**Diary Entry**
*Monday, 15th March*
“Darling, could you pick me up from work?” Emma called her husband, hoping to spare herself the tiresome forty-minute bus ride after a gruelling day.
“Sorry, love, Im busy,” James replied curtly. In the background, the telly blared, making it painfully obvious he was at home with nothing pressing to do.
A deep sadness settled over Emma. Their marriage was crumbling. Just six months ago, James had promised to carry her through life. What had changed so quickly? She couldnt fathom it.
She kept herself fit, spending hours at the gym. Her cooking was superbno surprise, given she worked at a well-known restaurant. Shed never asked for money, never made a scene, always ready to indulge his whims
“Youll wear him out like this,” her mother warned whenever Emma complained. “A man shouldnt be spoiled rotten.”
“I just love him,” shed reply with a helpless smile. “And he loves me”
*****
“Hes grown tired of me,” Emma thought bitterly, chewing her lip as she scrolled through the browser history. Turned out, James spent all his free time on dating sites, chatting up multiple women at once. “Why not just tell me? Id have understood. Why torment us both?”
Divorce, then. She was strong; shed survive. But she wouldnt let him off without a bit of payback.
That very night, Emma signed up on the same site, found his profile, and struck up a conversation. She grabbed a random photo online, touched it up, and knew hed take the bait. He did.
Their messages flew back and forth. James claimed he wasnt married, ready for commitment, eager to start a family. He boasted about his sterling characterEmma laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks. She knew better than anyone how difficult he really was.
“Lets meet,” she typed, heart racing as she waited.
“Brilliant!” came his instant reply. “Though my sisters staying with me while prepping for uni exams. Neutral spot first, then maybe a hotel?”
Emma scoffed. “Youre that sure a woman would agree to a hotel straightaway? Any decent person would be insulted! But this works for my plan.”
“How about my place? Ive got a cottage out in the countrysidejust me. No interruptions” Would he fall for it?
“Perfect!” James was clearly chuffedlikely thrilled at skipping extra expenses. “Send the address. Ill be there at ten, loves wings carrying me fast.”
“25 Willow Lane. Ten sharp.”
“See you then.”
At nine, James pretended to get an urgent work call. He couldnt find the car keys and reluctantly asked Emma if shed seen them.
“They were on the table,” she said, wide-eyed, fingers tight around the keys in her pocket. “Maybe the cat took them?”
But Emma had no intention of waiting. Why should she? She packed her things swiftly. Thankfully, she still had the flat inherited from her gran. The only thing left behind was the divorce papers, placed squarely on the table.
James returned the next morning, fuming. The trip had taken over an hour, and “Claire” from the site was nowhere to be found.
The address was realthe cottage too. But instead of the stunning woman from the photos, the door was opened by a woman twice his size, clad in a semi-sheer dressing gown. Hed have paid a kings ransom to unsee *that*.
Escaping her clutches was a nightmare! He had to call a cab, shivering in his thin jacket as he waited ages. The driversome odd bloketook him on a detour first. What a night.
Only when James stumbled home and saw the divorce papers did he realise whod orchestrated it all. Beside them, scrawled in red lipstick:
*Sweet revenge.*
**Lesson learnt:** A scorned womans patience has limitscross them, and youll regret it.
