When I returned from a grueling business trip, I expected my husband, David, to meet me at the airport. Instead, he chose to help a friend’s wife. Furious and hurt, I hatched a plan to teach him a lesson about priorities, not knowing it would transform our relationship forever.I had just landed after a business trip to Tokyo. My body ached from the long flight, but my mind was sharp and I was eagerly waiting to see David. We had been married for five years, and this had been the longest we’d been apart.As soon as the plane touched down, I grabbed my phone and sent him a text, “Landed! Can’t wait to see you.” The response was almost immediate, but it wasn’t what I expected: “Hey, babe. Can’t make it. Jenny needed a ride after her gym session. Sorry. Will make it up to you.”My heart sank. I stared at the message, feeling a rush of anger and disbelief. Jenny.

Again. This wasn’t the first time David had prioritized her over me, but this was the last straw. I wasn’t about to drag my tired self home via Uber just because David couldn’t say no to a favor. I quickly dialed Mark’s number. He picked up on the second ring. “Mark, it’s Sarah. I just landed. Can you come get me?” “Of course, Sarah. I’m on my way,” he replied without hesitation. Mark was always reliable.While I waited, I fumed. I couldn’t believe David had done this to me. As the minutes ticked by, my frustration only grew. By the time Mark pulled up to the curb, I was ready to explode.Mark helped me with my bags and we climbed into his car. “Everything okay?” he asked, noticing my clenched fists. “No, Mark. It’s not,” I said, my voice trembling with anger. “David ditched me for Jenny. Again. This has to stop.”Mark nodded sympathetically. “He needs to understand how that feels, Sarah. Want to talk about it?” I let out a deep breath, my anger simmering down to a focused determination.