Divorced After His Livestream Affair

He Had No Idea I Knew

I got home at ten-thirty.

The house was dark except for the kitchen lights.

Ryan was sitting at the island, scrolling through his phone.

The moment he saw me, he frowned.

“Where the hell have you been?”

Not “Are you okay?”

Not “I was worried.”

Just irritation.

Like I was an employee who had shown up late.

The old me would have apologized immediately.

Instead, I hung my coat on the rack.

“Out.”

Ryan rolled his eyes.

“You burned dinner.”

“I noticed.”

“I had to order takeout.”

“Then you survived.”

He stared at me.

For a second, confusion crossed his face.

Ryan wasn't used to resistance.

Not from me.

“Emily.”

His voice softened slightly.

The voice he used whenever he wanted something.

“Come on. Don't be like that.”

“Like what?”

“You know.” He stood and walked over. “Moody.”

I almost laughed.

A few hours ago he had been kissing another woman on a livestream.

Now I was the problem.

Ryan reached for my waist.

“Bad day?”

I stepped back.

His hand froze in midair.

The surprise on his face was almost funny.

“What was that?”

“What was what?”

“You moved.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I didn't want you touching me.”

The kitchen went silent.

Ryan blinked.

“You serious?”

“Very.”

For a moment I thought he might actually notice something was wrong.

Instead he sighed dramatically.

“Emily, if this is about me missing dinner with your aunt last weekend—”

“It isn't.”

“Then what?”

I looked at him.

At the handsome face I had once loved.

At the man who had laughed while calling me harmless.

And suddenly I realized something.

He wasn't even nervous.

Not a little.

Because in his mind there was no universe where I left him.

That certainty was going to destroy him.

“I had a long day,” I said.

Ryan relaxed immediately.

Of course.

That explanation made sense to him.

Because it wasn't about him.

Nothing was ever about him.

“See?” he said. “That's all you had to say.”

He kissed my forehead.

I nearly flinched.

“Go get some sleep.”

I nodded.

“Sure.”

Then I walked upstairs.

The second the bedroom door closed, my phone vibrated.

Alexander.

Alexander:

Did he suspect anything?

Me:

Not even a little.

A reply came immediately.

Alexander:

Good.

Then another message.

Alexander:

Check your email.

I opened my inbox.

There were twelve files.

Bank statements.

Business records.

Property purchases.

Company registrations.

The deeper I looked, the colder I became.

Ryan wasn't planning something.

He had already started.

Eight months ago.

Six months ago.

Four months ago.

All while telling me he loved me.

My chest tightened.

A new message appeared.

Alexander:

Still awake?

Me:

Yes.

Alexander:

Call me.

I hesitated.

Then pressed the button.

He answered after one ring.

“Emily.”

His voice sounded different over the phone.

Lower.

More personal.

“Hi.”

“How bad is it?” I asked.

Silence.

Then:

“Do you want the honest answer?”

“Yes.”

“Very bad.”

I closed my eyes.

“Tell me.”

“Ryan transferred nearly four million dollars through shell companies.”

My stomach dropped.

“What?”

“He disguised it as consulting fees.”

“That doesn't make sense.”

“It doesn't have to. Most people never look closely enough.”

I sat on the edge of the bed.

Downstairs, I could hear Ryan laughing at something on television.

The sound made me sick.

“He couldn't have done all this alone.”

“He didn't.”

“Sophia?”

“Yes.”

I rubbed my forehead.

“Why?”

“Money.”

“That's it?”

Alexander laughed softly.

“You'd be surprised how often that's enough.”

I looked at the engagement photo on my nightstand.

Ryan's arm around me.

My smile bright.

My future certain.

“God,” I whispered.

“What?”

“I was such an idiot.”

“No.”

“Yes, I was.”

“You were in love.”

“Same thing.”

“No,” Alexander said firmly. “It isn't.”

Something about the certainty in his voice made me pause.

“You don't think so?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because trusting someone isn't stupidity.”

I didn't answer.

Alexander continued.

“Betraying that trust is.”

For several seconds neither of us spoke.

Then I changed the subject.

“What do we do now?”

“Tomorrow Ryan has a board meeting.”

My attention sharpened.

“How do you know that?”

“I know everything Ryan does.”

“That's a little terrifying.”

“It's supposed to be.”

Despite everything, I smiled.

Alexander continued.

“I want you to attend.”

“I never attend board meetings.”

“I know.”

“Ryan hates it when I do.”

“Exactly.”

Now I understood.

“You want him uncomfortable.”

“I want him surprised.”

“What's the difference?”

“Surprised people make mistakes.”

I leaned back against the headboard.

“You've done this before.”

“Yes.”

“Against business rivals?”

“Yes.”

“Against cheating fiancés?”

A pause.

“No.”

“First time?”

“First time.”

“Lucky me.”

His voice turned dry.

“Lucky Ryan.”

I laughed before I could stop myself.

For the first time all day.

Alexander was quiet.

“You should do that more often.”

“What?”

“Laugh.”

The words caught me off guard.

Nobody had said something like that to me in a long time.

Ryan certainly hadn't.

Before I could answer, the bedroom door opened.

I immediately ended the call.

Ryan walked inside.

“Who were you talking to?”

My heart skipped.

But his attention was already on his watch.

He wasn't suspicious.

Just curious.

“A friend.”

Ryan nodded.

“Tell them to stop keeping you up.”

I stared at him.

He had spent half the evening with his mistress.

And somehow I was the one being irresponsible.

“Ryan.”

“Hm?”

“How long have we been together?”

He frowned.

“What kind of question is that?”

“Answer it.”

“Three years.”

“Do you love me?”

He smiled instantly.

Automatic.

Practiced.

“Of course I do.”

Liar.

“Why?”

“Because you're Emily.”

“That doesn't answer the question.”

Ryan sighed.

“What's gotten into you?”

“Nothing.”

“Seriously.”

He sat beside me.

“Talk to me.”

I almost told him.

I almost showed him the livestream.

The messages.

The evidence.

But then I remembered his voice.

She'll cry.

She'll beg.

She won't do anything.

And suddenly I wanted to see the look on his face when he realized how wrong he was.

So I smiled.

The same sweet smile he expected.

“Forget it.”

Ryan visibly relaxed.

There she is.

The obedient Emily.

The harmless Emily.

The Emily he thought he knew.

He kissed my cheek.

“Goodnight, baby.”

“Goodnight.”

A few minutes later he was asleep.

I wasn't.

I stared into the darkness.

At one in the morning my phone lit up again.

Alexander.

Alexander:

One more thing.

Me:

What?

Alexander:

Ryan bought Sophia an apartment last month.

I froze.

Me:

What?

Alexander:

Penthouse. Upper East Side.

Attached was a photograph.

Ryan.

Sophia.

A real estate agent.

All smiling.

The date in the corner was from two weeks ago.

Two weeks ago.

The same day Ryan had taken me ring shopping.

The same day he told me I was the most important person in his life.

I stared at the picture.

Then another message arrived.

Alexander:

Are you okay?

I looked at the sleeping man beside me.

The man who thought he owned me.

The man who thought I'd never leave.

The man who thought I was too soft to fight back.

Slowly, I smiled.

Me:

No.

A few seconds later:

Me:

But I will be.

Alexander:

Good.

Me:

Why?

Alexander:

Because tomorrow Ryan Cole starts losing everything.

I looked at the ceiling.

For the first time in years, the future felt uncertain.

But strangely...

It also felt exciting.

Downstairs, the clock struck midnight.

A new game.

And Ryan had absolutely no idea he was already losing.