On the day of our 12th anniversary, Jason and I shared Thai takeout and a rare quiet afternoon. It felt like old times — laughter, comfort, connection. Then his phone buzzed. A message preview lit up the screen: “Already missing the way you smell. Yesterday wasn’t enough.” It was from someone named Claire. When I asked about it, Jason just sighed and muttered, “You wouldn’t get it.” No guilt. No denial.

Just apathy. I smiled, grabbed my keys for school pickup, and started planning. That night, I waited until he was asleep, unlocked his phone with his thumb, and found everything. Lingerie photos. Hotel room selfies. Messages dripping with betrayal. Claire wasn’t a stranger — she was our daughter’s guidance counselor. The same woman who told me to call her “Cee.” I didn’t scream or confront him.

Instead, I documented everything. I smiled through the next three weeks — cooking his favorite meals, kissing him goodbye — while quietly preparing my exit. I met with lawyers. Reviewed our finances. And filed a complaint with the school board.Then came Spring Open House. Just before we left, I handed him a box. Inside: printed screenshots of the affair. His face turned to ash. He begged. Lied. Blamed me. I didn’t flinch. “No, Jason,” I said.

“We could’ve fixed it if you’d talked to me instead of sleeping with our daughter’s counselor. But now? It’s too late.”By the end of the week, he had divorce papers. Claire lost her job and license. I sold the house, took the kids, and started fresh near my sister. They’re thriving now. Lighter. Calmer. Jason texted me last week: “You didn’t have to destroy both of us.” I blocked the number. Because I didn’t destroy us. He did. And I’m finally done cleaning up his mess.