My Husband's Secret Third Family

I found out my husband was keeping another woman.

The first thing I did was find a divorce lawyer.

I wanted back the twenty-five million he'd spent on her.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. We can't do that."

I froze. "Why not? The law says the legal wife can recover that money!"

"You did say the legal wife."

I sat there for a few seconds.

The lawyer slid a folder in front of me.

"According to these records, you and Mr. Gilbert were never married.

"The marriage certificate you provided is a forgery."

The woman I'd taken for the mistress let out a cold laugh.

"If you hadn't shown up at my door, I never would've known my husband was keeping someone else on the side too.

"So now I'm demanding back the fifty million my husband spent on her."

"I'm sorry, you can't either."

The lawyer turned to her.

"You'd be mistress number four."

The two of us widened our eyes at the same moment.

...

Lucy Fox and I looked at each other.

"When did you get married?"

"August 15th, 2019?"

"Mine was August 18th, 2019."

"Wonderful. Our weddings are three days apart."

"Where did you go for your honeymoon?"

"The Maldives?"

"Perfect. So did I."

"I went before the wedding."

"I went after."

"Lovely. Even the honeymoons were staggered."

Lucy's hands were clenched into fists.

She stood up.

"Tonight, is he going to your place or mine?"

I checked my phone.

"He said he's coming home. So that's mine."

Lucy stared at my phone.

Her fists trembled faintly.

"Wonderful. Truly wonderful. One woman on the side, one at home.

"It must be exhausting for him."

"Do you want to come home with me and confront him together?" I asked.

"No need."

Lucy's voice went cold.

"I'm afraid if I see his face, I'll throw up.

"You go on home. I have my own plans."

That night, when I got home,

there was already a familiar pair of dress shoes by the door.

The kitchen smelled of cooking.

I walked toward it.

Lowell Gilbert was shirtless.

Just an apron over those abs.

"Why are you cooking yourself today? Did you let the housekeeper off?"

I wrapped my arms around his lean waist from behind.

He gave me a soft smile.

"Did you forget? Today's our fifth anniversary."

I went still.

I followed the line of his finger.

In the bedroom.

Gift boxes were stacked neatly, half as tall as a person.

A ring of red roses around them, with a card.

"To the next five years with you."

I pressed a hand to my mouth.

He came up behind me and held me gently.

"Aren't you going to open them and see what your husband got you?"

"Lowell, I, I..."

"Easy now."

He kissed me beside my ear.

"Go on. Look."

"I'm not going to."

I dropped my hand and turned to look at him.

"Do you put together surprises like this for your other wives too?"

The arm around me stiffened.

He looked at me, faintly surprised.

We stared each other down, cold.

Then, suddenly, he smiled.

The next second, my feet left the floor.

He swept me up sideways.

And threw me onto the big bed.

"Lowell Gilbert! You, you let go of me!"

He pinned both my hands above my head.

He looked down at me with a low laugh.

"So you've figured it all out?

"What took you so long, baby?"

I froze.

He pulled open the drawer.

And only then did I understand.