My Husband’s Mistress Sat Beside Me on the Flight,So I Took His $5 Billion Divorce Deal

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My husband was working overtime during the New Year holidayor so he claimed. I decided to buy a plane ticket and surprise him.

But only business class seats remained.

I stared at the five-figure price tag and, gritting my teeth, drained an entire year's savings.

Then I couldn't even figure out how to pull down the tray table.

The elegant woman beside me let out a cold laugh.

"Never flown business class before?"

I forced an awkward smile. "Sorry about that. You must be a CEO, right? You have that... expensive air about you."

"Me? No." She waved a manicured hand. "But my sugar daddy is. If I'm not in business class, he charters me a private jet."

I blinked. "A sugar daddy? That must be hard to find."

"Not really. I'm his subordinate. I keep making mistakes at workcost him quite a bit of money, actually. He scolds me until I cry, and then... well." She smiled knowingly. "You can imagine what happens next."

A chill crept down my spine.

"What a coincidence," I said slowly. "My husband also has a female colleague who keeps making mistakes."

"You're married?" Her eyes swept over me, assessing. "My sugar daddy has a wife too. About your age, actually."

She examined her nails.

"But he says he got tired of her ages ago. Touching her feels stale, he told me. Less exciting than watching me flip my hair."

My stomach turned.

"I told him I wanted to see him during the holiday." She smiled. "So he just told his wife he had to work overtime."

That's when I saw it.

The ring on her finger.

A diamond ring identical to the wedding band I'd lost.

I went rigid.

WaitCarl Stephens isn't some low-level employee?

When did he become a CEO?

1.

My gaze locked onto her ring finger.

"But that ring..." My voice came out strange, foreign. "It's a wedding band, isn't it? Did you marry him?"

"This?" Roberta Delgado held up her hand, admiring the diamond as it caught the light. "I made him take it from his wife."

The air left my lungs.

"I wasn't planning to make things hard for her, honestly." Roberta's lips curved. "But on my birthday, that woman suddenly had a miscarriage and made him rush to the hospital to take care of her."

She pouted.

"I spent my birthday alone."

My hand drifted to my stomach.

The memory hit me like ice waterthat brutal winter. The road home from the market had been slicked with black ice. Carl's salary was barely enough to survive on; even an electric scooter was a luxury we couldn't afford.

I'd fallen hard.

Three months along, and my baby became nothing but blood on frozen pavement.

Carl had dropped everything. Stayed by my hospital bed for three days and three nights without sleeping.

When I finally woke, my wedding ring had vanished along with our child.

He'd held me close, voice cracking. "It's okay. We'll have another baby. The ringI'll make you a new one."

I'd sobbed and shaken my head. "Aren't they doing layoffs at your company? We need to save money. When you make it big someday... you can get me a new one then."

His eyes had been red-rimmed, tears threatening to spill. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I can't give you a better life."

I'd shaken my head again, unable to speak.

Beside me, Roberta was still admiring the ring.

"So..." My throat was sandpaper. "You made him give you his wife's ring?"

"Well, he didn't want to at first. Said he'd buy me something more expensive." She tilted her hand, watching the diamond sparkle. "But that old hag acts so superior just because she's his wife. If I don't put her in her place, she'll think she can walk all over me."

I bit down until I tasted copper.

"Honestly, compared to everything else he's bought me, this ring isn't worth much." She shrugged. "But it's a wedding ring. That's what makes it special."

Roberta turned to me with a pitying smile.

"When a woman lets herself become as pathetic as that wife of his? There's no hope left for her."

I gripped the fabric of my sleeve until my knuckles went white. Forced my lips into something resembling a smile.

"If your sugar daddy spends so much on you... he must be paying his wife a fortune to keep quiet, right?"

Roberta laugheda bright, tinkling sound.

She leaned in close, her perfume cloying.

"Here's the thing," she whispered. "That pathetic old woman doesn't even know he's a CEO."

"Why?"

Roberta admired her diamond-studded nails, tilting them to catch the light.

"Because there's no point, is there? That woman already spent her best years slaving away beside him while he built his empire." She buffed an invisible smudge from her ring finger. "Think about itif you were a man, and you finally made it big, would you keep spending money on a wife who's already withered? What's the point? No amount of cash is going to give her back her youth."

