It was Micah\u2019s second birthday. I\u2019d been up since dawn \u2014 balloons, streamers, cartoon animals, the works. Scarlett slept in until ten, passed me in her silk robe without so much as a \u201cgood morning\u201d or a compliment, but I let it go. It was our son\u2019s day, and I desperately wanted peace.<\/p>\n
We used to be a team \u2014 in love, dreamers \u2014 but after marriage everything shifted. Suddenly life was all about status: the car, the house, the image. I worked longer hours, thinking I could buy back the love we once had, but it was never enough.<\/p>\n
A week before the party, I suggested Scarlett bake Micah\u2019s cake \u2014 meaningful and budget-friendly. She balked but agreed. That afternoon, I saw the cake: \u201cHappy Birthday, Mika.\u201d She\u2019d even misspelled his name!<\/p>\n
Then Scarlett lashed out: \u201cAt least my ex made real money.\u201d The room froze. I opened my mouth, but she cut me first, bitterly mocking my efforts. My mother-in-law jumped in, exposing Scarlett\u2019s clip-on spending from our account and how her successful ex is now penniless. Even Scarlett\u2019s brother confirmed the cake spelling and the finances.<\/p>\n
Humiliated and furious, I stormed out. Scarlett filed for divorce before I even had a chance. He kept the house, the business, and full custody. And that was it\u2014end of our fantasy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"