In the Name of Friendship

The moment I asked Brian for a divorce, my knuckles turned a stark bone white around my phone. Tears stung my eyes, threatening to spill. I was shaking, every muscle trembling with a rage I could no longer suppress.

The catalyst was a social media post from Vanessa, his supposed platonic best friend. She had locked the privacy settings so only I could see it.

She deliberately posted a glaringly intimate photo. In the picture, Brian was asleep, his head resting on her pale bare thighs. Their fingers were tightly intertwined. The caption was pure provocation. It read, "Twenty years of friendship. No one can tear us apart."

What chilled me to the bone was the phone call she made late that night. There were no words on the other end at first. There was only the distinct sound of a man snoring.

"Brian had a bit too much to drink and fell asleep at my place," she said lightly. "You and the kid should not wait up."

When Brian came home the next day, he saw my darkened expression. Instead of showing an ounce of guilt, he frowned and tossed his phone onto the couch.

"Check it if you want. I have a clear conscience," he said, turning toward the bathroom. He tossed a freezing remark over his shoulder. "If you keep being this paranoid, we really can not go on living like this."

"If we can not go on, then we will not." I finally let the words out. "Since you love spending the night at your best friend's house so much, I will grant your wish. Let us get a divorce."

The air in the house instantly froze.

Brian stopped in his tracks.

He turned around, staring at me in absolute bewilderment.

"What did you just say?"

"I said, divorce."

After that, I dropped our son off at kindergarten.

By the time I got back home, Brian had already left for work.

I started packing my bags.

My phone buzzed with a text from him. "I want beef stew for dinner tonight. We can talk about the nonsense you brought up this morning."

When he got off work and walked through the door.

He saw the rich, savory beef stew steaming on the dining table.

A smug smile crept onto his face.

Seeing me walk out of the kitchen with an apron on, he slipped into his house shoes, walked over, and wrapped his arms around me.

"Honey, I knew you would always take care of my needs," he murmured softly. "Marrying you was the best decision I ever made."

"Where is Noah?"

I pushed him away, my expression completely flat.

"You did not marry the wrong person, but I definitely did."

"Noah is in his room playing on his tablet."

I set the last plate of roasted vegetables on the table and handed him a bowl of rice.

"Eat up, then sign the papers."

"From now on, we go our separate ways."

Brian had just lifted his fork. He froze.

His sharp brows knitted together in deep frustration.

"I have explained this to you a hundred times. The company is doing layoffs, my projects are a mess, and I am under a ton of pressure. That is why I went to grab a drink with Vanessa."

"I had too much and crashed at her place for one night."

"Absolutely nothing happened between us."

"We are completely innocent."

"How many times do I have to say it before you get it through your head?"

By the end of his speech, Brian was visibly agitated.

I could not tell if he was genuinely angry because I was wronging him, or if this was the hysterical defensiveness of a liar caught in the act.

But none of that mattered to me anymore.

Seeing my absolute silence, Brian looked ready to explode.

"You always do this. You act paranoid every single day. You never believe my explanations. If I really wanted to sleep with Vanessa, why would I have married you in the first place?"

"Do you think I could not have had her?"

Hearing that, my lips twitched into a mocking smirk.

"She was young and pretty back then, so she bagged a rich guy. If she had not gotten a divorce, do you really think you would have ever stood a chance with her?"

Crash!

Brian furiously swept his plate off the table.

Food scattered across the hardwood floor, still steaming.

Right now, he looked like a wild beast whose deepest wound had just been ripped open. He glared at me, his eyes practically shooting daggers.

"Mom, what happened?"

Noah poked his little head out from his bedroom.

"It is nothing, sweetie. Dad just accidentally dropped a plate."

"Be careful, Dad."

"I know."

Once Noah closed his door again, Brian forced down his boiling rage and lowered his voice.

"You can accuse me all you want, but do not insult Vanessa."

"Our relationship is purely platonic. We are innocent."