The glass reflected my face back at mehollow-cheeked, shadows pooling beneath my eyes.

Roberta leaned closer, her perfume cloying.

"You know, sis, you're older than me, but you've still got some looks left. Since we're getting along so well, let me give you some advice." Her gaze swept over me with clinical assessment. "Women need to invest in themselvesa little cosmetic work, some proper skincare. Your skin's looking a bit... parched. I bet your husband hasn't been interested lately, has he?"

I stared at her without answering.

Her skin was flawless. Porcelain-smooth. Not a single pore visible.

I used to look like that.

NoI used to look better.

Ten years in that cramped rental, weathering every storm alone, had taken their toll. When I looked at old photos of myself now, I barely recognized the woman staring back.

"Cosmetic work... is expensive."

"So?" Roberta shrugged, utterly unbothered. "My benefactor gives me half a million a month just for living expenses. And all the cosmetic procedures? He covers those separately."

I watched the tiny crystal glinting at the corner of her winged eyeliner. Delicate. Expensive. Frivolous.

My fingers twisted into the hem of my shirt, trembling.

"How long... have you been his kept woman?"

"Started June 12th, 2023." She examined her nails again. "Why?"

My grip on my shirt tightened until my knuckles went white.

June 12th, 2023.

The day my mother died.

That day, my mother needed five hundred thousand dollars for surgery.

I remembered every detail with brutal clarityCarl begging everyone he knew, scraping together every connection, emptying his savings.

He managed to gather three hundred and fifty thousand.

That was everything, he'd told me. Every cent he'd earned since striking out on his own.

I'd nearly killed myself trying to come up with the rest. Sold everything I could. Begged everyone I knew.

I scraped together eighty thousand.

Mom still died.

Afterward, Carl had held me so tight I couldn't breathe, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm worthlessI couldn't even pay for Mom's surgery. You've suffered so much being with me..."

The pain had been a knife twisting in my chest.

But I'd wiped his tears anyway.

"You got three hundred and fifty thousand together for me. That means everything." My voice had cracked. "Mom said... you did your best. She doesn't blame you. I don't blame you either. It's my faultI couldn't come up with the last hundred and fifty thousand..."

His tears had dripped onto the back of my hand. Hot. Wet.

He'd gripped my fingers like a drowning man.

"Zoe, just wait a little longer. Please. I swearI won't let us suffer like this forever..."

I'd nodded through my tears, believing every word.

Five hundred thousand.

He'd had it all along.

"You know what's funny, sis?" Roberta's voice cut through the memory. "That woman's mother needed exactly five hundred thousand that same month."

I looked at her.

She winked, a conspiratorial little flutter of her left eye.

"He was actually going to pay it. Originally."

The air vanished from my lungs. "You took it? For your allowance?"

"Oh, no, no." She waved dismissively. "He's loaded. Giving me five hundred thousand still left him with plenty more where that came from."

"Then why didn't he give it to his wife's mother?"

"Because..."

Roberta propped her chin on her hand, a cat savoring cream.

"I told himonce her mother was dead, that woman would have no family left. No one. And if he ever got caught keeping me on the side?" She smiled. "She wouldn't dare make a fuss. What's she going to do? She'd have nowhere to go."

My teeth ground together so hard I thought they'd shatter.

"Oh, and that month, I'd had my eye on a new Chanel piece. Five hundred thousand, coincidentally."

I stared at her, unblinking.

"Aren't you afraid his wife will find out what you did?"

"Please." Roberta laughed, light and careless. "I'm smarter than that."

She leaned back, satisfaction radiating from every pore.

"I'm the one who came up with the plan. Told him to hand over three hundred and fifty thousand and pretend it was everything he had. His wife would think her husband gave his all for her." Her lips curled. "She'd be so grateful, so guilty about not coming up with the rest herselfshe'd never think to check if he had someone else on the side."

Her expression shifted again as she continued.

"The annoying part? His reason for finally deciding to do it was to make sure that if I ever got exposed, his precious old hag wouldn't leave him."

