into my palm. The woman I had called Mom for seven years had built another family for my husband with her own hands. Nora was still gushing. "Margaret is so generous.She gives Selena her pension and investment dividends to spend." I finally understood. After Ethan and I got married,Margaret asked us for three thousand dollars a month for living expenses,saying she and father-in-law William had no steady income. Ethan and I both earned well,so we had paid it for seven years. It turned out they were not broke. They were using my money to subsidize another woman.

Nora kept going. "That's not all.Ethan's parents have already prepared the down payment for a house in a good school district and an education trust for the baby." Everyone around the table looked envious. I kept my voice low. "Ethan's parents must have a lot saved." Selena shook her head. "It's mostly Ethan.Every month he gives them half his salary and says it's for the baby's education trust." My throat tightened. Starting from the first month after our wedding,Ethan had also split his salary in half. Half went to me,and half went to Margaret. He said that money was for Noah's education fund. I had never doubted him. After all,Noah was her grandson too. Only now did I realize that money had gone into the account for the child in Selena's belly. Just then,my phone rang. Nora led the teasing. "Chloe's husband is calling!" But the screen showed:My Sweet Boy. I answered.Noah's hurt voice came through. "Mom,Dad lied to me again.He promised he'd take me to Disneyland tomorrow,but Grandma just said he has another business trip." He sniffed. It felt as if my heart had been crushed. This past year,Ethan had barely spent time with our son. He said he was busy,said he was traveling,said the market was bad and we had to save money. The Orlando Disney trip became a local amusement park,and in the end,even that local amusement park was canceled. He had missed our wedding anniversary too. I had kept making excuses for him. Only tonight did I learn that he did have time,He had simply given it to someone else. I comforted my son softly. "Noah,be good.Mommy will make Dad give you an answer." After I hung up,someone tried to smooth things over. "Chloe,Your husband's busy because the company values him." I smiled. "Yes.I'm used to it."

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