Her 49th Affair Was Her Last

On Christmas Eve, my wife went official with her forty-ninth affair partner. "My forever love, @GideonBender." Jesse posted. Not long after, Gideon responded with a post of his own. "My forever love, @JesseKnapp." Then Jesse turned to me as if the whole thing were completely harmless. "He lost a dare. Don't read too much into it." Everyone around us laughed behind my back, probably expecting me to lose my temper, confront her, or make a scene. Instead, I stayed perfectly calm. None of them knew that years ago, I had made a deal with the System. Every time Jesse cheated on me, one year of her life would be transferred to me. After forty-nine affairs, her original eighty-year lifespan had been reduced to just one year. All I had to do was hold out until New Year's. Once the clock struck midnight, Jesse would die right on schedule, and I would walk away with our three children and inherit the Knapp family's trillion-dollar empire. Chapter 1 The Forty-Ninth Lover The social platform practically crashed. Gideon Bender and Jesse Knapp's announcement shot straight to the top of the trending page. In less than ten minutes, it had already racked up more than 100,000 comments. "Ms. Knapp is so romantic! Now that's what I call true love!" "What did Gideon do in a past life to get this lucky?" "@AnthonyHolmes, take a look, husband of the year! Your wife found another soulmate!" I set my phone down without so much as a flicker of emotion and took a slow sip of my coffee. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Jesse's parents stormed in. Her dad, Dominic Knapp, was practically purple with rage. He let out a heavy sigh, then turned to me. "Anthony, Jesse's gone too far this time. I bought you a yacht—take it out for a few days if you need to clear your head." Her mom, Haleigh Marshall, rested a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Anthony, you're family. You're Jesse's husband, and that will never change. Those random men she fools around with? Not one of them will ever be welcome in this family." I lowered my eyes and poured each of them a cup of coffee, wearing the same patient, understanding smile I always did. "Thanks. I know." I had no reason to make a scene. Gideon was only Jesse's forty-ninth lover, after all. The number was perfect, because only seven days remained until everything would finally be over. ... The next morning, the PR director for Knapp Holdings came to the house personally with a statement already prepared. "Mr. Holmes, we drafted something for you. If you could take a look..." I skimmed through it and almost laughed. It was the same old script they had been giving me for years. It read, "It was just a game, and I'm not upset. Our marriage is stronger than ever. We hope everyone will respect our privacy and stop giving this matter unnecessary attention…" Over the past ten years, I posted more statements like this than I care to count. This time, however, the Knapp family was taking the situation far more seriously. After all, this was the first time Jesse had ever publicly claimed one of her lovers, and she had done it in the most spectacular way possible. I had already looked Gideon up, and it didn't take long to realize he was different from Jesse's previous lovers. He was smarter, more calculating, and seemed to know exactly when to push her and when to pull back. Most importantly, he looked disturbingly similar to Jesse's late first love—the man she had never truly gotten over. Not long after my statement went live, my phone exploded with notifications again. In one private group chat filled with wealthy heirs, CEOs, and old-money socialites, someone tagged me directly. "You're a saint, Anthony. If my wife pulled something like this, I'd have that pretty-boy side piece run out of town before breakfast." Another message appeared almost immediately. "That's why he's the real husband. That level of confidence? The rest of us could never." The comments were nothing more than mockery dressed up as praise, and by now, I was used to it. Without bothering to reply, I muted the chat and headed into my study. Tucked away in the bottom drawer of my desk was a small leather-bound notebook I had kept for the past ten years. I pulled it out and opened it to the first page. "Dexter Walsh, 23. Dance conservatory student. Together for three months. She bought him an apartment." The next page was pretty much the same. "Eliot Yates, 25. Social media influencer. Together for four months. She funded his streetwear label." I slowly flipped through the notebook, passing page after page filled with names, ages, and the gifts Jesse had showered on each of them. Eventually, I reached the forty-eighth entry. "Riley Lott, 22. Music conservatory student. Together for two months. She bought him a sports car." Then, I turned to the next blank page, picked up my pen, and added a new name to the list. "Gideon Bender, 24. Drama school