The Price of Your Prank

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The Price of Your Prank

NovelMaster new Completed
浪漫-Romance现实主义-Realistic男频-Male Fiction重生-Reborn

My parents thought raising me was too expensive, so they tossed me between different relatives throughout my childhood. Because of that, I never felt safe. My biggest fear was being abandoned. When my husband found out, he spent five years rebuilding my sense of security. He replied to every text, never cut contact during arguments, and even posted his detailed itineraries on the fridge whenever he traveled for work. He used to tell me, "As long as I'm here, you will always have a home." Yet on our fifth anniversary, I came home from work to find divorce papers sitting on the coffee table. I called my husband twenty-seven times. I reached out to my mother, my brother, and my best friend, only to find that every single one of them had blocked me. It wasn't until the next afternoon that my husband finally texted me an address. I rushed to the villa and pushed open the front door. Confetti popped, and laughter exploded all around me. The projector screen displayed my call logs from the night before. Friends and family stood around a betting board, raising their glasses, taking bets on who I would beg for help first. My best friend bent over laughing. "Hahaha, I won! I told you she's like a needy stray!" My husband transferred her the prize money before walking over to wrap his arms around me. "It was just an anniversary prank, babe. Everyone was just helping you practice being independent." They all knew my deepest fear. They were also certain that all it took was calling it a joke, and I would forgive them just like before. Looking at the room full of familiar faces, the fear of being abandoned suddenly vanished. I pushed my husband away, flattened the divorce papers on the table, and flipped straight to the signature page. Julian's warm hand covered the back of mine. He gave a soft chuckle and slipped the papers from beneath my fingers. "Alright, Chloe, it was just a prop. Don't take it so seriously." "Didn't you promise to learn to be brave? Why are you still getting upset?" Summer walked over, swirling the red wine in her glass, a smug smirk on her face. "Chloe, you didn't even grab Julian's leg and sob like you used to today. Looks like my exposure therapy is actually working." My mother walked up, giving me an exasperated glare. "You've been starved of affection since you were little, and you've always clung to Julian way too tightly. Summer's method might be intense, but it clearly works. Look at you now. Aren't you totally fine?" My brother chimed in from the side. "Seriously. You can't be a needy baby your entire life." I looked at the people I had trusted and relied on the most. Under the guise of doing it for my own good, they had dug up my deepest, darkest trauma and laid it out on a table as entertainment. And my husband—the man who spent five years pulling me out of the dark—was enabling every bit of it with a smile. I lowered my eyes, saying nothing. Summer walked up and wrapped her arm intimately around Julian's. "Julian, I told you Chloe wasn't that fragile. Now you can spend more time playing games with me." Julian casually slid his arm out of her grip, but he still nodded with a smile. "Yeah. Once Chloe becomes independent, everyone can finally breathe a little easier." Everyone took my silence as a sign of progress, raising their glasses to toast our five-year anniversary. It was late into the night by the time we got home. As usual, Julian went to the bathroom to run a hot bath for me, then headed to the kitchen to warm up a glass of milk. He handed the glass to me, his gaze deep and tender. "Chloe, you must've been terrified today, right? I'm sorry. Summer suggested using this method to help you build some inner strength. I wasn't on board at first, but seeing how insecure you've been, I thought maybe trying it once wouldn't hurt." He ruffled my hair. "Turns out my Chloe really is strong." His tenderness was the same as always. It used to be the only light in my world. Now, it only made me shiver. The next evening, right after work, I got a text from Summer. "Chloe, come down to the abandoned storage unit on basement level two. Julian prepared your real fifth-anniversary surprise down here." I stared at the screen for a moment, then walked down anyway. The moment I stepped into the dimly lit storage room, a heavy thud echoed behind me as the metal door slammed shut. Then came the sound of a lock turning. "Summer?" I called out. Summer's lighthearted laughter drifted in from the other side. "Your surprise is two hours of solitary confinement in the dark! Julian said we need to reinforce the exposure therapy. Enjoy yourself!" Her footsteps faded into the distance. There wasn't a single ray of light inside. I took out my phone and dialed Julian. "The number you have dialed is currently powered off." In the