He Built My Cage

After my financial reports were replaced with blank pages, the company was thrown into a legal and financial crisis. As the accountant, I was accused of falsifying records. I was charged, convicted, and sent to prison.

Three years later, I was finally released. My CEO husband and our son came to pick me up in person.

Just when I was touched by their loyalty, believing they had stood by me through it all, I overheard their conversation.

"Dad, Winona wanted that villa in the suburbs, so you used company funds to buy it. But Mom was the one who got blamed for the falsified accounts. She spent three years behind bars, shunned by everyone. Even I got teased by my friends because of her."

Hank took our son's hand, his tone grave. "We agreed never to bring this up again. Back then, Winona needed a place to live. I had no choice but to use the company's money, and your mom had to take the fall."

That was the moment I realized—my years in prison, the public disgrace, the humiliation… had all been part of a plan. A plan crafted by the very man I trusted with my life.

My husband's childhood sweetheart bought a mansion with the company's money, but my husband accused me of cooking the books. Because of that, I spent three years locked away in a cell without a glimpse of daylight.

…

"Dad, did I do a good job? It's been so long, and that dummy never doubted me once. Once Winona gets to be the chief financial officer, I'll get to see her every day."

I was standing outside the door, about to knock, when my hand froze and my heart dropped like a stone.

I heard Hank's voice coming from inside. "Make it convincing when you're around her. She has to come to Winona's promotion party tomorrow. If she doesn't show up, people will start whispering about Winona becoming CFO out of nowhere. With her there, she'll be the one they talk about, not Winona."

However, my son did not seem to care. "Dad, you're the head at work. With you around, no one's going to badmouth Winona."

Hank gave him a sharp look, and my son clammed up. He muttered under his breath, "Got it, got it. She's just a jailbird. Letting her come is already a big deal. If it weren't because of Winona, a jailbird who's been locked up for three years wouldn't deserve to be my mom."

His harsh voice was so unlike the sweet, understanding boy I remembered. He felt like a stranger.

My hands shook uncontrollably, and each breath hurt.

Three years ago, I was thrown in jail for a mistake in the company's books.

In that dark cell, I suffered for three long years. The warden beat me, and the other prisoners bullied and shamed me. Sometimes, I thought about ending it all.

However, I hung on for my husband and son.

When I came back home after serving my time, I found out that my mom had cried every day because of my sentence until she sadly passed away. My dad was so ashamed of me, his daughter, that he cut off all ties with me.

On the streets, people would point and whisper about me. Even the janitors at work acted all high and mighty in front of me.

It was my husband and son who gave me the strength to keep going during those dark days. They believed in me and stood up for me when others at work talked behind my back.

I saw them as the only bright spots in my life, and I took care of them without ever complaining.

However, I never imagined that the people I trusted the most were the ones to betray me.

My three hard years in prison were just a sacrifice Hank made to keep Winona happy.

I did not cry in prison, but when I found out the truth, I could not hold back my tears anymore. What I thought had been acts of salvation were just a show of pity.

I rushed home, and there on the coffee table, I found a small, beautifully made box. Inside the box was a shiny ring with Hank and Winona's names engraved inside.

When I first met Hank, he had no money. I did not even have a proper wedding dress, much less a ring. He promised me back then, with all his heart, that he would buy me the most expensive ring once we had money.

However, as Hank's business grew, he just got annoyed whenever I mentioned the ring.

"We're too old for these kinds of things," he would say. "Isn't it just cheesy?"

Back then, I actually thought he was right, and I was embarrassed about being so stubborn. I never imagined that his heart had already drifted away from me to his young and pretty childhood friend.

Clutching the ring, my fingers went pale from the grip. She took over my spot as if she owned it.

All because Winona wanted a big house, I had to put up with three long, tough years in prison.

That evening, when Hank and Samuel came home, my son jumped into my arms, excited to tell me about the prize he got at school. He hoped I would be proud of him. Hank, like always, brought home my favorite strawberry cake.

There was a time when such a cozy moment would have made me the happiest, but now, it just made me feel sick.

The next day, when they were not looking, I secretly started drafting the divorce papers and booked a flight out of the country. It was time to let go of this failed marriage.