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“You slept with another woman, while you were refusing to sleep with me.” My face heats. “You said you couldn’t… that you were unable…”
“With you,” he says.
Oh… Ouch. That hits me like a frying pan around the face.
“Jesus, man,” Mitch says, appalled. “Have a fucking heart.”
Regret flickers on Jayden’s face, but the damage has been done. “That came out wrong,” he says.
“You think?” Mitch asks incredulously.
Jayden runs a hand through his hair and lets out a long, heartfelt sigh. “You were far too good for me,” he says to me eventually. “I always knew that. I shouldn’t have married you.”
“Jayden,” Mitch says angrily, but Jayden glares at him.
“No, I mean it,” he continues. “We both know she should have married you instead.”
“What are you talking about?” I’m so shocked, I can barely breathe. “I never looked at another man when I was with you.”
“I know. You were always thoughtful, always helpful. Supportive and caring. A pillar of the community, just like your mum. You were the perfect wife.” He sounds bitter.
I’m starting to tremble. “Somehow you manage to make that sound like a bad thing.”
“I think we both knew it was going wrong before the accident. But after it… I felt like a failure. I couldn’t be the husband you wanted or needed. You set the bar so high.”
“I didn’t set the bar at all,” I say, appalled. “I never asked you to do or be anything except what you were.”
“And yet I still fell short.” He shrugs. He obviously means it. “You were too good for me,” he repeats.
We stand silently for about thirty seconds. Mitch is resting on the table, looking at the floor.
Nausea flares inside me. I feel humiliated and about an inch high, especially having that conversation in front of him. Oh God, he knew that Jayden had been unfaithful. I still can’t believe he didn’t tell me.
“I devoted years of my life to you,” I say to Jayden softly. “And now you’re saying you shouldn’t have married me at all? What about Millie? Do you wish we hadn’t had her?”
His expression softens. “Of course not. She’s the one good thing I’ve done with my life. I wanted to see her before Christmas, drop off her presents, and apologize for not ringing her last Sunday.”
“She stayed with Emma last night,” I say. “Emma will bring her up to Dad’s soon.”
“So you two could spend the night together.” He looks from me to Mitch.
Mitch runs his tongue over his top teeth but doesn’t say anything.
“What do you want?” Jayden’s voice drips with sarcasm. “My blessing?”
“We don’t need your blessing or your permission,” Mitch snaps. “I’ve always loved her. You know I have.”
“Yeah,” Jayden says. “I know.”
“I left,” Mitch says. “I gave you the chance to make it work. Twice. And you just walked out.”
Jayden blows out a long, long breath, looking at the floor. Eventually, he says, “I know.”
“You didn’t even come back for her mum’s funeral,” Mitch states flatly. “I kept away because I thought you’d be there.”
Jayden glances at me. “I’m sorry.”
I don’t reply, stiff with resentment, immensely upset.
