"I had a sudden impulse to check my husband's phone, and unexpectedly saw his chat history: 'You still love me, right?' 'Just forget about what happened last night.' Although it was only a brief exchange, I already guessed who that person was. I quietly put the phone back in its place, pretending that nothing had happened. At that moment, my husband was standing at the door, staring at me..."
I impulsively decided to check my husband's phone, and unexpectedly saw his chat history. "You still love me, right?" "Just forget about last night." Although it was just two short sentences, I already guessed who it was. I silently put the phone back in its place, pretending nothing had happened.
At this moment, my husband stood at the door, staring at me...
1.
Recently, there was a trending topic saying that "No woman can still be happy after checking her boyfriend's phone!"
Everyone said it was a magical law, but I refused to believe it.
The sound of water trickling from the bathroom outside caught my attention.
I turned my head to glance at the phone of Joshua Collins, my husband, on the bedside table.
We were married for three years, and I never checked Joshua's phone.
One reason was that we both believed trust was essential for a lasting relationship.
Another was that Joshua was genuinely honest, and his life was quite simple!
Every day he just went back and forth between our home and the office.
But at this moment, my curiosity got the better of me.
I tiptoed to the door, confirming the water was still running in the bathroom, and only then did I feel safe enough to open Joshua's phone.
His phone password was my birthday, unchanged for three years.
I opened it to the chatting interface of a social media software.
His chatting was full of work-related messages, which I didn't look at closely.
Then there were the photo albums, texts, contacts...
Nothing inappropriate at all.
I was about to restore the phone to its original state when a familiar profile picture appeared at the bottom of the chatting software's interface.
My index finger hovered above the screen for a long time, hesitating, but I couldn't resist clicking on it.
"You still love me, right?"
"Just forget about last night."
Just two short messages left me breathless.
Joshua didn't set a note for her, but I recognized her by the profile picture.
She was Luna Jones, Joshua's first love and his only ex-girlfriend.
I turned off the phone and put it back in its place, but my heart couldn't calm down.
Last night? Last night Joshua said he was working overtime and didn't come home.
I thought it was strange at the time. Were they really that busy now?
I looked up and met Joshua's dark eyes.
The atmosphere froze instantly.
"Did you look at my phone?" Joshua's face darkened.
I awkwardly smiled, "No, why would I look at your phone?"
Joshua's face showed anger. "I saw you from the door, and you're still denying it? Is it fun to keep watching me like this?"
Shouldn't I be the one who was angry? Yet he was turning the tables on me!
"Ha! Are you scared your secrets will get out? I must have been out of my mind to marry you! Is everything outside so much better?"
A flash of uncontrollable anger crossed Joshua's eyes. He rushed over and grabbed my collar, his gentle face turning terrifying. "Say that again!"
"Joshua, are you going to hit me again? If you do it again, I'll divorce you!"
Joshua lost his mind in an instant.
Like a mad lion, he yanked my hair, and dragged me into the living room.
I clutched my aching scalp, looking at the person in front of me, feeling unfamiliar for the first time.
Joshua slapped my face several times, then a burning pain spread across my head and body.
I curled up on the ground, shielding my head with my arms, unable to make a sound from the pain.
Joshua didn't let me go, straddling me and beating me
until I gradually lost consciousness.
When I woke up, I was already in the hospital.
Joshua sat by the bed with his head down, guilt written all over his face.
But I couldn't forget his expression when he hit me.
I couldn't understand how looking at a phone could lead to such violence. Was it a guilty conscience?
"Honey, you're awake? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"
Joshua looked at me with concern.
"Did Luna come back?"
I ignored his question and asked what I was more concerned about.
"Yes. " Joshua answered softly.
"Did you sleep with her?"
Joshua was silent for a long time, then knelt by my bed.
"That day was an accident. I drank too much."
Joshua didn't hide anything about what happened that day, but I already knew the answer when he was silent.
2.
"Let's divorce."
My tone was devoid of warmth.
"I don't agree!"
Joshua was stunned for a moment, then held my hand excitedly.
"Honey, please don't divorce me. Andreas can't be without a mom... "
Seeing me close my eyes and ignore him, he wisely left.
My mind was filled with thoughts of Luna.
The first time I heard about her was three years ago.
At that time, Joshua was fervently pursuing me.
Although he was handsome, I didn't want to marry young, so I suggested starting as friends. It was then that I learned about his romantic history.
He and Luna were college classmates, both from rural areas, so they got along well.
But Luna was very beautiful and had many admirers at school.
Even though he liked her, he didn't dare to hope for anything.
Until graduation, Luna suggested they be together.
But it didn't last long. Two years later, Luna broke up with him.
It was rumored that she found a rich man to settle abroad.
I thought he was sincere about relationships, and he was handsome, and good to me, so I accepted him.
At that time, my dad strongly opposed it, saying he seemed honest but was actually scheming, and he had no money, no car, and no house.
I just thought my dad was being snobbish.
Six months after we got married, Joshua and I adopted a child.
The child was entrusted to us by a relative from his hometown after the child's parents passed away.
Joshua asked for my opinion before adopting him.
Suddenly, a head peeked in from the door.
Joshua cautiously walked in with a lunch box.
"Honey, I made nutritious soup for you and some side dishes, all your favorites."
There he went again!
He lashed out at me whenever he was upset, then regretted it afterward.
I sometimes thought he was schizophrenic.
Over the past year, Joshua's moods have been changing erratically.
When he was in a bad mood, he lashed out at me, then cooked and apologized to gain my forgiveness.
Over time, it seemed to have become a routine.
I coldly responded, "I'm not hungry."
Joshua knelt on the ground with a thud, crying bitterly in front of me.
"Honey, I know I was wrong. I'm a beast. I don't deserve you... "
He punched repeatedly, on the ground.
Seeing his remorseful look, I felt a bit of heartache.
After loving someone for three years, it was not easy to just let go.
I couldn't help but wipe his tears.
Joshua saw signs of my forgiveness and flashed a strange smile, but it was fleeting, so I didn't pay much attention.
He tightly held my hand, "Honey, I swear, if it happens again, let me be hit by a car... "
I covered his mouth, stopping his vow.
I stayed in the hospital for twenty days, with Joshua taking meticulous care of me, preparing different nutritious meals every day.
The elders in the same ward said I had found a good husband.
Joshua was indeed good to me, but thinking about what happened that night still made me uncomfortable.
After being discharged, I stayed with my parents for a few days.
Joshua was always afraid of my dad, so he didn't come with me, but he still called me every few days, asking when I would return so he could pick me up.
After three days, my dad started urging me to leave.
"You're married now; it's not right to stay at your parents' house all the time."
Those were my dad's words, but I knew he was worried about my relationship with Joshua.
No matter how much he disliked his son-in-law, we were married.
I called Joshua twice, but no one answered, so I had to hail a taxi by the roadside.