husband received shocking proof of my cheating went Alpha and got rid of me the world felt like it was spiraling out of control as I sat in the front seat of the van my thoughts were in complete disarray the small alarms that had been ringing in my head all week turned out to be accurate however I hadn't taken them seriously something was wrong since last Tuesday evening when Sally informed me she had consulted a doctor due to a yeast infection she had contracted the doctor prescribed medication for the infection and advised her to abstain from
closeness for at least week the way she conveyed this information didn't seem very convincing it had been years since Sally had experienced a yeast infection and she knew how to take care of herself to prevent such infections there were a few more warning signals going off in the recesses of my mind I shook my head and remained silent sometime earlier in the week probably on the first day she spent with him which she mentioned was Tuesday she appeared entirely different and distant during our dinner together more alarm Bells were ringing in the back of my
mind after dinner she excused herself and went to the bedroom to lie down I watched some mindless TV shows for a couple of hours and then went to bed as I entered the bedroom Sally was not asleep but there was an icy atmosphere between us as I climbed into bed she turned off the lights and didn't respond when I said good night lover more warning signs went off but I continued to ignore them throughout the week she maintained this aloof and distant demeanor which left me perplexed I attempted to broach the subject with her several
times trying to understand what was bothering her she evaded my question questions and didn't provide direct answers I assumed it was the yeast infection affecting her because she was in the middle of her cycle despite my busy week at work on Thursday morning just before lunch I attempted to call Sally to invite her to lunch as we had often done in the past there was no response at home or on her cell phone this struck me as particularly odd because Sally like most women was usually within Arms Reach of a phone I refrained from leaving
her a voicemail and called again this time the alarm bells in my mind resonated more strongly whatever was troubling Sally needed to be addressed openly I decided that this weekend I would take her away to have some quality time together and discuss what was bothering her we needed to engage in a deep conversation as husband and wife about the current state of our relationship I even considered confessing my previous indiscretion and renewing my commitment never to stray from our marriage vows provided the circumstances were right however now Sally had revealed everything in a shocking manner
she knew about my affair with Tina and the profound pain I had caused her then in a more vindictive manner she confronted me with this spiteful affair she had concocted as a way to retaliate for the one time I had been unfaithful to her this is why she distanced herself from me and gave me a false excuse for not playing with me all week while sitting in the van my thoughts dwelled on this regrettable situation indeed it all began when I was enticed into being close with another woman Sally discovered it through an email from
Tina without ever directly confronting me with the evidence instead she decided to seek her her revenge through her own affair she could have easily confronted me and obtained My Confession along with my solemn promise to never cheat on her again with that confession she could have imposed a significant Penance on me for a long time I could have explained to her how sick to my stomach I felt when I returned home from that week-long project session at the resort upon entering the house I had a strong urge to confess my wrongdoing right then and there
but I refrained from doing so I didn't want to hurt her unnecessarily I thought the incident would fade away and be forgotten by both Tina and me I believe there was no need to inflict needless pain on Sally it was a one-time mistake never to be repeated so I concealed the truth from her only to have it surface without my knowledge now our marriage is in complete turmoil and its future is in serious doubt the more I contemplated this situation the more I realized that Sally had taken her revenge much further than necessary justce settle
the score I had not intentionally sought to harm Sally with my indiscretion nothing I did was as deliberate as what she was doing to retaliate she didn't need to sit in a parking lot like I was all the while knowing I had closeness with another woman at that very moment my mistake was made far away from her without any premeditation or her knowledge of my Affair now after discovering my wrongdoing all her actions were calculated and planned to have the most devastating impact on me it wasn't merely about settling the score or seeking Revenge no
it was driven by Spite and she aimed to wound me deeply through her actions perhaps she had even found a way to end our marriage and be with another man she spoke spoke about how different and thrilling it was for her to be with another man blaming it all on me was easy for her she directly stated that it was my fault that she had been unfaithful yet I couldn't fully accept that accusation yes I had been unfaithful but not in the manner she was treating me with her vengeful actions my mind still searched for
a complete justification for her continuing her Affair after she believed she had settled the score in her mind why didn't she just stop there why did she have to bring me into this situation and make me w winess her Affair simply telling me about her infidelity would have been sufficient punishment for me there was no need to emotionally devastate me but now it seems that wasn't enough for her she needed to utterly humiliate me and cut me to the core while my actions may have harmed our marriage her actions over the past 5 days are
