Chapter 2My Wife Stole My Mom's Life Savings to See Her Boy Band

The day after the surgery, Ashley called.

"Send me some money. I'm in L.A. and I'm broke."

Unbelievable. Mom was barely out of danger, and she was calling for money, not to check in.

"I don't have any money. Mom just had surgery."

"What?" she said, shocked. "Didn't I say it could wait? What's the rush with that old bag? She can wait a bit, can't she?"

I was getting furious. I rubbed my temples, trying to keep it together. "You took a fortune! And now you're asking for more?"

"It's all gone! The dress alone cost me a fortune…"

She seemed to realize she'd said too much, admitting about the dress, her voice trailing off.

I said flatly, "I know everything."

She didn't explain. "How am I supposed to get home if I don't have any money?"

I scoffed. "Sounds like a personal problem. See you never!"

Then I hung up.

And blocked her number.

Just like she'd done to me countless times before.

Only this time, I was the one who'd decided I was done.

I used to let everything slide, hoping she would be happy. Instead, she would berate me and hurt me.

My mom once said something about Ashley blowing all the money on a cup that the boy band drank from, and she got three years of abuse for it.

Even the doctor said her illness was stress-induced.

She forgot her own mother begged my mom to agree to the marriage on her deathbed.

If it weren't for their decades-long friendship, I never would have married her.

One moment of weakness led to this disaster.

I contacted a lawyer to draw up divorce papers. I just wanted it to be over.

After my mom moved into a regular room, I hired a home health aide and started juggling work and hospital visits.

I needed to pay back the hospital bills.

My body couldn't keep up. I was exhausted.

Sarah had gone back to her hospital after the surgery. Out of the blue, she came to see me.

She brought a fruit basket and immediately saw how tired I was.

"What's with the dark circles? Haven't you been sleeping?"

I nodded grimly, taking off my glasses to rub my tired eyes.

She guessed what was going on. "Don't worry about the money. The hospital isn't going anywhere. And, are you married?"

"Talking to a lawyer, getting a divorce."

I kept it brief.

She looked surprised, but nodded.

Then she said, "Have you eaten? I used to make you buy me lunch, so it's my turn. What do you want? I'll go get it."

I was a little stunned by her smiling face.

I'd never heard those words from Ashley.

In five years of marriage, even when she wasn't working, she never cooked a meal. Either I cooked when I got home from work, or we ordered takeout. I did all the housework too.

She took my kindness for granted. But she never thought about me. If I couldn't give her money for her bands, she would explode.

Calling me useless, saying I was jealous, that I was cheap.

She belittled me.

So I also deserve some kindness.