After they left, my phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Eloise's kindergarten teacher, Karen Linsell.

"Hi, Mrs. Garpin, Ellie just told me you got your period. Make sure you get plenty of rest! Her dad is picking her up today, right?"

My hand clenched around the phone as I fought back my anger and typed a reply. "Yes, my husband is picking her up."

The woman I'd been following online posted again. This time it was a screenshot of our conversation, along with a mirror selfie. She wore black stockings and lingerie that left little to the imagination.

"That woman's on her period again today. I bought something special to surprise him. He won't be able to resist me, especially since he says his wife is boring and uptight. I'm the opposite."

So, the poster really was Karen. When I read that line about being boring and uptight, I froze. Had John said that about me?

When he'd been broke and desperate, and when he was begging me to invest in the failing Garpin Corporation, he certainly hadn't acted like I was boring. Everyone in our circle said I'd made the right investment. Within a few years, the Garpin family had become the wealthiest in Ashville.

I'd followed his advice and left the business world to become what he called the perfect wife and support system. How ironic. He'd been cheating on me this whole time, chasing thrills behind my back.

However, what shocked me more was her next post.

"And tonight I'm doing a home visit at their house. We'll be fooling around right under his wife's nose. Just thinking about it gets me excited!"

The comments flooded in.

"Holy shit, OP, that's disgusting. You're actually going to their house?"

She replied quickly, "What do you know? He told me he never had feelings for his wife anyway. He only married her so she'd invest in his company.

"And get this. His wife doesn't even know that the precious daughter she adores calls me Mom."

No wonder Eloise had stopped listening to me lately. I'd told her not to exercise too strenuously as she was born premature and had a congenital heart condition.

I worried about her constantly, but she'd started looking at me with disgust.

"Mom, you're so overdramatic. Don't do this, don't do that. No wonder Dad says you're boring. Ms. Linsell is way better. I wish she were my mom instead."

As I thought about all of this, tears streamed down my face. The irony was almost unbearable. The child I'd nearly died bringing into this world and the man I loved were both treating me like this.

The cramping in my lower abdomen intensified. The after-effects from the hemorrhaging during my premature delivery had been getting worse. The pain became so severe that everything went black and I collapsed.

When I woke up, scalding water splashed across my face. The burning pain crashed over me like a tidal wave and I screamed.

Karen, John, and Eloise stood in front of me. Karen held a steaming kettle with a satisfied smile on her face. Her eyes were gleaming with triumph.

"Mrs. Garpin, you're finally awake. I thought about using cold water, but since you're on your period and not feeling well, I figured hot water would be better. Glad it did the trick."

John stood beside her. His expression was cold and empty.

My face was already red and swollen from the scalding water. A small moan escaped my lips.

"It hurts. It hurts so much."

Karen laughed at the sight and handed the kettle to Eloise with a sweet smile.

"Ellie, your mom is still talking in her sleep. She hasn't fully woken up yet. Take this hot water and splash some more on her."

Eloise immediately grabbed the kettle and threw the water at me. My thin nightgown offered no protection against the boiling water. My skin got scalded again, and I screamed.

"Stop! Ellie, stop!"

Karen laughed at my miserable state. "Oh, you're awake now, Mrs. Garpin. I guess the hot water really does work."

I knew she was doing this on purpose. I struggled to get up, but every movement felt like walking on knives. The pain tore through me.

I looked at John desperately. "John, that was boiling water. I'm in so much pain. Please take me to the hospital."

Karen's expression instantly shifted to fake concern. "Mrs. Garpin, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have done that to wake you up. I was just so worried about you."

John frowned at me coldly the moment he heard Karen's pitiful tone. "Enough. You just got splashed with a little hot water. Karen was worried about you.

"Besides, it didn't kill you. How bad could it be?"

Eloise hugged Karen and looked at me with disgust. "Exactly. Dad's right. It was just a little hot water. Mom, stop getting in the way of Ms. Linsell's home visit."

Home visit? What a load of garbage. This was cheating, plain and simple.

How ridiculous. If I hadn't stumbled across that forum post and discovered everything, they probably would have fooled me for the rest of my life.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I used every ounce of strength I had left to scream at John and Karen.

"Stop pretending! John, how dare you bring your mistress into my face? Do you have any shame? Any conscience at all?"