far more destructive to our sacred Bond despite my efforts I couldn't shake the feeling that Sally had taken her revenge to an extreme level she had gone further than necessary to punish me even even after her first encounter with him we could have had a chance to repair our broken relationship however at this moment I found myself compelled to take a pen and paper from the glove compartment I hastily scribbled a message on the slip of paper don't come home we're through your ex-husband the note felt like it was shouting at me urging me to
reconsider my actions could I really go through with this could I walk away from the woman I loved more than anyone else but a nagging thought crept into my mind did she love me as deeply as I love loved her if so why was she acting so spitefully why did she keep threatening that we might go our separate ways all night had she already made up her mind was she planning to return later and announce that our marriage was over adding to my humiliation update I exited the van and returned to the bar I handed
the note and a $20 bill to the bartender give this note to Sally when she returns okay the bartender cast a knowing glance my way I'm sure he had a good idea of the note's contents even without reading it he accepted the note and money I'll give it to her as soon as she comes back he said I turned and left the establishment a sudden wave of Despair washed over me like a massive tidal wave my knees trembled and my mouth went dry tears welled up in my eyes as I stumbled back to the van
before driving away I took one last deep breath leaving the parking lot meant the end of my marriage staying meant my life might become a hundred times more miserable than it already was the club quickly disappeared from my rearview mirror and tear streamed down my face the journey home felt like a Tre through a living Nightmare part of me wanted to turn around and confront whatever Sally had in store for me but my wounded Pride intervened silencing that feeble inner voice what's done is done and I can't undo it my mind was a chaotic mess
as I pulled into our driveway a part of me clung to the past to my wife and the life we had shared the dominant part however started to focus on what lay ahead what would happen after this separation how how could I protect myself what about the divorce process what about living arrangements my natural inclination for organization took over first and foremost protect yourself physically then protect yourself legally secure the house and Bank assets seek a legal restraining order my mind was now racing against the clock changing the locks on the house became the top
priority I searched the phone book for a 24-hour locksmith and dialed the number I explained that I had an emergency requiring an immediate change of all the locks in the house waiting until tomorrow or later was not an option the locksmith informed me there would be a $100 search charge for a late night short notice visit which I agreed to pay and I provided him with my address he assured me he would arrive within the hour next my thoughts urged me to prevent Sally from entering the house since she had only the clothes on her
back I went to the closet and retrieved our two largest suitcases even though they were quite heavy I managed to load both of them into the van the vehicle she typically drove and we both considered her car after parking the van at the curb in front of the house I left the keys on the front seat and took the garage door opener with me Upon returning inside the house the locksmith arrived promptly he assessed the situation and said changing all five locks will take about an hour I responded that's fine let me know if you
need anything as I settled in front of the computer he went back to his truck to retrieve the necessary tools I went through my email archives to check the messages Sally had mentioned from Tina they were all there in including the one Sally had sent under my name essentially telling Tina to go away there was no response from Tina the affair had ended while staring at the emails on the screen I contemplated why Sally hadn't directly confronted me about the Tina incident why had she chosen this destructive path for Revenge was there something seriously wrong
in our marriage that she hadn't disclosed to me was this her way of settling everything in one grand Act of Vengeance as I pondered my next steps the phone rang and somehow I sensed it was Sally it rang several times and then went to voicemail with the speaker phone on I could hear Sally's trembling and strained voice oh Peter please pick up the phone I know you're there we need to talk please don't end our marriage like this talk to me Peter please she sounded on the verge of tears but I chose not to answer
the phone the call ended within seconds it seemed she wanted to reconcile after I had met her Challenge and preempted any future actions on her part she probably thought my guilt would be so overwhelming that I just let her walk all over me she was mistaken sitting down at the computer I accessed our bank accounts and transferred all the funds from the joint accounts into an account solely in my name once that was done I called the three credit card companies and reported the cards as stolen when they asked if I wanted new ones issued
I told them I would call back when I was ready for new cards the locksmith returned and informed me that he had finished changing all the locks he handed me a couple of sets of keys for the new locks that part was completed Sally couldn't reenter the house without my permission while still at the computer the phone rang again I had my word processor program open on the screen it was another call from Sally with even more desperation in her voice as she pleaded for me to talk to her I ignored the phone and proceeded
to type out a one-page message Sally do not ring the doorbell or knock on the door I will not answer I've packed two suitcases with your clothes and belongings they're in the van at the curb take the van and leave once you find a place to live send me your address and I'll send the rest of your things you said tonight that we might go are separate ways several times you were right now that you've chosen your path you can walk it alone I'll find my own path to walk goodbye your ex-husband I made a
