My Ex-Wife Stole My Millions for Her Brother, So I Left Her in the Mud

My wife and I saved for six years for a down payment on a house.

Just when we finally had enough, her brother suddenly got "gravely ill," draining every single penny from our joint account.

I even comforted her, telling her it was fine, that we could just start over. To make extra money for his medical bills, I drove Uber latenight shifts after my day job.

I hadn't bought a single piece of new clothing in six months. Until today. My business suddenly took off, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I rushed home, thrilled, wanting to share the amazing news with my wife.

But right as I reached the door, I heard her and her brother talking inside. "Cody, did you get the house?" "Sure did!

Chloe, thanks to the cash you gave me, plus my own savings, I bought it outright." My wife laughed. "Well, you have your fake illness idea to thank for that.

If I had told him I was giving you the money to buy a house, he would've never agreed to hand it over." I froze. Her brother was never sick. I pushed the door open.

The smiles on their faces instantly froze. My wife, Chloe, was sitting on the couch. Her brother, Cody, was leaning against the window sill.

When they saw me, their expressions looked as if someone had hit the pause button. Chloe reacted the fastest. The stiffness on her face lasted less than a second.

She stood up and smiled at me. "Luke, why are you home so early today?" I put the grocery bags on the shoe rack. "Finished up early today." Cody put down his mug, nodded at me, and said, "Hey, Luke." His tone was so normal, as if nothing had just happened.

I didn't stop taking off my shoes. The words I heard before opening the door kept replaying in my mind.

I took off my coat and hung it on the rack. "Cody, how's your recovery going?" Cody froze for a second, instinctively glancing at Chloe.

Chloe cut in, her tone incredibly natural. "Much better.

The doctor said he just needs a bit more rest and he’ll be completely fine." I nodded and looked at Cody. "That treatment must have cost a fortune, right?" Cody's expression shifted.

Chloe quickly chimed in, saying that when it comes to saving a life, cost doesn't matter.

I ignored her and kept my eyes locked on Cody. "I asked how much it cost." Cody's throat moved, but he couldn't squeeze out a word.

Chloe tugged at my arm. "Luke, what's wrong with you? Cody just got better." I pulled my arm away. "I heard everything at the door." Chloe's hand froze in midair.

She looked like she had been turned to stone. The living room was so quiet you could hear the ticking of the wall clock.

Cody spoke first, his voice sounding dry. "Let me explain." "Explain what?" I turned to look at him. "Explain how you faked being sick?

Or explain how that money wasn't actually meant for medical bills?" Cody's lips trembled, but he couldn't say a single word. I nodded, then turned back to Chloe. "Your turn.

Explain." Chloe looked at me, her eyes starting to well up with tears. But she didn't cry, nor did she make an excuse.

After a brief silence, she actually tilted her chin up slightly. "Fine.

Yes, I gave the money to Cody for his house." When she said this, her tone was no longer cautious. "I told him to fake the illness.

Because if I had asked you directly to give him the money for a house, you would have never agreed." I stared at her, almost unable to believe my ears.

We had been married for six years. For six years, I woke up every day thinking I had married the perfect wife. She was frugal, sensible, and never wasted a penny.

I thought we were building a life together, enduring hardships handinhand.

Turns out, she was only enduring hardships with me so she could siphon off all the money I saved and hand it over to her brother on a silver platter.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "So, that three hundred thousand dollars—every single penny in our savings account—you gave it all to Cody in one go." Chloe didn't deny it. "He's my brother.

If I don't help him, who will?" "He fakes an illness, you lie to me, and you call that 'helping'?" Chloe's voice hardened. "If I didn't put it that way, would you have given me the money?

Do you even know how you usually treat Cody? Every time he came to us for help, you made excuses. He's my only brother.

Am I supposed to just ignore him?" I stared into her eyes. "And your way of caring for him is to play your husband like a fool?"

Cody chimed in at this point. "Don't blame Chloe. It was my idea. If you want to blame someone, blame me." I turned to him and let out a cold laugh. "Don't worry.

