The Male Colleague

My wife’s colleague, Toby, called again in the middle of the night. An urgent case, he said. A body that needed to be handled immediately.
Clara, already exhausted from a long week, got dressed and left without a word. She didn’t return until the sky was beginning to pale with dawn.
“Toby couldn’t handle it alone,” she murmured, slipping into bed behind me. “Good thing I was still awake.”
I didn’t respond. I just stared at the ceiling.
She wrapped her arms around my waist, her voice a soft whisper against my back.
“I know I’ve been neglecting you lately, David, but it’s my job. I had to go.”
She nuzzled my shoulder. “Once this busy period is over, I’ll take you on that trip we talked about. How does that sound?”
I remained silent, pulling away from her touch. Then I spoke, my voice cold and flat in the quiet room.
“Let’s get a divorce.”

1
Clara froze. She forcefully turned me over to face her, her hands gripping mine. The skin under her eyes was bruised with the tell-tale blue-black of chronic sleep deprivation.
“David, don’t be like this… I know you’re tired. I’m tired, too.” Her voice was pleading. “But this is what I do. It’s my duty. You understand that, don’t you?”
I avoided her gaze, pulling my hands free.
Her voice trembled, but she fought to keep it gentle. “Is this because I haven’t been home for dinner? Or… or because I forgot your birthday last month? I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry. When this rush is over, we’ll take a long vacation, just the two of us. Okay?”
She stroked the back of my hand, the same soothing gesture she used after every argument we’d ever had. I remembered back when we were first married, when my career was stalling and I was riddled with insomnia. She would sit with me just like this, never a word of complaint, just a simple, grounding promise: “David, I’m here.”
Thinking of it now felt like a sick joke.
“Don’t touch me,” I said.
Her hand stopped mid-air. The exhaustion on her face melted away, replaced by a raw, naked confusion.
“What is wrong with you? Is it really just because I had to go to work again?” Her voice rose. “David, life and death are serious matters. If I don’t go, do you expect them to just leave the body lying there?”
“Whatever you say. We’re getting a divorce.” I repeated the words, my voice low but unwavering.
Her eyes instantly reddened, as if she were seeing me for the first time.
“You’re serious?”
I turned my back to her again. “City Hall. Nine o’clock tomorrow morning. Be there.”
Clara let out a laugh that was half a sob.
“David, you have to give me a reason. Is it the overtime? Or do you think Toby and I are…?”
“Leave him out of this,” I cut in. “It’s you. You make me sick.”
The color drained from her face. Her lips parted, trembled, but no sound came out.
“Is that really what you think of me?” she finally choked out, her voice raspy. “Toby and I are just colleagues. That’s all.”
I couldn’t stand to listen anymore. I got up, walked out of the bedroom, and closed the door behind me.
She didn’t follow. She didn’t try to explain further.
I heard the sound of a glass shattering against the floor, followed by a muffled curse.
A few moments later, my phone buzzed. It was Toby.
He had been Clara’s senior in college. And her first love.
The phone rang for a long time before I finally answered.
His voice was laced with weariness. “David? Clara just called me. I… I wanted to clear things up for her.”
“We’ve been getting a lot of cases from the West Side precinct lately…”
I didn’t let him finish. I hung up.
I sat on the couch in the dark, remembering a night six months ago. She had come home late, just like tonight, so exhausted she’d collapsed onto the bed next to me, still in her work clothes. Her eyes were closed, but her hand had found my face in the dark. “David,” she’d whispered, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Back then, I really believed we would last forever.
The sun was fully up.
When I woke on the couch, Clara was gone.
The living room was spotless, her coat from last night hung neatly on the rack by the door.
On the coffee table sat a glass of honey water, still warm. Next to it, a sticky note. Wait for me to get home. I’ll make your favorite braised short ribs.
I picked up the glass, walked to the kitchen, and poured the contents down the drain.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. A text from her.
David, I’m at work. Did you drink the honey water?
I didn’t reply.
A few minutes later, another one came through.
I’ll spend more time with you once this project is over. I promise, there’s nothing going on between me and Toby.
