On our wedding night, my husband, Bobby, made a bet with his best friend. "I bet you'll cheat within ten years. And when you do, half your company is mine." Bobby slammed his fist into the wall, a spray of blood marking the impact. "Serena, you listen to me!" he roared, his eyes wild. "If I ever lay a hand on another woman, I swear on my life, may I die without an heir!" For the next nine years, he was the perfect husband. He transferred his entire salary to my account, his phone's location was open to me 24/7, and he was never alone with another woman. When his best friend's wife confessed her feelings for him in a drunken stupor, Bobby threw a glass of wine in her face. "Try that again," he snarled, "and I'll let your husband deal with you." I was more certain than ever that he would never cheat. But on the eve of the ten-year anniversary of our bet, I received a link to an anonymous cloud drive. Inside were over a hundred videos. Sex tapes of Bobby and his best friend's wife, twisted together in every conceivable position. In one, the woman was lying on our marital bed. She looked into the camera, flashed a victory sign, and whispered: "Ten years are up. He lost the bet. And I won him." So, you like to gamble, I thought. Fine. Let's play this to the end. … The lights were still on in the living room when Bobby came home late that night. Just like always, he loosened his tie and leaned in to kiss me. "Serena, why are you still up? Waiting for me?" I turned my head, his lips meeting empty air. I pushed the divorce agreement across the coffee table toward him. "Sign it. I'll see you at the courthouse tomorrow morning. Nine a.m." The smile on Bobby's face froze. He picked up the papers, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Serena, stop playing games. Tomorrow is our tenth anniversary." Just then, his phone buzzed on the table. It was Leo, his best friend. The husband of the woman in the videos. Bobby put the call on speaker, and Leo's furious roar filled the room. "Bobby! Are you even human, you son of a bitch?! I treated you like a brother, and you played me for a fool!" Bobby's face went white. He shot a panicked glance at me. "Leo, calm down..." "Calm down?! I've seen the videos! A hundred of them! You two really had fun, didn't you? Trying out positions we never even got to!" Before Bobby could respond, another call came through. It was Kelly. He answered it immediately, his voice softening into a gentle murmur. "Kelly? Don't be scared. Did he hit you? Where are you? Are you hurt?" He paced the living room, his voice a low, soothing balm for the woman on the other end of the line, while I sat there like an irrelevant stranger in my own home. A moment later, the front door was kicked open. Leo stormed in, his eyes bloodshot, with a sobbing Kelly trailing behind him. "Bobby!" Leo lunged, his fist connecting with Bobby's jaw. Bobby staggered back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. But he didn't even look at Leo. His first instinct was to rush to Kelly's side, shielding her trembling form with his own. "Leo, if you're angry, take it out on me! Don't you touch her!" "Touch her?" Leo laughed, a ragged, broken sound. He spun to face me. "Serena! Do you see this?! Nine years ago, to prove his love to you, he made a show of throwing wine in my wife's face! And I actually believed he was some kind of saint! Turns out they were screwing each other the whole time! And now that it's all out, his first move is to comfort this slut! He hasn't even asked you if you're okay!" Every word was a poisoned needle, piercing my heart until I couldn't breathe. Bobby pulled Kelly closer, his eyes finally finding mine, a flicker of pleading in their depths. "Serena, this has nothing to do with Kelly. It's my fault. All of it. Don't blame her." Even now, he was protecting her. Afraid I would hurt her, afraid I would blame her. And what about me? What was I? I rose to my feet and walked toward him, step by deliberate step. "Bobby," I said, my voice steady, "do you remember our baby? The one we lost?" His body went rigid. The color drained from his face, and the hand protecting Kelly began to tremble. "Serena... don't." "Why not?" I smiled, but tears streamed down my face. "I remember that day. I was lying in a hospital bed, and you were holding my hand, crying like a child. You told me the pain was killing you. And you know what, Bobby? I actually believed you." As I spoke, my gaze fixed on the way Kelly's hand instinctively flew to cover her stomach. Understanding dawned on Leo's face. He lunged at Kelly, tearing at her clothes, a