During my pregnancy, everything changed—but not the way I thought it would. My husband Arnie, the man I once believed would stand by me no matter what, turned into someone I barely recognized. He mocked my appearance, ignored my pain, and treated me like I was nothing. Then, to top it off, he left me for another woman, thinking he’d come out on top. But what he didn’t know was… I had a plan. And when I struck back, he never saw it coming.
Pregnancy. It’s supposed to be one of the most magical times in a woman’s life. A time full of love, hope, and excitement. That is—if—you have a partner who supports you.
Me? I had morning sickness that wouldn’t let up for a single day… and I had Arnie.
Arnie, who once made me feel like a queen, now rolled his eyes at everything I did. Who once held my hand and kissed my forehead like I was made of gold… now barely looked at me.
Before I got pregnant, things were beautiful. Arnie was loving, kind, always attentive. He used to surprise me with flowers just because. He’d make my favorite meals after work. He even used to say, “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
When we decided to have a baby, he cried happy tears when I showed him the positive test. “We’re going to be parents, Jess! Can you believe it?” he had said, twirling me in the air.
But the moment my body started changing—when my belly grew and my energy dropped—it was like someone flipped a switch in him.
It started small.
“You could at least dress better for your husband instead of walking around in pajamas all day,” he said once, glancing at me with a look that made my skin crawl.
He said that on a day I had spent entirely curled up on the bathroom floor, vomiting nonstop.
And then came the constant complaints.
“You just lie around all day,” he grumbled one evening, tossing his shoes off carelessly. “This house is a mess.”
I sat up slowly on the couch, holding my sore back. “Arnie, my back is killing me, and I feel nauseous all the time. I can barely stand without feeling dizzy.”
But he didn’t care.
Soon he started coming home later and later. His eyes were always glued to his phone, his fingers tapping rapidly, texting someone. Every time I asked, he shrugged it off with the same lie: “Just work.”
Then came the night I’ll never forget. I was eight months pregnant. My belly was heavy, my feet swollen, my breath short. Arnie walked through the door past midnight, smelling like a mix of expensive perfume and someone else’s skin.
“Where have you been?” I asked. My voice came out shaky, barely a whisper.
He didn’t even look at me. Tossed his keys. Shrugged off his coat.
“None of your business,” he muttered coldly, stomping into the kitchen.
Then came the shout: “JESSICA!”
I flinched so hard I nearly dropped the remote. My heart thudded in my chest. I pushed myself up slowly, every joint in my body aching.
“What is it?” I asked as I entered the kitchen.
Arnie stood with the fridge door open, glaring at me.
“Where’s dinner?”
“I feel sick again. I tried, but every time I smell food, I run straight to the bathroom,” I explained, holding my belly.
He slammed the fridge. “Could you at least have washed the dishes?”
Then his voice rose, sharp like a whip: “I come home exhausted, and this place is disgusting! No food. No clean plates. What do you even do all day?”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “Arnie, I’m sorry. I wish I could, but I feel terrible.”
He scoffed. “The only thing you do is sit around in your sweatpants.”
I gently touched my belly. “I’m carrying our daughter. My body is working hard—”
“Don’t start!” he barked. “My sister was pregnant. She cooked. She cleaned. She still looked good. And she never ignored her husband in bed!”
I gasped. His words felt like a slap across my heart.
“Pregnancy isn’t the same for everyone,” I whispered. “I never thought it would be this hard either, but I’m doing this for her. For us.”
Arnie rolled his eyes. “Stop making excuses. You’re just lazy!”
He stormed out, slamming the front door so hard the walls shook. I collapsed into a chair, sobbing uncontrollably. My whole body shook with pain and heartbreak.
That night, sleep never came. I kept checking the door. My mind spun with fear and betrayal.
Hours passed. Then, finally, my phone buzzed.
He’s here. He needed space.
It was his mom.
Relief washed over me, but it didn’t last long.
When he came back, it was worse. He was colder, meaner. Every word from him was poison.
