«Repeat what you just said?»
Emily stood in the middle of the living room, her fingers gripping the back of the armchair. She stared unblinkingly at James, the man she had shared nearly twenty years of her life withthe man she thought she knew as well as herself. They had never had childrenfirst, it was «not the right time,» then «we should wait a little longer,» and eventually, it just never happened. Together, they had weathered mortgages, renovations, hard times, and rare holidays. Their marriage had seemed steady and secure, free of grand passions but full of warmth and quiet companionship.
James sighed heavily. His face twisted as if from a toothache, and he looked at Emily with guilt before repeating himself, slowly, as if explaining something painfully complicated.
«A few years ago, I had a fling,» James avoided her gaze, studying the carpet instead. «It was stupid, a mistake, a moment of weakness. You rememberwe were going through a rough patch back then. I slipped up, and I know I messed up… but now shes reached out.»
Emily remained silent, her stomach twisting into knots as she braced for what was coming.
«She found me and told me I have a daughter,» James continued, still not looking up. «Shes three now.»
The world seemed to tilt beneath Emilys feet. In that single moment, her life and marriage were crumbling apart.
«Emily, I swear to you,» James stepped forward, reaching out. «I feel nothing for that woman. I love only you, and Ill stay with you. Do you understand? Ill support the child financiallychildren shouldnt pay for their parents mistakes. But I dont want a family with them. I want only you.»
Emily sank into the armchair, wrapping her arms around herself. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks, but she barely noticed. James knelt beside her, hesitantly touching her shoulder.
«We can start over, Emily,» he whispered, his voice pleading like a childs. «It was just a mistake, a slip. Shes no threat to us. I promise. Please forgive me, darling…»
It took Emily months to forgive him. Her love proved stronger than the pain and humiliation. She truly believed they could fix thingsthat twenty years of marriage couldnt be destroyed by one foolish mistake. James was so grateful, so tender, that Emily almost convinced herself the worst was behind them.
But time proved her wrong. James began disappearing more often»just running an errand,» delivering gifts to his daughter, attending nursery events. Soon, he spoke of the little girl with a smile Emily hadnt seen in years. Then he started mentioning the mother, his voice softening each time.
«Sophies doing wellshes a good mum,» James said over dinner, cutting into his shepherds pie. «And little Lily looks just like me. Same eyes, same dimples, same stubborn streak.»
Emily tried to ignore how her husband was changing, how his face lit up at the mention of his daughter and her mother. But the pain sharpened with each passing day. James worked late, vanished on weekends, cancelled their rare evenings together. She could feel herself fading from his life, replaced by the woman who had given him what she never coulda child.
The breaking point came on the evening they were supposed to go to the theatrea rare outing Emily had looked forward to for weeks. She had bought a new navy-blue dress, styled her hair, her heart clinging to hope that things might still mend.
But James called an hour before they were due to leave. She knew before he spokethe night was over.
«Lilys running a fevernearly 40 degrees,» he said quickly, nervously. «Sophies panicking, the doctor wont be here for hours. I have to go. You understand, dont you?»
He didnt return until morning. Emily knew he had spent the night under another roofwith Sophie, with their daughter. She could no longer pretend not to see what was happening.
«You only think about them now!» she shouted, her arms flailing. «Her, your daughteranyone but me! When was the last time you asked how I was? When did we last spend a weekend together? When did you last kiss me?»
James started justifying himself, but the guilt in his voice was gone. Only exhaustion remained, and frustration at having to explain what he thought was obvious.
«Emily, you have to understand… shes my child. My daughter. I cant ignore her needs. I cant stay out of her life.»
That was when Emily realisedhis «mistake» had long ceased to be one. Sophie and Lily were now part of Jamess world, perhaps the most important part. And she? She had become a shadow, a relic of the past.
«What happened to your promises?» she asked quietly, sitting across from him. «You swore they meant nothing. That you loved only me. Remember?»
James looked away, rubbing the bridge of his nose. His silence stretched, louder than any words.
«I thought that was trueI wasnt lying,» he finally admitted. «But Ive fallen in love with Lily. Shes clever, funny… And Ive fallen for So» He cut himself off, realising too late what hed said.
«And?» Emily pressed, though she already knew. «Finish that sentence, James.»
«And Sophie too,» he murmured. «Ive realised what a real family is. Its where theres a child, where theres a future.»
His words crashed over her like ice water. James hadnt just grown to love his childhe loved the mother too. This was no longer just an affair or financial support. He had built a second family. And that was the end of everything.
«Youre sleeping with her,» she said flatlynot a question, a fact.
James nodded, eyes downcast. There was no point pretending anymore.
«And what am I? Not family?» Emily stood, her voice hardening. «Twenty years of marriagedoes that mean nothing?»
«Emily, when theres a child, its different,» he defended. «You wouldnt understand!»
«Oh, now *thats* how you speak to me?» she yelled, all her pain bursting free. «Every time I brought up children, you had excusescareer, money, the flat, timing. Now suddenly *our* family isnt enough?»
James looked at her helplessly.
«Yes, I was wrong then. But now I have a daughter. And youll have to accept that. We can work something out. We dont have to»
«Dont have to *what*?» Emily laughed bitterly. «Divorce? What would your precious Sophie say? Then again, she slept with a married manclearly shame means nothing to her!»
«Dont talk about Sophie like that,» James snapped. «Shes a good woman. A wonderful mother.»
«And Im a bad wife? Fine. Have it your way!»
Emily refused to endure it any longer. She turned and marched to the bedroom, flinging clothes into a suitcase. James followed, watching helplessly.
«Emily, lets talk calmly. Dont make rash decisions. Maybe we can compromise.»
«*Rash*?» She didnt look up. «Ive put up with your double life for three years. Three years of watching you become a stranger. Ive tolerated it too long. Let myself be humiliated. While you and she»
«Where will you go?» he asked, lost. «The flats in both our names. You cant just leave.»
«Ill take half the flat and our savingsby law, twenty years counts for something,» she said coldly, zipping the suitcase. «Then youre free to play happy families. But I wont lie to myself anymore.»
James reached for her arm, but Emily jerked away as if burned.
«I never meant for this to happen. It just… did.»
«Nothing *just happens*,» she shot back, lifting the suitcase. «You chose your daughter and your mistress. Now live with it.»
A month later, the divorce papers signed, Emily moved into a small two-bedroom flat across town. The rooms were bright but hollow. The first days passed in eerie silence. She wandered through the emptiness, unaccustomed to being alone.
She had to relearn how to live for onebuying groceries just for herself, cooking small meals, sleeping in an empty bed.
In the park, she watched mothers with prams and children on swings. She realisedbecause of James, she had lost her chance for a child of her own.
But she refused to give up. On her phone, she had tabs open for adoption agencies. Somewhere out there, a child was waitingone she could love with all the warmth shed saved over the years. She believed it would happen. And one day, she would have a family againreal, and true.
