MY OBSSESSED EX-HUSBAND

CHAPTER ONE.

Shattered Trust

POV: Cynthia

The test results felt warm in my hand, the corners slightly crinkling from my grip. I traced my fingers over the envelope before slipping it into my pocket, feeling its weight press close to me. Just imagining Nathan's reaction made my pulse quicken. I steadied my breath, holding back a smile, and stepped inside, closing the door gently behind me as if not to disturb the perfect stillness of the moment.

The quiet hummed through the house, too still, almost hushed. I moved toward the stairs, each step feeling lighter than the last. Just then I heard the soft moan echoing through the house and my footsteps slowed, heartbeat picking up as I strained to listen.

Another soft whisper and my feet halted, the voice felt so familiar, too familiar. And there it registered in my head, no it can be her? I was just panicking. I gulped hard slowly heading upstairs, mentally trying to convince myself how wrong I was and hoped I was right.

With each step closer, the moaning sound got louder and louder, drawing closer. I froze staring at my bedroom door, the noise was coming out right from there. I was expecting anything much for him, but he could have at least respected our matrimonial room.

My hand hovered over the handle, bracing myself up for anything, I pushed it open, and everything froze.

Sheets tangled and bare skin intertwined, I watched as Nathan slammed into my own bestie, harshly, with her moaning out his name like crazy.

My stomach plummeted, a hollow ache spreading through my chest. My breath hitched, and a gasp slipped past my lips, sharp and wounded, as if the air itself were being stolen from me and then I found tears rolling down my cheek.

Stephanie's gaze met mine, her cheeks flushed, her lips parted, searching for words that wouldn't come. Nathan's expression was colder, a sliver of lack of guilt, joy, triumph gleaming in his eyes as he pulled himself upright, saying nothing.

My hand fell from the door, and I stumbled back, the world shifting around me in waves of disbelief. A shiver crawled up my spine, my skin suddenly cold, too tight. I turned and bolted down the stairs, my feet barely touching the ground as I pushed through the front door, gasping for air that tasted sharp and bitter. I could still feel their eyes on me, as if the scene was burned into my mind.

I stop right at the car I just parked, clutching at the car door, my fingers trembling, the liquid in my ears, pouring down heavily causing me to whimper continuously while stifling my cries.

Faces, moments, whispered rumors, advice, I was warned but I chose not to doubt my husband nor my bestie and they both went behind my back, making a fool outta me.

I only said I'd be gone for 10 hours and they were already clinging in behind my back. Goddammit!

I pushed the door open, sinking into the driver's seat, gripping the wheel with knuckles turned white, feeling my heart beat out its betrayal in rapid, uneven beats.

My fingers found the ignition, driving out of the god forsaken place I called home and I started the car, barely aware of the streets blurring past, my vision foggy, tears spilling as the broken fragments of my trust pierced themselves together into something harder, sharper. My gaze drifted to the window, my mind swirling back to moments I'd once held close.

I could see him again-Nathan-as clear as the night I first noticed him at my school prom. He was leaning casually against a pillar, his dark eyes catching mine from across the room, drawing me in as if I were the only one there. Back then, I hadn't known what finding my father would truly mean, nor did I understand the staggering wealth and status that came with his name.

A few hours before prom, I was just another orphan, nearing the age limit to remain at the orphanage. They were preparing to send me out, claiming I was "old enough to fend for myself." The words stung, but there wasn't much I could do. I had no family, no support-just the cold certainty of the unknown waiting for me outside those orphanage walls.

And then, in the most unexpected twist, he appeared. A man claiming to be my father, rescuing me from being handed over to the authorities. I was stunned as he held me tightly, insisting I was his long-lost daughter. My stepmother, he explained, had kidnapped me as a baby, fleeing with me until a fatal accident had taken her life. Everyone believed I had died with her. But there was one undeniable clue he held onto: the birthmark on my shoulder, the same mark he'd seen in countless childhood photos. He showed me these pictures, photos of my mother and me, a life I never knew. In a whirlwind, he even arranged a dress for prom, something beautiful and extravagant that made me feel, for the first time, like I belonged somewhere.

