**His Ex**
*”Thanks, Johnny! I dont know what Id do without you,”* flashed across the phone screen.
Her husbands phone had vibrated right in her hand. Emily glanced automatically at the message. The sender was someone named Marigold. It ended with a pink heart, like a tiny, floating kiss.
Emilys eyes widened. *Marigold? Johnny?* She might have assumed it was a distant relative or a colleague, except for one thing: her husband had *never* mentioned anyone by that name. Or had he kept her hidden?
She looked up sharply. She needed the truth first, not wild assumptions. But jealousy twisted inside her chest.
“Whos Marigold?” Emily asked, fighting to keep her voice steady.
James, sipping his tea calmly, blinked in confusion.
“What?”
“Marigold,” she repeated, shoving the phone toward him. “Who is she?”
He stared at the screen, and for just a second, something flickered in his eyes. Then he shrugged.
“Oh. Thats Marina.”
Emily froze.
“*What* Marina?”
“My ex. Theres nothing going on.”
She dropped the phone onto the table and crossed her arms.
“Your ex calls you Johnny and sends heart emojis? You think thats normal?”
James shrugged again, as if it wasnt worth discussing.
“Yeah. I lent her some money. She asked, I helped.”
Rage coiled inside her.
“You gave money to your ex?!”
“Yeah, whats the big deal?”
“The big deal?!” She scoffed. “Seriously? You think its fine to take *our* money and hand it over to some Marigold?”
Finally, he met her gaze.
“Emily, youre making a mountain out of a molehill. Weve known each other forever. Why *wouldnt* I help her?”
She laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“Youre *married*, James. To me! And yet youre still wrapped up in *her*, someone from before.”
He sighed irritably, like explaining something obvious to a child.
“We didnt end badly. Shes not a stranger to me.”
“Am *I* the stranger?”
James fell silent. Emily shook her head and exhaled hard.
“How long has this been going on?”
“What?”
“Your little friendship.”
He looked away.
“Weve always talked. Even before you. I just never told you. Didnt want to upset you.”
Her whole body burned with fury.
“Two years, you hid this?”
“I *didnt* hide it! There was no reason to mention it. Im not cheating. Why are you overreacting?”
Emily took a deep breath, fighting the urge to scream.
“And how often do you *help* her?”
“Now and then. Little things. Fixing stuff, setting up her laptop.”
“So my *husband* runs errands for another woman like a handyman?”
“What are you on about?!” he snapped. “I helped her, lent her money! Is that a crime? Id do the same for you!”
She stared at him, cold and firm.
“If you dont see anything wrong with this, then we have very different ideas of what a marriage means.”
She turned and walked out of the kitchen. She couldnt bear to look at him.
That day passed like a fever dream for Emily. Anger, pain, confusion. She tried to piece it all together calmly, but one question haunted her: *How did I never notice?*
James didnt seem guilty. He no longer hid his chats with Marina, acting like it was nothing.
Over the next two weeks, the truth became clear. Her husband was often late from work. Every few days, Marina had another *urgent* problem.
“Im seeing Marina tonight,” he said casually over dinner. “Her washing machine broke.”
Emily set her fork down and fixed him with a sharp stare.
“Are there no repairmen in town?”
“Come on, is it so hard to help someone?”
“Its not hard for *you*. Its hard for *me* to accept.”
“Here we go again! Is this all well talk about?”
“Yes, *again*,” she said flatly. “Because your ex always needs rescuing. At least you dont share kids.”
James sighed but kept eating.
“If it was the neighbor or my mum, would you still react like this?”
“The difference is, nobody else would call you *every day*.”
“Emily,” he said, tired. “Youre acting like Ive cheated.”
“I dont know if youre cheating, but this isnt normal. And it *bothers* me.”
He smirked.
“You dont trust me.”
“Have you given me reason to?”
Silence fell between them.
Three days later, Marina reappeared.
“Marina called,” James announced offhandedly. “Shes buying a fridge but cant move it.”
Emily turned slowly toward him.
“So youre just going to drop everything and haul her fridge?”
“Whats the big deal?”
“James, do you *seriously* not see the problem?”
“I see you making drama over nothing.”
“Im not the one making a circus*you* are. And I dont want to be part of it. If you want to help Marina so badly, move in with her. Save on petrol.”
“Are you serious?”
“Deadly.”
“So youre kicking me out?”
“No, James. Im giving you a choice. Either youre in *this* family, or you walk your own path. But I dont want you here anymore.”
She turned and left. She wouldnt fall for his games again. Maybe he thought honesty meant announcing where he was going. But to Emily, it wasnt honestyit was betrayal.
Twenty-four hours passed since their last fight. Emily stood in the kitchen, staring at her phone. James hadnt called. Hadnt texted. He was gone. Maybe to
After ten days of silence, Emily understood: sometimes, a goodbye isnt a loss. Its a lessonteaching you never to settle for less than you deserve.
