“Aw, come on, let’s hear more from this point!” Emily whispered with interest, brushing cobwebs and dust from her face. Her hiding spot wasn’t too clean. Sitting there was uncomfortable.

She constantly wanted to sneeze, and her legs were already numb, but Emily could endure worse just to find out what her husband was up to. Michael was talking loudly on the phone with someone. He had just entered the apartment, though he should have been at his job.

Emily, who had also happened to be home in the middle of the workday today, could hear perfectly what her spouse was saying. But he apparently didn’t suspect his wife was nearby. He couldn’t see her because she was in the walk-in closet.

Emily, upon returning home, had finally moved that darn heavy wardrobe aside to retrieve the folder with documents that her six-year-old daughter Olivia, the little rascal, had tossed up there a week ago. That was her idea of a joke. She was playing, as she later explained to her mother about the disappearance of important work documents. The girl probably lacked attention from her parents and wanted to draw it this way – by searching for the lost item together and then finding it herself so Mom and Dad would praise her.

The folder had slipped into the gap between the wall and the wardrobe. To get it out now, she had to shift that massive thing. Emily needed those documents for work, and she had asked her husband several times. But it was useless. He always found excuses, promising to do it tomorrow each time.

“No, what do you suggest, that I drop everything now and start moving this unliftable wardrobe? On the weekend, I’ll call my brother and we’ll handle it.”

Her husband’s infantilism and laziness sometimes amazed her. Emily was completely different – active and energetic. That’s why, when her boss demanded the contracts for the latest deals today, she decided to drive home and rescue the ill-fated plastic folder herself, which turned out to be so light and slippery that it caused the woman a ton of problems.

“I’ll bring them right away!” she promised her superiors and resolutely headed home.

“It’s about time! You’ve been feeding me promises for a week!” her boss grumbled after the departing employee.

She did manage to shift the wardrobe. Amazing how she succeeded. Probably, anger at her husband gave her strength. Besides the folder, several recently missing items and a bunch of dust were found there.

“Now I’ll quickly vacuum here and head to work,” decided the restless Emily. “And he can move it back in the evening.”

But then she was surprised to hear Michael enter the apartment. He was talking on the phone, deeply engrossed in the conversation.

“Well, look at that! Why is he slacking off?” Emily asked herself, listening with interest to what her husband was saying.

She was about to come out and ask Michael a reasonable question. But suddenly she stopped and froze, holding the fateful folder in her hands.

That this folder became truly fateful, Emily realized just a couple of minutes later…

Because without it, the woman wouldn’t have learned everything that had been happening around her lately.

“All right, I’m already home. Yes, I took time off from work specifically so no one there would interfere with such a delicate conversation. How else did you want it? The guys would start asking questions, laughing at me. I know their jokes.”

“What? What kind of conversation?” Emily whispered in surprise, continuing to listen.

Now it wasn’t worth coming out. She needed to stay hidden as long as possible. And find out who her husband was having these delicate talks with and about what.

“Go ahead, dictate the number, I’m writing it down,” Michael continued. “Of course I’ll call you later, what do you mean! How could I not call? Yes, and I’ll tell you everything.”

Michael hung up, was silent for a bit, and then Emily heard his confident and loud voice again.

“Hello! Tell me, can I get a paternity test done at your lab?” the husband asked formally.

“What?!” Emily was stunned in her ambush. “Aw, come on, let’s hear more from this point!”

What had he come up with? What kind of tests? For what paternity? Does he doubt Olivia is his daughter? Or does he have someone else on the side?

“Very good. Tell me, how much will it cost and how quickly can I get the results?” Michael continued. “That expensive? Wow! That’s just robbery! Yes, I understand it’s not a regular blood test. What are you explaining to me? I’m not a child! Okay, how long does it take? Yes, got it. What do I need? Hold on, I’ll write it all down. Yes, go ahead, I’m writing.”

While Michael repeated and noted everything he had to do to submit materials for the DNA analysis, Emily pondered what to do.

Come out now and, after giving her husband a good whack with something, interrogate him thoroughly about what he was planning. Or still sit and listen more? Michael’s intentions were clear to her. But on the other hand, it wasn’t yet obvious which child he meant. Maybe he really had someone else besides Olivia?..

