Chapter 1My dad's dying. My husband bought his mistress's dog a $40K collar instead.
Six months pregnant. Dad's kidneys failed—needs $30K or he dies.
I called my husband, hands shaking.
Grayson didn't even pause. "Nat, seriously? Your family's a black hole. I'm not doing this."
"I already saved your ass by marrying you. Don't push it just 'cause you're pregnant."
I choked up. "I'll pay you back, I swear—"
He laughed coldly. "You? With what? You don't even work."
Then I heard Mia squealing: "Babe! Coco's collar is STUNNING! Forty grand—you spoil us!"
His voice went soft. "Anything for my girl."
Mom grabbed my arm outside Dad's room, eyes all puffy and red.
"Baby, just forget it. Gray's got his own money problems."
Dad's voice sounded so tired and rough. "Don't do the treatment, sweetheart. I'm not worth you getting on your knees for his family."
I looked at the gray in their hair—God, when did they get so old?
What was I even doing?
They didn't raise me to stand here knocked up, begging my husband for handouts.
They damn sure didn't deserve to watch me get treated like garbage.
I grabbed the payment paper back and held onto them.
"Dad. Mom. We're doing this. I don't care what it costs."
"And I'm done begging. All of us are. Right now."
I pushed his study door open, divorce papers tight in my hand.
Gray sat there with headphones on, eyes glued to his screen.
Not work. Not emails.
A freaking scary movie.
Little video window in the corner—some girl wrapped in a huge sweater, holding a pillow, eyes all red and teary.
My door made a sound and she screamed.
"GRAY!"
He ripped his headphones off. That sweet look? Gone the second he saw me.
Nothing but annoyance.
"Oh my God, Nat. Really?"
"You're seriously coming in here about three hundred grand?"
My hands balled up so tight my nails cut into my skin.
So this was his "busy at work."
All those nights he said he couldn't sleep in our bed because of "work stuff." All those times I believed him.
Didn't wake him when my legs hurt at night. Didn't bother him when I was throwing up alone in the bathroom.
The whole time? He was in here watching movies with her. Acting like her boyfriend. Listening to her cry and complain.
My throat felt so tight.
I threw the papers at him.
"Read this."
He barely looked. "Just leave bills with Morgan. She'll put it in your money for the month."
I stared at him—so chill, like nothing. Like I was just another thing he had to pay for.
I slammed the divorce papers down so hard his coffee shook.
"It's divorce papers."
"We're done, Gray. Finished."
"And that house? I paid the first money. I'm getting my part back."
His face went empty—just for a second.
Then he looked down. No feeling at all.
"Okay. Whatever. Shut the door when you go."
Chapter 2
I bit my lip, about to say something, but he let out this annoyed little huff.
"What now? Just say it."
I shook my head and walked out.
The second I shut the door, I heard her—voice all bright and teasing.
"Babe! She's divorcing you! You gonna let that slide?"
Gray didn't miss a beat. "She's pissed I won't hand over cash. She'll get over it."
"She's not leaving."
I stood there in the hallway, ice spreading through my chest.
The day I got pregnant, Gray told me to quit my job.
His sperm count sucked—this baby was a miracle. Nothing could go wrong.
He said he'd take care of everything. Told me to just relax and stay healthy.
So I quit. Walked away from being the youngest partner at a major law firm.
Became Mrs. Carter—sitting around this house all day waiting for him.
Except "we have money" didn't mean I could spend any.
Prenatal vitamins? Had to run it by Morgan first.
New nightgown? Morgan had to approve it.
Doctor visits? Even taxi receipts got filed for the monthly report.
Once I bought Mom a scarf. Morgan told him that same day.
That night he sat across from me, talking like I was five.
"Nat. I didn't tell you to quit so you could blow my money on your family."
I tried explaining. "It was Mom's 60th. You said you'd come but then you bailed, so I just got her something small from both—"
His face went cold.
"From both of us?"
"Don't use my name to suck up to your family."
"Today it's a scarf. Tomorrow you'll want me buying them a house."
"You're a Carter. Keep your distance. Better yet—cut them off. They'll drag you down. And me."
