The Two Million Betrayal

1: 1

Three years ago, on my way to the office to drop off some documents for Adam Floyd, I was in a car accident and lost the hearing in both ears.

It wasn't until after I was discharged that I found out Adam had gone behind my back and agreed to settle privately with the other party, taking the two million in compensation to pay for his mother's medical treatment.

He said, "Bridget, think of this money as a loan. Once I've earned enough, I'll marry you."

"I'll be the ears you listen to the world with, for the rest of my life."

After that, he learned sign language with me and walked me back out of it, step by step.

Adam kept me by his side every moment, and everyone envied how happy I was.

Then came Valentine's Day, when his childhood sweetheart invited him to an awards ceremony abroad. Adam didn't say no. He booked a ticket for me too.

Once we boarded, he left me in economy and walked toward business class with Eleanor Dickerson.

"Ellie's scared of heights, I'm going to sit with her. Be reasonable about it."

I wanted to call out to him, but when I opened my mouth all that came out was a sharp, grating cry that turned heads around me. He didn't look back.

Midair, the plane hit heavy turbulence and started to shake.

I saw the flight attendant's mouth moving, saying something I couldn't hear, so I just copied the person beside me and pulled on my oxygen mask.

Then a piercing burst of static drilled into my ears.

And right after it, I could actually hear the scattered screaming and crying.

After the plane landed, Adam ran toward the exit with Eleanor in his arms, his face taut with panic.

I chased after him to tell him my ears could hear again.

But he pushed me straight away and signed at me.

"Go back to the hotel first. Ellie just got a scare, I'm taking her to the hospital."

But I didn't miss what he said out loud.

"What a burden."

I froze where I stood. Around me the crowd roared, and inside there was nothing but dead silence.

It felt like the sky over my whole world was about to change.

...

Adam pushed his and Eleanor's luggage over to my hands and walked off without a backward glance.

Eleanor leaned her head on his shoulder and glanced at me.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. She didn't look the least bit shaken.

She even dragged her lips across Adam's neck, taunting me.

The announcement came over in English, and every sign in sight was in English too. I couldn't read any of it.

My phone buzzed.

A message from Adam.

A photo of a license plate.

Ellie was worried you wouldn't be able to find the hotel, so she went out of her way to book a car for you.

Take exit B on level 3. The car's already there.

Something bitter spread through my veins until I couldn't breathe.

Eleanor was always like this.

Steal Adam away, leave me behind, then play the good person "taking care" of me.

And Adam ate it up, every time.

Last month, she called with a fever and dragged Adam off, and I spent my birthday alone, abandoned in a steakhouse.

The next day she showed up with a birthday cake and a gift, saying she'd make up my birthday for me.

The cake was mango cream, which I'm allergic to. The gift was a pair of earphones I had no use for at all.

I told her I wasn't happy about it.

Adam only said, "Ellie's sick and she's still thinking of you. Don't be ungrateful."

I struggled to push all four suitcases out to the pickup point and got in the car.

The car stopped at the hotel entrance.

I pushed at the door. It was locked from the inside.

The driver in the front seat held out his hand and said something in English I couldn't understand.

I was just about to open the translation app on my phone.

The driver suddenly turned furious and raised his fist at me.

Terrified, I called Adam.

Three calls in a row, all hung up on.

Finally he sent a text.

Ellie just took a sedative and she's resting. If you call, you'll wake her.

You can't hear on the phone anyway. If something's wrong, type it.

The driver in front of me was glaring at me viciously.

My hands were shaking as I typed.

The driver won't let me out of the car and I can't communicate with him. Can you pick up and talk to him?

The other end showed "typing" for almost a full minute.

In the end all he sent was one short line.

Bridget Fox, don't lie to me just because you're jealous. Wait for us at the hotel.

After that he never replied again.

The driver took me to the police station.

After the officers checked my passport and ID, they brought in a translator to ask me by writing things down.

