— What do you mean, the door? I just walked in. Are you kicking me out? — Oleg blinked in confusion. — Marina, what’s going on?
— What I heard! Get out!
— I’m so tired. I’ve been on a business trip for three days, running around the sites like a madman. I’m exhausted like a dog. Eating cafeteria food all day, the hotel was some dump, I didn’t sleep properly. I was looking forward to getting home, to you, and you…
— Here are your things, everything is here, no need to check. Your laptop is in the bag, your clothes and shoes are in the suitcases. I’m not holding you back anymore, Oleg.
His wife looked at him with cold, unfamiliar eyes, and for a moment, Oleg felt uneasy.
— Can you explain what’s going on? What’s happening to you? Three days ago, everything was fine, we said goodbye so sweetly, you wished me a good trip and said you’d be eagerly waiting for my return. And now what kind of drama are you pulling here? — Oleg refused to admit the obvious.
— Drama? — Marina raised an eyebrow and smirked. — No, my dear. You’re the one who’s good at acting in dramas. Any national actor would envy your ability! You can play the loving husband and faithful family man so well, to display deep emotions for so long — you should teach others how to do it.
— Marina! Enough already, please? Let me in. I’m tired from the road. I need to wash up. I’m hungry. Don’t you feel sorry for me at all? — Oleg tried to appeal to her feelings, still confident in his charm.
— Didn’t the mistress feed you? Didn’t she wash her little tiger in the jacuzzi? — remembering how he loved to call himself that, Marina asked. — Oh, oh, oh! What a mess! She needs to be scolded right away.
— Oh, Marina!
— Get out of here, I said!
— Are you serious? — Oleg finally gave in. — So, you’re just kicking me out, making up all this nonsense? Maybe you should see a psychologist? You need to calm your nerves, take some pills so you don’t scare normal people with your strange behavior.
— I’ll call the police if you don’t leave. This apartment belongs to me, and they’ll throw you out in one second, — Marina said in a cold, firm voice.
— You think I have someone else, right? — Oleg asked, making a guilty face.
— I think so. Actually, I’m sure of it. That’s why I’m kicking you out.
— How? Where did you… What makes you think that? I…
Oleg wanted to say that he had been very careful and hadn’t made any mistakes. But he quickly stopped himself, realizing that by saying this, he would admit his wife’s correctness and sign his own sentence, which Marina had already written. But that wasn’t what he needed right now. He needed to figure out what his wife knew. And whether she had any evidence of his infidelity.
Oleg suddenly remembered, at an inconvenient moment, how he had said goodbye to Lyudmila an hour ago, leaving her apartment. And how she had given him an ultimatum — either her or his wife.
— I can’t take this anymore! Always sharing you with that woman — it’s beyond me! — she had said, hugging Oleg tightly. — Tell me, why do you need her if you have me?
— Sweetheart, it’s complicated. I can’t explain it so easily, — Oleg had evaded the answer, remembering Marina’s money. — It’s not the right time, we need to wait a bit.
— What are we waiting for? Don’t you love me? Why do you keep going back to your wife? Do you not like being with me? Or do you miss me? — Lyudmila had been probing.
— What are you saying, baby? — Oleg had tried to calm Lyudmila.
And today, after three nights together, she had even threatened to tell his wife everything.
— If you’re so indecisive, I’ll tell her everything myself! — Lyudmila had boldly declared.
— No! Don’t! I’ll do it myself, I promise. Give me some time, — Oleg had suddenly been scared by her pressure. — I need to get everything in order, you understand.
— Well, don’t take too long!
And now Oleg thought that maybe Lyudmila had already called his wife while he was on his way home.
— That’s probably why she packed my things, — Oleg thought grimly. — Yeah, I’ll have to confess to Marina. But I need to do it the right way. So she understands and forgives me. Yeah, that’s the way. It’s a shame to lose such a good situation. She has her own apartment, a good salary, and no relatives. Understand and forgive — that’s what she’ll have to do after my confession.