few revisions to the message before printing it out I taped the notice to the front door fully aware that Sally might find a way back and attempt a face-to-face confrontation that wasn't going to happen I walked around the house checking all the windows and doors to ensure they were securely locked then I disconnected the front doorbell to avoid the annoying sound bothering me during the night after making sure of my safety I went to the den and poured myself a glass of Jack Daniels as I settled into my lounge chair and took my first long
sip my hand started trembling so severely that I had to place the glass on the table my mind suddenly became overwhelmed by emotional pain and I began to cry uncontrollably it felt like I was trapped in a nightmare desperately trying to wake myself up however every fiber of my being told me that this was not a dream it was harsh reality that's when I remembered the envelope in my pocket and the the wet underwear I assumed the envelope probably contained a Dear John Letter as I opened it but to my surprise it held photographs there
was no letter just a dozen or so pictures I had no doubt in my mind about the subject of these photos I flipped through them dispassionately realizing it was my wife featured in the images I could see her face in some of the shots and her designer stubble in most of the others the photos continued each one more explicit and gross than the last there was no doubt in my mind that they were taken under the direction influence of her lover she was willingly following his every command and submitting to his desires she had even
told him everything on the first day this was her final Act of humiliation inflicted upon my wounded male ego if I didn't muster the courage to end our marriage now I knew this humiliation would continue to haunt me in the future my initial thoughts turned to these incriminating photos and her underwear which served as undeniable evidence of her infidelity they could potentially work in my favor if Sally decided to get confrontational during our divorce proceedings I placed the photos and under cloes in a Ziploc bag and locked them away in a safe then I returned
to my computer and access the emails sent by Tina and Sally I deleted each of the emails after carefully considering what to say I composed an email to Tina at her new address in the email I explained that the last email she received was sent by Sally after she discovered Tina's email to me I provided all the sorted details of Sally's vengeful actions I informed Tina that I would initiate divorce proceedings against Sally first thing on Monday I also expressed my admiration for Tina's companionship during our 4 days together and suggested that if she ever
came to town she should get in touch with me lastly I asked Tina if she would be willing to deny any involvement between us if Sally tried to use it against me and requested her to reply to my work email address I wanted to ensure there was no evidence on the home computer I sent the email uncertain of what the outcome might be after it was sent I pressed the delete button causing the email to vanish from the screen in memory Tina had two choices she could either act as a friend and deny our involvement
if questioned or she could align with s and potentially turn against me if she chose the ladder it might create more problems for me in the long run however I believed it was worth the risk to gauge Tina's reaction to the Revelation that Sally had sent her the last email instructing her to leave I counted on her sympathy after she read the details of Sally's vengeful actions update there was nothing more to do that night except finish my Jack Daniels take a shower and go to bed suddenly there was a loud pounding on the front
door without even looking I recognized it as Sally her voice followed calling to me and pleading for me to let her in begging for a conversation the banging continued for about 15 minutes before stopping I remained in bed with all the house lights off the dark house was engulfed in an eerie silence broken only by the sound of a car engine starting and then driving away I got out of bed and looked out the front window the van was gone I didn't know know where she had gone and frankly I didn't care sleep eluded me
and I lay in our marital bed a place where Sally and I had shared many passionate moments Sunday morning arrived and I woke up feeling even more exhausted than when I had gone to bed the stress and tension were taking a toll on my mind and body preparing breakfast for just myself seemed pointless so I got dressed and decided to go to IHOP for a meal when I opened the front door I noticed that Sally had left a message on the notice I had taped to the door it read please Peter don't do this to
us don't end our marriage this way I still love you and want to remain your wife please we need to sit down and talk this through please call me on my cell phone we need to talk please your loving wife Sally for a brief moment my defensive walls seemed to waver as I read her note however my wounded ego quickly reasserted itself and fortified those defenses a small voice inside me kept insisting there are too many unanswered questions here too much spitefulness to be brushed aside too much hatred to be reckoned with I knew that
voice was right my emotions often swayed because of my love for my wife but the undeniable fact remained that she had taken her revenge far beyond the point of Simply evening the score there was something within Sally's psyche that I had never known existed upon rereading the note I noticed there was no apology no I'm sorry in her words in fact there had been no apology or I'm sorry in the two phone messages she had left me either why not if she genuinely wanted to reconcile why wasn't she at least least offering an apology even
