Ex-Wife Moving Wife Giving Birth? Congratulations, You’re Single Now novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9

That evening, Mary showed up at my parents‘ house. Charles was with her.

My parents were sitting on the couch, their expressions cold and unwelcoming.

The moment Mary walked through the door, she started crying.

‘Elena, we’re all family here. Can’t we just talk things through? Why does it have to come to this?”

I didn’t respond.

‘Excuse me, but I don’t appreciate that.” My mom spoke up, her voice sharp. “What do you mean, ‘come to this‘? My daughter ust had major surgery, got a serious infection, and had to be hospitalized. Where was your family during all of that?”

Mary’s crying faltered for a moment.

‘I… I didn’t realize it was that serious…”

‘Didn’t realize?” My dad let out a cold laugh. “Her incision was infected and you didn’t realize?”

‘I’m getting older, my eyesight isn’t what it used to be-”

Your eyesight was good enough to convince her to downgrade from a private room to a shared ward to save money, wasn’t t? And where did that money go? Straight to your ex–daughter–in–law!”

Mary’s face flushed bright red.

That… that was Charles’s decision…”

His decision?” My mom stood up. “He used marital funds! Over seventy thousand dollars, just handed it over to his ex–wife! What does he think my daughter is to him?”

He’ll pay it back-”

Pay it back?” My dad slammed his hand on the table. “With what? With my daughter’s dignity? With your family’s shame?”

Mary was speechless.

Charles stood off to the side, his face pale and tense.

‘Sir, ma’am, this is my fault-”

‘Now you admit it’s your fault?” My dad stared at him. “Too late.”

‘I’ll change-”

Chapter 9

“Change?” My mom’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “You’ve been saying you’ll change since the day you got married. Have you?”

“I was trying to save money-”

“Save money to give to your ex–wife?”

Charles had no response.

I hadn’t said a word this entire time. I sat in the corner, holding the baby, watching this scene unfold like it was happening to someone else.

I appreciated my mom standing up for me. But I knew none of this would make a difference. Charles wouldn’t actually change. Mary wouldn’t actually reflect on her behavior. They just wanted to coax me back into that life where I worked myself to the bone and accepted everything without complaint.

I wasn’t going back.

‘Elena.” Charles walked over to me. “Can we talk? Just the two of us?”

I looked up at him.

“About what?”

‘About our marriage.”

‘Anything that needs to be discussed, my lawyer will handle it.”

Elena!” His voice rose. “Do you really have to get a divorce?”

Yes.”

‘Why?!”

‘I already told you.”

“Just because I helped Vivian? Just because of the money?”

“It’s not just that.”

“Then what else?!”

I stood up and handed the baby to my mom. Then I looked Charles directly in the eyes.

“Charles, you really want to know why?”

“…Yes.”

“Fine. I’ll tell you.”

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Chapter 9

I took a deep breath.

“In the three years we’ve been married, you’ve fixed your ex–wife’s car, dealt with her computer viruses, changed her lightbulbs, paid her rent, paid her car insurance, celebrated her birthday, and helped her move. Whenever she needed something, you dropped everything.”

“Those were small things-”

“Yes, they were small.” I cut him off. “So what about my things?”

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“When I was pregnant and had terrible morning sickness, where were you?”

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“When I woke up in the middle of the night with leg cramps and asked you to help massage them, you said you were too tired.”

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“The day I gave birth, you sat outside the delivery room scrolling through TikTok for three hours.”

“I-”

“I had a C–section. The next day, you went back to work. Said the company couldn’t function without you.”

He lowered his head.

“My incision hurt. Breastfeeding hurt. I couldn’t sleep through a single night. When I needed you, what were you doing? You were helping your ex–wife move!”

“I was wrong-”

“You were wrong?” I laughed bitterly. “Charles, do you know how many times you’ve said ‘I was wrong‘ over the years?”

He said nothing.

“Every single time, you say you were wrong. And every single time, nothing changes. I’ve kept track.”

“This time-”

“There is no ‘this time.” I looked at him steadily. “Charles, in this marriage, I’m your wife. Not your backup plan. I don’t have to accept being second to your ex–wife.”

“I never put you second-”

“Your time, your money, your attention, it all goes to her first. What else would you call that?”

He opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words.

Mary jumped in. “Elena, aren’t you being a little petty? Vivian is Charles’s ex–wife. What’s wrong with helping her out?”

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turned to look at her.

Mary, do you know how much money he’s given Vivian?”

Seventy–two thousand dollars.”

Mary’s face changed.

And that’s not even counting the time he’s spent. In the past three months, he’s been to her neighborhood forty–seven times. he longest visit was eight hours.”

Mary froze.

Mary, does that sound like ‘helping out‘ to you?”

he looked at Charles, her lips trembling, unable to form a response.

Charles, I’m done arguing.” I met his eyes. “Let’s end this cleanly. I get custody of the baby. I get my fair share of the house. ‘ou pay child support according to the law. Everything else, you can decide.”

I don’t agree-”

Then I’ll see you in court.”

picked up the baby and walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind me.

hrough the door, I could hear Mary wailing.

Elena! Come out here! We can talk about this!”

‘Elena! You can’t do this to Charles!”

‘Elena!”

ignored her.

I sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at the baby in my arms. He was sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of everything happening around him.

“Sweetheart,” I whispered. “Mommy’s going to make sure you have a good life.”

“We don’t need Daddy. We’ll be just fine on our own.”