My Wife’s Secret Crush Ruined Our Marriage
In a coastal city, a monstrous Category 5 hurricane was about to make landfall.
I closed the windows tight, the wind howling furiously outside.
My phone, resting on the table, buzzed incessantly.
I stared at the incoming call but ignored it.
This was already Maya Rodriguez’s eighteenth frantic call.
Messages? Countless.
“Liam Reynolds, the hurricane’s coming! I can’t get back to the city now. Go pick up Julian and take care of him, quick!”
“Julian’s legs are injured, he can’t protect himself, do you hear me?”
“If anything happens to Julian, I swear I’ll never forgive you.”
“If you don’t answer, I’ll divorce you, I swear…”
I’d lost count of how many times Maya had ordered me around because of her secret crush, Julian Thorne.
And I’d lost count of how many times she’d threatened me with divorce.
I used to get terribly anxious about these things.
But not anymore.
“Julian called me just now, he was crying. He must be so desperate right now. I’ve never asked you for anything else, so please, I’m begging you this time, go pick up Julian. Please?”
I blacked out my phone.
Lying in bed, headphones on.
Perhaps the fierce hurricane outside was finally bringing down the long-standing heat.
It had been a while since I’d had a comfortable sleep.
In the five years I’d been married to Maya, I’d given so much for her.
I genuinely believed that true feelings would be reciprocated.
But even after we entered the sacred bond of marriage, even after we got our marriage license,
It couldn’t stand against a single message from Maya’s secret crush.
“Maya, I’m back in the country. Can you come see me?”
I still remember the look of surprise and joy on Maya’s face when she saw that message.
“Liam, I won’t be celebrating your birthday with you. I’ll make it up to you next time.”
With those words, Maya hopped on a plane and flew to Sea City, leaving me utterly helpless.
Maya returned from Sea City half a month later.
When she arrived in the city, she asked me to pick her up from the airport.
It was my first time seeing Julian Thorne.
He was in a wheelchair, with a pale, refined face, delicate features, and sharp contours.
Dressed in white, he exuded an elegant aura.
Maya carefully pushed his wheelchair, lavishing him with a tenderness I’d never seen her display before.
And certainly, a tenderness I would never experience.
Maya and Julian had grown up together.
They had been legends of the school from their middle school days all the way through college.
Every little thing they did would become the talk of the campus.
They were, without a doubt, the undisputed focal points of the school.
Maya truly loved Julian.
But in their junior year of college, Julian, a foreign exchange student at the time, openly flaunted his blonde, blue-eyed girlfriend on his social media account.
He officially declared his love for her.
Maya was heartbroken and devastated then.
She completely fell apart.
She even went abroad herself, begging Julian not to break up with her.
But in the end, she couldn’t even get a glimpse of Julian.
Maya suffered for two years.
It took immense effort for me to pull her back from the emotional abyss Julian had dragged her into.
But even so, what good did it do?
With Julian’s single sentence about returning home, all my efforts vanished into thin air.
I sighed lightly. It was time for me to let go of this relationship that was never truly mine.
I placed the divorce papers, which I had prepared in advance, under my pillow.
That night, I slept soundly.
The next day, after the storm cleared.
The hurricane finally dissipated.
I had just opened my eyes when I heard some commotion outside.
Before I could fully wake up.
A figure rushed into the room.
Her eyes were a bit red, her hair a mess, her eyes sunken, with dark bags hanging beneath them.
Her clothes were thrown together, a stark contrast to her status.
She looked utterly haggard.
Clearly, she hadn’t slept well the previous night.
Seeing Maya Rodriguez, a top fashion designer, in such a state, genuinely surprised me.
Our eyes met.
Maya immediately yanked the blanket off me.
“Get out here, I need to talk to you.”
She seemed to be trying her best to control her emotions.
But I could already see this was the prelude to a volcanic eruption.
I moved at a deliberate pace, no longer the person who used to tense up at the slightest sign of Maya’s anger.
On the contrary, there was a sense of calm in my eyes.
Maya looked slightly surprised by this but didn’t dwell on it.
She went outside, sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and folded her arms across her chest, her expression showing a hint of fury.
She was ready, waiting for me to come out and apologize.
Maya had even decided in her mind that this time, she would punish and scold me severely, to make sure I learned my lesson.
To know what I should and shouldn’t do.
But after waiting a while, I didn’t emerge.
Maya’s anger gradually dwindled with the wait.
She stormed back into the room, just as I was coming out, and we nearly collided.
Maya’s emotions were about to burst forth.
