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The Hometown Sweetheart Thought She Won My Husband

NovelMaster · English · Theater: NovelMaster, Lang: English, Genre: Reborn, Genre: Realistic, Genre: Romance ·

The Hometown Sweetheart Thought She Won My Husband

Theater: NovelMaster  |  Language: English  |  NEW

Synopsis

We went back to Tyler's hometown for the holidays to throw a banquet, and my husband was the center of attention.
Dressed in a sharp suit, tall and handsome, Tyler toasted everyone with an easy smile, giving every relative and elder all the respect in the world.
The town mayor clinked glasses with him, laughing heartily as he patted his shoulder. "The pride of our town has finally come back!"
Beside him stood his daughter, Tiffany, whose eyes were practically glued to Tyler.
"Tyler, you're amazing. Unlike the rest of us who are stuck in this small town forever."
Her voice was sickeningly sweet.
As she spoke, she casually leaned in, her chest brushing right against his arm.
A wave of disgust washed over me. I made an excuse to step outside for some fresh air.
Scrolling through TikTok, a local post popped up on my feed.
The thumbnail was a coy, bashful selfie of Tiffany.
Curious, I tapped into her profile.
My heart instantly seized up, squeezing so hard I could barely breathe.
Her feed was packed with "couples' photos" of her and my husband.
Every single photo had a caption that made my skin crawl:
[Once he leaves that woman, he'll realize how good I am for him.]
[Tyler told me I'm the only one in his heart. He only married her to get his parents off his back.]
[The state is buying out his family's property for the highway expansion. Millions of dollars will be mine. He promised to give me a grand wedding.]
My face went pale, and I sank onto the cold bathroom tiles.
Tyler had only told me about the multimillion-dollar government buyout two days ago. Even my own parents didn't know yet.
How did Tiffany know about it?
I forced myself to calm down, though my mind was spinning out of control.
Did Tyler tell her?
No, that was impossible.
I told myself over and over that Tyler loved me, that our marriage was rock solid.
But if it wasn't him, who was it?
My hands shook violently as I gripped my phone, as if holding a live bomb.
Staring at my pale reflection in the mirror, I pictured Tiffany outside—acting so innocent, so casually flirtatious with Tyler.
Suddenly, the laughter and teasing of the relatives outside sounded like sinister background noise to a sickening conspiracy.
Right then, there was a knock on the restroom door.
"Chloe? Why have you been in there so long?"
It was Tiffany's voice.
"Tyler is getting worried about you, so he asked me to check in. Are you okay?"
Her voice through the door was dripping with fake sweetness.
I scrambled to my feet, took a deep breath, and splashed cold water onto my face.
My reflection was still pale.
No, I couldn't let her see any weakness.
Smoothing down my dress, I pulled open the door to find her wide-eyed, innocent face.
"Chloe, are you alright? Why are you so pale?"
Tiffany reached out to steady me, but I stepped aside smoothly, avoiding her touch.
"I'm fine. Just not used to the local drinks, I guess. It went straight to my head," I said with a tight smile.
"I knew a city girl wouldn't be able to handle our local moonshine."
She grabbed my arm affectionately, gripping it tightly enough that I couldn't pull away without making a scene.
"Tyler was pacing the floor, staring at the door the whole time. He only relaxed when I offered to come check on you."
Every sentence out of her mouth had "Tyler" in it, as if the two of them were the real couple here.
I looked down at her hand around my arm. Her nails were painted a dainty baby pink.
To me, that hand looked like a venomous claw ready to drag me into an abyss.
"Tyler worries too much," I replied coolly, letting her pull me along.
When we returned to the dining room, all eyes turned toward us.
Tyler immediately stood up, walked over, and took my other arm, whispering softly, "What took you so long? Are you feeling sick?"
"I'm fine." I shook my head, my gaze drifting past him to Martha, his mother.
Martha was chatting animatedly with the mayor's wife. Seeing us, she flashed a wide smile.
"Chloe is just delicate, not used to our hometown brew. Tiffany, sweetie, hurry and pour Chloe a cup of hot tea."
Tiffany nodded obediently and poured the steaming tea, handing it to me with a delicate brush of her fingers against mine.
Holding the cup, the heat from the ceramic did nothing to warm the chill in my chest.
The entire dinner had turned into a sick, twisted joke.
Every joke and tease from the relatives felt like they were setting the stage for Tiffany.
"Tiffany is such a thoughtful girl. She really knows how to take care of people."
"Of course she does! We watched her grow up. She's the best."
Martha smiled radiantly. Taking Tiffany's hand, she turned to me and said, "Chloe, you've lived in the city for so long, you might not get how close we are around here. Tiffany is practically like a daughter to me. Don't treat her like a stranger."
I curved my lips into a cold smile. "I understand, Martha."
Practically a daughter?
So that gave her the right to obsess over my husband and plot to steal my life?
