My Husband's Mistress Was My College Roommate

The warehouse workers were off for the New Year holiday, but I was still hauling inventory when my supervisor's relentless calls dragged me to a college reunion.

Every classmate at the table was dressed to impresspolished, expensive, put together.

And then there was me. A work uniform washed so many times it had faded to gray, the cuffs frayed and threadbare.

The real showstopper was my former roommate, Fiona Lawson.

She glided in wearing a couture gown, dripping in jewelry from head to toe.

But the diamond necklace around her neck looked very familiar.

I couldn't help asking, "Fiona, where did you get that necklace? It must have cost a fortune."

"Oh, I didn't buy it. My sugar daddy took it from his wife." She waved her hand dismissively. "I've also got a few prime retail propertieshe tricked his wife into thinking the company lost money and had to sell them off. They all went to me."

I nodded sympathetically.

"Times are tough. My husband's company lost money too. We just sold some properties a few days ago to pay off his debts."

One classmate chimed in, "Youth really is an advantage. Your sugar daddy's wife must be old and washed up by now, right?"

"Actually, no. She's the same age as me. Apparently she's even an alumna."

Fiona's lip curled. "She has no class whatsoever. Has new clothes but won't wear themshe'd rather go haul boxes in a warehouse. Spends the whole year in that ratty, worn-out uniform."

"We've been together three years now. He says this is the year he'll make it official."

Necklace. Properties. Alumna. Worn-out work uniform...

She was describing me.

Every pair of eyes at the table slowly turned in my direction. Heat crawled up my neck, my face burning under their stares.

I opened my mouth to explain, but Fiona smiled, pressing her lips together.

"Athena Barnes, you had so many rich boys chasing you back in college. I heard you married some nobody with nothing to his name. These past few years must have been rough."

Rough didn't begin to cover it.

I'd married Wilfred Rivera against my parents' explicit wishesa man without a penny to his name. It cost me my family.

Back then, we'd squeezed into a basement apartment smaller than a hundred square feet.

At our lowest point, I survived on a single bowl of congee a day. Wilfred couldn't even afford thathe drank tap water to fill his stomach.

I'd held him and cried, my heart breaking for him. But he was the one drowning in guilt.

"I'm sorry, Athena. I've made you suffer so much. I swear I'll build something. I'll make you the most envied Mrs. Rivera this city has ever seen."

He kept his word. He caught the right wave, founded his company, and in just five years, built assets worth over a hundred million.

But I never became that envied Mrs. Rivera. I'd bowed ninety degrees to pour wine for clients just to land a deal.

To cut costs, I handled inventory, cleaning, loading and unloadingall of it fell on me, the boss's wife.

I didn't own any expensive jewelry. Just that one diamond necklacebought with his very first profits, a gift to me.

And now it hung around another woman's neck.

The heat drained from my face. Something inside me went cold, degree by degree.

The light refracting off those diamonds stabbed at my eyes.

I looked away and spoke slowly. "No matter how rough it's been, at least I earned it myself. What about you? Being hidden away like a dirty secretthat can't feel good either."

She laughed, utterly unbothered. "Hidden? Please. He takes me to events all the time. Introduces me to everyone. His wife looked like a wreck after all those years of building the business with him. He's embarrassed to be seen with her."

"Don't people tell his wife? Doesn't she demand to go?"

Her smile widened. "Who's going to run to the wife and gossip about that? Every time there's an event, he arranges a shipment. His wife volunteers to unload it."

I pressed my tongue against my teeth until they went numb.

Five years. I'd bent my back for him. Let my youth fade for him. And he was embarrassed by me.

Had he forgotten I was once the campus beauty he couldn't even dream of reaching?

A classmate sighed enviously. "Honestly, aside from the marriage certificate, you're basically the real wife. You've got it figured outthis is the shortcut to the good life."

"Fiona's gorgeoussecond only to Athena Barnes, the campus beauty queen. Now that you've got one foot in the door of high society, Athena can't even compare to you anymore."

Fiona preened, her face glowing with smug satisfaction.

