WHEN I THREW THE DOOR OPEN, MY HEART POUNDED WITH PURE RAGE—MY CHEATING WIFE WAS STRADDLING HER BOSS

everything started when my wife burst into the room eyes shining as if she just won the lottery she had just come back from work and hadn't even taken off her coat before announcing that i was in for a little surprise naturally i asked what kind of surprise but she only gave me a sly smile and said "we're having guests tonight and they're bringing some really great news." that caught me off guard guests good news we didn't see family often and i couldn't imagine anyone suddenly showing up with something exciting to share half joking i asked

"don't tell me your friend's pregnant again." she rolled her eyes and called me an idiot before saying it wasn't that at all then she insisted we had to get the house spotless because apparently our surprise visitors couldn't be received in anything less than perfection that's when my day took a sharp turn i wasn't in the mood to argue so i got to work with her we scrubbed every corner of the house until it gleamed like we were preparing for royalty by the time we were done the place looked flawless and the kitchen smelled like a

feast was about to begin as much as i wanted to sit down and relax my mind kept wandering who were these mysterious guests and what could the good news be i've never been a fan of surprises and this one felt particularly strange finally the doorbell rang i was the one who opened it and i wasn't prepared for what i saw there wasn't a single family member or anyone i would remotely consider a bearer of good news instead it was my wife's two best friends they entered with energy and giggles like they owned the place before

i could even process what was happening one of them cracked an inappropriate joke about a group activity that i'd rather not repeat i didn't take it well my face must have shown just how unimpressed i was but they just laughed and made themselves comfortable on the couch they didn't waste much time getting to the point one of them announced with far too much excitement that they had both quit their jobs i nearly choked on my own breath my wife worked as a graphic designer decent salary flexible schedule remote or in office as she liked it

was stable straightforward and required minimal drama quitting a job like that with no clear plan seemed insane to me i asked "what the hell were you thinking why do you think this is a good idea?" my wife just shrugged and mumbled something about her workplace being boring the people dull and needing more fun in her life fun since when did fun become the measure of a good job trying to keep my voice calm i asked her what she planned to do next before she could answer one of her friends jumped in with the most ridiculous

explanation i'd ever heard apparently my wife's best friend had a boyfriend with good connections at some big company and they've been invited to a party where supposedly everything would be solved "we'll meet him there," her friend said with a grin "and he'll set us up." "i couldn't help myself," i blurted out that's your big plan meet the rich boyfriend at a party and hope he magically gives you a job don't you think he might be just another arrogant guy looking to take advantage of people you know what they say free cheese is only found in

a mousetrap my words clearly hit a nerve they glanced at each other and my wife's friend groaned rolling her eyes you're always such a buzzkill she said we're invited end of story the party's in 3 days so get ready the days leading up to the party were filled with nothing but chatter my wife was glued to her phone typing at lightning speed exchanging messages with her friends every conversation revolved around the same topics what perfume to wear which dress would make the best impression how to act to seem charming that i couldn't take it anymore

look i said firmly one night there's only one real way to earn someone's respect and it's not by sucking up to them the way you're all acting it's like you're trying to steal the guy from his girlfriend not get a job just be yourself for once." she rolled her eyes like she always did and muttered that maybe i had a point but i could tell she had no intention of changing her plans finally the day of the party arrived we drove to a huge house practically a mansion with cars lined up in the driveway my

wife and her friends were practically buzzing with excitement as i parked i kept my thoughts to myself but deep down i was skeptical about how this was going to go we entered together greeted by a sea of unfamiliar faces and there he was the supposed big shot he approached with a wide smile hugging everyone like we were old friends right away i noticed how his eyes lingered on my wife sizing her up when he looked at me his expression shifted from cheerful to dismissive in a second we shook hands although it was clear he wasn't

interested in good manners he leaned toward me with a smug smile and said "if you want to make a good impression maybe you should reconsider your cologne." i stared at him stunned then replied coldly "if you want to make a good impression maybe stop talking down to people you just met." my wife and her friend quickly stepped in to break the tension asking us not to turn it into a contest and just enjoy the evening reluctantly we both backed off but the tension didn't vanish under his breath he muttered "i'm only doing this for your

