My Best Friend Wore My Bathrobe While Stealing My Wife

I spent the night at a nearby hotel.

I didn't sleep a wink, the scene from the hot tub replaying in my mind on a sickening loop.

When morning came, I didn't go straight to the office. Instead, I went to a private investigator's agency.

"I understand your situation, Ethan," the investigator, a crisp, professional man in his forties named Mr. Davies, said.

"We have extensive experience in investigating extramarital affairs."

"However, I must warn you, the truth is often crueler than you imagine."

"I want the whole truth."

I pushed my bank card across the table.

"No matter how cruel, I need to know."

Mr. Davies nodded and took the card.

"Give me a week."

After leaving the detective agency, I went to the office.

Leo was already at his desk. He jolted to his feet the moment I walked in.

"Ethan, about last night..."

"We're at work, Leo. Let's keep it professional."

I sat down at my desk and opened my laptop, my tone flat, devoid of any recognition.

"Ethan, can we talk?" he asked, walking over, his voice low.

"Talk about what? The project's security vulnerabilities?"

I didn't look up from the screen.

"Ethan, don't be like this. We're brothers..."

"I said, during work hours, we only talk about work."

"And please, stay away from me. I'm not looking to catch anything."

Our colleagues started to glance over, sensing the tension.

Leo's face flushed red, and he slunk back to his desk.

At lunchtime, he followed me again.

"Ethan, I know you're angry, but..."

"But what? But you couldn't help yourself?"

I stopped and looked at him.

"Leo, I'm asking you, how long?"

"How long what?"

"Stop pretending. You and Chloe, how long has it been?"

He lowered his head, not daring to look at me.

"Over a year..."

Over a year.

Which meant they had started when we had been married for two years.

And I, like an idiot, still considered him my brother.

I'd even had him over for barbecues, telling Chloe to make sure we had the beer he liked.

So all those gatherings were just a cover for them to meet.

"Ethan, listen to me..."

"What more do you want to say? That you're in true love?"

I sneered.

"That you two fell in love, so I should step aside and wish you well?"

"No, Chloe and I..."

"Your relationship has nothing to do with me."

I looked him in the eyes.

"But you betrayed me. I won't forget that."

"Ethan..."

"And stay away from me. We're not friends anymore."

After work, I didn't go home. I went straight to an Airbnb I had rented in advance.

Chloe called me more than a dozen times. I didn't answer any of them.

Finally, she sent a text:

"Ethan, let's talk. You're blowing this out of proportion."

Blowing this out of proportion?

My wife cheated on me with my best friend, and that's not serious?

Then what is?

I replied with a few words:

"Nothing to talk about. Get ready for a divorce."

She immediately called back. I hung up.

She called again. I hung up again.

Finally, I just blocked her number.

The next morning, Chloe was waiting for me downstairs at the Airbnb.

Her makeup was flawless, and she was wrapped in the Burberry trench coat I’d bought her.

She had the look of pitiful innocence down to a science.

"Ethan, why aren't you answering my calls?"

"We're married, Ethan. Is there anything we can't talk through?"

The neighbors passing by were all looking at us.

I didn't want to make a scene here for everyone to see.

"Follow me."

I took her to a nearby coffee shop.

"Go on, what did you want to talk about?"

"Ethan, what happened yesterday was an accident."

Chloe took my hand.

"Leo drank too much, and I drank too much. We weren't in our right minds."

"It was a moment of weakness. Don't take it seriously."

I pulled my hand back.

"A moment of weakness? A moment of weakness that lasted over a year?"

She froze.

"You... how did you know?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

I looked at her.

"Chloe, we've been married for three years, and you've been cheating for over a year."

"Which means our real marriage lasted less than two years."

"And even in that time, you never really loved me, did you?"

She wanted to argue, but she opened her mouth and said nothing.

Because I was speaking the truth.

Our marriage was a mistake from the very beginning.

She pursued me in college; I thought she was into me.

She wanted to get married right after graduation; I thought it was because she loved me.

But now I understand. What she wanted was a provider. Someone who could give her a stable, comfortable life.

A man who worked at a top tech company, had a good income, and, best of all, was easy to control.

And Leo, he gave her passion and romance.

Things I couldn't give her.

"Ethan, I admit I was wrong."

"But we can still start over."

"I'll change. I'll cut off all contact with Leo."

"We can live our lives well, and just pretend nothing ever happened."

I laughed.

Pretend nothing happened?

Who did she think I was? A file in the recycle bin?

Delete it when she wants, restore it when she wants?

"Chloe, do you think that's possible?"

"Every night when I lie in bed, all I'll be able to picture is you and him in that hot tub."

"Every time I see you, I'll be reminded of that night."

"Do you think I can live a normal life with you after that?"

Her face grew paler and paler.

"Then what do you want?"

"A divorce."

I said it so easily, as if I were discussing the weather.

"The house is mine, the car is mine, and the savings are mine."

"From now on, we are strangers."

Chloe shot up from her seat.

"Ethan, don't go too far!"

"It's true you bought the house, but I've contributed for the past three years!"

"I managed this home, ran my social media accounts. Isn't that worth anything?"

"And besides, do you think you can find someone better without me?"

"Look at yourself. What can you do besides write code?"

"You're boring, dull, like a robot. What woman would ever like you?"

Her words twisted in my gut.

But I didn't argue back.

Because she was right.

I was indeed boring, dull, and not romantic.

That's why she cheated.

That's why my brother betrayed me.

That's why my life was a joke.

"You're right."

I stood up.

"And because I'm like this, you should be relieved."

"So you should be relieved to leave me."

"You can go find those interesting men, like Leo."

"He'll be unemployed soon. Then you two can be together in the open."

With that, I turned and walked away.

"Ethan!"

She called after me.

I didn't turn back.

I knew what she wanted to say.

Threats, begging, more insults... it didn't matter. It was all useless.

My heart felt numb.

I felt nothing for her, for our marriage, for the very idea of love. It was all dead inside me.