Page 2 of The Bad Husband

My mother fell ill and passed soon after, shattering our world.

Afraid he might lose everything before he could correct course, my father cashed out and put the money into a trust in my name, which was my mother’s last wish.

He seemingly meant well when he added a conditional clause in his will.

Since they both worked hard before they became rich and knew how important working was in forging one’s character, they wanted me to follow the same path.

Learn how to make a living and manage my finances first before touching any of that money.

They wanted me to go to college, work a variety of jobs, make something of myself, and only take possession of my inheritance after graduation.

It was good thinking, wasn’t it?

What neither of them could’ve predicted was that my father would meet this new woman shortly after my mother’s death and right before he sold his business.

Henrietta had just broken up with her billionaire boyfriend and was looking for a shoulder to cry on.

My father proposed to her rather quickly before tying me to her in his infinite wisdom.

The conditions stipulated in his will brought me where I am today.

He thought that if anything bad had happened to him, I’d need an adult in my life.

How this woman earned his trust is beyond my understanding. I can’t fathom what made him think that she was the responsible adult I could rely on.

His conditions were simply stated.

He wanted me to spend the summer at her place if something happened to him. He wanted me to live with her, provided I was still in college.

And here we are.

He passed last winter after a sudden cardiac event, and now I’m stuck with her. I’ll graduate next year, which can’t come soon enough.

No matter how gently I’d brought it up to him, I could never convince him that she wasn’t the woman he believed she was.

I’ve never seen a more gullible, trustful man, and as much as I had loved him, I couldn’t stop resenting him for doing such a stupid thing.

For bringing her into our house, and then tying us to each other in the eventuality of his death.

She and I can’t see eye to eye.

For one, I know who she is. And then, the feeling is mutual, and for a good reason.

She can only receive the money that my father left her after I get mine.

As if things weren’t bad enough, soon after his death, she found herself a new man. Most likely someone like her.

Cruel, ruthless, and with a shady past.

She must be after this man’s money, too, and there must be a reason the man married her so quickly.

He knew nothing about her.

Two things were obvious, though. She was a widow and about to inherit a good chunk of money.

“You know… She’s never talked about her wedding after I declined her invitation,” I murmur thoughtfully.

Henrietta didn’t want me to attend the ceremony, although I received an invitation like everybody else.