I glanced at Tyler. He seemed completely oblivious to the underlying venom in Martha's words, just nodding along.
"Yeah, Mom has always adored Tiffany."A bitter wave of grief washed over me.
Out of all these guests, how many were genuinely happy for us? And how many were just waiting to watch me crash and burn, waiting for their precious "hometown sweetheart" to replace the "city outsider"?
Tiffany played the wide-eyed innocent to perfection.
She kept putting food on Tyler's plate, leaning in close to show him funny TikTok videos on her phone. Their heads were inches apart, looking like two lovers in their honeymoon phase.
Tyler seemed a bit uncomfortable and tried to lean away, but with the relatives laughing and teasing about their "childhood bond," his weak protests were drowned out.
I sat in silence, an outsider watching a circus.
Every single photo and disgusting caption from that TikTok account cut through my mind like razor blades.
The government buyout...
How did Tiffany find out?
That question stuck in my chest like a poisoned dagger, suffocating me.
The banquet finally ended.
On the drive back, Tyler drove while I sat in the passenger seat, drowning in silence.
The streetlights flickered past the window, flashing like the chaotic mess inside my head.
"What's wrong with you today? You've been upset ever since you came out of the bathroom," Tyler finally asked, his voice cautious and hesitant.
I turned to study his profile.
This was the face I had loved for years, yet right now, he felt like a total stranger.
"Tyler," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Don't you think Tiffany is crossing a line with you?"
He seemed to sigh in relief, turning the steering wheel with a slight chuckle.
"Is that what this is about? Don't overthink it, Chloe. She's just a little sister to me. She was spoiled rotten growing up, that's all."
"A little sister?" My voice turned icy. "Wrapping herself around your arm and hanging all over you—is that how a sister acts?"
Tyler frowned, impatience creeping into his tone.
"Come on, people around here are just affectionate. With everyone watching today, was I supposed to shove her away? How humiliating would that be for her?"
"Then what about the property buyout?" I finally threw out the million-dollar question. "That was strictly confidential. Even my parents don't know yet. How does she know about it? She's posting about it all over her TikTok comments."
The car went dead silent.
Tyler slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched against the asphalt as the car jerked to a stop by the shoulder.
He turned, staring at me in sheer disbelief. "What did you say? What TikTok?"
Seeing the genuine shock on his face, my heart relaxed a fraction, but the suspicion deepened.
Without explaining, I looked him dead in the eye. "You really didn't tell her?"
"Why the hell would I tell her?!" His voice rose, defensive and stung by the accusation. "I only ever told you! Are you losing your mind again with these crazy theories?"
"Crazy theories?"
Those words hit me right in the chest like a sledgehammer.
Looking at him, a sudden exhaustion overwhelmed me.
He was clueless. Absolutely clueless. He had no idea his precious "little sister" was running a sick, deranged fantasy about him online. He had no idea his relatives were waiting to see me humiliated. And he had no idea his own mother might be scheming to push me out of the picture.
To him, my pain was just me "losing my mind"?
When we got back, Martha was sitting in the living room watching TV.
The house was an older two-story home; Tyler and I were staying on the second floor.
Seeing us walk in, she didn't even look away from the screen, casually muttering, "Back already? Go on upstairs and get some rest."
Still sulking from our argument in the car, Tyler stomped upstairs without a word.
I stood there, staring at Martha's back, the horrific suspicion in my gut solidifying.
I poured a glass of water, sat down beside her, and said casually, "Martha, at dinner tonight, I thought I heard someone talking about the government buying out the house. Has the word gotten out already?"
Martha's shoulders visibly stiffened.
She clicked off the TV, turning to inspect me with guarded eyes. "Really? I haven't heard anything. You know how small towns are, folks just love to gossip. Don't pay any mind to it."
Her reaction told me everything I needed to know.
I didn't press further. Smiling, I stood up. "Alright, good to know. Goodnight, Martha."
Back in the bedroom, Tyler had showered and was lying on the bed scrolling through his phone. A wall of icy silence stood between us.
Sleep was impossible. I made an excuse to grab something from downstairs, creeping quietly toward Martha's bedroom door.
It wasn't fully closed, left open by a crack.
Her hushed voice drifted out, low, but clear enough for me to catch every single word.
"...Yeah, it's Tiffany's mom. Listen, tell her to make Tiffany stop posting that nonsense online. Chloe almost caught on today... What? The buyout money? Of course I'm on Tiffany's side! That city girl has too many tricks up her sleeve. If she runs off with millions, my son will be left with nothing! A local girl is someone we actually know. She'll stay loyal and give me beautiful grandbabies..."
The rest faded into white noise.
The blood in my veins turned to ice.
It really was her.

