After the Wedding, My Name Was Never on the Deed

“Baby, we're finally getting our own house!”

I stared at the property deed about to be handed over, beaming at my wife, Vivienne Hale.

Vivienne scoffed, disgust plain on her face. “What are you talking about? The deed is in Bertram's name. What does this have to do with you?”

I froze.

When the clerk placed the deed in my hands, I realized she wasn't lying.

Only two names were listed under the title.

Vivienne Hale and Bertram Cox.

Vivienne shrugged like it was nothing：“I know you're not the kind of person who cares about material things. Bertram's family has fallen on hard times.”

“So don't throw a fit over the house going to him.”

“I promised him a long time ago that he'd never have to worry about money.”

My heart bled. Tears streamed down my face. “But I worked day and night for ten years to buy this house.”

Vivienne grew even more dismissive. “You've still got two hands and two feet, don't you? Money's gone, so go make more.”

“I promised Bertram a happy life. That's that.”

……

My head buzzed, the room tilting like I was trapped inside a nightmare.

“Why would you do this, Vivienne?”

She didn't even think it was a big deal. “It's just a house. If you really love me, you'd use me as motivation to go earn more.”

“Why are you standing here interrogating me?”

“Or are you saying you care more about money than you care about me?”

She flipped it around on me, and the sheer absurdity of it stole the words right out of my mouth.

I clenched my fists and forced the words through my teeth：“I'm getting a lawyer. This house is marital property.”

Vivienne burst out laughing, as if I'd just told her the funniest joke she'd ever heard.

“There you go being stupid again. What marriage?”

A chill crawled up my spine, and then she said it. “Bertram is the one I got the marriage license with. The certificate you have? I had it forged to keep you happy.”

“Bertram and I have been legally married for years.”

The words hit me like a bolt of lightning.

Vivienne watched me go silent, and something like pity softened her expression.

“Be good now. Stop talking about lawyers.”

“I let you have that title for all these years. That was more than generous. You have no idea how many times Bertram fought with me over it.”

The whole thing felt so grotesque I almost wondered if she was performing, if today was April Fools' and I'd missed it.

“This is all fake. You're just messing with me, right?”

I looked at her, clinging to one last shred of hope.

Vivienne gently squeezed my hand, leaned in close to my ear, her manner intimate.

My heart stirred. I knew it!

She still loved me. After all these years together……

“Bertram still needs a healthy kidney. How about yours?”

Cold sweat broke out across my body, but before I could move, Vivienne shoved me hard and I crashed to the floor.

A glass vase shattered on impact, and shards sliced into my leg, blood pooling instantly.

“I'm going to call the doctor. You stay right here. Understood?”

The moment the words left her mouth, four or five hulking bodyguards closed in around me. Vivienne walked out without looking back.

Despair swallowed me whole. The searing pain in my leg and the cruelty of the woman I loved were tearing me apart.

Tears fell in silence. Then my phone rang.

Two words glowed on the flickering screen: Mom.

I answered. A soft voice, edged with worry, came through.

“Cornelius Abbott, sweetheart, Mom misses you. Your father is holding a press conference the day after tomorrow to reveal who you really are.”

“From now on, no one will ever hurt my son again.”

Something inside my chest gave way, and the sting behind my eyes burned even worse.