"Look, we're women. Why wouldn't we use the resources we have? Men marry wives, not housekeepers. Rich or poor, they all want someone young and beautiful." Her gaze swept over me. "Athena, I can already see the wrinkles forming. I bet your husband can't stand looking at that face anymore."

The mirror behind her caught my reflectionpuffy, haggard, drained.

The contrast between us was brutal.

"My husband"

He's not like that. The words lodged in my throat, refusing to come out.

Fiona giggled. "Men always trade up for something newer. Never believe their promises of forever."

"Take my benefactor, for example. He swore he'd give his wife the world. But once he actually had money? Every time they were in bed together, all he could think about was how she used to haul cargo like a man, drenched in sweat, haggling over vegetables like some market fishwife." She wrinkled her nose. "Killed the mood completely."

"So every night he claimed he was 'working late'? He was with me, getting what she couldn't give him. Really, I'm doing her a favor. Spending a little of her money seems only fair."

Her shamelessnessthe way she wore it like a badge of honorhit a nerve.

I smiled, but there was nothing behind it.

"If you know he's heartless, why are you trying to become his official wife?"

She touched her stomach, her smile turning soft.

"I don't have a choice anymore. I'm pregnant. This is his first child."

"His wife has bad genesshe's got a brother who's mentally disabled. He was terrified of having a defective baby, so he arranged for their first pregnancy to end in a miscarriage."

Thunder roared in my ears.

In my second year of marriage to Wilfred, I'd been pregnant too.

I'd been so happybuying tiny clothes, little toys. Then during a routine warehouse inspection, a stack of cargo collapsed and struck my lower back.

The baby was gone.

I'd been consumed with guilt, sobbing until I couldn't breathe. "Wilfred, I'm so sorry. I was careless. It's my fault"

He'd held me close. "Don't blame yourself, Athena. We're still young. Once the company stabilizes, once you've recovered, we'll have another."

That was five years ago.

Just a few months back, I'd brought it up againtold him I wanted a baby.

He'd said the company was at a critical growth phase. He didn't have the energy. Maybe in a few more years.

So those were all just excuses.

But my brother wasn't born disabled. He'd fallen and hit his head as a child. His reactions were a little slowthat was all. It wasn't genetic.

A sharp, twisting pain spread through my chest, like a blade lodged sideways between my ribs.

Around me, my former classmates chattered on without restraint.

"Congratulations! Push out the old hag and you'll be the real lady of the house."

"Your benefactor's ruthless, though. Taking care of a 'problem' before it even became one? That was his own flesh and blood."

"Honestly, I wouldn't let the first wife have kids either. What if the baby really was defective? Can't abandon it, can't raise itnightmare. He made the smart call."

"Exactly. Everyone wants a healthy, beautiful child. With Fiona's genes? If I were him, I'd want her to be the mother too."

Fiona basked in the flattery, her posture growing more regal by the minute, like a woman already crowned.

The door opened. A server approached Fiona with exaggerated courtesy.

"Ms. Lawson, Mr. Rivera has already covered the bill for this table. He also asked me to deliver this jade bracelet to you."

The moment I saw it, my pupils contracted sharply.

My entire body went rigid.

That was Wilfred's family heirloomthe jade bracelet.

The same one I'd shattered just yesterday.

Why was it here?

Fiona's face lit up with delight as she slipped the bracelet onto her wrist without hesitation.

"You have no ideathis is my sugar daddy's family heirloom jade bracelet. I kept pestering him for it, so he had a fake one made with tiny cracks all over it. His wife barely tapped it and it shattered."

"She felt so guilty she handed over their last property as compensation. He signed it right over to me."

I felt flash-frozen, my blood turning to ice in an instant.

Wilfred's promise from seven years ago echoed in my ears.

"Athena, this jade bracelet is something my grandmother protected with her life. Wear it, and you'll be my woman forever."

"I'll love you for the rest of my life. If I ever break this vow, I'll walk away with nothing..."

He'd even signed an agreement to that effect.

Not that it stopped him from keeping a mistress on the side.

So his "forever" only lasted seven years.

My body refused to obey me, locked rigid in place.

Even my tongue felt tied in knots.

The chatter around me grew more grating by the second.

