My husband crashed his sports car into a dump truck at midnight while speeding to deliver his first love’s cat. He was smashed into unrecognizable pieces. The very next morning, I was the first person in line at City Hall to file his death certificate and freeze his estate, leaving absolutely nothing behind. The clerk, Mrs. Gable, looked at me over her glasses. "You’re handling this spousal death registration awfully fast, aren't you?" "I have to," I replied flatly. "If I don't, I'm afraid his ghost will crawl back to bottle-feed that damn cat." With the official red stamp pressed onto the death certificate, my five years of suffocating, miserable marriage were officially buried. Three days later, the lawyer called us in to read the will. His first love sat across from me, wearing a pristine white dress. She cradled the cat in her arms, a smirk stretching so wide it almost reached her ears. She honestly thought she was the heroine of her own grand romance novel. "All bank accounts and real estate under Ethan’s name shall be inherited solely by Miss Lily Zhao," Mr. Vance read aloud. Lily shot me a smug, triumphant look. "I’m sorry, Chloe. But in the end, I was always the one he loved most." I didn’t say a word. I just tapped the mahogany table, signaling the lawyer to keep reading. Mr. Vance flipped to the next page and cleared his throat. "However, since all of the aforementioned properties have been cross-collateralized as security, Miss Zhao must simultaneously assume the outstanding private high-interest debt of 1.5 million dollars." Lily’s smirk froze instantly. 0
"Chloe, I know Ethan is gone, but he promised me before he died that this house was meant for me and Prince." Lily was cradling her Ragdoll cat, which had just given birth. She was wearing a pair of men's slippers—the ones Ethan used to wear. They were way too big for her, making her look desperately small and fragile. I had just walked in from City Hall with the stamped death certificate in my hand. Looking at this woman in her pure white dress, I almost laughed. Last night, Ethan had sped through red lights to play vet for her cat. He rammed his car straight into a construction truck, and his body was so torn up they could barely piece him back together. His body wasn’t even cold yet, and she was already on my doorstep demanding my house. "Miss Zhao, if memory serves, this house is my matrimonial home," I said, kicking off my heels and staring her down. "You’re trespassing. I can call the cops right now." Lily flinched and took a half-step back. The Ragdoll cat in her arms, Prince, hissed at me, baring its sharp teeth. Right then, my mother-in-law, Eleanor, rushed out from the living room, shielding Lily behind her. "What do you mean, call the cops? I invited Lily here," Eleanor glared at me, her eyes full of hostility. "Ethan just passed away, and you’re already trying to kick out the person he cared about most? What kind of monster are you?" Watching Eleanor protect Lily like a mother hen, a chill ran through my chest. My husband had been dead for less than twenty-four hours. His own mother didn’t care about her son's death; she only cared about his mistress. "Eleanor, Ethan was my legal husband. This house is marital property," I said calmly. "She’s an outsider. Why is she moving in with a cat?" Eleanor sneered, pulling Lily over to sit on the sofa. "What marital property? Ethan paid the down payment, and his name is on the deed." "Lily has been living in a tiny rental—it’s pitiful. And Prince just had kittens; they need a big house to run around in." "Ethan cherished Lily and Prince more than anything. Now that he’s gone, as his mother, it's my job to take care of his family." *His family.* I swallowed the words, tasting the sheer irony. I had been married to Ethan for five years. Eleanor had nagged me every single day to get pregnant, never giving me a single kind look. Now, she was calling a mistress and a cat "her family." Lily gently stroked the cat, her eyes welling with tears. "Chloe, I know you hate me. But before Ethan passed away, he sent me a Snapchat audio. He said the only thing he couldn't bear to leave behind was me and Prince." "He told me to move in. He said this house would only be a real home if I was in it." She pulled out her phone and tapped an audio file. Ethan’s familiar voice echoed through the living room. "Lily, don't be scared. I'm on my way. Prince giving birth is a huge deal—how could I not be there?" "Once things settle down, I’ll clear out the penthouse so you and Prince can move in. I won't let you suffer anymore." Ethan’s voice in the recording was so tender it could melt. He had never once spoken to me like that. Whenever I was sick with a fever, he would just throw a "drink some water" at me and head out to play video games with Lily. I looked at Lily’s pathetic yet smug face, and the disgust inside me almost boiled over. "And?" I picked up my glass of water and took a sip. "You think a Snapchat audio gives you the right to steal my house?" "Who’s stealing? This was meant for Lily!" Eleanor slammed her hand on the coffee table. "You cursed him! If you hadn't been so cold to Ethan all the time, would he have driven out in the middle of the night?" "You killed my son! Get the hell out of here