I lunged forward, wanting to slap Karen across the face. The next second, John kicked me to the ground. The crushing pain in my lower abdomen left me unable to even crawl.

John stood protectively in front of Karen and stared down at me coldly.

"Enough, Emma. You know the truth now, so just shut up about it. You can still be Mrs. Garpin. What's the point of making a scene?

"Listen. I've kept you as the only woman in my life for all these years. That should more than repay what you invested back then. Stop being ungrateful."

I froze where I lay, staring at him in disbelief. My whole body trembled.

I was the ungrateful one? My eyes turned red, and tears streamed down my face.

Karen acted like she'd been frightened. Her face was the picture of fragility as she looked at John. "John, this is my fault. I insisted on coming over and disturbing you all. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Garpin. I'm so sorry."

When Eloise saw Karen crying, she flew into a rage. She rushed over and shoved me to the ground.

"You're a terrible mother! All you do is bully Ms. Linsell! You're disgusting!"

I had no strength left. Eloise's push sent me stumbling, and my head slammed against the corner of the wall.

My heart had finally shattered completely. Clutching the wound on my forehead, I struggled to my feet and pulled out my phone to call for help so I could get out of here.

John thought I was going to call the police. Fury flashed across his face. He snatched my phone away and smashed it on the ground. He roared at me.

"Enough, Emma! How much more unreasonable can you be today? I've been good to you. You have everything you need, and you're Mrs. Garpin. What more do you want?"

What more did I want? I let out a bitter laugh and looked at John and Karen, enunciating each word clearly.

"I'm tired. I want a divorce. How about that?"

John didn't hesitate for a second. "That's impossible. Emma, I've clearly spoiled you too much. You've become this way because I let you. You even tried to slap Karen. You need to be taught a lesson today."

A flash of disappointment crossed Karen's eyes before she quickly covered it up. "John, I think you're right. Mrs. Garpin doesn't know how good she has it. She needs to be taught a lesson, or she'll forget her place."

She paused, as if something had just occurred to her. A smile spread across her face as she turned to John.

"John, didn't you tell me your family has an ice cellar? Why don't we let Mrs. Garpin cool down in there for a while? She won't die in there, and it'll teach her a good lesson."

That ice cellar was below freezing. If I went in there, I'd die for sure.

"No! I can't go in there. I'll die! John, you're insane!"

John didn't even glance at me. After hearing Karen's suggestion, he nodded immediately.

"Not a bad idea. Let's use the ice cellar. An hour should do it. She won't die, and maybe she'll finally learn."

No! I couldn't go in there! I reached out to grab John's clothes, but he dodged me with disgust written all over his face.

"Emma, just stay in there and behave. When you come out, I hope you'll stop being so jealous all the time. Then, you can continue being Mrs. Garpin."

I could ask Eloise for help. I looked at my daughter desperately, but she stared back at me coldly.

"You offended Ms. Linsell. You deserve to be locked up."

Panic seized me. I had to escape. I had to get out of here.

I forced my body toward the door. I hadn't taken more than a few steps when Eloise spotted me and cried out.

"Mom's trying to run away! Dad, go after her!"

John turned and saw me. Rage twisted his features. He ran over and yanked me back.

Karen watched the scene unfold and spoke up again. "John, if she won't cooperate, why don't we break her legs? Technology is so advanced now. We can get them fixed later. It won't cause any real problems."

She pulled out a golf club with a sweet smile and handed it to John. John looked at me and sighed as he took the club.

"Don't blame me for this, Emma. You brought this on yourself. Just be good and bear with it. It'll be over soon."

Shock flooded through me. I struggled and screamed.

"You're insane! John, if you break my legs, I'll hate you forever!"

He tied me up and swung the club at my knees. The pain was excruciating. It tore through me like knives stabbing into bone. The pain forced blood up my throat.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

However, it wasn't over. They dragged me to the ice cellar and threw me inside.

The moment the cellar door slammed shut, despair crashed over me. I pounded on the door desperately, begging them with everything I had left.

"Don't leave me alone in here! It hurts so much! It's so cold! I'm going to die!"

Only silence answered me. Was I really going to die here?

My breathing grew shallower with each passing second. Then, suddenly, the door opened.