The Wife He Thought Would Stay

My phone buzzed with a text from Michael."Are you home yet?"I didn't reply.Another message followed."Who was that guy who picked you up?"I sent back two words."A friend."The typing bubble lingered for a while before another message finally came through."We'll talk when I get home."I locked my phone.The living room was dark when I got home. I took off my shoes, tossed my bag onto the couch, and went to the kitchen for a glass of water.My phone buzzed again."Emily just got back, and she needs to get her place sorted out. There's a lot of stuff to move, so I'm helping her with it. I might be home late."I stared at the message for a moment, then slowly typed back."Whatever. You don't have to come home."I took a shower, changed into my pajamas, and started moving my things from our bedroom into the guest room.The bed was smaller, but it would do. I made the bed, fluffed the pillow, and opened the window to let in some air.It was almost midnight when I heard

For a few seconds, no one said anything.Emily tugged at Michael's sleeve and spoke softly. "Michael, forget it. I'll go. Don't fight because of me."Michael didn't move. He kept his eyes fixed on me."Sadie, if you kick her out today, you're being completely unreasonable.""Then call me unreasonable," I said."You think I won't divorce you?""Then do it."For a moment, the whole room seemed to go still.Emily stood beside him, looking hurt and embarrassed, with something else in her expression I couldn't quite place.Michael clenched his fists so hard his knuckles cracked. "Fine. Fine. Don't forget what you said today, Sadie.""I know exactly what I said. You'd better remember it too."I turned and went into the guest room to change.Behind me, Emily lowered her voice. "Michael, don't do anything rash. She's just angry right now.""Let her go."When I came back out, they were still in the living room. I went straight to the door and put on my shoes."I'm going to work.

By the end of my first week at Lillian's, I'd lost about four and a half pounds.Lillian noticed right away. Every day, she made something different, set a plate in front of me, and put a fork in my hand."Eat. Is some man really worth losing this much weight over?""It's not about Michael. I just feel like I wasted the last two years of my life.""Then that's even more reason to eat."She put another rib on my plate."Eat. Make up for those two wasted years. Starting tomorrow, you start living again."I chewed for a long time before I finally managed to swallow. I picked up my phone and saw 18 unread messages, all from Michael.The earliest was from two nights ago."Where are you? Stop this and come home so we can talk."Another had come yesterday morning."She's only staying temporarily. Do you really have to take this so far? My mom knows about this now. What am I supposed to tell her?"That evening, four more messages came in, each more irritated than the last.He said

The specialist adjusted his glasses and got to work without asking anything else.I'd recorded the video before I moved out. It showed the pink slippers under the coffee table, an open suitcase in the guest room, and skincare products in the bathroom that weren't mine.Afterward, I went straight to the bank.I printed out six months of statements and highlighted several unusually large transactions. Every one of them was money Michael had spent on Emily.He'd paid for dinners, covered her rent, and sent her 5,000 dollars in a transfer labeled "furniture." I went through the transactions one by one, checking the amounts and filing each receipt in the folder.By the time I left the bank, the sun was blazing. I stood on the steps for a moment and squinted up at the sky.The folder felt heavy in my hands. It held two years' worth of things I'd overlooked, now turned into evidence. I used to think keeping track of things like this was too calculating, even beneath me.Now I knew bett

I slipped the new key into my pocket."You—"Michael started to speak, but I cut him off. "I'm here to get my things. Once I have them, I'm leaving."I went into our bedroom, dragged the dusty suitcase out of the corner, and started packing clothes into it.Michael followed me in. The moment he saw me packing clothes from the closet, his voice softened."Sadie, stop this. Put your things down and let's talk.""There's nothing to talk about. I've already had the divorce agreement drawn up. I'll send it to you tomorrow."His Adam's apple bobbed, and the color drained from his face.Emily stood in the doorway, twisting the apron ties around her fingers. Her eyes were red again."Sadie, you really have it wrong. I sleep in the guest room, and Michael sleeps in here. Nothing has happened between us."I kept folding clothes without looking at her. "The guest room? I slept in that bed last week. I changed the sheets right before I left. Did you sleep well?"Her eyes grew even redde