"Wow, he gave you the family heirloom? Your position as Mrs. Rivera is set in stone now. You're going to be a rich man's wifedon't forget about us little people!"

"Well, he did pick up the tab for everyone. Shows how much he values our Fiona."

"Why are you still calling him your sugar daddy? He's your husband now!"

"This calls for a celebration! Come on, let's raise a glass to Fionacongratulations on your successful upgrade!"

I gripped my wine glass until my knuckles went white.

The words tore out of me before I could stop them.

"Aren't you worried his wife will find out? Your sugar daddy is the one at faulthe'll lose everything in the divorce."

Fiona's smile was smug, utterly confident.

"Not worried at all. He transferred all the assets ages ago. He's even made it look like the company is drowning in debt. When they divorce, his wife won't just walk away empty-handedshe'll be saddled with massive debt."

"Just thinking about how every luxury I buy for myself and my child will be paid for by that worn-out hag slaving away... it gets me so excited!"

My stomach churned as if filled with spinning razor blades, the pain making the room tilt around me.

Divorce wasn't enough. Leaving me with nothing wasn't enough. He wanted me drowning in debt to support his mistress and their child.

How much did he hate me?

I raised my arm and flung my wine straight into Fiona's face.

She choked and sputtered, coughing violently as our classmates rushed to help wipe her down.

"Athena, what the hell? Why'd you throw wine at Fiona? Are you out of your mind?"

"Seriously, what is wrong with you? It's not like she stole your husband. Why are you so worked up?"

"She's obviously jealous. She used to be better than Fiona in every way, but now Fiona's marrying into money and she can't handle it."

I clenched my teeth, fighting the urge to slap Fiona senseless.

"Are you all completely shameless? She's a homewrecker, flaunting it in everyone's faces, scheming to destroy the wifeand you're defending her? Have you no decency?"

My outburst left them red-faced, averting their eyes, mumbling nothing.

Fiona wiped her face clean and let out a cold laugh.

"You talk about decency, but look aroundevery single person in this room is on my side. People mock poverty, not promiscuity. Money buys all the decency you need."

"Athena, you're just jealous I found a better man than you did. You've been making snide remarks since you walked in. If you want a sugar daddy so badly, I can set you upthough someone as pathetic as you probably only deserves some old geezer!"

Slap!

The slap I'd been holding back finally landed across her face.

She shrieked in fury. "Athena! What the fuck is wrong with you? Acting all high and mighty? Give you a rich old man and you'd grovel lower than anyone!"

Stunned by my outburst, my classmates crowded around, voices rising in accusation.

"Athena, we were just chatting among classmates. If you didn't want to hear it, you could have just ignored it. But hitting someone? That's way out of line."

"Exactly! We haven't all gotten together in years, and we finally managed to meet up for the holidays. Why do you have to ruin it?"

"Just because your life isn't going well doesn't mean you get to take it out on others. I never knew you were this petty."

"Fiona is Mrs. Rivera now. She's not someone a nobody like you can afford to offend."

Fiona clutched her face, glaring at me with indignation.

"Athena, for the sake of our years as classmates, apologize to me and kowtow three times. Then I might let this go."

I let out a cold laugh. "I will never apologize to a shameless homewrecker who slept her way to the top. You got exactly what you deserved."

Her teeth ground together in fury. "Fine. Want to play tough? Just wait."

She pulled out her phone and dialed. The call connected almost instantly.

She deliberately put it on speaker. A familiar voice came through from the other end.

"What's wrong, baby? Having fun at your reunion?"

"No, I'm not. One of my classmates hit me for no reason and won't even apologize. Wilfred, it hurts so much, and I'm so humiliated..."

"Who has the nerve to bully Wilfred Rivera's woman? Put her on the phone."

The phone was shoved into my hand. Before I could even speak, Wilfred's icy voice cut through.

"I don't care who you are. Apologize to my wife right now, exactly as she demands. Don't say I didn't give you a chance."

My voice trembled with rage. My fingers curled into fists so tight that my nails dug into my palms, sending sharp stabs of pain through my hands.

"And if I don't?"

Wilfred seemed to find my voice familiar, but Fiona's sudden whimpering beside him disrupted his thoughts. His tone turned vicious.

