The Scratch-Off That Cost Our Happiness

After the company's annual party ended, I went home clutching a card that said "surprise scratch card." I didn't think much of it and casually placed it on the coffee table in the living room. That evening, Mario Collins came home from work and immediately spotted that scratch card. "What's this?" He picked up the card, eyes full of curiosity. "It was handed out at the company's annual party—seems like a prank, I haven't scratched it yet." I replied casually while tidying up the cushions on the sofa. Mario ignored me, grabbed a coin, and started scratching. As he scratched, he suddenly shouted, "Melissa! Melissa! Come quick!" Startled, I rushed over. "What's wrong? What happened?" He pointed at the words on the card, hands shaking. "One hundred million! It says we won one hundred million!" I leaned in for a closer look, and sure enough, the card had the words "Congratulations on winning a one hundred million prize" printed right on it. But something felt off. Why would the company hand out such a huge prize? "Could it be fake? After all, this was supposed to be a prank scratch card." I said, puzzled. Just then, my mother-in-law Luna Lewis came out of the room. Hearing our conversation, she immediately came over. "One hundred million? Let me see!" She snatched the scratch card from Mario's hand, and her eyes lit up after reading it. "It really is one hundred million! Mario, our family is about to get rich!" Luna said excitedly, patting Mario on the shoulder. I tried to explain that it might be a prank, but Luna wouldn't listen at all. "Melissa, just look at your luck—it's incredible! But honestly, this money was scratched by Mario, so it doesn't really have much to do with you, does it?" Luna said this with a pointed undertone. I frowned. "Mom, this scratch card was my prize from the annual event. How could it have nothing to do with me?" "Your prize? But Mario is the one who scratched it! That money belongs to him!" Luna was stubborn and refused to back down. Mario quickly agreed from the side, "Melissa, Mom's got a point. If this money is real, our lives are going to change." Looking at the mother and son in front of me, a chill ran down my spine. Just because of a scratch card that might not even be real, they actually started fighting over who it belonged to. In the days that followed, Mario Collins and Luna Lewis obsessed over that scratch card, even scheming on how to claim the prize. I tried to tell them to verify it first, but they wouldn't listen and just thought I was jealous. That night, I came home late from overtime, and as I reached the door, I heard strange noises from inside. I quietly pushed the door open and saw Mario Collins holding my best friend Willow Lynn, their closeness unmistakable. I felt like I'd been struck by lightning, standing frozen at the doorway. Mario Collins and Willow Lynn heard the noise, turned around, and saw me — both immediately panicked. "Melissa, please, let me explain..." Mario hurriedly pushed Willow aside, trying to come over and hold me. "Explain what? Explain why you two were holding each other?" I fought back tears, my voice trembling as I asked. Willow lowered her head, too afraid to meet my eyes. "Melissa, I'm sorry, but Mario and I really do love each other." "Really love each other?" I sneered bitterly, "Willow, I treated you as my closest best friend, and this is how you repay me? Mario, I am your wife—how could you betray me like this?" At that moment, Luna came out of the room. Seeing the scene, instead of criticizing Mario, she actually defended him, saying, "Melissa, since you've already seen it, I won't hide it from you any longer. Mario is about to strike it rich. You don't deserve him. I think you two should just get a divorce." I looked at Luna's cruel face, then at Mario's evasive eyes, and felt utterly broken inside. "Fine, divorce it is. But I won't let this go that easily." I gritted my teeth and said.