Chapter 1

On our wedding anniversary, a video of my wife, Alyssa, went viral on social media.

She was pressed intimately against her male assistant, Kyler, guiding his hands around a pool cue in public.

The comments flooded in: “They look so hot together, an absolute power couple.”

I logged into my verified account and hit the like button.

Within two minutes, Alyssa called.

“Damon, what the hell are you doing liking that post? I was just showing Kyler how to line up a shot. As a coach, don’t you know that’s completely normal physical contact?”

“Stop throwing a childish tantrum. I’m sick of looking at your pathetic jealousy.”

I quietly hung up the phone.

After all the years spent grinding to build her career, I was finally done.

1.

When Alyssa stormed into my office dragging Kyler behind her, I was busy drafting next week’s training schedule.

“Damon, who gave you the right to dock Kyler’s pay? I was the one who insisted on coaching him!”

“This is pure abuse of power! I can report you to the board for this!”

Hearing my own wife threaten to report me over another man sent a bitter ache through my chest.

I swallowed the pain and looked up at her calmly.

“Who told you I docked his pay?”

“If I wanted to target him, do you really think I would have waited until now?”

Alyssa faltered for a second, but quickly regained her defensive stance.

“You just admitted it yourself. You’re furious because Kyler and I trended online!”

“Acting so petty and vindictive makes me look down on you!”

Before I could speak, Kyler’s phone rang in the background.

The club owner’s booming voice was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

“Kyler Evans! If you drag this club’s reputation through the mud again, losing your bonus will be the least of your worries!”

The owner’s harsh words instantly froze the room, leaving Alyssa and Kyler looking utterly humiliated.

After ending the call, Kyler looked at me with an apologetic, pitiful gaze.

“Damon, I’m so sorry! I had no idea Alyssa was going to drag me here to confront you.”

“I’m really sorry for disturbing your work!”

He bent into an exaggerated bow, but Alyssa yanked him back up immediately.

She sneered, dismissive as ever. “You don’t need to apologize to him. After what he pulled last time, it was completely reasonable to suspect him.”

“He deserves this!”

With that, she grabbed Kyler’s arm and headed for the door.

Before stepping out, she threw a cold remark over her shoulder: “Don’t wait up for me tonight.”

As the door swung shut, Kyler glanced back at me.

His eyes were dripping with smug satisfaction.

The incident she referred to happened last week during a club mixer, when Kyler and I were walking at the back of the group.

He had suddenly slipped and banged his knee.

Hearing the thud, Alyssa rushed over immediately.

Seeing Kyler clutching his leg in agony, she dropped to her knees to comfort him with frantic concern.

That was when Kyler looked up at me with tearful, helpless eyes.

“Damon... I swear I felt someone shove me from behind...”

Before he could finish, Alyssa snapped around and slapped me hard across the face.

“I can’t believe you’d resort to cheap violence just because you’re jealous!”

Kyler grabbed her sleeve weakly. “No, Alyssa, it wasn’t him. Really.”

Alyssa glared at me with pure disgust. “Stop covering for him! It was just the two of you back there. Who else could it be?”

I hadn’t uttered a single word, yet she convicted me on Kyler’s vague insinuation alone.

Looking back, I realized I hadn’t even felt that heartbroken in that moment.

Disappointment never happens all at once.

Every time Alyssa chose Kyler over me, whatever love I had left was slowly bled dry.

After they walked out, I didn’t frantically call her like I used to, asking where she was going or when she’d be back.

I just packed my bag in silence and headed home.

When you’ve already given up on the woman and the marriage, you stop caring what time she comes home.