During my pregnancy, my husband became a different man. He ridiculed my appearance, dismissed my discomfort, and made me feel insignificant. Eventually, he abandoned me for another woman, believing he had triumphed. Yet, he had no idea that I had a strategy of my own. And when the moment arrived, he never saw it coming.
Pregnancy — a time that should be among the most cherished experiences for a woman. But that only holds true if she has a devoted husband who stands by her through every challenge.
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I endured relentless morning sickness for months, but even worse was Arnie’s constant remarks about how my appearance had changed.
Before I was pregnant, our relationship was wonderful. Arnie treated me like a queen, always attentive and affectionate.
He made me feel truly special, always going out of his way to express his love in the smallest yet most meaningful ways.
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When we decided to have a baby, he was just as thrilled as I was, his face lighting up with joy as he held the positive test.
But as soon as my body began to change, it felt like I was living with a different person entirely.
At first, his comments were subtle. One day, he sighed and said, “You could at least put some effort into your appearance instead of lounging around in pajamas all day.”
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It didn’t matter that I had spent the whole day hunched over the toilet, sickened by even the faintest scent.
Then the complaints began. “All you do is lounge around,” he muttered one evening, tossing his shoes aside. “This place is a disaster.”
I forced down the lump in my throat. “Arnie, my back is in agony, and I feel nauseous nonstop. I can barely stay on my feet without getting dizzy.”
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Then Arnie began staying out late, constantly glued to his phone, typing away with a smirk.
It unsettled me, but whenever I questioned him, he dismissed my concerns. “Just work,” he’d say casually.
One night, eight months pregnant, exhausted with swollen feet and struggling to breathe, I noticed he came home late again—this time, drenched in the scent of women’s perfume.
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“Where were you?” I asked, though my voice lacked the strength I intended.
Arnie didn’t bother to glance at me. He tossed his keys onto the table and shrugged off his jacket.
“Not your concern,” he mumbled before heading straight to the kitchen.
“JESSICA!” His voice roared through the apartment.
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I stiffened, my heart racing. Summoning all my strength, I pushed myself up from the couch.
Pain shot through my back. My legs felt like lead. Clutching the armrest for support, I slowly made my way toward the kitchen.
“What’s going on?” I asked, my breath ragged.
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Arnie stood by the fridge, his glare sharp. “Where’s dinner?”
My stomach knotted. I swallowed hard. “I’m feeling sick again. I tried, but the smell of food sends me straight to the bathroom.”
He rolled his eyes, then turned to the sink with an exaggerated sigh. “Could you at least have washed the dishes?”
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His voice sharpened. “I come home drained, and this place is a mess! No dinner, no clean dishes. What do you even do all day?”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “Arnie, I’m sorry. I want to, but I feel awful.” My voice trembled.
He let out a bitter laugh. “All you do is lounge around in sweatpants.”
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I rested a hand on my belly. “I’m carrying our daughter. My body is working overtime—”
“Spare me!” he interrupted. “My sister was pregnant, and she did it all. She cooked, cleaned, stayed attractive, and never neglected her husband in bed!”
I gasped, the words hitting me like a punch to the chest. “Pregnancy isn’t the same for everyone. I never expected it to be this difficult either, but I’m doing this for her. For us.”
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Arnie sneered. “Quit making excuses. You’re just lazy!”
He stomped out, and a moment later, the front door slammed shut. I stood frozen, clutching the counter as tears streamed down my face.
Collapsing into a chair, I buried my face in my hands. My body trembled, shoulders shaking, each breath sending a sharp ache through my chest.
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How did it come to this? How could the man who once vowed to love and cherish me now act as if I meant nothing?
That night, sleep refused to come. My mind spiraled, haunted by relentless questions.
Where had Arnie been? Was he with someone else? Hours dragged by, the silence in the house pressing down on me—until just before dawn, a message lit up my screen.
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“He’s here. He just needed some space.”
The message from his mother brought a brief sense of relief—but it didn’t last. At least tonight, he hadn’t run to another woman.
When Arnie finally returned, everything deteriorated further. His eyes held nothing but resentment, and his words grew even harsher and colder.
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He never stopped finding faults, making me feel like I wasn’t enough.
“This place is a disaster.” “All you do is sit around.” “You don’t even make an effort to look decent.”
His tone dripped with disdain, and every word felt like a fresh wound.
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One day, I confided in my best friend, spilling everything. As I spoke, her face darkened with anger. “Jessica, you need to leave him,” she said firmly.
I shook my head, my throat tightening. “I can’t. I’m pregnant. I have no money, no job, and nowhere to go.”
She reached for my hand. “You have people who love you. You’re not alone,” she insisted. “You don’t deserve this.”
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I longed to believe her, but fear kept me frozen. No matter how much Arnie hurt me, I didn’t know how to leave.
Then, one night, everything shifted. Arnie was in the shower, and for once, his phone—always guarded—lit up on the table. My hands shook as I reached for it and unlocked the screen.
A dating app. Countless messages. Women he had been flirting with, meeting, and sleeping with—while I stayed home, carrying his child.
