My Husband's Secret Mission Was Her Vacation

Synopsis

My husband, James Whitman, was the captain of the SWAT team, but he only ever went off the grid when it came to me. He said his missions were top secret, that his phone could get him killed at any moment, and that it was normal for him to go weeks without replying. For three years, I believed him. I didn't even dare to send him a birthday message. I just saved it in my drafts. That all changed when his ex-girlfriend, Maggie Hughes, posted a series of photos on social media. The posts were from 8 PM to 1 AM, every single day for twenty-seven days straight. I clicked on the video and heard James whispering to her, "Stop it, I've already turned off my phone." I pulled up our chat history. I'd asked him how he was doing, and he replied on the sixteenth day. Just three words: "Leave me alone." After that, I learned my lesson. I stopped watching the news for updates and stopped leaving the door open for him. My texts used to be long, but then they shrank to just one line: "Stay safe." Then it was just: "Got it." And after that, there was nothing at all. When he finally came home from his so-called "mission," the first thing he said was, "Why aren't you worried about me anymore?" I just smiled and stepped aside. In three days, the court would tell him the price he had to pay for three years of a sham marriage.