Betrayed by My Husband's Lavish Spending on Her

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, trying to recognize the woman looking back at me. Dark circles shadowed my eyes, and my skin had lost its glow. The pregnancy test sat on the counter beside me, two pink lines still visible against the plastic window.

"Today," I whispered to myself. "Today you tell him."

I'd spent the morning making chicken and rice soup—Ethan's favorite when he was feeling under the weather. The rich aroma filled our apartment as I ladled it into a thermos. The team would be at their practice facility all day, preparing for the upcoming tournament. Maybe away from the apartment, away from the reminders of our strained relationship, he'd be more receptive to my news.

Maybe he'd be happy about our baby.

I pressed my palm against my still-flat stomach. "We're going to try again," I promised my unborn child. "One more chance."

The drive to the esports facility took twenty minutes. I'd only been there twice before—Ethan preferred I stay away during practice hours. "It's unprofessional," he'd say, though Lily seemed to come and go as she pleased.

The building looked like a cross between a tech startup and a gaming lounge—all glass and steel with neon accents. I clutched the thermos against my chest like a shield as I approached the reception desk.

"I'm here to see Ethan Miller," I said, forcing a smile. "I'm his—"

"Wife," a voice called from behind me.

I turned to see Lily Sullivan leaning against a doorway, her sleek dark hair falling in perfect waves around her shoulders. She wore a team jacket—Ethan's team jacket—with designer jeans and heels that probably cost more than most people's monthly rent.

My stomach clenched. Not from morning sickness this time.

"Hello," I managed, extending my hand. "I'm Mia. I don't think we've formally met."

Lily's smile didn't reach her eyes as she took my hand, her grip just tight enough to be uncomfortable. "Lily. I'd say it's nice to meet you, but..."

She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the thermos in my hands. "Let me guess—you're here to drop off more money? Or is that soup? Homemade soup for your hardworking husband?"

The way she said "husband" made my skin crawl.

"I just thought Ethan might be hungry," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. "The team must be working hard with Worlds coming up."

Lily laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "Oh, honey. Is that what he told you? That he's working hard?"

Something in her tone made me step back. "What else would he be doing?"

"Let's see." She counted on her manicured fingers. "Yesterday we had brunch at that little French place downtown. The one you've never been to because it's 'too expensive.' Today we're supposed to meet with the sponsors, but Ethan said he needed to 'check in with the team' first."

My fingers tightened around the thermos handle. "You're lying."

"Am I?" Her smile sharpened. "Ask him about the weekend we spent at the lake house last month. The one he told you was a 'team bonding retreat.'"

The thermos nearly slipped from my grasp. That weekend. The credit card statement for the luxury rental. The "team expenses" that never made it to the team.

"You're just his sugar mama," Lily continued, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "The pathetic little wife who thinks money can buy love."

"I'm Ethan's wife," I said, louder this time, my voice echoing in the reception area. "I'm the one who's been there for him for three years."

"And what exactly have you been there for?" Lily stepped closer, her perfume—expensive, probably another gift from my credit card—overwhelming me. "You think throwing money at him makes you special? Makes him love you?"

My chest tightened. The room seemed to tilt slightly.

"I bet you don't even know what he really wants," she continued, her eyes glittering with malice. "Let me tell you about our weekend at the lake house. How he couldn't stop talking about how suffocating you are. How desperate you look when you try to fit into his world."

"Don't," I whispered.

"Ethan says you're like a child playing dress-up," she ignored my plea. "Throwing around mommy and daddy's money because no one could possibly love you for real."

The receptionist looked up, her eyes wide as she pretended not to listen.

"You know what he calls you when you're not around?" Lily's voice dropped to a stage whisper. "His 'walking wallet.'"

I stepped back, my vision blurring. "Stop."

"He laughed about it," she continued, following me as I retreated toward the door. "Said you were so eager to please him you'd probably thank him for taking your money."

"Please," I begged, my hand pressed against my stomach. "I'm pregnant."

Something flashed in Lily's eyes—not surprise, but a cold, calculating rage.

"Of course you are," she hissed. "Another desperate attempt to trap him. Another pathetic move to buy what you can't earn."

She moved suddenly, her hands connecting with my shoulders. The force of the push sent me stumbling backward.

"Let me make something clear," Lily snarled, all pretense of sweetness gone. "Ethan will never choose his boring little wife over someone who actually understands his world."

I felt my heel catch on the edge of a step. The thermos flew from my hands as I tried to catch my balance.

"Ethan will never—"

The world tilted. My back hit the concrete steps leading down to the parking garage. Pain exploded through my body as I tumbled down the unforgiving edges.

"—choose you," Lily finished, standing at the top of the stairs, watching as I fell.

The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was Lily's face, twisted with satisfaction as she watched me crumple at the bottom of the stairs.

And somewhere in the distance, I heard someone shout my name—a voice that sounded strangely like Lucas, the team captain I'd only met once before.