"Did you use protection?" I asked.
His head snapped up. "What?"
"It's a simple question, Matt." I kept my tone even. "When you fucked her on the exam table, did you use a condom?"
"Yes," he said quickly. "Yes, I?—"
"At least you managed that."
I watched him flinch like I'd slapped him.
"So you planned it," I continued. "You brought condoms with you to fuck my boss. Unless you were carrying them for us? While we're actively trying for a baby?"
The color drained from his face completely now.
"That's what I thought," I said. "This wasn’t a mistake. Not something that just happened. You made a choice."
"I…" His voice cracked. "I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry and?—"
"What did you tell her about me?"
He stopped mid-sentence and stared at me.
"What?"
"Angela told me you said I work too much. That I'm distant." I tilted my head slightly. "What else did you tell her about me, Matt? What other complaints did you share while you were building up to fucking her?"
"I didn't… that's not?—"
"You didn't what? Complain about your wife to make yourself feel better about cheating on her?" I paused. "Or you didn't think I'd find out?"
His hands came up like he wanted to reach for me, then dropped. "It wasn't like that. I wasn't trying to?—"
"Then what was it like?" I asked. "Help me understand. Because from where I'm standing, you spent months texting another woman, telling her how difficult your marriage was, how I didn't pay enough attention to you, how lonely you were. And then you fucked her. Three times. So please, enlighten me… what was it like?"
"Youhavebeen distant," he said, and immediately looked like he regretted it. "I mean… not distant, but you've been working so much lately, and every time I tried to talk to you about it, you were?—"
"I was what? Busy keeping the clinic running because Angela checked out months ago?" It was difficult to remain calm, but I did it. By God, I did it. "Busy doing her job and mine so the business wouldn't fall apart? Busy being an adult with responsibilities?"
"That's not fair."
"Fair?" The word came out soft. "You want to talk about fair, Matt?"
He moved then. Came around the island counter with his hands out, reaching for me. "Please, babe, just let me?—"
"Step back." These words didn’t come out soft.
Matt froze mid-step, hand still extended.
"Step the fuck back," I said again, quieter this time. "Don't touch me."
Something in my voice must have registered because he stopped and dropped his hand. But he didn't move away.
"I just want to?—"
"I don't care what you want." I took a deliberate step backward, putting more distance between us. "You lost the right to touch me the second you put your hands on her."
"Please." His voice wavered. "Please, just… just let me explain. It was a mistake, it meant nothing, I love you?—"
