Chapter 1 The Night I Found Out My Wife Was Cheating On Me

The Night I Found Out My Wife Was Cheating On Me

“Which is more important, work or me?”

My wife, who yelled that at me, Ariga Shintaro 有賀 慎太郎, shoved divorce papers in my face and stormed out.

It was truly a bolt from the blue.

In an instant, I felt as though I had been hurled into hell. Completely unprepared, I could only stand frozen in place.

But what my wife said made sense.

Since we got married young, we didn’t have much in the way of savings.

Our college romance naturally transitioned into marriage after graduation.

So, of course, we didn’t have any money.

But for me, that was a trivial matter.

As long as I had my wife, I didn’t need money.

Because it was a marriage born from love.

It was really fun at first.

But when I thought about the future, fear naturally crept in.

I didn’t want my wife to suffer or struggle.

So I worked tirelessly.

I took any job I could find, working recklessly and pulling overtime just to earn money.

It was all for our future. That’s what I thought.

“I guess that way of thinking was wrong…”

All I did was focus on making money, and I must have made her feel lonely.

Though I never forgot anniversaries, prepared gifts, and spent time with her on days off, it still wasn’t enough.

—It’s only natural.

Once you become an employee, your free time naturally decreases.

Maybe that’s why she couldn’t handle the change.

“…I’ll buy some alcohol.”

In a daze, I got up and staggered toward the nearby convenience store.

Since it was already midnight, there was no one around. I bumped into walls several times as I walked.

But I felt like I couldn’t go on without drinking.

So even though my body hurt from hitting the walls, I felt numb—like the pain didn’t register.

“…A feeling of emptiness hurts much more.”

The words spilled out of my mouth.

I bought a can of Chuhai (Shochu Highball) and left the store.

Then, an unbelievable sight entered my vision, and the convenience store bag slipped from my hand.

“Hahaha…so that’s how it is.”

A dry laugh escaped my lips.

But in that moment, I couldn’t help laughing.

In the car leaving the convenience store, I saw a familiar figure. The driver was a handsome man who looked younger than me.

And the passenger was… my ex-wife.

“…So she cheated on me. No wonder she wanted a divorce.”

I sighed and looked up at the sky.

The pitch-black night sky, devoid of stars, seemed to mirror my heart.

“Hey, were you cheated on, Onii-san?”

As I leaned against the fence near the convenience store, a voice spoke to me.

Normally, I’d ignore something like that, but heartbroken as I was, I ended up responding.

“Shut up!”

My resentful reply was met with a voice that cut through my anger.

“With an attitude like that, no wonder she cheated on you, Onii-san.”

Although I couldn’t see her clearly through the darkness and my tears, she seemed to be a young woman.

Given the hour, she was probably an office worker or a hostess on her way home from work—or something like that.

“If you want, I’ll listen. I’m bored anyway.”

“…Then listen to my complaints for a while.”

“Okay, okay~.”

“You’re so casual. Well, I guess that’s better for now.”

It’s better than being too serious.

I decided to let her hear me out as I poured out my pent-up feelings.

With that thought, I began talking.

“Was I really that boring?”

“I wouldn’t know…why?”

“I went on dates on my days off, indulged her whims, spent my own money to entertain her… On anniversaries, we went to places that held special memories…”

“Isn’t that enough?”

“But she said it wasn’t. In the end, she asked, ‘Which is more important, work or me?’”

“Wow, that’s such a cliché. Feels like she was just looking for an excuse to divorce.”

“Looking back, there were red flags. She started coming home late more often, and even though she was a housewife, she was rarely home.”

“At that point, why did you even trust her? Are you an idiot?”

“That’s harsh for someone I just met.”

“Oh…sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. That’s actually better.”

It’s better than wallowing in despair.

This kind of casual attitude made things feel a bit lighter and more bearable.

For now, this was enough.

“Didn’t you confront her or anything?”

“I didn’t want to doubt her. We swore eternal love, after all. I wanted to believe in her. Well, I was completely betrayed.”

“I see.”

The headlights of an arriving car illuminated the area, and I shielded my eyes.

I heard a quiet “Ah…” from beside me.

It seemed her ride had arrived.

“Um…Sen…Never mind.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. My ride’s here, so I should go.”

“I see. Well, thanks for listening to me.”

She walked ahead, stopped abruptly near the car, and spoke without turning around.

“Don’t look so defeated. Cheer up.”

“That’s impossible! Honestly, I don’t think I can work for a while.”

“Eh, that’s a problem.”

“A problem?”

“No, no, just saying.”

As I tilted my head, she made a suggestion without looking back.

“How about thinking of the best revenge?”

Her words stirred a dark emotion within me.

“…The best revenge?”

“Yeah!”

But when she turned to face me, seemingly smiling, those feelings began to fade.

Even though she turned, her face was still obscured by my tears.

“The best revenge is to be happier than your ex! Make her regret it and cry—it’ll feel amazing!”

“Haha. What’s that?”

“Don’t you think it’s better? Seeking revenge out of spite is such a waste of energy. Isn’t focusing on your happiness more worthwhile?”

“My happiness…? You might have a point.”

Revenge by harming others only leaves you empty in the end.

It’s meaningless.

Haha.

Becoming happy myself…

Maybe it’s possible.

As I thought that, I heard her laugh.

“If you want, I’ll even help you with your revenge!”

“Thanks. Even lip service is appreciated.”

Her cheerful, familiar tone remained until the very end.

It was so lighthearted that I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“Well, see you, Onii-san.”

“If we meet again.”

And so, I said goodbye to her.

I probably won’t see her again.

Thanks to her, my steps felt a little lighter as I walked back the way I came.