The study door was slightly open and I saw my usually confident husband holding the pink lace ribbon that should have been in the trash.
His eyes were red as he cried and breathed heavily. Then he whispered one word, “Noelle.”
In that moment, something inside me broke. The fortune teller was wrong. Jackson hadn’t cheated in our fifth year; his heart and body had been apart long before that.
The next day, I still wanted a divorce, but Jackson wouldn’t sign. He came home on time every day with my favorite pink roses, thinking that would fix everything.
But less than two days later, Noelle kept posting Instagram stories. One showed her wrist wrapped in bandages with the caption: [If my existence is causing trouble for you, I’ll disappear.]
A photo of her getting an IV at the hospital appeared, with the caption: [Don’t worry about me. It’s all my fault.]
A selfie in front of a university building, with the caption: [Youth that won’t come back. People I can’t forget.]
I sent the screenshots to Jackson. He called Noelle and shouted, “Noelle, stay away from Elizabeth! If you don’t, don’t expect me to show mercy just because we used to be friends!”
A crying voice on the phone said, “Jackson, I’ve loved you for eight years. I can’t live without you…”
Jackson hung up, looking angry. The next day, Noelle’s warning letter was posted on the research institute’s bulletin board.
She was removed from an important project and lost her chance to apply for a professional title. I knew Jackson did this. He wanted to prove his loyalty to me.
That afternoon, Noelle rushed into my office crying. “Elizabeth! Happy now? You used your marriage to control Jackson and now you’re destroying my future too!”
She rushed at me and I slapped her. “You chose to be a mistress and ruin someone else’s marriage. How dare you complain?”
Jackson hurried over, protecting me with his arms and glared at Noelle. She became bolder and leaned in to kiss his lips.
My mind went blank. Then I heard her say, “Jackson, I’m the department’s famous beauty. Everyone wants me. I don’t believe you have no feelings for me!”
I was about to slap her again, but Jackson stopped me. After a brief pause, he said, “You don’t deserve me. Elizabeth has been with me through everything; I won’t betray her.” Then he threw a pen holder at her.
Noelle didn’t move. She cried, blood running from her forehead.