PART 3: THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTO
I sat motionless in front of the screen for a long time.
I used to think the most painful kind of betrayal was seeing the person you loved with someone else.
But I was wrong.
The most painful thing…
was realizing that the person you trusted the most had secretly created a plan to destroy your life.
I continued opening every file inside the folder named “Manhattan Plan.”
The words appearing on the screen made my blood run cold.
“Phase 1: Make her believe the marriage is still normal.”
“Phase 2: Transfer the assets under another name before the divorce.”
“Phase 3: Make sure she leaves with nothing.”
I covered my mouth to stop myself from crying.
He wasn’t just betraying my love.
He had planned to erase me from the very life I helped build.
But then I saw a name.
A name that made me freeze.
Sophie.
I knew that name.
Sophie had been my best friend for years.
The woman who sat beside me whenever I cried about the struggles in my marriage.
The woman who once hugged me and said:
“You deserve a husband who truly loves you.”
I let out a bitter laugh.
The person who comforted me…
was the same person helping him betray me.
I opened the final photo in the folder.
It was a picture taken at a luxurious restaurant in Manhattan.
My husband was sitting beside Sophie.
But what shocked me even more…
was the person sitting across from them.
My mother-in-law.
I zoomed in on the photo.
The three of them were holding wine glasses and smiling.
As if they were celebrating a victory.
A victory where the victim was me.
At that exact moment, my phone vibrated.
A message from my husband.
“I’ll be home soon. I miss you so much. Thank you for always waiting for me.”
I stared at those words.
In the past, I probably would have cried tears of happiness.
But today…
I only felt pity.
He still thought I was the same innocent wife who would always believe him.
He had no idea that I knew everything.
I replied with only one sentence:
“I miss you too. I have a special surprise waiting for you when you come home.”
He replied immediately.
“I can’t wait to see you.”
I placed the phone down.
And for the first time in years…
I smiled.
Because the surprise I had prepared for him…
was not a welcome-home dinner.
It was the truth he would never be able to escape.
But I didn’t know yet…
while I was preparing to expose them…
Sophie had discovered something.
She knew I had opened the tablet.
And she was already planning a way to silence me before my husband returned.