right now. This house has nothing to do with you!" Eleanor pointed at the front door, her spit practically flying in my face. I set my glass down, looking at the two of them playing their little roles. I had known about Ethan and Lily for a long time. I just didn't realize they could be this shameless. "Eleanor, even if the deed is in Ethan's name, I've been paying the mortgage." "If you want me to leave, fine. Write me a check for the last five years of mortgage payments and renovations, and I’ll walk out right now," I said coldly. Lily bit her lip, tears spilling over right on cue. "Chloe, why do you have to be so aggressive? Ethan just died, and all you can talk about is money." "Is his life worth less than a few dollars to you?" She lifted the cat to cover her face, sobbing dramatically. "Oh, Prince, look... this is the woman Ethan married. She has no heart." "Poor Ethan... only we truly loved him." Watching her cheap performance made my stomach turn. I said nothing and just watched them put on their show. Because I knew this was only the beginning. 0
The next morning, I was woken up by a loud banging on the door. When I opened my bedroom door, the living room was already a disaster zone. Lily was sitting on the sofa, directing a couple of movers who were hauling her suitcases into the house. The Ragdoll cat, Prince, was scratching my favorite leather sofa, leaving deep, ugly gashes in the leather. Eleanor was standing next to them, happily throwing my decorative glass pieces straight into a trash bag. "What do you think you’re doing?" I walked over, my face cold, and snatched the trash bag from Eleanor’s hand. Inside were souvenirs I had bought during my business trips over the years. "What does it look like? We’re making room for Lily," Eleanor snapped, glaring at me. "Lily has a lot of things. Your junk is just taking up space. Throw it out." Lily set down her coffee cup and stood up. She had changed into a tight black dress with a little white flower pinned to her hair, looking like a grieving widow. "Chloe, don't be mad. Eleanor is just looking out for me." "Ethan always loved me in black. He said it made me look classy." She walked over to me, a faint, mocking smile on her lips. Then, she pulled a thick, black notebook from her designer bag. "By the way, Chloe, while I was sorting through Ethan's things, I found this." "I figured you should probably know the truth." She handed the notebook to me. It was Ethan’s journal. I didn’t take it. I just stared at her coldly. "I don't read the diaries of dead men." Lily wasn't bothered. She pulled her hand back and flipped it open herself. "That's fine. I’ll read it to you." She cleared her throat, her voice dripping with sweet poison. "March 5th. Lily said she wanted that pastry from the bakery downtown. I stood in line for two hours to get it for her." "Seeing her smile made it all worth it. The woman at home does nothing but complain about me being late. She’s absolutely repulsive." "October 12th. Lily's cat was sick. I stayed with her at the vet all night. Seeing Lily cry broke my heart." "I want a divorce so badly. I want to marry Lily." She flipped page after page, reading snippet after snippet. Every single line was a confession of love for Lily and a venomous insult directed at me. Eleanor stood beside her, wiping away tears. "My poor, sweet Ethan... he was suffering so much. He wanted to leave you so long ago." Lily finished reading, closed the journal, and held it tight against her chest. She looked at me, her eyes bursting with triumphant pride. "Did you hear that, Chloe? Ethan never loved you." "You took five years of his life. Now that he’s gone, don’t you think it’s time to give me back what belongs to me?" I looked at her arrogant face, feeling absolutely nothing. I knew exactly what kind of man Ethan was. This journal was nothing but a tool for his own self-deluded drama. "Are you done reading?" I asked blankly. "If you're done, take your cat and get the hell off my sofa." Lily froze, clearly not expecting this reaction. She thought I would break down, cry, or scream like a madwoman. But she was wrong. "You... how can you be so heartless?" Lily pointed at me, her finger trembling. "Ethan wrote it clearly. He loved me. Aren't you even a little embarrassed?" "Why would I be embarrassed?" I stepped forward, forcing her to look me in the eye. "Who he loved is his business. But legally, I am his wife." "You're just a proud side chick. What you're holding is nothing but a cheating diary." Lily’s face went pale. She looked at Eleanor for help. Eleanor instantly jumped in, pointing a finger at my face and screaming. "You shameless bitch! Ethan is dead, and you still dare to bully Lily!" "Let me tell you something, Ethan left a will! This house, and everything he owns, belongs to Lily!" "You won't get a single dime!" I narrowed my eyes at Eleanor’s words. A will. Ethan actually went through with making a will. Lily regained her confidence, lifting her chin with a smug smirk. "Chloe, Eleanor is right. Ethan took care of everything." "In three days, the lawyer will be here to read the will. I hope you'll pack your bags and leave with some dignity." She scooped up the cat from the sofa and kissed it gently. "Prince, we’re finally going to have our own home. We don't have to walk on eggshells anymore." I watched them, a cold smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "Sure. Let's wait for the will." 0
