I dropped a comment under her post: [Impressive! ] I even added a thumbs up emoji after it.Not even five minutes later, Rob called me. "This was all my mom's idea," he started. "She thinks IVF is too risky for you, too much to handle. When Anita has the baby, we'll raise it as our own."I let out a short, cold laugh and hung up.We'd been married three years—no kids. A doctor confirmed the problem was me. Blocked fallopian tubes. Treatments? Total flop. IVF was the only shot.I'm thirty now and wanted a child badly enough to endure the injections, the swelling, and the endless discomfort. And just when things started looking up, Rob decided to drop that bomb.No wonder Pamela, his mom, was dead-set against IVF. Now it all adds up.Anita Cooke was Rob's old neighbor from his hometown. She still visited her parents there but had moved to the city. Twenty-six, no boyfriend, and the way she stared at Rob when we ran into her?Don't think I didn't notice. I saw her game.But hey, R
I took a deep breath, my fists clenched tight. This wasn't on me—it was them.'The second that baby's born, I'll file charges for bigamy. Let him rot in prison.'Once the idea popped into my head, it stuck like glue.Rob Barne, you betrayed me first.Six years. We'd been together for six years—three dating, three married. I really thought we had something solid. Built on love, trust, the works.I remembered when I scraped my knee, and he'd lost his mind, acting like I'd practically amputated my leg.But when I was enduring injections, battling allergic reactions, swelling up like a balloon, losing sleep from anxiety, and shedding enough hair to clog a drain? He doesn't give a damn.Worse, he's got time to roll around in bed with Anita freaking Cooke.'Why? Why do I deserve this?'Fueled by anger, I immediately contacted a lawyer. But the response shattered me."Gathering evidence at this stage will be tough. Unless he openly admits the child is his, there's not much to go on,
What could Anita possibly want at this hour?The door opened, and she barged in, clutching her stomach like it was some tragic soap opera. Her face was flushed, and her voice wavered as she whimpered, "Rob, I'm sorry to bother you so late, but my stomach doesn't feel right."Rob's panic button lit up immediately. "What's wrong? We should go to the hospital!""No, it's fine. I just—"I cut her little act short. "If it's nothing serious, why are you knocking on our door?"If you need Rob to take you to the hospital, just say so. After all, the baby is part of the Barne family, right?"Rob, you'd better hurry and take her. You wouldn't want her condition to get worse—any complications could be a huge problem later."Anita froze, clearly thrown off by how smoothly I played along. Rob, too, froze. "Honey—""Go on," I said, keeping my voice calm and even. "The first three months of pregnancy are crucial. You wouldn't want anything to happen to the baby."Relieved, Rob nodded fast an
Rob went stiff, then lunged forward and grabbed my arm. "Who's been feeding you all these lies? I've told you—you're the only one for me! She's just having a baby. No one's threatening your position!"I took a deep breath. Before I could respond, Rob barreled on, voice hardening. "I know you're upset, but let me be clear—divorce is not happening. End of story."And with that, he stormed off into the bedroom, slamming the door. I let out a cold laugh. This guy really thought he could have it all, huh?"My position?" I muttered. Like the Barne family was some kind of royal dynasty. What fantasy land was he living in?Sure, when we were together, things felt solid—except for the kid thing. But that connection? Gone. All I saw now was a liar, and I wanted no part of it.I packed my stuff, threw on my jacket, and got ready to leave for work. But the second I stepped outside, guess who showed up? Anita. Of course.She cradled her baby bump, her face full of fake regret. "Maya, I'm so s
Rob's fists clenched, his whole body stiffening."I gave you a chance," I said, my voice icy. "But you lied. So, how was your little hotel escapade last night?"His face drained of color. "Y-You followed me?"I held up my phone. "Didn't have to. Your sweetheart keeps me updated."The pictures on my screen made him flinch. He stammered, "I-It's not what it looks like! S-She said she felt better halfway to the hospital and insisted on stopping at the hotel!""Oh, so getting naked and rolling around was her idea? Did she twist your arm, too?"He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He looked trapped.I cut him off, waving dismissively. "Spare me the excuses. Just answer this—are you signing or not?"If you don't, I'll send this video to everyone at your office. Bet your coworkers will love it."His tone turned sharp. "Maya Lawson, do you really have to take it this far?""You think this is far?" I laughed, sharp and bitter. "Sign the papers, or I'll make sure everyone knows.
