I felt uneasy as I settled into my seat on the trip home. I had no idea that the woman sitting next to me would tell me lie about my marriage that would change everything I thought I knew.
I knew her from the wedding pictures my husband Oscar had shown me. Her name was Clara. We said awkward hellos to each other, but Clara’s friendly personality quickly put me at ease. We had a nice conversation, but I could tell she had a plan behind her friendly appearance.
As our talk went on, Clara dropped a bombshell: our house, which Oscar and I had lived in together for three years, was actually built for her. She had made every choice and known every detail. As I tried to understand how deep their relationship went, I felt sick to my stomach.
But that was just the start. Clara told her that Oscar still sent her flowers on her birthday and on their anniversary every year. He always thought her best flower was the same tulip. My mind was spinning as I tried to figure out what his actions meant.
The final hit came when Clara told me that Oscar still called her whenever he needed to talk to someone, even when our marriage was fighting. I thought I was living in a different world because my husband’s past and present were mixing.
As the plane touched down, I kept hearing Clara’s words: “You seem like a nice girl, and I thought you deserved to know the truth.” Even though she said she was sorry, the damage had already been done.
As I tried to collect my thoughts in a coffee shop, I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that someone had betrayed me. “It’s over, Oscar,” I texted Oscar, my hands shaking with emotion. Talk to Clara.” I could no longer hide the truth because I had lost trust.
Now I don’t understand how the man I trusted and loved could keep such lies. Was our whole marriage a show? The reasons are still unknown, just like my future.
