Cleaning the bathroom on a mundane Tuesday evening was never fun, but it had to be done. As I scrubbed the toilet, I noticed the water kept running after flushing.
Annoyed, I opened the tank to check. Wrapped in a plastic bag was a cheap burner phone. My heart raced as I dried it off and turned it on.
“Password,” I muttered. Easy guess, our wedding date. It worked.
My hands shook as I scrolled through the text messages. The sender: Lola. Explicit conversations between her and my husband, Matt, filled the screen.
I felt sick reading about their plans to meet at that fancy downtown restaurant on Friday night. I dropped the phone, almost breaking it, but caught it just in time.
“Jenna, you got this,” I whispered to myself, trying to keep calm.
Carefully, I wrapped the phone back up and replaced it in the toilet tank. I made sure it looked undisturbed before leaving the bathroom. As I walked into the kitchen, I encountered Matt, who was rummaging through the fridge.
“Hey, babe, what’s for dinner?” he asked, glancing up.
I plastered on a smile. “Thinking of making pasta. How’s work?”
“Busy,” he said, kissing my cheek. “Lots of meetings this week.”
“Friday too?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Yeah, another late one,” he replied, not even looking me in the eye. I nodded, pretending to believe him.
As soon as he left the room, I texted Nicole and Tara, my closest friends, and Lucas, my brother who’s a lawyer. We met up that night at Nicole’s place.
Nicole poured the wine. “What’s the plan, Jenna?”
“Revenge,” I said, feeling the anger rise again. “But I need it to be smart.”
Tara shook her head, furious on my behalf. “Men are such pigs. We need to catch him red-handed.”
Lucas, always the calm one, nodded. “You have to protect yourself too, Jenna. Know your rights. This could get messy.”
We spent hours brainstorming. By the end of the night, I had a plan. Lucas gave me a quick rundown of what to say if things went south legally. I was grateful he had my back.
Friday came quicker than I wanted. Matt left, claiming it was another work meeting. “Good luck,” I said with a fake smile, my stomach churning.
The moment he was out the door, I grabbed my phone. Kelly, a friend who worked at the restaurant, had already secured a table right next to Matt’s. She sent a text confirming the reservation.
“Showtime,” I muttered, putting on my best dress and heading out.
The adrenaline was like a second heartbeat as I arrived at the restaurant with Lucas, Nicole, and Tara. Each step felt like a countdown. We were seated near the entrance, a perfect spot to watch Matt walk in. I could barely sit still, my hands gripping the table’s edge.
Lucas leaned over. “You sure about this?”
I nodded, swallowing hard. “Yeah, it’s time.”
Minutes ticked by like hours until finally, Matt walked in, holding Lola’s hand. He stopped dead, his face draining of color as our eyes met. Lola, blissfully unaware, gave me a polite smile. I returned it with a glare that could freeze fire.
“Matt, darling,” I said, standing up and raising my glass, “a toast to you.”
The restaurant hushed, forks and knives pausing mid-air. Matt looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. Lola’s smile faltered, confusion setting in.
“To my wonderful husband,” I continued, voice steady, “who thought he could cheat and get away with it.”
Gasps and whispers erupted around us. Lola’s face turned beet red, realization dawning on her. Matt tried to speak, but no words came out.
“Jenna, I …”
“Save it,” I interrupted, stepping closer. “Lola, meet my husband.”
Lola’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Married,” I said, pointing at Matt. “To me.”
I walked over to their table, pulling the burner phone from my bag. Setting it down in front of Matt, I smirked. “Next time, find a better hiding spot.”
Matt’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Lucas stepped forward, his presence imposing. “Matt, just so you know, Jenna’s well aware of her legal rights.”
Matt looked at Lucas, then back at me, panic in his eyes. “Jenna, please, let’s talk about this.”
I shook my head. “We’re past talking, Matt.”
The satisfaction of seeing him squirm was intense, but I wasn’t done yet. I turned to Lola. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. But you deserve to know the truth.”
Lola looked like she might cry. She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly. “I can’t believe you,” she hissed at Matt, before rushing out of the restaurant.
I felt a wave of empowerment wash over me as I walked back to my table. “Let’s go,” I said to my friends and Lucas. We left without another word, leaving Matt to deal with the aftermath.
Outside, I breathed in the cool night air, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. Nicole hugged me tight. “You were amazing.”
Tara grinned. “That was epic, Jenna. I’m so proud of you.”
Lucas put a hand on my shoulder. “You did the right thing.”
We headed to a nearby bar, ready to celebrate this small victory. It was just the beginning, but it felt like a significant step forward. My heart still ached, but it was a pain I could manage now. I had taken control of my life again.
As we sat down, Nicole raised her glass. “To new beginnings.”
“To freedom,” Tara added.
“To strength,” Lucas said.
I smiled, clinking my glass with theirs. “To the future.”
The road ahead wasn’t going to be easy, but I knew I could handle it. With my friends and family by my side, I was ready for whatever came next. For now, I was going to enjoy this moment of triumph. Matt might have broken my trust, but he hadn’t broken me.