— Marina, you understand, — Oleg began cautiously. — We’ve been living together for five years. I love you very much. Yes, it’s true, don’t laugh! But sometimes, with men, things happen… Things that are beyond our understanding, things we can’t control, not even with our will…
— You’re being pulled to the side? Want to boost your ego? I know that, don’t continue, I’ve been living long enough to understand. I’m telling you — go! I don’t need you anymore.
— No, no… Wait. I didn’t mean it… It only happened once… And that’s it! I don’t know why I agreed to it. It was like a curse, like something took over me, — Oleg started his confession, seeing Marina’s surprised face.
— I’m sure you’re amazed by my nobility. You didn’t expect me to confess. Lyudmila must have called her, and my wife thought I’d deny everything. But I’m not doing that. Now the important thing is to make that little girl look bad, and Marina will forgive me, — Oleg thought.
— Go on… This is getting interesting, — Marina smirked.
— She’s one of those women who’ll stop at nothing to steal a man from his wife. Don’t feed them honey, just introduce them to a married man, and they’ll drag him into their bed. But I didn’t want that. I swear! I resisted, even. But she drugged me with something, I swear, — Oleg played more and more into the victim role.
— Vodka? — Marina interrupted him. — Vodka can do that to a person. I’ve told you a hundred times — quit drinking.
— No, Marina, it was some substance, something that paralyzed my will, that’s what she drugged me with, — Oleg suddenly recalled some words he had heard before. — I was paralyzed, practically…
— All over? Or was something still working? — Marina asked sarcastically.
— Come on! Don’t laugh at me, this isn’t funny. You have to forgive me, because it wasn’t my choice to fall into the hands of this shameless woman.
— I owe you nothing, cheater! — Marina shouted.
— You won’t forgive me? At least for the sake of our love. We’ve been living together, heart and soul, for five years! — Oleg continued.
— You don’t need to continue. I’ve heard everything I need to. And now, I’m probably going to surprise you, dear, and even disappoint you, — Marina said with a condescending smile.
— No, please! Don’t disappoint me, give me some hope!
— The thing is, while you were away, I found something at home that confirmed my suspicions about your infidelity, Oleg. I’d suspected it before, but now I’m sure. You’ve been running around behind my back. There were moments, many moments. And you’re a terrible liar, even though you tried so hard. Now, it’s almost funny. Though I didn’t believe you then, I understood that suspicions and emotions alone can’t prove anything.
But when you left for your “business trip” three days ago, so happy that you couldn’t even hide it, I knew — you were lying again. And you probably rushed off to your latest fling. And then I found something that finally opened my eyes to your vile nature.
— What was it? — Oleg asked in confusion, afraid to even guess.
— It was your passport, dear, — Marina said with a victorious smile.
— Passport? — Oleg didn’t believe it.
— Yes, sweetie, your passport. I found it here, at home. And that’s when I knew for sure that you were cheating on me. You can’t go on a business trip to another city, where you’ll stay in a hotel, without your passport. But you, when leaving, didn’t even remember it. You were in such a hurry to get to your lover!
— Marina, wait…
— No, that’s it! You’ve already told me everything. I didn’t expect such honesty from you! But thank you for it, you laid it all out. And I’ll say one more thing…
When I was packing your things, I thought about everything good we had between us. There was a lot, wasn’t there? And I kept hoping until the end. Maybe I was wrong? Maybe I made up something about you? Maybe you’re innocent? And then you come home, see these suitcases, and do something… I don’t know, something to convince me of your love. You’ll manage, I know you will, for me, for us. And I’ll stop doubting you. Even for the forgotten passport, you’ll find an explanation, and I’ll believe it. Because I’ll see in your eyes — you still love me.
Marina fell silent. Then she went to the door and opened it wide.
— That’s it, go. Lyudmila is waiting. And I don’t need you anymore. And don’t forget your passport this time. You’ll need it soon, for the divorce.
After she kicked the traitor out of her apartment and her life, Marina sighed with relief.
It’s better this way. The air is cleaner now.