My Broken Marriage

After three years of marriage, I believed I had the perfect family. My wife Sarah was gentle and caring, our son bright and adorable. On a rare day when I finished work early, I arrived home to find Sarah asleep, slumped tiredly by the crib. My heart went out to her as I approached - until her phone screen suddenly lit up with a message that shattered everything: "Sarah, is our son asleep?"

My Broken Marriage

After three years of marriage, I believed I had the perfect family. My wife Sarah was gentle and caring, our son bright and adorable. On a rare day when I finished work early, I arrived home to find Sarah asleep, slumped tiredly by the crib. My heart went out to her as I approached - until her phone screen suddenly lit up with a message that shattered everything: "Sarah, is our son asleep?"

Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Finally, I was promoted. After years of hard work, I became the department head today. The tedious tasks wouldn't be my responsibility anymore. I would have more time to watch Ethan grow and share the burden of managing our household. After handing over my old duties, I could leave work early for once. A content smile appeared on my face as I thought of Sarah alone at home with our son. On my way home, I stopped by the florist to buy her favorite roses, eager to share the good news. When I arrived, I found Sarah asleep by Ethan's crib, showing signs of fatigue. Our son sat quietly in his stroller, playing with a toy truck. I placed the flowers aside and tiptoed over, about to lift her when her iPhone screen suddenly lit up with a notification. I knew her passcode, but we had always trusted each other and never checked each other's phones. Yet somehow, I found myself tapping the screen. The message read: "Sarah, what's our son doing now?" I froze, briefly wondering if I had sent it and her phone was just slow to receive it. But the unfamiliar profile picture, contact name, and screen full of intimate chats shattered that foolish hope. Sarah and I met at university. After five years of dating, we married soon after graduation. I was an orphan, but Sarah said she didn't care about my background or wealth, marrying me despite her family's objections. Feeling indebted, I vowed to work hard and give her a better life. That first year, I was consumed with work and neglected Sarah, resulting in the loss of our first child – a girl. It took three years before we welcomed Ethan. Knowing how difficult the pregnancy was on Sarah, I threw myself even deeper into work. I completed every task without complaint, covered for colleagues, skipped meals, and worked overtime. Due to overworking, I was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer multiple times, all for the sake of hefty bonuses. My physical appearance suffered from years of overtime work and unhealthy eating habits, far from my days as a "best-looking college heartthrob." Now, I resembled more of a paunchy, middle-aged man. Looking at my sleeping wife, I forced myself to stay calm. With trembling hands, I scrolled through her phone and made a startling discovery. There was an unfamiliar messaging app on her device, and it had only one contact labeled as "Dear Hubby." How ironic. Throughout our eight years together, she had always referred to me as "Damien." The times she called me "hubby" were few and far between, but they held significant value for me.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

One time was after our engagement. I had finally saved enough for a down payment and planned to buy a house near my office, which would serve as our marital home. However, Sarah disagreed. She and her family took turns trying to convince me otherwise, carefully analyzing the pros and cons. In the end, I ended up buying the small, old apartment her parents had lived in for twenty years. Meanwhile, her parents used the money from selling me their place to buy a spacious new condo with a river view. At that time, Sarah nestled in my arms, sweetly calling me "hubby." She said this apartment was in the best school district, ensuring our future children would receive an excellent education. As we planned our future together, my heart was filled with warmth and anticipation. I thought the old place wasn't so bad – it had character. It was just further from work, but I figured I'd work harder and buy a car to make the commute easier. The other time was shortly after her miscarriage.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Afraid of giving myself away, I retreated to the bedroom. Late that night, while Sarah and Ethan slept soundly, I laid in bed, unable to sleep. As I reflected on the years Sarah and I spent together, it was hard to believe that it was all a lie. Throughout our time together, she never complained about my late nights at work or countless unavoidable business dinners. Whenever I felt like giving up, I would think about how understanding she was and use that as motivation to work harder, feeling indebted to her. But now I realized that she never loved me at all. She didn't care if I came home or who I dined with because she didn't love me. She purposely ignored the strong smell of whiskey on me every night and how weak I looked after coughing up blood because she didn't love me. Fueled by this realization, I quietly got out of bed. I took Sarah's iPhone and backed up all the chat history onto my own device. Then, I accessed "Darling Hubby's" account to investigate further. It w