My Drunk Wife Called My Best Friend 'Honey'

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At the college reunion party, my wife got drunk, collapsed into my best friend's arms, and called him honey.

Morris, don't forget to come over early tomorrow night. I bought a new pair of lace pantiesred, your favorite...

The private room went dead silent.

Morris Simmons waved his hands at me in a panic. "Nate, this is a misunderstanding. She's had too much to drink. She doesn't know what she's saying."

But the very next second, my wife yanked the silk scarf from her neck. "I'm not drunk. Lookthese hickeys? All from you. We went at it for two days straight..."

My mind went blank. I'd been away on a business trip for three months and only got home today. Which meant those marks on her neckmarks left after sexwere from my best friend.

...

The humiliation burned hotter by the second. I shot to my feet, grabbed Valerie Harding by the arm, and hauled her off Morris's lap.

"Valerie. Say that again. I dare you."

They say liquor makes people brave. They also say it makes them honest.

So my thoroughly wasted wife fixed me with a cold, contemptuous stare. "I know exactly who you are, Nathaniel Gilbert. You want to hear it again? Fine. You're smaller than Morris. You can't satisfy me. And you're always too busy making money to spend any time with me. That's all you know how to dowork."

I laughed. Not because it was funny.

If I sat around the house doing nothing, what would we eat? What would keep us afloatsweet-talking women for a living?

Before I could say a word, Valerie staggered back across the room and planted herself on Morris's lap again.

Morris, already in full panic mode, grabbed her shoulders. "Valerie, get up! Your husband is Nate!"

She didn't get up. Instead, she lunged forward and bit down on Morris's lip. Then, with a wicked grin, she reached down and grabbed the front of his pants. "See? I told you Nathaniel's got nothing on you. Yours is so much better."

Gasps rippled through the room. Every single person held their breath.

My face burned as if someone had slapped me in front of everyone. The humiliation was absolute. I was a walking joke.

Everyone there was old enough to read the room, and sharp enough to understand exactly what they were seeing: my beloved wife had been sleeping with my closest friend.

In that single moment, love and friendship both betrayed me.

Morris tried to shove Valerie off, but she hooked her legs around his waist and locked on tight.

"Morris, what are you doing?" she whined. "You're always so gentle with me. You said it yourselfNate's a pushover. So what if he makes money? His wife still ends up in my bed."

I couldn't listen to another word. I charged forward and slammed my fist into Morris's face, dropping him to the floor. Valerie was still wrapped around his waist, so she went down with him.

I would have bet everything I owned that if the room had been empty, those two would have torn each other's clothes off right there on the carpet.

"Morris Simmons." My voice shook. "This is how you looked after my wife for me? Looked after her so well you took her to bed. Outstanding."

Rage trembled through every inch of my body. My wife cheating was one thingbut not with him. Anyone but him.

We grew up together. His family had nothing. I never once looked down on him. Whatever I had, I shared. When kids picked on him, I threw punches without a second thought. I got two ribs broken for it.

After graduation, when no one would hire him, I pulled strings to get him a shot at my company.

And my dear wife, ValerieI treated her like a treasure. I pampered her until she never had to lift a finger. Whatever she wanted, I found a way to give it to her.

Never in a million years did I imagine that everything I'd poured into themevery ounce of loyalty, every sacrificewould be repaid with this.

I yanked Valerie to her feet, picked up a cup of tea from the table, and threw it straight into her pretty face.

"Sober up yet? If you're going to embarrass yourself, do it at home."

Everyone was afraid I'd lose my temper and hit a woman, so they rushed over and grabbed hold of me.

"Nate, calm down."

"Maybe she just had too much to drink and was talking nonsense..."

Ha. They were overthinking it. I never hit women. I just wanted to stop her from humiliating me any further.

"You've all been drunk before. You know what people are really like when they're wasted, don't you?"

They froze, and not one of them said another word about it.

Instead, every head turned toward Morris. "You're something else, you know that? Calling you a backstabber would be too kind. You know damn well how Nate's treated you. Why would you go after his wife? Did you sell your conscience?"

"Seriously. If it weren't for Nate, you'd still be out there begging for a job."

"Morris, I have zero respect for you. You're not a man."

Faced with everyone pointing fingers at him, the panic on Morris's face vanished in an instant, replaced by something raw and bitter.

He stood up and kicked the table over. His face was twisted with rage.

"All of you, shut the hell up! Stop feeding me that garbage about how good Nate's been to me. I'm sick of it!"

"He's been better than me at everything since we were kids. Grades, academics, family money. He's had his foot on my neck my whole life. I don't need anyone's pity. Every time he helped me, it was just another way of rubbing my face in how pathetic I am!"

"Nathaniel Gilbert, what makes you so high and mighty? You were born with a silver spoon, that's all. If we'd swapped places, you'd know exactly how much I've suffered."

The moment those words left his mouth, the others erupted.

"Bullshit! You think everyone's as twisted and rotten as you?"

"Nate's helped all of us too, and none of us turned out like you. We're grateful."

"Yeah, because we actually have a conscience. Unlike you, you worthless piece of trash."

The shouting was loud enough to shake the walls, and between that and the tea that had been thrown in her face, Valerie sobered up fast.

But the moment she came to, she saw everyone standing on my side, tearing Morris apart.

Valerie's eyes flashed with fury. She steadied herself and stepped in front of Morris like a shield.

"Shut your mouths! Whatever's between me, my husband, and him is none of your business!"