"If you refuse to believe it, I have nothing left to say."

"Then do not say anything."

"It looks like you have lost your appetite anyway."

With that, I pulled out the divorce papers I had prepared earlier and slid them across the table.

"I am walking away with nothing. I do not want your money."

"I only want Noah."

Brian let out a harsh bark of laughter. He grabbed the papers, ripped them into shreds, and chucked them into the trash bin.

"You want to take my son?"

"Not a chance in hell!"

"You are always walking around with a miserable look on your face, acting like everyone owes you something. You make me sick. I am done eating."

"I am going to get a drink with Vanessa."

After Brian slammed the front door behind him, I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug deeply into my palms.

Just as the tears were about to spill over, I threw my head back.

Crying over a cheating man who no longer loved me was the most pathetic thing I could do.

For the next two days, Brian did not come home.

I did not bother asking where he was.

On the third afternoon, I had just brought Noah back from kindergarten when I heard the front door click open behind me.

I thought Brian was finally back.

But when the door swung wide, his platonic soulmate walked right in.

"Well if it isn't the wifey. Long time no see."

"Where did you get that key?"

"Brian gave it to me. He said he did not want to come home, so I am here to grab some clean clothes for him. I figured I would take Noah out for dinner while I am at it."

Vanessa acted like she owned the place. She strolled right past me and headed straight for our master bedroom.

She opened the closet with practiced ease, pulled out two of Brian's shirts, and then turned to my son with a sickly sweet smile.

"Come on, Noah. Your dad is waiting for us at the restaurant."

"We are having steak tonight."

My son shook his head and ran over to hide behind my legs.

"I am not going."

Vanessa pulled two fancy chocolates from her designer bag. "If you are a good boy and listen to me, I will give you these."

"You are a bad woman."

"I do not eat candy from bad people. It makes my tummy hurt."

Noah's words actually made me laugh out loud.

Vanessa's face immediately dropped.

She glared at me with pure venom. "He is just a child and you are already teaching him to say awful things like that? What kind of mother are you?"

"My son is growing up. He knows right from wrong. If he thinks you are a bad woman, maybe you should take a good hard look in the mirror."

"Have you been doing things you should be ashamed of?"

"What exactly have I done that I should be ashamed of?"

"Enlighten me."

I ignored her obnoxious demand.

Instead, I pointed toward the front door.

"You are not welcome in my house."

"Your house?"

A wicked sneer twisted Vanessa's lips.

"You poor, pathetic woman. Never mind this house."

"You are about to lose your husband."

She rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and smiled triumphantly. "Brian spent the last two nights at my place."

"So what?" I raised an eyebrow.

"His heart is not with you anymore."

"And?"

"Your little marriage is completely over."

She took a menacing step closer to me. "I am not afraid to tell you the truth. Yeah, I slept with Brian."

"He said you lie there like a dead fish. Zero fun at all."

"We try new things every single night, and..."

While she was busy gloating, I raised my hand and slapped her across the face with everything I had.

Smack!

Vanessa was completely stunned.

She clutched her cheek, staring at me in absolute shock.

In her wildest dreams, she never thought I would actually hit her.

"Sarah, you... you dared to hit me?"

She glared at me, her entire body trembling with sheer outrage.

"He and I are not legally divorced yet."

"I am still his wife."

"Who gave a cheap homewrecker like you the nerve to act this arrogant in front of me?"

In the past, I held my tongue. I knew our marriage was on the rocks, but we had a five year old son.

I wanted Noah to have a healthy, complete family.

So even when Vanessa crossed the line, even when I suspected Brian was stepping out, I swallowed my pride.

But Brian had only grown more brazen, treating me like absolute garbage.

Now that I had made up my mind to leave him, I was not about to let this woman bark in my face.

If I did not slap some sense into her, I would hate myself.

