Blamed Me for His Debt

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My wife Moore's brother racked up fifty million in online gambling debts, but he left my contact information.

By the time the debt ballooned to a hundred million with interest, vicious debt collectors finally showed up at my door.

After I convinced them to leave, my wife and mother-in-law finally crept out of the bedroom, trembling.

My wife's face had gone pale.

"Let's get divorced. I'd rather leave with nothing. Your debts are your owndon't even think about dragging me down."

I tried to explain that her brother owed the money, but she refused to believe me.

My mother-in-law Ruth slapped me across the face.

"How dare you slander my son just to trick my daughter into paying your debts! Let's divorce now!"

"Might as well tell you the truthMoore is pregnant. With your best friend's child."

Actually, I could pay off this debt. But since you want a divorce, you can deal with this massive debt yourselves.

My voice came out hoarse as I asked Moore:

"You... you're pregnant with Howard's child? When did this happen?"

Moore turned away, her voice dripping with contempt. "Alex, so what if I am? What business is it of yours?"

"Don't even think about trying to keep me! I don't want a useless husband who only knows how to rack up debts and won't own up to them."

I stood frozen, unable to speak.

Seeing me stunned, Ruth kicked me. "Did you hear that? Tomorrow, City Hall. Divorce!"

She turned with a sneaky smile to Moore. "Good thing you took birth control every time you were intimate with this loser."

"Otherwise he'd use a baby to blackmail you into paying his debts! We were planning to have him raise the child, but now that's clearly unnecessary."

I couldn't believe my ears. "So every time... you took pills beforehand?"

Three years of marriage, and Moore's stomach had never shown any signs.

Ruth had repeatedly called me a useless waste who couldn't produce children in front of relatives and friends, even forcing me to go to the hospital for tests.

The results showed nothing wrong with me, and the matter eventually faded away.

Turns out she'd been taking birth control all along. She'd even planned to make me raise another man's child.

Moore snorted coldly. "Did you forget how your family treated me? I never liked that whole wedding money situation!"

Ruth spat. "That pathetic wedding money back thenI didn't even want Moore to marry you."

My mind flashed back to the wedding three years ago.

We'd agreed on a hundred thousand in wedding money.

But on the wedding day, they demanded an additional hundred thousand.

I thought it was excessive, but Moore cried in the wedding car, saying her mother only had one daughter and it hadn't been easy.

I gritted my teeth and paid.

Then when we arrived at the house, Ruth said the door-opening gift couldn't be lessanother hundred thousand.

I didn't want to pay anymore. This was obviously just a money grab.

In the end, my dad made the call, saying weddings were happy occasions and we shouldn't let this ruin things. He paid the money.

Thankfully, my dad saw through their true nature and hid the fact that we were worth hundreds of millions.

Dad even arranged the wedding at our old house from before we made it big. They finally stopped after getting three hundred thousand total.

Ruth didn't give Moore a single cent in dowry, saying our family "wasn't worthy of matching contributions."

I only found out later that Ruth had given all that three hundred thousand to her son Bob to squander.

My dad specifically reminded me at the time to keep hiding our wealth, saying "time reveals a person's heart."

Now it seemed he was absolutely right.

I took a deep breath and pulled out my phone to call Bob. "Fine, we can divorce. But I'm not taking responsibility for Bob's debts. I'm calling him right now to make this clear."

I called several times, but Bob didn't pick up.

Moore slapped my phone out of my hand, screaming, "You know Bob is traveling abroad and can't answer calls, so you dare slander him!"

Ruth kicked my phone far away. "Your own debtyou want us to pay it? If you don't take responsibility, who will?"

Just then, the front door slammed open with a bang.

Howard stormed in, his face full of rage. "Alex, you're absolutely despicable! A hundred million in debt!"

Moore threw herself into his arms. "Howard, he even dares to claim Bob borrowed it."

Howard kissed the top of Moore's head. "Why don't you come stay at my place? Otherwise what if the debt collectors come back and scare you and my son?"

Seeing my stunned expression, Howard sneered. "What's the big deal? Did you think you knew where Moore went every time you traveled for work?"

