Divorce from Betrayal

After Gabriel stood me up three times, I decided to go to the cinema alone to catch *The Avengers 2*. Halfway through the film, I had to use the restroom, and from the next stall, I heard unmistakable sounds of intimacy.

The soft moans, although faint, were undeniable. I frowned, eager to leave quickly. From the adjoining stall, a woman teased playfully, "Is your wife this adventurous?"

"A woman like her probably just lies there, not moving an inch," the man replied, his voice dripping with desire.

I knew that voice—it was my husband, Gabriel!

My mind went blank, and my legs turned to jelly, causing me to collapse onto the toilet seat. The woman continued breathlessly, "Next time we work out together, take a picture of her lying there like a log. Imagine how much fun that would be."

Amidst the rhythmic sounds, Gabriel responded in a low tone, "Alright."

I stood in front of the thin stall door, my hand rising and falling helplessly multiple times. I didn't dare confront it; I couldn't handle the truth.

Gabriel had ditched me three times, soothingly claiming that work was overwhelming and he couldn't find the time to be with me. He even bought me a designer handbag as an apology. I had started to reflect on myself—it’s perfectly fine to watch a movie alone. His career was mostly for my benefit, and I should be more independent.

Yet here he was, claiming to be so busy, now with another woman in the cinema, unable to control himself even in the restroom.

The crashing sounds quickened, and the moaning grew louder. My heart felt like it was splitting open; a suffocating sensation swept over me like a tide. I opened my mouth mechanically, but no air filled my lungs.

Finally, Gabriel let out a satisfied sigh, and the movement in the stall ceased. The woman teased, "Oh look at you, so eager and wild. You've ripped my dress—how am I supposed to face anyone now?"

Gabriel chuckled, "Wear mine. It’s got your scent all over it."

"Fine, let's see how you explain this to your wife when you get home."

"I’ll just say I fell asleep at the office, and it went missing."

"You don't even bother to lie well. Let’s see if she buys it."

"Her? She never questions me. I could tell her the company went under, and she'd just grit her teeth and support me."

As they got themselves together, they continued their playful banter. Outside the door, I stood, teeth clenched, fists tight, eyes stinging, yet no tears came. I stared at that door, replaying countless confrontations with Gabriel in my mind like a slideshow.

Blood rushed to my head, a mix of sadness and anger demanding release. I wanted to hit him, scream at him, burst in there and tear him apart, demand to know how he could betray me. How could he?

The lock clicked open, and in that last moment, the breath I'd been holding suddenly escaped. I fled, overwhelmed by defeat.