He Helped Me Fail 99 Times

The explosion wiped out my parents—and their company. All I had left was some insurance cash and a pile of patents nobody cared about. I begged their old partners to back me. Crickets. Then Alex Ross strolled in, played the hero no one asked for, and proposed. Five years deep into our marriage, after my 99th FDA rejection, I finally cracked. I was in the garage when I heard his phone on speaker. Mark's voice came through: "Dude, you're still handing Lily Emma's blueprints before she even files? How many times has she flopped now? Girl's relentless, huh?" Alex? Straight-up ice. "Ninety-nine. She'll quit soon." "You're really tanking your wife to boost Lily's brand? Worth it?" "Lily's launching her new product tomorrow at the Boston Medical Summit. Patent number 100. Watching her blow up from nothing... makes me proud." "But it's all Emma's stuff. Your dad made you marry her for her brain, didn't he?" "Don't bring up my father." His voice turned sharp. "He forced me to dump Lily. I just played along." I sank into the driver's seat, frozen. I wasn't a partner. Just a pawn—revenge bait for his dad and backup fuel for his ex. Chapter 1 Alex stole my work 99 times to make his girlfriend famous. What he didn't know? The girl he worshipped killed my parents. And the one who saved his life when he was circling the drain? Yeah—that was me. The same girl he wrecked for five straight years. *** Mark wouldn't drop it. "Emma's actually a good person. Don't you feel even a little guilty?" "Guilty?" Alex started the car. "I gave her a cushy life. She should be grateful." "Lily blew you off when you tried to help her before, and now she's making bank off stolen tech. You really think she loves you? She's going after Emma on purpose." "Shut up!" Alex slammed the brakes. "She only said no to save face. Now we're equals. When the timing's right, I'll ditch Emma and go public with Lily." Mark shot back, "And Emma? You nuked five years of her life. She'll fall apart." "She won't know," he said, all calm now. "I've got it mapped out. After the divorce, I'll throw her enough cash to coast. "In the end, it was just a trade. She got security. I got to tick off my dad's box." The engine quieted. I sat there in the dark, vision swimming. Five years ago, I was kneeling by Mom's hospital bed when the monitor flatlined. The blast took her. Dad didn't last much longer. Then Alex showed up. All soft words and perfect timing. "Marry me," he said. "I'll take care of you." I thought it was love. Turns out, it was a setup. And me? I handed him everything like a total idiot. My phone buzzed. Alex: [Darling, there's a charity dinner tonight. Wear that blue gown. I'll pick you up at seven.] I stared at the screen, hands heavy. Then typed: [Okay.] *** Twenty minutes later, Alex's Bentley pulled up. He clocked my puffy eyes and frowned. "Crying again? FDA said no?" I looked away. He sighed and reached in for a hug. I flinched. His hand hovered, confused. "I... I'm just tired," I said, forcing a smile. "Think I'll skip it tonight." "You can't," he said, soft. "Big medtech names will be there. Could help your project." Help Lily Hartway line up her next partner, more like. Still, I got in the car. *** At the dinner, I spotted Lily. White gown. Flashbulb smile. Investors buzzing like flies. Media swarming—"rising star," "youngest female founder." "Emma." She drifted over, champagne in hand. "FDA said no again? Brutal." "Yeah." I kept my cool. That smug little twitch hit her lips. "Don't quit. Startups aren't for everyone." "You're right." I clinked her glass. "Good luck at your launch tomorrow." She blinked. Just for a beat. Then the fake-sweet grin snapped back. "Thanks." I left early. Said I didn't feel great. Back home, I passed the living room and stopped at the one door I never opened. Alex's study. Off-limits, always. "Important docs," he'd said. "Stay out." For five years, I did. Not tonight. I grabbed the handle. The keypad lit up. I took a breath and punched in a date—not our anniversary, not my birthday, but hers, Lily’s. Beep. Unlocked. I smirked, opened the door, and stepped into a room that felt way too familiar—and totally wrong. Chapter 2 I opened the door and just stood there. Right on the wall: a giant oil painting. Chestnut hair. Green eyes. Lily. The frame was worn—like someone kept touching it. The shelves? Packed with framed photos. All her. So every time he said he had "urgent work" in here... he was just "mourning" his ex. In the center sat a small safe. I typed in Lily's birthday. Click. No cash. No jewelry. Just piles of printed emails. My hands shook as I flipped through them. All from her: [Alex, got the stent design. It's perfect.] [The valve idea is brilliant. Thank you, love.] [Patent #73 approved! Love you!] He stole everything—my work, my research—and I fell for the whole act. At the bottom, an unsent draft: [Dear Lily, once patent #100 is yours, I'll propose. Legally, I'm married, but my heart's always been yours. I'll give you that dream wedding. Love you forever, Alex.] My hands wouldn't stop shaking. Five years ago, Alex said a big wedding felt "off" after my parents died. So we hit the County Clerk's office. No