I Waited in Lingerie; His Mistress Sent Her Selfies.

The miscarriage had hollowed me out, but my husband, Leland, had been my rock, his eyes welling up with tears more times than I could count.
Under his meticulous care, my body had finally healed.
Tonight was the night.
To surprise him, I had slipped into a whisper-thin piece of Agent Provocateur lingerie and was waiting for him to emerge from his shower.
But I never heard the bathroom door open.
Instead, my phone buzzed on the nightstand.
A text from an unknown number.
[Hey, sis. Think you and Leland are finally back in business tonight?]
[I ll bet you a hundred bucks he won t touch you. He told me he s disgusted by you now. Says your miscarriage made you... tainted.]
A wave of nausea hit me.
Then came the photos. A rapid-fire barrage of selfies. The sender, a young, pretty girl, wrapped around Leland. Suggestive selfies of them, his hands all over her, her lips on his neck.
I couldn t name the feeling, but it tasted like bile and ash.
A violent, dry heave wracked my body, my stomach clenching on emptiness as if trying to expel the very image I'd just seen.
The sound must have carried, because Leland burst out of the bathroom, shampoo foam still clinging to his hair.
"Evelina? What's wrong? Why are you being sick?"
He was on one knee beside the bed in an instant, a towel slung low on his hips, his hand rubbing my back in what should have been a comforting gesture.
I waved him away, signaling I was fine.
As the retching subsided, I noticed his gaze fixed on me.
Only then did I remember the lingerie.
A hot flush of shame washed over me, my cheeks burning. I snatched my silk robe from the chair, pulling it tight around my body.
And in that moment, I saw it. His expression wasn't one of desire, or even concern.

It was... flat. A placid lake. His brow was even slightly furrowed.
When our eyes met, he stood up. "You should wear more next time. You'll catch a cold."
He turned back toward the bathroom.
If it weren t for the texts still burning on my phone screen, I would have thought he was just being a caring husband.
But now... I let out a bitter, silent laugh.
He really did find me disgusting.
My fingers curled into fists. I took a deep breath, steeling myself, then let the robe fall to the floor and walked into the bathroom after him.
The door creaked. Leland, who was under the showerhead, flinched and hastily grabbed a washcloth to cover himself.
"What are you doing in here?"
He must have realized how harsh he sounded, because his tone softened. "Do you need the toilet? Go ahead, I'll wait."
He made a move to step out of the shower.
I closed the distance and wrapped my arms around him from behind. "Leland... I'll wash with you..."
His back went rigid. He gently, but firmly, pried my arms away.
"You're still recovering. You should go get some rest."
The door clicked shut, leaving me alone.
The tears began to fall, silent and hot.
He was saving himself for her. For Sabrina Nash.
I stood there, lost in a daze, memories of us swirling like steam in the air. Childhood sweethearts. We grew up together. How did we get here?
He must have noticed how long I was taking, because he came back.
"Still not done?"
He'd already showered in the guest bathroom and changed into a full-length set of pajamas. Buttoned all the way to the top. As if to ward off any further attempts on my part.

When I didn't answer, he walked over, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Evelina, what is it? Are you feeling unwell?"
I brushed away the hand reaching for my forehead. "It was just stuffy in here. I'm going to bed."
I walked out of the bathroom first.
I grabbed my own long-sleeved pajamas from the walk-in closet. When I came out, Leland was already in bed.
The king-sized bed was massive, but he was huddled on the very edge, a clear, unspoken line drawn between us.
I turned off the bedside lamp and stared at the dark ceiling.
I d noticed something was off with Leland for a while. I d just been lying to myself, telling myself he was just tired from taking care of me.
Now, with the enemy s declaration of war staring me down, I had no more excuses left.
About half an hour later, a vibration started under his pillow.
My sleep had always been light. Even more so since the miscarriage.
But Leland, assuming my even breathing meant I was asleep, didn't notice.
He pulled out his phone.
I watched his back in the faint glow of the screen. I could see his shoulders shaking slightly with silent laughter.
The sight sent a sharp pain through my chest.
I rolled over and wrapped my arms around his waist.
His entire body went stiff. He quickly shut off the screen.
"Evelina?" he whispered.
I kept my eyes closed, feigning sleep.
He gently removed my hand from his body, tucked me in, and then tiptoed out of the bed.
My tears soaked the pillow.
I buried my face in the duvet, my voice raspy. "Honey, my stomach hurts. Can you take me to the hospital?"

