After My Husband Sent Me His Mistress’s Lingerie

I came home with my cheeks still warm.

The apartment was dark except for the living room. Soft light from the floor lamp. Low music. The kind Roman liked when he wanted to look sophisticated.

I stepped through the door and stopped.

Roman sat on the couch. Chloe's legs were draped across his lap. She held a wine glass in one hand, tilted just enough to look careless. Her other hand rested on his shoulder.

She looked at me. Her mouth curved.

I set my keys on the counter. Mocha trotted over and pressed against my leg.

Roman didn't stand. He barely glanced up.

"Where've you been?" he asked. His voice was lazy. Bored.

I dropped my tote on the counter. The silver armor was folded inside. The cape. The figurine Kyree had given me.

I met Chloe's eyes. She was waiting for me to flinch. To cry. To beg.

I smiled.

"Out," I said. "Dressing up for a younger man who actually knows how to make a woman feel wanted."

The silence was instant. Heavy.

Chloe's smirk died on her face.

Roman stared at me. His hand froze on Chloe's ankle.

I walked to the kitchen. I pulled a glass from the cabinet. Filled it with water. Drank it slowly.

Behind me, Roman moved. I heard the shift of fabric. Chloe's legs sliding off his lap.

"What did you just say?" His voice was low. Careful.

I set the glass down and turned around.

"I said I dressed up for a younger man. He liked it. A lot."

Roman stood. His jaw was tight. His hands opened and closed at his sides.

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

Chloe looked between us. Her face was pale now. She set her wine glass on the table and stood.

"I should go," she said quietly.

Roman didn't look at her. "Stay."

"Roman—"

"I said stay."

But Chloe was already moving. She grabbed her purse from the chair and walked to the door. She didn't look at me. She left.

The door clicked shut.

Roman took a step toward me. Then another.

"You went out," he said slowly, "with another man."

"I did."

"And you dressed up. For him."

"Yes."

His face went red. The vein in his temple jumped.

"Are you out of your mind?" His voice rose. "Do you have any idea what people will think? What that makes me look like?"

I tilted my head.

"You sent me a video of yourself in bed with Chloe," I said. "On our anniversary. You gifted me her dirty underwear. She was sitting on our couch five minutes ago with her legs on your lap. But I'm the problem?"

His mouth opened. Closed.

He had no answer.

Because there wasn't one.

I picked up my tote and walked past him. He didn't try to stop me.

I went to the bedroom. Closed the door. Locked it.

Mocha curled up on the rug. I sat on the bed and listened.

Roman paced in the living room. Back and forth. Back and forth. His footsteps were heavy. Angry.

He didn't knock. He didn't yell.

He just paced.

All night.

---

The next morning, I woke to silence.

I showered. Dressed. When I came out, Roman was in the living room, digging through my tote.

I stopped in the doorway.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't look up. "Looking."

"For?"

"Proof."

He pulled out my wallet. My phone charger. The figurine box.

Then he stopped.

He pulled out a sleek navy tie. Silk. Expensive.

Kyree's.

I had forgotten it was there.

Roman held it up. He studied it. Turned it over in his hands.

I waited for the explosion.

But his face changed.

The anger smoothed out. His mouth curved.

He looked at me. Then back at the tie.

"You bought this," he said.

I blinked. "What?"

"For me." He ran his thumb over the fabric. "You went shopping yesterday. You bought this for me."

My brain stuttered.

Oh.

Oh no.

He thought I bought it. As a gift. For him.

I bit the inside of my cheek. Hard.

"You were trying to make up for the other night," he continued. He was nodding now, pleased with himself. "I knew you'd come around."

He walked to the mirror in the hall. Looped the tie around his neck. Knotted it.

He adjusted the knot. Smoothed the silk. Smiled at his reflection.

"Perfect," he said. "Good taste, Daphne. I'll wear it to the office."

He turned and walked past me. He was whistling.

Whistling.

The door closed behind him.

I stood there. Alone. Staring at the empty hallway.

Then I started laughing.

I couldn't stop.

I doubled over. My shoulders shook. Tears ran down my face.

Mocha looked at me like I had lost my mind.

Maybe I had.

I grabbed my phone and texted Kyree.

*My husband is wearing your tie and thinks I bought it for him.*

Three dots appeared immediately.

Then seventeen laughing emojis.

Then an audio message.

I pressed play.

Kyree was wheezing. Gasping for air. Laughing so hard no sound came out.

I played it again.

And again.

I sat on the couch and laughed until my stomach hurt.

Roman thought he was winning.

He had no idea.