Lying badly while doing it is worse. I finished my shift and drove home instead of heading toward the restaurant. I wanted to see what she did when she thought nobody was watching. At 7:15, I parked down the street from our building.
Our apartment windows faced the road, and the living-room lights were on. At 7:25, the front door opened and Laura walked out. Work-dinner Laura looked very different from the Laura I saw that morning. She was wearing the red dress she usually saves for weddings and formal events.
Full makeup, hair styled, the perfume she only uses when she wants attention. She checked herself in the reflection of her phone screen before locking the door. Then she walked toward the corner and called a ride. No hesitation.
No rushing. She looked excited. I waited about 10 minutes before starting the car. Not because I was trying to follow her like a detective.
Honestly, I just wanted confirmation that my brain was not inventing a story out of a single email. The restaurant was easy to find. Valencia is not a giant city, and the place was popular enough that the outside tables were almost full. I parked across the street and waited.
At 8:00 on the dot, Laura stepped out of a car and walked toward the entrance. A man was already standing there. I recognized him instantly, even though I had only seen photos before. Nico.
He looked exactly like the type Laura used to complain about. Good hair, tight shirt, the kind of smile that works on people who want to be impressed. They didn't greet each other like distant acquaintances. They hugged the kind of hug that lasts a little too long for people who supposedly hate each other.
Then they went inside together. I sat in the car for about five minutes after that. Not angry, not shaking, just very calm. Because at that point, the situation was simple.
My fiancée had an anniversary dinner with her ex while I was working overtime to pay for the wedding she kept upgrading. So I drove home and started opening every wedding contract we had saved on my computer. Most people think the worst moment is catching someone cheating. For me, it was the quiet hour after.
I sat at the kitchen table with my laptop and started opening contracts. Venue, catering, photographer, flowers, DJ, rentals. Each one had its own terms about deposits and cancellation windows. The venue was the biggest one.
Thirty percent paid up front. Another 20 due two months before the day. We were still just inside the window where the second payment had not been processed yet. That mattered.
I made a simple list on paper. Vendor name, deposit amount, refund policy, cancellation contact. It felt weirdly similar to work. Just a problem with numbers and deadlines.
Around 9:30, Laura texted me. She said the work dinner was dragging and she might grab a drink after with the team. She added a tired emoji like she was suffering through it. I looked at the message for a few seconds, then put the phone down.
Ten minutes later, I emailed the venue coordinator. I kept it short and professional. Personal circumstances, wedding canceled, please confirm refund amount based on the contract terms. Next was the photographer.