But even with all that, I hesitated. I needed time to let this reality sink in. So, that night, as I walked into prom, I was lost in my thoughts-sober and overwhelmed by the cascade of revelations.

And then, there was Nathan.

When our eyes met, he didn't see the heiress, the girl with sudden wealth or a confusing past. No, he looked at me as though I was simply... me. Just a girl standing in front of him. His gaze was gentle, yet intense, filling me with a thrill I hadn't felt before. I let myself fall-hard. And within two short years, I became Mrs. Nathan Harrington, tied to him and to the life I believed we'd build together.

But fairy tales don't last forever.

With each bit of success Nathan achieved, I watched as his warm smile began to fade. Determined to be more than my wealth, I kept my inheritance hidden, never wanting him to feel like he was dependent on my money. Instead, I worked quietly behind the scenes, connecting him with people who could help him, opening doors he didn't even know existed. I thought I was doing the right thing.

Yet, with each step up the ladder, something in him grew colder. His eyes, once soft, turned hard and distant. His words that used to lift me up now came edged with bitterness, cutting into me with a sharpness I hadn't thought possible. The man I had loved was transforming into someone I barely recognized. The occasional criticism turned into jeering. The teasing became taunting, aimed to belittle, to make me feel smaller than I ever thought I could.

And then, the bruises began-not just on my skin, but deep within, in places no one else could see. His touch, once gentle, now left marks, each one a reminder of the love I had lost, the man he had become. It wasn't just my body that he wounded; he clawed into my spirit, tearing away pieces of me until I was a shell of the girl I used to be.

Today, though, was the final straw.

I was done hiding, done hurting, done letting him chip away at the person I once was. My tears had dried, replaced by a steely resolve. It was time he faced the consequences of the damage he had inflicted.

I was going to do what needed to be done.

He would pay.

I pulled the car into the parking lot, and immediately headed to his office, my real bestie's office, Mr. Anthony Johnson.

I wiped my face, gathered my breath, and stepped into his and walked into Anthony's office, feeling the weight of every step like a hammer driving home the truth of what I'd just seen. My best friend, my confidant, and my lawyer, Anthony, looked up from his desk, his familiar face already tinged with worry as he took in my expression.

"Cynthia," he murmured, his brow furrowing. "What happened?"

I took a breath, feeling the tremor in my hands as I tried to find the words. "Nathan...and my besti...Stephanie...they were in our bed."I stuttered, correcting the bestie part, Stephanie wasn't worth being one.

For a moment, his face softened with sympathy, but the glint in his eyes turned sharp with something like fury. He had warned me, countless times, that Nathan wasn't what he seemed. And now, standing in front of Anthony, I felt the weight of every ignored caution settle on my shoulders.

Anthony's voice broke through the silence, calm and unwavering. "Now you've finally seen the truth for yourself, are you taking the right turn...i wouldn't force you I promise."

His words felt like a lifeline, something concrete in a world that suddenly felt unreal. I nodded, almost on autopilot. "Do it. Prepare the divorce papers" The words choked out of my mouth with me making no effort to stop it.

"Are you sure you don't wanna reconsid..."

"I want it done immediately." I interrupted him, staring deeply into his gut.

Without another word, he reached for a stack of forms, filling in details-names, dates, legal terminology. The rustle of paper and the scratch of his pen felt like a strange kind of comfort, grounding me in each swift, deliberate stroke.

The final sheet slid across the desk to me, along with a pen. Anthony's gaze held mine. "Are you ready?"

My fingers closed around the pen, my hand steady. This was my decision, the end of years of deception. With a resolute calm, I pressed the pen to the paper, feeling each letter of my name flow out like the release of years of restraint.

