He Wanted A Fake Divorce But Lost His Entire Legacy

I was doomscrolling through a late-night advice thread on Reddit when a post stopped me cold. “Hired a college girl. How do I get the worn-out wife to sign the divorce papers without losing the house?” The top-rated comment was chillingly specific: “Tell her you gambled away a fortune and only divorce can protect the family assets.” “Convince her to divorce but keep living with you. You get to party with the mistress while she takes care of your parents and kids.” “Come back when you’re old and let the kids take care of you.” I was so disgusted I logged into a burner account and slammed the commenters for being inhuman. The very next morning, my husband, Travis, was kneeling at my feet, his face a mask of counterfeit agony. “Liz, I’m so sorry. I gambled everything away. I owe ten million dollars.” “We have to get divorced. I can’t drag you down with me.”

1 Hearing those words from Travis Miller, my first thought wasn’t fear—it was that toxic Reddit thread. Just to be sure, I kept my tone light. “Honey, you’re joking, right?” Travis flashed a text on his phone—a picture of a generic, threatening collection notice. “I’m serious, Liz. They said if I don’t pay up, they’re going to cut off my hands.” His face was contorted in terror, but if I looked closely, past the trembling lips, his eyes were eerily calm. I still didn’t want to believe he was that kind of man—the kind who posted for advice on how to ruin his wife. “Okay,” I conceded, forcing a sigh. “So, how do you want to handle the divorce?” Relief—a flicker too quick, too bright—flashed across his face. “Liz, I’m wiped out. I can’t split any money with you, but I’m leaving you and Piper the house, no question.” He paused for the crucial line. “We’ll get a fake divorce. I’ll go out of state, earn back the money, and we’ll remarry as soon as the debt is settled.” I swallowed hard. His speech was a verbatim recital of the Reddit thread’s hot-take strategy. When my expression darkened, Travis rushed to soothe me. “Honey, you have to trust me. Even if we divorce, I still love you.” My heart sank with every empty, earnest word. The more he pleaded, the more certain I was: He was the poster. He had played me for a fool. I pulled the corners of my mouth into a frozen smile and decided on one final test. “Of course I trust you, Travis. How about this: we sell the house and the cars to pay off part of the debt, and we tell your parents everything so they can help, too.” The color drained from his face. Selling the house and, worse, involving his parents, Robert and Eleanor? That would derail his entire plan to take his mistress and walk away clean. “No! We can’t tell Mom and Dad. You know Dad’s heart is bad. If he hears I lost that much money, it will kill him.” He grabbed my hand. “And the house stays! Where will you, Piper, and Mom and Dad live?” He leaned in again, trying to manipulate my motherhood. “Liz, Piper is still so little. Do you want her to grow up in constant fear of debt collectors?” “Just give me a few years, and we’ll be a family again. Ten years of marriage, Liz. Don’t you believe in me?” A fake divorce. In the eyes of the law, a divorce is just a divorce. There’s no such thing as fake. But if he wanted a divorce, I would give him one. “Fine,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “Let’s go file now.” We still had the mandated one-month cooling-off period. As soon as we left the courthouse, Travis made a rushed excuse and peeled away. I quietly followed. I watched him pull a dozen deep-red roses out of his trunk and stride toward a university gate. A tiny, blonde girl came running out and melted into his arms. I took out my phone and captured a dozen shots of them kissing, oblivious to the world. 2 That same night, the Reddit post was updated. “Update: The worn-out wife agreed to the divorce. She gets the house, but not a dime of money.” The comments underneath were a vile chorus of praise. “Bro, 666. A drone at home, a little flower outside. A real inspiration.” “When you’re tired of playing, you just return to the family. You don’t have to raise the kids, and they pay for your retirement.” I was sickened, but I couldn’t resist commenting from my burner account again. “Aren’t you afraid of karma for calculating your wife like this?” Travis’s (or the poster’s) reply was instant: “Having to live with a worn-out wife forever is karma.” Another commenter mocked me: “Why are you defending her? Are you a worn-out wife too? Poor you. Maybe your husband is planning to divorce you right now.” Furious, I screenshot the entire exchange. For the next month, Travis used his fabricated debt as an excuse to be out of the house. When Bob and Eleanor asked, he claimed he was “traveling for work,” but I knew he was shacked up with the college girl. I kept my mouth shut. Finally, the