But I cut her off.
“Oh, by the way, Maya, Julian’s rehabilitation and hospital bills came in a while ago. Check them over, and if everything’s in order, just sign them.”
Maya had put a lot of effort into getting Julian back on his feet.
Now, she was even treating Julian at the city’s exclusive private hospital.
I heard it had state-of-the-art medical equipment imported from abroad.
Maya had sent Julian there without hesitation.
Hearing about Julian seemed to calm Maya’s emotions somewhat.
I handed Maya the hospital bills, with the divorce papers tucked inside.
Maya didn’t look closely. She took the pen and quickly signed her name.
As for the divorce papers beneath, Maya didn’t seem to care at all.
After she signed, she handed the documents back to me. I carefully put both the hospital bills and the divorce papers away.
I planned that once the thirty-day waiting period was over, I would move out of this place that felt like a house but wasn’t a home.
Maya’s expression quickly reverted to its icy demeanor.
“Liam Reynolds, don’t you think you owe me a reasonable explanation now?”
A flicker of confusion crossed my face.
“Explanation? What explanation?”
Maya’s voice rose a few octaves.
“I called you so many times last night, sent you countless messages, why didn’t you answer my calls or reply to my texts? Do you even know? Julian almost died last night.”
She questioned me, demanding why I hadn’t taken proper care of her Julian.
I looked at Maya, furious over Julian.
A bitter pang flashed in my eyes.
It appeared as quickly as it vanished.
“Last night, I…”
I was about to explain.
But Maya cut me off.
“I can’t believe how cold-blooded and heartless you are. You almost became Julian’s killer.”
Listening to the charges she was pinning on me.
There wasn’t much of a ripple in my heart.
She only thought about Julian’s safety.
Had she ever thought about mine?
Last night, a Category 5 hurricane swept through, uprooting large trees outside.
If I had gone out, would I have been swept away like those trees, disappearing without a trace?
As she spoke, she pulled up the security camera footage.
In the video, Julian, sitting in his wheelchair, looked terrified and pale as the fierce wind blew in.
He repeatedly cried out for help.
“Maya, where are you? Come back quickly, I’m scared being alone.”
“Maya, please come be with me…”
Julian called out for Maya to the camera, looking utterly helpless and desperate.
“Did you see that? Did you see that?” Maya’s voice caught in her throat.
I was slightly surprised and turned to look at Maya, only to find her eyes red and her lips trembling.
“How desperate Julian must have been last night! If I hadn’t rushed back through that Category 5 hurricane to take care of him, who knows what would have happened?”
Maya’s tone was fierce, and her eyes were sharp as she stared at me.
She seemed to be waiting for a reasonable answer.
I looked at the video, then averted my gaze.
“Julian’s fine now, right?”
“He’s fine, but he’s still traumatized. He can’t stand like a normal person, so he’s naturally more sensitive and fragile emotionally, and his nerves are weak. After something like this, he won’t be able to sleep for at least half a month.”
“That’s true. And since you ended your meeting early, you can go stay with him at his place.” I said calmly.
Maya paused for a few seconds after hearing this. Her gaze towards me shifted.
She had a feeling that something about me had changed.
But she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.
She knew I had never supported her interactions with Julian before.
Why had my attitude changed now?
Maya was still in a huff.
“I don’t need you to tell me that, I’ll make my own arrangements.”
She tossed that out, then ignored me.
She turned and went into the walk-in closet, starting to pack her clothes.
She pulled a suitcase and walked out.
“I might need to be away for about a week to take care of Julian this time.”
“Oh.”
I replied calmly.
Maya, who was rushing out, abruptly stopped, turned, and glanced at me.
“Don’t overthink it. Julian is a patient, after all, and he was traumatized last night. You don’t need to be jealous.”
I said,
“I’m not jealous. In fact, what I did last night was wrong, causing Julian such distress. Perhaps you should go take care of him for half a month or even a month, so his emotions can fully stabilize.”
Maya frowned slightly.
“Liam Reynolds, what do you mean? Don’t use those words to needle me, to mock me.”
“Maya, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not mocking you. It just so happens that I have an event to participate in soon, which will take some time. If you were home, I wouldn’t have time to take care of you. So, this works out well; you can use this time to properly spend time with Julian.”
I said truthfully.
My face was serene, showing no emotional fluctuations.
“What event?”
“Didn’t you promise to join me for a charity drive a while back? I figured you wouldn’t have time now, so I’m planning to go alone.”
I explained.
This charity drive was very meaningful.