After finishing the call with the lab where he planned to do the test, Michael, as promised five minutes ago, called his mother back.

Emily immediately realized that his first conversation was with her mother-in-law. He always spoke to her in some apologetic tone. As if he had wronged her somehow. Probably from childhood, when the strict mother raised her two sons too harshly. Her husband loved his mother and, as it seemed to Emily, even feared her a bit. And now, apparently, he was carrying out her assignment. Otherwise, how to explain that he coordinated every step with his domineering mom.

“Hello, Mom, I found out everything. Yes, just called. They explained what and how to do. But you know, they quoted such a price! I’m just in shock. How can they charge people such amounts? We just want to know the truth. We have the right,” Michael started in a guilty voice.

Pausing for a few seconds to listen to his mother’s reply, Michael continued.

“Thanks, Mom! I knew you’d give me the money. Otherwise, Emily would immediately sense something’s off. She’d ask where I spent such money. And I can’t lie, you know that.”

“Can’t lie! What a whopper! Come on, tell me who you doubt, you scoundrel!” whispered the shocked Emily. “Reveal all your secret intentions. Open up your desires, you jerk!”

She needed to understand who her husband doubted – Olivia, the daughter born in their marriage, or another child conceived on the side.

They had met her future husband by chance. Michael approached Emily at a bar where she and her girlfriends were celebrating getting their diplomas. They were having fun, dancing so that everyone around applauded.

“Girls, let’s party. We’re now certified lawyers! Hooray!” they shouted joyfully throughout the bar.

Then some modest young man, who had been watching their fun from the side, invited Emily to a slow dance. And right away said he’d never met such a beautiful girl.

From that day, they started dating. Michael courted beautifully, telling Emily every day how madly in love he was and couldn’t imagine life without her. Emily wasn’t rushing to marry, so she gave consent to Michael only about two years after they met.

The girl didn’t plan to devote herself fully to family right away, get bogged down in household chores, kids, and pots. She was ambitious, like all young people. She dreamed of building a career and earning money.

But a year after the wedding, she learned she was expecting. Olivia was born, and she and her husband adored her. Emily always thought Michael loved his daughter even more than she did. He spoiled her too much, allowed too much, and forgave everything. And how similar they were, simply astonishing! All acquaintances and relatives said in one voice when seeing them together – no DNA test needed here!

So why did Michael doubt his paternity now? Or had it always been since Olivia’s first day? Or was it not about their daughter after all?

Emily’s head ached from the tension. What horror – she completely didn’t know the person she’d lived with for so many years.

“Mom, you came up with a great idea for this test,” Michael continued and finally revealed his intentions. “Still, to decide on such a serious step, I need to be one hundred percent sure that Angela’s son is mine. I don’t doubt Olivia; she’s like two peas in a pod with me. But little Daniel doesn’t look like me at all, and that’s very suspicious…”

“You jerk! When did you manage that?” Emily fumed, still sitting behind the wardrobe.

“So, a child on the side after all. Some Angela, little Daniel. What a saturated life you have, Mikey! And naive me thought you loved us with our daughter. That you adored me.”

Emily took a deep breath to calm down a bit. There was reason to feel down and upset.

And Michael, after listening to his mother’s reply, continued…

“Yes, everything needs checking, you’re absolutely right, Mom. Before making such an important decision – to leave for Angela and the son, I must be one hundred percent sure he’s my son!”

That her mother-in-law was stirring trouble, turning her son against his wife, Emily had suspected for a long time. And she didn’t love her granddaughter as much as the grandsons from the older son. Olivia reciprocated. Kids sense adults’ attitudes very keenly. That’s why the girl didn’t like visiting Grandma Evelyn, Michael’s mother. She preferred Emily’s parents in that regard.

But that Michael was unfaithful, not just sneaking around on his wife but had even fathered a child on the side, that was a complete revelation for Emily. And his plans to leave them with the daughter for new relationships – that was something else!

The woman was so shocked by what she heard that she feared even moving. Because her husband might hear her, and then she’d have to come out of hiding and just kill him. Nothing else left. To avoid that, she needed to calm down and weigh everything. And only then decide how to avenge this dishonorable man her husband turned out to be.

