Rita’s phone trembled in her hand. The voice of an unfamiliar woman, quiet but clear, echoed in the background. Just a second ago, she was waiting for the familiar voice of her husband, and now—this strange whisper in the background.
«Where are you?» she wanted to scream, but Rita clutched the phone tighter, holding her breath and asked as calmly as possible:
«Where are you?»
A woman’s laugh—short, nervous—jolted her nerves. Sergey remained silent, and this silence was more eloquent than any words.
Years of their life together flashed before her eyes: morning coffees, family Sundays, quiet evenings. Was it all a lie? One second—and the world that seemed so familiar now cracked at the seams.
Rita closed her eyes. The truth was somewhere close, very near. She just needed to find the strength to see it through to the end.
Sergey was still silent. Somewhere nearby, a woman’s voice sounded again—this time even quieter, more intimate. Rita felt everything inside her clench from unspoken suspicions.
«I’m at work,» Sergey finally spoke, his voice sounded too calm. Too mundane.
«What’s that noise?» Rita asked in what seemed like a neutral tone.
Her husband hesitated. The second stretched painfully long.
«A meeting,» he replied shortly. «I have… colleagues here.»
But Rita already knew—it was not the truth. The woman’s laughter, the intonations, the warmth of the foreign voice—all of it was unlike a business environment. Her mind raced with thoughts: infidelity? a coincidence? misunderstanding?
She decided to act. Slowly, calculatingly. Sergey must not suspect that she had almost exposed his lie.
All evening Rita was extremely calm. Dinner, talks about work, usual household chores—each of her movements was deliberate, every intonation—measured. Sergey noticed nothing.
Only late at night, when her husband was asleep, did she take his phone. She had known the password for a long time—their son’s birthday. Her fingers trembled treacherously as she opened the messages.
The first thing that caught her eye was a name. Angelica. Dozens of messages that became more and more explicit with each passing day. Photos that revealed the nature of their relationship better than any words.
Rita watched and felt something inside her cool down. Not anger, not despair. Just a cold, lifeless calm of ultimate understanding.
The affair was not an accident. It was a calculated betrayal that had been going on for months.
Rita put the phone back, trying not to move or betray her state. Sergey continued to snore peacefully beside her, suspecting nothing. She dug her nails into her palm, holding back the emotions that welled up in her throat.
In the morning, everything was as usual. Breakfast, coffee, a quick kiss before leaving for work. Sergey didn’t even look her way—engrossed in his thoughts, in his secret life. Rita smiled—now her smile was as sharp as a blade.
All day she pondered her plan. Destroy their marriage? Forgive? Make a scandal? No, that was too simple. Too trite for what had happened. She decided to act differently.
By evening, the plan was ready. Rita invited her friend Natalia—the only person she could trust. Natalia was a lawyer and knew what to do in such situations.
«I need the documents,» Rita said quietly. «All the documents about our property, joint savings.»
Natalia understood without further words. Female solidarity is a remarkable thing. Within two days, Rita had everything she needed: copies of contracts, account statements, documents about their jointly acquired property.
Sergey still suspected nothing. He continued playing the role of the perfect husband, sending messages throughout the day, calling. Each of his calls was now a painful mockery for Rita.
Then came the day when everything was supposed to change.
Rita invited Sergey to a restaurant, choosing the very one where they had celebrated their wedding ten years ago. He was surprised but agreed readily. Perhaps he thought his wife just wanted to refresh memories.
At the table, amid the dim light and soft music, Rita was utterly calm. She ordered his favorite wine, smiled as easily as ten years ago. Sergey relaxed, thinking everything was fine.
«To us?» he offered, raising his glass.
«To the truth,» Rita replied.
At that moment, Sergey sensed something was wrong. Her gaze was too calm, too cutting.
«I know about Angelica,» she said quietly.
A moment of silence. Sergey turned pale, the wine froze halfway to his lips.
«What do you mean?» he tried to object, but his voice betrayed him—it broke, became hoarse.
Rita placed a folder with documents in front of him—printouts of his correspondence with Angelica, financial statements, copies of contracts. All the evidence of his infidelity and all his actions to destroy their shared life.
«The choice is yours,» she said. «Either we divorce civilly, and you give me half of everything we’ve earned, or I will make a scandal that will utterly destroy your reputation.»
Sergey looked at her—the woman he thought he knew for ten years, now realizing he never truly knew her at all.
Sergey slowly set down his glass. A drop of wine slid down the white tablecloth, leaving a dark spot—a symbolic omen of the impending disaster.
«Rita, I can explain everything,» he started, but she cut off his attempt with one look.
«It’s too late to explain,» she replied coldly. «You had a chance to be honest with me months ago.»
The waiter, sensing the tension, discreetly moved away. Around them, a vacuum seemed to form—a quiet island amidst the noisy restaurant.