past, I would have broken down sobbing, frantically slamming against the door because I was terrified of dark, enclosed spaces. Now, all I felt was exhaustion. I slid down against the cold concrete wall. By the dim glow of my screen, I opened a chat with a lawyer friend on SnapChat. "Lucas, please draft a divorce agreement for me."I sat in the pitch-black room for three hours until my battery died. Late into the night, a patrolling security guard finally heard a sound and unlocked the door. I walked out into the chilly night wind, shivering in my thin blazer. I didn't call Julian. I just hailed a cab home. When I opened the door, the living room was brightly lit. Julian and Summer were sitting on the rug, working on a puzzle together. Hearing the door, Julian dropped his puzzle piece and rushed over. He grabbed my freezing hands, his brows furrowing with deep concern. "Chloe, why are you so cold? Weren't you only supposed to be in there for two hours? Why did the guard take so long?" "Summer, you took it too far this time." Summer stuck out her tongue, completely unbothered. "Oops, I forgot to tell the guard! But look, Chloe made it back totally fine on her own, didn't she?" She strolled over and looked me up and down. "And you didn't even cry this time! Looks like you really aren't afraid of the dark, or of being left behind anymore." Julian pulled me into his arms. His body heat seeped through his shirt. Once, that warmth could soothe all my fears in a heartbeat. He sighed, resting his chin against my forehead, his voice laced with pride and indulgence. "Chloe, you did so well. See? Even if I go off the grid for a bit, you can handle things on your own." "Now I can finally feel at ease whenever I have to go on business trips." I didn't pull away. I just let him hold me. "I'm tired. I want to take a shower," I murmured. Julian let go immediately, gently cupping my cheek. "Okay. I'll go brew some ginger tea to warm you up." When I came out of the bathroom, Julian was sitting by the edge of the bed with a steaming mug. He blew on it spoon by spoon, feeding it to me. I drank it in silence, then lay down, turning my back to him. He pressed a goodnight kiss against my forehead. The next day, Lucas sent over the digital copy of the divorce agreement. I checked the division of assets carefully. Aside from my own personal savings, I didn't ask for a single penny of Julian's money or a single square foot of this house. I printed out the paperwork and signed my name. Then I scheduled a courier pickup to send it back to Lucas for filing tomorrow. When it was all done, I looked at the clean desk, my heart surprisingly still. On the third morning, I was washing my face at the sink. Out of habit, I reached for the shelf where I always kept my wedding ring, but my hand hit empty air. That ring had been custom-made by a French designer Julian hired, engraved with my initials. I had always treasured it, taking it off carefully even just to wash my hands for fear of scuffing it. I searched the bathroom. Nothing. I even dropped to my knees, shining my phone's flashlight under the vanity gaps. Still nothing. Walking into the living room, I saw Julian sitting on the couch watching the morning news. My phone chimed. It was an Instagram story from Summer, visible only to me. The photo showed a sparkling diamond ring wedged right at the edge of the sink drain. Her caption read: "Oops! Accidentally swept someone's precious treasure down the drain. Exposure Therapy Phase 3: Losing what matters most. Wonder if she'll throw a tantrum and cry?"I stared at that post for a long time. In the past, I would have sprinted to the drain with red-rimmed eyes. Even if I had to dig through the grime with my bare hands, I would have retrieved that ring. Because to me, it was proof of Julian's love. Now, I simply locked my phone. I walked back into the bedroom, pulled open the nightstand drawer, and took out the burgundy velvet box that once held the ring. Back in the living room, right in front of Julian, I tossed the empty box into the trash can. A sharp, hollow thud sounded. Julian tore his eyes away from the TV screen, glancing toward the bin. He froze for a second, then stood up and walked over to me. Looking down, a flash of surprise crossed his face, quickly replaced by immense relief. He slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me against his chest. "Chloe, you really never cease to amaze me." His deep voice rumbled above my head, tinged with a smile. "If you lost that ring before, you would've stayed up all night crying. Nobody could talk you down." "Now you finally understand that things are just things. As long as I'm beside you, none of that material stuff matters." He leaned down and kissed the space between my brows. "My Chloe really has grown up." I looked into his affectionate eyes. He was always like this—inflicting the cruelest wounds with the gentlest voice. Julian thought he was helping me build security, when