Looking at her furious, unyielding face, I let out a cold laugh. "Your former husband cheated on you, kept a mistress, and treated you like dirt. Your life was miserable, so you came here to ruin ours. And poor stupid Brian actually thinks you are madly in love with him."

"He is just an idiot playing right into your hands."

"When he finally sees your true colors, he is going to regret ever looking your way."

Vanessa's eyes went wide.

She clearly did not expect me to know so much about her disastrous past.

"You bitch. No one has ever laid a hand on me in my entire life."

"I will kill you!"

I grabbed her wrist with one hand and raised my other hand to strike again.

Just as I was about to deliver a second slap, a furious roar echoed from the doorway.

"Sarah, stop it right now!"

"Brian!"

Vanessa, already playing the victim from the first slap, saw her savior.

Her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

They spilled down her cheeks in heavy drops.

She looked so incredibly fragile and wronged that even a stranger might feel sorry for her.

Having been through a marriage already, Vanessa knew exactly how to manipulate a man's ego.

She wrenched her hand out of my grip and practically threw herself into Brian's chest.

"She is so mean."

"I only came to get some clothes for you."

"I planned to just grab them and leave, so I wouldn't upset her."

"But she refused to let me go."

"She even taught Noah to curse at me."

"And then she hit me."

"Look."

Tears streaming down her face, she tilted her head up and pointed at the red mark on her cheek.

Brian looked utterly heartbroken as he wiped her tears away.

He gently stroked her bruised skin.

Then he asked in the softest, most sickeningly sweet voice imaginable, "Does it hurt?"

"It hurts so much." Vanessa shivered dramatically.

Brian's face turned dark as thunder. He grabbed Vanessa's hand, marched up to me, and demanded coldly, "Did you hit her?"

"I did." I did not hesitate for a second.

"You are acting like a complete lunatic! You are completely unreasonable!"

I kept my mouth shut, staring him down.

"Apologize to her right now."

He did not even ask what happened.

He just ordered me to apologize.

My gaze shifted to Vanessa.

She was clinging to his arm like a parasite.

Catching my eye, she flashed a triumphant smirk, but her voice remained pitiful. "Brian, let it go. Nobody has ever truly cared about me or protected me anyway. People like me are just destined to be bullied."

"I... I am used to it."

More tears.

Brian wrapped his arm around her waist. "I didn't protect you in the past, but I will protect you from now on. Nobody gets to bully you."

"Really?"

He nodded firmly.

"Thank God. I finally have someone in my corner." Vanessa smiled through her tears.

Brian glared at me. "I will give you one last chance. Apologize to Vanessa right now."

"Or... I let her slap you back."

"Pick one."

I scoffed. "You think she deserves my apology?"

"So you are choosing the slap?"

Before I could even reply, Brian turned to Vanessa. "Go slap her."

"Oh? But she is your wife."

"Is that... okay?"

"I have got your back. She will not dare do anything."

"Hit her!"

Vanessa walked toward me, a vicious gleam in her eyes, and slowly raised her hand.

"Well then... I guess I will do it."

The moment the words left her mouth, her hand swung hard against my face.

Smack!

I did not dodge it.

I needed this sting. I needed the physical pain to completely harden my heart against this man forever.

Feeling the burning sensation spread across my cheek, I stared dead into Brian's eyes. "Are you satisfied?"

"Do not ever mess with Vanessa again."

"Or I will not let you off so easily next time."

With that final warning, he grabbed her hand and walked out the door.

A few days later.

Brian came home, shot me an icy glare, and slammed a new set of divorce papers onto the coffee table.

"You wanted a divorce so badly, right?"

"Here you go."

"Sign them and get out of my house."

I silently picked up the document and skimmed it.

He was giving me zero financial support.

But the worst part was the custody section. He wanted full custody of Noah.

Seeing that, I slammed the papers down. "I do not care about the money. We agree on that. But I am keeping my son."

"Keep dreaming."

"You get no money and no kid."

