My name is Anna, and for two years, I believed I had the perfect marriage. Derek and I met through mutual friends, and things moved fast. When we got married, I was sure he was my soulmate. But lately, something felt wrong.
It started with small things. Derek worked late more often. His clothes smelled like perfume that wasn’t mine. His phone, once left lying around, was now always with him. It buzzed constantly, but whenever I glanced at it, he quickly swiped the notifications away.
At first, I told myself I was overthinking. “He’s just busy,” I thought. “It’s nothing.” But the uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away. When he started taking phone calls in another room, my suspicion turned into certainty. Something was going on, and I needed to know the truth.
One night, after dinner, I gathered my courage. My heart pounded, but I had to confront him.
“Derek, can we talk?” I asked, keeping my tone as neutral as possible.
“Of course, babe. What’s up?” He looked up from his phone, smiling like nothing was wrong.
I inhaled deeply. “You’ve been acting different lately. Coming home late. Always on your phone. And… I can smell perfume on you, Derek.” I folded my arms. “Be honest with me. Is there someone else?”
He blinked, then let out a sigh. “Okay, fine. You’re right.”
My stomach dropped. “Right about what?”
“There’s someone else,” he admitted, staring down at his hands.
The room suddenly felt too small. “Someone else?” I repeated, my voice barely a whisper.
“Her name’s Jessica,” he said quietly. “But listen, it’s not what you think.”
I clenched my fists under the table, trying to stay calm. “Not what I think? You’re cheating on me, Derek!”
“It’s complicated,” he said quickly. “I love you, Anna. You’re my best friend. But I… I love her too. In a different way.”
“So, what are you saying? You want a divorce?” My voice was eerily steady.
“No!” He shook his head. “I don’t want to lose you. That’s why I was thinking… maybe we could all live together.”
I froze. “Excuse me?”
“You have to understand,” he pleaded. “I love you as a person. But I love her as a woman. I don’t want to choose. Maybe we could all live… together.”
My mind raced. This man, my husband, had the audacity to ask me to share him?
Then, an idea formed. A slow, careful, brilliant idea.
“Alright,” I said, forcing a smile. “If this is going to work, I need to meet her.”
Derek’s eyes widened. “You do?”
“Yes. Invite her over for dinner. Let’s see if this can work.”
Derek grinned, relieved. “Really? You’re amazing, Anna.”
I smiled back, but inside, I was seething.
“Just amazing,” I muttered, already plotting my revenge.
The next evening, I set the dining table with extra care. Candles, fine china, soft music. Everything looked perfect. I adjusted my dress one last time, making sure I appeared calm, composed, and welcoming.
When Derek’s car pulled into the driveway, my stomach twisted. Showtime.
The door opened, and Derek walked in, nervous but smiling, with her right behind him.
“Anna, this is Jessica,” he said, stepping aside.
Jessica was younger than I expected—maybe in her mid-20s—with long blond hair and a careful smile. She wore a fitted dress, the kind that said, “I want to impress, but not too much.” Her eyes flicked over me, sizing me up.
“Hi, Anna,” she said softly, extending her hand. Her grip was hesitant.
“Jessica,” I greeted her warmly, shaking her hand. “Welcome. Please, make yourself at home.”
As we sat down to eat, I played my role flawlessly. I smiled, passed the food, and observed. Jessica’s laughter was high-pitched and overly sweet. She leaned toward Derek when she spoke, touching his arm lightly. Derek, to my irritation, let his hand rest briefly on hers before glancing at me and pulling away.
“So, Jessica,” I said, keeping my tone light. “What do you do for a living?”
“Oh, I work in marketing,” she said, hesitating slightly. “It’s… um, fun. Challenging sometimes, but I like it.”
“Challenging?” I tilted my head. “How so?”
Jessica looked at Derek for help, but he was busy cutting his steak. “Oh, you know… deadlines and clients and all that,” she said quickly.
I smiled knowingly. “Well, I’m sure Derek appreciates your hard work.”
Jessica blinked. Derek cleared his throat. “Of course, I do. Jessica’s incredible.”
I sipped my wine and let the silence stretch. Then, casually, I texted my dad:
“Hi Dad, could you stop by? Derek’s out, and a neighbor called saying someone’s in the house. I’m nervous.”
His response was instant. “Be there in 10.”
Perfect.
Dinner wound down, and I stood up. “It’s getting late. Why don’t we all head upstairs? I’ll take a quick shower before bed.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “Oh, um, are you sure? I mean—”
“It’s fine,” I said with a tight smile. “Make yourselves comfortable.”
Derek beamed. “Thanks, babe. You’re the best.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. “The best.”
Ten minutes later, as steam filled the bathroom, I heard my dad’s voice from upstairs.
“Derek,” he said, his tone dangerously calm. “Mind telling me what the hell is going on?”
I peeked into the hallway just in time to see Derek freeze. My dad, a former Navy officer, stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his sheer presence overwhelming the room.
Jessica sat on the edge of the bed, looking confused and nervous. “Who are you?” she stammered.
Derek looked pale. “Mr. Grant, I—I can explain!”
“Explain?” My dad’s voice was cold. “Explain why you’re in my daughter’s house with her?” He gestured toward Jessica, who flinched.
“It’s not what it looks like!” Derek blurted.
“Oh, it’s exactly what it looks like,” my dad growled, stepping forward.
Derek panicked, eyes darting to the window. “I—I should go!”
“Not so fast,” my dad barked. “You don’t walk out of here after this. You crawl.”
That was all Derek needed to hear. He yelped, scrambled onto the windowsill, and jumped. From the hallway, I stifled a laugh as he landed awkwardly in the grass, wearing nothing but his boxers. He scrambled up and bolted down the street.
Jessica turned to me, her face flushed. “Anna, I didn’t mean for this to happen—”
I held up a hand. “Save it. Pack your things and leave. Now.”
Jessica hesitated, then grabbed her purse. The front door clicked shut behind her. For the first time that night, the house felt peaceful.
The next morning, I packed Derek’s things, went to the courthouse, and filed for divorce. As I signed the papers, I felt lighter.
I deserved better. And I would never settle for less again.
