Jake Ashford and I were the poorest couple in Millfield , Montana . He couldn't walk right , his parents were sick all the time , and our baby boy died from a fever we couldn't afford to treat . When the flood hit , I strapped Jake to my back and started hauling ass up the mountain . His mom was screaming behind us : " Clara , leave his ass ! Save yourself , honey ! " I gritted my teeth and didn't let go . Just when I thought I couldn't take another step , Jake suddenly moved . He untied himself and stood up in the water like nothing happened . That's when a helicopter dropped out of the sky . His " sick " parents ran up to it like they were in the Olympics or some shit . Jake reached out his hand , casual as hell : " Congrats , babe . You passed the test . Get in - our son's waiting . " After he said that , I nearly face - planted . My son ... wasn't he supposed to be dead ? I just stared at this asshole . Ten years I'd been sleeping next to him , and turns out I didn't know shit about who he really was . Under that soaked , raggedy shirt were real fucking muscles . His face had this cold look I'd never seen before . My throat felt like I'd been eating glass : " What test ? " " Ashford women gotta prove they won't bail when shit gets tough . Gotta be loyal , you know ? " He didn't even try to explain , just grabbed my arm . " You did great , babe . Grandpa's pumped . " Ashford ? Grandpa ? That hit me like a freight train . He dragged me onto the helicopter . As doors slammed shut , I watched our shitty little trailer disappear under all that water . Inside , his " parents " went from freaking out to looking all ... respect ? Total 180 . They nodded at me : " Mrs. Ashford . " 13:17 Hell Yeah , Forget the Other Woman , My Smart House Was Cheating On Me ! 7.4 % Chapter 1 Then they walked over to Jake and literally fucking bowed : " Mr. Ashford , mission complete . " Jake waved them off and they sat in the corner like robots . I was shaking like crazy , but not ' cause I was cold . " Who are they ? " I asked Jake . " Company employees . They're pros . " With that , he peeled off his wet jacket . Underneath ? Perfect dry shirt . Not one wrinkle . Even his damn clothes were fake . " So these ten years ... all fake ? " My voice was all fucked up . " Your leg , your parents being sick , us being broke ... all of it was bullshit ? " " It's a test ." He handed me coffee . " Clara , you should be stoked . You passed . No more living like white trash . " Stoked ? I stared at this piece of shit . Ten years . I broke my arm falling off cliffs looking for herbs for his " bad leg . " Ten years . I worked three jobs till I was puking blood to buy medicine for his " dying parents . " Ten years . I ate fucking ramen for months to save money . Thought we were struggling together . Turns out I was just his lab rat . " My son ... " I grabbed onto the only thing left . " Tommy , he's really alive ? " " Yeah , duh . " Jake nodded . " Goes by Carson now . He's nine , healthy as hell , smart little shit too . " Nine ? He was barely walking when he supposedly " died ." Eight years . Eight fucking years I cried myself to sleep , visited his grave , wanted to kill myself ' cause I couldn't save him . Yet he was out there the whole time . That felt like getting stabbed in the chest . " Why the fuck would you DO this ? " I stared him down . " Family tradition . " Like it was no big deal , he said . " Had to make sure you'd be loyal to the Ashfords , you know ? " I laughed till I was crying , Loyalty ? 13:18 Hell Yeah . Forget the Other Woman My Smart House Was Cheating On Mel 7.6 % Chapter 1 He wanted loyalty through ten years of lies ? A We landed on this massive lawn . Behind it was basically a fucking castle . I'd never seen anything this fancy , not even on TV . This was Ashford Manor- My new " home , " bought with ten years of hell . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!