Sergey realized—there was no going back. His affair was fully exposed, his marriage irrevocably destroyed. Angelica, whom he had considered a temporary fling, now became the cause of the total collapse of his family life.
«What do you want?» he asked quietly.
«Justice,» Rita answered.
Her plan was meticulous. Lawyer Natalia had prepared all the documents, gathered irrefutable evidence of the infidelity. Sergey was stripped of the right to their joint apartment, half of the savings, and practically any claims.
«We have a son,» Sergey tried to object.
«That’s exactly why I’m acting this way, not making a scandal,» Rita replied harshly. «For his sake.»
At that moment, her phone vibrated. A message from Natalia: «Everything’s ready. The documents can be filed in court tomorrow.»
Rita finished her wine, enjoying it absolutely calmly.
In the days when Rita was preparing the divorce papers, Angelica was completely confident in her triumph. She believed that her affair with Sergey would turn into something more—a real, serious relationship. When he would leave his wife, of course.
Angelica worked at the same company as Sergey. A sales manager, accustomed to achieving whatever she wanted. Her charm and assertiveness had helped her get what she desired. She met Sergey a year ago at a corporate event. First, there were innocent flirts, then long talks, then—infidelity.
She was not afraid of the consequences. Moreover, she was sure that Rita—a quiet housewife—would simply acquiesce when Sergey filed for divorce. Angelica imagined how they would have a child together, buy an apartment, create a new family.
But Rita was not at all as Angelica had imagined her.
When Sergey called her late one evening and told her about the conversation in the restaurant, Angelica realized that everything was not going as she had hoped.
«She knows everything,» Sergey said dryly. «And is preparing to file for divorce. She’ll sue for half the property.»
Angelica was silent. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t know what to say.
Week after week unfolded a grueling battle. Natalia’s lawyer acted firmly and professionally. Sergey understood that he had lost before the court case even began.
Angelica oscillated between the fear of losing Sergey and the hope that their relationship might somehow survive. She had not expected such cold calculation from Rita.
Maxim, Rita and Sergey’s son, didn’t understand what was happening. Rita protected him, shielded him from the family conflict. But children feel tension more sharply than adults think.
One evening, when they were alone, Maxim finally spoke openly with his mother:
«Will Dad leave us?»
Rita placed her hand on his shoulder. Her movements were gentle, but they conveyed an unbreakable strength.
«Dad has already left,» she replied softly. «He just physically was still here.»
At that moment, she realized: revenge was not her path. She needed not to destroy Sergey but to protect herself and her son. To build a new life where betrayal would not define her existence.
The court process became a formality. Sergey barely resisted.
Then Angelica disappeared from his life as suddenly as she had appeared—realizing that the affair would not bring her what she wanted.
Rita won everything: the apartment, half of the joint savings, the right to raise her son. But her greatest victory was her inner peace.
Life continued.
A year later, Rita hardly recognized herself. She seemed to have been reborn after that devastating period. The work in a pharmaceutical company’s office, which she once considered routine, now became a source of professional growth and inner satisfaction.
Maxim grew up. Initially painfully experiencing his parents’ divorce, he now became a real support for his mother. Between them, a surprisingly trusting relationship developed—not just mother and son, but true close friends.
Sergey occasionally appeared to see his son. Their meetings were brief, formal. No warmth, no attempts to restore relationships. Rita was so calm in these encounters that it scared her ex-husband more than any scandal.
Natalia, her friend-lawyer, often said:
«You’re stronger than you think. You turned betrayal into a pivot point.»
And that was true. Rita not only survived the blow—she transformed her life. She took professional development courses, changed her image, started traveling more. Her demeanor became more confident, her life—richer.
One evening, as she and Maxim were having tea, he suddenly asked:
«Mom, do you regret how you dealt with Dad?»
Rita smiled. Her gaze was calm and wise.
«I don’t regret the truth,» she replied. «About protecting myself and you.»
Sergey’s fate was less fortunate. After the divorce, his career took a downturn. The company, learning about the office romance and the scandal, demoted him. Angelica, whom he thought was a support, quickly disappeared as soon as she realized that Sergey was not rushing to propose to her.
Once, meeting Natalia in a café, he tried to inquire about Rita. But the lawyer was adamant:
«You have no place in her life,» she said coldly. «You destroyed everything yourself.»
Maxim gradually distanced himself from his father. Their rare meetings became increasingly formal. Sergey understood that he was losing his son—perhaps forever.
And Rita continued to live. Her inner strength became more apparent with each passing day. She wasn’t seeking revenge, not staging hysterics. Just moving forward, taking with her everything best—her son’s love, her friend’s respect, faith in herself.
New colors appeared in her life. Work, travels, interesting acquaintances. She wasn’t rushing into new relationships, enjoying her newfound independence and freedom.
One day, Maxim said:
«Mom, you’ve become completely different.»
«The better version of myself,» Rita replied.
And that was the pure truth.
