‘No,’ I said, my voice firm. ‘I’d really like it to remain a surprise.’
‘One surprise is a massage!’ she said, winking at me.
If Ethan and Rachel wanted to play dirty, fine. I could play even dirtier.
I lingered in the lobby until I saw Ethan and Rachel being led away for their massages. I discreetly followed them and noted which room they entered.
Now it was time to put my plan into action.
I waited for them to delve deeper into the treatment before taking the next step. I grabbed a large bucket of ice water from the staff room and headed for the massage room.
As soon as the masseuse left the room, I walked in. They were lying face down on the heated tables, their blissful sighs filling the air. The sight of their serenity and serenity made my blood boil.
I quietly stepped inside, catching my breath. Then I splashed a bucket of ice water on them.
Rachel shrieked, rising abruptly to her feet and scattering the towels. Ethan jumped to his feet, his face pale with shock.
‘What the hell?’ – he whispered.
I put the bucket down and stood to my full height. ‘Surprised? Don’t be.’
‘What are you doing here?’ Ethan stuttered, his eyes darting between me and the soaked sheets.
I stepped closer, my voice turning icy. ‘Я? What are you doing here? Because as far as I know, we couldn’t afford a holiday with our kids. But apparently three grand for a spa day for your work wife isn’t a problem.’
Rachel wrapped herself in her dressing gown, her face flushed and blotchy. ‘It’s not what it looks like…’
‘Oh, shut up,’ I snapped, interrupting her. ‘Save your excuses for your husband. He’ll be getting a call from me soon.’
Ethan tried to speak, but I held up my hand. ‘Don’t. You lied to me, Ethan. You humiliated me. Worst of all, you chose this – her – over your family.’
I took a deep breath, my hands shaking.
‘You’re going to have to decide where to live because there’s no more room for you in our house. I hope you two enjoy it, whatever it is, because you just gave up everything for it.’
At that moment the staff came running into the room, no doubt alarmed by Rachel’s screams. I walked past them and left.
Back at home, I wasted no time. Ethan’s clothes went into rubbish bags.
The lawyer I’d been afraid to call was suddenly my best friend. And Rachel’s husband? Oh, he picked up the phone from the first ring.
The aftermath was spectacular. Ethan lost his family, and when word of it spread at work, their reputations took on a new hue. Rachel had asked to be transferred to another office, from what I’d heard.
Apparently even wives have a limit when the office whispers get wild.
The kids and I went on holiday after all. I booked us a whole week in a beach house where we collected shells and laughed until our sides ached. At night, as the waves beat against the shore, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Freedom.
Trust is like a garden, I realised. Sometimes you have to burn it down to grow something new. And for the first time in twelve years, I was ready to plant seeds for myself.