The kids were on break, and after years away, I was finally ready to buy a ticket home to see my parents.
But my wife—worth hundreds of millions—shut me down without a second thought. "A plane ticket costs thousands. That's enough to hire a nanny for the kids. You're a father now. Can you stop wasting money?"
To punish me for my "reckless spending," Selina Weiss had someone pick up the children, froze my bank accounts, and cut the water and power to the estate villa. She was determined to make me suffer.
Then her newly hired male secretary posted on social media—a screenshot of a million-dollar transfer, captioned:
"The boss not only gave me my year-end bonus early, she's also taking me to the Maldives. How should I thank her?"
The comments suggested he repay her with his body. He replied with a simple "OK."
I laughed coldly and left my own comment: "Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together."
My in-laws were in a car accident. The hospital couldn't reach my wife, so they called me instead.
I forced down my emotions and dialed her, keeping my voice steady. "Your parents were in an accident. Transfer a million dollars for the medical bills right now, then meet me at the hospital."
Her response came without hesitation:
"Those are your parents, not mine. If something's wrong with them, deal with it yourself. What, you expect me—your wife—to run over there and slave away for them?"
She hung up before I could respond. I tried calling back, but my phone was dead. No power to charge it.
I was trapped in that lightless, waterless villa for three full days.
By the time anyone found them, my in-laws' bodies had already gone stiff in the morgue.
——
I was dizzy with hunger when the lights finally flickered back on after three days of darkness.
Selina's voice crackled through the security camera overhead—the first I'd heard from her since she vanished.
"Luther Sanchez, what the hell is wrong with you? If Adrian Knox hadn't told me he's been hiding in corners, stress-smoking and drinking alone, I never would've known you left that passive-aggressive comment. 'Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together'—what's that supposed to mean? You think everyone's mind is as filthy as yours?"
"And now I get why you suddenly asked me to transfer a million dollars. You were jealous. Let me make something clear: Adrian earned that bonus. He works hard for it!"
Bitterness spread through my chest. So this was what she thought of me. This was all I was to her.
When I didn't grovel, her tone sharpened further:
"A kept man who's been pampered his whole life could never understand what it feels like to work hard and be misunderstood. You're going to apologize to him. Right now. Or don't bother waiting for me to come home."
From dating to marriage, this had always been Selina's weapon—the cold shoulder, the disappearing act, the threat of abandonment.
Because I loved her, I compromised. Every time. I endured. Every time.
Until she said those words: Those are your parents, not mine.
The fog in my head lifted instantly.
I stared into the black eye of the camera, knowing she was waiting for me to break, to beg. The word divorce sat on the tip of my tongue—
"Why hasn't Daddy apologized yet?"
My son's voice cut through from the other end. My breath caught.
The older twin.
Selina and I had twins. They were six now.
The thought of what divorce would do to them made me hesitate.
Then the younger one chimed in: "Secretary Knox makes money and takes us to KFC. Daddy just spends Mommy's money and makes her mad all the time. I don't wanna hear the bad daddy's voice!"
Adrian's gentle tone floated through: "Now, now. You shouldn't say that. Daddy will be sad if he hears."
Both boys scoffed in unison. "So what if he hears? Mommy says Daddy's lazy and useless. He wouldn't dare do anything to us."
I didn't hide my reaction. My expression went cold.
Selina's voice lashed out immediately through the camera: "That sour face again. No wonder the kids don't like you!"
The twins piled on at once: "Mommy, I don't wanna see the bad daddy! Turn it off! I hate him!"
Something inside me collapsed.
Before I could even process the anger, Selina cut the feed.