manic grin spreading across his face as he stared at Bobby. "Pain? You weren't in pain, you son of a bitch! You were fucking ecstatic! She's pregnant! With your child! It happened that day! The same day Serena had her miscarriage! You were holding my wife in your arms while you texted Serena that you loved her! You're not a man, you're an animal!" BOOM. My world collapsed. On the day I lost my child, my husband was with another woman, creating a new life for themselves. Leo had completely lost it, screaming that he was going to kill Kelly, that he wanted them both dead. Without a second thought, Bobby shoved me aside, throwing himself in front of Kelly, shielding her with his body. I stumbled, my forehead cracking against the sharp corner of the coffee table. A searing pain, and then warmth. Blood trickled down, blurring my vision. The world spun. Through the chaos, I could hear Kelly's terrified screams and Bobby's desperate reassurances. "Kelly, don't be scared! I'm here!" The blood from my head dripped onto the floor, one drop at a time, blooming like a dark, beautiful flower. The doctor gave me five stitches and told me to stay for observation. Bobby didn't even glance my way. He was standing guard outside another room. Kelly had been shaken by the ordeal and was inside being examined. He paced back and forth like a caged animal. Nine years ago, when I was hospitalized with acute appendicitis, he'd stayed by my side for three days and nights straight, his eyes red from lack of sleep. I'd stroked his face, my heart aching for him. "Serena," he'd whispered, "as long as you're okay, nothing else matters." Now, I was bleeding, and he couldn't spare me a single look. A nurse came out of Kelly's room. Bobby rushed forward. "How is she? Is the baby okay?" "Don't worry, Mr. Vance. The fetus is stable. The mother is just a bit emotionally distressed." He let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief, looking more shaken than he had on the day I'd lost our baby. Finally, he seemed to remember me. He turned and walked over. "Serena, what did the doctor say? Does your head still hurt?" He reached out, as if to touch the bandage on my forehead. I snapped my head up, my eyes locking onto his. "Bobby, you told me you fell in love with me the first time we met." His hand froze. His gaze flickered. "You said I was the only light in your life." "You said you would die without me." My voice was a whisper, but each word was a knife, carving up the mockery of our past. His throat worked, and he finally managed to speak. "Serena, my love for you... it was real..." "Real?" I laughed, and the laughter turned into sobs. "Then is it also real that the baby in her stomach was conceived on the same day I had a miscarriage?" The question struck him like a bolt of lightning, leaving him ashen-faced. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Just as I thought he might offer an explanation, even a lie, the door to Kelly's room opened. A nurse poked her head out. "Mr. Vance, the patient is very unstable, she won't stop crying. Could you please come in?" Bobby flinched, then immediately scrambled to his feet and headed for the door. He glanced back at me, a flicker of something like pity in his eyes. "Serena, wait for me here. Kelly... her situation is delicate right now." There it was again. Always for Kelly. I looked at him and felt a surge of bitter amusement. My head was throbbing, the bandage already stained red with fresh blood. But in his eyes, my pain was worth less than a single one of Kelly's tears. He didn't even ask if my wound was serious before rushing into that room. I could hear his gentle, cooing voice through the door, each soft word another slice into my already shredded heart. I don't know how I made it home. The huge villa was empty, as cold and silent as a tomb. I sat on the sofa all night. From dusk until dawn. Bobby never came back. Not a single call, not a single text. I knew where he was. He was at the hospital, watching over Kelly and their child. Just like he had watched over me nine years ago. No. He was even more attentive now, more anxious. The difference between love and non-love was painfully clear. I opened my social media. Kelly had posted an update. It was a photo of Bobby, asleep by her hospital bed, one hand resting protectively on her stomach. The caption read: With you here, I can rest easy. Thank you, my hero. It was followed by a heart emoji. I stared at the picture, my heart grinding into dust. In college, a senior wouldn't stop harassing me. Bobby found out and beat the guy so badly he ended up in the