wife." i bit my tongue as we sat down but it was obvious he was pushing my patience throughout the evening i kept an eye on my wife and her friends as he hovered around them laughing at every joke and hanging on their every word i leaned over to my wife and whispered "just be yourself that's all you need to do." she nodded distractedly though it was clear my advice wasn't registering meanwhile his girlfriend remained mostly quiet observing more than participating i was surprised by how different she seemed from the rest calm almost detached from the

chaos around her eventually the conversation turned to business everyone wanted to know more about the company the available positions and how they might fit in he played the part well smiling making vague promises until finally he made a grand announcement congratulations he said you're hired just like that then my wife and her friends lit up with excitement like they just won the lottery i remained quiet skeptical about how fast it had all happened at some point i stepped outside to smoke and clear my head a few minutes later he joined me lighting a cigarette he

exhaled and said "maybe i was a little harsh earlier but you should really relax and be thankful." "your wife just landed the best job of her life probably better than yours." i turned to him and responded firmly i'm here for my wife not for you and if you want people to respect you start by treating them like human beings not pawns just some friendly advice he shrugged half-heartedly mumbled something about me being difficult and went back inside later he stood on a chair and tapped his glass to get everyone's attention "listen up," he said loudly

"most of you are now part of this amazing company and i've got exciting news in 2 weeks we're hosting a top secret corporate event i'll share details soon but trust me it'll be unforgettable." the room erupted in cheers but i couldn't shake the feeling that something about him was off still i kept my thoughts to myself at the end of the night my wife and i said our goodbyes thanked the hosts and exchanged polite farewells with the other guests despite the awkward moments my wife looked truly happy and i didn't want to ruin her night

we got in the car and headed home the air still charged with everything that had happened the ride was quiet but as soon as we walked through the door my wife's excitement exploded like fireworks that party was amazing she beamed what did you think i didn't know so many interesting people felt like another world i wasn't about to match her enthusiasm leaning against the counter i answered bluntly "i learned something too how to hate someone in less than a minute did you notice how he looked at you or how he used every chance to take

a shot at me her smile faded arms crossed she replied couldn't you just let it go we were counting on tonight and you had to make it a contest with him i shook my head if i'd stayed quiet i wouldn't be your husband if you prefer men who stay silent when disrespected maybe that's the kind of people you should be with because i can guarantee he treats everyone like they don't matter her face tightened with irritation and she accused me of overreacting i dropped the subject but the tension hung between us like a storm cloud

that i and the following days we barely spoke and when we did our tone was cold and distant as if we were strangers under the same roof finally one evening she broke the silence she approached me with a soft apologetic tone and admitted maybe i was too harsh i thought about it maybe you were right i shouldn't have brushed off your feelings so quickly that was her way of making peace and i accepted it life seemed to return to normal at least for the moment then out of nowhere she got a message confirming she could

start her new job her voice lit up with excitement as she told me i congratulated her though i couldn't shake the feeling that this was the start of something complicated after her first day she came home glowing "it was great," she said nearly bouncing with joy "the office is beautiful and i'm in the same department as my friends it feels like a dream come true," she said glowing i nodded happy for her until she added "there's one thing though you're not going to like it." that got my attention she hesitated then explained "the head of

our department is that guy you know from the party and his girlfriend she's the deputy director." i looked at her letting the information sink in "so the guy who couldn't help but stir up drama at his own party is now your boss." "sounds perfect," i said sarcastically," she frowned trying to downplay it it's not like i'll be working with him directly all the time he oversees everything but will barely interact besides his girlfriend seems nice nice i raised an eyebrow you know what i'm not going to do i'm not going to let him treat you

like some office accessory she sighed clearly frustrated by my tone you're jumping to conclusions she said "nothing's happened and you're already acting like you need to step in let me handle this okay i wasn't convinced but i decided to give her the benefit of the doubt." "fine," i said "but if he ever looks at you the wrong way you tell me i'll make sure he regrets it," she rolled her eyes and mumbled something about how i always expect the worst still despite her attempts to brush it off i could see she didn't feel entirely comfortable