in reality, he was stripping away my very instinct to love him, piece by piece. "Yeah. It doesn't matter anymore," I said quietly. Over the next few days, I began packing up my belongings. My clothes, books, and all the sentimental keepsakes I once hoarded like treasure. I packed them into boxes in batches, shipping them to the apartment I had secretly rented in the neighboring city whenever Julian was out. I even threw the anniversary roses he gave me straight into a garbage bag. I had originally planned to dry and preserve them forever. Now, there was no point. When Julian noticed a few missing decorations around the house, he just smiled and praised me. "Finally learning to declutter? You should have thrown out that old junk a long time ago. I'll take you shopping this weekend to get new ones." I nodded. "Okay." On Friday evening, Summer came over again. Standing at the second-floor landing, I heard her talking to Julian downstairs. "Julian, this is the ultimate final test." Summer slapped a folder onto the coffee table. "Here's a fake deed transferring the house to my name, and two fake international flight tickets." "If she can stay calm knowing you gave me the house and are flying abroad with me, her separation anxiety will be cured once and for all." Julian frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "Summer, isn't this going too far? This house means a lot to her." "Come on, that's exactly why we have to test her!" Summer grabbed his arm. "It's about locking in the results. If she can survive this, you guys will never fight over her clingy insecurities ever again. Don't you want an independent, confident wife?" Julian went silent for a moment. Finally, he nodded. "Fine. One last time." I turned back to the bedroom, pulled open the bottom drawer, and retrieved the real divorce agreement—fully signed and notarized.After dinner, Julian called me into the living room. He sat dead center on the sofa, while Summer lounged casually on the armchair beside him. The air felt thick with manufactured tension. Julian looked at me with that same intoxicating tenderness, yet the words coming out of his mouth were knives. "Chloe, there's something I need to tell you." He slid the deed transfer contract forward on the table. "I've decided to sign the house over to Summer." "Next week, I'm going abroad with her for a while. We might not be back for a very long time." He stared into my eyes, clearly scanning my face for the slightest twitch. He expected me to take this "exposure" just as quietly as the last few. Summer let out a taunting chuckle. "Chloe, you're super independent now, right?" "Julian has babied you for five years. He deserves his own life. You shouldn't have any trouble finding your own place to live, right?" I looked around the room. I had personally picked out the rocking chair by the floor-to-ceiling windows. We had hung the wall art together. The mug he used to warm milk for me yesterday morning was still resting on the kitchen counter. By the entryway, our matching couple slippers sat neatly side by side on the shoe rack. This was once the sanctuary I had fought so desperately to protect. And now, they were tearing it down with their own hands just to prove I was "strong enough." "Sounds good," I heard my own voice say, eerily calm. No hysterics. No tears. Not even a shred of anger. A flash of bewilderment flickered in Julian's eyes, quickly morphing into an appreciative smile. I turned around and walked up to the second floor, pulling out the suitcase I had packed days ago from the closet. I didn't spare them a second glance. The moment I pushed the bedroom door open, I realized I could finally breathe. The suitcase held only a few changes of clothes and my essential documents. The wheels rolled heavily across the hardwood floor. I walked over to the coffee table and set a folder down right next to the fake property deed. "Alright, I'll move out." "Here's the divorce agreement. I've already signed it." Julian chuckled softly, leaning back against the sofa cushions. His expression was affectionate yet exasperated, like he was indulging a mischievous child. "Look at you, Chloe. You're getting clever, pulling a reverse prank on me?" He didn't grab the papers right away. Instead, he took a sip of water from his glass. Then, with an easy smile, he picked up the folder. "Where did you even get this printed? The formatting actually looks pretty legit." He casually flipped it open. But the moment his eyes landed on the explicit asset division clauses, my bold signature on the final page, and the lawyer's official red stamp... His fingers froze mid-turn. The smile on his lips stiffened, and his pupils contracted sharply. Ignoring his reaction, I pulled my house key and access fob from my purse and set them lightly on top of the paperwork. The metal clinked sharply against the glass table. "Have a great trip abroad." With that, I gripped my suitcase handle and turned toward the door.

