Chapter 1

My husband had an obsessive need to control everything.

He micromanaged my entire life, and for his sake, I gave up my career to become a stay-at-home mom.

At the supermarket, I tossed a twenty-dollar box of organic sanitary pads into the cart.

He frowned, snatched it back, and replaced it with a five-dollar generic bulk pack.

"This works just as well."

"Money doesn’t grow on trees right now. We need to save every penny."

That night, while he was in the shower, his phone lit up on the nightstand.

I glanced over and caught a glimpse of a payment notification.

Just minutes ago, he had wired twelve thousand dollars to a new female coworker.

A man who couldn't bear to spend twenty dollars on his wife had just handed twelve grand to another woman.

I didn’t scream, and I didn’t cry.

The next morning, I went into my online shopping cart and checked out every single item I had saved over the past three years—skincare, clothes, and that back massager I’d always wanted.

All on his credit card.

Then, packing up my baby, I moved straight into the little downtown condo I had bought before we ever met.

I hadn't even sat down in the apartment before my phone started buzzing.

His name flashed across the screen.

I answered, staying silent.

His voice came through frantic, laced with fury.

"Sadie! Have you lost your mind? You just charged almost six thousand dollars to my credit card! What the hell did you buy?"

I set the baby down on the couch and switched the call to speaker.

"Just some skincare, clothes, and a back massager."

"What do you need that junk for? You sit at home all day watching the kid! Return it right now!"

I let out a soft laugh.

"When you wired twelve thousand dollars to your female coworker, why didn't you think about saving money?"

The line went dead silent.

So quiet I could hear his heavy, ragged breathing through the speaker.

It took him several seconds to speak again, his voice dropping into a cautious hush.

"Did you go through my phone?"

"The screen lit up. I happened to see it."

He paused again, scrambling for an excuse.

"That money was a loan. She just moved to the city and didn't have enough for a rental deposit. It's not like she isn't paying me back. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it?"

I leaned back against the cushions, holding my baby’s tiny hand.

"She didn't have rent money, so she asked a married man?"

"Why didn't she ask anyone else? Are you the only Good Samaritan in the entire office?"

"Sadie, watch your mouth."

"Then tell me, how should I put it?"

I pulled my child closer.

"I spent three years raising your child full-time. When I wanted a twenty-dollar box of pads, you sneered at the price and swapped it for a five-dollar bargain pack."

"Then you turn around and hand twelve grand to a coworker. Please, teach me how I’m supposed to understand that."

Silence stretched between us again.

"When did you find out?" he finally asked.

"That doesn't matter."

My voice was deadpan.

"What matters is that you should find yourself a divorce lawyer."

"What did you just say?"

"I said, I want a divorce."

Before he could get another word in, I hung up.

I flipped the phone to silent and tossed it onto the coffee table.

The screen flashed over and over as his calls poured in back-to-back.

I ignored every single one.

My baby kicked his little legs on the sofa, babbling and grinning up at me.

I scooped him into my arms and walked over to the window.

I had bought this small apartment on my own before marriage. It wasn’t huge, but it was more than enough for the two of us.

Back when I signed the papers, my mother had scolded me, asking why a young woman needed to buy real estate when a husband was supposed to provide a home.

Thank God I hadn't listened.

I leaned down and kissed my son's forehead.

Three years ago, I had a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in savings, combining my dowry and the money I'd saved from working.

Back then, he wanted me to pour it all into renovating his house. I hesitated, eventually only pitching in fifteen thousand for home appliances.

The rest stayed untouched in my personal account.

He used to bring it up all the time, complaining about why I kept so much money tucked away, acting as if I didn't trust him like real family.

I had simply held my ground.

Looking back now, that was the smartest decision I ever made.

Even with a divorce looming, I didn't have to worry about how we were going to survive.

We had met on a blind date.

Within six months, we were married.

Back then, he really was sweet to me, always driving through pouring rain to pick me up from work.

My mother called him a caring man, and I believed her.

At the time, I had a thriving career as a senior visual designer at a creative agency, bringing in around four to five thousand a month. Combined with project bonuses, my life was comfortable.

He earned less than me, but it wasn't bad. Together, we had plenty.

I got pregnant during our second year of marriage.

The morning sickness hit me violently, and I lost ten pounds in the first four months.

He acted like his heart was breaking for me, insisting I quit since he could easily provide for us.

"Just stay home, take care of yourself, and focus on the baby. I'll make the money to support our family."

His mother said the same thing.

My mother agreed.

Everyone told me that once a woman has a baby, she should stay home and look after her child instead of trying to be so career-driven.

So, I resigned.

Only after the baby arrived did I realize what staying home actually meant.

It was a never-ending cycle of feedings, diaper changes, and sleepless nights.

Whenever the baby cried at night, he would roll over and pretend to be asleep. I was so exhausted I could doze off standing up, yet I still had to drag myself out of bed to mix formula.

When I suggested hiring a night nanny, he complained it was too expensive.

"You're home all day anyway. Why waste money on an outsider?"