“You know, Mom, after Steve from our department had his wife declare during the divorce that the son wasn’t his, I’ve been thinking about this warily for a long time. You read my mind as if. If it turns out all good, a new life awaits me. With a new wife and the son I’ve dreamed of.”

Michael said the last phrase while already leaving the apartment.

Emily could finally come out from behind the wardrobe and stretch her numb legs. She still held the folder she needed to take to the office urgently.

Yes, that’s exactly what she’d do now, and on the way decide what to do next. Because everything she learned now promised nothing good for her and her daughter. Divorce, property division, Olivia would grow up without the father she loved very much. All this needed thinking through.

In the most dangerous and responsible moments of life, Emily’s brain started working differently. Rational thinking kicked in, which had saved the woman in stressful situations more than once.

She was driving to work, and her brain had already activated this program. Emily recalled how they quarreled with her future mother-in-law right before the wedding. The reason was trivial, but Evelyn Thompson then let loose all dogs on her, showing her true attitude toward the future daughter-in-law.

“Where did you come from on our heads? You do everything contrary, everything to spite me! And you’re turning my son against me!” the mother-in-law yelled, upset that her son hadn’t done everything she asked that day. He was busy with Emily – there was a lot to do before the wedding.

She just listened silently then, couldn’t get a word in.

“Angela, such a good girl. And she loves Michael! And you… Where did he dig you up? Everything was so good before you!”

“Angela! Of course! Angela, that’s our Angela with little Danny! So that’s it! So the mother-in-law won’t calm down, just dreams of seeing that good girl next to Michael, who probably dances virtuosically to her tune?” Emily even shook her head at the amazing discovery she just made.

“Well, then I did everything right back then. I insured myself for just such a case. So, war!” the woman said confidently aloud. “I didn’t declare it, but I’ve been prepared for it a long time!”

After that awful scandal the mother-in-law threw a week before the wedding, Emily even refused to go to the registry with Michael. And it took him huge efforts to persuade her then.

“Okay,” she said. “But I have one condition. And it’ll be a guarantee that one day you, like your mom, won’t betray me.”

“I’m agreed to anything! And I don’t plan to betray you,” the enamored Michael declared passionately.

“Then today we’ll finalize the purchase of the apartment we’ve already chosen. We have the money. Why wait? And we’ll register it in my name. Before the marriage. You trust me, right? And if not, we’ll sign a contract with a notary stating the amount, your money that you invested in the apartment. I’ll never deceive you, so you have nothing to fear. And if something happens – you’ll have the contract. Agreed?”

“Yes! Agreed. Write it.”

Emily quickly drafted the contract in free form and said tomorrow at work she’d have it notarized.

She hadn’t recalled that funny contract even once until now, which no one signed, of course, and it had no legal force. What mattered was something else. The apartment bought by her before marriage was her property only.

Back then, no one thought about divorce and betrayal. They loved each other. And planned to live together all life.

After handing the folder with documents to her boss, Emily went to her workstation and started thinking what to do now.

Then she went out to the large lobby with soft sofas surrounded by live plants where office folks could relax a bit, and dialed her mother-in-law’s number.

“I’m listening,” Evelyn Thompson answered rudely…

“Listen carefully! Unlike my still-husband, I don’t need to wait for DNA test results; I know without a test that he’s cheating on me.”

“What? Where did you get that?” Boris’s mother faltered.

“Doesn’t matter. What’s important is something else. I don’t know where your Angela lives with her offspring and if Michael can move in there, but starting today, he won’t live in my apartment anymore,” Emily continued calmly. “And I’ll file for divorce today.”

“In what – your apartment? Are you crazy? That’s your shared apartment! And Michael invested as much as you!” Evelyn Thompson screamed. “And if you’re divorcing him, prepare for apartment division!”

“No, it’s my apartment. And we won’t divide it. Probably, Mikey never told you about it, afraid of you. Well, that’s your problem then.”

“What are you babbling? Stupid silly lie!” the mother-in-law didn’t want to believe.

“No, I don’t lie, don’t have that habit. The facts are that we bought the apartment before marriage and registered it in my name. With your family, apparently, need to keep ear sharp. So I insured myself. And as you see, not in vain!”