He didn't hear the sob in my voice. His eyes were glued to his phone, which was vibrating nonstop.
"Is it bad? I'll get you some hot water."
Before I could answer, he was already out of the bedroom.
He placed a mug on the nightstand and then rushed toward the closet.
I sat up, watching him silently. "Leland, can't you just take me to the hospital first?"
He looked torn, poking his head out from the closet door. "Evelina, something urgent came up at the office. I have to go right now. I can call an ambulance for you?"
He didn't wait for a reply. He finished changing and came over to kiss my forehead.
"Be a good girl. Drink some water, and you'll feel better after some sleep."
I forced a smile.
Leland hurried out the door.
I picked up my phone and opened the messages from Sabrina.
[Bet you don't believe me, sis. But if I want him, Leland will drop everything and run to my side.]
My vision blurred with tears.
For the first time, I replied.
[You win.]
I drank the water he'd left and tried to force myself to sleep.
But my mind was a cinema, playing a loop of Leland and Sabrina together, over and over.
The air felt thick, and I had to sit up, gasping for breath.
My phone vibrated.
It was a location pin.
I stared at it for a long, long time, until the pain in my clenched fist brought me back to reality.

I couldn't just sit here.
I threw on a coat and drove toward the location.
It was a bamboo grove on the edge of the city. The Cypress Zen Garden.
Deep within the grove, a familiar car was parked. The one I knew better than my own.
The world around it was pitch black, only the starlight illuminating the path ahead.
I crept closer.
Faintly, I could hear a woman's soft moans, a man's guttural grunts.
As I got nearer, I could make out Sabrina's whimpering cries. "Leland... please, be gentle... it hurts..."
Leland's voice was ragged, unsteady. "Sabrina... the pill you gave me... it's too strong... I can't stop..."
"Just... be gentle... please..."
A bullet had been shot straight through my heart.
I clutched my chest and sank to the ground, tears streaming down my face.
The sounds from the car didn't stop until the sky began to pale.
I dragged my numb legs and stumbled out of the grove.
It was only in the growing light of dawn that I realized where I was.
This was where Leland had proposed to me.
This place, once a sacred memory, had been desecrated by his own hands.
When I got home, Leland was already back.
He was in the guest bathroom, showering.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. It seemed my sudden appearance in our master bathroom last night had truly spooked him.
I poured myself a glass of ice water, trying to quell the fire in my gut.

Then I went to the kitchen and started making breakfast.
When Leland came out, toweling his hair dry, I had already placed two bowls of simple, homemade chicken noodle soup her mother's recipe on the table.
He sat down naturally, took a bite, and praised it. "Evelina, you're a genius. It's a crime you don't have your own restaurant."
I smiled and pushed the plate of fried eggs closer to him.
"Was it a tough night at the office?" I asked, my voice deliberately casual.
He lowered his head, mumbling a noncommittal "Mm-hmm," before quickly changing the subject. "You know, you should teach me how to make this soup. I was bragging to the guys that my cooking is as good as yours, and they all laughed at me. Told me to prove it."
What a clumsy lie.
I d seen a post on Sabrina's social media just yesterday, complaining about a tasteless soup she d had at a restaurant she'd tried.
And now, Leland wanted to learn how to make soup.
Anyone with half a brain could see the connection.
I didn't answer, just quietly ate my soup.
"Evelina?" he prompted.
When he looked up, he saw a tear splash from my cheek into my bowl.
"Evelina, what's wrong?" He looked panicked, pushing his chair back and moving to my side, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Did someone upset you? Tell me who, and I'll take care of them."
I wiped my tears and turned to look at him.
His eyes were filled with a sincere, worried expression. Just like the man who used to love me.
But the heart that once beat for me... how could it have changed so much?
"It's nothing," I said, pushing him away and carrying my empty bowl to the kitchen.
My cold tone made him freeze. He slowly lowered the hand that had been about to touch my hair.
My moods had been erratic since the miscarriage, so he was used to it. Seeing I didn't want to talk, he just went to the sofa and started scrolling through his phone.
After washing the dishes, I sat down in the armchair across from him and began scrolling through Sabrina's old posts.

