I looked at him with interest, my smile not reaching my eyes. "Oh? Did you win the lottery or something?"
He lifted his chin. "You already know, don't you?"
"Have you claimed the prize yet?"
His expression cooled, a flash of impatience crossing his face. "Why do you care? I'm taking this house. Keep it ready for me. I'll transfer the money in three days, and we'll go change the property deed."
He leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear, something ugly glinting in his eyes. "I'm getting married. This is going to be our place—mine and Yvonne's. We'll be doing it on the bed you bought. Thought you might like to feel... involved."
I stepped back, my face blank, a smile playing at the corner of my lips. "Well, congratulations! I'll be waiting for that good news in three days."
Three days later, Clement never showed.
His mother had been causing chaos back in their hometown, and she'd always been at odds with their neighbor, Maya Chavez.
Maya sent me a message asking if Clement and I had gotten divorced.
When I confirmed it, she sent me a voice note, practically vibrating with indignation.
"He deserves everything he's getting. You have no idea how crazy things are at the James house right now."
"Your ex-mother-in-law told Clement she won the lottery, and now he's hounding her for the money."
"Guess what happened."
Before I could respond, she answered her own question.
"She actually went with Clement all the way to the city to claim her prize. Turns out it was a first-place winner's ticket from the supermarket."
"First prize was ten eggs."
I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it.
Lucia probably had no idea why her son had suddenly become so attentive, showering her with concern. Clement kept going on about winning the lottery, so she must have assumed he meant her supermarket prize ticket.
"Oh, it's absolute mayhem over there right now. They're having a massive blowout. Listen—you can hear your ex-mother-in-law wailing. It's so loud it's carrying all the way to my house."
Through the voice note, I could faintly make out Lucia's sobbing.
I couldn't stop grinning. A wave of satisfaction washed over me. They deserved every bit of it.
Lucia's family lived in the countryside and had always favored sons over daughters. Even though Clement and I had graduated from the same university, they still acted like I wasn't good enough for him.
Every time they humiliated me, every time they made me feel small, Clement would take my hand and tell me to bear with it. Family harmony above all.
Then, after I'd been torn down until there was nothing left of my dignity, he'd pull me into his arms, his eyes full of tenderness.
"I'm sorry you have to go through this, babe."
I knew that once Clement found out it was actually my mother who won the lottery, he'd come crawling back.
So I took her to stay at a hotel ahead of time and listed the house with a real estate agent.
But it wasn't long before the agent called with bad news. The house couldn't be sold.
Clement, unable to find me, had hired a locksmith to break in. He'd moved himself right in.
Every time the agent brought potential buyers to view the property, he'd come at them with a hammer, screaming until they fled.
"This is my fucking house! Try to sell it and see what happens!"
The agent showed him the property deed, keeping his tone professional. "Sir, this is the deed for this property. The name on it doesn't appear to be yours."
The agent had been nothing but polite. Clement's eyes went bloodshot. He snatched the deed and tore it to shreds.
"Even if it's not mine, it's my wife's! We're not selling! Get the hell out!"
The agent told me Clement had seemed unhinged, muttering to himself like a broken record: "She's my wife. What's hers is mine. We're not divorced. We're just having a fight!"
There was no way I was going to let him squat in my house.
I told my mother what was happening and went back alone.
Clement was passed out on the couch, dead drunk, snoring loudly.
