Fed To The Dogs, Farewell Roxanne

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On New Year's Day, my wife, Roxanne, forced me to taste her latest experimental dish despite my agonizing stomach cramps.

To make her happy, I gritted my teeth and swallowed the culinary failures she threw at me.

The result was a severe case of acute gastroenteritis.

I begged her to take me to the hospital, but she only gave me a cold stare and called me dramatic.

I collapsed in the hallway, losing consciousness from the pain.

A neighbor eventually found me and rushed me to the ER, where I was wheeled straight into surgery.

When the neighbor called Roxanne to sign the consent forms, she scoffed.

She told him we were both actors putting on a show to trick her.

After the surgery, I planned to confront her.

But then I saw a post from her childhood best friend, Jasper, on my feed.

"Chef Roxanne spent all day perfecting her new menu~"

"Secret tip: Chef Roxanne said all the failed attempts were fed to the dogs~"

In the photo, Roxanne was beaming at the camera, her smile brighter than I had seen in years.

At that moment, I finally decided to leave her.

1.

Fireworks exploded outside the window.

I leaned back against the hospital bed and looked up.

The brilliant colors flickered for a second before plunging back into the darkness.

It was just like my marriage to Roxanne.

A notification pinged on my phone, pulling me back to reality.

It was another post from Jasper.

"New Year's Eve dinner is served~"

The photo showed two wine glasses clinking together.

I stared at the sparkling pink diamond watch on the slender, pale wrist in the shot.

I knew that watch better than anyone. It was the only one of its kind in the world.

I remembered Roxanne saying, "I want a pink diamond watch that is bold and unique."

I called every favor I had to get an invitation to a private auction.

I paid way above the market price to secure a collector-grade pink diamond.

To show her my sincerity, I didn't just buy it.

I designed the watch myself and flew to Switzerland.

I traded two of my own discontinued, limited-edition timepieces to convince a retired master watchmaker to take the job.

It took two months to create that masterpiece.

When Roxanne received it, she barely looked at it.

But all my friends were green with envy.

A ringing phone interrupted my thoughts.

I answered, only to hear Roxanne's impatient voice.

"Hayes Sterling, where the hell are you? Dinner is starting."

Before I could speak, I heard Jasper's voice in the background, intentionally low.

"Roxy, when you act all fierce like that, it really gets me going."

My breath hitched, and hot anger surged through me.

"Roxanne, what the hell are you doing!"

"Hayes, stop barking at me!"

She didn't miss a beat, her voice sharp and icy.

"Since you have enough energy to yell, I guess you don't need dinner. Forget it!"

2.

She hung up before I could say another word.

I stared at my phone in a daze.

I thought I was ready to let her go, but her coldness still felt like a knife to the chest.

I slumped back into the bed, and the movement pulled at my surgical incision.

A wave of sharp pain washed over me, leaving beads of sweat on my forehead.

I lay there, letting out a hollow, bitter laugh.

Everything changed three months ago when Jasper returned to the city.

He had been gone for three years, and Roxanne used every excuse to stay out late with him.

She claimed she was just helping him get settled back into the city.

If I even questioned her, she would snap at me like a cornered animal.

We had been married for three years, and I had loved her more than life itself.

I told myself they were just childhood friends and that being close was normal.

But a few days ago, I accidentally found out the truth.

She had been sleeping with him behind my back.

Even then, I pathetically blamed myself.

I wondered if I wasn't good enough or if I could win her back by being better.

But this emergency surgery opened my eyes to who she really was.

"Hayes, are you feeling okay? Has your family arrived yet?"

My doctor walked in to check on my vitals.

I shook my head and told him I was fine on my own.

He didn't look surprised; he'd seen this a thousand times.

He told me I needed to stay for at least a week for observation.

I told him I understood and called a professional nursing service.

By dinner time, the fireworks outside had finally quieted down.

Jasper, however, was still posting up a storm.