That s how I learned she was a junior at Seacrest University.
Her feed had changed drastically about six months ago. From sharing everyday moments, she d started posting a lot of vague, sappy, romantic quotes.
Her clothes and accessories had also upgraded from no-name brands to the latest designer labels.
The further I scrolled, the more my heart ached.
Then I saw it. A ring. The exact one I d always wanted, the one Leland had never bought me.
That's when my heart turned to ash.
Leland, oblivious, took his phone and went into his study.
I heard the click of the lock.
I refreshed my feed.
Of course. Sabrina had a new post.
[A weekend video call with my love. Another happy day.]
I called my best friend, Tessa Grant, and arranged to meet at a caf? near the university.
"Tessa, do you have a student named Sabrina Nash in your class? Let's invite her out for a meal," I said, trying to keep my voice steady as I sipped my coffee. Tessa was a professor at the university.
Tessa looked puzzled. "Why the sudden interest in one of my students?"
I forced a smile. "No reason. She's pretty, right? Who doesn't want to meet a pretty girl?"
"Well, as it happens, there's a celebration tonight for the winners of the department competition. It's at The Astral Room. You can come with me."
"Sabrina mentioned she's bringing her boyfriend. I was curious to see who snagged her."
Just then, a text from Leland came in.
[Evelina, I have to work late again tonight. Won't be home. Make sure you eat well and get some rest.]
I replied with a simple "Okay." and put my phone away.
See you tonight, Leland.

To prepare for the evening's showdown, I called and invited all of our mutual friends.
Tessa was even more baffled. "Evelina, did you win the lottery? Why the sudden splurge?"
"Not at all. It's just been a while. A get-together is long overdue."
I had Tessa help me pick out a "battle dress" at the mall.
As we passed a high-end designer boutique, Tessa instinctively tried to pull me along.
I stopped. "Let's shop here today."
Tessa's face lit up. "Finally! My girl's come to her senses. Your husband is a CEO, Evelina. You should have been doing this ages ago."
She was right. I didn't need to be frugal for Leland anymore.
I used to save his money, thinking he worked hard for it.
But he didn't care.
The gifts he bought for his mistress were all six-figure items.
I chose a black dress that hugged my curves perfectly. Looking in the mirror, I had to admit, money well spent.
After having the dress wrapped, I bought a pile of new clothes for Tessa too.
As we left the store, shopping bags in hand, I saw Leland from a distance. He was leading Sabrina into a lingerie store.
"Tessa, let's go for some afternoon tea," I said, not wanting to start the drama just yet. I led her to the rooftop garden caf?.
Leland must have seen the spending alerts on his phone, because he called me.
His voice was a little frantic. "Evelina, you went shopping?"
I gave a cool, "Mm-hmm."
Hearing my calm tone, he seemed to relax. "That's my girl. I earn it, you spend it. No need to be so thrifty."
"I won't be anymore," I said.
My attitude was so different from before that an awkward silence fell between us.

Just as Leland was trying to think of something to say, I heard Sabrina's whining voice in the background. "Why are we leaving already? I wanted to look at the diamond necklaces..."
Leland must have covered her mouth, his voice turning panicked. "Evelina, don't get the wrong idea. I'm helping a client pick out a gift..."
I cut him off. "I know. You go ahead and get back to your work."
After hanging up, Tessa and I sat in the caf? for another hour.
As dusk fell, I drove us to The Astral Room.
The competition party was in a grand private dining room, large enough for a hundred people. I'd arranged for our friends to be at a table in the same room.
When we walked in, everyone was there except for Sabrina.
I sat with our friends, chatting. They all complimented my dress.
Seeing the diamond logo on the chest, one of them exclaimed, "Evelina, Leland treats you so well! I saw this dress on their website, isn't it almost seven figures?"
I smiled and nodded. "It is."
"That's more like it! A CEO's wife should look the part."
"That boy, Leland. He really didn't let you down after all these years."
I smiled without a word, my gaze drifting toward the door.
Tessa greeted our friends and then went to her students' table. I followed her to say hello.
The atmosphere was lively when the door swung open again.
Sabrina made her grand entrance, waving a hand adorned with a massive diamond ring. "So sorry, everyone! The traffic was a nightmare. I'm late!"
"To make it up to you, order whatever you want tonight. My boyfriend's paying!"
I smirked and looked up at her.
The moment our eyes met, the color drained from Sabrina's face.
She reacted quickly, pulling out her phone and turning to leave.
She was going to warn Leland.

