That caught my interest.
I inquired how she knew.
She pulls out her phone and shows me a screenshot of a group conversation she had with a girl who used to hang out with Jennifer and her friends. Jennifer reportedly told her staff during her trip that she had met someone with potential.
According to the texts, Jennifer had already been chatting to a wealthy man before the girl's weekend. A CEO of a tech firm who drives a high-end automobile, travels for networking, and has three pairs of eyeglasses worth more than my truck.
I was correct. She was already thinking about someone.
One of the texts literally said, If I play this right, I won't have to worry about money again.
Jennifer was talking about some guy as if he were a lottery ticket.
I sat there for a second trying to take it in. Not because I didn't believe it. I did. I've been feeling weird for weeks. But to have it confirmed like that, man, it wasn't even fury at that point. It was simply freezing.
Norah replies. I wasn't going to say anything at first, but watching you just let her walk all over you made me sick.
I appreciated it more than she realized.
I told her not to tell anyone else. I wasn't prepared to respond yet. Not publicly anyhow. Because when someone demonstrates their abilities, it is wise to allow them to continue. Allow them to get comfortable. Let them believe they are winning. Makes it a lot easier to set up the ending.
Now that I understood what I knew, everything made sense.
The open relationship pitch was a tactic. Jennifer sought permission to sleep with Mr. Executive, but not appearing to be the bad guy. She wants freedom without consequences.
And me? I was just meant to play along, maybe see a female or two, let Jennifer have her fun with Rich Boy, and then either gently fade out or wait for her to make a decision.
Yeah. No.
This is where things took a turn.
I began paying attention to Evelyn.
Now, let me clear something. Nothing happened to Evelyn during this entire time. Not even a tiny amount. Evelyn isn't the type of woman to fling herself at anyone. She's intelligent and well-dressed, and she was aware that things were chaotic, so she maintained a respectful attitude.
But following the open relationship revelation, I began to reflect on all of those instances again. The way she stared at me while I was repairing our porch railing last year. She stayed behind to assist me clean up after Jennifer's birthday meal. She didn't flinch or gossip when things between me and Jennifer became tense.
Then she texted me. Just a simple, Hey, how are you holding up?
I had no idea how to respond. I had just said, Still breathing.
She responds, You don't deserve to be treated like this. I've seen what's going on. You deserve way better.
That one landed differently. It was the first time someone had stated it. Everyone else simply danced around it. But Evelyn called it as it was.
After that, I started to think differently. I wasn't just the person attempting to remain cool anymore. I was the man who was plotting something. Not for the purpose of vengeance, but because I refused to let someone steal and destroy all I constructed while they shopped for upgrades.
And yes, I did something next.
The point is, I didn't have to pull off anything dodgy. All I had to do was start out very casually, bringing Evelyn into the picture more.
It started little. She stopped by to retrieve a jacket she had left at our place. I asked if she'd want to stay for coffee. She answered, Sure.
We talked for about twenty minutes about work life, and how she was tired of the continual turmoil Jennifer was dragging her into. She claims Jennifer craves turmoil and then becomes enraged when things get dirty.
I said, Yeah, welcome to my world.
After that, I didn't have to try too hard. Evelyn has recently begun to appear more frequently. Sometimes to drop off items, sometimes to chat while I was outside working on the vehicle. She would hand me tools, hold a flashlight, and inquire about the components.
Most women would be completely bored watching a man tinker with rusty bolts. Evelyn truly listened.
Meanwhile, Jennifer began to notice.
That night, as I was about to fall asleep, Jennifer casually said, You've been spending a lot of time with Evelyn lately.
I didn't even pause to tie my boots for work the next morning. I simply glanced at her and asked, Why does that bother you?
She shrugged, trying to appear unconcerned. No, I'm just saying.
I cracked a grin. Good, cuz I wasn't asking.
The next day, she began asking questions like a detective who does not have a warrant, but really wants one. Was Evelyn here again today? Did Evelyn mention anything about me? Why is Evelyn texting you so much?
I initially played dumb. She just stated that she had stopped by or wanted to borrow the drill, which was correct. Evelyn borrowed my drill once. Who knows if she truly used it or was simply trying to rattle Jennifer.
In any case, the purpose has been completed.
This is where things became pretty evident.
Jennifer stopped seeing the CEO guy. She stated he became too intense and she wanted space. She attempted to reattach herself to me. I started preparing more dinners. He started calling me babe again as if it would erase everything.
I returned home from a supply run one night to find her having a romantic meal.
I go in and ask, Is it someone's birthday?
She smiles and replies, No, I just thought it'd be nice for us to spend some time together. Just like old times, right?
Old times. Before she tried to sell off our marriage for a fellow who presumably wears a fragrance named Liquidity.
I sat down, ate quietly, and then added, Evelyn mentioned, You make a good mushroom risotto.
She froze. Her whole face twitched as if her circuits had overloaded.
You talked to Evelyn about this?
Yes. She mentioned that she used to help you with this recipe.
Jennifer strained a smile so hard that I thought her cheeks might snap.
After that supper, things only got worse.
She began hovering, following me around the house, asking what I was doing, who I was texting, and if Evelyn had said anything new.
I said, She just stated that she had stopped by or wanted to borrow the drill, which was correct.