You Betrayed Me for a Traitor

My wife got back from her so-called business trip and snuggled up to me, but I pulled away.

I'd been sick as hell a couple of days ago, and I still felt like a ghost.

But my own wife didn't even give a damn about my pale face or the mountain of meds clattering on the nightstand.

Displeased, she cursed and reached for her phone to dial up that childhood 'friend' of hers.

"Hey, where you at? I'm in a crap mood. Come cheer me up!"

That prick on the other end had the balls to chuckle and say, "Didn't you just get back home? You wanna see me again now?"

She shot me this dead-eyed look while heading out the door, replying, "I was this close to sleepin', but I guess I can't do that in my own damn bed tonight!"

I just sneered and called up my lawyer.

"Please get those divorce papers ready."

——

Ellen and I had been dating for four years and married for six.

Every folks around us knew I worshipped her. Even when she told me she couldn't have kids, I still stayed with her.

But as time passed, the way she treated me felt like she was this woman I didn't even recognize.

She went from being all clingy to straight-up paranoid, believing what she wanted to believe.

Whenever we had a little misunderstanding, she'd storm out of the house and run off to that jerk—Gareth McKinley.

If I lost it and brought up divorce, my wife would get on her knees, saying sorry, swearing she just wanted to mess with me, and that nothing was happening between her and her friend.

Her mom would back her up, saying I should stick it out, it was just my wife's health making her act all messed up.

And all her friends? They'd swear she never even went to see Gareth. And like a goddamn fool, I forgave her.

That was until a week ago, a buddy recommended me this OB-GYN.

So I went to see the doctor, feeling like maybe things could turn around for me and my wife. Luckily, the doc said my wife's condition wasn't hopeless.

I never cared much about having kids. But I thought, screw it, maybe having a kid would chill her out a bit.

On my way back, I stopped by Urban Basket to grab some groceries.

It was just getting dark when I stepped out and damned if I didn't see Ellen's car stopping across the road.

My gut told me to take a closer look, and there she was, sitting in the driver's seat. And right there, under the blinding headlights—my wife was kissing some guy torridly like they were inseparable.

The scene struck me like lightning, and the groceries fell out of my grip. Vegetables and fruits rolled out everywhere.

When the light turned green, some jerk honked, snapping my wife and her fling out of their little bubble.

Ellen rolled down the window, cursing at the car behind them.

Gareth, that son of a bitch, just smirked, stroking my wife's hair.

They didn't even notice me catching their affair. My wife's car just sped off right past me.

I swear, it felt like someone kicked my legs out from under me.

The night air was cold and the chill dug right into my bones, making me shudder uncontrollably.

I don't remember how I got home. But that night, I was burning up with a fever.

I would've died if a buddy, worried 'cause he couldn't reach me, hadn't come and rushed me to the hospital.

Turned out, I'd suddenly developed acute pneumonia.

When Ellen finally came back, she threw her suitcase down into the room.

She smelled of some other dude's cologne when she slipped under the comforter beside me.

She didn't care enough to even notice my pale face or the meds littering the bedside table.

I turned my head away from her and said, "I'm not feeling well tonight."

She got out of bed, looking down at me.

"Oh, yeah? You just can't stand me now, right? Dang, it's not like I'm desperate for you anyway!"

Then, she grabbed her phone and openly called that same damn number.

"Hey, where you at? I'm in a crap mood. Come cheer me up!"

I could hear the bastard's damn laugh through the phone. "Didn't you just get back home? Wanna see me again now?"

"You really don't care if your useless husband gets mad, huh?"

Ellen looked over at me with a mocking grin and laugh.

"Well, he's a useless waste of space anyway. 'Dunno why he's even got the dang nerve to reject me."

She said it quiet enough that her other man on the line wouldn't catch it but loud enough for me to hear every word.

"What was that?" the bastard asked.

"Nothing, just saying I can't even sleep in my own damn bed!"

Ellen grinned as she hung up and gave me one last look before picking up her suitcase. And then, she just walked right out.

There was a time I would've chased her. I would've apologized and held her. No matter what bullshit she spewed, I would've appeased her with a gentle voice.

But this time, when that door slammed shut, I didn't move a muscle. Just lay there in our bed alone.

God, I'm so damn fed up with all her bullshits!