"Chef Roxy is the ultimate boss babe. Her memory is incredible."

"Three years apart, and she still remembers every single dish I love~ So lucky~"

I zoomed in on the photo of the dinner table.

The table was covered in food I hated, but Roxanne loved to order.

I finally realized why she always forced me to eat spicy food despite knowing it wrecked my stomach.

My phone buzzed constantly with group chat notifications.

I checked and saw that Roxanne had added Jasper to our friend group.

Most of the people in that group were my childhood friendsDrich guys from the city's elite circles.

They were usually loud and rowdy, and the chat was blowing up.

One friend asked, "Where's Hayes? The chat is lit and he's being a ghost."

Roxanne replied with a biting sarcasm, "He's got a huge ego now. I can't control him."

I stared at those words for a long time.

I knew the letters, but the meaning felt foreign to me.

Annoyed by the teasing from our friends, Roxanne finally called me.

"Hayes, are you blind? Why aren't you replying to the group?"

"Are you trying to make everyone think I'm some kind of monster wife?"

It was hilarious. She was the one flirting with those guys in public.

Now she couldn't handle the jokes.

My wound began to throb again while she rambled on about my supposed sins.

For the first time, I felt a spark of defiance.

"Believe whatever you want to believe," I said.

3.

Roxanne didn't expect me to talk back.

She went silent for a second before exploding.

Even after I tossed the phone across the bed, I could hear her screaming obscenities.

The nurse eventually couldn't take it anymore and hung up for me.

I spent seven days in that hospital, and Roxanne never once asked where I was.

I guess I was just an obstacle she was glad to be rid of.

Without me, she could play house with Jasper all she wanted.

Every day, she appeared in his social media stories.

Two days later, I was discharged and headed home.

When I walked through the door, I froze.

The acrylic display cases in the living room were empty.

My entire collection of limited-edition car models was gone.

My brain went numb for a second as a horrible thought struck me.

I immediately dialed Roxanne's number.

She picked up after a few rings.

"Make it quick! Some of us actually work. You're the only one who can just disappear whenever you want!"

Her condescending tone fueled the fire in my chest.

I kept my voice low and steady. "Roxanne, where are my car models?"

"Oh, those toys..."

She dragged out her words, sounding bored.

"Jasper liked them, so I gave them to him."

"Roxanne, you've gone too far!" I shouted.

"Watch your tone, Hayes! They were just plastic junk. If you want them so bad, I'll buy you new ones!"

"Junk?" I collapsed onto the sofa, laughing until tears pricked my eyes.

She had never heard me laugh like that, and she stayed quiet for a moment.

"Fine, I'll find you some new ones tomorrow. Stop being a drama queen."

I took a deep breath. "Don't bother. Just come home tomorrow. I have something for you."

I hung up immediately.

When I married her, my parents said she was just a pretty face and wasn't good enough for our family.

But I married her anyway, and my parents hadn't spoken to me in three years.

I had worked hard, turning a small investment into a nine-figure business.

I gave her the company and all the money to manage without a second thought.

I gave her everything, and the only hobby I had left was those models.

And yet, she still couldn't let me have that one thing.

I called a friend who shared my hobby to see if I could find replacements.

He sounded shocked. "Wait, Roxanne said you wanted to sell the whole collection. Why are you looking for more?"

I did some digging and found out Jasper hadn't even kept them. He sold them for a massive profit.

I was so angry I kicked over Roxanne's favorite designer vase.

Then I called a luxury boutique.

I canceled the order for the rare crocodile skin handbag I had planned to give her.

The sales associate, desperate to keep her commission, called Roxanne and told her everything.

Roxanne lost her mind instantly.

She called me and started screaming before I could even say hello.

"Hayes Sterling! I get rid of a little bit of your trash, and you cancel my bag?"

"Do you think I don't deserve a new bag? You're acting like a total psycho!"

4.

Roxanne was ranting like a madwoman.

