Chapter 1The Inheritors

My husband wanted to run off with his mistress, so he faked a "divorce," staged his own death, and disappeared abroad.

I didn't cry. I didn't scream. I just quietly filed for his death certificate and erased him from the registry.

Years later, his parents gave me all their money and property.

That's when he came back, desperate to claim his inheritance.

He knelt before his parents, begging: "Mom, Dad, I'm your son! I'm your only heir!"

* * *

It started with a Reddit post I saw late one night.

u/Throwaway123: “I’ve got a girl on the side and want to leave my boring wife. How do I get her to agree to a divorce without her making a fuss?”

The top comment read: “Easy. Fake a job transfer abroad that requires you to be ‘single’ for visa reasons. Convince her it’s just a paper divorce. You leave, live it up with your girl, and your wife stays home taking care of your aging parents. Win-win.”

I felt sick reading it.

I never expected that the very next day, my husband, Mark, would come home and say:

“Honey, the company is offering me a huge opportunity abroad. But there’s a catch—the visa requires proof of single status.”

“We need to get a fake divorce.”

The moment Mark said those words, my mind flashed back to that Reddit thread.

I swallowed the disgust rising in my throat and decided to test him.

“Do you have to go? The kids are small, and your parents haven’t been well...”

“I have to!” He cut me off sharply.

Realizing he sounded too aggressive, he softened his tone. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Two years abroad, and I come back as a manager. My salary will double. Honey, I’m doing this for us, for our family. You support me, right?”

When I didn't answer immediately, he grabbed my hand, looking deeply into my eyes.

“It’s just a piece of paper. The company insists single employees are more ‘stable’ for overseas assignments. We’ll be divorced legally, but nothing changes between us. I’ll send my paycheck home every month.”

“The moment I’m back, we’ll remarry. You have to trust me.”

Trust him? I’d sooner trust a snake.

There is no such thing as a “fake” divorce. Once that judge signs the decree, it’s done.

Looking at his earnest face, whatever trust I had left for him evaporated.

I didn’t need to hear anymore. I nodded.

“Okay, Mark. Whatever you say.”

Mark’s face lit up.

“Great. No time to lose. Let’s file tomorrow.”