When Lexie overhears her husband and the neighbor’s daughter talking about their affair, she doesn’t cry or confront them. Instead, she plots. With a clever invitation and a surprising twist, she turns the script of her betrayal on its head, serving up karma with a cheeky twist. Revenge has never been so satisfying.
My husband Mark and I had been married for ten years. Two children, a mortgage and what I thought was a solid life bound us together. Of course, Mark wasn’t much help at home.
He didn’t cook, he didn’t clean, he didn’t deal with the endless chaos of raising children.
All that was my job.
Strenuous?
Absolutely.
But I told myself it was okay because “we’re a team, Lexie.”
Except that, apparently, Mark had decided to join a totally different team.
It all started with a shopping bag.
I had just come home from a tiring trip to the store. My car was full of heavy bags and I was mentally preparing for the solo effort of putting everything away.
Mark, as usual, didn’t lift a finger.
It was then that I heard voices coming from the porch.
It was Mark, chatting with Emma, our neighbors’ 25-year-old daughter, who had just moved to the city. Her parents were very proud when she got an internship after studying interior design.
Now, she and Mark were there laughing like old friends.
I almost called out to say hello, but something made me stop.
I crouched down behind my car, hidden by the shadows and the shopping, and listened.
“I can’t believe she still hasn’t noticed,” Emma said, her laughter echoing in the cool evening air.
Mark chuckled in reply.
“She’s so busy with the kids and the house, Em. Lexie hardly notices anything else. She’s also got a lot of gray hairs. But she brushes her hair the other way to hide them. Honestly, she’s let herself go so much. She doesn’t even look like a woman to me anymore. She’s nothing compared to you, my princess.”
Emma chuckled.
“Well, lucky for you, sir, I’m here now. You can parade me all you want. And believe me, there’s no gray hair in sight.
Then they kissed.
They kissed?!
I gripped a bag so tightly that I could feel the plastic starting to tear. My vision blurred with tears, humiliation and rage. They continued their conversation, the shameless flirting, all oblivious to my presence.
But apart from those few tears, I didn’t cry properly. I didn’t scream or shout. I didn’t confront them.
Instead, I calmly took the shopping inside, using the back door, and began my planning.
The next morning, I woke up feeling a calmness that surprised even myself. I made Mark breakfast, with the fluffy eggs and the very crispy bacon. I made his coffee with a pinch of cinnamon, just the way he liked it. I kissed him goodbye and waved cheerfully at him as he left for work.
When he left, I went next door and knocked on Emma’s door.
She opened it, visibly surprised.
“Oh! Hello, ma’am… Um, hello, Lexie,“ she stammered, with an exaggerated smile.
“Hello, Emma,” I said affectionately. “I was wondering if you could come tomorrow afternoon. I could really use your advice on something.”
She blinked and her smile faltered.
“Advice? About what?”
“Well,” I hesitated, letting my voice sound unsure. ”I’ve been thinking about redecorating the living room. Your parents mentioned that you studied design, and I thought you could help me choose colors or furniture ideas. It will only take a little time.”
For a moment, doubt flashed in her eyes. Then she cocked her head to one side and smiled teasingly.
“I’d love to help. What time?”
“I think seven would be good. Dinner time,” I said, with a sweet and sincere smile. ”Thank you so much, Emma. You’ve saved my life.”
Emma showed up the following evening, dressed to impress. She greeted me with her usual cheerful attitude, practically radiating confidence.
I gave her a warm welcome and led her inside.
“Oh, before we get to the living room,” I said casually. ”I wanted to show you a few things.”
I guided her around the house, pointing out the main areas of domestic responsibility.
“Here’s the dishwasher. You’ll have to load it every night because Mark doesn’t bother, of course. The children’s clothes go in here, but please make sure you separate the loads as they are sensitive to different detergents.”
She stared at me.
“Oh, and here’s the schedule for their after-school activities. You’ll have to pick them up on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but Wednesdays are free for running errands. I’ve written down the numbers for the plumber, the electrician and the pediatrician. Just in case.
Emma’s smile faltered and her face turned pale.
“And this,” I said, taking her to the kitchen, where the smell of a roast chicken filled the room.
