Marital Chains and Liberation

Discovering infidelity of my husband, Walter Roberts, happened when our son was just six months old.

I had always believed that the foundation of a marriage was built on trust.

Therefore, whether during our courtship or after marriage, I never check Walter's phone.

However, that night, after finally putting the baby to sleep, as if guided by fate, I logged into Walter's long-forgotten WhatsApp account.

The reason I had Walter's WhatsApp password was because, during our dating days, he once needed to send me a file. He casually mentioned that his password was his phone number, which hadn't changed over the years.

What followed was unexpected to me.

I stumbled upon Walter's chat history with a girl saved under the nickname "Silly Annie."

How was I supposed to know it was a girl? It could very well have been a guy using a fake name. You might ask. Their chat spanned dozens of pages, filled not only with flirtatious banter but also with selfies of them together.

From the start, Walter and I were not seen as a compatible match by those around us. Although I wasn't strikingly beautiful, I was always the model child everyone admired.

After graduating from a prestigious university with a master's degree, I worked at a local bank, enjoying a stable job and decent income. Being far from home, I longed for a sense of belonging, and just before meeting Walter, I had purchased my own house in this city.

Walter, on the other hand, often described himself as a "total loser." After graduating from an average university, he helped out at a small company run by his father, earning a modest allowance each month.

Our first meeting was at a dinner gathering. I had recently ended a long-distance relationship that began during my college days.

It was a hot day, and I had just moved into my new place. After dinner, I was busy assembling a storage rack, sweating profusely, when my friend Hayley Barton called.

"Amy, what are you up to? "Let's go and have dinner together. I'll send you the location right away," she said eagerly, her voice filled with enthusiasm.

Looking at the mess of parts before me, I was frustrated. I tossed the screwdriver aside and left without even changing my clothes.

The restaurant Hayley chose was close to my home, so I walked over. When I arrived, I saw Hayley with her boyfriend David and two of David's college friends, one of whom was Walter.

As soon as I sat down, Hayley looked at my casual attire and messy hair with disdain.

"What have you been doing at home? You look like a poor woman who got abused."

I replied, "Don't even mention it! I bought a huge storage rack on eBay. The customer service assured me it was super easy to assemble alone.

But when it arrived today, it was a struggle just to get it upstairs. After working on it for ages, it's still a pile of parts."

We chatted and ate, enjoying the moment.

When it's about to leave, David remarked, "Judging by your hands, typing on a keyboard or washing dishes might be fine, but assembling things is a man's job."

"How about this," he continued, "since tomorrow's the weekend, we'll come over and help you set it up. But you need to have enough beer ready. How does that sound?"

Hayley chimed in, "Yes, yes, let them do it. We can also pay a visit to your new place."

I thought about it and agreed. After all, it was the weekend, and it would be nice to have company. Plus, I could use some free labor-not just for the rack but also for installing a light bulb, setting up a computer, or hanging curtains.

That night, I didn't pay much attention to Walter. I just thought he was tall, handsome, and had a clean-cut look.

The next day, Hayley and David said they'd be a bit later, and David's other friend couldn't make it. Only Walter called early, saying he was downstairs. He must have gotten my number from Hayley or David.

Walter wasn't much of a talker. As soon as he came up, he got straight to work.

I remember ordering a bunch of takeout and making the only dish I was confident in at the time-a Beef Wellington.

It was clear that David and Walter were impressed by my cooking, as they devoured most of the beef.

Hayley and I were fond of it too, but we only had a few bites to avoid gaining weight.

After that visit, Walter added me on WhatsApp and occasionally sent me messages.

Initially, he asked work-related questions, like how to open a corporate account or for investment advice.

Gradually, he started bringing me small gifts, like local specialties from his business trips or food from his hometown.

At first, I wanted to refuse, but Walter always called after he had already dropped them off downstairs. Since they were well selected by him, I accepted his kindness.