Chapters (2)

Chapter 1   Chapter 2

Chapter 1

We went back to Tyler's hometown for the holidays to throw a banquet, and my husband was the center of attention. Dressed in a sharp suit, tall and handsome, Tyler toasted everyone with an easy smile, giving every relative and elder all the respect in the world. The town mayor clinked glasses with him, laughing heartily as he patted his shoulder. "The pride of our town has finally come back!" Beside him stood his daughter, Tiffany, whose eyes were practically glued to Tyler. "Tyler, you're amazing. Unlike the rest of us who are stuck in this small town forever." Her voice was sickeningly sweet. As she spoke, she casually leaned in, her chest brushing right against his arm. A wave of disgust washed over me. I made an excuse to step outside for some fresh air. Scrolling through TikTok, a local post popped up on my feed. The thumbnail was a coy, bashful selfie of Tiffany. Curious, I tapped into her profile. My heart instantly seized up, squeezing so hard I could barely breathe. Her feed was packed with "couples' photos" of her and my husband. Every single photo had a caption that made my skin crawl: [Once he leaves that woman, he'll realize how good I am for him.] [Tyler told me I'm the only one in his heart. He only married her to get his parents off his back.] [The state is buying out his family's property for the highway expansion. Millions of dollars will be mine. He promised to give me a grand wedding.] My face went pale, and I sank onto the cold bathroom tiles. Tyler had only told me about the multimillion-dollar government buyout two days ago. Even my own parents didn't know yet. How did Tiffany know about it? I forced myself to calm down, though my mind was spinning out of control. Did Tyler tell her? No, that was impossible. I told myself over and over that Tyler loved me, that our marriage was rock solid. But if it wasn't him, who was it? My hands shook violently as I gripped my phone, as if holding a live bomb. Staring at my pale reflection in the mirror, I pictured Tiffany outside—acting so innocent, so casually flirtatious with Tyler. Suddenly, the laughter and teasing of the relatives outside sounded like sinister background noise to a sickening conspiracy. Right then, there was a knock on the restroom door. "Chloe? Why have you been in there so long?" It was Tiffany's voice. "Tyler is getting worried about you, so he asked me to check in. Are you okay?" Her voice through the door was dripping with fake sweetness. I scrambled to my feet, took a deep breath, and splashed cold water onto my face. My reflection was still pale. No, I couldn't let her see any weakness. Smoothing down my dress, I pulled open the door to find her wide-eyed, innocent face. "Chloe, are you alright? Why are you so pale?" Tiffany reached out to steady me, but I stepped aside smoothly, avoiding her touch. "I'm fine. Just not used to the local drinks, I guess. It went straight to my head," I said with a tight smile. "I knew a city girl wouldn't be able to handle our local moonshine." She grabbed my arm affectionately, gripping it tightly enough that I couldn't pull away without making a scene. "Tyler was pacing the floor, staring at the door the whole time. He only relaxed when I offered to come check on you." Every sentence out of her mouth had "Tyler" in it, as if the two of them were the real couple here. I looked down at her hand around my arm. Her nails were painted a dainty baby pink. To me, that hand looked like a venomous claw ready to drag me into an abyss. "Tyler worries too much," I replied coolly, letting her pull me along. When we returned to the dining room, all eyes turned toward us. Tyler immediately stood up, walked over, and took my other arm, whispering softly, "What took you so long? Are you feeling sick?" "I'm fine." I shook my head, my gaze drifting past him to Martha, his mother. Martha was chatting animatedly with the mayor's wife. Seeing us, she flashed a wide smile. "Chloe is just delicate, not used to our hometown brew. Tiffany, sweetie, hurry and pour Chloe a cup of hot tea." Tiffany nodded obediently and poured the steaming tea, handing it to me with a delicate brush of her fingers against mine. Holding the cup, the heat from the ceramic did nothing to warm the chill in my chest. The entire dinner had turned into a sick, twisted joke. Every joke and tease from the relatives felt like they were setting the stage for Tiffany. "Tiffany is such a thoughtful girl. She really knows how to take care of people." "Of course she does! We watched her grow up. She's the best." Martha smiled radiantly. Taking Tiffany's hand, she turned to me and said, "Chloe, you've lived in the city for so long, you might not get how close we are around here. Tiffany is practically like a daughter to me. Don't treat her like a stranger." I curved my lips into a cold smile. "I understand, Martha." Practically a daughter? So that gave her the right to obsess over my husband and plot to steal my life? I glanced at Tyler. He seemed completely oblivious to the underlying venom in Martha's words, just nodding along. "Yeah, Mom has always adored Tiffany."

