Chapter 4While I Was Away, My Wife Got Married
About 1,964 characters (~367 words) — this is Chapter 4, the last of the 4 free chapters on EditWrx Reads.
I wandered aimlessly down the street after leaving the coffee shop, lost in my own head.
I passed a bar and somehow found myself pushing open the door.
A few drinks in, I could almost forget my troubles. But I couldn't drown the pain.
After a couple of shots, I started rambling, telling the bartender my story.
"Hey man, easy on the drinks. Go home and figure out what to do," the bartender said, handing me a glass of water. "One woman doesn't define your whole life."
I gave him a bitter smile and shook my head.
Sarah was my everything.
From college sweethearts to marriage, to dreaming of having kids…
I'd poured my heart and soul into our relationship, and it had all ended in this gut-wrenching pain.
The alcohol loosened my tongue. I pulled out my phone and dialed Sarah's number.
To my surprise, she picked up.
"Hello?" Her voice was cold and unfamiliar.
"Sarah, why is this happening?" I asked, fighting back tears. "What went wrong? What did I do?"
There was a pause on the other end, then a cold laugh: "Mark, stop pretending. I knew you were seeing someone else. Did you have a good time on your business trip?"
"I didn't! It's always been you!" I almost yelled.
"Enough," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I've found someone who truly loves me, and you're free too. Let's just call it quits. As for the baby…"
She paused. "It's gone. And it might not have even been yours."
It was like a knife twisting in my heart.
"What are you saying? That baby wasn't mine?"
"Who knows? Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't." Her nonchalant tone made me want to smash my phone. "Mark, we're over. Sign the divorce papers and let's be done with it."
"You and Jake have been together for a while, haven't you? When did you start seeing each other?"
Another pause. "Does it matter? What matters is that I love him now, and I don't love you."
She hung up. I slammed my fist on the table, scraping my knuckles and drawing blood.
I wouldn't let it end like this.
I would find out the truth.