That was the first time I wanted out.
But the next day he came home with this gorgeous gift box.
Wrapped his arms around me, voice soft and rough.
"Baby, I'm sorry."
"I went too far."
"I've just... been screwed over so many times by women who wanted my wallet."
"Mia said she loved me too. Then dumped me for someone richer."
"She made me feel like nobody actually wants me. Just my money. So when you brought up spending, I freaked."
He buried his face in my neck, sounding wrecked.
My anger just melted.
After that I tried so hard to be what he wanted. Tried to prove I loved him.
Then one day doing laundry, I found a receipt in his jacket.
Mia's return date from Paris.
And the price of her diamond bracelet—seven figures.
The box he gave me? Underneath was a card.
Free gift with purchase.
I stood in that laundry room holding that card forever.
Everything I'd tried to prove? Worthless to him.
That's when I thought about divorce the second time.
That night my emotions were everywhere.
Around midnight this brutal pain tore through my stomach. Cold sweat soaking me, wave after wave.
Chapter 3
Gray came flying into the bedroom.
Gray burst through the door looking like death, scooped me up, and just ran.
At the hospital, the doctor said it was critical—needed immediate stabilization.
Gray stood outside the ER completely losing his mind.
"Forget the baby! SAVE HER! Are you not listening?! I said save my WIFE!"
When I woke up, he was slumped in the chair beside me—eyes bloodshot, arm all bandaged up.
Morgan whispered the whole story later: on the way here, we almost got T-boned by a semi.
Gray threw himself over me.
Glass tore his arm open—fifteen stitches.
Didn't even let the anesthesia kick in before running back to my room.
I pulled away when he tried to touch me.
Kept my voice flat.
"What are we even doing, Gray?"
His eyes went all red.
"You're really gonna destroy everything over a bracelet?!"
"Mia just got back from Paris. That gift was basic courtesy. That's IT."
"You see one expensive necklace and suddenly nothing I do matters?"
"You couldn't sleep—I bought you a three-grand custom mattress."
"Cooking smells made you sick—I came home every night making soup from scratch."
"I painted that nursery. Built the crib myself."
"I busted my ass being good to you, being a good dad, and you're saying it's all worthless because I bought my ex one gift?!"
He clutched his bandaged arm, staring at me like I'd betrayed him.
"Nat, I'd give you everything. I'd die for you without thinking twice."
"But I won't just hand over cash. I won't let money poison us."
After that night, he went ice-cold.
Acted like I didn't exist.
Suddenly "working late" every night.
Sleeping in the guest room.
Started throwing these little digs at me—"Oh, you say you love me, but really you just want my wallet, right?"
Just waiting for me to crawl back.
Meanwhile, him and Mia?
Inseparable.
Fancy dinners. Gallery dates. Shopping sprees that could've bought a car.
Morgan cornered me one day.
"Sweetie, he's just being stubborn. That man loves you like crazy."
"So what if the money's not in your name? It all goes to you and the baby anyway, doesn't it?"
"If you ask me, just apologize. Tell him you'll never mention money again. Easy."
I opened my mouth but my chest felt crushed.
I kept asking myself: Does that bracelet really matter this much?
I looked around at those hand-carved toys everywhere, the nursery he painted himself.
For half a second, I almost believed him.
Then Dad collapsed.
Kidney failure.
I swallowed every bit of pride and begged Gray for help.
Didn't even ask him to give it—just loan it.
He looked at me like I was garbage.
"Jesus, Nat. You're STILL on this?"
That's when it clicked.
I didn't care about the bracelet.
I cared that loving Gray felt like a test I'd never pass.
I could kill myself proving I was genuine.
He'd always find me lacking.
Mia didn't have to prove anything.
She was already perfect to him.
This was the third time I wanted out.
And this time?
I meant it.
I Waited in That Living Room All Night
I sat on that couch all night.
Watched the sun go down.
Watched it come back up.
His study door stayed shut the whole time.
Through that door I heard her laughing every few minutes.
Heard him murmuring soft reassurances.
I sat there clutching those divorce papers.
Rage slowly draining into nothing.
Just... empty.