either as she was getting ready for bed she turned to me and said softly "just don't overreact all right he's my boss i know how to deal with him you don't need to get involved unless it's really necessary." her words were meant to calm me down but they only tied another knot in my stomach that i looked her in the eyes and said "i'll try." but you know me i don't let things slide she gave a small smile and replied "just don't start anything promise me that at least." a few weeks passed and things seemed

to be going smoothly point one morning while getting ready for work she brought it up again remember the company party i told you about she said "it's tonight after work our whole department staying late to celebrate there will probably be people from other departments too it's supposed to be a big deal she sounded excited but i stayed calm and serious if anyone steps out of line i said flatly "call me." she laughed brushing it off and told me everything would be fine as much as the thought of her being around the crowd bothered me i

understood the importance of networking and fitting in i wasn't about to forbid her from going still i made it clear i'd be just a phone call away she gave me a quick hug before leaving assuring me again that it would be a quiet evening i let her go hoping i wouldn't regret it the hours dragged by after she left i tried to stay busy but i kept checking my phone waiting for updates when i figured the party should be winding down i called her the first call went straight to voicemail did the second y the

3rd i was losing patience that wasn't like her and i couldn't shake the feeling that something was off by midnight i was pacing the living room with the phone in my hand debating whether i should go out and look for her then finally she walked through the door well past midnight clearly drunk her hair was a mess her makeup smeared and she rire of alcohol "looks like you had a great time," i said dryly she mumbled something incoherent then slurred "i'll tell you everything in the morning i'm too tired now." before i could respond she

collapsed into me burying her face in my chest that i sighed picked her up and took her to bed whatever it was it would have to wait until morning the next day she woke me up by gently shaking my shoulder "you're not going to believe what happened last night," she said with a mix of excitement and embarrassment she told me all about the party how her co-workers really knew how to throw an event then she dropped the bomb oh and don't worry about that guy he stayed close to his girlfriend the whole time but listen

to this by the end the party turned into a well a singles event "can you believe that?" i stared at her stunned "what?" i asked she laughed nervously relax i didn't stay for that part i left as soon as things started getting weird but my friends well since they're single they felt free to stick around they said it got wild my shock turned to anger you're telling me your workplace threw a singles party and you think that's funny she rolled her eyes i told you i didn't take part i just thought you'd find it interesting

i don't find it interesting i said sharply let's get something clear from now on you're not going to those events i don't care if it's just wine and small talk if this is the culture they're promoting i don't trust it socialize during business hours if you must but these after hours parties absolutely not she looked offended so you think i can't control myself she asked it's not about you i replied it's about the people you surround yourself with the argument escalated she accused me of being overprotective and i stood my ground she insisted she could

handle it but i wasn't going to back down eventually we both got tired and dropped the conversation at least for now it felt settled but deep down i knew this wouldn't be the last time we clashed over it dot few weeks later my wife came home with unusual excitement she dropped her bag and immediately started going on about a new project at work "we're going to design metro tickets," she said practically bouncing "it's a government contract." "can you believe it my friends and i are handling the whole thing it's a big project." i nodded acknowledging

her enthusiasm "that sounds impressive," i said just be careful i still don't trust some of your friends they've been a bad influence before she rolled her eyes oh come on that was one time and i wasn't even involved who are we to judge others anyway i let it go but it didn't make me feel any better over the next few days she started coming home later and later the explanation was always the same we're making real progress on the project it's going to look amazing once it's done i didn't press too hard but i reminded

her to keep her priorities in check the late nights were adding up and i wasn't sure it was all worth it still she kept assuring me everything was under control and i decided to trust her for now point one evening she came in with some news "you're not going to believe this," she said practically glowing we figured out how this project could be a stepping stone for a promotion if it goes well it'll all happen around the time of that guy's birthday you know from the party his girlfriend suggested we make it special i must

have looked skeptical because she added quickly "don't worry it's just a little extra effort it'll be worth it." then she dropped the real surprise his girlfriend also asked me to bake a huge cake for the birthday you know i've always loved baking it's my dream to work with professional equipment and her family owns a small bakery with everything we'll need we're going to bake the cake together i couldn't help but feel a slight chill that's a lot to take on i said the project and a cake how are you going to juggle both she brushed

