Wife Leaves Unfaithful Husband

I woke up to find the sun already high in the sky, and Mauricio was nowhere to be seen. On my phone, he had left a tender, deliberate message:

"[An issue came up with one of the overseas orders. I need to sort it out. You looked so peaceful sleeping, I didn't want to wake you. Rest well.]"

I got out of bed feeling like a zombie. Last night had felt interminably long and especially unbearable. The phone's ringtone blared—a reminder of a major store sale event. Normally, this would be my cue to get ready, diving into the chaos to snag those small bargains. It’s a habit I’ve developed over the past three years.

Yet now, thinking about it, those few saved dollars couldn't even hold a candle to one session of Aleah Andrews' luxurious spa treatments. The thought struck me as darkly humorous, as if my entire life was destined to be this cheap.

A notification chimed from the study, drawing me in to find that Mauricio had left his computer on. In all our years of marriage, I had never invaded his privacy. But this time, I couldn’t suppress the urge. In the chat logs, Aleah had sent an enticing mirror selfie. Long, slender legs perfectly posed, every hair in place. I couldn’t help but compare her to myself. She was vibrant and bold, while I was reserved and silent. She was glamorous and curvy, while I was plain and thin. Just like in our school days.

Back then, I was always the contrast that highlighted her superiority. But unlike before, Mauricio once stood by my side. When I was bullied, he stood up for me. When I was mocked, he defended me. Aleah used to sneer at us, calling us gutter rats, two lowlifes clinging to each other. Mauricio’s eyes would blaze with anger, his fists trembling.

So later, I desperately wanted Mauricio to succeed, so we wouldn’t be mocked or looked down upon again. And now, Mauricio has really made it—he's the rising star of the business world, poised and confident at recent press conferences, a far cry from the boy in the threadbare shirt.

I was exceedingly proud, thinking I had chosen the right person. But now, the brutal truth is laid bare. I never anticipated he’d rekindle things with Aleah. I couldn't understand how people could change their hearts so easily.

In the chat logs, Mauricio’s tone was indulgent:

"I’m almost there, just wait a bit longer. Yesterday was unfinished business; today we'll make up for it."

Aleah's reply was swift.

"Why did you have to leave? You wasted my enthusiasm."

Mauricio's response hit me hard:

"You don’t understand. No matter how late it is, a man always goes home."

Reading this, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was just an act to ease his own guilt, a show to justify himself.

"Remember to wear the new lingerie. I'm downstairs, time is tight today, let’s not waste any."

Aleah didn’t reply again.

After a long silence, my phone buzzed with a new message from Mauricio.

"Awake yet, darling? Work is exhausting; I’m missing you a bit."

"Why did you sleep so long today? Are you feeling unwell?"

I turned off the computer and returned to the bedroom. There was our wedding photo on the table, a fingerprint frame hanging on the wall, and the clay figures we made together—all brought from our tiny, shabby apartment. Since moving here, Mauricio has become busier. Thinking back, it’s been a while since we did anything together.

I stood there for a moment. Perhaps we never will again.

Taking out my phone, I scrolled through my contacts, searching for what felt like ages before finding my mentor Eileen’s contact on WhatsApp. After hesitating for a long time, I finally sent a message.

Her reply came swiftly.

"Happy Thanksgiving! It’s been ages. What made you suddenly think of me?"