hospital. He'd held me then, as I shook with fear, and whispered, "Don't be scared, Serena. I'm your hero. No one will ever hurt you again." Now, my hero was protecting another woman. And I was just the old, discarded thing he'd left behind. It wasn't until ten in the morning that the front door finally opened. Bobby walked in, smelling of exhaustion and antiseptic. He saw me on the sofa and froze, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. "Serena, you... you've been up all night?" He came closer, bringing with him the faint, cloying scent of Kelly's perfume. I didn't answer. I just looked at him. The wound on my forehead had seeped blood overnight, matting my hair to my skin. I must have looked pathetic. His brow furrowed. "Why didn't you go back to the hospital to get that changed? The doctor told you to stay for observation." A harsh, ugly laugh escaped my lips. "You remember that?" My laughter seemed to needle him. His voice turned cold. "Serena, can you stop with the sarcasm? Kelly just had a major scare. I couldn't leave her." "She had a scare?" I stood up slowly, advancing on him. "And what about me? I have five stitches in my head. I bled all over the floor. Do I just deserve that?" "It's not the same!" he blurted out. "Kelly's pregnant! If you hadn't provoked Leo, would he have gone crazy? Would Kelly have been in danger? You should be the one thinking about what you did!" I froze, the blood turning to ice in my veins. He was blaming me. For everything. In his mind, Kelly was the innocent, fragile victim who needed protection. And I was the vicious, spiteful villain who started it all. I remembered a time, long ago, when a colleague at work stole one of my designs and tried to frame me. Bobby had heard my side of the story and, without a moment's hesitation, had his team gather evidence and destroy her career. "I trust my Serena," he'd said, ruffling my hair. "No questions asked." Now, the man who had promised unconditional trust was pointing a finger at me, telling me it was all my fault, all for the sake of another woman. I looked at the face I had loved for ten years and saw a complete stranger. All the love, the resentment, the bitterness... it all vanished in that one moment. "Bobby," I said, my voice eerily calm, "let's get a divorce." I pushed the signed papers toward him. "If there are no objections, sign it." He glanced at the document, his eyes turning to ice. "Serena, what's the point of this? Kelly and Leo's marriage was a mistake. She was unhappy. I was just trying to comfort her." "Comfort her?" I sneered. "Comfort her until she got pregnant with your child?" He didn't deny it. Instead, he became defiant. "Serena, this is our family's bloodline. I can finally give my parents a grandchild. Maybe you should blame your own barren womb. Ten years, and you couldn't even give our family an heir. In a way, Kelly was helping you!" My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise. I couldn't breathe. I snapped. SLAP. The force of my hand striking his face echoed in the silent room. "You make me sick! These ten years, I must have been blind!" Bobby clutched his reddening cheek, his voice a low snarl. "If you want a divorce, fine. But not now. The annual company conference is in two days, and as my wife, you are required to be there." SLAM! He stormed out, leaving me alone in the wreckage. On the day of the Vance Group's annual conference, I arrived in a stunning evening gown, not as a wife, but as a shareholder. Kelly, her baby bump prominent, swept towards me. She leaned in close, a mocking smile on her lips. "You lost, Serena. Today, I'm going to show everyone who the most important woman in Bobby's life really is." Before I could react, she grabbed my wrist with surprising strength and slammed my hand onto her pregnant belly. In the same instant, she let out a blood-curdling scream and threw herself backward. "Aaaah—!" The entire ballroom erupted in chaos. Bobby's face went sheet-white. He sprinted across the room, catching her just before she hit the floor. "My stomach... it hurts so much..." Kelly wailed, tears streaming down her pale face. She clung to Bobby's arm with one hand, while the other pointed a trembling finger at me. "Serena... I know you hate me, but the baby is innocent... Why did you push me?!" Bobby, cradling Kelly, looked at me with pure, unadulterated venom. "Serena, I never knew you could be so evil!" "I didn't," I said, my voice shaking despite myself. "You dare deny it?!" he roared. "Do you want them both dead?! If anything happens to Kelly, I will destroy you! Security! Get this