I Supported My Bankrupt Boyfriend for Three Years, Then Met His Wife Chapter 03
The words slipped off my tongue, and I felt lighter than I’d expected.
I ignored Kael’s stormy expression and turned to head home, resuming packing my own luggage.
I’d wanted to move out for ages. I’d only held off because I clung to all the memories locked within these walls.
Now every second I spent here made my skin crawl.
I was halfway through sorting my things when my phone rang.
It was the organizing agency, calling to set a meeting with a new client.
I hesitated for a beat, not wanting to create trouble for the firm, and agreed to go.
Taxis weren’t permitted to enter the exclusive gated estate past its perimeter gates.
I had no choice but to get out and walked for thirty minutes under the blistering sun.
By the time I reached the mansion, I reeked of sweat.
Seraphina opened the door and visibly recoiled at my stench.
She frowned and complained, “It’s sweltering out—why didn’t you drive a car?”
I can’t even scrape together the cash for a car—how could I possibly drive one?
The money I’d saved for driving school had all gone toward covering Kael’s medical bills for his injured leg.
I said nothing, standing awkwardly as Seraphina doused me head to toe with disinfectant spray.
“Alright, you can come in. Don’t sit on the sofa—just stand right there.”
She issued her usual dismissive order before sitting down directly in front of me.
“I’ve transferred the money you sent me before. Here it is.”
“Only sixty thousand. You hand it over like I’m some beggar. Every transfer my husband sends me is never less than two hundred thousand.”
A soft ping echoed as the funds hit my account.
61,732.45.
Down to every last cent.
These were my savings, scraped together by haggling over groceries, taking buses everywhere, stretching every dollar as far as it would go.
I’d been over the moon the day Kael proposed to me.
I’d refused the engagement gift, a house, a car—I’d even scraped together my own bridal settlement.
All I’d ever wanted was him.
But even that simple wish had turned into nothing more than a distant fantasy.
I forced a polite smile.
“You’re so young, Mrs. Rainer. I didn’t expect you’d be married already.”
To my surprise, Seraphina launched into a long story without prompting.
“My husband and I grew up together. I’m just a little dramatic, so I vanished on him a few years back on purpose.”
“He searched the whole world for me and couldn’t find a trace. He was absolutely miserable, so he found a stand-in just to ease his longing for me.”
Seraphina chuckled casually, like it was a trivial matter.
“I heard he framed the stand-in’s father and sent him to prison just to get close to her. I wonder if he’s been released yet.”
A loud buzz rang inside my skull.
Seraphina kept rambling, oozing smug pride.
“I’d had my fun wandering around by the time I came back. I’d planned to stay mad at him, but he’d disposed of the stand-in completely. He threw endless money at me to make up for it. Even when he nearly went bankrupt, he split his assets and gave me this mansion, so I let it slide.”
“These past two years, he was afraid his enemies would target me if we stayed in contact, so he kept his distance.”
“He rebuilt his business empire recently, and the first thing he did was come back and get our marriage license. Ugh, he’s too much.”
Everything clicked into place.
That explained why Kael appeared out of nowhere when I had nowhere left to turn.
That explained why he’d agreed so easily when I’d suggested cutting off our arrangement.
I finally had all the answers.
I thought back to the nights red paint splattered across my front door, to the knife hidden under my pillow for self-defense.
I thought about the dawn-to-dusk grind, just to cover extra living costs for the two of us.
Seraphina was spoiled and delicate, while I was worn thin to the bone.
Suddenly I was laughing and crying all at once.
Seraphina froze for a second and reached out to touch me, but I swatted her hand away.
“Don’t touch me!” I screamed.
Kael had watched the entire scene unfold from the doorway.
He immediately pulled Seraphina behind him, then pushed me roughly down onto the floor.
“Celeste, who gave you permission to come here and throw a fit at Seraphina?!”
My temple collided sharply with the table edge before I crumpled onto the floor.
A stinging, aching wound split open on my forehead, warm dampness spreading across my skin.
