I tried to bring my husband back together with the woman he once loved — and I did it behind his back. I thought it was the right thing to do, something simple and selfless. But nothing about it turned out simple, and I was not ready for what it would do to me.

Marriage! For most people, it seemed like the biggest and happiest event in their life — something they had dreamed about since childhood, a goal. For me, it was different. I did not marry for love or passion.

I married for comfort and to make my relatives stop asking questions. I chose Hunter because he was calm, kind, and honest.

Over time, he became my best friend. I became the same for him. We were partners, not lovers. And it worked.

In fact, we were the only couple among our friends who never had loud fights or silent wars.

We never cheated or said things we would regret. People often told us we were the “perfect couple,” and maybe, in our way, we were.

But the truth is simple: we had no strong emotions, jealousy, deep passion, or expectations to be more than we were.

So if you want to give me a speech about love and feelings, save it. It will not change my mind.

I believed our marriage worked because it was based on mutual respect, not fairy tales. At least, that was what I thought.

Lately, Hunter began acting differently. He was quiet, secretive, always on his phone, and always somewhere else. I was not angry. I was worried. We used to tell each other everything. That had been the foundation of our marriage, and recently, I had begun to feel that foundation cracking.

I decided to talk to Kieran. He was not just my colleague. He was also my closest friend at work. I trusted him.

I knew he would listen without judging me. I told him everything I had noticed about Hunter. The late nights. The strange behavior.

The way he looked at his phone before quickly putting it away. Kieran stayed quiet the whole time I was talking. He watched me, but he did not say anything.

“So what do you think?” I finally asked.

He leaned back in his chair. “It sounds like cheating.”

I shook my head. “Hunter would not cheat on me.”

Kieran raised one eyebrow. “All women say that. Then one day, they find proof.”

“He is not like most men. He is a good man,” I said.

“He is still a man,” Kieran said with a shrug.

“You are a man too. I have never heard about you cheating,” I said.

“I am rare. One of the last honest ones,” he said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes. “Do you really think it could be true?”

“I do not know. But if you leave him, I will be waiting,” he said and winked.

I hit him lightly on the shoulder. He always flirted like that, and I never took it seriously.

“I will love you forever. After death, though, I am free,” he added.

“Love does not exist,” I said.

“So cold,” he replied.

The conversation with Kieran ended with jokes and smiles, but I could not shake off his words. They stayed in my mind like a quiet echo.

Could Hunter have cheated on me? It sounded impossible. He was always honest.

Our marriage had rules, and we both followed them. Trust, loyalty, and respect were our base. I believed in it.

But still, something inside me began to break. Doubt was growing like a shadow.

I kept thinking about it for days, even though I tried to ignore it. I told myself that Kieran was wrong.

I told myself that Hunter would never do something like that. But Hunter kept acting strange.

He looked tired and distant, avoided my questions, and his smile looked forced. I knew something was wrong.

After many failed talks, I made a decision. I needed to know the truth. I had no car anymore, so I called a taxi and told the driver to follow Hunter’s car. I felt foolish, but I could not stop myself.

He went to a small café and sat at a table by the window. I stayed outside and watched. A woman came in and joined him. They smiled.

They talked like they had known each other for years. No touching. No kissing. But I still felt cold. If it was nothing, why did he lie to me? Why hide her?

I waited until the woman stood up and walked toward the bathroom. Then I went inside the café.

My hands were shaking. I felt sick. I saw Hunter sitting alone at the table and walked straight to him. I sat down across from him. He looked up and froze.

“Melissa? What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I need to know what’s going on,” I said. “Why are you hiding things from me?”

Hunter looked nervous. “It’s not what you think.”

“I’m not even sure what to think,” I said. “I just know we promised to be honest. Always.”

He let out a long sigh. “You’re right,” he said quietly. “Her name is Alison. She’s my first love. I’ve loved her my whole life.”

I stared at him. “But I thought you didn’t believe in love. That was why we got married. We agreed.”

