When I found out about my wife’s infidelity, I was not disappointed, but rather saw it as an opportunity.
Without realising it, I found myself in a grey zone of moral uncertainty, where I had to reassess what freedom really meant.
I was aware of Claire’s infidelity: the nightly messages, the unexpected business trips, and the secret calls were all clear signs.
But I decided not to confront her about it. To be honest, after I found out about her infidelity, I had lost all feelings for her. The emotional bond had broken down after years of living together.
The idea of divorce terrified me, especially the fear of the financial ruin it would cause.
I depended on her income to cover our expenses: rent, insurance, food.
So I just endured in silence, maintaining the appearance that everything was fine.
One day, while going through her laundry, I came across a crumpled receipt from an expensive restaurant in her jean pocket. The name on the cheque was Alex M.
‘Hmm,’ I said to myself in the laundry room as all the pieces of the puzzle came together.
I knew this man as a friend of her father’s whom I’d met at family reunions.
When I think back to that moment now, Alex – a wealthy but inconspicuous man – seemed overly attached to Claire, even though I had initially perceived it as a friendly relationship.
Now it all became clear.
I sat on the cold tiled floor, clutching the cheque in my hand, and laughed. But it wasn’t a laugh of joy, it was the laugh of a man on the verge of insanity.
‘Tom?’ – Claire called out from upstairs. ‘Is everything okay?’
I quickly clenched the cheque in my fist and tucked it into my pocket.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just stubbed my toe.”
My thoughts kept me busy that night – about Claire and Alexei, our financial improvements and the new car I’d received for my birthday.
The next morning, when Claire left for work, I picked up her old phone, which she’d never protected.
The password? 4673, the date of our wedding. The irony proved painful.
The phone opened messages full of affection between her and Alex, and correspondence with her friends where she praised him.
One message, however, surprised me. ‘I still love Tom,’ she wrote to a friend. “But we needed the money. Alex… he’s just a means to an end. Is that terrible?”
The friend replied quickly, “Girl, do what you need to do, but be careful. This could turn out badly for you.”
I chuckled quietly. If only she knew.
Next I found more messages between Claire and Alex that clearly showed his deep feelings and her manipulation.
‘I wish you’d leave him,’ Alex wrote. ‘We could be happy.’
Claire’s response was indefinite: “It’s complicated, Alex. Let’s just enjoy the moments.”
As I put the phone away, a bold but potentially lucrative idea popped into my head.
Why not use this situation to my advantage?
I saved Alex’s number and began to plan my strategy, waiting for the right time to act.
A week later, I called him.
My heart beat faster when I heard the call.
‘Hello?’
Alex’s voice was deep and confident.
I took a deep breath and introduced myself.
‘Alex, this is Tom, Claire’s husband.’
The silence was palpable, tense.
“Tom. How can I help you?” – He finally answered.
I cut to the chase.
“I know about your cheating with Claire. I know you paid our bills. I’m willing to walk away, divorce her and give her to you, but I want something in return.”
‘What exactly?’ – His voice became cautious.
“Fifty thousand dollars. For a fresh start.”
A pause followed us; he was trying to comprehend what he had said.
‘Why should I pay you?’ – he finally asked.
I laughed, discreetly.
“Because if I leave and break her heart, she’s all yours. Think of it as an investment in your future happiness.”
‘You’re really just going to walk away like that?’ – his voice sounded sceptical.
“Alex, I walked away from this marriage a long time ago. I’m just looking for a way to leave without financial ruin.”
His silence lasted so long I thought he’d hung up on me by now.
But then he said: ‘I’ll think about it.’
‘Don’t keep me waiting long,’ I warned him. ‘You have 48 hours.’
I ended the call, my hands shaking.
Everything now depended on waiting.
Two days stretched unbearably slowly.
Every time my phone vibrated, it wasn’t Alex. It was messages from family or spam.
Claire noticed my absent-mindedness.
‘Are you all right, darling?’ – She asked over dinner. ‘You seem tense.’
Making an effort, I replied,
“Just a problem at work. Nothing serious.”
She put her hand on mine, but the gesture now repulsed me.
I yanked my hand away and pretended I needed a drink of water.
As the remaining forty-eight hours began to expire, I felt anxious.
What if Alex ignored me? What if he told Claire everything?
Then my phone vibrated with an unfamiliar number.
‘Hello?’ – my voice was barely audible.
‘It’s all sorted,’ Alex said.
‘Check your bank account.’
I opened the account, my hands shaking. And there it was: $50,000.
‘Thanks,’ I squeezed out.
‘Just take care of her,’ he said.
I didn’t have the energy to reveal Claire’s manipulations.
I just said,
‘Goodbye, Alex.’ And hung up the phone.
I sat in silence and stared at the screen.
$50,000. My chance at freedom.
My chance for a fresh start.
When Claire returned, I was sitting with the divorce papers.
‘Tom?’ – Her voice was uncertain. ‘What is it?’
I looked into her eyes, but for the first time in a long time I felt nothing.
‘It’s over, Claire,’ I said calmly. ‘I know about Alex.’
Her face went pale.
‘Tom, let me explain…’
I held up my hand.
“You don’t have to. I don’t want excuses. I want a divorce.”
She backed away and sat back in her chair.
“What will happen to our finances? To the house? With life?”
I smiled. It was the first genuine smile I’d seen in a long time.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
The last time I left the flat, I heard Claire screaming, but I didn’t turn my head.
That night, in a modest motel, I lay staring at the ceiling, ignoring calls and texts.
Tomorrow I would start all over again.
But that night, I savoured a sense of relief. The heaviness of the past years was fading away.
Before I fell asleep, I saw the last message from Claire:
“I’m sorry. I really loved you.”
After a pause, I replied,
“I know. But sometimes love isn’t enough.”
And switched off the phone. A new day was already waiting for me.
