I’m Kate, 35, and I thought my marriage was solid—until Ethan made me believe his mother was dying so I’d give him everything. Over a year, I handed him $113,000, sacrificing savings, family heirlooms, and my peace, all to help “Gail” fight cancer.
Then a neighbor casually mentioned Gail had lived across the state for over a decade. Panic hit. I followed Ethan one day and saw him meeting a woman pretending to be his mother. The truth slammed into me: there was no cancer. Ethan had been lying to steal my money for a house with his mistress, Jenna.
I confronted him with the evidence. He raged, I stayed calm. I shut the door on him, filed for divorce, closed joint accounts, and reclaimed my life.
A week later, the real Gail—healthy, silver-haired, and gracious—reached out. She had no idea what Ethan had done. Over tea and scones, I realized something important: honesty and boundaries are worth more than anything he stole.
