A Failed Affair

Leah stood frozen, watching as Derek walked out the door without so much as a glance.

Left alone with her thoughts, her legs weakened and she collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face.

She was still trying to process everything that happened, everything Derek said. How could he say all those cruel things with a plain face? How could he look at her, the woman who had stood by him through everything with such cold indifference and blame her for all their failed attempts at having a child?

The thoughts gnawed at her and she got up and started pacing the room frantically. She felt a mixture of sadness, anger, and betrayal. She had given everything for this marriage and he had just turned and blamed her for all of it. At this point, she could not help but wonder how long he had felt this way.

“How could you say those things to me?” She whispered into the silence, Derek’s words replaying in her head.

The way he rushed to her side, held her, and defended her was an image she wished she could get out of her head. If someone had seen them at that moment, they’d think Chantelle was his wife. Her chest tightened as a chilling realization began to creep in.

Was this the real reason he hired her? Did he see in her something she couldn’t give him? A child?

“Oh my God!” She gasped, covering her mouth in horror.

What if this whole time they’d already slept together? What if Chantelle was pregnant for him, and this whole work thing was just a cover for something deeper? Leah shook her head trying to dispel the thought. ‘No. Derek wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t wouldn’t sink that low. He wouldn’t betray me like that…would he?’ She wondered.

Just then, she heard his phone chime, breaking her out of her thoughts. Leah scanned the room, searching for the phone, and found it at the foot of the staircase.

She hesitated for a moment, trying to dismiss the thoughts that formed.

“Don’t do it, Leah. Derek is your husband, he’s not having an affair or hiding anything from you.” She muttered, but her mind kept drifting towards the phone and in a moment of weakness she picked up the phone and swiped it open.

At first, she felt a small wave of relief when she saw it was Bryan, Derek’s best friend and lawyer. It had to be something about work, she thought.

But curiosity gnawed at her and against her better judgment, she tapped on the message thread, and immediately her hands weakened, as she read through the text,

“I can’t divorce her now. I’d lose more from this divorce if she took half of my fortune. Until my assets and fortune are safely transferred into my offshore account, I can’t divorce her yet.”

Leah froze, the words burning in her mind. She could not believe it.

This whole time she thought Derek stayed because he wanted to work things out. Some hope that despite the distance growing between them, he still cared. But now she saw it wasn’t love. It wasn’t even about her. It was all about protecting his wealth.

Leah felt a sharp sting in her heart. Her entire body weakened and she staggered backward until her knees gave out. She sank onto the couch, her heart breaking.

Was that all their marriage was worth to him? Money?!

Her eyes began to well with tears, but she composed herself, hardening her resolve. She’d already cried so much for him and now realized that he was never worth her tears.

She thought back to all the times she had been there for him. Every late night she stayed up to help him prepare for meetings. Every deal she helped him close, and all the times she defended him, but when push came to shove, he didn’t think twice before taking Chantelle’s side.

She gave up everything for him, and it still wasn’t enough.

Her heart sank. The way he brushed her aside so easily, prioritizing Chantelle over her was a painful reminder of where she stood in his life.

Picking up the phone, she scrolled through the message thread and saw a divorce document Bryan had drafted, and her face burned with humiliation. Derek had already gone ahead and drafted divorce papers. Three years! Three years of sacrifice and putting up with his bullshit and he was not even going to at least try to have a conversation with her about this.

Leah sat motionlessly, contemplating over and over what to do. But the more she thought about it, the clearer things started to be. There was no saving their marriage. Maybe it was time for them to really get divorced, but she’d be damned if she gave him the pleasure of walking out on her.

With that going through her mind, she picked herself up and went upstairs to their room, printed the divorce papers off his phone, and started packing a few of the things she needed.

A few moments later, she heard the familiar sound of his car horn. Closing her travel bag, she grabbed the divorce papers and Derek’s phone and headed downstairs. To her greatest surprise as the door opened, she saw Derek walking hand in hand with Chantelle.

Leah fumed with so much anger, but she held herself back and took a deep breath.

“I see you brought her back,” she said nonchalantly.

“Not now, Leah. Thanks to you, she can’t walk by herself and needs someone to assist her. So she’s going to be staying here and Sylvia will be assisting her.” Derek replied in the same indifferent tone, barely noticing the suitcase Leah had behind her back.

“Of course,” Leah chuckled painfully. She took a deep breath, trying to muster courage for what she was about to do. In her head, it was much simpler to walk away. But despite everything that happened, it still wasn’t that easy to let go. Derek was supposed to be the father of her child. After so many years of trying, they could finally have the dream family they’d wanted for so long.

She thought about telling him about her pregnancy, but then remembered the venom laced in his words and the look in his eyes before he left earlier, and decided not to say anything. This was so hard to do.

However, standing here now, staring at those same pair of arms that held her close on cold nights, wrapped around another woman so tightly, it made this a little easier.

With that, she pulled out the envelope and tossed it on the table.

Derek’s eyes shifted to her, and then he suddenly noticed the suitcase behind her, “What’s this Leah? What are you doing?”