I stared at Brittany, my head throbbing.
“Are you deaf? I said my husband is dead! He
can’t get you pregnant! If someone told you
he’s my husband, you’ve been scammed. Go
to the police, don’t come cry to me!”
<
“Liar!”
Brittany was clearly losing it.
She whipped out her phone and shoved a
picture in my face.
“Look at this! It’s the CEO’s office at (Insert
Company Name Here)! Who else can get in
there except your husband? Who else runs
that company?”
“Jessica, if you say that again, I’m calling
Tom right now and telling him to divorce
you!”
I glanced at the photo.
Okay, it was the CEO’s office at (Insert
Company Name Here)
But who else had access?
The cleaning crew? My assistant?
I was getting a headache.
I waved my hand dismissively.
“Fine, call him. Have him divorce me right
now. I’d love to see you pull that off.”
Brittany, huffing and puffing, punched a
number into her phone.
She made a few calls, but nobody answered.
Her face flushed red with embarrassment.
“He’s probably in a meeting. He’ll call me
back later, and then I’ll tell him everything you
said!”
I took a deep breath and looked Brittany in
the eye.
‘As your teacher, I feel obligated to say this
one last time: my husband is dead. If
someone told you he’s my husband, you’ve
been conned.”
“Also, I don’t know where you got that picture
of the (Insert Company Name Here) office,
but (Insert Company Name Here) has been
thriving under my direction for years…”
“Pfft!”
“Oh my God, Jessica, you are delusional!
You’re not trying to say that (Insert Company
く
Name Here) is successful because of you, are
you?”
Before I could finish, Brittany burst out
laughing, clutching Ashley for support.
I shrugged.
So?
What was so funny? I was running (Insert
Company Name Here)!
When Tom got sick, he didn’t want to burden
me with a sick husband so he did not want to
marry me.
But he also wanted to make sure (Insert
Company Name Here) was in good hands, so
he secretly got married with me.
That way, I would inherit everything.
After he died, I spiraled into a depression.
My therapist suggested I get out of my old
life, so I took a job teaching at the local
community college.
“Jessica, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve
ever heard! You’re just a broke college
teacher! Do you even know what it takes to
run a big company? Pathetic!”
“So true! Jessica acts like she knows
something about CEOs.
Brittany and Ashley dissolved into another fit
of giggles.
Duittony then stormed over and snatched my
Г
“Okay, you’re embarrassing yourself. Since
you won’t drive me, your car is mine now!”
“And don’t forget that Hermes bag you took
to work yesterday. Bring it to me tomorrow, I
really love it!”
They turned and strutted toward my car, all
swagger and entitlement.
I just smiled and pulled out my phone.
No need to argue. I dialed 9-1-1 and reported
my car stolen.
I decided to stay in the faculty housing that
night.
I needed to figure out who was claiming to be
<
“my husband” and knocking up my students.
Around 11 PM, I got a call from the police.
They found my car. And the thieves were at
the station.
I arrived at the police station and could
already hear Ashley’s pathetic wailing.
“Brittany, you said Tom was crazy about you!
So why hasn’t he come to pick us up?”
“The cops said we stole Jessica’s car. If I get
a record, my life is over! I did this for you.
You owe me!”
Brittany was pacing, looking frazzled.
“Shut up, Ashley! Tom’s probably busy. He
く
wouldn’t leave me here, especially with his
baby growing in my stomach!”