graduate." I had no idea what Jesse would eventually give him, but something told me Gideon wasn't interested in an apartment or a sports car. He wanted something much bigger. I closed the notebook and gazed out the window as light snow began to fall, drifting softly over the garden. The large Christmas tree outside shone with twinkling lights, while our three children played nearby, building a snowman. I could hear their laughter faintly through the glass. As I watched them, my thoughts drifted back to the day all of this had begun. My name hadn't always been Anthony Holmes. Once, I had been Westin Rivas. By the time I woke up in Anthony's body, the real Anthony had already taken his final breath. Empty bottles of sleeping pills were scattered across the nightstand, and his phone still glowed beside him. He'd been looking at a photo of Jesse in bed with Dexter. Even after his death, one final obsession remained buried deep in Anthony's mind. "Jesse isn't a bad person. That man led her astray. Please take care of her for me." The moment those thoughts flooded into my head, I wanted absolutely nothing to do with them. Seriously? His wife cheated on him. Her lover pushes him over the edge, yet somehow, with his dying breath, Anthony was still making excuses for her. That was when the System tried to persuade me, "You can't return to your original world anyway. Complete the mission, and I'll grant you one condition of your choosing." I considered the offer for a moment before nodding. "Fine. If Anthony was so convinced Jesse could never truly betray him, let's make a deal. "Every time she cheats on me, one year of her remaining lifespan transfers to me. If she eventually cheats away all the years she has left, my mission is considered complete." A few seconds passed before the System agreed, "Deal accepted." That was ten years ago. Since then, Jesse had gone through forty-nine affairs. She had originally been destined to live until eighty, but now, she had only one year left. Technically, though, she wouldn't even make it that long. Her time would run out on New Year's. Once the clock struck midnight, her time would be up. Just thinking about it filled me with a sense of freedom so intense I could almost taste it. My phone buzzed, pulling me back to the present. Jesse had sent me a message. "I won't be home for dinner tonight." A few seconds later, another one came through. "And about what you saw online... You know how it is. Gideon lost a dare. Don't take it seriously." I didn't reply, and Jesse didn't bother following up. That was the kind of understanding we had developed over the years. By now, she could predict exactly how I would react—or rather, how Anthony was supposed to react. I could almost hear the excuses she had repeated so many times before. "Anthony, you're the best. I'm just having a little fun. It helps me blow off steam." "Don't worry, you're my husband. You're the only man who'll ever have that title." A cold laugh escaped me as I slipped my phone back into my pocket and called the kids inside for dinner. Somewhere in the distance, Christmas bells began to ring, reminding me just how little time was left. Only seven more days. Seven days from now, fireworks would light up the sky as the world welcomed another year, and I would finally turn to the last page of my ledger. Chapter 2 Just Sign the Papers The next day, Jesse came home with Gideon, and the two of them were holding hands. "Anthony, we need to talk." I looked up at her, and for the first time in days, a faint unease stirred in my chest. Jesse had never brought one of her lovers home before, let alone brought one straight to me. "Gideon's grandpa is dying," she began. "His last wish is to see Gideon get married." I frowned. "So?" Jesse hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "I need you to divorce me." For a second, the entire room seemed to fall silent. 'Divorce? Are you kidding me? I've put up with ten years of this marriage, and now she wants out when I'm only six days away from getting everything I've waited for? Seriously? Right before the finish line?' When I didn't respond, something almost resembling guilt flickered across Jesse's face. "It would only be for a month," she explained. "Once his grandpa passes peacefully, we'll get married again right away." Right on cue, Gideon's eyes filled with tears. "Anthony, please." He stepped toward me and actually began lowering himself to his knees. "According to the doctors, my grandpa only has a few days left." I remained still, but my mind was already racing. If Jesse died after we divorced, how much of the Knapp fortune would I lose? Worse, what if Gideon tried to fight my three kids for her estate? No, I wasn't going to let that happen. For Anthony, for the kids, and for myself, I had to remain as Jesse's legal husband until the very end. I met her gaze. "New Year's is less than a week away, and the whole family will be