When I Discovered That My Husband Was Having An Affair

Synopsis

I lit the candles at seven-thirty, knowing even then that he wouldn’t come. Still, I adjusted the place settings. Straightened the forks. Smoothed the linen runner for the third time. The orchid in the center—his favorite, he once said—was starting to droop, petals curling inward like they, too, were growing tired of the wait. The dining room clock chimed eight. Its sound struck through the silence like a gavel. I looked at my phone. Blank screen. No missed calls, no messages, not even a read receipt. I refreshed the thread anyway. Just to feel like I was doing something. Still nothing. Clint hadn’t texted. Wasn’t a new thing. But this time, I didn’t feel disappointment. Not really. Disappointment needs hope. I was