Another Man’s Wife
From the moment Jack met Emily, he realized his world would never be the same. He’d never felt such an attraction to a woman. The problem was, she was already married. And that wasn’t the only complication.
Emily’s husband, Tom, was an old mate from their university days. They weren’t the closest of pals, but they stayed in touch, met up regularly, and attended mutual friends’ gatherings.
In fact, it was at one such party that Tom introduced them. “This is my wife, Emily,” he said. It was a surprise to Jack; he had no idea his friend had tied the knot.
The young couple hadn’t bothered with a grand celebration; they’d simply gone to the registry office. It was Tom’s decision. Why waste money on a party when they could use it for a trip? Tom was known for being tight with money; he preferred saving to spending.
“But what about a stag do, the wedding dress, and beautiful photos for the family album?” Jack asked, genuinely puzzled.
“Oh, I’m not into all that formality, you know that,” Tom grumbled. “We can have the stag do whenever we like, right, Em?”
Emily nodded, though a hint of dissatisfaction flickered across her face.
“Don’t like wedding dresses?” Jack prodded.
“I do,” Emily replied honestly. “But Tom’s the head of our family, and he thinks it’s all nonsense—a business around romance. Besides, he read somewhere that the bigger the wedding, the quicker the divorce.”
“Come on,” Jack laughed. “So getting married without a wedding guarantees a solid marriage?”
“Well, we’ll see,” Emily smiled dreamily, as if peering into a future where she was happily married.
It seemed to be that precise moment when Jack noticed her eyes—and he was hooked.
They chatted endlessly that evening, discovering many shared interests. Tom kept disappearing, engrossed in work calls. Emily didn’t seem bothered that her husband had essentially left her alone.
It was Jack who found this arrangement odd. Coming to a party with your young wife only to engage in something else? Strange.
He even asked Emily, “Isn’t Tom worried about leaving you like this?”
“I’m sorry?”
“A beautiful woman spending the evening alone… someone might whisk you away. Or isn’t he jealous?”
“Me?” Emily was taken aback. “No way! Tom is married to his work.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
“What?” Emily didn’t quite get it. “That his job comes first? It’s normal.”
“Shall we dance?”
“Why not?”
That evening, Jack felt something spark between them.
No, it wasn’t love at first sight. It was more like they talked and felt in harmony.
Moreover, Emily was delightful. Not a classic beauty perhaps, but she had a unique charm that was irresistibly attractive. Jack couldn’t get enough of being around her…
A couple of weeks later, Tom called Jack:
“Listen, mate, do me a favor! Emily and I had tickets for a concert tonight, but I’m swamped with work – can you take her instead?”
“You’re kidding, right? Doesn’t she have any friends?”
“Surprisingly, no! She actually suggested you.”
“Where did you find such a gem?”
“What do you mean?”
“Hard to believe they still make ‘em like her: never argues, never sulks, no friends. Does she like cooking too?”
“Ha-ha-ha, you just have to know where to look!” Tom chuckled. “I brought her from some remote area. Now she’s eager for some cultural life. So, can you take her out tonight?”
“I can today, but this is a one-off. You’re lucky I’m free.”
Jack and Emily had a wonderful time. They couldn’t stop talking again, and she also managed to convince him to visit an exhibition the following week:
“Tom’s always busy, and he isn’t interested in this stuff. I don’t know anyone here yet. Once I find a job, it’ll be easier.”
What could Jack do?
After their third outing (by now, Jack was thinking in such terms), he resolved to avoid seeing Emily to prevent problems. Another man’s wife—off-limits. Period. Said and done.
Completely avoiding her was impossible, though, as in their circle, birthdays were celebrated together.
At one such event, Emily sat next to Jack and asked with disarming straightforwardness:
“Jack, are you avoiding me? Did I offend you? Say something wrong? I thought we got along really well.”
“We do. It’s just… I don’t have the time. Plus, it feels a bit improper. My natural modesty doesn’t allow me to entertain someone else’s wife so frequently.”
Emily laughed:
“Tom doesn’t mind!”
“What?” her husband perked up at the mention of his name, diverting his attention from discussing fishing with a neighbor.
“That Jack accompanies me to the exhibitions and theatre,” Emily said calmly.
“Go right ahead!” Tom replied, looking Jack straight in the eye. “I invited her to join me fishing, but she wasn’t interested.”
After this, Jack and Emily occasionally spent time together. “We can just be friends, right?” Jack convinced himself. “I’m not making any moves or causing trouble.” It was hard to hold back, but his respect for Tom also played a part.
Two years went by. Jack stayed friends with Emily and Tom. He tried dating other women, but nothing seemed to work out.
One day, Emily called him, in tears, asking to meet.
It turned out there was trouble brewing in the friends’ family. Emily desperately wanted a child, but Tom didn’t. The issue wasn’t timing; he was adamantly against the idea. As a result, they’d grown apart:
“Last night he yelled at me so loudly the walls shook,” Emily confided. “And he’s become so jealous, even of you. Thinks I’ll run off with someone else. Honestly, I’m starting to fear him.”
“Does he get violent?” Jack tensed up.
“No, it hasn’t come to that, but he’s constantly shouting. He drinks almost every evening, says it helps him unwind. Work is getting to him. I’m not sure how much longer I can take this.”
Jack listened quietly and then suddenly realized with horror that one thought was pounding in his head: “What if Tom and Emily do split up?” Then he could reveal his feelings.
But then Emily said:
“Why are Tom and I so different, huh? It would be so much simpler if I were in love with someone like you.”
That sealed it. In an instant, Jack’s illusions shattered. He almost laughed. Of course, all this time, he’d only been thinking about himself and his feelings. It never occurred to him that Emily felt nothing of the sort for him. She considered him a friend!
Once Emily calmed down, Jack promised to talk to Tom. As he walked her home, he felt relief. Like having a bad tooth extracted. It hurt, but at least he knew things would get better.
The conversation with Tom didn’t go well. Tom had become intensely jealous.
“Stay out of our business,” he snapped. “And cut out those outings to exhibitions.”
A couple of months later, unexpectedly, Jack’s high school sweetheart got in touch, having just returned to London from New York.
They began an intense correspondence, as if those ten years apart had never happened. Jack stopped thinking about Emily. One evening, when they attended a friend’s birthday together, they predictably ran into Tom and Emily.
Jack stuck by his date, but it was in vain. When he leaned in to kiss her goodnight, she pulled back:
“Don’t. I saw how you looked at her. There’s something between you and Emily. You might fool others, but I’ve known you since we were kids.”
He was almost asleep when his phone rang:
“Jack, please come, I need help,” Emily’s frightened voice whispered through the line. “Tom’s lost it. He’s drunk, I’ve locked myself in the bathroom, and he’s threatening to break the door down.”
Jack called a taxi. He was worried Tom wouldn’t open the door, and they’d have to call the police, but fortunately, it didn’t come to that.
“So the savior arrives,” Tom sneered and tried to punch Jack’s face. Jack easily dodged. He didn’t want to fight a drunk.
“I’m fed up!” Tom shouted. “It’s always Jack this, Jack that, you two have so much in common… Jaaack…” He spat the name. “Take her!”
Jack looked at his friend with pity:
“You’re an idiot. Emily never loved me.”
Tom swung again…
Jack shook his head:
“You need to drink less. Emily’s definitely coming with me tonight. Call me when you’re sober.”
In the taxi, he asked the shaken woman:
“Do you have somewhere to stay?”
“Could I stay with you?”
“Not sure that’s a great idea.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Emily sobbed. “But you’re wrong about one thing. I love you. I feel so happy with you.”