“I stopped believing in love after she broke my heart,” he said. “It hurt too much. I closed that door.”

“Hunter… this changes everything,” I whispered.

“No. It changes nothing,” he said. “I didn’t cheat. We’re just talking. That’s all.”

“But you love her,” I said.

He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the woman returned. She stopped and looked at me.

“Hunter, who is this?” Alison asked.

He looked down. “My wife.”

Her face changed. “You have a wife?”

“Yes, but—” I began.

“There’s nothing between us,” Alison said quickly. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

She grabbed her bag and walked out.

“Hunter, I didn’t come here to fight,” I said.

“It’s fine,” he said. “Maybe it had to happen. Let’s go home.”

He paid the bill. We left in silence and got into his car. I stared out the window, unsure of what to feel.

On the way home, Hunter did not say a word. I sat beside him and watched his face. He looked tired.

I could see something in his eyes. It was pain. Not anger. Not guilt. Just quiet pain.

When we got home, I sat on the couch and thought. I kept thinking about everything.

I married Hunter because I thought we both wanted the same thing — a quiet life with no love or drama. Just peace.

But now I was not sure. Maybe I had been wrong. Maybe Hunter wanted more. Maybe he always had.

I stood up and walked to him.

“I want a divorce,” I said.

Hunter looked at me fast. “What? No, Melissa.”

“Yes. You love someone else. You should be with her,” I said.

“That cannot happen,” he said.

“Why not?” I asked.

“She is leaving tonight. She got a job in Europe.”

“So go to her. Tell her how you feel,” I said.

“No,” he said.

“But this is your last chance,” I said.

“Enough!” Hunter screamed, raising his voice. Then he sighed. “I need time alone.”

He grabbed the car keys and walked out the door. I stood there, frozen.

I stood in the living room, staring at the door Hunter had just walked through. I did not know what to do.

My heart was heavy, but not from jealousy. He was still my friend, still someone I cared about.

I wanted to help him, but nothing made sense. I walked from room to room, hoping movement would clear my head. It did not. My thoughts felt slow and stuck, like I was walking through fog.

Then, an idea lit up in my mind. I looked at the clock. It was already one in the morning. I had no car, and a taxi would take too long.

So, I called someone who would not ask questions. Someone who would say yes, no matter the time.

“Kieran?” I said when he picked up. “I need your help. Can you come get me from home?”

His voice was slow. “Is everything okay?”

“I will explain later. I just really need a ride.”

“I’m on my way,” he said.

He showed up in less than ten minutes. His hair was a mess. His eyes looked half shut.

“You sure you’re okay to drive?” I asked as I got in.

He nodded. “I’m good. Where are we going?”

“To the airport.”

He looked at me. “The airport?”

“Yes. Alison is flying to Europe tonight.”

Kieran blinked. “Who’s Alison?”

“The woman Hunter loves,” I said.

He stared at me. “Wait… what?”

“I just found out. I want to help him. He should be with her,” I said.

Kieran slammed the brakes for a second. “You’re serious?”

“Yes. Our marriage is not built on love. It’s built on peace. But now he’s hurting.”

He shook his head and kept driving. “You’re wild.”

We reached the airport. I turned to him. “Thank you for helping me. I am sure people really appreciate your kindness,” I said.

“Such privileges are only for you,” Kieran said with a smile.

I smiled. How warm I felt inside surprised me. I did not know what it meant, but it was there.

I opened the door and stepped out. All I hoped was that Alison had not left yet.

I spotted her near the security line. She was standing with her suitcase, looking straight ahead.

I felt my heart jump. This was my only chance. I ran a few steps forward and called out her name.

“Alison! Alison!”

She turned, saw me, and quickly looked away. She moved forward faster, trying to reach the gate before I could catch up. I raised my voice again.

“Alison, please! We really need to talk!”

She slowed down and stood still. Then she turned around and came back toward me. Her face was tense, and she looked confused.

“I already told you,” she said. “There is nothing going on between me and Hunter. If that’s why you’re here, you don’t need to worry.”