if insincere something had occurred in Sally's life last week that drove her to escalate her actions Beyond her initial involvement with her revenge lover my mind attempted to grasp what it might have been but nothing immediately came to mind I would have to ponder those questions much longer and harder to arrive at an answer breakfast was a pleasant respit I was famished and the food was satisfying my spirits began to lift slightly as I perused the morning newspaper there was nothing particularly noteworthy in the news the Middle East remained in turmoil as usual nobody seemed
capable of mediating in a peace agreement in that region all it seemed to contain was deep-seated hatred and a NeverEnding cycle of retaliation suddenly it occurred to me why didn't Sally want to First establish peace between us why did she feel the need to retaliate so fiercely was her love for me so fragile that my one mistake warranted such complete humiliation as I settled the bill the young woman at the cash register gave me a warm smile and said have a great day sir she handed me change and I wondered if this day would indeed
turn out great or not only time would tell the drive home felt a bit smoother my Hunger had been satisfied and my thoughts were now occupied by the upcoming events of the next week what about the divorce should I initiate it now or should I wait a while just as I turned onto my street I spotted Sally's van parked in front of our house it wasn't a suitable time for a face-to-face encounter with Sally I hadn't completely resolved my dilemma or found a way to justify all her actions I quickly turned the car around and
drove away from the house unless she broke into the house she would have to wait in her van for my return just like she wanted me to wait in that bar yesterday she could sit there all day for all I cared I headed to the health club and changed into my workout attire it was something I knew I needed a vigorous workout to temporarily divert my mind from the challenges ahead at least for a couple of hours it would provide a respit during my workout I ran into an old College buddy Frank Kean who had
ly gone through a divorce my curiosity peaked and I began to ask him about the process of filing for divorce and the pitfalls to watch out for our conversation was quite informative and ended with Frank providing me with the contact information for the attorney who had handled his divorce now I had a direction to focus on for my next steps I plan to call the divorce attorney the following day Monday and initiate the paperwork perhaps this would better prepare me for the inevitable face-to-face confrontation with Sally after the gym I had a light lunch when
I returned home in the evening Sally's van was no longer there its absence brought me a sigh of relief as I pulled into the garage and closed the door upon checking the house everything appeared to be in order when I opened the front door I discovered another note from Sally imploring me to sit down and talk with her still there was no apology or I'm sorry I closed the door and locked it a warm shower a couple of Excedrin PM tablets and I was off to bed I needed the rest both physically and mentally to
prepare for the events of the upcoming week sleep was deep and undisturbed and I woke up feeling completely refreshed after getting dressed and ready for work I noticed the message light on the phone was blinking I must have forgotten to check it the previous night there were two messages from Sally both pleading for us to meet and talk yet neither message contained any form of apology or hint of remorse in her tone it struck me that she was withholding an apology to keep the guilt on my shoulders it was disheartening to see our once idilic
marriage reduced to a blame dodging game at the office I informed the re receptionist an and my secretary Alice that I wouldn't be accepting any calls from Sally and that I didn't want to see her if she came to the office they both looked at me oddly but I didn't elaborate let them gossip if they wanted soon enough the divorce would become public knowledge at around 10: I reached out to the divorce attorney who had handled Frank's divorce and we scheduled an appointment for two that afternoon for the remainder of the morning I carried on
with my usual tasks even skipping lunch at 1:30 I informed Alice that I would be leaving for the day and that she could reach me on my cell phone in case of an emergency as I turned to exit she mentioned that Sally had called four times during the morning I chose not to comment and simply headed for the elevator the meeting with Larry Finley the divorce attorney went smoothly he began by discussing his fees and then we delved into the specifics I handed over the photos and the stained underclothes that Sally had given me I
didn't go into the details of how I acquired them I merely mentioned that Sally was aware of my possession Larry seemed on the verge of asking for more information but eventually refrained the evidence I provided along with the brief account of Sally meeting her lover sufficed for him to initiate a divorce based on her adultery I didn't disclose the affair with Tina to Larry My Hope was that if Sally brought it up I could deny it more effectively if Tina and I both denied it it would ultimately be Sally's word against ours I still held
out hope that Tina would side with me and support my denial lastly I requested that Larry file for a restraining order against Sally to prevent her from contacting me further Larry agreed assuring me that all the necessary paperwork would be ready by the following afternoon leaving Larry's office I felt A Renewed sense of control with all the necessary steps now in motion on my way home I decided to make a brief stop at the office to pick up a couple of reports I needed to review for the next day as I entered the driveway from
