What are you talking about? Weve been married ten years! What lover? Ive got you enough!
Emma could feel it in her bones that Tom was slipping away. The suspicion gnawed at her, and finally she gathered the courage to ask him straight out.
She blurted, Is it true or not? and all he could manage was:
What are you on about? Weve been married ten years! What lover? Ive got you enough!
It sounded as if Iansorry, Tomwas being perfectly honest. She didnt notice any lie in his smile, his words, or his eyes, yet something just wouldnt let her rest.
Emma wasnt the type to sit back and hope luck would sort things out, so she decided to dig for the truth. Where to start? She scoured the internet for tips and the first thing she tried was the husbands phone. Nothing out of the ordinaryjust a few empty chats with former schoolmates, nothing that set off any alarms. Just nonsense, she thought.
Tom had never set a password on his phone. He had nothing to hide, or so he claimed. No secret chats, no hidden messageshe was practically an angel in a human body.
Sometimes Emma convinced herself she was overreacting, but every time Tom lingered late at work, a little knot formed in her stomach.
Her best friend, Lucy, was always saying:
Its just your imagination! Tom loves you and would never look elsewhere. Your doubts are only ruining things!
Emma didnt listen to Lucy. Her gut was screaming something else, and she wasnt about to share Tom with another woman.
One afternoon she even marched to his office to see if he was off the clock or off with another woman. The moment Tom saw her, he went red, claiming shed embarrassed him in front of his colleagues. He apologized profusely, and they made up quickly.
On the surface, everything seemed fine. The house was full, the kids were growing, life was comfortable. Yet Emma kept looking for a spark, a little adventure to break the monotony. As the saying goes, Seek and ye shall find only it hadnt worked for her yet.
She worried, like many women in their thirties, about ending up alone with two kids. Outwardly she seemed calm, but inside she was a storm.
Ian never showed any signs. No fresh cologne, no odd shirt, no change in routine, yet Emma felt something was off.
If it hadnt been for a chance discovery, she probably would never have learned the truth. Real or imagined? Well see.
When their younger son started Year1, Emma decided she wanted to learn to drive. She signed up for lessons after work, and after three months she passed the test and got her licence. Tom was so proud he bought them a small cara compact hatchback, just right for someone of Emmas petite frame. It was easy to park, and she felt comfortable behind the wheel.
Tom never admitted it, but the real reason he bought the car was to stop Emma from pestering him for rides. He thought she was still too green to handle a bigger vehicle. Youll need more experience first, hed say with a grin.
One Saturday, Emma woke up earlier than usual and decided to surprise the family with a shepherds pie made of aubergine and chickensomething everyone loved. She realized she was out of flour, though. Outside it was a proper British winter, snow covering the streets, but Emma felt confident driving now. She headed for the shop, only to find the car wouldnt start. She trudged back home, careful not to wake the sleeping kids.
Walking in the freezing air didnt appeal to her, so she thought, What the hell, Ill just take Toms car without asking. A couple of kilometres away, shed be fine, and hed never notice.
She grabbed the keys from the kitchen drawer, slipped back outside, and as the engine warmed up she wiped the windows. While rummaging in the glove compartment for a tissue, something slipped onto the floor. She picked it upa phone she didnt recognise.
It wasnt Toms; his was a sleek black smartphone she knew intimately. This one was a different model, a bright pink case. A flicker of dread ran through her, but curiosity got the better of her and she turned it on.
The first message was from a woman called Sophie:
My love, I miss you so much! Come to me soon, Im waiting!
Emmas eyes widened. There was no lock, so she started scrolling through the chat history while the car idled.
It was a long thread, stretching for what felt like an eternity. She learned that Tom usually left work at five and didnt get home until seven. Emma had never thought to check his schedule. Apparently, almost every night hed swing by Sophies flat for about an hour, then head straight home as if nothing had happened. He wrote to her in a tone Emma had never heard from her husband.
The pictures showed a woman in her forties, looking perfectly content. Emmas anger flared.
She was just about to hop out of the car when she saw Tom walking up the drive, keys in hand. Hed apparently decided to slip a quick message to Sophie while she was out for the shop.
Emma remembered Tom often coming back late, claiming hed left his wallet or something else in the car. Shed never suspected anything.
Tom spotted Emma at the wheel and pulled up beside her.
Who gave you permission? We never agreed on this! he snapped.
Emmas face turned red, and she slammed the accelerator, backing into the garden fence with a screech. The crash gave her a strange sense of relief.
She stepped out, eyes blazing, and shouted:
Go to your own! Ill see how you manage without a house or a car! Stay out of my sight!
She tossed the Audi keys into a heap on the front lawn and stormed back inside.
The boys woke up, confused by the commotion. A few minutes later Tom tried to get back in, but Emma had slammed the door shut and locked it.
Get out! Dont come back! she called, her voice echoing through the hallway.
Tom, now in his slippers, jacket, and a housecoat, trudged off to Sophies flat, hoping for shelter. The door opened, and a male voice from inside called:
Darling, are you coming? Ive been waiting for you!
It turned out Sophie also had a sidepartner, so Tom wasnt the only one cheating. She gave him a cold look and shut the door.
Dejected, Tom wandered to his mothers house two streets away. Mary, his mum, met him at the door, instantly understood the mess, gave him tea, a warm meal, and a listening ear.
Dont worry, love, she said, who would have thought your Emma would turn out like this? Youve still got plenty of years ahead, thirtyfive, still plenty of love to find. Dont lose hope.
Tom ended up moving back in with his mum, trying to sort out his life. He felt a twisted sort of relief at finally being free, but the reality of starting over hit hard when Victoria (Emma) threatened to sue for maintenance.
So thats where we left himtrying to rebuild while Emmas legal letters pile up.
Anyway, thats the whole drama. If you want more juicy stories, make sure you follow the page and drop a comment or a like. Catch you later!