ring. No honeymoon. No nothing. I let out a cold smile and snapped pics of everything. These emails didn't just prove he betrayed me—they nailed Lily for stealing my work, too. I put everything back exactly how I found it, shut the door, and made the call. "Ms. Ellington, have you made your decision?" "Yes. I'll transfer all the technical data to your team. But the release timing? That's mine to call." "Of course. We'll follow your lead." I'd just hung up when Alex's voice cut in behind me. "Emma? Who were you talking to?" My heart jumped. He was standing at the top of the stairs. "Oh, just someone from the lab." I kept it light. He walked over, wrapped his arms around me. "That dinner ended early." My skin crawled. Then he said, "Emma, let's have a baby." Every muscle in me locked up. "It's been five years. It's time," he added, eyes soft, voice sweet and fake. "Let's start tonight." I faked a smile. "I... I need to finish something first." "You've got all weekend." He grabbed my hand, started leading me upstairs. "But we shouldn't wait too long." Every time I started pulling away, he dangled the dream—family, babies, everything I used to want. Like a leash. "I just remembered—I left the incubator on at the lab." I jerked my hand free. "Gotta check it." "Now? It's ten o'clock." "Cell cultures don't care what time it is." I grabbed my bag. "I won't be long." I was out the door before he could say a word. I drove to a hotel downtown and spent the night staring out the window. By sunrise, the divorce papers were drafted. I booked a one-way to Switzerland. Three days. Alex's family ran half of New York. If I lit the match now, I'd lose. But in three days, Lily was dropping her 100th patent at the global medical summit. And with the whole world watching, their lies didn't stand a chance. Chapter 3 The next morning, I rolled up to Alex's company. Right as I hit the steps, I heard her. "These years... have you been okay, Alex? I loved your emails. Flew in on a private jet—got kinda lonely." His voice went soft. "You've been through a lot." "Don't." She laughed. "If it weren't for you, I'd still be scrubbing glassware. Seriously—thank you. "I won't swing by your place before the launch—just in case Emma flips. She used to pity me, remember? Now that the tables turned, she might not take it well." Classic Lily. Steals everything, then cries victim. After my first FDA rejection, I asked if her product copied mine. She sued me for defamation. Almost dragged me to court. Alex hired a top lawyer and made it disappear. I thought he was protecting me. Now it just felt pathetic. Through the cracked door, I watched him pull a flash drive from his safe and hand it over. "This is Emma's latest artificial heart design. With this, your launch will blow the medical world away." Lily snatched it, eyes sparkling like she'd won. The divorce papers slipped from my hand and hit the floor. Alex turned, face going ghost white. "Emma! What are you doing here?" He rushed over. "This is Lily Hartway—the student you once mentored. She's just here for a collab." "Emma, long time." Lily smiled, decked out in Armani. "Yeah, long time." I shook her hand like I hadn't seen a thing. "Didn't mean to interrupt. You two look busy—I'll let you get back to it." Alex followed me out. "Emma, it's not what it looks like. Lily's a valve specialist—I just needed her input. You've always wanted this breakthrough. This is your shot." The way he sold it, like nothing was wrong, almost made me laugh. He sold me out, tanked our marriage, all for her. Now that he was close to the finish line, he wanted to act like it meant nothing? "I trust your judgment," I said, flat. He looked... relieved. Like I'd forgiven it all. *** Back home, I started packing. Every designer bag, dress, and bracelet he ever gave me—boxed up and sent to charity. Then my phone buzzed. A clerk from Tiffany's. "Mrs. Ross, the custom ring your husband ordered last week is ready. We couldn't reach him—could you come by?" Ring? I showed up still in a daze. The clerk opened the box—two platinum diamond rings. Center stone? At least five carats. I glanced at the simple band on my finger—the one we bought off a street cart. My eyes burned. Then a text from Alex: [Darling, I ordered a gift for an important client. My phone died—can you grab it? My assistant will pick it up later.] Important client. I let out a dry laugh and texted back: [Okay.] I was already gone. No reason to call him out now. Chapter 4 That evening, Alex's assistant swung by for the rings and said Alex was off to Boston for work. Later that night, I got a friend request. Lily. I accepted. She sent a video. On a yacht in Boston Harbor, Alex—white tux, on one knee. Fireworks lit up the sky as they kissed and slipped on the rings. I typed four words: [Wish you the best.] Then deleted the chat. *** Three days later—launch day—Alex texted, begging me to attend Lily's big event. I showed up at the Boston Convention Center. Security stopped me. "Invitation?" the guard asked, all business. "I'm Alex Ross's wife." He gave me a quick once-over, eyes flickering with judgment. "Mrs. Ross? Without an invite, I'm afraid—" A Rolls-Royce rolled up. Lily stepped