Brian dropped onto the sofa, casually crossing one leg over the other, a smug grin on his face. "I talked to a lawyer. A woman like you, with no job, no income, and zero financial stability? No judge is ever going to give you custody."

"If you want to take this to court, bring it on."

"But... do you even have the money to hire a lawyer?"

Looking at his arrogant, victorious face, I trembled with fury.

I had been a stay at home mom for years. He was right. I had no money and no job.

I knew he would fight me for Noah.

But I never expected him to be this ruthless.

He was trying to completely destroy me.

Seeing me frozen in shock, Brian chuckled.

"I worked my fingers to the bone all these years so you and our son could live comfortably."

"You had it too easy for too long, and you forgot your place."

"You want to cause drama every single day."

"Since you love throwing tantrums, I am giving you exactly what you want."

"Sign the damn papers."

"Then pack your trash and leave."

"Oh, and one more thing."

"Just so you know, once we are divorced, I am moving Vanessa in. Noah will call her Mom."

"You are forbidden from ever seeing him again."

"Just pretend you never gave birth to him."

Every single cell in my body was vibrating with raw anger.

I carried that boy for nine months. I went through agonizing labor, practically touching death's door to bring him into this world.

And he was telling me to pretend he never existed?

"Are you even human... or are you just a monster?"

"How can someone be this cold blooded?"

"I do not have a job or money because I did not want to work? Because I was lazy?"

"You begged me to stay home to raise our child and manage the house. And now you are using my sacrifice as a weapon to steal my son?"

"Are you not afraid karma is going to strike you dead for being this evil?"

"Sarah, I am not being cruel."

"You forced my hand."

"You and Noah could have stayed in this house perfectly fine."

"You could have kept your title as my wife."

"But you kept provoking Vanessa over and over again."

"You knew her first marriage was a disaster. You knew she lost her baby before it was even born."

"Yet you poured salt on her wounds. You called her wicked and said God was punishing her by taking her child."

"I used to feel a little guilty about what I did to you, but now..."

"I realize you are the most toxic person I know."

His words hit me like a truck.

When did I ever say those horrific things to Vanessa?

It was glaringly obvious.

Vanessa had used his anger against me to whisper poisonous lies into his ear.

I opened my mouth to defend myself.

But I swallowed the words.

What was the point of explaining?

Our relationship was already dead and buried.

"No matter what you say, I am not giving up my son."

I laid out my final boundary.

"Then we go to court."

"Let the judge decide."

And just like that, the custody battle began.

I had no money for a fancy attorney.

I had to rely on legal aid.

My public defender took one look at my financial situation and told me my chances of winning were practically zero.

The final verdict matched her prediction.

I lost.

The judge granted full custody to Brian.

The moment the gavel fell, it felt like the sun went out.

Without my son, my life meant absolutely nothing.

My mind went completely blank. I stumbled out of the courtroom like a soulless ghost, barely registering my surroundings.

Suddenly, Vanessa's mocking voice pierced the air.

"From now on, I am Noah's real mommy."

"Come here, Noah. Let us go."

I whipped my head around. Vanessa was gripping my son's wrist tightly, beaming with malicious joy.

Noah was crying, trying to pull away and run to me.

But she scooped him up into her arms.

"Mommy, please do not leave me!"

He reached out for me, sobbing uncontrollably.

I instinctively took a step toward him.

Vanessa shot me a venomous glare. "Sarah, the court has made its ruling. If you dare come near him again, I will get a restraining order. You will never see his face again."

The color drained from my face. The world was spinning.

"Mom!"

"Stop crying." Vanessa scolded him. "She is not your mother anymore. I am your mother."

"You are not my mom! You are a bad woman!"

Smack!

Vanessa slapped my five year old son hard across his tender face.

My heart physically tore in half.

"Do not you dare touch my son!"

I screamed at her, lunging forward.

Just then, Brian walked out of the courthouse restroom. Unaware of the slap, he scowled at me. "What are you screaming about now? Get lost."