Life had been good before I ended up in the hospital.

I'd been married to Toby for three years, and we were living a happy life.

I worked as a consultant in a clothing store, and he had a stable job in finance. It's not like we were rolling in money. We had enough to live comfortably.

Most nights, Toby came home exhausted. He didn't even have time to ask me how my day went. But honestly, I never complained.

I knew he was working hard for us.

One evening, as we sat on the couch, I held his hand gently.

"I can't wait until we have our own place," I murmured.

"Yeah," he sighed. "I just need a little more time to save up. You know how expensive houses are right now."

"I know." I smiled. "But when we finally get it, I want a big kitchen. And a backyard."

"For a dog?" he teased.

"For a baby," I corrected with a grin.

His expression softened, and he kissed my forehead. "We'll get there."

I believed him.

When he left for a work trip that Friday, I didn't think much of it. His job required travel, and I had grown used to it.

I figured I'd use the weekend to deep clean the apartment.

Little did I know it was not the right decision.

I was dusting the top shelf of the hallway closet when the ladder wobbled beneath me.

For a split second, I was weightless. And then I was falling.

The impact was instant. A sharp, searing pain shot through my right leg, unlike anything I'd ever felt before. I gasped and my vision started blurring as I struggled to move.

Gritting my teeth, I reached for my phone, barely managing to swipe the screen. My fingers trembled as I dialed 911.

Minutes later, the paramedics arrived. The pain was unbearable as they lifted me onto the stretcher. I could barely keep my eyes open as they wheeled me into the ambulance.

At the hospital, the X-ray confirmed what I already suspected. I had broken my leg.

"You'll need to stay here for a few days," the doctor informed me after wrapping my leg in a cast. "We need to monitor the swelling before we can send you home."

The moment he left the room, I grabbed my phone and called Toby.

"Toby," I whispered. "I… I broke my leg."

"What?" His tone shifted from playful to panicked. "How? What happened?"

I exhaled shakily. "I fell off a ladder while cleaning."

"Jesus, Kate." I heard rustling on the other end like he was moving around. "I'm coming home. I'll cut my trip short."

"No, you don't have to—"

"Don't even argue. I should be there with you."

Tears pricked my eyes. "Okay."

I was still on the phone with him when the door opened. A nurse walked in.

I quickly told Toby I'd call him later and hung up.

"You must be Kate," the nurse said. "I'm Stephanie. I'll be looking after you while you're here."

"Nice to meet you," I said, forcing a smile through my discomfort.

"Don't you worry about a thing," Stephanie assured me. "We're going to take great care of you."

I let out a breath, nodding. She seemed kind.

I had no idea that in just a few days, this woman would shatter everything I thought I knew about my life.

At first, Stephanie was wonderful.

From the moment she started looking after me, she made sure I was comfortable. She checked on me regularly, adjusted my pillows when I couldn't move properly, and even brought me an extra blanket when I mentioned feeling chilly.

"You must be tired of hospital food already," she joked one afternoon as she handed me a tray. "I wouldn't blame you if you refuse to eat this."

I laughed. "I wasn't going to say anything, but yeah… this is not exactly gourmet dining."She grinned. "Don't worry. I'll sneak you something better if I can."

Over time, we started talking about our lives.

"So," she asked one evening as she fluffed my pillows, "do you have kids?"

"Not yet," I admitted. "My husband and I want to buy a house first, then start thinking about kids."

She nodded. "That's smart. Kids are expensive."

I smiled. "What about you? Are you married?"

She shook her head. "No, but there's someone in my life. We're dating. Nothing serious yet."

"Do you think he's the one?" I teased.

"Maybe," she shrugged. "He's great. You know, the kind types. He's been spoiling me lately."

"That's sweet," I said. "It's nice when someone makes you feel special."

The next day, when Stephanie walked into my room, something caught my eye.

A bracelet.

It was not just any bracelet. It was a delicate gold chain with a small heart charm, and it looked just like the one my grandmother had given me.

The same bracelet that I had lost a month ago.

At first, I thought it was a coincidence. But then, as Stephanie rested her arm on the side table while adjusting my IV, I saw it up close.

The tiny engraving on the back of the heart charm had a little smiley face.

My grandmother had requested the jeweler for that smiley. She told me it was especially for me.

Suddenly, I felt lightheaded.

How is this even possible? I thought.

I had looked for it everywhere, and I was convinced I had misplaced it. But now, it was there. On my nurse's wrist.

"That's a beautiful bracelet," I said, forcing a smile. "Where did you get it?"Stephanie glanced down, then smiled. "My boyfriend gave it to me."

A chill ran down my spine.

"That's sweet," I said. "When did he give it to you?"

"A month ago."

My fingers gripped the hospital blanket.

