Chapter 1Happier Without My Cheating Ex-Wife

My coworker, thinking it was a hilarious prank, slapped a parking ticket onto my car and snapped a photo, texting me that I'd been cited. Believing him, I logged onto the DMV's online portal to check. What greeted me, instead, was a high-definition photo captured by the traffic camera system just yesterday.

In the shot, Chloe's ex-boyfriend, Liam, sat in the passenger seat, unbuckled, leaning across the console to kiss her cheek. I stared, stunned, at the bright, radiant smile on her face – a smile I'd never once seen directed at me.

It was then, in that brutal flash of clarity, that I finally understood: this one-sided devotion, this fervent, lonely love, it was time to let it go.

Silently, I handled the ticket. Alone, I attended her ailing grandfather's funeral, a final, solitary send-off. I drafted the divorce papers, sealing them in an envelope, and mailed them to her company. From this day forward, I would be my own man, navigating my own path, unburdened by her shadow.

...

My best friend, Tyler, wasted no time. The moment he heard, he was there, a whirlwind of frantic concern. "What the hell happened with you and Chloe? Is she cheating on you?"

My eyes, bloodshot and stinging, managed a pathetic, twisted smile. Ten years of chasing, of looking up to her, had only bought me a marriage of polite formality with Chloe. I’d mistaken that distant respect for happiness. Today, it was brutally shattered by a single photograph. Marrying me, Chloe had, in the end, only constrained herself.

Tyler, seeing my broken state, felt a surge of frustrated anger. "I told you she wasn't good for you, Alex! You never listened, always barreling headfirst down this path. It's for the best, honestly. Every time I saw you pathetically chasing after her, it just made my blood boil!"

"Professor Miller has an international project needing a liaison; maybe you should consider it?"

I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth, managing a choked "Mmm." It was then I realized the tears were flowing freely, uncontrollably. I frantically searched for tissues, but Tyler just sighed. "Don't hold it in, man. Just cry." Overwhelmed by a sudden, profound sense of injustice, I finally crumbled, sinking to the floor, my head buried in my hands, sobbing.

After driving me home, Tyler left, called away by some urgent matter. I rang Professor Miller, asking about the project's details, and quickly realized I was perfectly capable of handling it. Without a second thought, I agreed. Departure date: one week. All necessary company handovers could be completed online.

Washing my face, I caught my reflection in the mirror: a haggard, bitter-looking stranger. For the first time, I felt a wave of self-loathing. As my thoughts swirled, my phone buzzed.

"Alex, would you mind dropping off a black suit dress at my office? Thanks!" Chloe's voice, as polite and distant as ever. Out of habit, I agreed. It was only after she hung up that the words sank in, chilling me. A brief moment of hesitation, but ultimately, I didn't call back to refuse. Chloe often worked late, rarely coming home. This was as good a time as any to pick up the divorce papers.

When I arrived, Liam was leaning close to Chloe, both engrossed in a computer screen. His breath brushed lightly against her face. She looked at him, her eyes soft, her lips moving in a whispered word. Then her gaze flickered to me, her expression hardening, the tender light in her eyes dissolving into cool indifference. A look of reproach settled on her face. "What took you so long?"

Liam, with a placating smile, reached out to take the clothes. "Thanks for making the trip, Alex. Chloe's a bit stressed with her team, so her tone might be sharp. Don't mind her." He carried himself with the air of a homeowner, as if I were the shameful intruder.

Had this been five years ago, when he first returned from abroad to be Chloe's assistant, I would have exploded, demanding answers. Now, I merely asked, my voice flat, "Have you signed the papers?"

Chloe raised a delicate eyebrow, letting Liam finish adjusting her collar. "Signed what?"

"Alright, Chloe, let's go. We're running out of time." Liam's voice cut in, clearly annoyed by our interaction.

She gave a slight nod, tossing a curt instruction my way. "We'll talk about this later, at home."

They walked out, one after the other. Liam, trailing behind, turned back to look at me, a triumphant, unconcealed smirk playing on his lips. I ignored him, searching his desk for the divorce papers, finding no trace of them. My hand brushed the mouse, and the computer screen lit up. What flashed across the screen was a photo of Chloe and Liam, leaning against a railing by the sea, gazes locked, filled with a profound tenderness. A closeness I'd never experienced with her.

I stumbled out of the office, clutching my car keys, a broken man. Back home, I sank to the floor behind the door, tears streaming down my face once more. Letting go was harder than I'd imagined. But it was alright. One day, I would meticulously, painfully, uproot Chloe from my heart.

Scrolling through videos to distract myself, a "people you might know" notification popped up. I meant to swipe past it, but my finger slipped, opening Liam's profile. His latest video was from a funeral. The caption read: "In these tough times, glad I have you by my side." The deceased was merely a distant uncle of Liam's. Chloe stood beside him, presenting herself as his lover. Watching her doting, attentive presence in the video, it hit me: Chloe wasn't always too swamped to spare a moment. Back then, at our own wedding, she'd walked out halfway, citing urgent work. How little she must have cared. Her hesitant, apologetic look, I'd mistaken for guilt. I'd even gently reassured her it was fine. Thinking back now, it was laughable. Perhaps even then, she'd already regretted it.