“Listen up! I’m loaded now, and it’s time we got a divorce,” declared the husband with a sneer. He had no clue what was coming his way.
“You dont even see how boring and ordinary youve become,” snapped James, his eyes glinting with contempt. “I dont need some plain JaneI deserve better!”
“You honestly think money changes who you are?” Emily shot back, her voice trembling as she fought back tears.
The warm glow of the evening sun filled the kitchen where Emily was making dinner. The aroma of shepherds pie and freshly baked scones wafted through the air.
James barged in, waving an envelope, his grin stretching from ear to ear.
“Em! Em! You wont believe this!” he shouted, still in his shoes. “Ive got an inheritance letter from some distant cousin! Were rich!”
Emily turned, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Thats lovely, Jamie,” she said calmly. “But who is this relative? Weve never heard of them.”
“Who cares?” James laughed, kissing her cheek. “Now we can have anything we want!”
Emily arched a brow but didnt get a word in as James launched into grand plans, gesturing wildly about luxury holidays and flashy cars.
Yet by the next morning, after a sleepless night dreaming of wealth, James was a different man.
He eyed Emily with disdain, barking orders and demanding constant attention. Every word out of his mouth was about his newfound fortune, as if hed won the lottery, not just an inheritance.
“You know, Em,” he said over breakfast, barely glancing at her, “now that Im rich, we should rethink this marriage.”
Emily stiffened, staring at him in disbelief.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice barely steady.
“Im on a whole new level now,” he said, taking a bite of toast.
“Other people? What are you on about, James?”
“Im rich,” he repeated, as if that explained everything. “And you youre just too dull.”
Emily was stunned. She rang her best matesSophie and Charlotteto meet at a café and poured out her heart.
“Girls, you wont believe this!” she blurted as they sat down. “James got some inheritance and now acts like Im beneath him!”
Sophie scoffed.
“Right, thats rich. Whos this mystery relative, then?”
Charlotte frowned, listening closely.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I dont know,” Emily sighed. “Hes turned into a right monster!”
Sophie shook her head.
“Em, you sure this isnt some mix-up? Maybe hes just lost the plot?”
“I dont know,” Emily repeated. “But this isnt the man I married.”
Charlotte frowned deeper, thinking hard.
The evening ended like that. Emily returned home to find James flipping through catalogues for posh sports cars. A knot of dread settled in her stomach, but the thought of her friends kept her strong.
Days passed, and James grew worse. Though he hadnt seen a penny yet, he swaggered about like a tycoon, treating Emily with utter contempt.
“Em, wheres my suit?” he barked one morning. “Ive got a big meeting today!”
Emily fetched it and hung it neatly on the door.
“James, can we talk?” she asked timidly.
“Not now,” he dismissed her. “I havent got time for this.”
Emilys eyes welled up. She didnt understand how the man she loved had turned into this cold stranger. She decided to confide in her friends again.
That evening, Emily met Sophie and Charlotte at their usual spot. They ordered tea and settled by the window.
“Girls, I cant take this anymore,” Emily began, fighting tears. “James treats me like dirt, saying he needs better people now.”
Sophie rolled her eyes.
“What a prat! Em, you need to put him in his place. He hasnt even got the cash yet!”
Charlotte squeezed her hand.
“Weve got your back. Itll be alright.”
Sophie shot her a look.
“Em, stay strong. We wont let him hurt you,” Charlotte said firmly.
“Thanks, girls. Id be lost without you,” Emily whispered.
Days dragged on, and James became unbearable. He belittled Emily, accusing her of only wanting his money.
“Em, you get it, dont you? Im a different man now,” James said one evening. “Youve always been so plain. Now I see youre just after my cash.”
Emily gaped at him, heartbroken.
“James, how can you say that? Ive stood by you for years!”
“Yeah, stood by me,” he sneered. “Now I know youre just a gold-digger.”
Emily felt her heart shatter. Shed tried to be patient, but his cruelty was too much.
“James, lets talk properly,” she said firmly.
“About what? How youre counting my money?” he snapped.
“No, about whatevers happened to you. I want to understand.”
James looked at her with disdain.
“You wouldnt get it. Youre too simple for my world now.”
That was the final straw.
The next day, Emily met her friends. Sophie and Charlotte exchanged uneasy glances.
“Em, weve got to come clean,” Sophie started.
Charlotte nodded.
“We meant it as a joke, but it got out of hand.”
Emilys stomach dropped.
“What are you saying?”
Sophie sighed.
“That inheritance letter? Its fake. We set it up to show you who James really is.”
Emily froze.
“You mean none of its real?”
Charlotte took her hand.
“Em, we did it because we saw how he treated you. We wanted you to see the truth. And he turned out worse than we thought.”
Emilys vision blurred with tears. She didnt know whether to be furious or relieved.
“How could you?” she whispered. “Did you think this would help?”
Sophie looked guilty.
“We wanted you to see the truth. We never thought hed go this far.”
Emily was silent for a long moment.
“I dont know why you did this. But it was cruel. Now I know James isnt who I thought. And neither are you.”
When James got home, Emily was waiting in the lounge, her expression steely.
“James, sit down. We need to talk.”
He groaned.
“Not this again.”
Emily took a deep breath.
“I know about the letter. Its fake. My friends did it to show me who you really are.”
James went pale.
“What? Fake? Youre joking!”
“No, James. You acted like you were rich. You became vile. You thought money made you superior.”
James leapt up, face red with rage.
“This is ridiculous! You believe them over me? Theyre just jealous!”
Emily stood, staring him down.
“No, James. They showed me the truth. You dont deserve me. You showed your true colours when you thought you had money.”
James stormed off, packing his things. As the door slammed, Emily felt both agony and relief.
Sophie and Charlotte arrived soon after. They found Emily on the sofa, shaken but resolute.
“Em, how are you?” Sophie asked softly.
“Its hard,” Emily admitted. “But it was the right thing.”
Charlotte hesitated.
“Em, we told you about the fake letter, but theres more.”
Emily looked up, wary.
“What?”
Sophie took a breath.
“Three weeks ago, a solicitor from London reached out to me. Hed been trying to contact youyour socials are all locked. He left his number, saying its about a real inheritance.”
Emilys jaw dropped.
“Wait a real inheritance?”
Charlotte nodded.
“We tested James before telling you. We had to be sure he wouldnt hurt you if you came into money.”
Emily sat in stunned silence.
“So you did this for me?”
Sophie nodded.
“Yes, Em. We had to know who he really was.”
Emily burst into tearsthis time in gratitude.
“Thank you, girls. I dont know what Id do without you.”
Charlotte hugged her tight.
“Call the solicitor. Find out the details.”
Emily dialled the number. Moments later, her face lit up.
“Its real. Ive inherited a fortune from a distant relative.”
Sophie and Charlotte cheered.
“Em, youre rich!” Sophie laughed.
“And free of James,” said Charlotte.
Emily smiled through tears. A new life awaited herone without lies or cruelty.
Sophie popped open a bottle of champagne.
“To a fresh start!” she toasted.
“To true friends,” Charlotte added.
Emily raised her glass, heart full.
“To you both. Thank you.”
They clinked glasses, laughing and hugging. Emily knew
