I turned my head towards the window, tears
silently streaming down my face.
When we got home, while he was taking a
shower, I went to his computer. The password
was Tiffany’s birthday. The desktop was a
picture of the Maldives. Where Tiffany had been
living.
I pulled up his social media page. The
background was a picture of him and Tiffany
together. And the only person he was following
<
was Tiffany. I clicked on it and the page was
filled with pictures of her life overseas. She was
wearing jewelry that was from one of Jake’s
brands. Her scarf was a new line that his
company was promoting. And even the place she was staying was at a resort that Jake’s
company owned overseas. A resort that he had
just built three years ago, the only one he had.
My hands shook as I clicked on his payment history. Every month, a million dollars went to Tiffany. For three years. I saw each payment, and a wave of coldness rushed over me.
I remembered the single word he had on his
profile.
Waiting
I had asked him about it before, he said it was
just some random thing he wrote years ago. But I knew the answer now.
We hadn’t taken one picture together in three
years, except the ones on the wall. No matter
how I cried, he told me that we saw each other
every day, there was no need for pictures. But
now I get it; it’s not that there was no need, it’s
just that I was not important to him.
I laughed bitterly and didn’t look anymore. I just
bought a plane ticket for three days from now.
And cancelled all of my IDs. Three days is
enough to say good bye to three years. I put the
countdown as my phone background to remind
myself of the time.
When he got out of the shower, I was already in
bed. He thought I was asleep, so he didn’t say
anything.
I didn’t sleep at all.
In the morning, when I went to brush my teeth,
my phone rang.
<
In the morning, when I went to brush my teeth,
my phone rang.
“Sarah, what did you cancel your ID for?” Jake
was suspicious.
I quickly took the phone from him trying to stay
calm and said, “Oh nothing. It expired, I’m just
going to renew it.”
“Aren’t you working on a project today? Go get
busy.” He didn’t suspect anything, he just
pulled me in close and rubbed his face into my
hair.
“Thank you honey. I’m so lucky to have such a
great wife.”
I just smiled and didn’t say anything.
“To reward you, how about I give you a gift
today?”
:
“Okay, I’ll be home.”
He was going to try everything to keep me from
going after Tiffany. It was time to end this three
year show.
As soon as he left, I called the DMV to confirm
the cancellation of my documents. I got the
form and went to find a lawyer. I asked about
the release and he told me that a family release
is just as effective.
It was binding, it couldn’t be taken back. I didn’t
ask anything else, I just got him to print two
divorce papers for me.
With papers in hand I went to Jake’s company.
As soon as I walked in I could hear the
employees talking.
“Is that Mrs. Johnson? I hear she just got back
from overseas, no wonder she’s got Jake’s
<
attention. She’s stunning!”
“Definitely. Her bag is the new Hermes line,
only 10 made in the world. I saw Jake looking at bags several times. How sweet that he is buying her the best stuff.”
“Is the resort overseas the one that he built for
her? They were childhood sweethearts, it’s like
something out of a TV show.”
At the top floor, I stood outside the door, I
could hear his voice.
“How have you been these past three years?”
“Great. I woke up every day with the sea and
clean air. And I can’t thank you enough; if it wasn’t for you…”
“Don’t mention it. I believe it wasn’t intentional.
I helped you because I wanted to help myself.”
Tiffany laughed, almost shaking her head in a
way that was childishly charming.
“You’re still the same after all these years. If
Sarah finds out what you’re up to she is going to be furious with you.”
“This bag is too expensive, I can’t accept it.
Give it to Sarah, I don’t want her suing me
again.”
Tiffany had always been this way. She would
take everything she could get, and then act like
she was doing me a favor, putting all the blame
on me.
At my wedding three years ago I had revealed
her for what she was, a murderer. I completely
ruined her relationship with both Jake and Sam.
Everyone was on her side, accusing me of
making a big deal out of it. I was the laughing
stock. Jake’s appearance had become my only
salvation. But now, he was the one who pushed
<
me into the abyss.
The secretary ran over with the contract, and
threw open the door. Jake looked surprised to
see me.
“Sarah? When did you get here? Don’t get the
wrong idea, Tiffany just got back and she was
catching me up.”
“Sarah, it’s good to see you again.” Tiffany got
up from her chair wearing a dress from one of
Jake’s fashion brands. She looked radiant, like
she had just spent the last three years relaxing
in the sun.
I just nodded and smiled through my misery.
“It’s okay. I just wanted to see you when I was
shopping. Since you’re busy, I will go back
home.”
Jake thought that I was mad, he rushed to
Г
explain himself.
97
“Don’t be like this, I was just asking her about how she was doing. She’s a woman, and I can
imagine it would be hard for her there.”
“It’s been three years, shouldn’t we put everything behind us? You told me it was all in the past right?”
I looked at him smiling, seeing how anxious he was, but I just laughed inside. He was
sacrificing his marriage to save Tiffany. Now that Tiffany was safe and well, who was he putting on a show for?
“Yeah, it’s all behind us, don’t worry about it.
I’m not unreasonable. I’m a woman of my
word.”
“Go get back to work. I’ll be home waiting for
you.”
He visibly relaxed and asked his secretary to
escort me downstairs. On the way out he
reminded me that the Hamilton’s were having a
party tomorrow night to welcome Tiffany. He
wanted her to look good for the cameras, so
everyone thought she had just been studying
overseas.
I nodded, I understood. I wouldn’t act up at the
party.
He finally relaxed and let me go.
When I got home, I took the wedding pictures
from the wall and tore them into pieces,
throwing them in the trash.
That night, Jake didn’t come home. Tiffany had
already reactivated her social media.
She posted a picture of their candlelight dinner.
He wasn’t in the picture, only his hand. The
place where he used to have his ring was bare,
<
with only a tan line to show he ever wore one.
It was Jake.