Over the next three days, Lily completely treated my house like her personal playground. Not only did she take over the master bedroom, but she also invited Ethan's old frat bros and her own group of "girlfriends" over. Every night, the house was a chaotic mess. A bunch of people sat in the living room drinking, playing cards, and shouting. Lily walked around wearing Ethan’s button-down shirts, acting like the lady of the estate. "Lily, Ethan really came through for you. He even set up a will." A guy with bleached blonde hair raised his glass, loudly kissing her ass. "Yeah, Ethan's biggest regret was not treating you better. This is his way of making it up to you," another girl chimed in. Lily leaned back on the sofa, cradling Prince, laughing happily. "Stop it, guys. Ethan might be gone, but his love is still here." "Once the will is finalized, I’m taking everyone on a trip to Hawaii to thank you all for taking care of us." She shot a sideways glance at me as I stood near the kitchen door, purposely raising her voice. "Some people just waste space. She blocked his life for five years, and in the end, she gets absolutely nothing." The crowd burst into laughter. I held my glass of water, watching these clowns with cold eyes. Eleanor walked out of the kitchen with a plate of sliced fruit, placing it eagerly in front of Lily. "Lily, eat some fruit. You're eating for two now, you need the nutrients." The living room went dead silent. Everyone stared at Lily in shock. My hand holding the glass tightened slightly. *Eating for two.* Lily looked down shyly, rubbing her flat stomach. "Eleanor, please. It's not even three months yet. The doctor said we shouldn't announce it too early." She looked up, throwing a challenging look my way. "Chloe, I'm so sorry. Ethan is gone, but he left me the most precious gift." Eleanor raised her chin proudly, announcing to the room: "Our Lily is pregnant. Ethan has an heir!" "This is the real daughter-in-law of our family. Not like some people who couldn't even give him a child but still took up the bed." The crowd immediately erupted in congratulations, praising Lily like she was royalty. I looked at Lily’s smug "pregnant with the heir" face, holding back a laugh. Ethan was diagnosed with severe male factor infertility three years ago. His active sperm count was literally zero. Only Ethan and I knew about this. Whoever was growing inside Lily's womb, it definitely wasn't Ethan’s. But I didn't say a word. Now wasn't the time. I took my glass, turned around, and walked back to my guest room, shutting out the noise. The higher you climb, the harder you fall. Lily, enjoy your little victory tonight. Tomorrow, you'll be begging for mercy. On the third morning, the lawyer rang the doorbell right on time. Lily had dressed up in an incredibly formal white suit, her hair pinned up flawlessly. She had even put a tiny black bowtie on her cat, Prince. The living room was packed. Eleanor, Lily’s relatives, and all her fake friends had showed up to witness her "big moment." Mr. Vance carrying his briefcase looked around the room, his eyes finally landing on me. "Mrs. Chloe, as a legal spouse, you are also a beneficiary. Please take a seat." I pulled out a chair and sat directly opposite Lily. Lily looked at me, her smile practically splitting her face. "Chloe, honestly, you don't need to sit here and embarrass yourself." "Ethan’s will probably doesn't even have a single comma dedicated to you." I didn’t respond. I just knocked on the table, gesturing to the lawyer. Mr. Vance cleared his throat and pulled a sealed document from his briefcase. "Everyone, this is the last will and testament of Ethan, executed and notarized before his passing." "I will now read it aloud." The living room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Lily sat up straight, clasping her hands tightly, her eyes burning with excitement. Eleanor stared unblinkingly at the document in the lawyer’s hands. "I, Ethan, hereby declare this to be my will. The penthouse downtown, along with all funds remaining in my personal bank accounts, shall be inherited solely by Miss Lily Zhao." Mr. Vance’s voice was steady and clear. As soon as he finished, the living room erupted into wild applause. Eleanor grabbed Lily in a tearful hug. "Lily! Did you hear that? Ethan left everything to you!" Lily shot me a smug, arrogant look. "I'm sorry, Chloe. But he loved me more." "This house and Ethan’s money are mine now. Please pack your bags and leave today." Faced with her taunting, I didn't even blink. I leaned back in my chair and looked calmly at Mr. Vance. "Mr. Vance, is the reading complete?" The lawyer adjusted his glasses and turned to the next page. "Not quite." He cleared his throat and read the next line loudly: "However, since all of the aforementioned properties have been cross-collateralized as security, Miss Zhao must simultaneously assume the outstanding private high-interest debt of 1.5 million dollars." As the lawyer’s voice faded, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.
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