off my concern with a confident smile i'll be fine she's the deputy director remember she said i can leave work a little early to help at the bakery it's all arranged still i wasn't totally at ease and your friends i asked won't they feel left out if you're working directly with his girlfriend they have their own roles she replied one of them even joked that if he didn't have a girlfriend she would have tried to date him can you imagine her tone was half joking half annoyed honestly it's a good thing he helps his girlfriend

she doesn't like all the attention he gets this way i can support her and build a better relationship with both of them everybody wins i leaned back in my chair thinking it over her reasoning wasn't entirely off and i could see how much this meant to her "all right," i finally said "do what you think is best just make sure no one takes advantage of you." she nodded still smiling "don't worry," she said "i've got this." after about a week of juggling her tight schedule she hit me with another piece of news one night hey

that guy from work you know him and his girlfriend they might come over soon she and i have gotten close and i think it'd be good for us to build some connections like that it could be valuable it's just a casual gathering and you'll be here too just promise me you'll be polite okay no sharp remarks i could tell she was serious all right i said reluctantly but don't expect me to be the perfect host if he acts like a jerk as the day of their visit approached we both pitched in to get the house

ready my wife cleaned everything top to bottom and i handled the food i decided to go all out called my dad who owns a small ranch and asked him to send me the best cuts of meat he had he helped me marinate them just right and even gave me some tips for grilling them to perfection why the time everything was set the house looked spotless and the food smelled incredible finally the night arrived and they showed up right on time as soon as he stepped through the door he couldn't resist making a comment "nice place,"

he said glancing around with a look that didn't match his words "before i could say anything his girlfriend gently nudged his arm." "behave," she said with a laugh breaking the tension i couldn't help but smile to myself at least someone knew how to keep him in check that we moved to the backyard where the grill was going the smell of marinated meat filled the air and everyone seemed impressed "when i served the food," his girlfriend immediately complimented the dish "this is amazing," she said cutting into her steak "but of course he couldn't leave it there."

"it's interesting," he said poking the meat with his fork a little dry maybe i didn't hesitate well your girlfriend seems to love it i replied nodding toward her she looked up from her plate and smiled "it's perfect," she said calmly that shut him up "i could tell it had hit a nerve." as the evening went on the conversation became more relaxed we talked about work upcoming projects and office gossip still i couldn't ignore the way he kept looking at my wife it wasn't subtle and it was starting to get under my skin finally i decided

to address it directly "is something wrong?" i asked him that he looked surprised for a second but quickly recovered "no," he said shaking his head "it's just those earrings she's wearing they remind me of the ones my mother used to wear." the explanation struck me as odd but before i could ask more he changed the subject your wife is a hard worker he said to me she's been staying late at the office her dedication hasn't gone unnoticed if things keep going this way i wouldn't be surprised if she got a promotion soon my wife's face

lit up at the compliment "really?" she asked clearly excited that he nodded smiling in a way i didn't quite trust that be why the time they left the evening had been as calm as it could be despite his annoying behavior no major incidents my wife seemed satisfied with how things had gone as they walked away she turned to me with a proud smile see it wasn't so bad she said that i nodded though my mind was still spinning with things he'd said and what he might have implied died for now i let it go they

were gone and our house was quiet again time passed and soon the day came when my wife had to deliver the cake she baked for her boss's birthday that morning she was full of energy finishing the massive cake she'd spent hours creating "today's the big day," she said carefully placing it in a large box "we're going to deliver it and they're going to love it there's also going to be a corporate party afterward just hearing the word party sent a chill down my spine promise me one thing i said seriously just drop off the cake

and don't stay for anything else she hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded okay she said i'll just deliver it and leave no problem she left the house shortly afterward cake in hand i tried to focus on my day and not overthink things hours went by i hadn't heard from her not unusual but as the afternoon turned into night i began to feel uneasy she'd only sent one message saying she was going to deliver the cake nothing since the silence felt off and my gut told me something wasn't right i called her to check in

she didn't answer the first call or the second be why the third i was getting angry and worried this wasn't like her that i couldn't shake the feeling that something was going wrong my mind raced through a dozen possibilities none of them good that i was about to call again when my phone rang the number was unknown hello i answered my voice sharp dot on the other end was a man i didn't recognize his voice was mocking hey man you're not going to believe this but your wife just got a big promotion and let me