I stared at the screen for a long time before typing a single line.
Nine o’clock. Don’t be late.
Then I blocked her number.
At 8:30 AM, I was standing outside City Hall.
People milled about, mostly in pairs. Some were wrapped in sweet embraces, others stood apart, their faces grim.
I leaned against a pillar, my eyes fixed on the street.
9:30 AM. She hadn’t shown up.
I took out my phone, unblocked her number, and dialed.
It rang three times before the call was abruptly ended.
A hot surge of anger flared in my chest. I hit redial.
This time, it went straight to a message saying the number was unavailable.
I waited another half hour. Just as I was about to try again, a call came in from an unknown number.
I answered. A young woman’s voice spoke rapidly.
“Mr. David Thorne? This is City Central Hospital. Your wife, Clara Thorne, was in a car accident. She’s in emergency surgery right now. We need you to come down immediately to handle the payment.”
I froze, the words not quite registering.
The voice on the other end grew more urgent. “Mr. Thorne? Can you hear me? Mr. Thorne!”
I hung up before she could finish and flagged down a cab.
By the time I arrived, Clara was out of surgery. A crowd was gathered outside her room.
Several people in dark blue uniforms—her colleagues—were huddled together, talking in low voices.
One of them, a young woman, looked up, saw me, and immediately rushed over, her eyes red-rimmed.
“Where have you been? Do you have any idea that your name was the only thing Clara was saying before they took her into the OR?”
“How is she?” I asked, my gaze fixed on the hospital room door.
The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief, tears spilling down her cheeks. “What are you going to do!?”
I ignored her and walked toward Clara’s bed.
She didn’t look as bad as I’d expected. One eye was swollen shut, but the other was fixed on me.
“You’re here…” she rasped. “Don’t worry. I’m okay.”
I clenched my fists, then pulled the divorce agreement and a pen from my briefcase.
“Sign this. Otherwise, I’m not paying your medical bills.”
My voice was so cold it seemed to suck the warmth from the room. Everyone stared at me, aghast.
The young woman who had confronted me earlier lunged forward and slapped me hard across the face.
“Clara got into this accident because she was distracted by your call while she was on the job!” she screamed. “And you’re using this to threaten her? Are you even human?!”
Toby stepped forward, his expression grave. He placed a hand on my shoulder.
“David, man… Clara and I are just colleagues. I swear. If you really don’t believe me, I’ll resign. But you can’t do this to her. She only has eyes for you.”
The stinging pain on my cheek ignited my rage. I violently shoved his hand away.
“Did anyone ask you to speak?”
I walked back to Clara’s bedside. “If you don’t sign, you can wait for the hospital to kick you out.”
Tears streamed from Clara’s open eye.
“Why?” she whispered.
I looked down at her, my voice low and heavy. “Because I find you filthy.”
Clara’s sobs grew more violent, her chest heaving. “I won’t sign. I’d rather die than sign. I love you, David. I haven’t done anything to betray you. I already bought the tickets to Aspen… you said you wanted to go skiing…”
A few of the other women in the room began to cry softly.
A pang of pain shot through my own heart, but it vanished as quickly as it came.
Gritting my teeth, I held the papers out again.
“Sign it.”
Toby snatched the agreement from my hand and ripped it to shreds.
“David! How could you? Clara just got out of surgery, she’s still weak! Even if you’re dead set on a divorce, you can’t do it like this!”
I shot him a venomous glare, but before I could speak, Clara intervened.
“Toby, don’t… Don’t treat him like that. It’s my fault. I failed as a wife.”
She weakly reached out, her fingers catching the hem of my shirt.
I flinched back instinctively.
“Don’t touch me.”
Clara’s face, already pale, turned ashen.
“I will not divorce you over something so small. I’ve already put in for my annual leave to spend time with you…”
Toby stepped forward again, a bastion of righteousness.
“Fine. I’ll go back and quit my job right now. The truth will speak for itself. There is absolutely nothing between us.”
His declaration cast me as the villain, the unreasonable, jealous madman. The others glared at me with righteous indignation.