“This place is always filthy.”
“You don’t even try to take care of yourself.”
“You’re a waste of space.”
I felt like I was vanishing.
Eventually, I broke down and told my best friend everything. She listened, her jaw clenched, her eyes dark with anger.
“Jessica, you need to leave him.”
“I can’t,” I whispered. “I’m pregnant. I don’t have a job or money. Where would I even go?”
“You have me. You have your mom. You’re not alone. You don’t deserve this, Jess.”
I wanted to believe her so badly… but I was still scared.
And then, one night, Arnie made a mistake.
He left his phone unlocked while showering. Something he never did.
It lit up with a notification—and curiosity got the best of me.
What I found made my stomach twist.
A dating app. Dozens of messages. He was cheating—over and over—with different women, all while I carried his child.
Tears streamed down my face, but in that moment, something inside me changed. I had enough. I wasn’t going to just cry anymore.
I was going to fight back.
I began my plan the next day. Quietly. Carefully.
Then, just before I was due to give birth, Arnie came home with her.
A woman.
Young. Pretty. Wearing a smug little smile.
“Who is this?!” I shouted, feeling my blood boil.
Arnie didn’t flinch. “This is Stacy, my girlfriend,” he said casually, like he was ordering takeout.
My hands trembled. “WHAT?!”
He dropped a folder onto the table. “I’m leaving you. Here are the divorce papers.”
I stared at the folder, stunned. “What about our child?” I whispered.
He shrugged. “I don’t want you or your baby.”
Tears blurred my vision.
“Jessica, look at yourself! You’ve let yourself go. Stacy is young, beautiful, and—most importantly—she never says no to me.”
He kissed her in front of me.
Something in me snapped. “YOU’RE A MONSTER!” I screamed. I grabbed the pen and signed the papers.
He smirked. “At least I don’t look like you.”
I glared at him. “I’ll get my things when you’re not home.”
“Do it fast,” he sneered. “This house is mine.”
I left, but not in defeat. I left knowing I’d win.
That same day, I gave birth to Riley. My beautiful daughter. Holding her in my arms, all the pain faded. She was perfect.
We moved in with my mother. She helped me heal. Slowly, I got stronger—mentally, physically, emotionally.
Then one day, there was a knock at the door.
It was Stacy.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, folding my arms.
She sighed. “It’s over. Your plan worked.”
I blinked. “Finally,” I said, stepping aside to let her in.
She looked around. “Arnie signed everything over. The house. The bank accounts. He didn’t even read the papers. He was too busy thinking about me.”
I smiled. “He never was very bright. I handled all the paperwork when we were married. He never read a thing.”
Stacy laughed. “Well, congrats. It’s all yours now.”
“Thank you,” I said, hugging her briefly.
Riley and I moved back into our house. My house.
Then came the day I truly won.
I heard yelling outside. I peeked through the window.
“Stacy! Come back to me! I have nothing left!” Arnie was begging in the driveway, looking desperate.
I stepped onto the porch.
“Poor thing,” I said with a smirk.
Arnie spun around. “What are YOU doing here?!”
I stepped forward. “Didn’t expect this, did you? I tricked you, Arnie. You fell right into my trap.”
His brows scrunched. “What the hell are you talking about?!”
I laughed. “I hired Stacy to seduce you. You were so predictable, so full of yourself, you didn’t even notice I was setting you up.”
His face turned red. “You witch! You set me up!”
I shrugged. “No. You set yourself up. I just gave you the rope—you tied the noose.”
His rage turned into begging. “Come back to me. I’ll change. Please.”
I shook my head. “No.”
“No one will ever want you!” he snapped.
I smirked. “Look at me. I look amazing. And I don’t have a useless man dragging me down.”
“Jessica, please…” His voice cracked.
I turned and walked back inside. Clicked the lock shut.
Then I scooped Riley into my arms and held her close.
“I have you, baby girl,” I whispered, kissing her forehead. “And I don’t need anything else.”
