His Regret, My Freedom

The call came on a sunny Tuesday, a day promising peace, as I reviewed blueprints in my home office. Then, my phone vibrated with his name: Ethan Carter, my husband. "Chloe," he said, his voice cold and distant, "We need to get a divorce." He wanted to give "her" legitimate status; he' d met someone. I simply leaned back, my voice flat, "Okay. Then we should do that." He hung up, without a proper goodbye, after arranging for his lawyer to draft the generous settlement papers. My best friend, Maya, on the other hand, exploded, "That son of a bitch! After everything you' ve done for him!" Her fury was a storm I couldn't feel, my own emotions a placid lake. "He wants to give 'the other woman' legitimate status," I recited, the words foreign on my tongue. Maya vowed to burn his suits and sue him for every penny, insisting I was in shock. "It' s okay," I told her, a tired smile touching my lips. "I also had an affair." A different kind of silence fell. "And another thing," I added, looking at my perfect blueprints, "His affair? I arranged it."