"She came to my place! She's slept in my bed more times than in yours!"

After calling me despicable, he took Moore's hand, and the three of them left my house without looking back.

What shocked me wasn't just Moore's betrayal, but Howard's too.

Howard and I were college classmates. A few years ago when he lost his job and asked to borrow money, I lent him a hundred thousand without hesitation.

Later when he couldn't find work, I recommended him to a company where he slowly worked his way up to executive, earning five million a year.

But I never told him that company belonged to my dad.

I never imagined this friend would sleep with my wife.

Lost in these memories, I received a call from a subordinate. "Alex, get back to the company quickly!"

I didn't know what was wrong, but I rushed back to the office.

Moore had brought Howard and Ruth, and they were making a huge scene at my company.

Moore was at the legal department processing paperwork. "Starting today, I'm no longer a shareholder of this trash company. I'm withdrawing!"

Howard grabbed the withdrawal contract. "Right, hurry up and withdraw, then divorce. That hundred million debt will have nothing to do with us."

Ruth ran to my company's clients shouting, "This company's owner has terrible character! Everyone should choose a different company. Leave, leave!"

Company clients stood up one by one, gathering their things to leave.

Ruth wasn't satisfied yet. She continued shouting at employee workstations. "Everyone protect your valuables! Your scumbag boss owes a hundred million and might steal anything valuable and run at any moment. He won't even pay wages!"

Seeing me walk in, my coworkers immediately secured their valuables, whispering among themselves.

"So the boss owes a hundred million! He's abandoning his own wifehe might really run off with the money!"

"I never would've guessed he was such a lowlife. Now there's a scene, let's see what he does!"

"Even his former friend is righteously denouncing himit must be true. We should probably all start looking for new jobs."

I rushed in. "What gives you the right to spread lies? I can sue you for any damages to the company!"

Howard put on a righteous act, shielding Moore. "You owe a full hundred millionthat's a fact!"

The employees outside grew louder with their gossip about me.

Just then, my mom walked in, asking in disbelief, "How is that possible? Alex, didn't you just give me jewelry from an auction two days ago?"

I'd forgottenwe were supposed to have dinner at a restaurant together after work today.

Moore laughed mockingly. "What auction? Your son bought that with loan shark money!"

"Enjoy it now, you'll be crying later!"

"Thank goodness the baby in my belly isn't from your family, or it would be cursed too!"

"What?!" My mom's face filled with shock. She grabbed Moore as she tried to leave. "What did you say?!"

Moore disgustedly shook off her hand. "Are you deaf? I said the baby in my belly isn't from your family!"

My mom already had high blood pressure. Moore's push made her stumble backward.

She clutched her heart and collapsed to the floor.

I rushed forward, supporting my mom. "Mom! What's wrong?"

Moore spat. "Always acting. Planning to fake illness and extort money from us? Let's get out of here, this is so unlucky!"

She finished speaking and hurried out with Ruth and Howard.

My mom's face was pale. She couldn't say a word before slowly losing consciousness.

I couldn't worry about anything else. I picked up my mom and ran to the hospital.

In the emergency room, the doctor examined my mom. "She has high blood pressure. Emotional stress caused her blood pressure to spike. She needs to be hospitalized for observation."

I walked out of the hospital room and called my dad, who was on a business trip abroad.

"Hello, Alex?" My dad's voice came through.

I explained everything that had happened.

The phone went silent for a few seconds. Dad said, "I'll book a flight back immediately. They'll regret this."

"Take good care of your mom. Leave everything else to me." Dad paused. "I'll also deal with Howard and Moore's family."

After hanging up, I sat by the hospital bed and canceled the authorization on the credit card I'd given Moore.

That credit card was for Moore to buy groceries. I'd told her she could spend ten thousand a month.

She only knew I paid off the balance each month, but didn't know the card's actual credit limit was a hundred million.

My phone suddenly buzzed. Howard had sent several Twitter messages.

First was an intimate photo of him with Moore.

