After my husband betrayed me with my best friend, I couldnt stop smiling when I ran into them three years later.
When my marriage fell apart after a miscarriage, I discovered hed left me for his childhood sweetheart. Three years passed before I saw them again at a petrol stationand I couldnt help but grin.
At first, when my husband grew distant, I turned to my closest friend for comfort. She told me I was overthinking, but as it turned out, she was lying. Fate let me witness the aftermath of their betrayal three years later.
I always thought infidelity happened to other peoplesomething you read about in novels or whispered over dinner. Not to me. Not to us.
For five years, Edward and I built a life together. It wasnt extravagant, but it was oursfilm nights on the sofa, Sunday morning coffee runs, inside jokes only we understood.
Throughout it all, there was Emilymy best friend since school, like a sister. She was there for every milestone, even standing beside me as my bridesmaid, holding my hands and crying with joy.
When I found out I was expecting, I thought it would be another beautiful chapter. Then Edward changed.
At first, it was small thingslate nights at work, smiles that never reached his eyes. Then it got worse. He barely looked at me. Conversations dwindled to one-word answers. Nights spent with his back turned, as if I didnt exist.
I didnt understand. I was exhausted, heavily pregnant, desperately trying to fix what was crumbling between us. So I called Emily.
I dont know whats happening, I sobbed into the phone, curled into a ball in the dark while Edward slept soundly beside me. Its like hes already left.
Youre overreacting, she said gently. He loves you. Its just stress.
I wanted to believe her.
But the constant tensionsleepless nights, anxiety, loneliness despite being marriedwore me down.
Then one morning, I woke in pain. By evening, I was in hospital, watching the doctors lips move but hearing nothing.
No heartbeat.
No baby.
They say grief comes in waves. Mine was an avalanche.
The miscarriage shattered me, but Edward? He was already gone. He sat beside me in that hospital room, cold and silent, never reaching for my hand, never offering comfort. Just waiting, like he was at a bus stop, not mourning the loss of our child.
A month later, he finally said the words I think hed rehearsed for ages.
Im not happy anymore, Charlotte.
That was it. No explanations, no emotion. Just empty dismissal.
The day he left was without arguments, without shouting, without tears. Just icy silence.
Im not happy anymore, Charlotte.
I blinked at him across the kitchen table, his words like a weight on my chest.
What? I whispered, voice trembling.
He sighed, rubbing his temples like I was the problem.
I dont feel anything. Not for a long time.
Not for a long time.
I swallowed hard.
Since we lost the baby?
His jaw tightened.
Thats not the point.
The lie was almost laughable.
I searched his face for any signremorse, guilt, anything. But he just sat there, refusing to meet my eyes.
So thats it? Five years, and you just walk away? My hands clenched under the table.
He sighed again, impatient this time.
I dont want to argue, Charlotte.
I laughedthe kind of laugh that escapes when youre on the edge.
Oh, you dont want to argue? Funny, because I never got a choice in any of this.
He stood, grabbing his keys.
Ill stay with friends.
Before I could reply, the door slammed.
Emily, my best friend, vanished soon after. She was my rock, but then she stopped answering calls, ignored messages, blocked me everywhere.
I didnt understanduntil Mum called one evening, voice tense.
Charlotte, love look at this.
She sent a link to Emilys Instagram.
And there they were.
Edward and Emily. Arms around each other on a beach, laughing like theyd been in love for years.
My hands shook as I scrolled. Picture after picture, week after week. Fancy restaurants, ski resorts, romantic evenings by the fire. She flaunted it, openlywhile I was still his wife.
The betrayal burned like acid. But if they thought this would break me, they were wrong.
I turned my pain into power. Edward had been careless, too wrapped up in his fantasy to hide his tracks. In court, his infidelity became my trump card. In the end, I kept the house, half his money, and the satisfaction of knowing he had to start over.
He took my trust. I took what was mine.
Starting over wasnt easy. But life rewards the resilient.
A year later, I met Daniel.
He was everything Edward wasntkind, attentive, never dismissing my feelings. We built a real life, not one for show. Soon, our daughter was bornmy mirror image with his smile.
Then fate gave me the perfect ending.
One evening, I stopped at a petrol station. And there they were.
Edward and Emily.
No designer clothes, no happy photos now. Their cara rusted wreck, an argument in the shop, a crying child, an empty bank card.
We cant even afford petrol? Emily whined.
You knew money was tight, Edward snapped.
Emily laughed bitterly.
Guess Charlotte won this one.
I started the engine and drove hometo my real happiness.