tell you she's celebrating big time he laughed loudly and hung up i felt the blood drain from my face his tone his words everything pointed to something being seriously wrong that i started pacing trying to think clearly my eyes landed on the garage door and i remembered something years ago when i lived in the countryside my father gave me a can of bear spray a big one meant for emergencies it had been sitting in the garage for years unused but still in working condition that i found it among some old boxes and felt its weight

in my hand oddly comforting them why father always said "better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." i didn't know exactly what i was walking into but having something for protection helped settle my nerves the next step was figuring out where she was i didn't have an exact address but i knew enough about her office and the event venues they sometimes rented to make an educated guess i wouldn't have trouble finding her i grabbed my keys and phone making sure i had everything i needed my instincts were screaming

"don't waste another second that i got into the car took a deep breath to calm myself and started the engine." it roared to life like it was on my side without hesitation i pulled out and headed toward the office ready for whatever i might find when i reached the building the scene through the large windows stunned me it was a party but not the kind you'd expect from a professional workplace people were sprawled on furniture drinks in hand behaving in ways that had no place in a corporate environment the atmosphere rire of chaos and recklessness

i stepped out of the car gripping my phone tightly something was very wrong and i was determined to find out the truth as soon as i walked in i was hit by a heavy mix of alcohol and sweat in the air my eyes scanned the room searching for my wife but i didn't see her instead i spotted a man leaning against the wall laughing at something on his phone that i marched straight up to him "where is she?" i demanded my voice sharp he looked confused at us so i clarified my wife where is she

when he didn't respond i stepped closer and said "if you don't tell me right now things will go badly for you your choice that must have done the trick." he quickly pointed toward a room at the back she's in there with a few others i didn't thank him i headed straight for the door heart pounding with a mix of fear and anger as i approached the sounds coming from inside confirmed my worst fears that i pulled out my phone and started recording not entirely sure what i'd find but knowing i'd need proof that i took

a deep breath and opened the door what i saw stunned me the room was dimly lit there she was my wife surrounded by several people including that arrogant co-orker she was laughing involved in something i never imagined id witness they were so distracted they didn't even notice i was there i held the phone tightly recording everything every second cut deeper but i forced myself to stay silent it wasn't the time to act not yet once i had enough evidence i stepped back quietly and closed the door without making a sound my mind was racing chest

tight i was overwhelmed with anger but i kept my composure back in the car i grabbed the can of bear spray i had stashed in the garage an old gift from my father kept for emergencies and a small utility knife i'd brought just in case just holding them gave me a strange sense of calm my father used to say "better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." i didn't know exactly what i was walking into but at least i wasn't defenseless that i walked back into the building determined

to end whatever was happening that i made my way toward the main office area ignoring the stairs and murmurss i found a central spot placed the canister on the floor and with one swift move punctured it a high-press cloud of gas hissed out quickly filling the space with a thick mist that stung eyes and throats chaos erupted people coughed shouted and scrambled for the exits that i stood for a few seconds watching the panic unfold then turned and walked out the cool air outside hit me like a wave of clarity i took a deep breath

feeling the burn leave my lungs i tossed the now empty can into the back seat and sat quietly letting the moment sink in my hands were shaking not from fear but from the adrenaline that it all felt surreal but there was no time to reflect i had done what i needed to do now it was time to go home that i drove with the windows down letting the night air clear my mind the memory of what i'd seen and done played on repeat in my head the phone with the recording sat beside me in the

passenger seat a silent witness to the betrayal i had uncovered despite the pain a strange sense of clarity began to settle over me whatever came next i was ready for it the next morning i didn't waste a second while my wife still hadn't returned i began packing all her belongings clothes shoes accessories everything went into bags and boxes without hesitation each item reminded me of the betrayal and i was done holding on to any of it when i finished i hauled it all to the garbage bin behind the house watching those bags disappear into the