The organizers hoped to donate books to underprivileged children in remote areas through this event.
At the time, I thought about signing up for such a meaningful activity.
That day would also roughly coincide with our fifth wedding anniversary.
If our fifth wedding anniversary could be spent on such an event, it would be a truly significant day.
For this, I had even bought the gift in advance.
But Maya seemed to have forgotten our wedding anniversary.
Hearing me bring it up, her expression didn’t change much.
“I really don’t have time to participate this time. I’ll join you another time if I get the chance.”
“Alright, I understand. You should go take care of Julian quickly; don’t make him wait too long.”
Maya still looked at me with a hint of confusion.
But as soon as she heard Julian’s name, she no longer hesitated, turning to walk out.
Watching her disappearing back.
I let out a bitter laugh and said nothing more.
I stood there for a moment.
When I came to my senses, I began to pack up my belongings in the house.
In our five years of marriage, besides a single photo of us from an event we attended, there were no other shared photos in the house.
We hadn’t even taken wedding photos.
Of course, I wanted to take wedding photos, but when I brought it up to Maya,
She bluntly refused.
“I don’t want to waste time on meaningless things.”
But what was meaningful to Maya?
Ever since Julian returned to the country.
Maya had been busy, helping him arrange a place to live.
She found hospitals and specialists to help Julian with his treatment.
Maya paid meticulous attention to every update Julian posted on his Ins story.
I remember Julian once posted a picturesque European landmark.
Maya dropped her busy work, and the very next day, she took Julian to that landmark.
Julian posted a picture of a delicious meal.
Maya immediately started learning to cook, just to satisfy Julian.
As for me.
Maya never did any housework.
Let alone cook a meal for me.
For me, it was simply unimaginable.
I simply packed up my belongings in the house.
I threw everything that belonged to “us” into the trash can.
Among them was a scarf I had knitted for her by hand.
She had never worn it once.
When I gave her the scarf and told her I had knitted it myself, she immediately pursed her lips.
“As a top designer, wearing such an unstylish scarf from you would be absolutely laughable.”
From then on, the scarf was relegated to a corner, collecting dust.
This scarf was just like our relationship.
From the very beginning, I wasn’t even Julian’s “substitute.”
In the end, after five years of marriage,
I was merely “the dusty scarf.”
After packing up my things.
I contacted the event organizers and submitted some documents.
Then I left, because this charity drive wasn’t hosted in this city, but involved a wilderness hike.
So, it would take a few days.
I bought a plane ticket and departed, also taking the opportunity to clear my mind.
When I arrived at the location, one of the organizers looked surprised to see me alone.
“Mr. Reynolds, I remember you mentioned coming with your wife?”
I chuckled softly.
“My wife had some urgent business, so she couldn’t make it…”
The organizer didn’t say much about it.
The charity drive lasted about a week.
At the end, participants could also voluntarily donate to the charity fund.
I donated a delicate “Crystal Heart.”
This was originally a surprise I had planned for Maya during this charity drive.
But she didn’t need it now.
So, I made sure it was put to good use.
The organizer opened the box containing the “Crystal Heart” and glanced at it, a hint of surprise on their face.
“Mr. Reynolds, isn’t this too valuable? I remember seeing something like this online, it was worth hundreds of thousands.”
“It’s just a small token of my affection for the underprivileged children in the mountains.”
After a moment of stunned silence, the organizer quickly thanked me.
I waved my hand.
After returning from the charity event.
I saw a familiar number calling me again.
It was a call I had rejected countless times.
After a moment of hesitation, I pressed the answer button. A voice came from the other end.
“Mr. Reynolds, our C Group is very eager to…”
“Mr. Reynolds, our company has extended invitations to you dozens of times to join us as our lead animation designer. We’ve seen your work from the global competition, and it perfectly aligns with our needs. We sincerely invite you to join our company. What do you think?”
I had studied animation design and production.
And I had a strong talent in this field.
A while ago, out of boredom, I participated in an international animation rendering competition.
I won first place.
After that, I was noticed by an animation production company called “C Group.”
I knew about this company; it was a top production studio that collaborated with Hollywood.
Many famous animations on the market were produced by this company.
When they invited me before.
I still felt tied down, and I still clung to a sliver of hope.
I always thought that one day, Maya would see my efforts and dedication.
But now, none of that mattered to me.
“Alright, I accept your invitation.”
I answered before the other person could speak.
The other person was stunned for a few seconds, as if they hadn’t fully processed what I said.
A few seconds later, the person finally let out an excited voice.