Where's your family? Why are you alone?

My hand went still around the pen. I didn't know how to answer.

Three years ago, I went out alone to buy groceries. When I couldn't find Adam, I panicked and called the police.

Back then he'd signed at me, his face cold.

"Bridget Fox, from now on you're not to step out of my sight."

Now, he'd thrown me alone in a foreign country.

Two hours later, Adam came to the station with Eleanor to collect me.

Eleanor apologized to me.

"I'm sorry, Bridget. I panicked because of the plane thing and forgot to pay on the app."

Adam signed her explanation to me.

But under his breath he muttered.

"A grown woman, and she can't even manage to take a car ride."

He settled Eleanor into the back seat.

Before I could even get in, he waved for the driver to start.

Once again, I was left behind.

2: 2

The car had rolled maybe thirty feet before he noticed I still hadn't gotten in.

The window came down and Adam stuck his head out, shouting at me.

"Bridget, are you stupid? Don't you know you're supposed to get in the car?"

He thought I couldn't hear. He frowned and waved me over.

After we checked into the hotel, I sat on the edge of the bed with my head down, looking at my phone.

Adam must have sensed I was in a bad mood. He crouched down in front of me, his face softening a little.

"Ellie asked me to help her rehearse her speech for tomorrow. Let me go keep her company for a while."

"There's a well-known steakhouse nearby. I already made a reservation. Once I'm done, I'll take you there."

"Just the two of us. We'll spend Valentine's together today."

Something stirred in my dead, still heart.

He still cared about me.

I set the phone down. Before I could tell him my ears could hear again,

he picked up his phone and pressed record on a voice message.

"Ellie, don't worry, I'm coming right now."

"I have to keep Bridget calmed down, don't I? If she makes trouble for us again and it messes up your award ceremony tomorrow, that'd be no good."

My throat closed up, and I swallowed the words back down.

He didn't see the disappointment on my face.

Soothing Eleanor on the other end of the line, he walked out fast.

By eight that night, I was so hungry my stomach hurt.

I texted Adam to ask how much longer he'd be.

An hour later, he finally replied.

Ellie's speech has some issues. We're still working on it.

I glanced at the time in the top corner.

But it's already nine.

Just wait a little longer.

My vision blurred for a second. My blood sugar had dropped so low my body wouldn't stop shaking.

Adam, my blood sugar's crashing. I need to eat something.

Another half hour passed before he answered.

We came on this trip for Ellie's award ceremony, not to take you on vacation. Be more considerate.

I tugged at the corner of my mouth and gave a bitter little laugh.

So it turned out being hungry and wanting to eat could also be called inconsiderate.

Five minutes later, my social media feed refreshed.

Eleanor had posted a picture.

The table was covered with desserts in every flavor, and behind them was the back of Adam.

The caption read:

I said I was hungry, so he ran outside the hotel to buy me cake. He didn't know which flavor I liked, so he bought all of them.

I tapped the like button.

Five minutes later, Adam came back.

His face was dark as he threw the dessert bag down in front of me.

"Is this funny to you?"

I looked up at him and didn't move.

Anger and impatience sat in his brow.

"Bridget, Ellie spent all night memorizing her speech. It's exhausting. So what if I bought her some dessert to cheer her up?"

"Now Ellie's afraid you're angry and doesn't dare eat. Happy now?"

"She and I grew up together. If there were really something between us, would it ever have been your turn?"

Watching his hands sign it all so fast,

my eyes stung.

He didn't care that I'd waited for him all night, didn't care that I was dizzy with hunger.

All he cared about was that Eleanor wasn't eating because I'd liked her post.

Slowly, I signed.

"Adam, I waited for you all night. I haven't eaten anything."

He looked at my bloodless lips and froze for a second.

Then Eleanor appeared in the doorway.

"Adam, the speech still has some problems. Can you take another look for me?"

Adam turned at once and followed her out.

