Not down at her hands, not at the therapist, but straight at me, and said, "I think about him every day." The room went dead silent. I'm sitting there thinking she misspoke or I misheard. But then she kept going, and her voice got stronger, more confident. I married David because he's stable and kind and would be a good father.
But I never got over Jared. I thought I could love David the way I love Jared, but I can't. It's not the same kind of love. I swear time stopped.
You know that scene in movies where everything goes quiet and the camera zooms in on someone's face? That was my life in that moment. So, you're saying you settled for me? I asked.
My voice sounded like it was coming from underwater. I'm saying I love you, but not the way I should. Not the way you deserve to be loved. You're safe and reliable.
And I thought that would be enough. But Jared, Jared was passion. Jared was everything you're not. Game over.
Marriage terminated. Life as I knew it officially ended. Dr. Linda tried to jump in with some therapy speak about honesty being the first step toward healing. But I wasn't hearing any of it.
My wife had just told me that our entire marriage was built on a lie. That for 5 years, while I thought we were building a life together, she was thinking about another man every single day. Every anniversary, every vacation, every time we talked about our future kids, she was comparing me to someone else and finding me lacking. Every time we were intimate, every time she said she loved me, every time she smiled at me across the dinner table, she was wishing I was someone else.
I stood up and walked out without saying another word. Jade called after me, but I kept walking, got in my car, and just drove around for 3 hours trying to process what had just happened. When I finally went home, Jade was waiting in the living room with this weird expression on her face. Not guilty, not apologetic, almost relieved, like she'd finally gotten some huge weight off her chest.
She tried to explain herself, saying the therapist had encouraged complete honesty and that admitting the truth was supposed to help us work through our problems. She said she felt liberated by finally being authentic about her feelings. I do love you, David, just differently than I love Jared. Maybe we can figure out how to build something real from here now that everything's out in the open.
I told her there was nothing to figure out. If she'd been thinking about another man every day of our marriage, she'd been emotionally cheating on me for 5 years. I deserve to be with someone who chose me first, not someone who settled for me because I was the safe option. That's when Jade got defensive.
Really defensive. You're being dramatic and sensitive, she said. Lots of people marry someone different from their first love. That's called being mature and practical.
I chose you for good reasons. Good reasons? I asked. Like what?
My credit score? Don't be ridiculous. I chose you because you're stable and you'd be a good provider and father. That matters more than some juvenile obsession with passion.
The entitlement in her voice was unbelievable. She was talking about marrying me like it was some kind of business decision, and I should be grateful she'd made the practical choice. That weekend, I called my brother Shawn and told him everything. Shawn's 3 years older than me and has zero filter when it comes to calling out stupidity.
Wait, let me get this straight. He said she suggested therapy so she could officially tell you that you're her participation trophy husband pretty much. And she thought you'd be cool with that apparently. Bro, your wife might actually be insane.
Like clinically insane. Leave it to Shawn to sum up the situation perfectly. But I wasn't done getting kicked in the teeth yet because Jade's grand plan was just getting started. After Jade's therapy confession, I knew exactly what I needed to do.
While she was at work the next Monday, I called a divorce attorney and got the ball rolling. Virginia is a no-fault state, so I didn't have to prove anything beyond irreconcilable differences. Since we didn't have kids and the house was in my name only, the attorney said it should be pretty straightforward. Jade had been acting like her authentic confession was some kind of breakthrough that would bring us closer together.
She kept trying to have these deep conversations about our new foundation of honesty and how we could build something real. Now, meanwhile, I was planning to blow up her entire world. The papers were ready by Thursday. I had them served to her at work right in the middle of her weekly team meeting.
Figured if she wanted to be dramatic, I'd give her some real drama to work with. I was at my brother Shawn's place when she called. I could hear her screaming through the phone from across the room. "What the hell is this, David?" "Divorce papers," I said calmly.
I thought that was pretty obvious. "You can't just divorce me.
We're in therapy. We're working on things." No, Jade. You confessed to thinking about another man every day of our marriage. There's nothing to work on.
She completely lost it. Started crying hysterically about how I was being rash and not giving the process a chance. She said therapy was supposed to help us work through difficult emotions, not end our marriage. I was being honest like the therapist said, "You can't punish me for being honest." She thought admitting she settled for me was some kind of gift I should be grateful for.
Shawn grabbed the phone. Hey, Jade. It's Shawn. Quick question.
Are you actually surprised that telling your husband he's your second choice didn't go over well? Don't interfere between us. This is between me and David. Not anymore.
It's not. You just got served, sweetheart. Maybe next time don't suggest therapy as a way to confess you're not actually in love with your husband. I took the phone back.
Jade was sobbing now, saying she couldn't believe I would do this to her without warning. You didn't warn me that our entire marriage was a lie. I said, "Fair's fair." But the real fun was just getting started.
See, the house was mine. Bought it before we got married and never added her name to the deed. So, along with the divorce papers, I also served her with a 30-day eviction notice. When she got home that night, she was a complete wreck.
Mascara everywhere, hair all messed up. You can't kick me out of my house. It's not your house, Jade. Check the deed.
She started ranting about how cruel I was being, how she had nowhere to go, how I was destroying her life. That's when I dropped the next bomb. Oh, and Shawn's going to be staying here for the next month. Shawn had been going through his own stuff.
His lease was up and he was between apartments anyway. Perfect timing. Are you freaking kidding me? You're bringing your brother to what?
Humiliate me? Nah. Shawn chimed in, carrying his bags through the front door. I'm just here for the entertainment value.