Following My Husband’s Flight to His Affair

While washing my husband Adrian Clark 's suit, I found a box of condoms, an ultrasound photo of a baby, and plane tickets.

Several condoms were missing. The dates on the two documents were clear---right during the month he claimed he was overseas on a business trip.

My heart instantly sank.

Suddenly I remembered how his phone had been on silent for the past six months, and how he'd take it into the bathroom even when showering.

Once, late at night, I noticed an unfamiliar orange blossom perfume scent on his shirt collar.

When I asked him about it, he just smiled and patted my head. "You're overthinking it. These things happen at business dinners."

I'd even felt guilty for being so sensitive, but now it seemed that scent was the smell of another home.

I immediately sent the photo to my assistant: "Book me a ticket to the same destination."

I got up and walked to the window. Below was our carefully landscaped garden, the roses in full bloom.

Adrian had planted them himself last year on our anniversary, saying he wanted to watch them bloom year after year with me.

I didn't call to confront him.

After all these years handling divorce cases, I knew too well that emotional outbursts got you nothing. Only evidence gave you leverage.

I opened my laptop and typed "Lily White" into the keyboard, starting my search.

There wasn't much public information, just a college graduation photo. The girl had delicate features and a shy smile.

But following the trail of her social media accounts, I found a private blog.

The most recent update was from last week, paired with a sunset photo at the beach. The caption read: "Someone once said, you fall in love with a city because someone you love lives there."

In the background of the photo was half of a man's arm, with a watch on his wrist---the birthday gift I'd given Adrian last year, a limited edition. He'd said he couldn't bear to wear it and only used it on important occasions.

My chest felt like it had been struck by something heavy. A dull ache.

I booked the earliest flight to Los Angeles and didn't tell anyone.

I landed in the evening and headed straight to the beachside inn mentioned in the blog.

The front desk checked the records. Last week, a couple with the surnames Miller and Clark had indeed checked in, staying in the top-floor ocean-view room.

"They seemed very much in love. The man was especially attentive to the woman. Every day they had us order fresh seafood for them," the receptionist said casually.

My phone vibrated. A text from Adrian: "Honey, done with work? Let's video chat tonight. I'll show you the souvenirs I got you."

I replied "okay" and turned off the screen.

Early the next morning, I waited outside the inn for Lily.

She wore a white dress, her belly slightly rounded, unconsciously supporting her lower back as she walked.

Adrian followed beside her, carrying breakfast, talking to her with his head lowered, that tender look in his eyes---I'd seen it before.

They walked into the inn side by side. Adrian held the door open for her, his fingers gently brushing through her hair.

In that moment, all my self-consolation and wishful thinking shattered.

I didn't approach them.

I turned and went to the airport, bought a return ticket.

When I got home, Adrian was already there.

He wore loungewear and an apron, cooking in the kitchen.

"Honey, you're back?" He came over, wanting to hug me.

I dodged to the side, making an excuse: "I'm a bit tired. Going to take a shower first."

In the bathroom, hot water rushing down, I stared at myself in the mirror.

Pale face, but clear eyes.

Seven years of marriage---it had all been a carefully staged performance.

He'd acted with commitment, and I'd watched intently, until the truth tore off the mask, revealing the filth and disgrace underneath.

When I came out of the shower, Adrian had already set the food on the table.

All things I loved to eat.

"What's wrong? You don't look well." He cut the steak and placed it in front of me. "Are you overworking? I've told you so many times not to push yourself so hard. It's not like we need your income."

I looked at him, this man I'd loved for seven years, trusted for seven years. His face was full of concern now. What great acting.

"It's nothing." I picked up my knife and fork. "Maybe I caught a chill."

"Then get some rest early after eating. I'll make you some honey lemon water." He started to get up to go to the kitchen.

"No need." I stopped him. "By the way, how was the summit last week? Did you meet anyone interesting?"

His movements paused for a second, then returned to normal. "It was alright. Mostly old acquaintances. Discussed a few potential partnerships. Just really boring. Home is better."

"Is that so?" I sipped my soup, tone neutral. "I heard from a friend that the coastal city had especially nice weather last week. Beautiful sunsets."

Adrian's hand froze mid-air with his fork, his eyes flickering. "Oh? Really? I didn't pay attention to that."

"Mm." I didn't press further.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was somewhat strange. He tried several times to start a conversation, but I blocked him with brief responses.

Before bed, he wanted to hold me like usual.

I turned over, my back to him. "I'm a bit tired. Want to sleep early."

He was silent for a while, then said "okay" and turned off the light.

On the third day of collecting evidence, Adrian brought her home.

When the door opened, I was in the study organizing bank statements. Hearing the commotion, I looked up and saw Lily standing behind him.

She wore a light-colored floral dress. Her belly was more prominent than when I'd seen her in the coastal city. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail. She looked timid, like a startled deer.

"Sophia, this is Lily."