Chapters (4)

第1章

My parents thought raising me was too expensive, so they tossed me between different relatives throughout my childhood. Because of that, I never felt safe. My biggest fear was being abandoned. When my husband found out, he spent five years rebuilding my sense of security. He replied to every text, never cut contact during arguments, and even posted his detailed itineraries on the fridge whenever he traveled for work. He used to tell me, "As long as I'm here, you will always have a home." Yet on our fifth anniversary, I came home from work to find divorce papers sitting on the coffee table. I called my husband twenty-seven times. I reached out to my mother, my brother, and my best friend, only to find that every single one of them had blocked me. It wasn't until the next afternoon that my husband finally texted me an address. I rushed to the villa and pushed open the front door. Confetti popped, and laughter exploded all around me. The projector screen displayed my call logs from the night before. Friends and family stood around a betting board, raising their glasses, taking bets on who I would beg for help first. My best friend bent over laughing. "Hahaha, I won! I told you she's like a needy stray!" My husband transferred her the prize money before walking over to wrap his arms around me. "It was just an anniversary prank, babe. Everyone was just helping you practice being independent." They all knew my deepest fear. They were also certain that all it took was calling it a joke, and I would forgive them just like before. Looking at the room full of familiar faces, the fear of being abandoned suddenly vanished. I pushed my husband away, flattened the divorce papers on the table, and flipped straight to the signature page. Julian's warm hand covered the back of mine. He gave a soft chuckle and slipped the papers from beneath my fingers. "Alright, Chloe, it was just a prop. Don't take it so seriously." "Didn't you promise to learn to be brave? Why are you still getting upset?" Summer walked over, swirling the red wine in her glass, a smug smirk on her face. "Chloe, you didn't even grab Julian's leg and sob like you used to today. Looks like my exposure therapy is actually working." My mother walked up, giving me an exasperated glare. "You've been starved of affection since you were little, and you've always clung to Julian way too tightly. Summer's method might be intense, but it clearly works. Look at you now. Aren't you totally fine?" My brother chimed in from the side. "Seriously. You can't be a needy baby your entire life." I looked at the people I had trusted and relied on the most. Under the guise of doing it for my own good, they had dug up my deepest, darkest trauma and laid it out on a table as entertainment. And my husband—the man who spent five years pulling me out of the dark—was enabling every bit of it with a smile. I lowered my eyes, saying nothing. Summer walked up and wrapped her arm intimately around Julian's. "Julian, I told you Chloe wasn't that fragile. Now you can spend more time playing games with me." Julian casually slid his arm out of her grip, but he still nodded with a smile. "Yeah. Once Chloe becomes independent, everyone can finally breathe a little easier." Everyone took my silence as a sign of progress, raising their glasses to toast our five-year anniversary. It was late into the night by the time we got home. As usual, Julian went to the bathroom to run a hot bath for me, then headed to the kitchen to warm up a glass of milk. He handed the glass to me, his gaze deep and tender. "Chloe, you must've been terrified today, right? I'm sorry. Summer suggested using this method to help you build some inner strength. I wasn't on board at first, but seeing how insecure you've been, I thought maybe trying it once wouldn't hurt." He ruffled my hair. "Turns out my Chloe really is strong." His tenderness was the same as always. It used to be the only light in my world. Now, it only made me shiver. The next evening, right after work, I got a text from Summer. "Chloe, come down to the abandoned storage unit on basement level two. Julian prepared your real fifth-anniversary surprise down here." I stared at the screen for a moment, then walked down anyway. The moment I stepped into the dimly lit storage room, a heavy thud echoed behind me as the metal door slammed shut. Then came the sound of a lock turning. "Summer?" I called out. Summer's lighthearted laughter drifted in from the other side. "Your surprise is two hours of solitary confinement in the dark! Julian said we need to reinforce the exposure therapy. Enjoy yourself!" Her footsteps faded into the distance. There wasn't a single ray of light inside. I took out my phone and dialed Julian. "The number you have dialed is currently powered off." In the past, I would have broken down sobbing, frantically slamming against the door because I was terrified of dark, enclosed spaces. Now, all I felt was exhaustion. I slid down against the cold concrete wall. By the dim glow of my screen, I opened a chat with a lawyer friend on SnapChat. "Lucas, please draft a divorce agreement for me."