together. Do you really want everyone finding out that we suddenly divorced right before the holidays?" I leaned back in my chair. "Let's wait until after New Year's. By then, the two of you can put on whatever show you want." "No!" Gideon's voice cracked as fresh tears spilled down his cheeks. "My grandpa might not make it that long!" This time, he really did drop to his knees. He grabbed the leg of my pants and looked up at me tearfully. "Please, Anthony. He's the only family I have left. If he dies without seeing me get married, I'll never forgive myself. I don't even know how I'd keep going." Jesse's expression softened immediately. She looked at him as though seeing him in pain physically hurt her. Then, she turned back to me, and irritation began creeping into her voice. "Anthony, I'm asking you for one favor. What he's asking isn't unreasonable." A bitter smile tugged at my lips. "One favor?" I looked straight at her. "Jesse, I've been doing you favors for ten years. You've had forty-nine lovers, and not once have I screamed at you. Not once have I embarrassed you in public or told anyone what kind of wife you really are." I paused before continuing, my voice growing colder. "I took care of this house, looked after your parents, and raised our three kids. Now, you want me to give up my place as your legal husband too?" "It's just one month!" she snapped. "No!" I stood up, rejecting her outright for the first time in years, leaving no room for negotiation. "You promised me something, Jesse. You told me that no matter what happened, I would always be your husband. You don't get to take that back now." Jesse froze, and for a brief moment, she actually looked conflicted. Then, Gideon covered his face and broke down. "Forget it. Just forget it," he choked out, his shoulders trembling. "I'll go with Grandpa. Then, none of this will matter anymore..." He tried to stand, but his knees suddenly gave way, sending him collapsing back onto the floor as his entire body trembled. Jesse rushed forward immediately and pulled him into her arms. By the time she looked at me again, whatever hesitation had been in her eyes was gone. Her expression had turned cold. "Anthony, I'm not asking for your permission. You've always done what I asked, and this time will be no different." I let out a quiet scoff. Fine, she could do whatever she wanted. As long as I did not sign anything, she'd have to take me to court. Only six days remained until New Year's Eve, and there was no way she could force a contested divorce that quickly. By the time her lawyers get anywhere, she'd be dead. I turned toward the door, only for Jesse to grab my wrist. "Where are you going?" I glanced down at her hand before looking back at her. "I don't feel like watching the two of you anymore. I'm leaving." A cold smile appeared on Jesse's face, the same smug expression she always wore whenever she thought she had figured me out. "You think walking away means you can avoid the divorce?" Her grip tightened around my wrist. "Or were you planning to run straight to my parents and have them stop me?" Before I could answer, she pulled me toward the door. "The attorneys have the papers ready. We're going to the courthouse now," she told me, her tone leaving no room for argument. "We'll get everything finalized today." Chapter 3 The Rooftop Ultimatum On the way to the courthouse, Jesse kept a tight grip on my hand, as though she thought I might bolt the second the car stopped. "Anthony, it's only for one month. I promise." Outside the window, the snow was falling harder, and the sight of it brought back a memory from ten years ago. Jesse and I had gotten our marriage license on a snowy day just like this one. Back then, she had tucked my freezing hand into the pocket of her coat and whispered, "Anthony, I'll never let you face anything alone again." I lowered my gaze to the fingers wrapped around my wrist and managed a faint smile, thinking how once someone stopped loving you, even the same gesture felt like a joke. I gently pulled my hand free, but Jesse immediately grabbed it again. "Gideon and I won't announce the marriage. There won't be a wedding, and no one outside the family will even know." Her grip tightened. "As far as everyone else is concerned, you'll still be my husband." I said nothing, but my mind was already working. I wondered if I made a ruckus, would she follow through with the divorce? Keeping one hand tucked inside my coat pocket, I quietly sent a text to a reporter in my contacts named Grant Mercer. Three years ago, Grant had broken one of Jesse's biggest scandals. She had gotten drunk at a private party and checked into a hotel with a famous actor, and Grant had caught everything on camera. Dominic had been furious enough to try to destroy his career, but I had stepped in before things went that far. I gave Grant an exclusive on another Knapp Holdings story in exchange for burying the photos. He hated