“This can’t be! I’ll call Michael now! I’ll find out everything!”..

“Go ahead. And tell him by the way that his things can be picked up from the neighbors this evening. And my daughter and I will go to my parents to not traumatize the child with ugly scenes.”

Emily hung up and decided it was time to go home and throw out everything related to the vile cheater from the apartment. And file for divorce. But that could be done later. Luckily, now it’s no problem – open the internet and go!

When Michael came home from work, he was surprised. He was preparing for a serious and unpleasant talk, not believing his mother that Emily was capable of what she promised. He prepared a speech with excuses. But a surprise awaited him.

The apartment had a new lock, and a note on the door said his things were in apartment 17.

Picking up the suitcases, Michael went to his mother’s. Angela with her son still lived with her mom. Living with them would be weird, especially since Michael hadn’t done the paternity test yet. And wasn’t sure Daniel was his child.

“How could you blow your money like that?” his mother yelled at him. “Where will you live now? With me? And drag Angela with the kid here too?”

“Well, where else? We’ll figure something out later.”

“You already figured once! Now deal with it. Left without a corner and without money. Not for nothing I disliked your Emily from day one. What a vile one she turned out! Dishonorable and nasty! Well, I won’t leave it like that!”

“Yes, dishonorable,” Michael agreed. “And she promised me once…”

Evelyn Thompson looked at her son reproachfully, who sat at the table in her kitchen and ate dinner with appetite.

His wife had just kicked him out, and he was calm as a tank. How can one be so careless and unruffled when your life is collapsing?

“Mom, why are you looking at me like that? Tell me, who turned me against my wife. Who tried to hook me up with Angela after so many years? And now say we’re not guilty!” Michael said after chewing.

“And blame your mother for everything! Go ahead, son, don’t hold back! Say I wished you harm, not happiness!” Evelyn Thompson didn’t hold back emotions. They burst out, making her nervous.

Everything went wrong as planned. From the start, everything went wrong.

Now she recalled how three years ago, right on the day when Michael’s daughter turned three, this old story surfaced again. And got its continuation.

Then her son decided to drive his mother home after a small feast they held for Olivia’s birthday.

“Son, do you remember Angela?” the mother asked casually, gazing at the night windows of houses passing by the car.

“Angela? I remember. Why are you asking about her? She’s married, everything’s fine with her,” Michael was surprised, who had already forgotten about the girl he dated before meeting Emily…

“No, Mikey. Not everything’s fine with her. Actually, very bad. Her husband turned out a scoundrel, left her without a penny. Good thing they didn’t have kids yet,” Evelyn Thompson said in a sad voice. “She’s alone now, lives with her mother.”

“And how do you know all about her? Still talking to Antonia, her mother? Why, Mom? She used you fully back then. Starting again?” the son asked reproachfully.

“We never stopped talking. You know, I owe Antonia for life. If not for her, I’d be in jail for my debts.”

“You remembered that! When was that! Forget it. And stop talking to her. She’s a manipulator. And what a one! Keeps you on a short leash.”

“It’s not that easy, son…”

Evelyn Thompson mentally transported to events fifteen years ago. She worked as an accountant in a very shady private company then. At first, she was even glad to get into a firm paying twice as much as the state enterprise. But soon she understood why.

The woman had to turn a blind eye to many law violations by the boss. And not just silently watch, but sometimes sign documents herself that could lead her straight to prison.

And once they simply set her up, claiming she owed the firm a tidy sum. How she managed to get out dry, Evelyn still doesn’t understand. Yes, she had to find money to cover the debt.

And here Antonia enters the story. She was not a close acquaintance, just a neighbor they occasionally greeted. But when Evelyn Thompson asked her for help, she readily agreed to lend a substantial amount. Luckily, after her general husband’s death, she had plenty on accounts.

She grabbed poor Evelyn so tightly that she couldn’t live a day without the new friend. Antonia called her home every day. To help with chores, wash windows, go shopping or to the market for groceries. Or just chat, discuss some news. Evelyn always went obediently, knowing only this person would wait as long as needed for the debtor to pay fully.