Chapter 2

A bitter wave of grief washed over me. Out of all these guests, how many were genuinely happy for us? And how many were just waiting to watch me crash and burn, waiting for their precious "hometown sweetheart" to replace the "city outsider"? Tiffany played the wide-eyed innocent to perfection. She kept putting food on Tyler's plate, leaning in close to show him funny TikTok videos on her phone. Their heads were inches apart, looking like two lovers in their honeymoon phase. Tyler seemed a bit uncomfortable and tried to lean away, but with the relatives laughing and teasing about their "childhood bond," his weak protests were drowned out. I sat in silence, an outsider watching a circus. Every single photo and disgusting caption from that TikTok account cut through my mind like razor blades. The government buyout... How did Tiffany find out? That question stuck in my chest like a poisoned dagger, suffocating me. The banquet finally ended. On the drive back, Tyler drove while I sat in the passenger seat, drowning in silence. The streetlights flickered past the window, flashing like the chaotic mess inside my head. "What's wrong with you today? You've been upset ever since you came out of the bathroom," Tyler finally asked, his voice cautious and hesitant. I turned to study his profile. This was the face I had loved for years, yet right now, he felt like a total stranger. "Tyler," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Don't you think Tiffany is crossing a line with you?" He seemed to sigh in relief, turning the steering wheel with a slight chuckle. "Is that what this is about? Don't overthink it, Chloe. She's just a little sister to me. She was spoiled rotten growing up, that's all." "A little sister?" My voice turned icy. "Wrapping herself around your arm and hanging all over you—is that how a sister acts?" Tyler frowned, impatience creeping into his tone. "Come on, people around here are just affectionate. With everyone watching today, was I supposed to shove her away? How humiliating would that be for her?" "Then what about the property buyout?" I finally threw out the million-dollar question. "That was strictly confidential. Even my parents don't know yet. How does she know about it? She's posting about it all over her TikTok comments." The car went dead silent. Tyler slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched against the asphalt as the car jerked to a stop by the shoulder. He turned, staring at me in sheer disbelief. "What did you say? What TikTok?" Seeing the genuine shock on his face, my heart relaxed a fraction, but the suspicion deepened. Without explaining, I looked him dead in the eye. "You really didn't tell her?" "Why the hell would I tell her?!" His voice rose, defensive and stung by the accusation. "I only ever told you! Are you losing your mind again with these crazy theories?" "Crazy theories?" Those words hit me right in the chest like a sledgehammer. Looking at him, a sudden exhaustion overwhelmed me. He was clueless. Absolutely clueless. He had no idea his precious "little sister" was running a sick, deranged fantasy about him online. He had no idea his relatives were waiting to see me humiliated. And he had no idea his own mother might be scheming to push me out of the picture. To him, my pain was just me "losing my mind"? When we got back, Martha was sitting in the living room watching TV. The house was an older two-story home; Tyler and I were staying on the second floor. Seeing us walk in, she didn't even look away from the screen, casually muttering, "Back already? Go on upstairs and get some rest." Still sulking from our argument in the car, Tyler stomped upstairs without a word. I stood there, staring at Martha's back, the horrific suspicion in my gut solidifying. I poured a glass of water, sat down beside her, and said casually, "Martha, at dinner tonight, I thought I heard someone talking about the government buying out the house. Has the word gotten out already?" Martha's shoulders visibly stiffened. She clicked off the TV, turning to inspect me with guarded eyes. "Really? I haven't heard anything. You know how small towns are, folks just love to gossip. Don't pay any mind to it." Her reaction told me everything I needed to know. I didn't press further. Smiling, I stood up. "Alright, good to know. Goodnight, Martha." Back in the bedroom, Tyler had showered and was lying on the bed scrolling through his phone. A wall of icy silence stood between us. Sleep was impossible. I made an excuse to grab something from downstairs, creeping quietly toward Martha's bedroom door. It wasn't fully closed, left open by a crack. Her hushed voice drifted out, low, but clear enough for me to catch every single word. "...Yeah, it's Tiffany's mom. Listen, tell her to make Tiffany stop posting that nonsense online. Chloe almost caught on today... What? The buyout money? Of course I'm on Tiffany's side! That city girl has too many tricks up her sleeve. If she runs off with millions, my son will be left with nothing! A local girl is someone we actually know. She'll stay loyal and give me beautiful grandbabies..." The rest faded into white noise. The blood in my veins turned to ice. It really was her.

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