Still basking in her honeymoon glow, Jane is more than ready to begin her new life as a wife. But when she overhears a conversation between her husband and his friends, she discovers that her husband is as shallow as they come. Will Jane conform to the ideal woman Wayne wants, or will she leave?
Dating Wayne was one thing. Being married to him was another thing altogether.
Up until a year ago, I thought I had married the love of my life. Wayne and I met just as he had gotten out of a particularly toxic relationship.
A couple sitting on a bench together | Source: Unsplash
"Are you sure you're ready for me?" I asked.
"Yes, of course, Jane," he said. "Nicole is a part of the past now. I'm ready to move on and settle down and just be happy, you know?"
At first, I was worried about being a rebound—it happened more often than not. But I also figured that I had nothing to lose.
A couple sitting at a table and holding hands | Source: Unsplash
We were together for almost two years when Wayne proposed to me.
"Let's make it forever, Jane," he said.
Of course, I said yes. In the time we had been together, Wayne had shown me that I was more than just a rebound.
A courtyard proposal | Source: Pexels
We had just returned from a dreamy honeymoon, filled with laughter, affection, and promises of a future together. Life seemed perfect, but the façade shattered one ordinary day.
I was about to take our dog, Bolt, for a walk, when I saw that Wayne was chatting with his friends on a video call.
A dog holding a flower | Source: Unsplash
"Hey, Jane!" my husband called from the living room. "Come and say 'hey' to the guys."
I popped my head into the frame for a minute before heading out.
When Bolt saw the leash and harness, he licked my face, excited to get away from our garden. But the sky looked ominous, hinting at rain.
A cloudy sky | Source: Unsplash
So, I ran back inside to grab my raincoat.
The house was filled with laughter from Wayne's video call. I slipped upstairs to get my raincoat—not wanting to make myself known because I was certain that Wayne would call me back to talk to them.
Little did I know that an innocent eavesdropper to a conversation would unravel the tapestry of our relationship.
A screen with a video call | Source: Unsplash
"Dude, are you still hung up on how Jane looks?" one of his friends chuckled.
My heart skipped a beat.
What? I thought.
Maybe it was just a joke and Wayne was going to come to my rescue.
"Well, at least she cooks better than Nicole," Wayne said. "And she doesn't bother me much. I think she took Bolt for a walk now too, something that Nicole would definitely have made me do. But it does feel like a bit of a downgrade compared to Nicole."
A woman sitting on a rock | Source: Unsplash
"What are you going to do about it?" another voice chimed in.
"Listen, I think I'd change my mind if Jane lost a little bit of weight."
Their laughter rang loudly through the house.
I stood frozen in utter disbelief.
A man laughing | Source: Unsplash
Wayne had never expressed such shallow concerns to me. Instead, he used to reassure me of his unconditional love—especially following his relationship with Nicole.
Yet, here he was, sitting with a beer in the living room, mocking me.
I turned around and left the house. Bolt needed a walk, and I needed to get away from Wayne.
A beer bottle | Source: Unsplash
An internal battle followed me after that. I couldn't figure out what to do. I knew that marriage would be difficult, especially because I was so stubborn about everything in my life. But I hadn't expected it to feel so bad so soon.
Wayne and I were only three weeks into our marriage, and he was already comparing me to his ex-girlfriend who had broken up with him over text.
I could have divorced Wayne on the spot. But that would have almost been too easy. I needed more.