the east side of the building I noticed Sally's van departing from the north side of the parking lot she merged into traffic and drove away from the office without spotting me upon my return Alice was surprised to see me back after I had earlier stated I would be leaving for the day once again I provided no explanation leaving her to wonder as I packed the reports into my briefcase Alice entered and handed me an envelope mentioning that Sally had instructed her to deliver it to me I slipped the envelope into my briefcase without opening it
I was certain Alice was curious about the entire situation between Sally and me but she would have to remain in the dark a while longer as I left her to speculate update just as I was about to leave the office I thought it would be wise to check my emails one last time upon logging in I noticed an email from Tina opening it I read hello Peter I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from you after that scorching email I received two weeks ago I was shocked and truly hurt by that email now that
I know it wasn't you who sent the email I feel very relieved I'm sorry to hear about your marital troubles that seem to have started because of me and you it's too bad that your wife seems so full of Revenge she had to do something as destructive as she has done I know you will do what is in your best interest as far as us ever having an affair it's a secret I will never acknowledge to anyone you can count on that and if I'm ever in town I will certainly call you and we can
discuss old times good luck your friend Tina now I had the denial I had hoped for as back up armed with this I felt more prepared to counter any accusations Sally might make during the divorce proceedings I quickly replied to Tina expressing my gratitude for her support and mentioning my anticipation of our reunion after sending the response I deleted both emails upon reaching my car in the parking lot I retrieved the envelope Sally had left at my office from my briefcase the contents of this letter were notably different from her previous notes and phone messages
this letter carried a more defiant and threatening tone it no longer pleaded for us to sit down and talk it read Peter this will be your last chance I've tried over the past two days to get you to call me and for us to sit down and talk this out you seem bent on ignoring my calls and throwing me out of our house now you can either call me on my cell phone and arrange a meeting for the two of us or you will be served with a divorce notice this week there will not be
another chance for us if you do not call me today your wife Sally rather than feeling upset or threatened a smile crept across my face from her initial please to meet and talk she had now escalated to a threatening meet with me or else Sally was once again attempting to seize the moral High Ground however the threat of divorce from her felt almost empty since I had signed the note at the bar as your ex-husband this should have made my intentions crystal clear to her as I drove home from the office my mind wrestled with
several scenarios for responding to Sally's letter I could simply ignore it the divorce proceedings were already in motion having been initiated earlier that day Sally was currently locked out of the house and for the time being I held the upper hand alternatively I could arrange a meeting with her in a public place and have one final face-to-face conversation I could bring the divorce papers with me and serve her during the meeting upon arriving home there was no van parked in front of the house I considered this a positive sign as I pulled into the garage
inside the house everything appeared undisturbed with no signs of attempted entry I couldn't help but wonder if Sally had contemplated having a locksmith open the door for her but perhaps that thought hadn't occurred to her maybe the message light on the phone was blinking indicating a single message from Sally her message was concise Peter I left a note at your office today I hope by now you have read it if I do not receive a call from you tonight I will have no other choice than to go see a divorce lawyer the message was brief
and straightforward once again she resorted to what she believed was an empty threat eventually I decided that meeting her one last time to serve her with the divorce papers was the right course of action however I planned to have dinner before calling her letting her stew a bit longer it was nearly 8 when I finally dialed her cell phone number the phone rang a couple of times before I heard her sweet voice answer I greeted Sally on the phone and identified myself there was a moment of silence on the line before Sally responded noting that
she wasn't sure I would call and mentioning her earlier threat with a sarcastic tone I felt the urge to hang up out of frustration but I remained composed determined not to let her control the conversation with sarcasm I responded acknowledging that she might be right and that she had repeatedly expressed the desire to sit down and talk about our situation I asked if there was anything left for us to say to each other Sally expressed her desire to hear me say in person that our marriage was over she didn't want to receive notes and a
cold shoulder if it was going to end emphasizing our past as passionate lovers I agreed to meet in person and suggested meeting for dinner at Mario's the following night Sally agreed to the plan and we settled on meeting at Mario's around 6:30 she said she still loved me as the call ended there it was her final declaration that she still loved me I briefly considered prolonging this sentiment with her but Common Sense prevailed it was time to end it once and for all to stop the game playing so the Final Act of this tragic situation
would unfold in less than 2 4 hours now it was time to mentally rehearse what I wanted to say and find out from Sally before handing her the divorce papers in the den with Smooth Jazz playing in the background I sipped my JD slowly as my mind went over the questions and statements I wanted to address when we sat across the table from each other after about 4 hours I headed to bed with a fairly solid script in my mind surprisingly sleep came easily and was restful the following morning at the office was busy as