day came to finalize the divorce. As he handed me the final paper, Travis struggled to hide his glee. “Liz, I quit my job. I’m heading out of state to hide from the debt collectors. Mom, Dad, and Piper are all yours.” “Remember, don’t let my parents try to contact me. It’ll just put them on the debt collectors’ radar.” Before I could even agree, he was gone. Watching his retreating back, I let a cold, slow smile spread across my face. Travis Miller would never know what he had truly lost today. Later that day, the Reddit post updated one last time. Travis gloated: “Guys, I told the company I applied for an overseas transfer.” “LOL, the worn-out wife actually thinks I’m running from debt. I’m heading overseas to live the high life.” “Eventually, I’ll fake my own death—say the collectors found and killed me. Then I’m free as a bird.” The accompanying picture was a pair of hands, clasped together, both wearing matching rings. The background was an airport gate. I shut off my phone, my face devoid of emotion, and began to think about the next steps. Bob and Eleanor were from old-money families. Years ago, Bob had made a fortune in real estate development. But they believed in poor-parenting for Travis, so he never developed a sense of entitlement. He thought we were merely comfortable middle-class. He had no idea of the true family fortune. I had only stumbled upon an old newspaper clipping that revealed the depth of Bob’s wealth. If Travis was willing to abandon his parents and daughter for a fling, then his parents were now mine. I was an orphan. When I married Travis, it was because I genuinely loved his parents. They were the parents I had always dreamed of. Starting that day, I found three part-time jobs on top of my full-time work. I was often busy until midnight. I lasted only a month before my body gave out. I collapsed one evening right in front of Bob and Eleanor. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Eleanor was hovering over me, her eyes full of worry. “Liz, what on earth have you been doing?” she whispered, tears welling up. “The doctor told me you fainted from severe malnutrition. Malnutrition, Liz! I couldn’t believe it.” I pretended to look guilty and nervous. “Mom, I’m fine. Let’s just check out. We don’t need to waste money.” Eleanor’s expression hardened. “I tried to call Travis earlier. His number is disconnected. Are you two keeping something from us?” I only looked more guilty. “Mom, please don’t imagine things. Nothing is wrong.” Eleanor’s face went grim. “If you don’t tell me, I’m going to go find him and ask him myself.” Panicked, I grabbed her hand. “You can’t, Mom! You’ll get him killed!” Bob and Eleanor exchanged a long look, both realizing the situation was serious. “Eliza,” Bob said firmly, using my full name. “Tell us what happened. Whatever it is, we’re a family, and we’ll solve it together.” Feigning being forced, I broke down and told them the edited story: Travis’s gambling debt of ten million dollars and the desperate, fake divorce to protect them. 3 Bob and Eleanor were apoplectic with rage and shock. I quickly composed myself and started my comfort act. “Dad, Mom, please don’t worry. I’ll work more hours. I’ll pay it all back so Travis can come home sooner.” Eleanor’s face softened, filled with intense pity. “Oh, darling, you poor child. Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” I shook my head. “It’s fine, Mom. You and Dad are getting older. I didn’t want you to live in fear because of this.” Eleanor was even more moved. “Your father and I have some savings. We’ll call Travis home, and we’ll sell everything to pay off his debt.” I offered a bitter smile. “I wish we could, but he didn’t tell me where he was going. He was afraid the debt collectors would follow me.” “You rest,” Bob commanded. “Your mother and I will find him.” My eyes gleamed for a brief second before I obediently agreed. The next day, Eleanor went to Travis’s company. When she returned, both she and Bob looked sick, and there was a new layer of deep, wrenching guilt in their eyes when they looked at me. I already knew what they knew, but I played the part of the confused, abandoned wife. “Mom, did you find Travis?” Eleanor spoke slowly, her voice thick. “He… he didn’t owe any money. His company said he applied for a transfer overseas.” She paused, then added the dagger. “He left with his girlfriend.” I forced out a smile that was more of a grimace. “Why would he lie to me?” Bob’s voice was heavy with shame. “Eliza, it’s all on us. Travis wronged you. I’m calling him back right now. He’ll come home and beg for your forgiveness.” Bob took the overseas contact number from the company and dialed it immediately. “Son, it’s your father. Where are you? Get back here now!” A pause stretched on the line, followed by a voice that was clearly Travis, but thick with