“This is where you’ll prepare all the meals. And let me tell you, apart from breakfasts and the various school and work lunches, there are snacks and desserts, and it’s all a lot. By the way, Mark likes his steak medium rare. The kids only eat steak if it’s well done. The more cooked, the better.”
She exclaimed.
“Don’t expect Mark to thank you, manners aren’t his thing. Kids are very picky about food, I’m sorry to say, but you’ll manage.”
He stared at me, his eyes wide.
“Hey, Lexie. I’m not sure… I don’t think… I didn’t offer to babysit.”
Just then Mark came in. His face went pale as soon as he saw us.
“Lex, what’s going on?” he asked, his voice tense and high-pitched.
“Oh,” I said cheerfully. ”I probably should have included you in this too. But I’m just teaching Emma how to run the house. Since you think I’ve let myself go, I thought it was time for me to make myself a priority. And also, maybe it’s time for me to find someone who sees me as their princess. Emma, you’ll take care of everything I do. Good luck.”
Before either of us could reply, there was a knock at the door.
I opened it and saw Emma’s parents. The same couple who often looked after my children if I was in a bind.
“Oh! It smells delicious!“ I told Annie you were going to make your roast chicken, Lexie,” Emma’s father said cheerfully.
“Thanks for coming, Anne and Howard. And thanks for raising such a helpful daughter,” I said. ‘She and Mark have become so close that I thought it was about time she became part of the family.”
“Wait, what?’ asked Anne, eyebrows raised.
“I’m leaving and now Emma is going to take care of everything! You must be very proud of your little girl.”
Emma’s mother looked confused. Her father, on the other hand, was livid.
“Emma,” said her mother. ‘Tell me it’s not true. Tell me it’s not what I think it is.”
“It’s not what it looks like!’ stammered Emma.
Mark, always such a coward, tried to shift the blame.
“Lexie, this isn’t fair! Emma came on to me! She threw herself at me.”
“Oh, did she?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. ”So, are you saying you’re not responsible for sneaking around with a 25-year-old girl while insulting your wife?”
He opened his mouth to argue, but Howard interrupted him.
“Mark, this is your fault. Emma, this is also your fault. Let’s go. Right now.”
Emma gave me a poisonous look before storming out. Her parents followed her, muttering a thousand apologies as they left.
Mark turned to me, despair etched on his face.
“Lexie, please, darling,” he said. ‘Let’s talk about this. We’ve been together for so long… you owe me at least one conversation.”
“Oh, darling,’ I said. ‘We’ll talk, don’t worry. My lawyer will call you tomorrow. But for now, I think you should pack your bags and leave.”
“Where will I go?’ he asked pathetically. ”My family lives in another state.”
“I don’t care, Mark,” I said, taking the chicken out of the oven. ”Go to a motel. Go to a friend’s house. Join the circus.”
“What about the kids? Where are the kids?”
“They’re with my sister. And they’ll stay there until you sort out your nonsense. You can tell them the truth when the lawyers come to an agreement. I’m not going down without a fight, Mark.”
A week later, I heard through the grapevine that Emma had left Mark.
“It was fun while it lasted, but I didn’t sign up to be a mother. Not to him or his kids.”
Two weeks later, Mark came back.
“What do you want?“ I asked, looking at the bouquet of flowers in his hand.
“I’ve been so miserable without you,” he said, practically begging. “Please let me come back. Please, Lexie. We can work it out. I miss my kids. I miss our family.”
“I don’t care, Mark!” I exclaimed. ”I really don’t care. Now, if you have nothing productive to do here, leave. The kids are at a play date and I won’t be picking them up for a few hours.”
Then I closed the door, leaving him speechless.
Months have passed since that night, and I have never been so happy. I have rediscovered parts of myself that I thought were missing. I started dancing salsa, and with it came an overwhelming feeling of confidence, joy and freedom.
In the midst of chaos, my children and I have found a new rhythm, full of laughter and love.
And Mark? He’s still single. And from what I hear, Emma’s parents aren’t too happy with her either. But Anne bakes cakes and pies and sends them often. And Howard likes to rake the leaves in our garden.
Karma is a funny thing, isn’t it?