She let out a derisive snort. "Tch. That old hag sure is lucky."

Slap!

My palm connected with Roberta's face before she could react.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she shrieked.

Her drink went flying, spilling everywhere. A flight attendant rushed over to help clean up the mess.

Roberta was seething. "Are you insane?!"

"Being a homewrecker and still acting this arrogant?" I shot back, my voice shaking with fury.

The flight attendant quickly stepped between us, pulling us apart. She guided Roberta to an empty seat farther away from me, speaking to her in soothing tones until her temper finally cooled.

Roberta dabbed at her hands with the towel the attendant had given her, then cast me a contemptuous glance.

"God, I can't stand self-righteous women like you. 'Homewrecker' this, 'homewrecker' thatlet's be honest here."

Her lips curled into a sneer. "You're just bitter because you're too old to attract men anymore. Back when you were young? I bet you chased after them harder than anyone."

"You!"

The flight attendant grabbed my arm before I could lunge.

I didn't want to make their jobs harder. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself back into my seat.

Roberta looked me up and down with undisguised disdain.

"Let me give you some real talk. You're not young anymore. Your husband definitely has someone on the side." She tilted her head, feigning sympathy. "Go home and check his phone if you don't believe me. I mean, looking like that? No wonder he doesn't want to come home."

Splash!

The fresh drink the attendant had just brought me hit Roberta square in the face.

She screamed.

The flight attendants scrambled to get between us again.

Chief Purser Morgan approached with an apologetic smile plastered on her face. "Ms. Kaufman, this passenger is a VIP guest. Please, let's all calm down. How about I bring you some fruit? Help you relax?"

"VIP guest?" I bit out through clenched teeth.

The chief purser leaned in close, lowering her voice. "She's affiliated with Mr. Stephensthe CEO of that rising tech company. I'm telling you to keep your distance for your own good. He's very protective of her."

I laughed bitterly. Of course he was.

The plane landed at the transfer hub.

Neither Roberta nor I deplaned.

I switched my phone off airplane mode and texted Carl.

[Where are you?]

He sent back a photo of his office desk.

[Making money for my wife]

[For me? Or for someone else?]

No reply.

I sent a single question mark.

The next second, a familiar voice drifted over from Roberta's seat.

"Someone threw juice on you? Who dares treat my little Roberta like that?"

"Some old hag!" Roberta whined. "Hmph, this is all your fault! If you'd been here, she never would've had the guts!"

"Okay, okay... it's hubby's fault."

Ding.

[Alipay transfer received: $500,000]

The robotic notification chimed from Roberta's phone.

Carl's voice was warm, indulgent. "Go buy yourself something nice."

My fingers dug into the fabric of my sleeve.

The smile on Roberta's face vanished as quickly as it appeared. She pouted dramatically.

"Hmph! That won't work. You're the one who said you missed me, that you wanted to spend New Year's Eve together! Otherwise, I never would've gotten on this stupid plane and run into that crazy woman!"

Her voice pitched higher. "No amount of money can make me feel better now! Hmph!"

Carl didn't get angry. If anything, his tone grew lighter, amused.

"What about the new villa hubby bought you?"

Roberta's eyes widened slightly.

"There it is. My little Roberta's smiling now. Happy?"

"I am not!" She puffed out her cheeks again. "But... hmph, fine. I'll give you a chance. Only because I love you."

"Good girl. Hubby will make it up to you properly tonight, okay?"

"Three hours. Not one second less!"

"You can have the whole night."

My hands, hidden beneath my sleeves, trembled harder as I clutched the fabric of my clothes.

I thought back to all the times since he'd been transferred to Coastal South. Every visit, we never went beyond holding each other, a few kisses.

Every time I tried to initiate something more, he'd sigh.

"Work's been brutal. I'm exhausted. Can we wait until I've recovered a bit?"

But he always left before he ever "recovered."

The plane was preparing for takeoff again.

Roberta blew a kiss at her camera and ended the video call.

That's when Carl's message came through:

[Babe, you really don't trust me anymore? Is this because I'm working through the holidays instead of being with you? Are you upset?]

[I'll make it up to you when I'm back. I'll take you to that hot pot place you love, okay?]

