I never thought I’d find myself in this situation. After five years of marriage to Adrian, the man I thought I could trust, I was left with nothing but heartbreak and a lesson in betrayal.
As the CEO of Claire’s Fashion Empire, I had worked tirelessly to build my career. Adrian had always supported me—or so I believed. He stayed home, took care of the house, and we both agreed it worked for us. We had our challenges, sure, but we loved each other, didn’t we?
That day, everything changed.
I was heading to the airport for another business trip when I discovered that my flight had been canceled. Excited to surprise Adrian with some news, I decided to head home earlier than expected. I was pregnant, and I’d been waiting for the right moment to tell him, but that had to wait now.
When I rang the doorbell, Adrian opened the door with a pale face. “Claire? Why… why are you back?” he stammered, his voice shaking.
“Flight got canceled. Aren’t you happy to see me?” I asked, surprised by his strange reaction. He awkwardly hugged me, his words quick, as though rehearsed. “I missed you so much!”
I smiled, trying to brush off the unease. But something felt wrong. I was eager to freshen up, but Adrian blocked my path to the bedroom. “Wait! Let me clean it first,” he insisted, nervously.
I brushed it off, deciding to use the guest bathroom instead. But as I stepped out, I saw something that would change everything: Adrian holding a pizza box. “Pizza delivery,” he said, his voice trembling.
I opened the box, taking a bite, only to spit it out. “This is so spicy! What flavor is it?”
“Uh, double tabasco,” he muttered, as if that was an answer.
I raised an eyebrow. Adrian had never ordered pizza like that. Something was off, but I didn’t press it further.
The next day, I met my best friend Vanessa for lunch. I couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t right with Adrian. As we were talking, she ordered the exact same pizza Adrian had brought home the night before—extra spicy Tabasco.
That was when everything clicked. Adrian had been acting strange because he’d been hiding something. I excused myself from lunch and rushed home, calling Adrian. His phone line was busy, and so was Vanessa’s. I felt a knot form in my stomach.
I needed to get to the bottom of this.
I visited the pizza place where the delivery had come from and spoke with the delivery guy. When I showed him a photo of Vanessa, he nodded. “Yeah, I remember her. She left your house when I made the delivery.”
My blood ran cold. Vanessa, my best friend, and Adrian, my husband, had been lying to me.
I had to confront them. Disguising myself as a delivery person, I prepared for my final act. When Adrian opened the door, he looked disheveled, his shirt half-untucked, and behind him stood Vanessa, in a state of undress.
“I didn’t order any pizza!” Adrian protested, his voice thick with panic.
I pulled off my helmet. “But I ordered something special for you, darling.”
Their faces turned pale as I opened the pizza box. Inside was a note with divorce papers.
“Divorce?” Adrian stammered, his voice weak. “Claire… I—”
“Don’t bother,” I said, my voice cold. “You’ve already done enough.”
Vanessa tried to beg. “Claire, please, let me explain.”
I interrupted her. “Explain what? How my husband and my best friend betrayed me? How long did you think I wouldn’t find out?”
“I’m sorry, Claire,” Vanessa said, her eyes filled with regret.
“Stop it. Both of you. I don’t want to hear it,” I snapped, turning away. “Grab your things, and leave. Now.”
I walked away, not turning back as they begged for forgiveness.
I never told Adrian about the baby. In time, he found out through mutual friends, but he never reached out. That told me everything I needed to know. Adrian was a coward and a cheater.
Months later, I found myself sitting on a beautiful Hawaiian beach, watching the sunset. My hand rested on my growing belly, and for the first time in a long while, I felt free. Free from Adrian, free from the lies, and ready to begin a new chapter in my life.
Adrian could go on with his life, but I was finally going to live mine.