I'll deal with you in a minute." Chloe stepped in front of Cody, shielding him. "If you're angry, take it out on me.

Don't touch Cody." Watching her protect him like a mother hen, I suddenly found it utterly ridiculous. What kind of woman had I actually married for the past six years?

My phone buzzed. It was a bank notification. My business had boomed today, bringing in over seven figures. I had rushed home, eager to share this lifechanging news with her.

Now, that text message felt like a sick joke.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and looked at her. "Chloe, the house you guys bought—whose name is on the deed?" Chloe looked at me defensively and remained silent. "My name, obviously," Cody spoke up. "Chloe gave me the money, so of course it's under my name." "Good." I nodded. "Since we're family, we'll pack our things and move in with you.

We're still renting anyway, so this will save us rent." Cody's face instantly paled. "No way! I bought that house.

How can you guys just move in?" I looked at him. "Whose money did you use to buy that house?" Cody choked on his words. "Chloe gave me that money.

Once she gave it to me, it became mine." Chloe added, "Luke, don't be like this. Cody finally has a house of his own.

It wouldn't look right if we moved in." "Wouldn't look right?" I turned to her. "You provided the money. You and I are married.

It's completely normal for us to live there." Chloe's expression became highly strained. "Cody needs to get married in the future. The house is for his future wife.

It would be inconvenient if we lived there." I laughed out loud. "Then what do you think is convenient? We continue renting while you keep stealing our money to feed your brother?

Is that convenient?" Chloe's face darkened. "What do you mean 'stealing'? That was our family money! What's wrong with me spending some money on my own brother?

Luke, watch your mouth." "Our family money?" I couldn't hold back my anger anymore. "Half of that three hundred thousand dollars came from me driving latenight Uber shifts for the past six years!

While you were asleep at home, I was out on the freezing streets. And you're telling me that's your family money?" Chloe flinched at my shouting and took a step back.

But she quickly threw her head back up defiantly. "Why are you yelling? The money is spent, and the house is bought. What's the point of making a scene now? It is what it is.

What can you possibly do about it anyway?" She sounded incredibly smug. Because she believed she held all the cards.

The money was gone, the house was bought, the contract was signed. The deed was done. In her eyes, I had no leverage left.

She assumed I would do what I always did—pout for a few days and then let it go.

In the past, whenever I caught her secretly giving Cody a few thousand dollars, we’d argue, but in the end, I was always the one to back down.

She thought this time would be no different. After all, the money was spent. What could I do?

Looking at her expression, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. "Chloe, let's get a divorce."

Chloe's smug grin froze on her face. "What did you say?" "I said, let's get a divorce." The living room fell dead silent again.

Cody, still by the window, looked surprised, but not overly panicked. Chloe stared at me for several seconds before laughing. "Luke, who are you trying to scare?

Where would you even live after a divorce? You can't even afford a down payment.

If I hadn't been so frugal these past six years, do you think you could have saved a single dime?" I said nothing. "You make a measly salary at your day job.

How much do you even make driving Uber? Without me, you wouldn't even survive." Cody chimed in from the side. "Luke, don't be impulsive.

Let's sit down and talk about this." I ignored him, keeping my eyes on Chloe. "Are you done?" Chloe crossed her arms. "No, I'm not. If you want a divorce over this, fine.

But you're leaving with nothing. And you'll pay me two hundred thousand dollars in alimony. Only then will I sign the papers." She raised her chin even higher. I didn't answer her.

Instead, my eyes drifted to Cody. The moment he heard Chloe demand two hundred thousand dollars, his eyes visibly lit up.

I looked at him and let out a quiet laugh. "Cody, your sister wants two hundred thousand dollars." Cody didn't catch my drift and simply nodded. "Yeah." "And let me guess, you think that two hundred thousand is just enough for you to buy a new car?" Cody's face stiffened.

Chloe frowned. "Luke, don't talk nonsense.