The plane began its ascent. A flight attendant approached Roberta's new seat, carrying a black gift box with gold lettering.

"Ms. Delgado, a gentleman asked us to deliver this to you."

"Oh my God! A Prada necklace!" Roberta gasped. "How did he know I've been eyeing this one?"

The attendant smiled and handed over a card.

"Mr. Stephens also asked us to relay a message: He hopes Ms. Delgado won't let anyone's noise disturb her. Be bold. Be yourself. Treat every obstacle as if it doesn't exist."

She paused, her smile widening.

"Because Mr. Stephens will always stand behind you. He loves you. Always."

I stared at the message Carl had sent me.

I closed my eyes.

"Ms. Kaufman." Chief Purser Morgan appeared at my side, holding out a small velvet pouch. "This diamond is from Mr. Stephens. For you."

I frowned. "For me?"

She nodded.

"Mr. Stephens is aware there was some... unpleasantness between you and Ms. Delgado. He mentioned that Ms. Delgado has been under a lot of stress latelydoctor's orders not to get upset."

Her smile was practiced, diplomatic.

"So, Ms. Kaufman, perhaps you could apologize to Ms. Delgado? A sincere apology."

I looked at the diamond in her palm. A laugh escaped mebitter, hollow.

"Just an apology? Isn't this a bit much?"

"Oh, you needn't worry about that." She chuckled. "Mr. Stephens earns several of these a day."

A six-figure diamond.

He could earn several a day?

I turned the stone over in my fingers, watching it catch the light.

Then I laughed.

So a stranger got more from him than I ever did.

I nodded slowly. "Fine. I'll apologize."

"Ms. Delgado!" Chief Morgan's voice brightened. "Mr. Stephens has sent her to apologize!"

I gave a slight bow. "I shouldn't have put my hands on you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Ms. Delgado."

"Sure." Roberta rose from her seat, a smile curling her lips. "Let me slap you twice, and we're even."

Chief Morgan's laugh was nervous, placating. "Ms. Delgado, she is older than you. Perhaps you could be the bigger person here"

"So what if she's older?" Roberta's smile turned cruel. "Look at that face. Slapped or not, no man's going to want it. I give her two slaps, she walks away with a diamond. She should be thanking me."

Flight Attendant Harper tugged gently at my sleeve.

"Ma'am," she whispered, "maybe just let her. Two slaps and this is over. She has Mr. Stephens behind her."

"She's right, Ms. Kaufman." Chief Morgan leaned in. "A six-figure diamond. You're not exactly losing here."

Six figures.

Right.

It would take me eight, maybe ten years of scraping by to save that much.

This tiny stone in my hand could buy a decade of my life.

I turned it over one more time.

Then I let it drop.

Clatter.

It hit Roberta's tray table, rolled, and fell to the floor.

"I don't want it."

SLAP.

The blow came without warning, snapping my head to the side.

Roberta didn't even blink. "I offer you a gift and you refuse?"

That slap carried every ounce of her strength.

I staggered back two steps.

A flight attendant caught me before I fell.

"Ms. Kaufman, pleaseMs. Delgado has always been like this."

"We'll find your diamond, I promise."

Crack.

My palm connected with Roberta's face so hard it knocked her back into her seat.

"Youyou hit me!"

"Damn right I did."

I lunged forward again.

The attendants scrambled between us, pulling us apart.

For the rest of the flight, the crew watched us like hawksterrified we'd go at each other again.

The moment we landed, Roberta bolted off the plane, eyes red and streaming.

I watched her storm through the gate.

And throw herself into a man's arms.

The handprint still blazing on her cheek.

"What happened to"

Carl's expression shifted to something I recognized. Panic. Urgency.

More than he'd shown the day I lost our baby.

"She hit you again?"

"It's all your fault! That stupid diamond you gave her just made her more arrogant! No one has ever hit me like this..." Roberta dissolved into theatrical sobs.

She knew how to cry.

The kind of crying no man could resist.

"Where is she? I'll deal with this."

"Right here."

I stepped through the gate.

Carl's whole body went rigid.

I lifted my chin, letting my face emerge from beneath my cap.

"Hello, Mr. Stephens."