I wasn't about to let that happen.
I stood up and caught up to her in a few strides. "Ms. Nash. Please, have a seat."
Sabrina recoiled from my touch as if she'd been electrocuted.
Tessa sensed the tension between us. Before she could ask, Leland walked in, smiling.
"Sorry, I..."
His smile froze when he saw me. "Evelina? What are you doing here?"
I walked up to him, smiling, and straightened the collar of his shirt.
"Just wanted to see your little girlfriend in person. She's as beautiful as they say."
My words sent a shockwave through the room.
The expressions on the faces of the two people involved were even more spectacular.
"Evelina Vaughn, you're slandering me! I have nothing to do with Leland!" Sabrina pointed at me, her eyes filling with tears like a wounded doe. "You're ruining my reputation! I'll sue you!"
I ignored her histrionics and looked calmly at Leland. "Your girlfriend says I'm a liar. Is that what you think too?"
Leland's hands were clenched into tight fists at his sides. Veins bulged on his forehead. "Evelina, stop it. We can talk about this at home."
He tried to grab my arm to pull me out.
I shook him off and walked back to the table, taking a seat. "What's the hurry? Don't you want to introduce your new girlfriend to our old friends?"
The friends I mentioned looked around awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.
Leland frowned, his voice low and menacing. "Evelina, are you really going to humiliate me like this?"
He never once denied his relationship with Sabrina.
I looked down and smiled, toying with the simple band he had given me when he proposed.
"Evelina Vaughn, I don't know what I ever did to you to deserve this!"
In the midst of the standoff, Sabrina burst into sobs. "I haven't even graduated yet! Are you trying to destroy my future with your viciousness?"

I slammed my ring on the table. "And you think it's okay to destroy my family?" I roared back.
My sudden outburst stunned Sabrina into silence. She couldn't even manage a whimper, just stared at Leland with pitiful eyes.
Leland let out a long breath and knelt before me. "Evelina, Sabrina and I are just friends. Did I do something to make you misunderstand? Let's go home, please. I'll explain everything when we get there."
I looked down at him. His expression was pleading.
I wanted to laugh.
And as I laughed, tears streamed down my face.
"Leland, we don't have a home anymore."
My words stopped him cold. A flicker of panic entered his eyes. "What are you talking about? Of course we have a home. Don't say such things."
Tessa finally spoke up. "Evelina, what is going on? Did Leland really do something to hurt you?"
She knew I wasn't the type to cause a scene. We had been friends our whole lives. I was the one who bottled things up, never the one to falsely accuse.
Seeing her own professor wasn't on her side, Sabrina cried even harder. "Professor Grant, I'm the victim here! Why are you siding with this crazy woman?"
Leland looked at me, his face a mask of sorrow.
"Leland, if you had just owned up to it, I might have respected you as a man. But now, I see you're nothing but a pathetic coward."
I took out my phone and played the video I had recorded in the Cypress Zen Garden.
The moment the moans filled the room, all hell broke loose.
My friends descended on Leland, fists flying.
I just stood up and walked toward the terrified Sabrina.
I raised my hand and slapped her across the face.
"You're a coward, just like him. A perfect match."
The fallout was immense. Leland came home, bruised and battered.

He fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around my legs.
"Honey, please forgive me. I know I was wrong," he begged.
Looking at his tears, my heart felt nothing. Only a profound sense of annoyance.
"Let go."
My cold voice made him tremble even more. "Honey..."
I kicked him away and went to sit on the sofa.
He crawled on his knees to my feet, looking up at me. "Honey, I was a fool. I'll break up with her right now. I swear."
I glanced at his swollen, red eyes and handed him the divorce papers.
"Sign it."
He recoiled as if he'd been shocked, then started slapping himself, a torrent of apologies and pleas pouring from his lips.
I watched him with cold detachment.
I only stepped in to stop him when blood started trickling from the corner of his mouth.
I bent down and wiped the blood away with my thumb.
"The self-pity act won't work on me."
His eyes filled with pain. He collapsed onto the floor, defeated.
With my final, cutting words, Leland signed the divorce papers with a trembling hand.
When I emerged from the bedroom with my suitcase, he was leaning against the sofa, drinking heavily.
He saw the suitcase, and fresh tears streamed down his face. "Evelina, please... don't go..."
I shook my head silently.
I opened the door and left the home I once thought I would live in forever.

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