After My Husband Wished He Met Her First

As I stepped out of Corbin Murray's office building, I heard Arianna Anderson call my name.

"Zainab."

She quickly closed the distance between us, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear with a graceful motion.

"Thank you for stepping aside and letting us be together, for giving Corbin up," she said.

Her smile was bright and triumphant, as if she were a victor showcasing her prize.

"You're welcome," I replied with a faint smile, wishing she wouldn't end up in my shoes someday.

A little piece of wisdom from someone who’d been there before.

Arianna's smile wavered for a moment but then returned to its radiant form.

"How could I end up like you? You've already seen how Corbin feels about me, haven't you?" she asserted confidently.

She was referencing something from the past.

Back then, Corbin had brought Arianna to one of his friends’ parties. During the gathering, one of Corbin’s friends inadvertently mentioned my history with Corbin.

He blurted out, "Once Corbin came back late from a business trip, and Zainab was waiting for him outside, asleep on a garden bench, when a homeless guy bothered her."

Arianna, nestled in Corbin’s arms at the time, frowned in distaste and uttered, “Isn't that just pathetic?”

I couldn't tell if she was referring to my sleeping in the garden or the incident with the homeless man.

Regardless, the room erupted in mocking laughter.

That night, I was standing right outside the door.

I had intended to catch them in the act.

Unexpectedly, those words struck me like a cold blast, leaving me feeling both icy and fiercely burning, torn apart by my emotions.

But what truly stunned me was Corbin’s reaction.

He sat on the couch, holding Arianna, and amidst the careless jokes and laughter, he remained silent, his expression nonchalant.

As if they were mocking a stranger.

And not someone he had once cared for and protected.

And during the final game of the evening, Corbin happily took a drink from Arianna’s lips.

At her playful urging, he repeated the words, "Zainab, dirty."