usual I made a quick call to Larry Finley's office to inquire about the status of the divorce papers they informed me to come to the office after 4:30 and all the papers would be ready I arrived at Larry's office just before 5 the office receptionist informed me that Larry wanted to see me to explain the papers and the ensuing procedure after giving them to Sally it took over 45 minutes for Larry to cover all the fine points of the process I had initiated he informed me that the final divorce would take at least three months
after both parties agreed to the divorce and the papers were officially filed with the court final update I left Larry's office at around 6 the drive from there to Mario's would take approximately 15 minutes allowing me to arrive on time for my scheduled 6:30 meeting with Sally as I entered the restaurant the young lady at the seating station greeted me with a warm smile my ego made me believe that she was impressed by me and her smile confirmed it I responded with a winning smile and inquired if she had seated Sally Harper her smile faded
slightly and she gestured for me to follow her my first sight of Sally was at a table we approached her and just as Sally glanced up I greeted her with a simple hello Sally as I took a seat across from her she replied hello Peter don't I get a kiss tonight her smile turned into a pout recalling her own words from our encounter at the bar on Saturday I replied that hasn't been decided yet my response immediately put Sally on alert I could tell she believed her beauty would overcome my aloofness and now she needed
to devise a new strategy to gain the upper hand the waitress came over and asked if we wanted drinks from the bar Sally ordered a white wine and I requested a double JD on the Rocks Sally initiated the conversation once the waitress departed perhaps she wanted to be on the offensive rather than the defensive side tonight it didn't matter to me I wanted to hear what she had to say before launching into my well-rehearsed speech I want you to know Peter this is not the way I intended for our marital problems to end you know
very well what initiated this entire unfortunate situation I was merely trying to restore balance so we could rebuild our marriage before moving forward she stated calmly devoid of emotional distress her words formed a slow monologue laying the initial groundwork for her forthcoming verbal assault the waitress returned with our drinks and we both took a deep sip Sally then fixed a hard Gaze on me and continued I especially dislike being portrayed as the villain in this situation I acted out of hurt and frustration in response to your involvement with Tina I hold you responsible for this
mess her eyes were now intensely focused on me as she attempted to induce guilt and disregard her own subsequent difference the waitress came back to inquire if we were ready to order and I requested some appetizers and another round of drinks Sally sat quietly expecting an apology or rebuttal from me none was offered and my gaze remained fixed on her face as I took my last sip from my glass so it's entirely my fault there's nothing you've done that deserves any blame is there I spoke directly and firmly without a hint of an apology yes
Peter it's entirely your fault you even attempted to conceal your Affair from me probably so you could continue seeing her and engage in another 4-day Escapade Sally's words grew more bitter like the venomous bite of an angry Cobra I only wanted you to see that two can play the same game of marital infidelity how does it feel now our drinks and appetizers arrived and I instructed the waitress not to disturb us for the next 15 or 20 minutes she left with a cold shoulder attitude as I didn't want any interruptions during my speech it needed
to have its full impact on Sally first of all Sally let me tell you that this entire situ ation makes me sick to my stomach yes I did have an affair with Tina at the resort I won't deny it to you my only defense is that I was a victim in that Affair not the one who initiated it I would have confessed everything and told you exactly how it happened but now that's irrelevant Sally seemed ready to speak but I quickly silenced her if you interrupt me again I'll just get up and leave you sitting
here do you understand my words and Body Language conveyed that it was my turn to speak and she needed to remain silent until I was done I say it's irrelevant now because your actions after finding out were uncalled for and highly spiteful once you learned about Tina and me you could have easily confronted me with that knowledge and you would have had a very repentant husband ready to accept your anger but you didn't you devised this malicious Revenge plot that went far beyond just seeking retribution there were four nights during your Affair when you could
have still confronted me with my wrongdoings and then revealed your own Affair just to even the score any one of those nights I would have still the repentant husband and might have even forgiven you for the mistake I initiated you mentioned 13 times in 4 days as you boasted to me in the bar on Saturday why 13 times why was it necessary for you to exceed the number of times you knew that Tina and I had intercourse s seemed to want to comment but I stopped her not now Sally you'll have plenty of time to
provide your answers when I finish speaking let me finish without interruptions my voice conveyed Authority and an unwillingness to yield to her as I was saying it's not the fact that you felt the need to balance the scales that has escalated this situation I could have understood tit fortat but what I can't comprehend is why you felt the need to go beyond parity after the seventh time or the fourth day with your lover when you drove us to the club on Saturday you had more than payback in mind more than once you told me that
