“Thanks, Johnny! I don’t know what Id do without you,” flashed the notification on her phone.
Her husbands phone buzzed right in her hand. Emma glanced at the screen automatically. The sender was someone named Marissa. The message ended with a pink heart, like a little kiss.
Emma froze. Marissa? Johnny? She might have brushed it off as a distant relative or a colleague if not for one detailher husband had never mentioned anyone by that name. Or had he been keeping it hidden?
She looked up sharply. She needed the truth first, not to jump to conclusions. But her heart twisted with jealousy.
“Whos Marissa?” Emma asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.
John, sipping his tea calmly, blinked in confusion.
“What?”
“Marissa,” she repeated, holding up the phone. “Who is she?”
He glanced at the screen, and for just a second, something flickered in his eyes. Then he shrugged.
“Oh thats just Marina.”
Emma stiffened.
“What Marina?”
“Well my ex. Theres nothing between us now.”
She set the phone down and crossed her arms.
“Your ex calls you Johnny and thanks you with hearts? You really think thats normal?”
John shrugged again, as if it wasnt worth discussing.
“Yeah. I lent her some money. She needed a loan, so I helped her out.”
Emmas temper flared.
“You gave money to your ex?!”
“Yeah, whats the big deal?”
“The big deal?!” She scoffed. “Seriously? You think its fine to take from our savings and hand it to some Marissa?”
He finally met her eyes.
“Emma, youre making a mountain out of a molehill. Weve known each other forever. Why shouldnt I help her?”
She laughed, but there was no joy in it.
“Youre married, John. To me! And yet youre still running around after her, your ex.”
He sighed irritably, as if explaining something obvious to a child.
“We didnt end badly. Shes not a stranger to me.”
“And I am?”
John fell silent. Emma shook her head and exhaled sharply.
“How long has this been going on?”
“What?”
“Your little friendship.”
He looked away.
“Weve always talked. Even before you. I just never mentioned it. Didnt want to upset you.”
Emma felt heat rise in her chest.
“So youve been hiding it for two years?”
“I wasnt hiding! There was no reason to tell you. Im not cheating. Why are you overreacting?”
She took a deep breath, forcing herself not to shout.
“And how often do you help her?”
“Now and then. Small things. Fixing stuff, setting up her laptop.”
“So my husband runs around after another woman like a handyman?”
“Dont be ridiculous!” he snapped. “I helped her, lent her money! Is that a crime?! Id do the same for you!”
Emma stared at him with icy resolve.
“If you dont see anything wrong with this, then we have very different ideas of what marriage means.”
She turned and walked out of the kitchen. She couldnt bear to look at him right now.
That day passed like a blur for Emma. Anger, hurt, confusion. She tried to think rationally, but one question echoed in her mind: “How did I not notice?”
John didnt seem guilty. Now he didnt even hide talking to Marina, acting as if it were perfectly normal.
Over the next two weeks, everything became clear. Her husband was often late from work. Every few days, Marina had some “urgent” problem.
“Im going to Marinas tonight,” he said casually over dinner. “Her washing machine broke.”
Emma set her fork down and fixed him with a hard stare.
“Are there no other repairmen in town?”
“Come on, is it so hard to help someone?”
“For you, no. For me, its hard to accept.”
“Here we go again! Is this all well ever talk about?”
“Yes, again,” she said coldly. “Because your ex always needs rescuing. At least you dont have kids together.”
John sighed but kept eating.
“If it were the neighbour or my mum, would you react the same?”
“The difference is, they wouldnt call you every other day.”
“Emma,” he said tiredly, “youre acting like Ive cheated.”
“I dont know if you have, but this isnt normal. And it bothers me,” she shot back.
He smirked.
“You dont trust me.”
“Have you given me reason to?”
Silence settled between them.
Three days later, Marina reappeared.
“Marina called,” John announced casually. “She wants to buy a fridge but cant get it delivered.”
Emma turned slowly to face him.
“So now youre dropping everything to deliver a fridge?”
“Whats the problem?”
“John, do you really not see it?”
“I see you making a fuss over nothing.”
“Im not the one making a sceneyou are. And I dont want any part of it. If youre so eager to help Marina, why dont you just move in with her? Save on petrol.”
“Are you serious?”
“Absolutely.”
“So youre kicking me out?”
“No, John. Im giving you a choice. Either youre in this marriage, or you walk away. I dont want you here anymore.”
She turned and left. She wouldnt fall for his manipulations again. Maybe he thought it was fine as long as he admitted where he was going. But to Emma, that wasnt honestyit was betrayal.
Twenty-four hours passed since their last argument. Emma sat in the kitchen, staring at her phone. John hadnt called, hadnt texted. He was gone. Maybe to
After ten days of silence, Emma realized sometimes a breakup isnt a loss, but a lessonteaching you never to settle for less than you deserve.