The absurdity of the scene was almost laughable, but I couldn't bring myself to smile.
After a long silence, I finally spoke.
“You’re right. There’s nothing between you. I just don’t want to be married anymore. Is that so hard to understand?”
Clara just looked at me, tears rolling silently down her cheeks.
“David, whatever it is, can we please talk about it after she’s recovered? I’m begging you,” Toby pleaded, his voice low and earnest.
I ignored him, my eyes locked on Clara.
“Sign the papers, or I walk out that door right now. Your choice.”
The female colleague who’d slapped me started forward again, but someone held her back.
“Are you a monster?! She just cheated death!”
“Her life is her own,” I said, my voice flat, tired. “It has nothing to do with me.”
Clara suddenly began to cough violently, her whole body shaking.
Toby frantically pressed the call button.
A nurse hurried in, her brow furrowing as she took in the scene. “The patient needs rest. Family members, please control your emotions.”
The room fell silent again.
Clara stared at me, biting her lip, but still she refused to yield.
“I’m calling our parents,” I said.
“Do whatever you want.”
With that, I turned and walked out.
I walked aimlessly, my mind in a fog, and found myself outside the funeral home where Clara worked.
“Mr. Thorne?”
An older man I didn’t recognize approached me.
“You know me?” I asked.
He scratched his head, looking hesitant. “Clara’s phone wallpaper is a picture of you. I’ve seen it.”
I pulled out a cigarette, offered him one, and forced a smile. “Could you show me where she usually works?”
He took the cigarette and sighed. “Sure. Follow me.”
The room was cold. I looked around, tapping on surfaces, and my foot kicked something on the floor. A lighter.
It was a specific brand I’d once mentioned to Clara.
I remembered Toby having one just like it.
Just then, the older man spoke.
“Last night, Clara really was handling an emergency. I don’t normally stick my nose in, but she’s a good woman.”
I said nothing. My phone rang. It was Clara’s colleague.
“David! Where the hell are you? Both our parents are here! Get your ass back to the hospital, now!” she shrieked. “Did you hear me?!”
I clutched the lighter in my hand, my heart a dead, silent void.
When I got back to the hospital, the atmosphere was thick with tension. My parents and Clara’s were all there, their faces grim.
The moment I walked in, my father slapped me.
“You disgraceful son! If Clara’s colleagues hadn’t called me, I would have never known you were here acting like such a monster!” he roared. “Go and apologize to your wife this instant!”
I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and said nothing.
My mother and mother-in-law rushed to intervene, one holding my father back, the other trying to soothe me.
“David, dear, couples need to be understanding with each other. Why must you insist on a divorce?”
“She’s right, son. A wife as good as Clara… you’ll never find another one like her if you let her go.”
No, I thought. I certainly won’t.
Clara’s eyes were red, as if she’d been crying again. She looked at me with a mixture of pain and worry.
“Why did you just leave? I was so worried about you.”
I turned my head, avoiding everyone’s eyes. “I couldn’t stand the sight of you. It makes me sick.”
My father lunged at me again, but was held back.
Clara, however, finally snapped.
“David, can you stop being so unreasonable?!” she screamed, her voice raw. “What more do you want from me?!”
“A divorce.”
Seeing the situation about to explode, Clara reached for me. “David,” she pleaded, her voice cracking, “let’s just talk, please? For our parents’ sake…”
I pulled the lighter from my pocket and placed it gently on the bedside table.
“Is this yours?” I asked.
Clara’s pupils contracted for a fraction of a second.
Toby immediately stepped forward. “It’s mine,” he said quickly. “I must have dropped it yesterday when I was helping clean up.”
Clara latched onto his words. “Yes, it’s Toby’s. You know he always uses that brand.”
I stared into her eyes. I used to love her eyes; they were so clear, so honest. Now, I couldn’t see anything in them at all.
I bent down and pulled a newly printed divorce agreement from my briefcase.
“Sign it.”
My father-in-law slammed his hand on the table. “David! Are you determined to burn everything to the ground?!”