the outcome of that evening was still uncertain and that we might just go our separate ways Sally sat there pondering my words and their significance her face became a stoic Poker Face devoid of emotion revealing no outward signs of her inner thoughts that implied threat the notion that we might not leave together and that you might not even want to leave with me dealt a significant blow to my self-esteem I couldn't help but wonder how we had reached this point my words were deliberate and clearly enunciated you had already admitted to going far beyond the
principle of an eye for an eye so what was your motivation for bringing me to witness your infidelity furthermore what drove you to continue your affair right in front of me why humiliate me so thoroughly why the photographs why the damp underwear throughout our 4-year marriage I had never suspected such a dark side to your personality a dark side that seemed to Crave excessive Revenge whenever threatened or wronged you had always been loving and caring toward me making it even harder to understand while it may sound like an excuse the reason I chose not to
disclose what happened between Tina and me at the resort was that I didn't want to hurt you further with my infidelity I could sense Sally's discomfort as she shifted in her seat yet she remained silent her eyes revealing nothing the fifth day introduced a new element something that drove you to want to completely dismantle me something that remains a mystery to me I still can't make sense of the fifth day it was unnecessary to achieve the retribution you initially sought for your infidelity you had already settled your score you even mentioned that on the first
day with Dan you informed him that the affair would last only 4 days after which you would never see him again therefore I am left with the pressing question of why you felt compelled to take me to the club on on Saturday and initiate a fifth day of extramarital activities with Dan I paused briefly Sally remained motionless showing no emotion or hint of how she would respond when I permitted her to speak all these questions overwhelmed me as you walked away from the table on Saturday it made no sense to me then and it still
doesn't make sense to me now if you're wondering why I left the club after you went off with your lover it was because I couldn't find a rational explanation for why such profound humiliation was necessary there seemed to be more to it than I could logically comprehend end all of a sudden I realized that I didn't truly know you as well as I thought and I could no longer predict your next actions Sally's Poker Face shifted to that of an innocent girl about to explain why she disobeyed her father's orders she moistened her lips with
her tongue before speaking I think I understand what you're trying to do here Peter you're attempting to shift the blame for our marriage crisis onto me I won't allow you to do that you broke your marriage vows first opening the floodgates and now you must face the consequences all I'm seeking Sally is an explanation for why the fifth day held such significance for you why did you feel the need to push your revenge to that extent that's all I'm asking no blame just a reason behind why you believe the fifth day had to occur to
satisfy your sense of vindication I softened my tone hoping to elicit a straightforward response from her Sally pondered my last statement and the question I posed on my way home I called my mother and recounted the entire story to her after hearing my confession and the details she affirmed that I was doing the right thing by seeking retribution however she insisted that we needed to go beyond mere retaliation according to her I needed to teach you a serious lesson it hit me like a ton of bricks it was her mother Edith who was behind the
fifth day Edith Sally's mother that was it it all stemmed from a significant falling out I had with her about a year and a half ago Edith was unwelcome in my home she had a habit of being relentlessly critical constantly finding with everything and everyone around her she claimed that nobody pleased her and her negativity extended to all aspects of her life fortunately Sally and I relocated to a town approximately 250 Mi away from Edith after our marriage however in my view even that distance wasn't enough to put significant space between us and Edith nonetheless
Sally managed to let her mother's negative remarks about me and our life roll off her back around 2 years ago Edith's constant whining and complaining became too much for Sally's father to bear and he decided to leave her several months after their divorce Edith came to visit us for the first day I tolerated her ceaseless bickering before it pushed me over the edge finally I couldn't hold back any longer and I Unleashed all my pent up frustrations on her I made it explicitly clear that she was insufferable and I never wanted her to set foot
in my house again my Outburst caused Sally a great deal of distress but she stood by me the next day Edith left and never returned to my house so the Revenge of the fifth day wasn't Sally's original idea it stemmed from her mother's misguided notion it was now strikingly clear to me I'd never really considered Edith in my attempt to comprehend the events of the fifth day but now it all made sense while Sally was still speaking my focus shifted from Edith to her words she told me mother said all men are cheating lying low
lives none of you can be trusted to be out of our sights she reminded me about my father walking out on her and said you would probably do the same thing to me in a couple of years Sally paused seemingly to gauge my reaction to her words my facial expression undoubtedly underwent a significant change upon hearing about the phone call to her mother Sally went on explaining how her mother had suggested she go back the next day and engage with Dan again then she detailed her mother's plan for me to be publicly humiliated her plan