If I didn't know better, I would have told her to check into a psych ward.

The stress made my surgical scar ache again.

I lay on the bed, looking back at our three years of marriage.

It had been nothing but unconditional sacrifice on my part.

Roxanne had never lifted a finger for me.

She would drop thousands on custom suits for Jasper but wouldn't even buy me a tie.

The double standards were everywhere, too many to count.

Now, because I missed one gift, I was the villain of the century.

It was pathetic.

I used to believe in love at first sight.

Now, I just felt like I had been suffering from a long-term delusion.

The more I thought about it, the more I hated being in the house we shared.

I packed a bag and went to stay with my friend, Mitch Rhodes.

Mitch knew everything about my marriage and how much I had endured.

Seeing my state, he handed me a golden retriever puppy.

"A dog is the best therapy for a broken heart," he said.

The next morning, I took the puppy to a high-end pet groomer.

When I pushed open the door, I walked right into Roxanne and Jasper.

They were looking at expensive Maine Coon cats.

"Roxy, this red tabby is so cool, but it's so pricey," Jasper said, cradling the cat.

Roxanne glanced at the fifteen-thousand-dollar price tag and waved her hand dismissively.

"It's not expensive at all. We're taking it."

I stood by the door, let out a cold laugh.

I had wanted a dog since I was a kid.

When we got married, she told me she was deathly allergic to pet hair.

Yet here she was, holding a long-haired cat in her arms.

I realized then that she wasn't allergic to hair; she was just allergic to my happiness.

"What a coincidence," I said, stepping closer with my puppy.

Roxanne looked up, a flash of panic crossing her face.

"Honey, I thought you were allergic to pets?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

She narrowed her eyes, knowing I was mocking her.

She didn't explode, though. She just frowned.

"Jasper loved cats when we were kids. I'm just holding it because it's cute. Don't overreact."

Overreact? Me?

As I opened my mouth to retort, Roxanne cut me off.

"Look, we haven't seen each other in a while. I'll book a table for lunch today."

"Consider it a late New Year's celebration."

I wanted to say no, but then I remembered I needed to talk about the divorce.

"Fine," I said.

Jasper tried to follow us, but Roxanne actually turned him down when she saw my dark expression.

He glared at me, but I just smirked and followed her out.

5.

Roxanne drove halfway across the city to a fancy restaurant.

When we sat down, she ordered a table full of my favorite dishes.

"Stop pouting," she said with a hint of pride. "See? I ordered everything you like."

She stared at me, waiting for a reaction.

I knew she expected me to be touched and grateful.

For three years, a single smile from her would make me act like a loyal puppy.

But my silence made her uneasy.

"Hayes? Don't you like it?" she asked, confused.

"I love it," I said with a hollow smirk.

My dismissive attitude made her face darken.

She suppressed her temper and started serving me soup.

Once I started eating, she put on a fake smile.

"Hayes, you're not mad anymore, right? I actually need a small favor."

I put down my spoon and gestured for her to continue.

My attitude finally broke her composure.

"Jasper wants to be the manager at Mitch Rhodes' golf club. Make it happen."

Mitch's club was the most exclusive spot for the city's elite.

The idea of Jasper, an unemployed high school dropout, being a manager there was a joke.

When I didn't answer, Jasper, who had been eavesdropping outside the door, walked in.

His eyes were red as he looked at Roxanne.

"Roxy, I know I'm not good enough for a place like that. Don't fight with Hayes because of me."

With that dramatic exit, he turned and ran out.

Roxanne stood up and barked at me. "Hayes Sterling, do you think you're better than him?"

She narrowed her eyes, as if making a final decision.

"Go find Jasper right now, apologize, and get him that job."

"Otherwise, we're getting a divorce."

I sat there calmly, listening to her ultimatum.

When she mentioned divorce, I looked up.

"Are you serious?" I asked, feeling a surge of excitement.