“That’s wonderful, fantastic! Mr. Reynolds, please complete your emigration procedures as soon as possible. Our company will cover all expenses.”
“Okay.”
I agreed.
And hung up the phone.
When I returned to the apartment, I found it empty.
A thin layer of dust had settled on the floor and the dining table.
I was usually the one who cleaned the house.
When I was here, this cold house felt like a home.
When I was not, it was just a concrete and steel structure.
Counting the days, it had been about ten days already.
Twenty days left.
This emotionally draining relationship was finally coming to an end.
Just as I got up to tidy the place.
My phone suddenly rang.
It was Maya calling.
After a moment of hesitation, I answered.
“Liam Reynolds, you should be back in the city now, right?”
I paused for a few seconds when I heard that voice.
Because it wasn’t Maya’s voice.
It was Julian’s.
It was unthinkable for me to even touch Maya’s phone.
Yet now, Julian was calling me from Maya’s phone.
This was clearly a way to assert his dominance.
“Yeah, I just got back.”
I replied calmly after coming back to my senses.
“Today’s my birthday, and Maya organized a birthday party for me. I heard from Maya that you went on a charity trip, and it’s been so many days, you should be back by now. So I called to invite you to my birthday party, do you have time?” Julian’s voice was excited, but I could also detect a hint of provocation.
“Maya also hopes you can come. Of course, I hope you can come even more. After all, if it weren’t for your generosity, tacitly allowing Maya to take care of me, I don’t know how I would have gotten through these dark days.”
Julian’s voice continued.
“Alright, send me the address, I’ll be there later.”
I hung up.
Julian quickly sent me the address.
I glanced at it, then looked away.
Then I went out to start preparing my emigration documents.
Since I had applied for an overseas visa before.
I was quite familiar with the process.
I submitted my application to the consulate, and it would take about ten days.
After finishing my errands, I checked the time.
From where I was to Julian’s birthday party venue, it was about a thirty-minute drive.
Leaving now, the timing was just right.
I might be a little late, but that didn’t matter to me.
Sitting on the subway, my thoughts drifted.
I chatted briefly with a friend.
I informed my friend that I was preparing to move abroad soon.
My friends, hearing that I had a better opportunity to go abroad, were all happy for me.
Half an hour later.
I arrived at the location.
Following the address, I walked forward.
The decor of this place was very high-end; it was clear the prices here wouldn’t be cheap.
But this was the place Maya had carefully chosen for Julian.
The venue was quite large, with many private rooms.
I was led by a waiter to the door of the private room.
When I pushed the door open.
A booming music sound erupted.
Accompanied by cheers and teasing.
“Cheers…”
The private room was spacious, two to three hundred square feet, with integrated leisure and entertainment.
I pushed the door open and saw Maya smiling, with a hint of shyness, sharing an intertwined toast with Julian.
The two of them were intimately close, looking incredibly sweet.
Seeing this, I also clapped along with the crowd.
No one seemed to notice my arrival.
But Julian’s gaze quickly fell upon me.
“Liam Reynolds, you’re here…”
As his voice landed.
The eyes of the cheering crowd all turned to me.
Even Maya’s gaze landed on me.
Today, Maya wore a floor-length gown, exuding an elegant aura.
Her delicate features had an air of nobility.
The moment she saw me, a flicker of paleness crossed her face, quickly flushed with a hint of red.
Her eyes were also filled with a touch of panic.
But this panic vanished quickly.
Her expression changed again and again. After a long moment, she said,
“Liam Reynolds, why are you here? I’m telling you, I just…”
“No need to explain. It’s Julian’s birthday today, and I know you’re just getting into the spirit of things, celebrating Julian’s birthday.”
I said calmly.
Everyone who heard my words paused for a few seconds.
They seemed to be trying to process it.
Julian quickly tried to explain.
“Liam Reynolds, it’s a misunderstanding. Maya and I are not… we’re nothing.”
His explanation actually made it sound more like there was something between them.
“Yeah, I know.”
I said.
Julian was about to say more, but Maya cut him off.
“Julian, you don’t need to explain. He’s very understanding; he wouldn’t fuss over such a small thing.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I cooperated with Maya.
I genuinely didn’t care if they shared an intertwined toast.
Even if they kissed in front of me right then, I wouldn’t care.
Julian’s lips now held a smirk that was half-triumph as he looked at me, adopting the posture of a victor.
“Julian, thank you for inviting me to your birthday party. Happy birthday.”
I said with a smile.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now. Have fun.”
After speaking, I turned to go.