Once again I was left alone.

He didn't come back until the early hours.

I looked at the reminder text on my phone, the marriage-license appointment set for seven days out.

I opened the government services portal.

Without the slightest hesitation, I canceled the appointment.

3: 3

The next day was the awards ceremony for the International Fine Arts Award.

Eleanor Dickerson's piece took the top gold medal.

I used to be a painter too.

But the car accident three years ago left my right hand unable to hold a brush steady. I couldn't create anymore.

Back then, Adam had made the call to give all my painting supplies to Eleanor.

"They're just wasting away here at home. Better to let them serve some real purpose."

It hurt, but I agreed.

At the ceremony.

Adam and Eleanor sat in the front row.

"Ellie only got two front-row tickets. She's nervous, so I need to be here with her. Go find an empty seat in the back."

The seats in the back were all full.

I had no choice but to stand on the empty patch of floor behind the last row, forcing myself to bear it.

Strange looks kept sweeping over me.

Like a child who'd done something wrong, I flushed and lowered my head.

Soon it was Eleanor's turn to go up for her award.

She wore an elegant trailing gown, standing under the spotlight, her eyes glistening with tears.

"This award, for me, is a surprise, a shock, and the best proof of all my hard work."

I stared hard at the painting on the big screen, my fingertips digging into my palm.

That painting was the last piece I finished before the accident.

Adam had said at the time he was afraid it would stir up painful memories, so he'd sealed my work away in the attic of our rental.

And now that painting had become Eleanor's award-winning piece.

She held the microphone and kept going.

"There's one more person I have to thank."

"Three years ago, when I was about to give up painting because I couldn't afford tuition, he handed me two million and told me I had to keep going, that he'd help me with every difficulty."

"Because of him, I'm the person I am today."

Her gaze passed over the crowd and landed on Adam.

The next second, Adam rose with a bouquet in his arms and walked toward the stage.

The two of them embraced amid the crowd's cheers.

That two million.

It was my accident settlement.

The next year my mother was diagnosed with cancer. We sold the house, the car, spent every bit of savings, and still couldn't scrape together enough for the surgery.

We were short by twenty thousand.

If that two-million settlement had been in my hands.

My mother might not have died.

Rage and hatred surged up. I couldn't take in a single sound; all I heard was my own heavy, ragged breathing, and I wanted to rush the stage and tear all of it apart.

I forced myself to stay calm, turned, and left the hall.

I wandered the streets in a daze, with no direction at all.

I don't know how long I walked.

Rain suddenly came down hard. I'd only just ducked under the eaves of a shop.

The phone in my pocket buzzed.

After the ceremony I'm going to the celebration dinner with Ellie. Get yourself back to the hotel later and don't go wandering off.

Even now, Adam had no idea I was already gone.

His eyes held no one but Eleanor.

He'd used my money to send Eleanor abroad, used my painting to win her an award.

It wasn't that he wasn't afraid of me learning the truth. He was certain that even if I knew the truth, I wouldn't make a scene.

After all, in his eyes, I couldn't survive without him.

Maybe that used to be true.

But now my hearing had come back. I didn't need him anymore.

I booked a flight home for that same day on my phone.

I walked back to the hotel through the rain, packed my bags right away, and dragged my suitcase into a cab to the airport.

On the way, I saw the post Eleanor had put up.

Just one photo.

Flushed from the wine, she was slumped limp and boneless against Adam's chest.

The two of them stared into each other's eyes.

My phone buzzed.

It was a text from the government services portal.

Dear Ms. Fox, you have successfully cancelled your appointment for marriage registration scheduled for 2026-8-26.

Before the plane took off, I contacted a lawyer.

I want to recover the two million my ex-boyfriend borrowed from me.

And I want to sue the person who stole my paintings to enter the International Fine Arts Award, and won.

4: 4

The plane landed.

I went back to the rented apartment I'd shared with Adam.