crazy woman out of here!" The flashbulbs of the press exploded around me. The air was thick with whispers. "She pushed a pregnant woman... What kind of monster is she?" "The barren hen is jealous of the one who can lay eggs." "Get out of the Vance family, you vicious bitch!" The accusations washed over me, a tidal wave of hatred. Hundreds of eyes, like poisoned daggers, were aimed at me. I was frozen, unable to defend myself. Bobby carefully lifted Kelly into his arms. The look he gave me was devoid of any lingering affection, filled only with rage. Just then, a hand closed around my wrist. It was Leo. "Come with me." Away from the crowd, he let go and pulled a USB drive from his pocket. "What's this?" I asked. "Every hotel record, every bank transfer between Bobby and Kelly for the past ten years. And some... other highlights." I stiffened. Leo's voice was tinged with a desperate, hollow laugh. "Yesterday, that bastard asked me to step aside and 'let them be happy.' To bless their happy little family." A cold smile touched my lips. "Did those two really think Serena Vance was a doormat they could just walk all over? Everything they've done to me... I will repay them a hundredfold." Under the shocked stares of everyone in the room, I walked to the main stage and plugged the USB drive into the central computer. The massive screen behind the stage lit up. Bobby, who was about to carry Kelly out, froze. His face went so white he nearly collapsed. On the screen, crystal clear for everyone to see, was security footage from our bedroom. Bobby and Kelly, tangled together on our bed. Gasps rippled through the crowd. The people who had been screaming at me just moments before were now silent. Bobby's face was no longer just pale; it was the grey of a corpse. He stared at the screen, his body trembling uncontrollably. He couldn't accept that the perfect image he had so carefully curated was being destroyed in such a public, humiliating way. "No... that's not real... it's not real..." he muttered, lost and broken. He staggered backward and fell to the floor, the light gone from his eyes. "What is the tech team doing?" Bobby, on the stage, roared. "Turn it off! Turn it off now!" He lunged for the computer, but Leo was there, blocking his path. The crowd murmured, their attention glued to the screen. On the bed, Kelly looked directly at the camera and smiled, a triumphant, smug expression on her face. Bobby froze, his face a mask of horror. The video's audio kicked in, followed by a recording of their conversations. Kelly's voice, sweet and seductive. "Bobby, darling, the ten years are almost up. Are you really going to lose half your company to Leo?" Bobby's voice, full of contempt. "It's just a bet. That idiot Serena actually believed my whole devoted husband act. After the bet is over, I'll find a way to get Leo's shares too. The whole company will be ours." "And your wife?" "Her? She's just a pretty vase with no connections. Without me, she's nothing." Dead silence. Then, an uproar. The camera flashes were blinding, aimed at Bobby on the stage and me in the crowd. The board members' faces were thunderous. "You ungrateful whelp!" Bobby's father, shaking with rage, pointed at his son. His mother's eyes rolled back, and she fainted. "Mom!" "Someone call an ambulance!" The scene descended into chaos. Bobby charged toward me, his eyes blazing. "Serena! You did this! You poisonous bitch!" He raised his hand to strike me. Leo stepped in front of me and delivered a swift, hard kick to Bobby's chest. "You touch her, Bobby, and I'll kill you." Leo's eyes were murderous. I pushed him aside, picked up a microphone, and walked onto the stage. The noise instantly died down. I looked at the man I once loved, now a pathetic heap on the floor, and felt nothing but disgust. "Ladies and gentlemen," I said, my voice clear and cold. "As you can see, this ten-year marriage was nothing more than a carefully orchestrated business fraud." "I, Serena Vance, am hereby announcing my immediate divorce from Bobby Vance." I paused, my gaze sweeping over the horrified faces of the board members. "Furthermore, as a shareholder of the Vance Group, I, along with the other victim in this matter, Mr. Leo Vance, will be launching a full investigation into this fraudulent scheme. We will pursue legal action against all responsible parties." I dropped the mic. With cameras flashing all around us, I took Leo's arm and walked out of the ballroom, my head held high. Behind me, Bobby's desperate, fading roars were the last sound I heard.
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