"I'm sure," I whispered, my voice surprisingly steady. "I'm done being his puppet."

Anthony's eyes held a quiet approval. "It's about time."

I took the papers, folding them carefully and tucking them into my bag. The weight of them felt strangely light now, as though I had shed something heavy along with my marriage. With a final nod to Anthony, I turned and left his office, my resolve hardening with every step.

____________

The sky had darkened by the time I returned home. I parked, gripping the divorce papers as though they were a shield against everything that lay beyond the front door.

Inside, the house was dim, quiet save for the murmur of the TV. Nathan sat sprawled in the living room, his attention on some mindless show. The sight of him, so casual, so oblivious, filled me with a slow, simmering anger.

He glanced up as I entered, his face twisting into irritation. "Where have you been?" The demand in his voice grated against my raw nerves.

I didn't answer. Instead, I walked forward, my footsteps soft but deliberate. His brows furrowed as I came closer, his expression shifting from annoyance to confusion. I dropped the divorce papers on the table between us.

"Sign them."

He stared, his face going slack with disbelief. "Divorce papers?" His voice was incredulous, as if he couldn't fathom the words I'd just spoken. "What the hell is this?"

"It's exactly what it looks like." My voice was calm, almost detached, as I held out a pen to him. "We're done, Nathan. Sign them."

For a moment, he just looked at me, his face contorted with anger. Then, a bitter smile twisted his lips. "You'll regret this, Cynthia. You've got nothing without me. You're poor, you have no life beyond this house. I guess you forgot that you are just a worthless and hopeless bitch who has nowhere to go, Where are you going to go?"

He thought I had cower at those harsh words. Nah, I was used to them now and most of all they meant nothing just like him. I met his gaze, the cold confidence I felt surprised even me. "The only regret I have is ever marrying you and the greatest joy I'd relief is divorcing you"

"Joy...divorcing me? Who the hell said you'd get any of that?" He chuckled.

I let out a sweet smile, tapping him slightly on the shoulder. "No one punker fish, I just know you'll. I mean you've got a reputation to protect, I don't and the media would enjoy speaking about you, the headline would read-One of the richest young married man arrested and sent to life imprisonment for harassing his wife- I don't think anyone who wants to partner with an ex convict after that and yes, anything could happen to your wealth within that period, I could take control of it or even sell it of..."

He snatched the pen from my hand, scrawling his name with an angry flourish, then tossed the pen across the table, his face hardening with fury. "Fine. Get out of my house. Now."

I could feel his eyes on me as I turned and headed upstairs. In the bedroom, I grabbed a suitcase, shoving in clothes and essentials, each item hitting the bottom with a finality that made my chest tighten. Once I was finished, I marched back downstairs, where Nathan stood by the door, sneering as he held my other suitcase, which contained my cosmetics- which was usually kept by the shelf, out like a final insult.

"Here's your stuff," he spat, shoving the bag toward me.

I took it, a faint smile curling my lips. "Thanks for packing."

With that, I scooped up the divorce papers, walked past him without a backward glance, and stepped into the night. The cold air stung my face, but it felt refreshing, cleansing. As I drove away, the headlights cutting through the darkness, a grin spread across my lips. Nathan had no idea who he had really been married to all these years.

______

The mansion rose before me as I parked outside, the sprawling estate illuminated under the glow of the lights. This place had been a part of my life long before Nathan, a world he knew nothing about. What he didn't know-what he'd never even suspected-was that I was the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in New York. Every contract Nathan had ever won had been because of me, every ounce of his success carefully orchestrated by someone he'd never truly known.

Stepping out of the car, I straightened my shoulders, feeling the weight of my new reality settle around me. I was done being his invisible benefactor. Now, I'd reclaim every favor, every deal, every ounce of power I'd lent him.

I stared at the mansion before me, a thrill coursed through me. Nathan's comfortable life was about to unravel, and I would be the one pulling each and every thread.