Adrian's tone was natural, as if he'd just brought home an ordinary friend. "She's from out of town, a relative of an important client. She needs to stay here for her pregnancy but has nowhere to go, so she'll stay at our place for a few days."

I looked at Lily. When her eyes met mine, she immediately lowered her head, nervously wringing the hem of her dress.

"Pregnancy?" I put down the documents and stood up, walking toward them. "Adrian, our house isn't a hotel."

"Just for a few days, until her family comes to pick her up."

Adrian walked over, wanting to pat my shoulder, but I avoided it. "Look, she's a pregnant woman. It's not easy for her with that belly. Let's help her out."

"Friends?" I smiled slightly, my gaze landing on Lily. "Miss White, is it? Adrian says you're a client's relative. Which client? What do they do?"

Lily raised her head, her eyes panicked, stammering without being able to speak. "I'm not too clear. My family arranged it."

"Not clear?" I took a step forward, closing in on her. "You're not clear, but you dare to stay at someone else's house? Or is it that you're very clear, you just don't dare say?"

"Sophia!" Adrian interrupted me, his tone becoming heavy. "What do you mean by that? Lily is a guest. How can you talk like that?"

"Guest?" I turned to look at him. "Adrian, you bring a pregnant woman into the house, saying she's a client's relative, without even knowing her background. You think that's reasonable?"

"I told you, she's an important client's relative. How could it be fake?"

His tone carried impatience, even a hint of warning. "Sophia Hart, don't make a scene. I've got a lot going on at work right now. Can't you make my life a bit easier?"

I looked at his self-righteous expression and suddenly felt there was no need to keep pretending.

He dared to be this brazen because he assumed I'd consider the bigger picture and wouldn't make a scene on the spot.

But he forgot---I'm a divorce lawyer. What I'm best at is tearing off hypocritical facades.

Or rather, after seven years of knowing each other, he still saw me as that little girl who only knew how to cry when things went wrong.

"Make your life easier?" I picked up a document from the table---a printout of the flight booking I'd made. "You want me to make things easy while you're watching sunsets with Miss White in the coastal city? Adrian, do you think I'm blind or stupid?"

Adrian's expression changed instantly. Lily was so frightened she stepped back, tears welling in her eyes.

"Sophia, let me explain..."

"Explain what?" I cut him off. "Explain why you lied about going to a conference when you were actually on vacation with another woman? Explain whose child is in her belly? Or explain why you brought her to our house---to assert your dominance over me?"

The string of questions left Adrian speechless.

He opened his mouth, but finally just said viciously: "Since you already know, I have nothing to hide. Lily is carrying my child. I can't just abandon her."

"So you bring her to my house?"

My voice was cold as ice. "Adrian, this is my house. Pre-marital property. You have no right to let a woman who destroyed our marriage live here."

"Your house?" He sneered. "Sophia Hart, don't forget, several of your law firm's big clients were introduced by me. Without me, would you have what you have today? What's wrong with letting Lily stay for a few days? Just consider it doing me a favor and tolerate it."

"Tolerate?" I was almost laughing at his shamelessness. "Why should I tolerate it? Adrian, either she leaves now, or we go file for divorce right now."

"Divorce?" He seemed to hear a joke. "Sophia Hart, if you divorce me, can you find someone better? Don't think you're something special just because you're a lawyer. Without my resources, you're nothing."

His words were like a dull knife, cutting into my heart.

Seven years of feelings---in his eyes, I was just an appendage dependent on him.

Lily suddenly started crying, pulling on Adrian's sleeve: "It's all my fault. Don't fight with Sophia. I'll just leave. I can stay in a hotel."

"Why should you leave?" Adrian held onto her, then glared at me. "Sophia Hart, I'm telling you, Lily must stay here. If you dare to make her leave, I'll have all your law firm's clients cancel their contracts. I'll make sure you can't survive in the legal profession!"

A naked threat.

I looked at Adrian and slapped each of them across the face.

Before he could react, I opened my phone, clicked on the recording function, then walked to the study and took out the divorce agreement I'd prepared long ago.

I walked to the living room with the agreement and placed it in front of Adrian. "Adrian, sign it. We're getting divorced."

Adrian looked at the agreement, his face suddenly changing. "Sophia Hart, you dare to divorce me?"

"Why wouldn't I dare?"

I looked at him, my eyes calm. "Adrian, between us, this should have ended long ago."

"I won't sign!" He threw the agreement on the floor. "You want a divorce? It's not that easy. Unless I'm dead!"

Adrian didn't sign the divorce agreement.

He acted like nothing had happened, going to and from work as usual every day, never mentioning the divorce.

Lily also continued living in the house, just more cautiously than before, trying to avoid being alone with me.

I didn't push him anymore.

I knew he was waiting for me to compromise, waiting for me to be unable to stand this atmosphere and give up on the idea of divorce.

But he was wrong.

I'm Sophia Hart. Once I decide on something, I never turn back.

Friday night, Adrian came home very late, reeking of alcohol.