“I’m not rushing you, Eve. Pay little by little. I understand, you have two sons, and your husband brings nothing home. Where to get money? But I wouldn’t tolerate such beside me. Kick him out!” Antonia advised, watching Evelyn mop floors in her big apartment.

And in half a year, the husband indeed left her. Because he realized his wife was fully dependent on her domineering acquaintance. Or found another. One who was always home, beside her husband. Baked pies, cooked soups, and listened to him open-mouthed.

Once Evelyn invited Antonia with her daughter Angela to her birthday; the girl was already eighteen then…

The girl turned out sharp and immediately eyed Michael. From that day, Antonia did everything to pair her daughter with Evelyn’s younger son.

“Eve, think, they’ll make a great couple. Your Michael is smart and compliant at once. Great qualities for a husband. Besides, he’s studying in college, that’s good too. I’d advise another for my daughter, but she fell for Mike. Nothing to do,” Antonia persuaded Evelyn to influence her son.

Michael was young and carefree and even paid attention to Angela for a while, dating her a couple months.

But then fate gave him a meeting with Emily, his future wife. And though Emily didn’t agree to marriage right away, stringing Michael along for a couple years, he didn’t back off.

Antonia was angry at Evelyn, blamed her for letting her son slip, and now he’s marrying another.

“I remember, dear, you didn’t pay the whole debt. I can sue you. All receipts are in place,” she scared the obedient Evelyn.

“Well, what can I do, Toni? He doesn’t listen to me at all. And I’ll work it off for you. Ask anything, I’ll do everything,” Evelyn almost cried…

Somehow this story settled. And some time after her son’s wedding, Evelyn learned Angela also got married.

After some time, Antonia reappeared in her debtor’s life and announced her daughter divorced her husband. Because she still loves Michael.

“They must be together, no discussion! How, I don’t care. You’re a woman, be cunning, come up with something. But so my daughter doesn’t cry alone anymore!” Antonia ordered, waving old receipts in Evelyn’s face.

And she did everything to pair her son and Angela again, who now called herself only Angela.

“It’s simpler and trendy!” she explained to Michael’s mother when she came to visit them.

Michael was already there. He had quarreled with his wife; the mother-in-law arranged that scandal, adding fuel to the fire. The table was laden with food and drinks, and the former lovers were in a wonderful romantic mood.

“Well, I’ll go. My friends invited me to the theater,” Evelyn Thompson said with a smile, leaving her son and the guest alone.

“Good job! Did everything right!” Antonia praised her on the phone. “If it works out and they’re together, I’ll burn all your receipts in front of you. And forget about interest, so be it.”

“How you got me!” Evelyn said angrily, hanging up.

But Michael soon reconciled with Emily and went home. He didn’t want to meet Angela anymore, no matter how his mother hinted.

She had to do colossal work processing her son. She told Michael straight that Emily didn’t suit him, that his wife was sloppy and dirty. And doesn’t love him like Angela would.

“Mom, we have a daughter, and I love both my wife and Olivia very much. Leave us alone,” her son begged.

“And what if the daughter isn’t yours? Are you sure?” the mother used another argument.

“You went too far! She’s my copy!” Michael argued…

Nothing worked. But as they say, water wears away stone. And one day Evelyn Thompson saw her son and Angela together herself. They sat in the car near her house. The woman laughed and flirted with Michael, who was quite glad about the meeting. Then they even kissed.

And half a year ago, Antonia called Evelyn and demanded Michael urgently leave his wife because Angela had his son.

She yelled so much that Evelyn Thompson’s blood pressure rose.

“Do you want the son to grow without a father? I’ll jail you all, drag through courts!” Antonia screamed into the phone.

“Calm down, I’ll do everything,” Evelyn replied.

Hanging up, she suddenly realized this woman would never leave her alone. Would manipulate her till the end of life. Then she called her son, coming up with a plan.

“Son, do you know Angela had a son?”

“Yes, I know,” Michael answered simply. “We communicate.”

“Is he yours? Honestly?..”

“How would I know. She says from me. And timelines match. But where’s the certainty?” the son answered carelessly.

“What will you do if yours? They won’t leave us alone, you understand?”

“I’ll go to Angela. She’s been calling me to her for a long time. And with Emily lately everything’s very complicated. Feels like she stopped loving me, nags and nags. Nothing suits her, got me already. Only pity for Olivia. I love the daughter. Well, I’ll pay child support like everyone.”

