A Marriage in Shambles

Discovering my husband's affair while ordering takeout? Life couldn't get any worse, or so I thought.

As they say, when you're having a bad day, even drinking water can get you choked.

The information on my iPad was like a bucket of cold water, drenching me from head to toe.

I pressed my lips together and quickly scrolled through the messages.

"Make sure the flowers are fresh. It's my wife's birthday tomorrow."

"Can you guarantee on-time delivery?"

"And make sure the bouquet looks nice."

"Oh, and don't forget, we need another one the day after tomorrow. It's our third anniversary."

The date was May 3rd.

The same day I married Sebastian Rutledge.

The delivery address was Driphia.

I pressed my lips together and, trembling, opened the public transport app, using Sebastian's ID.

Sure enough, Sebastian's business trip was scheduled for May 4th, according to the app.

The iPad slipped from my hand.

I lay on the couch, my mind a blank slate, dumbfounded.

Sebastian and I had been in a relationship for ten years, and we'd finally made it to the altar.

And yet, just four days after our wedding, I found out about his affair.

Could anything be more absurd?

Our third-anniversary celebration!

So, they'd been together for three years, and I had been entirely clueless.

Tears fell one by one, icy but with a burning heat.

...

On our wedding night, Sebastian had told me he had a business trip the next day.

I'd been upset at the time. Who goes on a business trip the day after their wedding? His company had no sense of decency.

But Sebastian had held me and reassured me for a long time, explaining that his company's CEO had just switched jobs, and they were looking to promote someone. He had to seize this opportunity and work hard. Our future together was long, and we had no need to rush.

I believed him.

I packed his luggage with my own hands, worrying that he wouldn't have enough clothes or familiar daily items.

I meticulously packed, working late into the night.

At that moment, Sebastian was sitting on the couch, laughing at me as he sent text messages. He called me a sweetheart and said I was like a silly fool, that he could buy anything there.

In hindsight, I was incredibly foolish.

He'd been texting his lover while making fun of me.

And me? I had been taking care of him with all my heart.

It served me right. All of this stemmed from my trust in him.

I had always trusted Sebastian.

If it weren't for my reluctance to cook tonight, I wouldn't have picked up the iPad, opened the food delivery app, and logged into his account.

The food delivery account was Sebastian's. He'd probably forgotten to log out.

I had intended to place an order and had no intention of checking the order history.

However, after waiting for over half an hour and still not receiving the delivery, I opened the order. That's when I saw the flower order.

Roses, 99 of them.

I looked at the chat history and was stunned.

Those carefully hidden facts suddenly appeared before me.

It hit me like a barrage of bullets, leaving me in ruins.

I had been with Sebastian for ten years, and he'd only given me flowers twice.

Once, we went to his hometown, and he picked some wildflowers from the roadside, binding them together and handing them to me.

The day was beautiful, the spring wind gentle. He held the bouquet, gazing at me with tenderness, and said he wanted to protect me for the rest of his life.

And I? I was just like those wildflowers he had picked so casually, easy to obtain.

The other time was on Valentine's Day when we went shopping together. A young girl selling flowers had held onto his shirt, and he bought one for me.

Tears streamed down my face, but they couldn't wash away the bitterness in my heart.

The doorbell rang, and the delivery had finally arrived.

My favorite dish: spicy chicken with rice.

I took a spoonful of rice and put it in my mouth, my expression blank.

Today's meal was so unappetizing!

The sky had darkened.

At exactly 7 PM, my phone rang.

I stared at the screen for a long time and, in the last second before hanging up, pressed the answer button.

Sebastian's gentle voice came through the phone. "Jennifer, have you eaten?"

I pressed my lips and replied softly, "Yes, I ate."

"What's wrong? You don't seem very cheerful."

"I've been busy today, feeling a bit tired."

"Then get some rest. I'll be back in a few days. I love you, sweetie."

"Okay. You get some rest too."

The call ended abruptly.

I stood up suddenly, picked up my phone, and booked a flight to Driphia.