He walked into the study and saw me organizing evidence. His expression darkened.

"Sophia Hart, what exactly do you want?" He walked up to me and snatched the documents from my hands. "What's the point of collecting all this? You want to destroy me?"

Documents scattered on the floor---all printouts of bank statements, flight bookings, chat message screenshots.

"Destroy you?" I bent down to pick up the documents, my tone calm. "You destroyed our marriage first, destroyed my trust in you. Adrian, isn't it too late for you to say this now?"

"Trust?" He sneered. "Sophia Hart, do you deserve to talk to me about trust? You're busy with work all day long. Besides cases and clients, how long has it been since you cared about me? The house is as cold as an icebox. I can't feel any warmth. I went to Lily because you forced me to!"

"I forced you?" I could hardly believe my ears. "Adrian, you had an affair, you betrayed our marriage, and now you're pushing the responsibility onto me? You find this amusing?"

"I'm not pushing responsibility---it's the truth!" He raised his voice. "If you could spend more time with me, be a little gentler, take care of me like other women do, would I have gone to Lily? Sophia Hart, you're too strong-willed, so strong-willed that I feel suffocated!"

Strong-willed.

This was the first time he'd used this word to describe me.

We parted on bad terms again.

My phone vibrated. A message from my assistant: "Ms. Hart, the charity gala invitation has been received. Mr. Clark received one too."

The charity gala.

An annual gathering of the business world, full of celebrities and media.

Adrian would definitely go. He needed this occasion to maintain his image.

I smiled and replied to my assistant: "Got it."

Three days before the charity gala, Adrian called me.

"Sophia, you're coming to the gala, right?" His tone carried a hint of barely detectable pleading. "The company is at a critical juncture right now. Many clients will be there. If we attend together as husband and wife, it'll help stabilize things."

"Stabilize things?" I sneered. "Adrian, do you think talking about this still has any meaning?"

"Sophia, for the sake of our seven years together, accompany me in one last performance." His voice softened, even carrying a hint of vulnerability. "Afterward, we'll discuss the divorce properly. Whatever you want, as long as I can do it, I'll give it to you."

"A performance?" I looked out the window. "Adrian, what do you think marriage is? A show that can end anytime?"

"I know I've wronged you." He sighed. "But I have no choice. If news of our divorce gets out now, the company's stock price will definitely plummet. All our previous efforts will be wasted. Sophia, you're a smart person. You should know that 'win-win' is better than 'lose-lose.'"

Win-win?

He actually dared to talk to me about win-win?

"What if I don't agree?" I asked.

His tone changed instantly, turning cold. "Sophia Hart, don't force me. Several of your law firm's big clients were introduced by me. If I don't look good, your career might not stay unscathed either. I advise you not to be too willful."

I'd expected him to say this all along.

"Fine, I'll go." I said calmly.

Adrian paused, probably not expecting me to agree so easily. "Really?"

"Of course."

On the night of the gala, the venue was filled with elegantly dressed guests and celebrities.

Adrian and I walked into the venue side by side.

We looked like a loving couple, accepting everyone's blessings and attention.

"Keep smiling." Adrian whispered in my ear, his tone carrying a warning. "When you go up to accept the award later, you know what to say."

Tonight, Adrian would receive the "Person of the Year" award.

This was an honor he'd long anticipated, an important step in maintaining his "successful person" image.

I turned my head to look at him, my eyes holding depths he couldn't read: "Of course. I've prepared the most spectacular speech for you."

He paused, not understanding my meaning, just assuming I'd compromised. He nodded with satisfaction.

Halfway through the gala, the award ceremony began.

When the host called Adrian's name, applause filled the room.

He straightened his suit and walked onto the stage with his head held high.

"Thank you all for your support and recognition." He picked up the microphone and began his acceptance speech. "This award is not only an affirmation of me personally, but also an encouragement to all the employees of our company. I want to thank my team, thank my family, especially my wife, Ms. Sophia Hart."

His gaze fell on me affectionately. "She has always been my strongest support. During my entrepreneurial period, she supported me. When I encountered difficulties, she encouraged me. Without her, there would be no me today."

Applause filled the room again. Everyone looked at me with envious eyes.

The host took the opportunity to invite me on stage. "Let's give a warm round of applause to welcome Ms. Sophia Hart on stage to share this honor with Mr. Clark!"

Adrian looked at me, his eyes carrying a hint of nervousness and anticipation.

He probably thought I would go on stage and say some routine words about our loving marriage, as usual.

I smoothed my evening gown and walked onto the stage gracefully.

Taking the microphone, my gaze slowly swept across the audience below, finally settling on Adrian's face.

The whole room fell silent. Everyone was waiting for my speech.

"Thank you for Mr. Clark's praise." I began, my voice transmitted clearly through the high-end sound system to every corner. "As his legal wife, I have indeed done a lot for him. But now, I also need to do something for myself."

"For example, attend my own divorce proceedings in my capacity as a divorce lawyer."