out in a designer gown. The crowd practically bowed. The guard's whole vibe flipped. He sprinted over, grinning like a fanboy. "Dr. Hartway! Welcome! Everything's set just how you wanted." Lily gave a tiny nod. The guard glanced back and saw me still there. His face soured. "Move it! This isn't your scene. Didn't I tell you to leave? Don't block Dr. Hartway." He shoved me aside like trash—then turned and practically bowed to Lily. She spotted me, took in the mess I must've looked like, and for a second, satisfaction flashed in her eyes. Then she slipped on her fake-nice mask. "Stop," she told the guard, all righteous indignation. "What kind of attitude is that? Anyone's welcome at my launch." She strolled over, voice sugar-coated. "Emma used to be my benefactor. Without her help, I'd have never met Alex." She paused, eyes gleaming. "But Emma, feel free to watch—just don't start screaming plagiarism again like last time." The word hit like a spark. Whispers flared. "Wait, she's the one who accused Dr. Hartway?" "Didn't she get sued?" "No wonder she failed 99 times—probably stealing from others." "Ugh. I actually felt bad for her." The old me would've scrambled to explain, desperate not to embarrass Alex. But not today. Today, I just wanted it to be over. Chapter 5 A few minutes later, Alex stepped out of the hall. Lily rushed over. "Totally my fault—I forgot to send Emma the invitation. Let's head in together." He led me inside, turning to everyone nearby. "My wife's here to learn from Dr. Hartway's experience." The second he said it, the whole room iced over. I was already the "failure"—now people straight-up avoided me. Alex stuck close to Lily, walking her around like she was the main event. He kept introducing her to investors, cozying up like they were some power couple. She clung to him more than once, and yeah, it stung. Bad. The air felt thick, like I couldn't breathe. I stepped out of the restroom—and there she was. Lily, blocking my way. She clocked how pale I looked and smirked like she'd just scored. "Well, Mrs. Ross? Wild seeing you hit rock bottom." I clenched my fists, staring her down. "What's that look? Don't forget—you begged me for help with tuition fee. This is how you treat someone who had your back?" Lily dropped the act. "Help? That was charity. You tossed me leftovers and wanted a thank-you card? "You finally caught on, huh? Every bit of your research—Alex handed it to me. Sucks, doesn't it? Getting stabbed by the guy you loved?" She leaned in, voice dripping poison. "And those picture-perfect parents of yours? Always warning you about me. "That lab explosion? Yeah, I rigged it. I heard your mom calling your name before she died. Shame she never got to see her golden girl again." My blood roared. My parents' final moments hit me like a freight train—Mom's scorched face, Dad's broken stare. It was her. All of it. I snapped and slapped Lily hard. She dropped like it was Broadway, shrieking like I'd stabbed her. I lunged again, but Alex jumped in, grabbing my arm. He threw himself in front of her, eyes blazing. "Emma! Are you out of your mind? Lily invited you here, and you attack her?" The crowd circled fast, eyes full of judgment, ready to rip me apart. Lily clung to Alex, sobbing like she was the victim. "I'm sorry, Alex. I just wanted to smooth things over. I didn't think Emma would—" Then she switched tones, all angelic. "Forget it. If she hadn't helped me back then, I wouldn't even be here. Let's just call it even." Even? What alternate universe was she living in? I jerked against Alex's grip. "Alex! You owe me the truth—how do you think her company even took off?" Panic flashed in Alex's eyes, but he covered it fast. "Explain what? Lily's been in Europe this whole time—how could she steal your research? "I helped you go through every failed attempt. If you're not good enough, don't blame her. I really misjudged you, Emma." He gave me one last icy glare before turning to Lily. "Security! Get her out. She's not coming back until the launch is over." They yanked me out like garbage and shoved me to the ground. I stood, dusted myself off, pulled out my phone. "Showtime." I drove straight to the mansion and dropped the divorce papers dead center in the living room—no way he'd miss them. Suitcase in hand, I paused at the doorway, taking one last look at the place I used to call home. Then I pulled out my phone and uploaded everything—emails, patent transfers, the whole timeline—blasting it all over social. Once it was up, I ripped out the SIM card, ditched it in the trash, and hopped in a cab to the airport. *** Meanwhile, at the Boston Convention Center— Lily stood under the spotlight, grinning like she owned the place. "Now, I'll unveil a revolutionary advancement in medical technology!" Right then, the doors slammed open. A group of sharp suits strode in, led by a senior-looking attorney. "Sorry to interrupt," he said smoothly. "We represent Swiss Healthcare Group." Lily's smile dropped. "Who are you? This is a private event! Security!" The lawyer didn't flinch. He held up a document. "This is a court summons. You're being sued for stealing the intellectual property of Ms. Emma Ellington. See you in court."