Cleaning the bathroom on a typical Tuesday night was never pleasant, but it had to be done. I found that the water was running even after flushing when I was cleaning the toilet.
Angrily, I checked the tank by opening it.
There was a cheap phone with a burner in the plastic bag. I turned it on and dried it and my heart raced.
“Password,” muttered |. That’s right – the date of our wedding. It was successful.
I shook my hand while reading the text messages. Lola is the sender. The screen was full of her and my husband Matt having an explicit discussion.
When I read about their plans to meet at that fancy restaurant downtown on Friday night, I felt sick. I almost broke my phone when I dropped it, but I managed to catch it in time.
I tried not to panic and thought to myself, “Jenna, you got it.”
I carefully repackaged the phone and returned it to the toilet tank. I made sure it didn’t look intrusive before I left the bathroom. Matt was in the kitchen going through the fridge when I walked in.
“Hey honey, what’s for dinner?” He looked up and asked.
I forced myself to smile. “We’re thinking about making spaghetti. How’s the work going?”
His words “Busy” were followed by a kiss on the cheek. “There will be a lot of meetings this week.
“Friday too?” I asked, trying to keep my tone steady.
Without looking at me, he replied, “Yeah, another late one.” I pretended to believe him as I nodded.
As soon as he left the room, I texted my closest friends, Nicole and Tara, and my brother Lucas, who is a lawyer. That night we met at Nicole’s house.
Nicole served the wine. “What’s the plan, Jenna?”
“Revenge,” I muttered, feeling my rage flare up again. “But I need it to be smart.
Tara, enraged at my name, shook her head.
Guys are such jerks. We must arrest him without delay.”
Lucas, the ever-calm one, nodded. “Jenna, you have to look out for yourself too. Know your rights. Things can get messy around here.”
We thought for hours. I had a plan by the end of the evening. Lucas briefly went through what I should say in case things inevitably go wrong. Thank God he had my back.
Friday came sooner than I had hoped. Matt claimed it was just another business meeting and left.
I replied with a fake smile, “Good luck,” as my stomach flipped.
I picked up the phone as soon as he left the house. An acquaintance of Kelly’s who worked at the restaurant had already reserved a table directly across from Matt. She texted someone to confirm the reservation.
“Showtime” I whispered as I put on my nicest dress and left.
When Lucas, Nicole, and Tara got to the restaurant, the adrenaline was like a second heartbeat. Every step seemed like a countdown. We had a great view of Matt walking in because we were sitting near the door. I gripped the edge of the table with my hands and couldn’t keep still.
Lucas bowed his head. “Are you sure about that?”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Yeah, it’s time.
Minutes seemed like hours before Matt, clutching Lola’s hand, finally entered. His face went completely pale as our gazes locked. Lola smiled sweetly at me, blissfully ignorant. With a look that could put out a fire, I returned it.
I stood up and raised my glass saying, “A toast to you, Matt, darling.”
The restaurant fell silent, and forks and knives stopped mid-air. Matt seemed to want the earth to swallow him whole. Lola gave a tentative smile as confusion began to creep in.
“To my wonderful husband who believed he could cheat and get away with it,” I said, keeping my voice calm.
Whispers and sighs echoed all around us.
Realizing what had happened, Lola turned bright crimson. Matt opened his mouth but nothing came out.
“Jenna, I…”
“Save it,” I cut him off, taking a step towards him. “Lolo, meet my husband.
Lola’s eyes widened. “What?”
My answer was, “Married,” he pointed at Matt. “To me.”
he moved to their table and pulled out a phone with a flashlight from his bag. I smiled and placed it in front of Matt. “Next time, find a better cover.
Matt’s lips parted like the lips of a dry fish. Lucas stepped forward and commanded a presence. “Matt, just so you know, Jenna is well aware of her legal rights.
Matt looked at Lucas and then back at me with a scared expression. “Jenna, please, let’s talk about this.
I shook my head. “We’ve talked before, Matt.
Seeing her squirm gave me a great sense of satisfaction, but I wasn’t done yet. I looked at Lola. I’m sorry if you had to learn this way.
But the truth should be known to you.”
Lola looked like she was crying. She jumped to her feet and her chair scraped loudly. She growled at Matt, “I can’t believe you,” and hurried out of the restaurant.
As I returned to my desk, I felt a surge of empowerment. “Let’s go,” I called to Lucas and my friends. Without saying anything else, Matt was left to deal with the fallout.
I felt lighter than I had in weeks as I stepped outside and breathed in the fresh night air. Nicole gave me a big hug. “You were amazing.
Tara smiled. “Jenna, it was amazing. I’m so happy for you.”
Lucas put a hand on my shoulder. “You did the right thing.
Eager to celebrate this minor triumph, we went to a nearby pub. Even though it was just the beginning, it felt like a big improvement. Even though my heart still hurt, I had already taken the pain. I was in charge of my life again.
Nicole raised her glass as we sat down. “To new beginnings.”
“Freedom,” Tara continued.
“To the force,” Lucas called.
I grinned and gently shook my glass with theirs. “To the future.”
Even though I knew I could do it, the road ahead would not be easy. I was prepared for whatever happened because I had my friends and family on my side. For now, I wanted to savor this moment of victory. Matt may have betrayed my trust, but he didn’t destroy me.
Jenna’s discovery of her husband’s secret phone was a pivotal moment that set her on a path of confrontation, empowerment, and ultimately freedom. By calmly and methodically exposing Matt’s betrayal in public, Jenna took control of a situation that could have easily broken her. Instead of letting the pain consume her, she surrounded herself with supportive friends and family and showed the strength that comes from a strong network during tough times.
Confronting Matt in such a bold and public way not only gave Jenna the closure she needed, but it also marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life. While the road ahead will undoubtedly be challenging, she has already proven that she is capable of handling whatever comes her way. The empowerment she felt as she stood up for herself and asserted her rights was a victory not only over Matt’s deception but also for her confidence. With the support of her loved ones and her newfound confidence, Jenna was ready to embrace her future and leave betrayal and hurt behind. Her toast to new beginnings symbolized not only the end of her marriage but also the beginning of a stronger, more independent version of herself.