Tyler's brows furrowed as he re-read the title of the email that just popped on his PC once again.
Your Wife's Infidelity
Wtf is this? He thought to himself as he clicked the email, his hands trembling slightly.
The sender was unknown, and he quickly glanced around his study, ensuring no one else was present. With a deep breath, he opened the message.
The email was brief but pointed: "Do you know what your wife has been up to? Check the attached photos."
Tyler hesitated, his finger hovering over the attachment icon.
When he finally clicked it open, he saw Samantha, his wife, in the arms of Owen, the man who had been his sworn enemy since childhood.
A wave of anger flooded his veins, threatening to cloud his judgment.
Owen?! So, Julie was right all along?.. wow.
Tyler and Owen had once been close, their friendship shattered by a business fallout between their families. Since then, they'd been bitter rivals.
The sight of Owen embracing Samantha was a punch to the gut, a moment of intimacy that shattered Tyler's already fragile composure.
Seeing Owen with Samantha… wait,was she actually cheating with that bastard?
Tyler stood up and walked toward the wine stand in his study, his anger still burning beneath a mischievous smirk as he poured champagne into a wine glass.
He clenched his fists, knuckles white with the effort to contain his fury.
If Samantha was going to be unfaithful... Owen?!!
The thought hit him hard.. a double blow of betrayal and insult.
Why do I care anyway? he thought, taking a sip from the glass.
This wasn't the first time he'd suspected something was off, but seeing it confirmed was…
He took a sip of the champagne, the cool liquid sliding down his throat, doing little to soothe the heat inside him.
The bubbles tickled his tongue, a big difference to the bitterness he felt. His mind raced back to all the warnings he'd ignored from Julie, she'd always told him stuffs about Samantha, things like meeting her at late night outings, secretive phone calls.
It all made sense now, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle.
Typically, he shouldn't believe an accusation like this so quickly, right? He should confront Samantha, demand an explanation. But no, he wasn't going to do that.
He did believe it. He wanted to believe it. This was the excuse he'd been looking for, a chance to finally break free from the godforsaken marriage he was forced to enter, he couldn't finally break free from the commitment he wasn't ready to give.
He stared at the wine glass, watching the bubbles rise and pop.
His mind drifted to Julie, his secretary.
She'd always been there, a quiet presence in the background of his life. Supportive, understanding.. everything Samantha wasn't.
He remembered their conversations, the way she listened without judgment. The thought of her brought a small, genuine smile to his lips, the first he'd felt in what seemed like forever.
"This should do it," he muttered to himself, the words barely audible. "Since she wants to be a bitch, let's let her be one, huh?”
He picked up his phone and dialed a number.
After a brief moment, a voice answered.
"Hello?"
"It's Tyler," he said, his voice hard. "Go ahead with the plan. I want it here in two hours."
With that, he hung up.
**********
Knowing Annie wouldn't give up easily, I picked up my phone to give her a call back but realized it was already out of battery.
Letting out a deep sigh, I put my phone back in it's place. I was hoping I could distract myself a little, sharing this with Ann would have probably made it less heavy on me. But now that it's not feasible, I guess I'd have to do this alone.
I turned on the engine of my car and zoomed off.
As I drove home to our mansion, my mind was heavy with memories and confusion.
The drive felt like it was going on forever. Each mile that passed felt like a bigger and bigger space was opening up between Tyler and me.
Maybe it's me overthinking this. Maybe it's not even that deep. He'd probably be happy, be happy that his little one is on its way.
Maybe this would rekindle what we used to have? I have read it in novels and seen in movies where having a child together helps couples rekindle their “thing”.. maybe it'd work for us too, just maybe.
My thoughts wandered around to when it wasn't this bad, it was bad but not this bad, then, I would have told him about the pregnancy immediately I did the home pregnancy test before going to the hospital for a confirmation but now, he doesn't even want me around him at all. I have no idea, just where I went wrong.
Julie, his new secretary, that b!tch with her calculating smile, had once confronted me outright.
"Tyler is mine," she had said, her voice dripped with venom. "I'll do whatever it takes to have him all to myself."
Thank to her, yes, my instincts keeps telling me she's behind all of this, Tyler is a total different man.
Cold. Distant. Unreachable.
The house loomed ahead, a gorgeous burgundy mansion that suddenly seemed like a jail. As I drew up, my fists tensed on the driving wheel, knuckles white with anxiety.
I parked and sat there for a bit, trying to collect my thoughts.
The house, once a symbol of optimism and a fresh life, now contained all my shattered aspirations and broken promises.
I took a deep breath and got out of the car, the cool evening air stinging on my skin.
Each step towards the main door rang with the uncertainty and fear of what lied ahead. The stately large entryway, the well groomed gardens, the gorgeous compound.. it all looked so empty today.
As I entered, the silence was startling. My footsteps felt too loud, bouncing across the silent corridors.
I made my way to the living room, the familiar surroundings bringing little comfort. My thoughts raced, recreating every moment, every fight, every cold glare from Tyler.
I slumped onto the comfortable couch, the weight of the day bearing down on me.
I took out the envelope from my bag, the word “positive” flashing up at me.
A sudden noise broke through my reverie. The front door creaked open and I heard footsteps.
My heart pounded in my chest. This was it. The moment is here... I had to tell him.
He had to know.
“Tyler?” I called out, my voice slightly trembling.