Then several voice messages: "Really sorry, but you owe too much. I can't help you. But I suggest you could work as a male escort to pay off the debt."

"Being a male escort would even let you practice your skills. Moore said you're no good in bed, so she came to me."

I laughed without anger. "I treated you pretty well, didn't I? This is how you repay me?"

Howard laughed heartily. "At first I thought you really were some rich kid, that's why I became your friend!"

"If I'd known you were the type to borrow from loan sharks, I wouldn't have given you the time of day."

I stopped responding and blocked him on Twitter.

The next morning, I went home planning to pack some things before returning to the hospital to stay with my mom.

As soon as I opened the door, Moore, Ruth, and Howard were standing in the living room again.

Moore slapped me. "You have some nerve coming back. Didn't we agree to meet at City Hall today? How dare you not show up!"

Ruth also kicked me. "Just as I predictedhe doesn't want to divorce because he wants us to help pay the hundred million!"

I pushed them away, gritting my teeth. "My mom was hurt by you and is hospitalized, and you're still worried about the divorce?"

Moore sneered. "It's your mom who's sick, not mine. What's it got to do with me?"

Howard threw a divorce agreement in front of me. "I've already written up the agreement. Just sign your name!"

Moore found a pen and threw it at me. "I already asked a lawyer. As long as I leave with nothing and don't get a cent, naturally I won't have to bear a cent of your debts!"

"Hurry up and sign. Don't delay my wedding with Howard!"

I found it laughable and signed the agreement right away.

To escape debt, she was willing to leave with nothingso naturally she'd never get a share of my family's hundreds of millions in assets.

Then Howard came up to drag me away. "Let's go to City Hall and finalize the divorce! Nothing is more urgent than this!"

I shook off Howard. "My mom has surgery today. I don't have time."

Ruth kicked me. "Cut the crap! Even if your mom kicks the bucket today, you're signing the divorce first!"

They forcibly dragged me out the door, pulling and tugging all the way to City Hall.

The whole way, Ruth kept loudly running her mouth, slandering me about owing a hundred million.

People around us were watching the spectacle.

"This guy apparently owes loan sharks. His wife's divorcing him."

"I heard he even tried to frame his wife's brother for the debt to avoid paying!"

"So shameless. No wonder his wife and mother-in-law are doing this. If it were me, I'd kick him to the curb too."

The clerk adjusted their glasses. "Have you agreed on all the terms in the divorce agreement?"

Moore nodded and handed over the agreement. "Yes, I'm leaving with nothing."

I had no objections and went through the process.

Walking out of the office, Moore finally smiled. "I'm finally free! I love you, Howard!"

"As soon as the divorce cooling-off period ends, we're getting married!"

She threw herself into Howard's arms and kissed him in public. "Thank goodness I met you and could start over, or this loser would've ruined my whole life."

Ruth was even more arrogant, shoving me. "Get lost! My daughter is pregnant with Howard's child now."

"From now on she'll live the good life and never have to look at your poor face again!"

I couldn't be bothered with them and turned to leave.

Howard squeezed Moore's waist, then made a phone call. "Sky Grand Hotel, book me a table for seven tonight to celebrate."

"I want the highest tier menu, and reserve two bottles of 1982 Lafite for me."

He deliberately raised his voice so I could hear every word clearly.

After hanging up, Howard said with a smile, "Alex, we're going to celebrate tonight. Want to join us?"

I took a deep breath, turned around and said coldly, "Screw off!"

Moore giggled. "Howard, stop teasing the idiot. He owes a hundred million now. How would he dare walk around outside?"

"Someone might come to collect the debt any moment, and he'll end up dead in the street."

Ruth spat. "Serves him right! That's karma!"

Just then, a crowd suddenly surged behind us.

Leading them was a bald, muscular man, followed by seven or eight tattooed tough guys.

The bald man stripped off his shirt and roared, "Debts must be repaid!"

Moore and Howard jumped at the sudden shout.

Seeing they were debt collectors, Ruth quickly pulled out the divorce agreement:

"He's already divorced my daughter. Kill him or do whatever you wantit has nothing to do with us."