He Counted Every Cent, Except the Cost of Losing Me - Chapter 1: Chapter 1
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On the first day my husband and I got our marriage certificate, he proposed a fifty-fifty lifestyle.
"Modern women should be independent. We'll each manage our own money—it's fair."
"OK."
But things didn't turn out the way I expected...
"The anniversary cake was $198. I only ate a quarter, so you need to pay $148.50."
"This month's electricity bill is $328, but you were sick at home last week and ran the AC for 53 extra hours, so you owe an additional $50."
Until that day when I had acute appendicitis and called 911—when he rushed to the hospital, his first reaction was to pull out a calculator!
"Technically, this is personal healthcare spending, so we shouldn't split it. You should pay the full amount."
Looking at this man I'd shared a bed with for seven years, my heart sank as I realized I was staring at a complete stranger.
"But I'll let it slide this time. After insurance, the out-of-pocket cost is $3,000. Just transfer me $1,500."
My finger froze over the familiar money transfer screen...
"Did you send it yet?"
Grayson frowned, checking his phone impatiently when his bank alert didn't come through fast enough.
I entered the last digit of my passcode with ice in my veins.
"Sent."
Then I yanked the blanket over myself and rolled away from him.
"Cool, got it. Get some rest—I'm gonna grab some food from the cafeteria. Nothing fancy."
Only after his footsteps faded did I throw off the covers.
Tears were already streaming down my face.
When he first pitched the whole fifty-fifty thing, I wasn't thrilled, but I didn't fight it either.
Part of me wanted to prove I wasn't marrying him for his wallet.
But seven years later, splitting every damn cent had become Grayson's religion.
From mortgage payments and car loans to a bowl of soup, a bottle of water, or a pack of tissues—he'd itemize everything down to the penny.
The worst part?
He'd demand payment on the spot!
Once, during a day out, my period came early and I asked him to grab tampons.
He had some random woman deliver them to the bathroom.
"Um, your husband said these tampons cost $9.80 and wants you to Venmo him right now."
God!
So awkward!
I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.
This kind of humiliation happened pretty much daily for seven straight years!
Just thinking about it made my chest feel like it was caving in.
My freshly operated appendix started throbbing again.
"Gray, you should've told me sooner!"
A sickeningly sweet voice accompanied the sound of my hospital room door swinging open.
Seeing Raven Laurent waltz in with her perfect makeup and designer outfit made me instinctively duck my head.
After a night of appendicitis hell, I looked like roadkill and really didn't need an audience.
"Grayson, could you guys maybe talk outside?"
I kept my voice low, practically begging.
"Gray, does Tessa not want to see me? Maybe I should just go..."
Raven's eyes welled up like she was about to burst into tears.
Grayson immediately went into protective mode, his face darkening as his tone turned arctic.
"Tessa! Raven came all this way to check on you. Don't be such a brat."
I caught the challenge in Raven's eyes and felt something freeze inside me.
She was obviously here to watch me suffer, but Grayson was willfully blind to it.
"Gray, what smells so good? Did you get something yummy?"
Grayson shifted awkwardly. "Just grabbed some random stuff from the cafeteria. Didn't know you were coming."
"No way, it looks delicious though."
Raven reached for the food, but he stopped her.
"If you're hungry, I'll take you somewhere decent. This stuff's basically cardboard."
Grayson's words hit me like a slap.
Looking at this face I'd once loved desperately, I barely recognized the stranger staring back.
When he turned to me, his tone went flat again:
"Cafeteria food came to $19.80 total. Just send me $9.90—you can have my portion too."
Before I could respond, Raven let out a dramatic gasp.
"Oh my God, are you two seriously splitting the bill?"
I met Grayson's eyes, genuinely curious how he'd explain this in front of Raven.
Grayson barely hesitated, staying cold as ice. "Yeah, Tessa's the most independent, strong woman I know."
His expression visibly softened when he looked at Raven. "Not like you—always need someone taking care of you."
Raven immediately pouted. "Right, I'm nothing compared to Tessa. I'm useless, happy now?"
Grayson's smile was almost tender. "You know that's not what I meant."
I sat there watching them flirt right in front of me.
My heart clenched painfully as I looked away in silence.
