My Ex Used My Credit Card to Marry His Mistress

After the divorce, my ex-husband kept using my supplementary card.

Three months. More than ninety thousand.

I sent him a message reminding him it was time to pay it back.

His mother called and spent twenty minutes cursing me over the phone.

"You make all that money, so what's wrong with helping your ex out? If my son hadn't married you back then, would you be where you are today?"

My ex chimed in beside her.

"Let's part on good terms. No need to make this ugly."

I hung up.

A week later, my ex said he was having a wedding reception, and the guest list was already sent out.

"You know hotels better than I do. Set it up for me."

I looked at the two-hundred-name guest list and said, "Fine. Put the wedding this Saturday. I'll handle it."

Following his instructions, I upgraded the hall, the drinks, and the wedding suite all to the top tier.

He gave me one order.

"Don't embarrass me this time. Charge everything to my supplementary card, same as always."

After I hung up, I canceled every supplementary card he could still use and revoked the hotel's auto-pay authorization.

Then I messaged the hotel manager.

"The reception goes ahead as planned. Every single charge has to be signed by the groom himself."

...

I forwarded the guest list to Kayla Walker.

Kayla was the hotel manager, and a client I'd worked with for years.

I sent her the chat history.

Roland had written in his messages:

"The hall, the drinks, the wedding suite, all top tier."

And then, right after:

"Charge everything to my supplementary card, same as always."

I typed:

"Add one line to every confirmation slip."

I sent her the wording.

"I acknowledge the price and consent to the charge of my own free will."

I typed:

"And one more."

"Any added dishes, added drinks, or changes to the program later all have to be signed again."

The tasting was Wednesday. Roland came with Rosamond Whitney and Delia Hughes.

The moment Rosamond saw me, her hand shot up, finger pointed.

"Well, ex-daughter-in-law, you finally did something useful. Couldn't keep a man happy, but at least you're good for planning a wedding."

I set the menu down in front of Roland.

Rosamond pulled out a chair and sat.

"My son's getting remarried. Don't go sulking about the divorce. You couldn't hold onto a man, so don't go being jealous of Delia."

Delia picked up the floral portfolio and asked me, "Miss Sullivan, planning your own ex-husband's wedding to me, that can't feel good, can it? Too bad no matter how much it eats at you, he's not coming back."

Roland took over.

"She knows her place. She wouldn't dare make a scene."

I pushed the drinks list to his hand.

"Confirm the budget first."

Delia turned to the floral page.

"Ordinary flowers are too cheap-looking. Switch to imports."

"Is Miss Sullivan too stingy to switch? Won't even spring for this little bit. No wonder Roland divorced you. Living with you, a man has to read your face just to buy a bouquet. He put up with you this long, he more than did right by you."

Rosamond looked at the cake portfolio.

"The cake has to be eight tiers. Delia isn't like certain women who can't be shown in decent company. She gets every bit of the dignity she's owed, all of it."

Delia added another line.

"Change the favors to the gourmet delicacy, and upgrade the boxes too. Miss Sullivan won't grudge us that, will she? After all, getting to plan your own ex-husband's wedding to his new bride, that kind of chance doesn't come around often."

Roland glanced at me.

"Do all of it. She's got no use anymore except crunching numbers."

I pointed at the prices.

"Florals, thirty-eight thousand. Cake, twelve thousand. The gourmet gift boxes, forty-six thousand."

Rosamond slapped the table.

"What are you reciting, an obituary? My son's getting married. You think we're short that kind of money?"

She looked me up and down and gave a cold laugh.

"Right, though, a cheap sort like you, spending a few thousand feels like cutting off your own flesh. No wonder Roland would rather start over than stay married to you."

I handed the confirmation slip to Roland.

"Sign."

Roland picked up the pen.

"Don't kill the mood with money talk. If you still want me back, just say so. No need to fish for attention in front of Delia."

"It's only confirmed once it's signed."

He gave a scornful snort and signed his name after every item.

Delia wanted to add a whole wedding-suite setup on top of it.

Red bedding, dragon-and-phoenix ornaments, custom scent diffusers, all onto the list.

"The suite has to be decorated to feel festive. I want everyone to know Roland finally shook off his bad luck and married a woman who actually deserves him."

Roland frowned.

Rosamond spoke up at once.

"Delia wants it, so you give it to her."

Roland took the pen and signed the additions.

I said, "The open-flame pieces have to be canceled. The hotel doesn't allow them."

Rosamond jabbed a finger at me and snapped.

"Cut the rulebook act. Today is my son's happy occasion. Who are you to be telling us what to do?"

Kayla passed her the policy.

"Improper use of open flame means the hotel shuts down suite service."

Rosamond took the document and turned to stare at Roland.

"Your ex-wife has to police even something this small? Roland, you spoiled her rotten back then. That's why she forgot who she even was."

Roland pushed the slip back into my hand.

"Do it all by the hotel's rules. Don't give her an opening to make a scene."

As he stood, he lowered his voice.

"Don't play the ex-wife card on the wedding day."

"If you dare make things unpleasant for her, I'll make you regret it."

I took the signed slip.

"Don't worry. I only recognize the groom's signature."

He turned back to look at me.

"You agreed to handle it, so you see it through to the end."

"I handle the program. You handle the payment."

I sent the photos of the signed slips to accounting.

The note said only one thing.

"All further charges, only Roland Delgado's signature counts."