“Another gift from Lisa?” I asked, as he carried a little pot plant into the house.
My husband turned to me, looking surprised.
“Yeah, just a little something she said she picked up at the Farmer’s Market,” he replied, heading to the kitchen.
“Why does she keep giving you things?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“She’s just friendly, Emma. It’s no big deal, honey.”
I tried to brush it off as nothing important. But then there were the homemade meals.
I knew that my husband loved my cooking. He always said that my food was so much better than his mother’s.
“Don’t let her hear that,” Alex said when we sat down for dinner early in our relationship. I had invited him over for a home-cooked dinner and it had solidified my role in his life.
One evening, we sat down to dinner as Alex got home from work. He tossed the salad as I cut into the lasagna.
“You really have to try Lisa’s lasagna, honey, it’s amazing!”
“Why is she feeding you, Alex?” I asked, putting my fork down.
I had never wanted to be an insecure wife. It was something that I hated. I couldn’t stand the frustration over my husband working his long hours, or constantly wondering who he was talking to. Or where he was going.
I didn’t want to question if his work meetings were actually meetings or whether they were dates with other women.
And yet, there was something about Lisa that turned me into that exact person.
“Look, Emma, she said that she made extra and she brought some for me to have for lunch. I didn’t want to be rude, so I ate it,” he said, looking at me with confusion.
“I’m sorry,” I said, the look on his face sobering me up. “It’s just a little much for me.”
Alex smiled and poured wine into our glasses.
I knew that he would leave the conversation where it was. That he wouldn’t want to get into it and entertain my insecurities. He knew that deep down, I still trusted him.
But the final straw came at the company’s annual corporate event. It was Alex’s big work event for the year, and all spouses were invited.
“It’s going to be at one of the fancy hotels downtown,” Alex said. “So, get all dressed up, love. This is the time for us to be all formal and fancy.”
If I was being honest, I was quite excited about it. It was usually in a grand ballroom with incredible food. And usually live music.
On the day, I wore my favorite dress, and put on my wedding earrings. I was actually looking forward to the evening, and for a moment, I forgot about Lisa.
“You look stunning, honey,” Alex said as we walked into the ballroom. There was a live band playing in the corner and the ambiance was perfect.
As we mingled with some of Alex’s colleagues, Lisa made her grand entrance.
She was glamorous in a sleek red dress, turning heads as she walked in. And even though everyone turned to look at her, she made a beeline for my husband, completely ignoring me.
“Here’s my work husband!” she exclaimed loudly, throwing her arms around him.
My stomach turned, the nausea taking over. Alex, to his benefit, looked embarrassed, but before he could say a word, Lisa turned to me with a patronizing smile.
CONTINUE READING NEXT PAGE
ADVERTISEMENT