Suddenly, memories flooded back.

I had been getting ready for a party. I had done my makeup and reached for my jewelry box when I realized my bracelet was missing.

"Toby, have you seen my bracelet?" I asked, rummaging through the drawers.

"You probably left it somewhere," he said.

"But it's always in my jewelry box."

He sighed, glancing at his watch. "Kate, we're getting late. Just wear something else."

His reaction had felt off at the time, but I let it go, thinking I had misplaced it.

Now, as I stared at the bracelet on Stephanie's wrist, the pieces started clicking into place.

Toby had taken it.

And he had given it to Stephanie.

Before I could say anything else, I needed to be sure.

My heart pounded as I reached for my phone. I quickly scrolled through my photos until I found one of Toby and me from our anniversary dinner.

Then, I turned the screen toward Stephanie.

"Is this your boyfriend?" I asked.

She glanced at the photo, her smile lingering for a brief second before fading.

"How do you know him?" she asked, confused.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Because that's my husband."

Silence.Her eyes darted back to the bracelet on her wrist, and then back to me.

"Wh-what do you mean? Your husband?" she asked. "I… I don't understand."

"I'm saying that Toby is not just your boyfriend," I explained. "He's my husband. And that bracelet? It was mine before he stole it and gave it to you."

Stephanie took a shaky step back, crossing her arms. "That… that can't be true. He wouldn't do that to me."

"He's been doing it to me for months," I said bitterly. "You just didn't know."

"No…" she said. "He told me he was single. He never mentioned a wife."

I almost laughed. "Of course, he didn't."

Stephanie's breathing grew uneven as she processed everything. Then, her expression hardened.

"I can't believe this," she exhaled sharply. "I can't believe I trusted him."

I met her gaze as a plan formed in my mind.

"If you're willing to help me, we can make him confess when he comes here tonight," I suggested. "He said he'd be back from his trip today.""What do you have in mind?" she asked.

"We call the cops," I said. "And when he comes in, we make him admit to what he did."

"Alright," she nodded. "I'll do it."

Then, she took the bracelet off her wrist and handed it to me.

"It's yours," she whispered. "Keep it."

***

That evening, Toby arrived at the hospital. He looked frantic and exhausted as he rushed to my bedside.

"Kate, baby, I got here as soon as I could," he said, brushing his hand over mine. "How are you feeling?"

I studied him carefully.

He was the same man who had been my husband for three years. The man I had trusted. The man who had stolen from me and lied straight to my face.

Before I could respond, the door opened.

Two police officers walked in, followed by Stephanie.

"What's going on?" Toby asked, his face filled with confusion.

Stephanie stepped forward and pointed at my bracelet. "She says you stole that from her and gave it to me."

Toby's brows shot up. "What?"

The officer looked at me. "Ma'am, is it true?"

Before I could answer, Stephanie's voice cut in. "No. It's not true. I don't have any bracelet. I don't know why she thinks her husband is interested in me."

I couldn't believe it. Was this the same woman who had just agreed to expose Toby? The same woman who had seemed just as betrayed as I was?

"See?" Toby let out a nervous chuckle. "This is ridiculous. I don't even know what this is about."

I was still reeling from the betrayal when I heard it.

A sigh.

Then, a quiet, shaky voice.

"Alright… I did it."

I snapped my head toward Toby, watching as he ran a hand down his face, his expression defeated.

"I stole the bracelet," he admitted, his voice heavy with guilt. "I took it from Kate's jewelry box and gave it to Stephanie."

"Toby!" Stephanie shouted. "No!"

"I met her at a bar one night after an argument with Kate," he confessed. "It wasn't supposed to be anything serious, but… things happened. I took the bracelet because I thought Kate wouldn't notice. But she did."

I heaved a sigh of relief.

The officers exchanged glances before one of them spoke. "Ma'am, do you want to press charges?"

I looked at Toby. He wouldn't even meet my eyes.

"No, officer," I said. "I don't want to press any charges."

Toby's head lifted slightly in surprise.

"I'm not going to ruin your life," I said. "But I'm not going to stay in it either."

Once the officers left, I turned to Stephanie.

"What the heck was that?" I yelled at her. "What were you trying to do?"

"I'm… I—"

"Get out!" I shouted. "Just get out of this room. Now!"

She hesitated, but then she nodded and left without another word.

Toby stepped closer and tried to apologize. "Kate, I—"

"Don't." My voice was calm. "Just leave."

His eyes filled with regret, but I didn't care anymore.

He walked out, and that was the last time I saw him. Our divorce was finalized soon after.

Leaving him wasn't easy. Letting go of the life I had built wasn't easy. But I had no choice. I couldn't stay with someone who had betrayed me so deeply.

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