The morning sun streamed through the curtains as Jennifer gazed at her reflection. The years of bottled-up emotions, secret desires, and guilt had taken a toll on her once radiant face. “Morning, love,” whispered John from behind her.
She turned to face him, her eyes welling up, “Dave knows about us, John. He confronted me this morning. Someone spotted us at the restaurant last night.”
John stepped closer, taking her hands in his. “Look, Jen, this was always a possibility. Remember our plan?”
Jennifer nodded, brushing away her tears. “I do. But Dave and I have been together for 25 years. Two kids, John! It’s hard to just walk away.”
John sighed, “So, did you tell him?”
Jennifer nodded. “I told him about my need to be with someone who understood the challenges of my career, someone who could match my pace, my ambitions.”
“And?”
“He… he spoke of the years of emotional and financial support he’d given me. John, it made everything we discussed sound so… insignificant.”
John’s face turned serious. “Jen, remember why we started this. You said you needed more, deserved more. And now, we need to be strong.”
Jennifer’s phone buzzed with a message. “It’s Dave,” she whispered. “He wants to meet you.”
John hesitated as he approached Dave’s workshop. The sounds of machines hummed in the background, and the scent of grease filled the air. As he entered, Dave, with his strong hands stained with engine oil, turned to face him.
John started, “Look, Dave. I know this is difficult, but you have to understand-”
Dave interrupted him, “Understand what? That after 25 years, you think you can just swoop in and change everything?”
John cleared his throat, attempting to maintain his composure. “I’m just giving her what she wanted.”
The tension in the room thickened. Dave, with anger and hurt evident in his eyes, stared at John. “You think this is about being an ‘alpha’? You think this is just about dominance?”
John gulped, “She deserves someone who can understand her, match her intellectually.”