My Husband Died, the Debt Didn't

I shook Evangeline's hand off. The diamond bracelet on her wrist dazzled so brightly that it made my eyes hurt.

"Julian is my legally-wedded husband. No matter what he left behind, I'll inherit it."

Outside, Leo kicked the door open. When he saw the bare, empty room, he frowned. Leaning against the doorframe, he waved the IOU in his hand, reminding me that the gambling debt was not a small sum.

Yet I declared firmly, "I'll take responsibility for this five-million-dollar debt."

That single sentence made Evangeline's eyes bulge. "Mari, with your family's situation, don't you need to borrow money just to pay for the funeral? That's five million dollars! How can you just agree to it?

"If you renounce your inheritance now, you'll at least be able to keep the house your family left you. If you don't, you and Shawn won't even have a place to live!"

Seeing me remain silent, Evangeline assumed I was considering her words. She immediately pulled an inheritance renunciation agreement from her Birkin bag and pushed it toward me.

"This is what you should be signing. If not for yourself, at least think about Shawn. If you can't repay the debt, you'll be labeled a worthless deadbeat. How will Shawn ever hold his head high at school later?" she urged, her voice thick with concern.

I, however, started sizing up the luxury items covering her from head to toe. None of it was fake—every item was genuine.

In the first year of my marriage to Julian, I finally saved enough to buy a pair of pure silver rings for us.

Evangeline tapped the line where my signature was supposed to go. The rose-gold band on her finger alone was worth more than ten of my wedding rings.

In our third year of marriage, I was harassed at work and wanted to change jobs. Julian told me to endure it. We were about to start trying for a baby and needed the money for baby supplies.

Evangeline leaned in close to my ear, urging me to sign. Her oversized earrings bearing a certain logo alone could've bought enough baby formula to feed Shawn until he was 18 years old.

Later, when I became pregnant, I felt sorry for Julian being the sole breadwinner. I didn't even dare spend a few extra dollars on fruit.

Then, when Shawn was born, he weighed just over four pounds and was put in an incubator. Julian said we couldn't afford it, and maybe we shouldn't save him.

I insisted on borrowing money from every coworker I had and dragged Shawn back from the brink of death.

By the fifth year of marriage, Shawn was ready for kindergarten. I worked three part-time jobs just to get him into a good one.

As for Evangeline, after she gave birth, she checked herself into a luxury postpartum retreat that cost over 4,000 dollars a night and stayed there for about a month.

I hadn't dared to ask her, thinking that she'd hooked up with some rich businessman and didn't dare to tell me. As it turned out, the person she'd hooked up with wasn't anyone else. No, it was my very husband who had pretended to be a broke, good-for-nothing nobody in front of me.

Even now, she exuded seductive charm as she continued urging me to sign the papers. After more than ten years, she was still thriving and youthful. As for me, I'd overexerted myself, and the corners of my eyes were etched with weariness.

My whole body trembled with rage just thinking about the way the two of them had played me for a fool.

How could they? Why should Shawn and I bear all the hardship while Evangeline and her son enjoyed all the luxury?

Even the middle-aged lady next door chimed in, oblivious, "Maribel, just give up the inheritance. Once you cut ties, you and your son will be able to live in peace!"

Evangeline crossed her arms. Her lips curled, one eyebrow raised. Her expression screamed, "See? I told you so", and "Just trust me. I won't steer you wrong".

After all, any normal person would understand the stakes here.

But I refused to listen. Without another word, I tore up the renunciation agreement.

"Even if I end up homeless, I'll repay Julian's debts for him," I said. "It's just a gambling debt. I can't let a little money be the reason Julian turns over in his grave."

Evangeline straightened, staring at me as if I were an idiot. Meanwhile, Leo stared at me viciously, warning me not to try any tricks.

But I wasn't the least bit afraid. I merely handed over the house deed as a show of good faith.

"Leo, this house is worth at least a few hundred thousand dollars. Give me three days. Once the funeral is over, I'll be sure to get you the money."