His Wife, Her Lover, Their Daughter

laughing with Giovanni Brown at the private airfield. For ten years, I had been the perfect pol

ecade, always two rooms booked but only one used, always on nights she was supposed

ration. I was the intruder. When I confronted them, Angela' s face paled, then flushed with anger, not shame. Chaney scowled, screaming, "Daddy, you' re embarrassing us

gela didn' t defend me; she agreed. I realized I was just a s

out them. They were about to fi

pte

n I saw my wife Angela and our daughter Chaney lau

ed to be at home, packing the last of their

I wasn't

-at-home dad and Angela's smiling prop at fundraisers. I managed the household, I raised our daughter, and I made sure Angela's

nt something. I thought it

k a decade. Always two rooms booked, but only one ever used. Always on nights

't just crack

my daughter called "Uncle Gio," had been sl

clothes in a bag, drove like a madman to the airfield, my hands

ere th

s tie, her fingers lingering on his chest. Her smile was one

iovanni's hand, not Angela's. She looked up at him with pure ad

em, my footsteps l

gel

e warmth in her eyes va

doing here? You're g

and and scowled at me. "Dad

nni. He had a smug, knowing look on hi

angerously calm. "Considering my wife is going on vacat

r went

anger. It wasn't the shame of being cau

ridiculo

mily, Giovanni? The campaign manager? The family fr

e of condescending calm. "Alex, you're overwroug

are patroniz

, Alex! You're making a scene. Giovanni is my most trusted a

physical blow. A partner. After e

vered the final,

hugged his legs, glaring

stay-at-home dad! All you do is cook and clean

t in my throat.

red, my heart breaki

her voice shrill. "He buys me better presents!

het

e stares of airport staff and other wealthy travelers. T

oser to her side, her e

ex. You're upsetti

. She didn't correct

was a service provider. A butler. A convenient accessory they no longer needed. My

e up and down, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Maybe you

hem, and walked towards the private jet, a pe

drowning out the sound of my world ending. I could feel tears well

n my chest. But beneath it, something

I was nothing

o find out just h