trash gave me a strange sense of closure she had made her choice now i was making mine after that i focused on securing the valuables in the house that i gathered all the cash we had stashed and hid it in a secret compartment behind a false panel in the basement somewhere only i knew about then i carefully packed up her jewelry and put it in the same place finally i collected any portable electronics tablets laptops devices and locked them away in the garage she wouldn't be using any of it to manipulate the situation by the

time i was done the house felt noticeably emptier her absence both physical and emotional was beginning to show but instead of sadness i felt resolve this wasn't about revenge it was about taking back control of my life that i spent the rest of the day organizing everything preparing for the inevitable confrontation that night she finally came home the moment she walked in and saw the empty spaces where her things used to be her expression changed "what are you doing?" she asked her voice sharp and confused "i didn't respond right away instead," i pointed to the

table sit down i said firmly she hesitated but sat down sensing the seriousness of the moment that i took out my phone and held it in my hand not showing it yet i'm going to tell you a story i began voice steady once upon a time there was a wife who thought she could fool her husband she lied she betrayed him she even baked a cake for her boss but the husband wasn't as naive as she thought he figured everything out he even recorded it as i spoke i watched the color drain from her face

by the time i was done she looked like she might faint "what are you talking about?" she stammered "i don't know what you think you saw but that's not what happened it was a joke a terrible joke you're taking it all wrong her excuses only made me angrier." a joke i repeated coldly do you really expect me to believe that your things are already in the trash you can leave whenever you like i'm done with your lies she stood up suddenly her voice trembling with desperation you can't just throw me out this is my home

too please we can talk about this just let me explain but i wasn't interested in explanations the images from the night before were burned into my memory nothing she said could change that she started crying begging me to reconsider you don't understand she sobbed it's not what it looked like i made a mistake but it didn't mean anything we can fix this i shook my head calm and unwavering no it meant everything and we can't fix it it's over her desperation quickly turned into rage she screamed called me heartless and irrational but i stayed firm

while she collapsed into a furious outburst throwing a chair across the room i remained composed that i opened the door and pointed outside "leave," i said with finality "now." she stood there for a moment breathing heavily furious and defeated then finally she walked out slamming the door behind her the silence that followed was deafening but also liberating for the first time in a long time i was alone with my thoughts free from her lies that i locked the door and exhaled that i was ready to rebuild my life the next day with my wife gone

i sat down with my phone and reviewed the video i had recorded the betrayal and anger were still fresh but i knew there was one more person who needed to see the truth her boss's girlfriend she deserved to know what kind of man she was with and i knew she could make a bigger impact than i ever could that i found her number in some old messages and sent her a short text i attached the video and wrote "you need to see this you deserve to know who you're with." i hit send and waited that

it didn't take long for her to call her voice trembled with shock and fury "i can't believe it," she said what am i supposed to do now i didn't sugarcoat it you know exactly what to do take this to your company's leadership anonymously if you must but make sure they know who they've been protecting she paused then agreed okay i'll do it the next day she called me back her tone had shifted calmer more resolved i did it she said i sent the video to the coo last night they didn't waste time there was satisfaction

in her voice as she described what happened her arrogant ex my ex-wife her friends everyone involved had been fired immediately they're cleaning house she added everyone who participated in that mess is being let go i couldn't help but feel vindicated sounds like the company is finally doing the right thing i said and you how are you holding up she paused for a moment before answering they offered me the department head position she admitted still surprised i didn't expect it but they said they need someone trustworthy to rebuild the team i congratulated her sincerely you deserve

it i said make the most of it to my surprise the conversation didn't end there you know she said "we'll need a lot of new people to fill the gaps if you're interested i can put in a good word you've got the kind of mindset we need here." at first i was caught off guard but the more i thought about it the more it made sense that i was already planning my next steps and maybe this was a chance to turn something terrible into something meaningful that i took a few days to consider it then

i called her back "let's do it," i said "i'm ready for something new the onboarding was quick before i knew it i was part of the team the job was challenging but rewarding the atmosphere was nothing like i had expected she led the department with a steady hand building a culture of professionalism and mutual respect soon i found my rhythm contributing to projects gaining the trust of my colleagues and feeling like i belonged as weeks turned into months i couldn't help but reflect on how much had changed what began as one of the worst moments