the Knapps, and more importantly, he owed me a favor. … By the time we reached the courthouse, I knew my message had gotten through. The moment we stepped out of the car, reporters swarmed us. "Ms. Knapp, are you and Mr. Holmes here to file for divorce? You went public with Gideon yesterday. Are you divorcing your husband so you can marry him?" "Mr. Holmes, do you have anything to say about your wife's affairs? You've put up with this for years. Why draw the line now?" Jesse froze. She clearly hadn't expected the press, and for once, she had no answer ready. I reached over and took her hand, then turned to the cameras with a practiced smile. "There's been a misunderstanding. We're not here to get divorced. Today is our tenth wedding anniversary. We got our marriage license here ten years ago, so we thought we'd come back and revisit the place." Beside me, Jesse went stiff. She was silent for a few seconds, clearly caught off guard by what I had just said. Then, she quickly composed herself and forced a calm smile. "That's right." The reporters exchanged confused looks before one of them immediately pushed forward. "Then, what about Gideon?" "Gideon is a new actor signed to Jesse's company," I answered, forcing a smile. "The posts yesterday were just publicity for an upcoming project." I glanced at Jesse. "Right?" Her jaw tightened, but after a brief pause, she nodded. "Right." Then, I took advantage of the confusion and started pulling her back toward the car. A scream suddenly cut through the crowd. "Look! Someone's on the roof!" Everyone looked up. Across the street, a figure dressed in white stood on the roof of a high-rise office building. The wind whipped around him so violently that he looked as though he might topple over the edge at any moment. It was Gideon. My stomach sank, realizing the situation had gotten complicated. Jesse's phone rang almost immediately. The moment she answered, Gideon's broken sobs came through the speaker. "I heard everything, Jesse. So, that's all I am to you? Just some new actor your company signed?" His voice cracked as he struggled to continue, "Anthony wins. All he has to do is say one word, and suddenly I'm nothing but a joke." He was sobbing so hard that he could barely speak, yet in the sudden silence around us, every word came through loud and clear. I looked across the street at him and finally understood what he was doing. He was smarter than I thought, using Jesse's guilt, the crowd's sympathy, and every camera pointed at him to his advantage. He had turned all of it into a weapon. Sure enough, Jesse was the first to break. She shouted, "Gideon! Don't do anything stupid!" He looked down at her from the rooftop, tears streaming down his face. "Jesse, I can't live without you..." Then, his gaze shifted toward me. Even from across the street, I knew exactly who he was looking at. "Anthony, I'm not trying to take anything from you. I just want my grandpa to die in peace," he pleaded, his voice trembling in the wind. "You've been Jesse's husband for ten years. Is one month really too much to give me?" Whispers immediately rippled through the crowd. They murmured about Gideon's dying grandpa and his request for only a month. Before long, their sympathy had shifted toward him, while I was quickly being painted as the heartless husband standing in his way. Jesse dragged both hands through her hair, panic written all over her face. "Gideon, get down from there! I'll do it. I'll divorce him!" Then, she spun around and yelled at me, "Let's do it now, Anthony! We're filing the papers!" Every camera outside the courthouse swung toward me, dozens of lenses fixing on my face at once. I clenched my fist at my side until my nails dug into my palm. Chapter 4 Sign or Lose Everything "Are you entering into this divorce voluntarily?" The clerk behind the counter looked up at us, suspicion sharpening her expression. I opened my mouth to answer, "No—" Before I could get the word out, Jesse dug her fingers hard into the webbing between my thumb and index finger. Pain shot through my hand, cutting me off. The clerk frowned and asked me again whether I was agreeing to the divorce of my own free will. Before I could answer, Jesse placed her other hand on the back of my neck and forced my head forward once, then twice, as if a nod she had somehow wrung out of me counted as consent. The clerk stood up. "Stop it, ma'am. You cannot physically coerce someone into consenting to a divorce." Jesse let out a cold laugh and finally released me. "Fine. Ask him again." I lifted my head, and when I spoke, my voice came out steadier than I'd expected. "I don't consent." Jesse's expression changed instantly. The clerk pulled the paperwork back toward herself. "In that case, I can't process this today. You'll need to resolve this before we can move forward." I immediately yanked my hand away from Jesse and pulled out my phone to call Dominic. He picked up almost