"Rob, you better get this through your thick skull—if you pull another stunt like this, you're done."I hit send, uploading the video of him and Anita in bed to the family group chat. Oh yeah, I tagged everyone.Rob freaked. "What the hell, Maya? Delete it!"I just smirked. "What's the problem? I told you not to drag my parents into your mess, but you didn't listen. Consider this your warning. Next time? That video's going public."He froze, completely panicked. His family? Dead silent.Rob was slumped on the floor now, his cheek red from the slap my dad had just handed him, looking like his whole world had crumbled. "Fine, Maya. I'll agree to the divorce."Of course, Pamela shrieked like the banshee she was. "A divorce? But the assets—she can't have them!""Try me," I snapped, pointing at her. "Not only will Rob's name be mud, but you'll be too humiliated to step outside. Go ahead, test me. Take this to court, and your family loses everything."She opened her mouth to spew mor
I didn't stop there—I made sure Anita's hometown got the full story too. Small town like that? Word spread faster than a TikTok trend.Pretty soon, Anita couldn't go anywhere without people whispering behind her back. It all got to her, and one day, she just snapped, screaming at Rob in some epic blowout.A neighbor upstairs sent me a DM:[Maya, your ex's new wife is a mess. Rob's blaming her for everything. It's wild.]I laughed. Of course, he was. Did Anita really think poking me was a good idea?After the divorce, I kept my distance from Rob. But Anita couldn't help herself—always stirring the pot, handing me evidence like she wanted me to use it. Honestly, how could someone be so dumb?Turns out Rob tore her apart verbally, but Anita just swallowed it. She was mad, sure, but she had no power to fight back.The drama didn't stop with her, though. Rob's work life tanked too. His boss decided his personal life was way too messy, so when a promotion came up, they gave it to some
A colleague nearby chuckled. "Rob? Fatherhood got him stressed? Nah, it's more like his wife's got him on a short leash."I raised a brow at Rob. "Well, you signed up for it, right? Gotta see it through, even if you're crawling by the end. Speaking of which, when's the baby due?"Last time I saw you at the hospital, I didn't even get to say hi. Everything good? Those stomach pains—think it's genetic?"Every word hit like a dart.Rob shook his head. "Everything's fine.""Good to hear."I was turning to leave when he grabbed my wrist. "Maya, can we talk?"I glanced back, a little thrown off. But curiosity won, and I gestured for him to follow me to a quieter spot.As soon as we sat down, he let it all out. "Anita's lost it. She checks my phone every day and freaks out if I even talk to a female colleague."I never should've married her. I should've just let her have the baby and walked away."Maya, I regret everything. It wasn't like this when we were—"I cut him off, my voice
The baby was born at seven months, barely the size of a kitten, and rushed straight to the NICU. The daily medical bills? Sky-high—thousands of dollars every single day.Rob was barely holding it together. Pamela, thrilled at first that it was a boy, changed her tune when she saw the frail baby. When she found out the premature birth was caused by Rob and Anita's constant fighting, she exploded at Anita.Then Anita's parents showed up, heard Pamela's rant, and jumped into the fight. The hospital room turned into a screaming match, and, of course, someone recorded it. The video went viral, even hitting the local trending page.Someone sent it to me.[Maya, look! Karma's served—Rob's life is a total wreck!]I barely glanced at it. Rob's mess wasn't my problem anymore.He was drowning, stuck between Anita's demands, family drama, and his job. Neighbors said he'd sit in his car until midnight, avoiding the chaos upstairs—baby crying, adults screaming. He looked like he'd aged ten yea
A colleague nearby chuckled. "Rob? Fatherhood got him stressed? Nah, it's more like his wife's got him on a short leash."I raised a brow at Rob. "Well, you signed up for it, right? Gotta see it through, even if you're crawling by the end. Speaking of which, when's the baby due?"Last time I saw you at the hospital, I didn't even get to say hi. Everything good? Those stomach pains—think it's genetic?"Every word hit like a dart.Rob shook his head. "Everything's fine.""Good to hear."I was turning to leave when he grabbed my wrist. "Maya, can we talk?"I glanced back, a little thrown off. But curiosity won, and I gestured for him to follow me to a quieter spot.As soon as we sat down, he let it all out. "Anita's lost it. She checks my phone every day and freaks out if I even talk to a female colleague."I never should've married her. I should've just let her have the baby and walked away."Maya, I regret everything. It wasn't like this when we were—"I cut him off, my voice
I didn't stop there—I made sure Anita's hometown got the full story too. Small town like that? Word spread faster than a TikTok trend.Pretty soon, Anita couldn't go anywhere without people whispering behind her back. It all got to her, and one day, she just snapped, screaming at Rob in some epic blowout.A neighbor upstairs sent me a DM:[Maya, your ex's new wife is a mess. Rob's blaming her for everything. It's wild.]I laughed. Of course, he was. Did Anita really think poking me was a good idea?After the divorce, I kept my distance from Rob. But Anita couldn't help herself—always stirring the pot, handing me evidence like she wanted me to use it. Honestly, how could someone be so dumb?Turns out Rob tore her apart verbally, but Anita just swallowed it. She was mad, sure, but she had no power to fight back.The drama didn't stop with her, though. Rob's work life tanked too. His boss decided his personal life was way too messy, so when a promotion came up, they gave it to some
"Rob, you better get this through your thick skull—if you pull another stunt like this, you're done."I hit send, uploading the video of him and Anita in bed to the family group chat. Oh yeah, I tagged everyone.Rob freaked. "What the hell, Maya? Delete it!"I just smirked. "What's the problem? I told you not to drag my parents into your mess, but you didn't listen. Consider this your warning. Next time? That video's going public."He froze, completely panicked. His family? Dead silent.Rob was slumped on the floor now, his cheek red from the slap my dad had just handed him, looking like his whole world had crumbled. "Fine, Maya. I'll agree to the divorce."Of course, Pamela shrieked like the banshee she was. "A divorce? But the assets—she can't have them!""Try me," I snapped, pointing at her. "Not only will Rob's name be mud, but you'll be too humiliated to step outside. Go ahead, test me. Take this to court, and your family loses everything."She opened her mouth to spew mor
Rob's fists clenched, his whole body stiffening."I gave you a chance," I said, my voice icy. "But you lied. So, how was your little hotel escapade last night?"His face drained of color. "Y-You followed me?"I held up my phone. "Didn't have to. Your sweetheart keeps me updated."The pictures on my screen made him flinch. He stammered, "I-It's not what it looks like! S-She said she felt better halfway to the hospital and insisted on stopping at the hotel!""Oh, so getting naked and rolling around was her idea? Did she twist your arm, too?"He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He looked trapped.I cut him off, waving dismissively. "Spare me the excuses. Just answer this—are you signing or not?"If you don't, I'll send this video to everyone at your office. Bet your coworkers will love it."His tone turned sharp. "Maya Lawson, do you really have to take it this far?""You think this is far?" I laughed, sharp and bitter. "Sign the papers, or I'll make sure everyone knows.