Cody didn't mean that." I ignored her, keeping my gaze locked on Cody. "Your sister is demanding two hundred thousand, and you're already picking out a car in your head.

Now that you have a house, a new car would make you fully set, right?" Cody looked extremely uncomfortable. "I'm not... don't make things up." "Making things up?" I took a step forward. "The moment you heard 'two hundred thousand,' weren't you already calculating what car you could buy?" Chloe turned to look at Cody.

Cody quickly waved his hands. "Chloe, don't listen to him. I wasn't thinking that at all." I laughed. "Chloe, your brother has never cared about you.

Not even once." Chloe turned back to me, her expression souring. "Luke, what are you talking about?" "Don't play dumb. Has he once thought about what you'll do after a divorce?

Has he once worried about your future?

You demanded two hundred thousand, and his first instinct was how that money could buy him a car." Cody snapped, "Luke, shut your mouth and stop accusing me!" Chloe stood between us, her resolve finally wavering slightly. "So what if Cody wants a car?

He's my brother, and I want to help him! This is a Miller family matter. You're an outsider now, so stop sticking your nose into our business!" An outsider.

She pursed her lips and turned her face away. Looking at her, she felt like a complete stranger. I nodded, offering no further argument.

I turned and walked straight toward the door. Chloe yelled behind me, "Luke! Where do you think you're going?" I didn't look back.

I put on my shoes, opened the door, and walked out. Behind me, Chloe’s voice carried a crying edge. "If you walk out that door, don't you dare come back!"

I slammed the door shut. By the time I walked out of the apartment complex, the sky was pitch black. Streetlights illuminated the busy roads.

I stood on the sidewalk as the cold wind blew past my collar. I looked down at my wornout jacket. The cuffs were fraying. I had worn this jacket for three years.

Chloe had never once offered to buy me a new one. Yet, when she bought clothes for Cody, she would buy multiple designer brands at once.

I stood by the curb for a moment, then pulled out my phone. I opened my banking app. Looking at the balance, my mind slowly calmed down.

My business had exploded today, netting me hundreds of thousands of dollars. Chloe had no idea about this money. She still thought I was the pathetic husband scraping by.

I had planned to tell her. Now, there was no need.

I slid the phone back into my pocket and hailed a cab. "Take me to the best restaurant downtown." The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror. I didn't care.

I hadn't had a decent meal in six months. To save money, I ate cafeteria food for lunch, chewed on cheap bread for dinner, and drove Uber until dawn.

Even when my stomach ached with hunger, I wouldn't spend a few dollars on a warm meal.

Every penny I saved had been handed over by my wife to feed her brother's bottomless pit of greed. Today, I was done saving. The cab pulled up in front of a highend restaurant.

I opened the menu, and the prices of the dishes were numbers I could never have imagined spending before.

Whenever I went out with Chloe, she would nag if the bill exceeded thirty dollars. But for Cody’s birthday, she would happily throw a thousanddollar party.

I closed the menu and told the waiter, "Bring me all of your signature dishes." The waiter was stunned. "Sir, we have seven or eight signature dishes." "Bring them all." The dishes were served one by one.

I sat by the window, eating slowly and savoring every bite. The steak was perfectly seared, the red wine was exquisite, and the desserts looked like edible art.

Every bite reminded me of the miserable, frugal life I had lived for the past six years. The bill came to over four hundred dollars.

Before, this amount would have made me sick to my stomach. Now, I felt nothing but pure satisfaction. Leaving the restaurant, I took a cab back home.

When I pushed the door open, Chloe was sitting alone on the couch. Hearing the door, she looked up at me. She stood up, her first words filled with accusation. "Where have you been?

Why are you back so late?" She spoke as if I was the one who had made a mistake. I tossed my keys onto the shoe rack. "Out for dinner." Chloe frowned. "Dinner? Til this late?

You went alone?" "Yes." "What did you eat?" "Steak, red wine, and dessert." Chloe's expression shifted. "How much did you spend?" "Four hundred dollars."