About us. There is no us to discuss until I know what actually happened. She took a breath. I told you what happened. No, you told me you kissed him.
That's what happened. You also told me you didn't remember everything. She looked away. I was drunk. You keep using that as an excuse.
I'm not making excuses. You are. Her voice rose. What do you want me to say? The truth.
I already told you. No. I stepped closer. You told me you knew him. Then I found out you had been meeting him before our wedding.
You told me you kissed him once before. Then I found out there was another kiss at your bachelorette party. You told me nothing happened upstairs, but you can't explain why you went there with him. Her eyes filled with tears. I didn't sleep with him.
Maybe. She stared at me. Maybe? I don't know what happened yet. You don't trust me?
I almost laughed. You gave me every reason not to. She sat down on the couch. I was scared. Of what?
Of losing you. I looked at her. You should have thought about that before you walked upstairs with another man. She covered her face with her hands. I made a mistake.
No, you made a choice. She looked up. It was one night. That's not the point. It meant nothing.
Then why hide it? She had no answer. I walked into the spare room and picked up a folder I had prepared that morning. Christine watched me. What is that?
Our financial information. Her expression changed. Why do you have that? Because I'm preparing for a divorce. She stood immediately.
You're divorcing me? I'm seriously considering it. But we can fix this. Can we? Yes.
How? She started crying. I'll do anything. I looked at her for several seconds. I don't know if anything you do can change what happened.
She stepped toward me. Joshua, please. I moved back. Don't. She stopped.
For the first time since I discovered the video, Christine understood that I wasn't waiting for her to give me a version of the truth that would make staying easier. I had already started preparing for a life without her and she had no idea how much I had learned. Two days later, I called Ryan Callaway. I didn't call to threaten him. I didn't call to ask him what kind of man sleeps with another man's future wife.
I called because I wanted the truth without Christine standing between us. He answered after the fourth ring. Hello? Ryan? Yes.
This is Joshua. Silence. Then he said, Okay. I want to meet you. Why?
Because I know about Christine. Another silence. I think you should talk to her. I already did. I don't know what you want me to say.
I want you to meet me tomorrow. Joshua, I don't think that's a good idea. Then tell me over the phone. He didn't answer. I said, Did you sleep with my wife at her bachelorette party?
He immediately hung up. That was my answer. I called again. He didn't pick up. So, I sent him one message.
Tomorrow, 6:00 p.m. Harbor Street. Come alone. Then I put my phone away. He showed up.
At 6:15, Ryan walked into the small restaurant and stopped when he saw me sitting near the back. He looked nervous. Good. I pointed at the chair. Sit.
He sat down. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. Then he said, "I never meant to hurt you." I stared at him. That's your opening? "I'm sorry." You knew I was marrying her.
Yes. And you still went to her bachelorette party. "I didn't plan on going." She invited you? He nodded. Why?
"She said she wanted to see me." I felt my jaw tighten. Why would she want to see you? Ryan looked down. "Because we had history." How much? He hesitated.
"Almost a year." I already knew that part. What I didn't know was whether you slept together at the party. Ryan rubbed his hands together. "Yes." I sat completely still. He continued quickly.
"It happened once." Where? "Upstairs." While her friends were downstairs? "Yes." And then she went back to the party? "Yes." I looked at him. How long had this been going on?
"Before she met you." That answer caught me off guard. Before me? "Yes." Then why did it continue after she met me? He didn't answer. I leaned forward.
Ryan. "Because she kept contacting me." I sat back. That was the part Christine had never mentioned. Ryan reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone. "I have messages." He unlocked it and placed it on the table.
There were months of conversations. Christine telling him she missed him. Christine asking if he would be at certain places. Christine telling him she was getting married but didn't want him completely out of her life. Then I saw a message from the night before our wedding.
"I wish things were different." Ryan had replied. "They don't have to be." I stared at the screen. Then I asked the question that had been bothering me. Did Christine ever tell you she was going to marry me? "Yes." Did she tell you she loved me?
Ryan looked uncomfortable. "Yes." I nodded slowly. So, she told both of us what we wanted to hear. Joshua, I know I handled it badly. You didn't handle anything.
You slept with another man's fiance. He looked down. I know. I stood up. There's one more person I need to talk to.
Ryan looked at me. Who? Melissa. His face changed. That told me enough.
I found Melissa the following evening. She agreed to meet me because she apparently believed I only wanted answers about the party. She was wrong. I placed a printed photograph on the table. How long did you know?
She stared at it. I don't understand. You knew Christine and Ryan had history. Her eyes moved away. She told me some things.
You knew they went upstairs at the party. Melissa said nothing. You laughed when they left. She swallowed. Christine asked me not to tell you.
I nodded. Did she ask anyone else? No. Then why did you help her? Melissa looked at me.