All Chapters of Receipt for a 50-50 Marriage: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

I didn’t hesitate. I sent Desmond Connerty the money—exactly 57 dollars, not a penny more, not a penny less.The second he got it, he fired back an “I love you” sticker.Without changing my expression, I tucked my phone into my pocket and rested my head against the bus window.Outside, the streets were bright and crowded with people going about their lives.But inside, I just felt colder and colder.By the time night fell, I finally made it home—exhausted, hungry, and frozen from the ride.The moment I opened the door, the warm, rich smell of food hit me.In the dining room, Desmond and his cousin Janet Connerty were eating steak off my gold-trimmed dinner plates and drinking my treasured bottle of Lafite.The second Janet saw me, she quickly grabbed a plate of burnt stir-fried vegetables and said sweetly,“Amy, come try the dish I made for you! I know you can’t handle greasy food while you’re pregnant, so I made you something light.”Desmond immediately chimed in, all gentle

Chapter 2

Right after we got married, Desmond proposed that we have a fifty-fifty marriage, where we went Dutch for all expenses.At the time, I actually thought he was trying to make things easier on me—like he didn't want me bearing the full financial burden.But little by little, I started noticing how he'd constantly sweet-talk me into paying for everything."Honey, the house and the car are both in your name. I don't want people thinking I'm after your assets, so I'm afraid you'll have to cover those yourself."I know we're supposed to split everything evenly, but I really feel bad for you. How about we go half on the renovation costs and gas?"He was always playing the victim while borrowing money from me—for his mother's surgery, for Janet's tuition, for their living expenses…But not once did he ever pay me back.What was I supposed to think? That marrying him was my personal contribution to poverty relief for his whole family?I was so angry I couldn't sleep the entire night.E

Chapter 3

When I opened my eyes again, my daughter was sleeping peacefully in the bassinet next to my bed.Desmond crept quietly into the room."Babe, I was wrong. Can you forgive me?"Then he grabbed my hand."Look, you gave us such a beautiful little girl! How about I treat you to a real Hermès bag?"Even now, he was still trying to manipulate me.I coldly pulled my hand away."Desmond, I want a divorce."But he refused to let it go."You want a divorce over something this small? We have a daughter now! What about her?"His voice got louder and woke the sleeping baby.Hearing the commotion, a nurse hurried in and picked up my crying daughter."No shouting in the recovery room. The baby needs to go for her checkup now."Desmond shifted uncomfortably next to my bed."Amy, you're really divorcing me over such a little thing?"I replied slowly, emphasizing every word. "A debt must be paid. That's just basic decency."He immediately exploded like someone who'd been caught red-handed

Chapter 4

I looked at Desmond's cold, emotionless face and said slowly, word by word, "Desmond, do you have any right to the trust fund my parents left for me?"He hesitated for a second, then answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world."Of course I do. We're married."I forced myself to stay calm."But we keep things strictly fifty-fifty, remember? Since you've taken from me, shouldn't you pay me back too?"I pulled out my phone and played a recording from our home security cameras.In the video, Desmond and Janet were openly discussing how to drain me dry."Desmond, you're so smart. Using Amy's money to buy me real bags while giving her fakes. But what if she finds out?""Ha, that idiot? There's no way she'll notice. She believes all my lies. Just look at those IOUs.""True. She actually believed we weren't the ones who took them. So when are you going to make her transfer the house and company shares to you?""Any time now. Her parents are dead, and she already has my

Chapter 5

After they left, I completely gut-renovated the house.Every single thing they owned got thrown out—no exceptions.I also changed every lock in the house and installed security cameras to make sure they couldn't sneak back in.Over the next two days, Desmond had no money left for food or drinks. He had to sell the belt off his waist and the phone in his pocket just to survive.But I wasn't about to let things go the way he wanted.On my orders, every merchant he tried to deal with charged him outrageous prices whenever he asked for credit or a payment plan.He had nowhere left to turn. He called and texted me over and over—first cursing me, then begging—but I ignored every single one.In the end, he actually tried to take our daughter to use her as leverage against me. Luckily, I caught on in time.He was locked up for fifteen days.While he was inside, Janet came to see me once.Her eyes were red, her face a mask of misery."Amy, are you happy now that you've destroyed him?

Chapter 6

After the trip ended, Xavier handed me a USB drive. Inside were all the beautiful moments from our journey—just the three of us.Through his lens, I was no longer just a wife, no longer just a mother. I was just me—Amy.He asked me softly, "Would you ever consider adopting a stray dog?"I didn't say anything. I just reached out, gently ruffled his hair, and pulled him into a hug.When I got home, I received an anonymous text message.It contained only one image.It was the beneficiary list for my mother's charity foundation. And on it, two names stood out unmistakably—Janet and Desmond.My blood ran cold.This was my mother's life's work—a foundation she had built to help girls from poor mountain villages escape poverty and change their futures.I never thought they would sink so low as to exploit even that.I immediately called the foundation's director."Colby, can you check something for me? Are Janet and Desmond on my mother's scholarship list?"It didn't take long for

Chapter 7

The internet erupted in a flood of curses and insults. Desmond and Janet had nowhere to hide. Even when they walked down the street, people would point at their backs and whisper, condemning them without mercy.To make things worse, Professor Stoner's wife filed a criminal complaint against Janet for extortion.With the evidence stacked sky-high against her, Janet had no defense. She was arrested and sent to prison.Less than two days after she got inside, she had a miscarriage.Janet lost her mind.But Desmond was even worse off.He had lost his money, his job, his precious Janet, and was now buried under a mountain of debt.Completely broken, Desmond started desperately searching for me, swearing he would take me down with him.When he couldn't find me, he went to my office building and started livestreaming, trying to block my way in."Amy is a wicked woman! She abandoned her husband and her own child!"He wanted to destroy me online?Dream on.Before I even had to show

Chapter 8

After I got Xavier settled in, I opened the camera.Inside was a video shot from inside a car—except it had been recorded from someone hiding in the bushes outside.In the footage, Desmond handed a thick stack of cash to the man in the driver's seat."This is the other half. The smear campaign against Amy worked perfectly."The man let out a low laugh."What's a little character assassination? It's what we do best. This time, she won't be able to act so high and mighty anymore."Desmond smiled, satisfied."That bitch humiliated me back then. Now she's finally getting what she deserves."Listening to their vile laughter, I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth might crack.After handing the evidence over to my lawyer, the case was quickly filed and officially investigated.This time, he was done for.The trial came soon after. I sat in the gallery that day.Desmond had shaved his head and was wearing a prison jumpsuit, his back hunched and broken.But the moment he saw

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