As New Year’s approached, Emily spent an hour wandering through the mall in search of festive gifts. For her mother, she bought a beautiful handbag, as the old one was worn out. For her little son, she picked out a toy “Fire Station” set—Tommy had been dreaming of it for ages. For her dear husband, she chose a cozy light blue sweater, perfect for his striking gray eyes.
Emily didn’t forget her close friends and colleagues either, buying plenty of fun souvenirs for them. In the end, she had two heavy bags filled with gifts. Crowds of shoppers buzzed around her, colorful ads flashed everywhere, and the exhaustion and hustle made her head spin. It was time for a break and a cup of coffee. Her mother was picking Tommy up from kindergarten today, so there was no need to rush.
Emily glanced around and spotted a cozy little café behind a glass partition. Perfect, thought the tired woman, and she settled at the nearest table. She placed her bags on the chair beside her, closed her eyes, and let out a sigh of relief. Her aching feet relaxed, and life felt wonderful again.
A smiling waitress approached, placing a menu on the table. Emily ordered coffee and her favorite dessert, tiramisu. While waiting, she gazed dreamily at the garland hanging on the glass partition. The cheerful, twinkling lights reminded her of the upcoming holiday in the warmth of family. And then, through the garland, she saw her husband. What a coincidence—he must be shopping for gifts too! I’ll call him and let him know I’m here, she thought, reaching for her phone. But then she froze. Her husband wasn’t alone. Beside him stood an elegant, long-haired woman. They were chatting animatedly, clearly enjoying each other’s company.
Could she just be a colleague? Maybe they bumped into each other at the mall and decided to shop together? Emily tried to convince herself, but the illusion didn’t last. The pair strolled leisurely into the café. Flustered, Emily didn’t know what to do. They’ll see me! But then she realized she had no reason to hide. She was here alone, with nothing to conceal. Her husband, however, was with another woman. How could this be? They’d been married for eight years, and never once had Emily doubted his fidelity.
It seemed like something that could happen to anyone but her. Her friends often shared their own sad stories—tales of unfaithful husbands disappearing for entire evenings, lying, or sneaking off on weekends. Then incriminating texts would surface on their phones. Emily had always avoided even thinking about her husband’s possible affairs and never snooped on him. Trust was the foundation of a family, she believed. Besides, the less you know, the stronger your nerves. Why ruin your health with worry?
Emily clung to the hope that this was just a colleague. They’d sit, take a break, shop for gifts, and part ways. But reality was cruel. Her husband led the woman to a secluded corner table, and the waitress handed them menus. No one noticed Emily. She watched closely. Coffee and pastries arrived. Her husband was saying something, and the woman laughed flirtatiously. Then he took her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed her fingers. There was no doubt left. Before Emily sat a couple in love, acting so naturally, as if they’d known each other for a long time. And maybe they had. Emily had been clueless.
She wanted to storm over to their table and make a scene. Tears welled up, and breathing became difficult. She no longer wanted to eat or drink. Emily pushed her dessert plate aside and sat with her fists clenched tightly. “I need to stay calm! A tantrum won’t fix anything. I’ll just look like a pathetic, nervous fool. Better to leave now, or I won’t hold it together. They’re having an affair, probably for months. And I, so naive, believed everything he said. Work kept him late, or a friend needed help. So responsible, so caring! I was blind! Now the truth is staring me in the face. No matter how much I close my eyes, I can’t hide from fate. I’ll go home, cry, and then deal with this. Let’s see how he tries to justify it. Just don’t let them see me now.”
Emily signaled the waitress, paid the bill, and left quietly. At the exit, she glanced back at her husband. He couldn’t take his adoring eyes off his laughing companion. On the way home, dark thoughts consumed her. She tried to recall how her husband used to look at her. Was his gaze ever that loving, even in the early days when they first started dating? Jealousy overwhelmed her, and her heart ached with pain. For a moment, she thought an accident might be a release from this torment.
But thankfully, nothing happened. Emily made it home safely, entered the apartment, and left the gift bags by the door. She didn’t want to unpack them. She could barely bring herself to take off her coat.
Sobbing bitterly, she collapsed onto the bed. Then another painful realization hit her. She remembered coming home from work recently and noticing the bed was made differently. She’d brushed it off, thinking it was her imagination. Now it clicked. That woman had been here, in this bedroom, on this very bed. Emily jumped up as if scalded. “How disgusting I feel! There’s no going back to normal life. What a cynical betrayal! How long has this been going on? A month? A year? It doesn’t matter.”
Emily couldn’t find peace. She paced the kitchen restlessly, wondering what to do. “Stay silent and pretend nothing happened? Convince myself she’s just a friend? More self-deception? No, that won’t do. Tell him I know everything? Listen to his pathetic excuses and forgive him? But he didn’t even try to hide it. He walked into the mall with her, out in the open, not afraid of running into someone he knows. Has he lost his mind to passion? Or is he ready to confess?”
Her thoughts drove her mad. She wanted to close her eyes and pretend it was a dream. Just then, a key turned in the lock, the door creaked, and footsteps sounded in the hallway.
— Hey! I grabbed a bite at work, so I’m not hungry. I’ll go rest for a bit, — her husband said with a smile.
— Wait! You can rest later. We need to talk.
— What’s wrong? Something serious? Can it wait until morning?
— No, sit down and listen.
Emily pulled out a chair, and he sat, looking at her with surprise.
— Well, go on, what happened?
— I know everything about you two. How could you?
— I don’t know what you’re talking about.
— I saw you today in the café. I was at the mall too.
— You’ve got it all wrong.
He tried to stall, but he couldn’t find an excuse. It was all too obvious. Emily gave a bitter smile. Many men cheat, that’s a fact. Listening to her friends’ sad stories, she’d somehow thought it would never happen to her. And now, she faced reality.
— I’m going to Mom’s to pick up Tommy. When we get back, you better not be here. Leave me alone. We can’t go back to how things were.
— Wait, please, I’ll explain everything, — he said desperately, grabbing her hand.
— Let go! I’m about to say a lot of awful things. Give me time to calm down. We’ll talk later.
Emily yanked her hand free, put on her coat, and slammed the door behind her. She went to her mother’s, intending to calmly explain everything, but instead broke down in tears. Frightened, Tommy stayed quiet, sensing his mother’s pain.
Gray, joyless days followed. Emily stopped crying, but Tommy could tell something was wrong. Sometimes she’d freeze with a spoon in her hand, stare out the window for ages, not hear his words, or sit clutching her head. Tommy desperately wanted to ask where Dad was but didn’t dare, afraid of upsetting her more.
Her husband moved in with his mistress, but a few months later, he returned.
But lost happiness can’t be regained, and a broken cup can’t be mended. Trust was gone. Without thinking of the consequences, millions make the same mistakes. Are sincerity, responsibility, and decency such rare concepts? Is a new fling really worth more than loved ones? Why would a man abandon his wife and child for a mistress? When a happy family is destroyed, male polygamy seems a flimsy excuse, don’t you think?
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