第2章

I sat in the pitch-black room for three hours until my battery died. Late into the night, a patrolling security guard finally heard a sound and unlocked the door. I walked out into the chilly night wind, shivering in my thin blazer. I didn't call Julian. I just hailed a cab home. When I opened the door, the living room was brightly lit. Julian and Summer were sitting on the rug, working on a puzzle together. Hearing the door, Julian dropped his puzzle piece and rushed over. He grabbed my freezing hands, his brows furrowing with deep concern. "Chloe, why are you so cold? Weren't you only supposed to be in there for two hours? Why did the guard take so long?" "Summer, you took it too far this time." Summer stuck out her tongue, completely unbothered. "Oops, I forgot to tell the guard! But look, Chloe made it back totally fine on her own, didn't she?" She strolled over and looked me up and down. "And you didn't even cry this time! Looks like you really aren't afraid of the dark, or of being left behind anymore." Julian pulled me into his arms. His body heat seeped through his shirt. Once, that warmth could soothe all my fears in a heartbeat. He sighed, resting his chin against my forehead, his voice laced with pride and indulgence. "Chloe, you did so well. See? Even if I go off the grid for a bit, you can handle things on your own." "Now I can finally feel at ease whenever I have to go on business trips." I didn't pull away. I just let him hold me. "I'm tired. I want to take a shower," I murmured. Julian let go immediately, gently cupping my cheek. "Okay. I'll go brew some ginger tea to warm you up." When I came out of the bathroom, Julian was sitting by the edge of the bed with a steaming mug. He blew on it spoon by spoon, feeding it to me. I drank it in silence, then lay down, turning my back to him. He pressed a goodnight kiss against my forehead. The next day, Lucas sent over the digital copy of the divorce agreement. I checked the division of assets carefully. Aside from my own personal savings, I didn't ask for a single penny of Julian's money or a single square foot of this house. I printed out the paperwork and signed my name. Then I scheduled a courier pickup to send it back to Lucas for filing tomorrow. When it was all done, I looked at the clean desk, my heart surprisingly still. On the third morning, I was washing my face at the sink. Out of habit, I reached for the shelf where I always kept my wedding ring, but my hand hit empty air. That ring had been custom-made by a French designer Julian hired, engraved with my initials. I had always treasured it, taking it off carefully even just to wash my hands for fear of scuffing it. I searched the bathroom. Nothing. I even dropped to my knees, shining my phone's flashlight under the vanity gaps. Still nothing. Walking into the living room, I saw Julian sitting on the couch watching the morning news. My phone chimed. It was an Instagram story from Summer, visible only to me. The photo showed a sparkling diamond ring wedged right at the edge of the sink drain. Her caption read: "Oops! Accidentally swept someone's precious treasure down the drain. Exposure Therapy Phase 3: Losing what matters most. Wonder if she'll throw a tantrum and cry?"

