No Rest 23

Posted by adminj, ? Views, Released on September 7, 2025

Chapter 23

“You know, Sophia, his voice cut through the air, warm and steady, “I hope these remind you of me. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat threatening to choke me. I forced a small smile, trying to convince myself that his words had meaning. “Thank you,” I managed, though it tasted bitter. “I’ll remember.”

“Should we get going?” He asked almost reluctantly. “It’s time to get the kids back from the daycare.”

I nodded, forcing a smile, the bouquet of sunflowers now clutched to my chest as I rose from the seat. “Thank you, Nathaniel.” I said sincerely. “For today…for everything. You have no idea how much your being here helps me.”

Nathaniel’s expression turned into something that I couldn’t read, and he took a deep breath, and offered me a smile that didn’t really reach his eyes. “I wish I could do more,” he said finally, his voice slow but steady. “But I can only help as much as you allow me to.”

It was something unexpected, but I couldn’t really describe the way his words made me feel. I did feel guilty, I feel like I was letting Nathaniel down in some way that I didn’t really understand just yet. But at the same time, I knew that I had to do something, and fast.

After I returned home with Sara and Tara, my thoughts started to spiral. How could I let this go on any longer? The sunflowers were a symbol of Nathaniel’s affection, but also a quiet symbol of hope, hope that I desperately needed as I realized that Tristan had subtly manipulated me into this open marriage and taken advantage of me in the worst ways possible.

I’d tolerated so much in the name of love, but I wasn’t going to do it anymore. I had been the wife in the open marriage, willing to share, to be patient, to give him room to breathe. And all I got in return was humiliation and a slap I hadn’t deserved.

I had been understanding to the best of my abilities, but there was a line, and Tristan had crossed it. I wasn’t going to be the one who quietly accepted humiliation, who silently watched as his mistress paraded herself through our lives. Not anymore.

My heart raced with a strange mix of anger and resolve as I walked into the kitchen, making some afternoon snacks for my kids. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became. I was done. I had given him all the freedom he wanted, but it wasn’t freedom anymore.

It was betrayal, and I was the one left picking up the pieces. I couldn’t let myself be his doormat any longer. I deserved respect. I deserved honesty. And most of all, I deserved someone who wasn’t using me as a second choice.

For once, I needed to have a real conversation with him, not one filled with passive–aggressive remarks or veiled threats. I needed to speak my mind clearly, to set boundaries he could no longer ignore. The way things had been had pushed me to my breaking point.

Every time I caught a glimpse of his mistress, every time I heard them whispering behind closed doors, it chipped away at my sanity. How was I supposed to keep pretending that everything was fine when it wasn’t? How was I supposed to be the calm, understanding wife when he made me feel worthless?

But as I stood in the kitchen, waiting for the soup to boil, I couldn’t help but wonder… Would he even listen? Would he understand that this wasn’t just about jealousy or insecurity?

This was about dignity. It was about not being humiliated. My hands shook slightly as I reached for the ladle to stir the pot, but I knew, deep down, that this conversation was long overdue.

It was time to reclaim my voice. And once Tristan returned tomorrow, I will have to make him understand that this open marriage needed to come to an end.