In the weeks that followed, she called, texted, even showed up at my office. I never replied. Every message sounded the same. “Please, I’m sorry,” but apologies don’t undo deception. I spent years believing loyalty naturally followed love.
Doesn’t. It’s a choice, and she chose to shatter it. For a weekend thrill with a man who vanished the moment real life showed up. Months later, a mutual friend told me Mike had moved out of state. Apparently, he told her he wasn’t ready for anything serious.
The irony stung. She destroyed a marriage for someone who never planned to stay. By then, I was living alone in a small apartment overlooking the city. It wasn’t impressive, but it was calm. No lies. No pretending, just peace.