Allowance, Lies, and a Secret Ex

Chandl

ted. "Karly, I found it," she said, cutting straight to the cha

settled over me.

kicker. Jerrold Brown is listed as a co-signer. H

gal obligation. He had been tied to his past life, financially and emotion

I asked, a new, unsettling thought form

s is interesting. A significant lump sum payment was made right when the h

, his own assets, into securing Jackie's home. A home he no longer lived in, a home he was still

broke through my thoughts, tinged with c

." Rejecting her offer to come over, I ended the call q

thly payments, but this initial lump sum. How much was it? How much of his wealth had he

years, I had scoffed at my well-meaning friends who suggested Jerrold was still hung

just a dishonest husband; he was a master manipulator, weaving an intricate web of lies that e

old. I almost didn't answer, but something made me. Maybe I

coming home?" His voice was l

d, deciding to use that

Just... my parents are coming over. For

e co-conspirators in this grand deception. "They

orried about us." His voice was trying to

to Jackie, Jerrold?" I asked, my voi

arly, we talked about

from him, needing him to admit their complicity. "Do they think

omplicated. They think I'm doing the right

it responsibility is laughable. Do they know how much you initially put

time. "They... they knew I helped

ckie's house, not just the mortgage, but the initial purchase. And they thought that was 'honorable'?" My voic

he full situation," he began,

Jackie, and instead of taking full, honest responsibility, you decided to lie to your new wife an

esh and blood, had known and condoned this elaborate charade, infuriat

I asked, a sudden coldness in my voice. The pieces of the puzzle were finally clicki

voluntary sound. "What

ice cold and hard. "You had an affair. That's why she left y

g. A sudden wave of nausea washed over me. All this time, he had claimed she left him be

aying?" His voice was a strai

with anger but with a profound, heart-wrenching shock. "Did

y. It wasn't like that. I had... a close re

"You call that 'emotionally'? You gaslighted me for five years a

voice rising, a pathetic attempt at jus

believe you were the victim. All while you were the one who broke your vows. You started a relationsh

eaded, his voice cracking. "I just... I

ously calm now. "Every single hidden truth. Every lie.

uths, but I stopped listening. The sound of his parents' car pulling into t

, cutting him off mid-sentence. "I won't be there.

finally solidified my resolve. There was no going back from this. No fixing it. There was only moving fo