I knew I had to do something.
Before this family fell apart completely.
I needed more leverage.
The moment he left, I went to his office.
He'd always told me the commute was too long, that he was too busy, that I shouldn't bother coming to see him. So I never had.
"Excuse me, is Jayden Whitney in?"
"He's not here. He took the day off to go to his son's piano recital," the receptionist answered casually.
"Manager Whitney really is the perfect husband," she went on, chatting with the girl beside her. "Every time his wife comes by the office, he waits on her hand and foot. And he always takes time off for his son's events too."
Every drop of blood in my body rushed to my head.
Just a few days ago, my daughter had cried and begged to learn piano. Jayden had frowned, shoved her away, and snapped at her.
"Girls don't need to learn that stuff. It's a waste of time. Stop being so difficult!"
And now he was at his son's piano recital.
My daughter. She'd done nothing to deserve any of this.
I stood there like my soul had left my body.
"Ma'am? Are you still here? Which department are you from? What did you need Manager Whitney for?"
The receptionist noticed I hadn't moved and pressed me for answers.
"I'm his wife. We have a daughter. She's in preschool."
I didn't even know what I was saying.
I walked out in a daze.
I didn't notice the way she looked at me.
Maybe, in that moment, I looked like a lunatic.
I stumbled home in a fog.
The thought that this house was saturated with that woman's presence made my stomach turn. I doubled over and dry-heaved.
I opened Jayden's computer.
I searched carefully and found a hidden folder.
It was full of evidence of their love.
I went through the photos one by one.
It felt like falling into a frozen lake.
When I gave birth, no one took care of me during my recovery. She stayed at a five-star postnatal care center. My daughter wore hand-me-downs from relatives. Her son wore designer labels. During the days my daughter was hospitalized with a fever, Jayden was overseas with Aileen and their son on vacation.
I rushed to check the family savings account he'd always managed.
He'd said he was investing the money, so I'd never questioned it.
Balance: $0.
He never brought money home, yet transfer after transfer had gone to that other family.
My whole body shook so violently I couldn't stand straight.
All along, the only ones suffering had been me and my daughter.
I looked up at the wedding portrait hanging in the bedroom.
Smashed it.
Looked at the computer sitting there like an eyesore.
His clothes in the closet.
Cut them to shreds.
His toiletries on the bathroom counter.
Threw them out.
The door lock.
Changed it.
I prepared everything.
Then I waited outside the school where Jayden's son was enrolled.
If I couldn't have peace, none of them would either.
When Aileen came out holding her son's hand, she spotted me immediately.
Her instinct was to run. I moved fast and blocked her path.
She raised her voice instantly, screeching at the top of her lungs.
"You trashy woman! You psycho! Have you no shame?"
"Chasing after someone else's husband, and when he won't give you the time of day, you still won't let go!"
Parents nearby started crowding around.
Aileen's eyes went red. She pulled her son into her arms, looking for all the world like she'd suffered the greatest injustice imaginable.
"This woman has been obsessively stalking my husband, and now she's tracked down my son's school! She's trying to kidnap my child!"
I hadn't imagined she could be this shameless.
Spending my husband's money. Sleeping in my husband's bed. And then turning around to accuse me of chasing her man.
I fired back without hesitation.
"You're lying! You're the homewrecker who destroyed my marriage!"
