My Husband Called Me A “Worthless Incubator” And Left While I Was 6 Months Pregnant. Now He’s Back To Steal A $200k Inheritance Using My Name. How Do I Make Him Regret Every Single Day?

Starting Over

My car was parked three rows away from Brett’s truck. He followed me across the parking lot calling my name. I turned around and held up my hand. “All communication goes through our lawyers now.”

He needed to be out of my apartment in 48 hours like the agreement said. He opened his mouth to argue but I was already walking away. I got in my car and locked the doors before he could say anything else.

The next day I went to work like normal. Kaia came over to watch Haley. Around 9:00 in the morning she texted me at lunch saying Brett had shown up with boxes and garbage bags. He took his clothes, his gym equipment, the gaming system he’d bought with my money.

He didn’t say anything to Kaia or try to see Haley. Just loaded his truck and left. When I got home that evening his key was sitting on the kitchen counter next to a coffee ring. No note, no apology, just the key.

I picked it up and called Wesley right away. He said he could come by the next morning to change the locks and get the paperwork done to remove Brett’s name from the lease. I also called my credit card company and changed all my passwords that night. Brett knew too much about my accounts and I didn’t trust him not to try something.

6 weeks later I stood in the courthouse with Lydia. Brett and Owen were on the other side maybe 30 ft away. We didn’t look at each other. The judge called us in and we sat on opposite sides of the courtroom. The whole thing took less than 10 minutes.

The judge reviewed the settlement agreement, asked if we both understood and agreed to the terms, and signed the papers. That was it. I was officially divorced. Walking out I felt lighter than I had in years. Not happy exactly but free. Like I could finally move forward instead of being stuck in the mess Brett created.

Brett’s check cleared 3 days after the divorce was final. I logged into my bank account and saw the deposit. Six months of child support. More money than I’d seen at once since before Haley was born. I paid off my credit card that same day.

The balance had been climbing for two years, every emergency and unexpected cost adding up because I had no other option. Seeing that zero balance felt amazing. The rest of the money went into two accounts. One for Haley’s future, college or whatever she needed when she got older. One for emergencies so I’d never feel trapped again.

I could handle an unexpected car repair or medical bill without panic. I could breathe.

Two weeks later Brett showed up for his first supervised visit at the family center across town. I drove Haley there and checked in with the supervisor, a woman named Sandra who explained how everything worked. There was a playroom with toys and books where Brett and Haley would spend an hour together. I could watch through a one-way mirror in the next room.

Haley held my hand tight when we walked in. She didn’t know Brett at all. He was just some man who sometimes showed up and tried to talk to her. He’d brought a stuffed elephant and some blocks. Sandra introduced them and suggested they play together.

I went to the observation room and sat down. Through the glass I watched Brett kneel on the floor next to Haley. He showed her the elephant and she reached for it carefully. He tried to stack blocks with her but she knocked them down instead. He looked nervous, his movements stiff and awkward. He kept glancing at Sandra like he needed permission for everything.

Haley warmed up slowly playing near him but not really with him. By the end of the hour she was showing him her favorite book, pointing at the pictures. Brett read it to her in a quiet voice I could barely hear through the glass.

When the visit ended Sandra walked me back to the playroom. She said Brett seemed genuinely nervous and tried his best though he clearly had no idea how to interact with a toddler. Every time Haley moved away from him he’d panic a little. Every time she smiled at him he’d relax.

Sandra recommended he continue supervised visits for at least 3 months before we considered any changes. He needed to build trust with Haley slowly. I agreed. This wasn’t about Brett getting what he wanted. This was about Haley having a chance to know her father if he could actually show up and be consistent.

I enrolled Haley in a better daycare the next week. The old one was fine but this new place had more activities, better teachers, and a curriculum that would help her learn. I could afford it now. I also started working toward a promotion at my job. My boss had mentioned it a few months ago but I’d been too stressed to focus on anything beyond survival.

Now I could actually plan for the future. I updated my resume. I took on extra projects. I showed up to meetings with ideas instead of just trying to get through the day. For the first time in years I wasn’t just surviving, I was building something. Not for Brett or anyone else. For me and Haley. For the life we deserved.