Seeing Selena's stubborn yet brave expression suddenly took me back to that rainy night when I first brought her home.
Because I had saved her, I became a target for those local thugs for a long time afterwards. For the longest time, I didn't dare walk that road until I called the police, which finally brought the matter to a close.
I never once regretted saving Selena. But that night, I hated myself for having been so kind.
Why did I have to give another woman an opportunity to get close to my husband?
Ten years … that was ten years of my life.
I refused to accept this fact, ruining my appearance and frantically questioning them about when it started.
Looking back now, I was such a fool.
What was the point of asking when it had already happened?
But when it happened, I got consumed with rage, my heart burning with the fury of betrayal.
"Annabeth, stop making a scene. Selena's studies are her priority now. She won't fight you for anything and she won't ask for a title. You'll still be Mrs. Johnson." Jeffrey comforted me confidently after getting dressed.
"You don't need to sponsor Selena anymore. I'll take care of her," he added.
Selena never came to our house again after that, but their meeting places began to multiply. They were seen at coffee shops, restaurants, libraries and even hotels.
From then on, I began obsessively watching them.
Jeffrey never worked overtime on Saturdays, but ever since he grew close to Selena, he went to her university every single weekend.
Like a madwoman, I followed him in a taxi. Only to find him outside the teaching building, passionately kissing Selena.
Overcome with desire, they slipped into his car—the very car I had personally bought for him as a birthday gift.
Soon, it began to rock rhythmically.
That time, I rushed over and smashed the car to pieces. I caused such a scene that both of them were utterly humiliated.
Still, Jeffrey was determined to protect her. He treated me like I was mentally unstable and had security guards physically throw me out.
For a long time after that, I caused many more undignified scenes.
I once held up a banner and protested at the university where Jeffrey taught, even going to Selena's classroom. I wanted the whole world to know she was a homewrecker.
She was the poor student I had supported. I had once treated her like my own sister and now my hatred for her was as intense as my past affection.
I resented that out of all the men in the world, she had to set her sights on my husband.
I was desperate to tell everyone that she was an ungrateful wretch and that Jeffrey was the most despicable liar alive.
By that point, my love with Jeffrey had long been ruined.
Fearing that my actions would escalate and concerned about the potential damage to Selena's reputation and studies, he hired bodyguards to keep me under house arrest.
I even ended up hurting myself countless times.
That feeling of being abandoned by the whole world was like swallowing a bitter pill. I had no way to express my suffering and desperately needed an outlet.
There was a time when just seeing the slightest injury on me would make Jeffrey frown with heartache, but later, he grew increasingly impatient with me.
When he saw the palm-long cuts on my body, all he did was yell at me in disgust.
"Enough! If you want to die, do it somewhere else. Who are you trying to fool with this 'victim act' here?"
"Annabeth, I never once considered divorcing you before. If you had just turned a blind eye like you used to, I would have let you remain Mrs. Johnson for the rest of your life."
"But now, it seems you're no longer fit for the role."
In the end, I swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills and was rushed to the hospital, but didn't die.
After waking up, I finally let it go and signed the divorce papers.