of my life turned into a chance at rebirth that i freed myself from everything toxic around me and found a position where i could truly thrive every day brought new challenges but also a sense of purpose and fulfillment i hadn't felt in years outside of work things also began to stabilize that i focused on rebuilding my personal life reconnecting with old friends and returning to hobbies i'd neglected for far too long the bitterness and anger that had once consumed me began to fade replaced by a quiet confidence that i was no longer defined by what

had happened to me but by how i chose to move forward looking back i realized that as difficult as my decisions were at the time they had led me to a much better place the chaos i left behind became just a distant memory eclipsed by the progress i had made for the first time in a long time i felt genuinely hopeful about the future each morning as i walked into the office i knew i'd made the right decision the day the divorce papers were finalized marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another

sitting across from her in the courtroom i felt no regret the evidence i had submitted spoke for itself there was nothing left for her to argue when the judge reviewed the video it became clear there was no way for her to dispute anything by the end of the hearing she had lost all rights to the assets we once shared the house the savings everything we had built together now belonged to me alone she left the courtroom with nothing but a suitcase and a one-way ticket to her mother's house with that chapter closed i turned my

focus to securing my future i made the decision to sell the old house i didn't want anything that reminded me of those days the proceeds from the sale went toward purchasing a new home in a quieter area far from the drama that had once defined my life before i left i carefully packed away the important items and family heirlooms making sure no loose ends were left behind by the time the house went on the market it was just a shell emptied of any personal meaning moving into the new house felt like a true new beginning

it was modern secluded and exactly what i needed that i installed security cameras and reinforced the locks not out of fear but caution my ex-wife's erratic behavior had taught me never to let my guard down again i quickly adapted to my new surroundings enjoying the peace and the absence of painful reminders it was the first time in months that i felt i could breathe weeks passed and for a while it seemed like my ex-wife had vanished from my life entirely but one night i heard loud banging at the front door i looked through the peepphole

and there she was pale desperate she was crying begging me to let her in "we can fix this," she sobbed "please give me another chance i didn't open the door." instead i spoke through it my tone calm but firm there's nothing to fix go home her please weakened and eventually she walked away her footsteps fading into the night that i thought that would be the end of it that i was wrong another night i awoke to the smell of something burning panic surged through me i ran to the front door the source was clear someone

had set it on fire thankfully the flames hadn't spread far and i managed to put them out quickly once the danger passed i checked the security cameras and there she was her face was unmistakable the footage left no room for doubt the next morning i went straight to the police that i explained everything submitted the video and let them handle the arrest that it didn't take them long to find her and bring her in for questioning the case was so solid she had no choice but to admit what she had done the judge issued a

steep fine one i knew would take her years to repay that it was a fitting consequence for her reckless actions after that peace returned to my life word spread quickly about what she'd done and the shame seemed to weigh more heavily than anything else she didn't try to contact me again she didn't cause any more trouble the financial penalty and legal consequences were enough to keep her at a distance and if she still held a grudge she kept it to herself for the first time since this nightmare began i felt a true sense of closure

with her gone from my life i could finally focus on moving forward dumb my new home became my sanctuary a place to rebuild my life on my own terms the lessons i learned through all of this were difficult but they made me stronger more resilient and more secure in who i was as for her there was no doubt in my mind that the consequences of her actions had left a lasting mark whatever plans she might have had to cause more damage had been crushed under the weight of her own mistakes story two my wife and

two kids fled to europe because of the full-scale war that started in our home country in february 2022 due to martial law men are not allowed to cross the border so i stayed behind about 5 months later i was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and underwent surgery i was devastated and depressed i've been missing my family so much that i went down very quickly i became broken i realized that i was losing myself losing my family and sought therapy things got better but not for long in winter 2022 i noticed some changes in my wife's behavior

she became distant and detached she stopped caring about me even though i told her directly that i needed her support and care all my questions about what's going on were met with the assurance that everything was fine and she was just tired fast forward to february 2023 my oncologist told me that i had a chance to make documents which might allow me to cross the border i was so happy to have at least a small chance to finally visit my family to kiss my wife to hug my kids to take them to the sea coast

to do everything the closer i got to having my documents ready the more distant my wife became no matter what i asked the response was always that everything was fine and i had nothing to worry about finally in may 2023 i arrived my kids were crying and smiling they were happy as was my wife but something was missing she didn't even cook any dinner there were just a bunch of dirty dishes and mess around the house our first night together and no intimacy it was shocking we hadn't seen each other for almost a year those