But Maya’s voice suddenly rang out.
“Julian, did you invite Liam Reynolds here? And you made me share a toast with you, weren’t you deliberately trying to cause a misunderstanding between Liam and me?”
“Maya, it’s not like that, I…”
Julian blurted out an explanation to Maya.
But I was no longer interested in what they were saying.
I turned and walked out.
Leaving the private room, I soon arrived in the main lobby.
My phone suddenly rang. To my surprise, it was my good friend Sam Peterson.
I answered the call, and Sam’s voice came from the other end.
“Liam, you’re so unfair! You’re going abroad and didn’t even tell your bro. If I hadn’t found out from another friend, I’d still be in the dark.”
“I just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. I was planning to treat you guys to a good meal before I leave.”
I said.
But just as I finished speaking.
A voice suddenly came from behind me.
“Liam Reynolds, you’re going abroad? When?”
Startled by the sudden voice.
I turned around and saw Maya, in her floor-length gown, chasing after me.
“I’ll tell you later.” I said into the phone, then hung up.
I looked at Maya.
“Oh, I’m planning to travel abroad for a bit recently, to clear my head.”
“Oh, a trip abroad sounds nice, you can enjoy yourself.”
Maya seemed to let out a sigh of relief, looking at me, as if I was only going away for a short vacation.
I had just said it casually.
After all, Maya probably didn’t care what I did abroad.
“Alright, you should go back. Julian’s birthday party has just begun. I have something to do, so I’ll be leaving first.”
I said calmly.
“No, Julian’s actions were a bit too much today. I don’t want to go back. I’ll go home with you.”
Hearing her say that so unexpectedly.
I paused for a moment.
“Alright.”
We both walked out.
Maya suddenly said,
“That figurine you said you wanted a while ago? I just checked, and it’s back in stock. I ordered it for you.”
“No need, cancel it. I already bought one.”
I was indeed interested in that figurine.
When it was my birthday before, Maya asked what gift I wanted.
I told her I wanted that figurine.
I had hoped to receive it on my birthday.
But that hope was ultimately dashed.
That day, not only did I not receive a gift, Maya didn’t even celebrate my birthday with me.
“Oh, really? Well, next time you see a figurine you like, let me know, and I’ll buy it for you.”
“Yeah, okay.”
I replied.
Maya stepped forward and linked her arm through mine.
I subconsciously tried to pull my hand away, but Maya held it tightly.
Maya felt my attempt to “pull away,” and her heart raced for a moment.
A sense of unease welled up inside her.
It wasn’t until I stopped resisting and let her hold me that Maya felt a little relieved.
This way, she could feel like I was still under her “control.”
We walked out of the lobby and got into the car.
Maya’s phone rang. She answered it, and her expression immediately changed.
“Ah, what did you say? What happened to Julian?”
“Okay, I’ll be right there.”
Maya hung up the phone and said to me anxiously,
“Julian fell down the stairs, I need to go check on him.”
“Alright, go. Here are the car keys, it’ll be easier to take him to the hospital later.”
Maya took the car keys from my hand, a look of hurried determination on her face, and ran back towards the private room.
I stared at her disappearing back for a moment, lost in thought.
Then I came to my senses and called Sam Peterson.
I arranged a farewell dinner with my friends.
After a few rounds of drinks, I returned home.
I slept until the sun was high in the sky.
When I woke up, I felt incredibly relaxed.
During the days I waited for my visa, I intensified my workouts, updated my resume, and gathered my portfolio to directly liaison with C Group.
Maya hadn’t returned during this time; she was at the hospital taking care of Julian.
She called me once, saying Julian had fallen down the stairs.
He was quite badly injured and might need to be hospitalized for ten days to half a month.
She wouldn’t be coming home during that time.
I said nothing to this, simply telling Maya to take good care of Julian at the hospital.
Finally, my visa was approved.
Some more time passed.
The thirty-day waiting period was almost over.
I packed my belongings, left the divorce papers, and headed to the airport with my suitcase.
As I walked downstairs, I happened to see Maya pushing Julian’s wheelchair into the apartment complex.
Maya’s attention was entirely on Julian.
They were laughing and chatting, incredibly sweet.
They didn’t even notice me leaving the building.
I looked at their “intertwined” backs and suddenly smiled.
My smile was light, as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
From now on, I would start my own life, live my own way.
Goodbye, Maya Rodriguez!
Never to see Maya Rodriguez again.
I looked up at the setting sun, picked up my suitcase, and strode towards the light in my heart.
This time, as I left, I didn’t look back.
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