«Repeat what you just said?»
Emily stood in the middle of the living room, her fingers gripping the back of the armchair. She stared at James, the man she had been married to for nearly twenty yearsthe man she thought she knew inside out. They had no childrenfirst it was «not the right time,» then «we should wait a bit longer,» and eventually, it just never happened. They had been through it all together: mortgages, home renovations, tough times, and the occasional holiday. Their marriage had always seemed steady and reliableno grand passions, but warm and familiar.
James sighed heavily. He winced as if in physical pain, guilt flashing in his eyes as he looked at Emily and repeated himself slowly, like he was explaining something impossibly complicated.
«A few years ago, I had an affair,» James said, his eyes fixed on the carpet pattern. «A stupid mistake, a fling. You remember how rough things were between us then? I slipped up, and I know I messed up and now shes back.»
Emily stayed silent, her insides twisting into knots. She could feel disaster looming.
«She found me and told me I have a daughter,» James continued, still avoiding her gaze. «Shes three.»
The world swayed beneath Emilys feet. In that very moment, her life and marriage shattered.
«Em, I swear to you,» James stepped closer, reaching out. «I dont feel anything for that woman. I love only you, and Ill stay with you. Ill just support the child financiallykids shouldnt suffer for adult mistakes. But I dont want them. I only want you.»
Emily sank into the armchair, wrapping her arms around herself. Hot tears streaked down her cheeks, but she barely noticed. James sat beside her, hesitantly touching her shoulder.
«We can start fresh, Em,» he whispered, his voice almost pleading. «It was a mistake, just a fling. Shes no threat to us. I promise. Forgive me, love»
It took Emily months to forgive him. Her love ran deeper than the pain and humiliation. She truly believed things could be fixedthat twenty years of marriage couldnt crumble over one stupid mistake. James was so grateful, so tender, that Emily almost convinced herself the worst was over.
But time proved her wrong. James started disappearing more oftendelivering gifts to his daughter, attending nursery events. Soon, he spoke of the little girl with a smile Emily hadnt seen on his face in years. Then he started mentioning the mother, warmth creeping into his voice.
«Sophies brilliant with her,» James said over dinner, cutting into his steak. «And Lily looks just like memy eyes, my dimples, even my 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 grew sharper every day. James worked late more often, vanished on weekends, cancelled their rare evenings together. She was fading from his life, replaced by the woman who had given him a child.
The breaking point came the night they were supposed to go to the theatrea rare outing shed been looking forward to for weeks. She had bought a new navy-blue dress, styled her hair, and clung to the hope that things might still mend.
But James called an hour before they were meant to leave. She already knewthe show was off.
«Lilys got a feveralmost forty degrees,» he said quickly, voice tense. «Sophies panicking, the doctor wont be here for hours. I have to go. You understand, dont you?»
James didnt return until morning. Emily knew hed slept under another roofwith that woman and their daughter. She couldnt pretend anymore.
«You only think about them now!» she yelled, flinging her arms wide. «Her, your daughter, anyone 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 defended himself, but the guilt in his voice had vanished. Only exhaustion and irritation remained.
«Em, come on shes my child. I cant just ignore her. I cant not be part of her life.»
Thats when Emily knewhis «mistake» had long stopped being one. Sophie and Lily were part of his life now, maybe the most important part. And 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 rubbed the bridge of his nose, silent. The quiet stretched, louder than any words.
«I thought that was trueI wasnt lying,» he finally admitted. «But I love my daughter. Shes clever, funny and I love So» He cut himself off, but it was too late.
«Go on,» Emily pressed, though she already knew.
«And Sophie too,» he murmured. «Ive realised what a real family is. Its where theres a child, a future.»
His words crashed over her like ice. James didnt just love his daughterhe loved the mother too. This wasnt an affair or financial support anymore. He had a second family.
«Youre sleeping with her.» It wasnt a question.
James nodded, eyes down. There was no point pretending.
«And what am I? Not family?» Emily stood, steel in her voice. «Twenty years of marriagedoes that not count?»
«Em, you dont get it. When theres a child, its different.»
«Oh, now you say that?» she shouted, all her pain erupting. «Every time I brought up children, you had excusescareer, money, the flat, timing. Now our marriage isnt enough?»
James looked at her helplessly.
«Yes, I was wrong then. But I have a daughter now. Youll have to accept that. We can figure something out. We dont have to»
«Dont have to what?» Emily cut in with a bitter laugh. «Divorce? What will your Sophie say? Then again, why would she care? She slept with a married manclearly shames not an issue!»
«Dont talk about Sophie like that,» James snapped. «Shes a good woman. A brilliant mother.»
«And Im a bad wife? Fine. Let it be that way.»
Emily turned and marched to the bedroom, throwing clothes into a suitcase. James followed, lost.
«Em, lets talk properly. No rash decisions. Maybe we can compromise.»
«Rash?» She didnt look back. «Ive endured three years of your double life. Three years watching you become a stranger. Ive tolerated too much already. Let myself be humiliated. While you two»
«Where will you go?» he asked, bewildered. «The flats half yoursyou cant just leave.»
«Ill take my half of the flat and our savingstwenty years counts for something,» she said flatly, snapping the suitcase shut. «Then you can run to your new family and live happily ever after. But I wont let myself be lied to or disrespected anymore.»
James reached for her arm, but Emily jerked away as if burned.
«I didnt mean for this to happen. I never planned to fall in love.»
«Nothing just happens,» she said coldly, lifting the suitcase. «You chose your daughter and your mistress. Now live with it.»
A month later, once the divorce papers were finalised, Emily moved into a small two-bedroom flat across town. It was bright but empty. The first days passed in eerie silence. She wandered the rooms, unused to being alone.
She had to relearn how to live by herselfbuying groceries for one, cooking small portions, sleeping in an empty bed.
At the park, she watched mothers with prams and children playing. She realisedbecause of her ex-husband, shed lost her chance to have her own child.
But she refused to give up. Her phone browser held tabs for adoption agencies. Somewhere, a child was waitingone she could love with all the warmth she had left. She believed it would happen. Shed have a family againreal, honest, and true.