"Then don't blame me for teaching you a lesson my way."

He hung up before I could say another word.

Less than five minutes later, a bodyguard pushed through the door carrying a briefcase. He opened it to reveal stacks of crisp billsa million dollars, neatly arranged.

"Mr. Rivera's orders: whoever slaps this woman gets a thousand dollars. No limit. Keep going until Mrs. Rivera is satisfied. Any consequences, Mr. Rivera will handle."

My mind exploded. It felt like I was plummeting into an endless abyss.

I remembered last month when I'd had my eye on a spring outfit that cost twenty thousand dollars. My account was short by five thousand.

I'd called him to ask for a transfer, and all I got was complaints.

"Athena, the company's losing money right now. Can you cut back a little? You have work clothes, don't you? No need to waste money. I'll order you a couple of work outfits to rotate."

Yet here he was, throwing away a fortune just to make another woman smile.

Slap!

Someone struck first. A palm connected hard with my face.

"Sorry, Athena. A thousand bucks covers my gas for a month."

Fiona didn't even blink. She transferred the money to that classmate on the spot.

I was still reeling from the shock when a storm of slaps rained down on me, one after another, everyone scrambling to get their turn.

Fiona watched me with a smile of pure satisfaction.

Someone recorded the whole thing and posted the video to our class group chat. The chat exploded.

[I'm stuck in my hometown, can't make it back. I want in so bad. Can I just curse at her instead? Maybe at a discount?]

Fiona replied: [Sure. A hundred bucks per insult. I'll transfer directly.]

Immediately, a flood of insults scrolled through the chat.

[Athena Barnes, you're nothing but a slut and a piece of trash]

[Athena Barnes is a cheap whore who's been passed around by everyone]

[Athena Barnes was selling herself back in school]

Someone else chimed in: [I'm in the city. Send me the address. My iron palm is ready to go.]

My classmates took turns slapping me across the face, eager to claim their reward. My cheeks went numb, blood seeped from the corner of my mouth, and my entire face swelled beyond recognition.

One classmatea manrefused to participate. Finally, he stepped forward.

"That's enough! We're all classmates here. Is a few thousand dollars really worth burning every bridge? You'll never be able to face each other again."

But the others were beyond reason. A thousand dollars per slap. The fastest hands had already pocketed ten grand. No one was about to walk away from easy money like this.

"Noel James, whatyou sleeping with Athena or something? Guess calling her a shameless slut wasn't far off the mark."

"You don't want the cash? Fine. But don't get in our way. I'm hitting a hundred grandenough for a new car."

"I'm going for three hundred thousand. That's my down payment right there..."

The slaps kept coming. My eardrums screamed with each blow, a stabbing pain that felt like something had ruptured. The room spun violently. My legs buckled, and I collapsed to my knees.

Noel's warnings had fallen on deaf ears. Only when he pulled out his phone and threatened to call the police did they finally stop.

Fiona sauntered over and lifted my chin with the toe of her stiletto, admiring her handiworkmy battered, unrecognizable face.

"Athena, do you really think you have any dignity left? I wonder what your husband will think when you show up looking like a swollen pig. Think he'll still want you?"

I shoved her foot away. Clinging to one last shred of hope, I grabbed my phone and called Wilfred.

Once. Twice. A dozen times.

Either no answer, or rejected outright.

Fiona watched me with a mocking smile. "Athena, your husband's just like my sugar daddynever picks up when his wife calls. But me? He answers on the first ring."

She dialed Wilfred on speakerphone.

"Baby, that woman refuses to apologize. Come deal with her yourself."

"On my way, sweetheart."

Seconds later, a text lit up my screen: What's wrong, honey? Swamped at work. Let's talk when I get home.

I stared at those words. Ice flooded my veins. Whatever warmth remained in my heart turned to frost.

Minutes later, footsteps echoed from the doorway.

Wilfred walked in and pulled Fiona into his arms.

"I'm here, baby. Who do I need to teach a lesson? Point her out."

I wiped the blood from my face and met his eyes.

"It's me, husband. How exactly are you planning to teach me a lesson?"