"Modern women should be independent. We'll each manage our own money—it's fair."
"OK."
But things didn't turn out the way I expected...
"The anniversary cake was $198. I only ate a quarter, so you need to pay $148.50."
"This month's electricity bill is $328, but you were sick at home last week and ran the AC for 53 extra hours, so you owe an additional $50."
Until that day when I had acute appendicitis and called 911—when he rushed to the hospital, his first reaction was to pull out a calculator!
"Technically, this is personal healthcare spending, so we shouldn't split it. You should pay the full amount."
Looking at this man I'd shared a bed with for seven years, my heart sank as I realized I was staring at a complete stranger.
"But I'll let it slide this time. After insurance, the out-of-pocket cost is $3,000. Just transfer me $1,500."
My finger froze over the familiar money transfer screen...
"Did you send it yet?"
Grayson frowned, checking his phone impatiently when his bank alert didn't come through fast enough.
I entered the last digit of my passcode with ice in my veins.
"Sent."
Then I yanked the blanket over myself and rolled away from him.
"Cool, got it. Get some rest—I'm gonna grab some food from the cafeteria. Nothing fancy."
Only after his footsteps faded did I throw off the covers.
Tears were already streaming down my face.
When he first pitched the whole fifty-fifty thing, I wasn't thrilled, but I didn't fight it either.
Part of me wanted to prove I wasn't marrying him for his wallet.
But seven years later, splitting every damn cent had become Grayson's religion.
From mortgage payments and car loans to a bowl of soup, a bottle of water, or a pack of tissues—he'd itemize everything down to the penny.
The worst part?
He'd demand payment on the spot!
Once, during a day out, my period came early and I asked him to grab tampons.
He had some random woman deliver them to the bathroom.
"Um, your husband said these tampons cost $9.80 and wants you to Venmo him right now."
God!
So awkward!
I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.
This kind of humiliation happened pretty much daily for seven straight years!
Just thinking about it made my chest feel like it was caving in.
My freshly operated appendix started throbbing again.
"Gray, you should've told me sooner!"
A sickeningly sweet voice accompanied the sound of my hospital room door swinging open.
Seeing Raven Laurent waltz in with her perfect makeup and designer outfit made me instinctively duck my head.
After a night of appendicitis hell, I looked like roadkill and really didn't need an audience.
"Grayson, could you guys maybe talk outside?"
I kept my voice low, practically begging.
"Gray, does Tessa not want to see me? Maybe I should just go..."
Raven's eyes welled up like she was about to burst into tears.
Grayson immediately went into protective mode, his face darkening as his tone turned arctic.
"Tessa! Raven came all this way to check on you. Don't be such a brat."
I caught the challenge in Raven's eyes and felt something freeze inside me.
She was obviously here to watch me suffer, but Grayson was willfully blind to it.
"Gray, what smells so good? Did you get something yummy?"
Grayson shifted awkwardly. "Just grabbed some random stuff from the cafeteria. Didn't know you were coming."
"No way, it looks delicious though."
Raven reached for the food, but he stopped her.
"If you're hungry, I'll take you somewhere decent. This stuff's basically cardboard."
Grayson's words hit me like a slap.
Looking at this face I'd once loved desperately, I barely recognized the stranger staring back.
When he turned to me, his tone went flat again:
"Cafeteria food came to $19.80 total. Just send me $9.90—you can have my portion too."
Before I could respond, Raven let out a dramatic gasp.
"Oh my God, are you two seriously splitting the bill?"
I met Grayson's eyes, genuinely curious how he'd explain this in front of Raven.
Grayson barely hesitated, staying cold as ice. "Yeah, Tessa's the most independent, strong woman I know."
His expression visibly softened when he looked at Raven. "Not like you—always need someone taking care of you."
Raven immediately pouted. "Right, I'm nothing compared to Tessa. I'm useless, happy now?"
Grayson's smile was almost tender. "You know that's not what I meant."
I sat there watching them flirt right in front of me.
My heart clenched painfully as I looked away in silence.
End of He Counted Every Cent, Except the Cost of Losing Me Chapter 1. Continue reading Chapter 2 or return to He Counted Every Cent, Except the Cost of Losing Me book page.