“And you’ll have to divide the apartment with Emily. Won’t leave her your share. Also a problem. Yes, you brewed a mess,” the mother accused her son, forgetting her role in this.

“Yes, Mom, that’s a problem. You don’t even guess to what degree,” Michael saddened, recalling the apartment was registered to Emily a few days before the wedding. Good his mother didn’t know yet.

“I came up with something. Maybe you won’t have to leave your wife and daughter. And shut those two up forever,” Evelyn Thompson said enthusiastically.

“What?” Michael got interested, who apparently didn’t care anymore who to live with. “Hope you didn’t plan crime!”

“Don’t joke like that, not the time. Need to do a paternity test!”

“What?! What test?”

“Well, find out if you’re Daniel’s father or not. Get it now? If you are, you’ll raise the son. If not, we’ll rub their noses in it. And get rid of both forever – you and I. And save your family.”

“Yeah! That’s an idea. Give me the lab number. I’ll call from home, without extra ears,” Michael got inspired.

Who knew his conversation would be overheard by Emily, who also happened to be home that moment. Completely by chance! That’s fate.

That same day, she packed the unfaithful spouse’s things and sent him to his mother. And changed the locks in the apartment. After all, by documents, the apartment was hers.

“Well? Happy now? Sitting here like a beaten puppy. How could you carelessly agree to her scam then? Give your money for the apartment purchase and consent to register it to Emily? It just doesn’t fit in my head!” Evelyn Thompson nagged her son.

“Mom, enough. It’s past. How else would I persuade Emily to marry after your scandal? Now I need to think how to do the paternity test quickly. And then move to Angela and the son.”..

“Do it! Who’s stopping you? Go to her tomorrow, take the material for analysis and do it.”

Learning Michael left his wife and now lives with his mother, both Angela and her mother Antonia were over the moon.

“That’s right! Here you have a son, beloved woman. I know, Mike, you and Angie have loved each other for a long time. And this marriage of yours was a real mistake. Well, nothing, now you’ll be together. File divorce, divide the apartment, buy your own place and live happily,” the content Antonia chattered…

She also didn’t know yet that Michael had no share in the apartment with his wife.

Evelyn Thompson warned her son that no one needs to know about the test, so do everything so no one guesses.

Michael left Angela that day satisfied. He did everything as his mother taught. Now just wait for results. And then plan further life.

“Mom, the result came. I asked them to email me first, then I can pick up the paper version,” Michael shouted in the evening.

“Well? What’s there?” the mother ran from the kitchen to the living room where her son lay in front of the TV.

“Wait. Reading. So, what do we have here?” Michael buried in the message.

But as Michael read the email content, his face became more surprised and confused.

“What? Don’t be silent! Well!”..

“It says no matches. Zero percent… What does that mean, Mom?” Michael asked quietly.

“That’s it! Your crafty Angela deceived you. That’s what it means! Same sly as her mom! Wanted to pin someone else’s child on you, the snakes! Well, I’ll show them now! I’ll shove this document in their faces, they won’t wriggle out. All, your power over me is over, Antonia!” Evelyn Thompson yelled loudly.

“How so… I ruined my family for her… Abandoned my own daughter…”..

“You abandoned your own daughter not for that. And not by your will. You were kicked out because you talk too much. And watch your tongue. If your Emily knew nothing about the test, you’d be sitting home now, happy and not caught in anything,” the mother said with annoyance.

Michael looked lost and didn’t share his mother’s emotions. His future was foggy now. And he understood that perfectly…

Yes, he’ll pay child support for Olivia, try to see her as often as possible. Now only get permission from Emily. But everything else seemed sad to him.

The boomerang came into his life. No one canceled it. Pity he didn’t think about it earlier when running from wife to Angela, lacked brains.

By the way, Angela scandalized for a long time, not leaving Michael alone. She came to them with her son, yelled that he set it all up, and she’d do an independent expertise herself. And prove to everyone that Daniel is his. And go on TV, tell the whole world what a dishonorable person Michael is.

Yes, he guesses that himself. Only too late. Nothing to fix.