immediately. "Dom, Jesse dragged me to the courthouse and is trying to force me into a divorce. Gideon's across the street threatening to jump, and the press is everywhere." Jesse lunged for my phone, but I stepped back before she could grab it. "Go ahead, Jesse. I dare you. Let every camera out there see exactly how you force your husband aside for your lover." Through the glass doors at the courthouse entrance, I could still see dozens of reporters crowded outside, their cameras trained on us. Jesse stopped in her tracks. Dominic's furious voice thundered through the phone. "Put that brat on the phone!" Before I could respond, Gideon's sobbing voice drifted in from outside. "Jesse! You don't have to worry about me anymore!" A commotion immediately broke out among the crowd, followed by shouts that Gideon had moved closer to the edge. Whatever hesitation Jesse had vanished. She snatched the phone from my hand, ended the call, and slammed it onto the counter. Then, almost as quickly as her panic had appeared, it vanished. When she turned to me again, there was an unsettling calmness in her eyes. "You've gotten pretty good at making scenes, Anthony. You should know by now that I'm even better at getting you to give in." She stepped closer and leaned toward my ear, lowering her voice so only I could hear. "Think about our three children. If you refuse to sign, they're out of the Knapp family tomorrow." I stared at her in disbelief. "Jesse, they're your children." "Who cares?" There wasn't a trace of warmth in her eyes. "The Knapps aren't short on heirs. If I want more children, I can have them, and they can inherit everything just as easily. Are you really willing to gamble our kids' future on whether I mean it?" Of course, I wasn't willing to take that risk. For ten years, I had endured Jesse's forty-nine affairs and swallowed every humiliation that came with them. I hadn't put up with all of it just to see her die. I had done it so our three children would one day inherit everything she left behind. For my children's sake, I had no choice but to force the words out. "I consent to the divorce." The clerk studied me for several seconds before finally sitting back down and sliding the paperwork toward me. My hand trembled as I signed the last page, not from heartbreak, but from pure anger. I had been only five days away from winning, and now, Jesse had torn the finish line out from under me. As soon as everything was finalized, she grabbed her copy of the paperwork and hurried outside. By then, Gideon had already come down from the roof. He stood behind the police barricade, wrapped in Jesse's coat. His face was pale from the cold, yet a gleam in his eyes had nothing to do with relief. Jesse ran straight to him and threw her arms around him. "Gideon, I'm free." She held him for a moment before cupping his face in both hands and kissing him deeply, right there in front of me, the reporters, and every camera outside the courthouse. It was a long, passionate kiss, as though the husband she had divorced only minutes ago no longer existed. The reporters immediately closed in around me. "Mr. Holmes, how are you feeling right now?" "Will you be seeking full custody of your children?" "Have you and Ms. Knapp reached a settlement on the marital assets?" I answered none of them. Instead, I watched Jesse take Gideon by the hand and lead him back inside. This time, they headed straight for the marriage-license office. They sat shoulder to shoulder as they filled out the forms, signed their names, and posed for the official photos. When the camera flashed, Gideon smiled as though he had just won the lottery. He barely waited until they were done before pulling out his phone and posting the photo on X with the caption, "Here's to forever, @JesseKnapp." Within a minute, the post had already racked up more than 10,000 comments. ... By the time I returned to the Knapp Residence, Dominic and Haleigh already knew everything. They were waiting for me in the living room. The moment I walked in, Dominic hurled a cup against the wall. "Gosh, what the hell is wrong with her?" Haleigh sat on the couch with one hand pressed to her chest, her face drained of color. "Anthony, don't worry. I will never accept that boy as part of this family. The second his grandpa is gone, Jesse will divorce him and marry you again." I lowered my gaze and said nothing. They could afford to wait, but I couldn't. I only had five days left. Later, another idea came to me. I pulled out my phone and called Reverie Technologies. Reverie Technologies specialized in legally extracting and preserving memory fragments from terminal patients. The technology was originally developed for neurological research, but over time, it also found use in criminal investigations, disputed wills, and inheritance cases. It was exactly what I needed. Jesse had changed the rules, so I would have to change my approach too. Chapter 5 The Insurance I