I walked up to the locked attic.

I took a hammer out of the toolbox and swung it down.

One swing, two swings

With a sharp crack, the broken lock hit the floor.

I pushed the attic door open.

It was empty. All twelve paintings I'd stored inside were gone.

I rushed straight to the computer and typed Eleanor Dickerson's name into the search bar.

I clicked into her portfolio.

Besides the painting that had won today, the other eleven were all sitting right there in her collection.

The corner of my mouth curled with contempt.

I had a secret Adam knew nothing about.

Every time I finished a piece, I signed my name in the bottom right corner using a special material.

The signature only showed up under a UV light.

I organized the evidence and sent it to my lawyer.

Once it was all done, for some reason I let out a breath.

The next afternoon, Adam stormed through the front door, furious.

Eleanor trailed behind him, sobbing.

"Bridget Fox!"

He shouted my name and yanked me up off the couch.

Both his hands flew into frantic sign language.

"Was it you who had a lawyer sue Ellie for stealing your paintings? And reported it to the International Fine Arts Award people too?"

"Why would you do this? Don't you know it'll destroy her?"

"Ellie only just won yesterday, and now every award's been revoked, and she's facing a total blacklist from the art world!"

Eleanor's eyes were swollen like walnuts as she clung to the hem of Adam's shirt.

"Adam, let it go, don't blame Bridget."

"It was my fault to begin with. I shouldn't have taken her work without asking, and I definitely shouldn't have entered it in the competition. If I have to be disgraced, then so be it."

"Bridget, I'm sorry. I never meant to steal your work. I just couldn't stand seeing those pieces buried away."

As she spoke, she made a show of dropping to her knees in front of me.

"What are you doing!"

Adam stopped her, aching for her, then whipped his head around and glared at me viciously.

"As long as I'm alive, I will not stand by and watch you get hurt!"

Once he'd soothed Eleanor, he went back to signing.

"Bridget Fox, if you still want to stay with me, go withdraw the suit right now, apologize to Ellie publicly, and say you spread lies because you were jealous of her."

"You can't paint anymore anyway, so you might as well just hand your pen name over to Ellie too. And all your accounts."

I looked at Adam, worked up and shaking.

It just struck me as absurd.

How could he stand there, so righteous, giving away my money and my work to her?

I tugged at the corner of my mouth. I wanted to laugh, and I wanted to cry.

Adam gently dabbed Eleanor's tears away with a tissue.

When his eyes turned to me, all that tenderness drained away in an instant.

"Bridget Fox, do exactly as I said, and in six days I'll still go with you to get the marriage license."

"But if you don't do as I said, get out of this house right now."

"I'd love to see how someone with no job and no income is going to survive in this world."

I watched his hands come slowly back down.

I bit down hard on my lower lip, until the rusty, sweet taste of blood spread across my tongue, and only then let go.

I took a deep breath and signed.

"Fine. I'll do as you said."

Adam let out a cold laugh.

"If it was always going to be this way, why put up a fight in the first place."

The relief washed over Eleanor at once.

"Bridget, thank you."

I made an excuse about going to write the statement and turned back to my room.

The door closed out in the living room. The two of them left.

Tonight was Adam's family dinner.

Every time, he brought Eleanor home to eat with his parents.

His mother had once said I didn't count as family since I wasn't married in yet, so I wasn't allowed to come.

I dragged my suitcase out to the car.

On the way, a message came in from Adam.

Once you post the statement, I'll make up for missing Valentine's Day with you.

I didn't reply.

Instead, I logged into the painter's account with two million followers.

After three years, an update, at last.

Meanwhile.

Eleanor saw the screenshot a friend had sent her, and the color drained from her face.

Adam, who'd been putting food on her plate, caught what was on her screen, and a vein jumped at his temple.

He grabbed his phone and messaged me.

Have you lost your mind? Delete what you posted, now!

The reply came back as a voice message.