He Got a Dream Vacation, I Got Three Kids

"Lexi, this is going to be your last resort. No matter what happens in the future, always know that you can start over with this," Mom had told me.

I opened the box and saw several items neatly arranged inside.

There was a million-dollar insurance policy that had been purchased before my marriage, and a property deed with a clear title under my name.

Mom was right.

This wasn't wealth. It was my last resort and safety net. It was something for me to fall back on.

I then called up the lawyer's office without any hesitation.

"The evidence is quite sufficient, especially Mr. Ferrell's unauthorized disposal of a large amount of marital property and assets for personal enjoyment, as well as his serious misconduct.

"I can prepare the lawsuit and apply for property preservation overnight."

The lawyer, Fred Hoffman, then asked calmly and firmly, "Are you sure you want to proceed, Ms. Alexa Cohen?"

"Yes," I said flatly. "The sooner the better."

After hanging up, I sat at the laptop and began organizing and categorizing all the documents and information at hand.

Sometime around midnight, the sound of fireworks filled the sky.

It was Christmas that day.

This was a time of year when families should have been spending and celebrating together, but my husband was out enjoying himself with another woman instead.

How ironic.

The doorbell rang around 9:00 am later that morning. I opened the door and saw Patricia Mullen, my mother-in-law, standing outside with a few Christmas presents in her hands, smiling at me.

"Merry Christmas, Lexi! I'm here to visit you and the children. Where's Sam, by the way? Has he not woken up yet?"

I let Patricia into the house. "He's not home."

"Not home? Where did he go so early on Christmas day?"

She set down the presents and glanced around the living room, her smile diminishing slightly.

"Did he work overtime at the office again? Ah, my son is really too hardworking for his own good. You should be more understanding of him.

"It's hard on him to support the four of you at home. It's just too much pressure for him—"

"He didn't work overtime," I said, calmly interrupting her. "He received a year-end bonus and went on a three-month honeymoon around the world with Maya."

The smile on Patricia's face froze at once. Then, her expression turned dark and hostile.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Maya is only like a sister to him! They aren't seeing each other at all! Don't you try stirring trouble on Christmas day just because you can't keep your filthy thoughts to yourself, Alexa Cohen!"

"Just a sister to him?" I echoed with a cackle, then showed her the photos. "Take a good look at this. What kind of 'siblings' would do something like that?"

Patricia's face turned bright red when she saw the lewd photo on my phone. She immediately reached out to snatch my phone away.

"What the hell is this? Delete it immediately! How could you be such a vicious bitch to try and frame my son like this?"

I was prepared for her attack, so I immediately withdrew my hand and stepped back.

"I'm not framing anybody. These photos, along with their spending records for the past three months, will be used as evidence for my divorce lawsuit, the recovery of marital property, and claims for damages against Samson."

"Divorce?" Patricia exclaimed at the top of her voice. "I dare you to, you wench! Would Samson even have slept with other women if only you'd just given birth to a boy instead of three wretched girls?"

I laughed in anger, not feeling much hurt. I just felt a cold numbness in my chest.

"You can't yell at Mommy like that!"

I didn't know when Janice had woken up, but she rushed out to us and stood in front of me, trying to shield me from Patricia. Her face was red with anger.

She yelled, "You little bitch! You're just as vicious as your mother!"

Patricia was furious. In the heat of the moment, she raised her hand to slap Janice across the face. I tried to stop her, but I was too late.

A loud, crisp slap sounded and reverberated in the air.

However, I didn't hear Janice's screams or cries afterward.

Samson was standing at the doorway, looking travel-worn, his expression dark. The slap from Patricia earlier had landed squarely on his outstretched arm, which he'd managed to stop in time.

Then, he lowered his arm and stood right in front of her, blocking her way.

He demanded, "What do you think you're doing, Mom?"

I pulled the terrified Janice into my arms and hugged her tightly before taking a step back.

Patricia immediately switched her expression into an aggrieved one and complained, "Sam! You're finally back! Just look at what your damn wife did to me!

"I came here to visit them on Christmas day, but she and her daughters all ganged up on me to give me a hard time!"