His Wife's Sinful Revenge

Chapter 3: The decision

~Vivian~

I clutched my phone tightly, my knuckles white as I whispered into the phone, “My husband wants an open marriage.”

There was a tense silence on the other end of the phone before Tasha released a "WHAT?!"

I winced, pulling the phone away from my ear as my best friend, Tasha, shrieked loud enough to wake the dead.

"Vee, are you kidding me right now? That bastard cheated on you, humiliated you in front of everyone, and now he wants an OPEN MARRIAGE?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "It’s either that or a divorce."

"Then divorce his stupid ass!" Tasha exploded. "You should’ve packed your bags the moment you caught him. For f**k’s sake you should’ve thrown his clothes out and set them on fire!"

"It’s not that easy, Tasha."

"Vee, you are the sweetest, smartest person I know, but if you tell me you’re even considering this bullshit—"

"I don’t have a choice," I cut in, my voice hoarse. "You know my family. If I even breathe the word ‘divorce,’ they’ll drag me back to him before I can step out the door. My father will kill me before he accepts that I left my marriage because of something as flimsy as cheating.”

“You’re twenty-five years old, Vee. You’re a full-blown adult. Why do you let them dictate how your life should be?”

I sniffled and exhaled deeply. While it was true that I was an adult capable of making her own decisions, being the only daughter of a man whose only focus was on garnering power and alliances didn’t help. It certainly didn’t help that I’d been born into a patriarchal home.

"But, I don’t think I have much say in this matter. I can’t bring myself to have an open marriage with Nathan, yet I still can’t divorce him. I don’t know what else to do.”

There was a pause. Then, Tasha cursed under her breath. "Damn your patriarchal, backwards, archaic-minded family, Vee. They’d rather see you miserable than let you leave a cheating bastard?"

I pressed my fingers against the bridge of my nose, seriously considering the option which I knew would be better for me, but couldn’t choose because of my family values. "This isn’t about my happiness. It’s about my duty and my place as a wife."

I heard Tasha scoff. "Your place is not to be some trophy wife who turns a blind eye while her husband screws the house help—"

A deep male voice suddenly interrupted our conversation.

"Vivian."

I stiffened, turning to see Nathan standing at the doorway with another woman. My stomach turned as I took in the tall, blonde woman who clung to Nathan’s arm, her red lips curved in a smug smile.

"Make us some snacks and drinks," Nathan ordered casually, as if he hadn’t just shattered my entire world. "We’ll be in the bedroom."

I felt Tasha’s sharp intake of breath through the phone. "Vee," She called in warning. "Don’t you dare."

But I was already moving. I didn't argue, or lash out. I just told Tasha that I’d call her back, and walked into the kitchen. My hands shook as I prepared a tray of fresh fruits, crackers, a cheese platter, and a bottle of wine.

With the tray in my hands, I walked up the stairs. The bedroom door was open and Nathan was already sprawled on the bed, the blonde beside him, running her fingers down his chest.

“Are you sure your wife doesn’t mind? She looks like she would murder me for touching you without second thoughts,” the blonde asked Nathan, all the while sizing me up condescendingly.

I watched, my heart breaking, as my husband leaned in and kissed the blonde deeply. “She already understands that she cannot get it up for me.” His hands curved into her skirt, “but you…you do it for me every single time.”

Trying not to think too much about the scenario, I placed the tray on the bedside table and then turned to leave. As I stepped out, I heard soft giggles and sheets rustling. It was accompanied by glass shattering and then loud moans.

I stopped mid-walk, my nails digging into my palms. Tears threatened to drown my eyes, but I blinked them back ferociously. Something inside me snapped then. A vindictive feeling crept into me, a need to make him also feel the hurt that I was feeling right there.

I walked back to the living room, almost lifelessly. I didn’t know how long I sat there, staring blankly at the wall, my ears filled with the sounds of betrayal and heartache coming from the room upstairs.

At some point, my phone rang. I almost didn’t pick up, but when I saw the name flashing on the screen, I forced myself to answer.

"Hi, Liam," I answered, clearing my throat when I noticed how hoarse it sounded.

"Vivian, I need you to get dressed as soon as possible," my older brother’s deep, authoritative voice came through. “I’m taking you to an exclusive club tonight."

I frowned in distaste. "A club?"

Going to clubs has never been something that I loved doing. I hated the overly unnecessary loud music, the smokes from the cigarettes, and the drunk men who try to grope you when they think you’re meat.

"One of the biggest publishers in the city will be there. I want you to meet him. You might finally have a chance at getting your work published."

A ray of hope shone within me. I’d always dreamed of getting my work published. If I could pitch my query clearly to the publisher, then that dream would finally be fulfilled.

I was about to answer when I heard moans and groans coming from our room again. I heard something shatter again, and I didn’t need a seer to tell me that it was my most treasured figurine that they had just smashed.

Wasn’t it enough that he’d shattered my heart and my dreams of having a loving family? He also had to shatter the last thing that I always clung to as a remembrance of my mom before she passed on.

My hands tightened on my phone as the last drop of tear that I’ll ever shed for Nathan slid down my cheek. “I’ll be there.”

Since Nathan wants an open marriage, I would show him how an open marriage is handled unapologetically.