3 weeks in september 2022 don't count and there was no desire for intimacy i tried to initiate something but she felt tired and wanted to sleep a week passed and we hardly had sex once there were no kisses no holding hands no hugs i sat with her and started a conversation asking if everything was fine between us and guess what she said everything is fine honey i just waited for so long that i'm not so sex addicted anymore but it's not about you we are good i just need some space my suspicion started to grow

exponentially yes we had tough times in our marriage when we were so tired that we had sex only a few times a month but a year in meeting space a few days later i noticed some strangers messages on her phone but i couldn't see the context as the screen was locked she told me that this person was one of her new bosses i was a bit worried and the next day found that this new boss liked her photos on social media i immediately started another conversation about her feelings and who this guy was she told

me that she didn't know what she felt for me and that the guy was just a friend i was ruined but tried to stay calm i understood we had been separated by distance for some time i agreed that it was hard for both of us so i decided to give her some time and space even though i wasn't a fan of that decision so i was nervous all the time but as i mentioned decided to take my family to the sea coast and try to relax we spent a great week together talking and drinking a

lot having sex kissing everything seemed fine so here it is a regular night out with the girls i felt so worried that night and couldn't sleep i was thinking about that man and about the fact that my wife had lost her feelings but never communicated that to me while we were in different countries i opened that person's social media page and there he was checked in at the same place where my wife and the other girls were partying i approached her laptop we don't have secrets so i had access via touch id i opened a

few messengers and found nudes texting and i love you messages with another guy from that so-called boss company i felt down my heart was broken i confronted her that night she saw in my eyes that i knew it was hard and i was hurt yes she confessed but only after i caught her she thought she had deleted everything i spent a few more weeks with my kids and her i was so shocked that i tried to put all the blame on myself looking for some reasonable explanations we slept in the same bed had sex all

that time and i tried to win her back but she was stone cold their affair had been going on for a few months so while i was getting all the documents she started a new life behind after i came back to my home country i started to analyze the situation i tried to have a conversation with her but she just asked for more time to figure it out i suggested going to marriage counseling twice but she ignored it as if i never said it it was her choice her decision to ruin everything i lost her

forever i lost myself she betrayed me while i was battling cancer and needed her the most i am devastated ruined feeling like an unworthy miserable human being she tried to blame me for her adultery but i confronted her and told her to shut up why didn't she ever talk to me about her feelings i never saw it coming i had thought we were finally happy and could relax after chasing our dreams for so many years if she had ever told me that she was unhappy i would have done everything to fix it or at least

tried but she was dead silent i believe things like this don't happen overnight i just don't understand why she never openly communicated her feelings and needs to me last summer i got a paper letter from her expressing her love and longing counting the days until we could be together i go through our text messages every night and i swear i can't believe it was all lies where am i now i am trying hard to start the healing process but these texts between her and him are just tattooed in my mind along with the photos she

never sent me the love words she told him and me every single day of her affair i can't believe someone who promised to go through this nightmare together just 6 months ago could betray me so harshly she won't even try to talk about the reasons why and how it happened she is not remorseful i talk to my kids every morning and before they go to bed i love them so much and they love me back i am just so afraid that they may hate me someday for betraying them and ruining our family i stay strong

for myself and for my kids' sake i'm thinking about filing for divorce but i'm not sure i am ready now maybe i am just too afraid of the choice i have to make i still don't understand why my wife didn't divorce me first and is asking me not to rush things i'm completely lost and broken i don't cry anymore because i feel nothing anymore her betrayal hurts as hell as do thoughts about my cancer which may return if i surrender what hurts me most is that we will be separated by borders in space this is

a story about the main character struggle with betrayal in marriage facing difficulties while battling a serious illness and seeking a path to healing it emphasizes the importance of openness communication and support in family relationships as well as the complexity of the process of acceptance and overcoming disappointment