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 a fancy downtown restaurant on Friday night.
“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. As I walked into the kitchen, I encountered Matt.
“Hey, babe, what’s for dinner?” he asked, glancing up.
“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.”
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.
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. Minutes ticked by until finally, Matt walked in, holding Lola’s hand. He stopped dead, his face draining of color as our eyes met.
“Matt, darling,” I said, standing up and raising my glass, “a toast to you.”
The restaurant hushed. Matt looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. Lola’s smile faltered.
“To my wonderful husband,” I continued, voice steady, “who thought he could cheat and get away with it.”
Gasps erupted around us. Lola’s face turned beet red. Matt tried to speak, but no words came out.
“Save it,” I interrupted. “Lola, meet my husband. Married. To me.”
I walked over to their table, pulling the burner phone from my bag. “Next time, find a better hiding spot.”
Lucas stepped forward. “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.”
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. “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. 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. “To new beginnings,” Nicole said, raising her glass.
“To freedom,” Tara added.
“To strength,” Lucas said.
I smiled. “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. Matt might have broken my trust, but he hadn’t broken me.