第3章

I stared at that post for a long time. In the past, I would have sprinted to the drain with red-rimmed eyes. Even if I had to dig through the grime with my bare hands, I would have retrieved that ring. Because to me, it was proof of Julian's love. Now, I simply locked my phone. I walked back into the bedroom, pulled open the nightstand drawer, and took out the burgundy velvet box that once held the ring. Back in the living room, right in front of Julian, I tossed the empty box into the trash can. A sharp, hollow thud sounded. Julian tore his eyes away from the TV screen, glancing toward the bin. He froze for a second, then stood up and walked over to me. Looking down, a flash of surprise crossed his face, quickly replaced by immense relief. He slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me against his chest. "Chloe, you really never cease to amaze me." His deep voice rumbled above my head, tinged with a smile. "If you lost that ring before, you would've stayed up all night crying. Nobody could talk you down." "Now you finally understand that things are just things. As long as I'm beside you, none of that material stuff matters." He leaned down and kissed the space between my brows. "My Chloe really has grown up." I looked into his affectionate eyes. He was always like this—inflicting the cruelest wounds with the gentlest voice. Julian thought he was helping me build security, when in reality, he was stripping away my very instinct to love him, piece by piece. "Yeah. It doesn't matter anymore," I said quietly. Over the next few days, I began packing up my belongings. My clothes, books, and all the sentimental keepsakes I once hoarded like treasure. I packed them into boxes in batches, shipping them to the apartment I had secretly rented in the neighboring city whenever Julian was out. I even threw the anniversary roses he gave me straight into a garbage bag. I had originally planned to dry and preserve them forever. Now, there was no point. When Julian noticed a few missing decorations around the house, he just smiled and praised me. "Finally learning to declutter? You should have thrown out that old junk a long time ago. I'll take you shopping this weekend to get new ones." I nodded. "Okay." On Friday evening, Summer came over again. Standing at the second-floor landing, I heard her talking to Julian downstairs. "Julian, this is the ultimate final test." Summer slapped a folder onto the coffee table. "Here's a fake deed transferring the house to my name, and two fake international flight tickets." "If she can stay calm knowing you gave me the house and are flying abroad with me, her separation anxiety will be cured once and for all." Julian frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "Summer, isn't this going too far? This house means a lot to her." "Come on, that's exactly why we have to test her!" Summer grabbed his arm. "It's about locking in the results. If she can survive this, you guys will never fight over her clingy insecurities ever again. Don't you want an independent, confident wife?" Julian went silent for a moment. Finally, he nodded. "Fine. One last time." I turned back to the bedroom, pulled open the bottom drawer, and retrieved the real divorce agreement—fully signed and notarized.

第4章

After dinner, Julian called me into the living room. He sat dead center on the sofa, while Summer lounged casually on the armchair beside him. The air felt thick with manufactured tension. Julian looked at me with that same intoxicating tenderness, yet the words coming out of his mouth were knives. "Chloe, there's something I need to tell you." He slid the deed transfer contract forward on the table. "I've decided to sign the house over to Summer." "Next week, I'm going abroad with her for a while. We might not be back for a very long time." He stared into my eyes, clearly scanning my face for the slightest twitch. He expected me to take this "exposure" just as quietly as the last few. Summer let out a taunting chuckle. "Chloe, you're super independent now, right?" "Julian has babied you for five years. He deserves his own life. You shouldn't have any trouble finding your own place to live, right?" I looked around the room. I had personally picked out the rocking chair by the floor-to-ceiling windows. We had hung the wall art together. The mug he used to warm milk for me yesterday morning was still resting on the kitchen counter. By the entryway, our matching couple slippers sat neatly side by side on the shoe rack. This was once the sanctuary I had fought so desperately to protect. And now, they were tearing it down with their own hands just to prove I was "strong enough." "Sounds good," I heard my own voice say, eerily calm. No hysterics. No tears. Not even a shred of anger. A flash of bewilderment flickered in Julian's eyes, quickly morphing into an appreciative smile. I turned around and walked up to the second floor, pulling out the suitcase I had packed days ago from the closet. I didn't spare them a second glance. The moment I pushed the bedroom door open, I realized I could finally breathe. The suitcase held only a few changes of clothes and my essential documents. The wheels rolled heavily across the hardwood floor. I walked over to the coffee table and set a folder down right next to the fake property deed. "Alright, I'll move out." "Here's the divorce agreement. I've already signed it." Julian chuckled softly, leaning back against the sofa cushions. His expression was affectionate yet exasperated, like he was indulging a mischievous child. "Look at you, Chloe. You're getting clever, pulling a reverse prank on me?" He didn't grab the papers right away. Instead, he took a sip of water from his glass. Then, with an easy smile, he picked up the folder. "Where did you even get this printed? The formatting actually looks pretty legit." He casually flipped it open. But the moment his eyes landed on the explicit asset division clauses, my bold signature on the final page, and the lawyer's official red stamp... His fingers froze mid-turn. The smile on his lips stiffened, and his pupils contracted sharply. Ignoring his reaction, I pulled my house key and access fob from my purse and set them lightly on top of the paperwork. The metal clinked sharply against the glass table. "Have a great trip abroad." With that, I gripped my suitcase handle and turned toward the door.