s captured them in intimate positions. One photo even showed them completely naked, a sight that twisted my stomach into knots. I felt as if I had forgotten how to

n't know, I swear I didn't know. I hate myself so much right now. Was I supposed to feel sympathy for her? No! The overwhelming sense of self-pity had consumed my heart. I'm never going to see him again. I don't want to ruin your marriage. I'm so sorry. You'll never have to see me again, I promise. I chuckled bitterly. She may have had good intentions, but the truth was, the marriage was already in ruins. I had held on for far too long, and now, I was done. I didn't know what to do next. Fresh tears began to fall as I pulled my knees to my chest and hugged them tightly. Crying wouldn't solve my problems, but I couldn't help it. What was I supposed to do right now? Hours passed, and darkness enveloped the room. I didn't bother turning on the lights; the darkness offered a strange comfort, allowing me to wallow in my thoughts. I heard the sound of staggered footsteps climbing up the stairs, and Mike stumbled into the room. He didn't see me; or if he did, he didn't say a word. He flopped onto the bed, and soon, his loud snoring filled the space. My heart ached more than ever. I couldn't stop crying. Breathing felt like a struggle as I fought to remain as quiet as possible. At that moment, I made a decision. This marriage was as good as over. I couldn't stay after this betrayal. Quietly, I picked up my phone and searched for a contact. Finding it, I opened up a text message. Joan, Mike is cheating on me. Joan was my best friend. We had been friends for years, but our friendship had become strained since she moved to Hawaii. I had been invited to visit a few times, but Mike had always refused to let me go. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity to leave. To my relief, sh