walked straight into Jesse's office and found Gideon sitting sideways on her lap, holding a grape to her lips. The door opened so suddenly that he nearly slipped off. Jesse frowned when she saw me. "Anthony? What are you doing here?" "Working." I tapped the employee badge around my neck that read, "HarborPoint Insurance." Then, I smiled at her. "Ms. Knapp, how about helping your ex-husband hit his sales quota?" Gideon let out a quiet laugh. "Anthony, this is quite the career change." Jesse's frown deepened. Apparently, having an ex-husband who sold insurance was embarrassing for her too. She asked, "Do you need money? The divorce settlement gives you two properties, plus—" "I'm thinking long-term," I cut in. "Property isn't a career. It's about time I built something of my own." She studied me for a few seconds before waving her hand impatiently. "I already have more insurance than I need. I—" I pulled a contract from my briefcase and placed it on her desk. "This one's different. It's a high-limit accidental death policy. You can name Gideon as the beneficiary, or the two of you could each take out a policy and name each other." I glanced between them with a smile. "Consider it proof of your undying love." Gideon's eyes immediately lit up. "Jesse, I actually like that. It's romantic." Jesse gave him an indulgent look before finally nodding. "Fine. Put Gideon down as the beneficiary." ... The next five days passed quickly, and before long, New Year's Eve had arrived. Dominic and Haleigh asked me to return to the Knapp Residence for the celebration. "Anthony, whatever happened between you and Jesse, we're still a family," he said to me. "At least come spend New Year's with the kids." I agreed, though celebrating was the last thing on my mind. I needed to be there when Jesse took her final breath. At six that evening, Jesse arrived with Gideon clinging tightly to her arm. The two of them were so close they might as well have been attached at the hip. When she saw me, a trace of guilt crossed her face. "Gideon's grandpa has stabilized," she told me after a brief hesitation. "Getting remarried might have to wait a little longer." I calmly took another sip of wine without looking at her. "Do whatever you want. One year or ten years, it makes no difference to me." Her brows drew together. "Anthony, don't be like that. You've always been understanding." A humorless laugh escaped me. "Of course I have. I was understanding enough to hand my wife over to another man." Jesse stiffened, and for once, she had nothing to say. By half-past eleven, everyone had gathered on the terrace. The staff had prepared fireworks for midnight, and the children raced around excitedly, barely able to contain themselves. I called all three of them over and kept them close. A security camera mounted beneath the eaves overlooked the entire terrace, capturing Jesse, Gideon, her parents, the children, and me. Everything that happened tonight would be recorded. That footage might become important later. Gideon remained glued to Jesse's side, almost as though he wanted to make sure everyone understood exactly who held the place beside her now. At one point, he deliberately raised his left hand, letting the diamond on his ring finger catch the light. "Jesse, I swear this ring looks even better in person than it did in the pictures." Jesse smiled and kissed his fingertips. "I'm glad you like it." A faint blush spread across Gideon's cheeks before he turned toward me with an innocent smile. "Anthony, I hope you don't mind. It's my first New Year's with the Knapps, so I'm a little nervous." Nervous? The way his arm tightened around Jesse's waist told a very different story. The children gradually fell quiet, while across the terrace, Dominic and Haleigh watched them with stony expressions. Jesse simply pretended not to notice. Soon, the countdown began, and everyone joined in. "Ten! Nine! Eight…" "Three! Two! One!" I kept my eyes fixed on Jesse the entire time. Even as the final seconds ticked away, she was still smiling. Then, the first firework burst across the night sky. "Happy New Year!" Dozens more followed, lighting up the estate in brilliant flashes as the children cheered excitedly and Dominic and Haleigh forced strained smiles. Gideon threw his arms around Jesse's neck and kissed her. "Happy New Year, Jesse!" Jesse laughed and wrapped her arms around him, then her smile suddenly froze. Her right hand flew to her chest, fingers clutching at the fabric of her dress. "Jesse?" Gideon pulled back just as the color drained from her face. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to speak, but no sound came out. A second later, her knees gave way, and her body went limp, sending her collapsing backward like a puppet with its strings cut. I stayed where I was, watching her fall. Then, at that exact moment, the System's voice echoed through my mind. "Mission complete. Lifespan transfer commencing..."