Rob went stiff, then lunged forward and grabbed my arm. "Who's been feeding you all these lies? I've told you—you're the only one for me! She's just having a baby. No one's threatening your position!"I took a deep breath. Before I could respond, Rob barreled on, voice hardening. "I know you're upset, but let me be clear—divorce is not happening. End of story."And with that, he stormed off into the bedroom, slamming the door. I let out a cold laugh. This guy really thought he could have it all, huh?"My position?" I muttered. Like the Barne family was some kind of royal dynasty. What fantasy land was he living in?Sure, when we were together, things felt solid—except for the kid thing. But that connection? Gone. All I saw now was a liar, and I wanted no part of it.I packed my stuff, threw on my jacket, and got ready to leave for work. But the second I stepped outside, guess who showed up? Anita. Of course.She cradled her baby bump, her face full of fake regret. "Maya, I'm so s
What could Anita possibly want at this hour?The door opened, and she barged in, clutching her stomach like it was some tragic soap opera. Her face was flushed, and her voice wavered as she whimpered, "Rob, I'm sorry to bother you so late, but my stomach doesn't feel right."Rob's panic button lit up immediately. "What's wrong? We should go to the hospital!""No, it's fine. I just—"I cut her little act short. "If it's nothing serious, why are you knocking on our door?"If you need Rob to take you to the hospital, just say so. After all, the baby is part of the Barne family, right?"Rob, you'd better hurry and take her. You wouldn't want her condition to get worse—any complications could be a huge problem later."Anita froze, clearly thrown off by how smoothly I played along. Rob, too, froze. "Honey—""Go on," I said, keeping my voice calm and even. "The first three months of pregnancy are crucial. You wouldn't want anything to happen to the baby."Relieved, Rob nodded fast an
I took a deep breath, my fists clenched tight. This wasn't on me—it was them.'The second that baby's born, I'll file charges for bigamy. Let him rot in prison.'Once the idea popped into my head, it stuck like glue.Rob Barne, you betrayed me first.Six years. We'd been together for six years—three dating, three married. I really thought we had something solid. Built on love, trust, the works.I remembered when I scraped my knee, and he'd lost his mind, acting like I'd practically amputated my leg.But when I was enduring injections, battling allergic reactions, swelling up like a balloon, losing sleep from anxiety, and shedding enough hair to clog a drain? He doesn't give a damn.Worse, he's got time to roll around in bed with Anita freaking Cooke.'Why? Why do I deserve this?'Fueled by anger, I immediately contacted a lawyer. But the response shattered me."Gathering evidence at this stage will be tough. Unless he openly admits the child is his, there's not much to go on,
I dropped a comment under her post: [Impressive! ] I even added a thumbs up emoji after it.Not even five minutes later, Rob called me. "This was all my mom's idea," he started. "She thinks IVF is too risky for you, too much to handle. When Anita has the baby, we'll raise it as our own."I let out a short, cold laugh and hung up.We'd been married three years—no kids. A doctor confirmed the problem was me. Blocked fallopian tubes. Treatments? Total flop. IVF was the only shot.I'm thirty now and wanted a child badly enough to endure the injections, the swelling, and the endless discomfort. And just when things started looking up, Rob decided to drop that bomb.No wonder Pamela, his mom, was dead-set against IVF. Now it all adds up.Anita Cooke was Rob's old neighbor from his hometown. She still visited her parents there but had moved to the city. Twenty-six, no boyfriend, and the way she stared at Rob when we ran into her?Don't think I didn't notice. I saw her game.But hey, R