was intricate and thorough suggesting that she had invested significant thought into it Sally also mentioned sharing the photos that Dan had taken of our activities with me just before heading off for another encounter with him after Sally stopped talking she leaned back as though she believed her response had fully addressed my question it seemed like another attempt to absolve herself of any responsibility for what had happened initially it was all my fault but now the rest of it was her mother's fault Sally was trying to distance herself from blame entirely while that might have held
true to some extent Sally was not a helpless child who had to follow her mother's instructions she was an adult with Free Will and more importantly my wife who was willingly participating in some deeply humiliating actions in public now that I knew the reason for the fifth day I had no intention of letting Sally off the hook so easily she seemed eager to maintain her blameless status and move on as if everyone else was responsible for the crisis I was not prepared to let her off that easily and I looked intently at her before I
began speaking very deliberately so it's Edith's fault for the fourth and fifth days you didn't want to participate in them at all is that correct I paused as Sally nodded in agreement it wasn't that you genuinely desired to continue those encounters with another man as you mentioned earlier instead you were heavily influenced by your mother's desire to see me further punished is that accurate again Sally nodded emphatically my frustration was mounting due to Sally's unwillingness to accept any responsibility and her Readiness to follow her mother's plan to utterly devastate me she appeared to want to
evade blame for all the humiliation I had endured my anger continued to simmer as I recollected all the incidents at the bar and afterward throughout that entire period there was no indication of an apology or any display of remorse on Sally's part she persistently clung to her innocence and placed all the blame on her mother and me I think you're a damn liar Sally I retorted loudly enough to draw the attention of several people who turned to look in our Direction her face immediately flushed with embarrassment as she struggled to find words to fire back
at me however before she could respond I continued remember it was me you took to that bar on Saturday it was me you publicly degraded and humiliated it was me you shared those incriminating photos with despite your attempts to absolve yourself of any wrongdoing Sally I was there I heard your words intended to belittle me to utterly shame me I even recall the tone of your voice as you suggested you might not leave with me all the insinuations and implied threats to our marriage were conveyed through your voice it wasn't your mother's voice it was
yours your actions weren't those of someone merely play acting they were the acts of a cunning vindictive woman driven by her own form of Vengeance perhaps it started as your mother's plan but when the time came to put it into action it was all you your concealed anger your desire to rub my face and your infidelity were all on full display before me that's why I believe it's over between us your loving facade was a cover for underlying resentment stemming from being raised by your bitter mother you're a damned hypocrite you wanted everything to unfold
the way it did I'm certain that if I had stuck around waiting for your return you would have insisted on the freedom to visit Dan whenever you pleased there's been no remorse in your actions at the bar or in anything you've done since you may think you have the upper hand to know me inside out but Peter you're clueless now that I've experienced what another man has to offer Dan won't be the only man sharing my bed her words dripped with Venom as she retorted I reached into my coat pocket and retrieved the papers her
eyes widened as she must have realized what they were I no longer care to read your story Sally here are the divorce papers that will grant you the Liberty to engage with any man you want from now on there's also a restraining order in place prohibiting any future contact with me in any way shape or form you can't call me see me or approach my house if you do I'll have you arrested and you can spend some time Behind Bars I'm done with you for good I declared as I Rose to leave Sally was left
speechless as I placed the papers in front of her oh one last thing there's a pre- addressed envelope there so you can inform me of your new address this weekend I've arranged for movers to come over and pack the rest of your belongings the boxes will be kept in public storage until you provide me with instructions on where to send them I left two $20 bills on the table and as I turned to depart Sally shouted you damn bastard I'll show you who walks out on whom All Eyes turned toward Sally I simply offered a
smile in return and mouthed a single word salt a new thought came to the Forefront of my mind I recalled reading somewhere that to predict what your wife would be like in 25 years you should closely observe her mother today this idea brought R smile to my face after all I had only invested four years in this underlying resentful woman it was better to discover her true nature now than to have it emerge in another 10 or 15 years like mother like daughter the divorce proceeded relatively smoothly with only one major disagreement when the judge
questioned Tina about whether we had ever had an affair true to her word tina vehemently denied any Affair and the judge was persuaded by her convincing denial Sally on the other hand erupted in anger and the judge even considered holding her in contempt of court I haven't crossed paths with Sally since we left the courthouse on the day our divorce was finalized nearly 3 years ago I remain unmarried frequently dating different women and enjoying their company when I sense a relationship might be taking a more serious turn I often suggest meeting their mothers after a
couple of dinner dates with both the mother and daughter I typically find that remaining single is the best choice for me wherever you are Sally I appreciate the valuable lesson you've taught me