“Dad!” Clara cried out, silencing him. Then, her voice softened as she looked at me. “Is it because I work too much? Or because of Toby? I’ve told you a hundred times, we’re just colleagues…”
Toby jumped in, holding out his phone. “If you still don’t believe us, I’ve just requested the security footage from last night. Watch it. Then you can stop accusing Clara.”
I glanced at the faces around me, then took the phone with a cold smirk. I turned to Clara.
“Do you want to watch it together?”
She hesitated for a moment, then gave a slight nod.
I walked over and held the phone in front of her. The footage was perfectly normal. It showed her meticulously suturing and preparing a body, with Toby assisting nearby. There was no physical contact, nothing inappropriate at all.
Her female colleague couldn’t contain herself. “See? Now you know you were wrong! Apologize to Clara, right now!”
My father punched the wall in frustration. My mother frowned.
“David, you’re embarrassing me!” my father hissed.
“Now that you’ve seen the proof, stop fighting,” my mother added. “Take care of your wife and say you’re sorry.”
But before they could finish, Clara’s hand trembled, and she knocked the phone from my grasp. It clattered to the floor.
“Stop fighting,” she said, her voice hollow. “I’ll agree to the divorce.”
She wouldn’t look at anyone. She just held out her hand.
Toby tried to stop her, but she gently pushed him away.
“A pen,” she said.
No one moved. Finally, I took the pen from my own pocket and handed it to her.
Clara stared intently at the divorce agreement, her hand raised, ready to sign.
Toby lunged, snatching the pen away, his voice cracking.
“You can’t sign this! We can talk about this when you’re better! He’s lost his mind, Clara, you can’t go along with it!”
The colleague who’d hit me rushed forward, screaming. “Clara, don’t! If you sign this, it’s like admitting there was something going on with Toby! We all know you’re innocent! Don’t be afraid!”
My mother-in-law clutched her chest, swaying on her feet. My father-in-law caught her, his face livid as he pointed at me.
“David, if you dare force her to sign that paper today, I swear, this isn't over between us!”
My own father stared at me, his eyes filled with disbelief. “You bastard! What are you trying to do? Are you trying to destroy this family completely?!”
Clara took a shaky breath and spoke to Toby. “Give me the pen.”
He didn’t move. He took a step back. “No! Clara, if you sign this today, it’s not just about the divorce! Your reputation will be ruined!”
Clara turned to look at me one last time. Seeing the unyielding resolve in my expression, she gritted her teeth.
“Give it to me!”
Her mother, knowing her daughter, knew something was deeply wrong. “Clara, what is going on? First David acts out, and now you. Marriage is not a game! If you’re getting divorced, you at least owe us a reason!”
Clara closed her eyes, her voice heavy with exhaustion. “Mom, please, don’t push me.”
A tense silence filled the room.
Finally, my father grabbed me, forcing me to bend over. “Apologize to Clara! Or I’ll disown you!”
Even pinned, I didn’t back down. “Dad, if you keep pushing, I’m going to have to tell them the truth.”
Clara’s hand froze. Her face was deathly pale, her eyes darting nervously. But with so many people watching, she had to deny it.
“What truth? I’m just… I’m tired of fighting with you. I’m just tired.”
Her voice was so broken. Her words instantly made me the villain in everyone’s eyes.
The last shred of affection I had for her evaporated.
I took a step forward, ignoring the furious glares.
“Aren’t any of you curious?” I asked the room. “Why would Clara endure being called filthy, being forced into a divorce, even getting into a near-fatal car accident, and still refuse to sign? And then, the moment she sees that perfectly innocent security footage, she suddenly agrees?”
Toby immediately blocked my path to her. “David, have you had enough?! You’ve broken her heart! She doesn’t want to deal with a madman like you anymore! What’s so hard to understand about that?”
“Is that it?” I looked past him, my gaze fixed on Clara. “Is it a broken heart? Or is it fear? Fear that someone might see something else in that footage?”
“What could there possibly be in the footage?!” my father roared. “It was just Clara doing her job! What kind of lies are you trying to spin now?!”
I turned to look out the window, my voice weary.
“Because she was afraid. Afraid that you would all find out about her secret, twisted obsession.”

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