Unmasking The Monster: A Wife's Fight

like claws, digging into my bicep. Her face was contorted, the polite mask

I said, trying t

ping through his phone! Trying to find something to hold ove

into silence. I was on the verge of becoming one of the top athletes in the country. My pare

rushed over, grabbing h

r go!" he said, his v

ed back, rubbing my arm where

ly changed her act. Her face softened, and she l

g at me, his face a perfect picture of concer

' m so sorry. She didn' t mea

. I snatched my arm back

uch me," I

e was the caring fiancé, trying to manage his overbearing mother and hi

Mark," I said, my voi

... startled. I saw the look on her face, and I saw your phone

ulative, that a bubble of hysterical laughter rose i

ing at her dry eyes with a tissue she produced from her purse. "You' re i

eat and lie, and she would swoop in to clean up his mess, bul

against one. In this room, my truth didn't matter. They wou

I couldn't win by screaming and crying. That' s what they wan

smart. I need

shirt. I looked at Mark, then at Carol, an

steady. "I overreacted. I saw a m

relief. He immediately t

Ava, I' m sorry. It was a stupid jok

dripping with fake sincerity. "My mama-bear insti

ne. I' m just... tired. The

l' s empty apologies. I played the part of the reassured, slightly embarrassed girlfriend. But inside, I wa

in bed, my eyes wide open in the dark. My heart was pounding a frantic rhyth

apartment, gathering my essentials: my wallet, my keys, my burner phone from my travel bag. I

of light cut across the hallway floor. I could hear them talking in low

the door, my breath

s voice laced with panic. "What if she goes to a different do

s a fool. She loves you. You told her it was a UTI, and sh

. I could hear th

even lower, so low I could barely hear it. It was a whisper

Carol asked

... it'

with the force o

I

eating anymore. This wasn' t just a common, treatable STD. This was a l

re she can destroy you. We' ll say she gave it to you. That she' s been sleeping around. She' s an athlete, travels all the time. People will bel

to cover up his cheating. They were planning to systematically destroy my entire life, my career, my family, all to prot

was a white-hot fire in my chest. I wanted to burs

I di

ed away from the door, step by silent step. My hands were shaking so hard I could

t fall apa

e calculating. I had to be m

nd I was going to make sure t