annoyance. “You must have the wrong number. Who is your son?” Bob was stunned. “Travis! You tricked Eliza into a divorce, and now you won’t even acknowledge your own father?” The voice on the other end laughed derisively. “You must be crazy. I’m not your son. Maybe your son died a long time ago!” The line clicked dead. Bob was breathing hard, his face fiery red, clutching his chest. I started to rush to his side, but before I could, Bob’s face went slack, and he collapsed—a brain hemorrhage. The hospital quickly issued a critical condition notice. Eleanor grabbed my hand, frantic and lost. “Mom, we have to call Travis again,” I urged. “If Dad… if he doesn’t make it, he has to see him one last time.” Eleanor called back immediately. “Son, your father is dying. You—” Travis cut her off immediately. “Lady, even if your son died, you can’t just call any man and claim he’s him. I am not your son.” Eleanor was sobbing now. “Son, I’m begging you. Please come home and see your father one last time.” “I told you I am not your son! Don’t call this number again!” Travis hung up. No matter how many times Eleanor called, he refused to answer. Finally, he blocked all our numbers. Fortunately, Bob’s surgery was successful. Learning that his son refused to return even when faced with his possible death was the final straw. “That animal,” Bob choked out, struggling to breathe. “Since he says his son died a long time ago, fine. From this day forward, I have no son named Travis Miller!” 4 I felt a small surge of vindication, but kept my outward demeanor soft. “Dad, I know Travis didn’t mean it. Please don’t be angry.” Bob turned his head toward me, guilt written all over his face. “Eliza, the Miller family has failed you.” He tried to get out of bed to kneel. I quickly stopped him. “Dad, please don’t say that. I was an orphan. In my heart, you and Mom are my parents. A daughter would never blame her own parents.” Bob’s eyes welled up. “Good, good. Eliza, if you don’t mind, from now on, you are our daughter.” Eleanor gripped my hand tightly. “Eliza, will you call us Mom and Dad?” Tears streamed down my face. This time, they were genuine. “Dad. Mom.” Eleanor wiped her own tears. “I may have lost a son, but today, I gained a wonderful daughter. Eliza, you are officially our family.” With my dedicated care, Bob recovered quickly. The day he was discharged, Bob and Eleanor took me straight to a realtor. They paid cash for a luxury condo and put it entirely in my name. I started to object, but Eleanor cut me off. “Eliza, it’s a gift from your parents. Do you like it?” I swallowed my refusal, replacing it with a tearful, grateful smile. “Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad. I love it.” It was their ultimate seal of approval. From that day on, Bob and Eleanor never mentioned Travis again. Eleanor even threw out every picture and souvenir of him. I slowly and surely took his place in their hearts. Five years passed. My bond with Bob and Eleanor grew stronger. To anyone who didn’t know our history, we were a real, loving family. One evening, after I came home from work, Eleanor called me over. “Eliza, you’re not getting any younger. Have you thought about dating, maybe remarrying?” “Bob’s friend has a son, about your age. He knows your situation and doesn’t mind that you have Piper.” I shook my head gently. “Mom, I just want to focus on raising Piper and taking care of you and Dad. I don’t need to get married again.” Eleanor was touched, but I saw the self-reproach in her eyes. She thought I was still heartbroken over Travis. On the contrary, I had moved on a long time ago. I had a house, a car, and financial security. Why would I invite the complication of marriage back into my life? Besides, while I didn’t want to get married, I had a secret. I did have a boyfriend. He was only twenty-one, full of youthful energy and life. “If you don’t want to, then don’t,” Eleanor said, pulling me into a hug. “You and Piper will never go hungry as long as your father and I are around.” “Mom, you are so good to me. Having you for a mother is the greatest fortune of my life.” I hugged her back, making her smile beam. Two days later, Bob called me into his study. “Eliza, take a day off next week. We’re going to a notary. We’re putting all the assets in my name into a trust for you and Piper.” I kept my expression neutral, simply nodding. Over the years, the stream of gifts from my parents had been constant. This was when I truly grasped the depth of their wealth. The ten million dollars Travis lied about was a mere rounding error to them. But that very night, Travis’s Reddit post updated. “Bored with the life. Preparing to return to the family.” The attached photo was an airline ticket. The date was three days away. I quickly checked the calendar. He was due back the exact day Bob was planning the asset transfer.