My husband cheated on me!
Looking at the torn open package of contraceptives in her hand, Li Man's hand shook uncontrollably, and a wave of nausea rose in her stomach. She threw the package away as if she had been burned.
Tears flowed out like a flood, and Li Man's heart felt as if it had been ripped apart, hurting so much that she could barely breathe.
Her husband hadn't touched her for a long time. She thought it was because he was under too much work pressure, so he had lost interest in sex. But she didn't expect that he was seeing someone else!
This discovery left her devastated.
She and her husband Huang Dehan had been together for 4 years before getting married, and now they had been married for 12 years. The passionate feelings between them had gradually become as calm as still water over time.
Li Man felt this was a normal phenomenon, nothing to worry about. Even when their intimacy had become less and less frequent, to the point of not happening anymore, she still thought it was normal.
After all, they were not as young as they used to be, their vitality was not what it once was. Wanting it every day, even multiple times a night, was a thing of the past.
Plus the pressure from work, it seemed understandable that he was not interested anymore.
Li Man was understanding about all this.
But this opened condom package shattered her adherence to and fantasies about love, and her inner beliefs crumbled in an instant.
Huang Dehan had been driving this car, but this morning at 6 am, as he was going to the airport, Li Man drove him there in his car.
She didn't expect to find an opened condom package wedged in a crevice under the driver's seat on her drive back.
She picked it up. The condom inside was gone, clearly already used by someone.
Who had used it was obvious.
Although she didn't want to admit it, the facts were right before her eyes, leaving her no choice but to admit it - Huang Dehan had cheated on her!
Just now when she failed to make a green light and had to slam on the brakes, her bag fell off the passenger seat.
When she bent over to pick it up, she noticed the condom package tucked away in the crevice between the seats.
Clearly, it had accidentally fallen there, which is why it was wedged in such a hidden place. If she hadn't looked closely, she wouldn't have found it.
It showed just how passionate and impatient they must have been, focused only on making love, not even noticing where the condom wrapper ended up.
Li Man felt like she had been struck by lightning on a sunny day, the world spinning around her. She slumped in the driver's seat, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Beep beep beep..."
The urgent honking of a horn came from behind. A driver stuck his head out and yelled impatiently, "Hey, move it up there! Do you even know how to drive? Idiot!"
Li Man hurriedly wiped her tears and drove away.
When she got home, Li Man parked the car in the underground garage. Her emotions were still low. She took out her phone and called Huang Dehan.
Even though the facts were clear, she still wanted to confirm.
Maybe this was all a misunderstanding?
Maybe a friend had borrowed his car and then...
Although she didn't even believe this excuse herself, still she wanted to find some reason that would make her feel less sad.
The phone rang with a mechanical voice: "The number you have dialed is now switched off. Please try again later..."
By now, Huang Dehan was already on the plane.
Li Man put down her phone helplessly.
Sadness surged over her like a tidal wave, instantly surrounding her. She struggled like a drowning person, but it was futile. Finally, she gave up struggling and sank into her grief.