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My stomach sank, and I instinctively placed my hand on my belly, as if to protect my baby from the hurt. But in that moment, my mind cleared. I knew I had to leave him—but I needed a plan.
The next day, I set it into motion. And just as I was nearing labor, Arnie walked in with another woman.
“Who is this?!” I demanded, my voice trembling with a mix of rage and disbelief.
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Arnie stood in the doorway, utterly unfazed. With a smug grin, he draped an arm around the young woman beside him. “This is Stacy, my girlfriend,” he announced, as if it were the most casual thing in the world.
My stomach churned. “WHAT?!” I screamed, my hands clenching into fists as my breath came in sharp, uneven gasps.
“You heard me,” he said, his tone icy and indifferent. He pulled a folder from under his arm and tossed it onto the table. “I’m done. These are the divorce papers.”
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My entire body went numb. I stared at him, then at the folder, struggling to comprehend what was unfolding. My hand moved to my belly instinctively. “What about our child?” I asked, my voice barely audible.
Arnie shrugged. “I don’t want you or your baby.”
Tears filled my eyes. “How can you do this to us? How can you be so heartless?”
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Arnie sneered. “Jessica, just look at yourself! You’ve completely let yourself go. There’s nothing appealing about you. All you do is sit around and complain. Stacy, on the other hand, is gorgeous, young, and—most importantly—she never denies me anything.”
He pulled Stacy closer and kissed her right in front of me. My stomach twisted, my heart pounding with rage.
“YOU’RE A MONSTER!” I shouted. Without a second thought, I grabbed the pen from the table and signed the papers.
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Arnie smirked. “At least I don’t look like you!”
I shot him a glare. “I’ll grab my things when you’re not here!”
“Make it quick,” he sneered. “Soon, you won’t have any access to this house—it’s mine!”
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I spun on my heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind me. He thought he had won. He had no clue what was coming.
On the very day I finalized my divorce from Arnie, I gave birth to my daughter.
It felt like one chapter had closed while another was just beginning. I had spent months drowning in anxiety, fearing the stress would hurt my baby. But the moment I held her in my arms, every fear faded away.
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Riley was perfect. Her tiny fingers curled around mine, her soft cries echoing through the hospital room. In that moment, I realized—she had saved me.
For a while, we stayed with my mother. She cared for the baby when exhaustion overwhelmed me, giving me the chance to rest.
My body healed fast, and when I looked in the mirror, I hardly recognized the woman staring back. The weight was gone, but I had gained something far greater—strength.
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One afternoon, a sudden knock at the door made me jump. I opened it—and froze. Stacy stood there.
I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms. “What are you doing here?”
She shifted uncomfortably and let out a small sigh. “It’s over. Your plan worked.”
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A wave of relief washed over me. A slow smile tugged at my lips as I stepped aside. “Finally,” I murmured, gesturing for her to come in.
She walked past me, taking in her surroundings. “Arnie signed everything over without a second glance. The house, the accounts—he didn’t even bother to read the papers. He was too focused on what he was getting from me,” she said, her lips curling into a smug smile.
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I shook my head. “He was never the brightest. I handled all the paperwork when we were married—he just signed whatever I put in front of him without question.”
Stacy let out a small chuckle. “Well, congrats. It’s all yours now.”
“Thank you,” I said, giving her a brief hug.
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With Arnie gone, Riley and I reclaimed what had always belonged to us.
The home we built together—only now, it was solely mine. For the first time in ages, life felt calm.
Then, one night, loud voices erupted outside. Intrigued, I walked onto the porch.
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“Stacy! Please! Don’t walk away! I’m lost without you!” Arnie’s voice cracked with desperation, his hands stretching toward her as she stood frozen in the driveway.
I folded my arms and smirked. “Pathetic,” I mused, amusement lacing my tone.
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Arnie’s head jerked in my direction, his face contorting with fury. “Why the hell are YOU here?!” he shouted.
I smirked, lifting a brow. “Didn’t see this coming, did you?” I stepped closer. “I played you, Arnie. You walked straight into my setup—with Stacy as the bait.”
His expression darkened. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”
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I chuckled softly. “At some point, I had enough of your vile ways—your deceit, your betrayals. So, I brought in Stacy—a gorgeous, young woman—to lure you in. And you, being exactly who I expected, fell right into the trap. You were so full of yourself that you didn’t even notice you were handing everything over to me.”
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His face flushed with rage. “You cursed enchantress! You orchestrated my ruin!”
I shrugged. “No, Arnie. Your uncontrollable passion truly ensnared you. I simply provided the flawless opening for your own undoing.”
His fury dwindled into a state. He scanned me from head to toe, sorrow in his gaze. “Return to me. I will improve,” he implored.
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I didn’t hesitate. “No.”
“You’ll never have anyone but me! No man will ever want you!” he spat.
I grinned. “Take a good look—I look incredible, and now I’m free from a deadweight like you. Meanwhile, you’ve got nothing. I think I’ll manage just fine.”
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“Jessica, please,” he pleaded, his voice trembling.
I didn’t respond. Instead, I turned away and stepped inside, the door locking with a quiet click behind me.
Scooping Riley into my arms, I held her close. She was all I had—all I would ever need.
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