Page 68 of All In
Mona: Hey you. Can’t wait for tonight. I’ll be in Room 405. Knock twice so I know it’s you.
So gross. And Mona? No clue who that is.
I heave his phone onto the bed, wanting it and his betrayal out of my hands. Nate told me he had a dinner meeting with the department heads. I knew it was a lie. Everything he says is a lie. No engineer has as many meetings or business trips as Nate does. He recently got a new phone from work, and he keeps it locked via a code. The phone never leaves his side. He unlocked it at dinner the other night while I was gathering up our plates, so I got to see what he typed over his shoulder.
0601
Our wedding month and year. What a pig.
I knew, given time, he would trip up. Tonight is the night. He left the phone in his work pants instead of with him or locked in his briefcase. He’s in the shower since he just got done with his nightly workout, and I’m ready to confront him.
The bathroom goes quiet as the shower turns off. The door opens and Nate steps out as steam billows out behind him. His eyes land on me sitting on the edge of the bed. Stone-faced. Normally, when he showers after his workout, I’m either with the kids or watching TV.
He cocks his head to the side. “What’s with you?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer, as he whips off his towel, leaving it on the floor. He crosses the bedroom and goes to the dresser. Opening and closing the drawer, grabbing his boxers, putting them on as I watch his every movement. I wonder what I saw in him all those years ago in college, mad at myself for not seeing it then.
He turns back around. “Seriously, what’s wrong with you?” He jams his legs into his pajama pants.
“Who’s Mona?” I surprise myself with how calm my voice is and how brave I’m being. It’s freeing.
His back is to me, holding his t-shirt. His body becomes rigid at the sound of Mona’s name. He freezes for a moment, then pulls the shirt down his frame. “Mona? Should I know her?”
By the time he turns around, I’m holding out his phone to show him the text message.
The color drains from his face. He looks mortified but then quickly regains his composure, placing his hands on his hips. “Mona,” he pauses as he leans forward and gets closer to my face, “is the best sex I have ever had.” I have no idea what comes over me because before I know it, my fist comes into contact with his stomach.
He lets out an oomph and then laughs in amusement. As if this is the funniest thing he’s ever experienced. “Your lack of working out shows with that punch. God, you’re so weak.”
I stand and shove him away as I march toward the door, but with lightning fast speed, he cuts me off, slamming the door shut.
“You are such a liar. I’ve known for years that you have been cheating, but that text is the proof I need to leave you!” I scream at him as I back away because he is stalking toward me like I’m his prey. My body trembles uncontrollably because I have no clue how this is going to go. Flashes of Chad slamming my head against the door and punching me in the face fill my mind.
The fear in my heart is overwhelming.
“Oh, Maria. You aren’t going anywhere.” His dark, menacing eyes burrow into me. I’m now up against the bed again. The back of my knees hit the mattress, causing me to sit. He towers over me, knowing he has the upper hand. “You know, my cheating is all your fault.”
My mouth drops open in shock. “You can’t be serious? My fault?”
“Oh, yes. Maybe if you were taking better care of yourself, I wouldn’t have to go elsewhere.” He pauses to let the accusation slap me like he was hoping it would. It worked because what I heard was, “You had my two kids and now you are a fat slob, so I’m not attracted to you anymore.”
He continues. “So, here’s how this is going to work. Everything stays the same.” His voice is almost calming and soothing. Which makes it more intimidating. “You will continue to enjoy this life that I provide for you and the kids. You will continue to cook and clean and be the beautiful, doting wife to everyone else on the outside. Nothing changes.”
I hear the words coming out of his mouth, but I still need answers. “How long has it been going on?”
A cocky laugh escapes his throat. “With Mona? Oh, I don’t know, a month maybe? But before that there was Leslie”—he starts ticking off his conquests with his fingers—“than my first secretary, gosh, what was her name? Kyla was it? No, wait … Lily! That’s it!”
“You’re unbelievable,” I whisper out, tears pooling in my eyes.
“Oh, I’m not done. Then there was Michelle, Rhonda, my second secretary, Keesha, Belinda—”
I lower my head. “Please, stop.” I’m so stupid. This has been going on for our whole marriage. How did I not know? Because he hired Lily six months after we were married.
The maniacal laugh that next escapes his mouth sends chills down my spine. As if this is a joke to him. “Let’s get something clear.” He returns, towering over me again. “If you leave me, your dad loses his job, and I will make sure he never finds another one. If you leave me, I will make your life miserable and takemykids.” The mention of Brielle and Mason makes me flinch as he inches closer to me, knowing he has full control of the situation. We are practically touching noses at this point. His face is so close to mine, the smell of mint toothpaste on his breath dances around my nose. “Do I make myself clear?”
I nod.
I agree because he’s scaring me.
I agree for my dad.