"I had too much to drink. I made a mistake. I called Morris the wrong"

I didn't give Valerie the chance to spin her story. I grabbed my phone and hurled it at her.

"Take a look. Pulled this off the security cameras."

Valerie watched the footage of herself and Morris, naked and tangled together. There wasn't a shred of shame on her face. Instead, she slammed the phone into the floor, seething.

"Enough! What, you want to announce to the whole world that Nathaniel Gilbert got cheated on? You couldn't just talk about this at home?"

"I would've loved to have this conversation at home! But you're the one who threw yourself at Morris and put it all on display!"

I had never felt this kind of pain and rage before. It was like someone had reached into my chest and was tearing it open with bare hands.

Every breath burned.

I couldn't stay there another second. I grabbed my jacket and left like I was running for my life.

I ended up at a bar. Walking down empty streets, eyes stinging, tears threatening to fall.

Our marriage was over. I was done with both of them. The woman and the brother.

It was well past midnight by the time I made it back to the home that had once felt warm and safe.

But the moment I saw our wedding photo, every dead memory came rushing back like a blade to the chest, and there was nowhere to hide.

I pulled the photo off the wall and smashed it with my own hands.

The crash was loud. Valerie came running out in a sheer lace negligee.

"Nathaniel, that's enough!"

"So now you're blaming me for betraying you? What about you? Have you ever stopped to think about what you did wrong?"

"When I was lonely and couldn't take it anymore, where were you? When I was scared, where were you?"

Valerie had always been good at twisting things in her favor. She was the one who'd done wrong, yet she always found a way to come out clean.

Not this time. This time, there was no way out.

My eyes were bloodshot, the kind of red that only came from a rage beyond reason.

"So this is what you were wearing when you crawled into Morris's bed to please him, huh?"

When I was drunk earlier, when I watched the surveillance footage, she'd been wearing that same sheer dress to satisfy herself and entertain Morris.

I dug my nails so deep into my palms that they broke the skin. Valerie didn't even flinch at my anger.

"Oh, so that's what you're jealous about!"

"Fine then. Come on!"

She sprawled across the couch without a shred of shame, spread her legs, and put on an expression like she was waiting to be taken.

I felt a humiliation unlike anything I'd ever known. Before I could even react, she snapped at me impatiently.

"Well? Come on! I'm giving it to you right now. Hurry up."

To drive her point home, she reached up and tore away the last scrap of fabric covering her, baring skin that was pale and smoothexcept for the marks. Bite marks. Bruises. Left by another man's hands and mouth.

I didn't feel a shred of desire. I felt sick.

"Ugh"

I bolted to the bathroom and hunched over the toilet, retching for what felt like an eternity.

My body shook uncontrollably with fury. Only then did I truly understand just how shameless and reckless a spoiled wife could become.

When I finally came back out, Valerie had already changed her clothes. She stood by the door with a packed suitcase.

"Nathaniel, I don't want to fight. Let's just take some time apart to cool off."

She didn't wait for me to respond. She shoved the door open, walked out, and slammed it behind herall in one fluid motion.

I pulled out a cigarette and stepped onto the balcony. I'd barely lit it and taken the first drag when I looked down and saw Valerie sprinting toward Morris at full speed.

They clung to each other like they wanted to melt into one person.

So much for "cooling off." It was just an excuse to spend the night at Morris's place.

By that point, my heart had stopped hurting for her. It had gone quiet. Terrifyingly quiet.

Just before dawn, Morris sent me a video.

The moment I tapped it open, I heard the filthy sounds of a woman and a man panting together.

Then came the image I would despise for the rest of my life. Morris had thrown away every last shred of brotherhood. He'd declared war.

"See that, Nathaniel?"

"You've beaten me so many times. But this time? I won."

"The woman you love most is underneath me. Look how shameless she is. How pathetic."

"Ha Haha! Are you furious? Too bad. The angrier you get, the happier I am."

But my heart was still water. The rage from last night was gone, every last trace of it.

A mocking smile tugged at my lips. "Morris, that woman is yours. I'm done with her. Have fun."

"Oh, and one more thingdon't bother coming in to work tomorrow. You're fired. If you're so eager to wear someone else's castoffs, then wear them all you want. A woman like Valerie isn't worth another second of my love."

I was about to hang up when Valerie's furious voice cut through the line. "Nathaniel! How dare you talk about me like that? Fine. You want a divorce? I'll make sure you're left with nothing."

I never took Valerie's threats seriously.

Not until that afternoon, when I was in the middle of a board meeting with the shareholders. The conference room doors swung open, and in walked Valerieflanked by Morris and a team of lawyers.

They strolled in like they owned the place, not a hint of respect in their eyes.

The assistant stood up. "You need to leave. Don't"

"Ha! This is going to be my company. Why should I leave? You're the ones who should get lost."

Valerie shoved the assistant aside and strode forward, arrogance dripping from every step.

"Since everyone's here, I'll cut right to the chase." She swept her gaze across the boardroom. "From now on, this company belongs to me, not the Gilberts. This is a stock transfer contract, signed by Nathaniel Gilbert himself."

She slapped the document down in front of the shareholders and motioned for the lawyer she'd brought along to make the case.

The atmosphere turned suffocating. The shareholders exchanged uneasy glances, then picked up the contract and began reading.

I sat in my chair, watching Morris with a calm I didn't feel. Beneath the surface, a storm was raging.

"When did I ever sign a stock transfer contract?" I scoffed. "That's complete nonsense."

But the contract with my signature on it was real.

The shareholders had already seen it. I snatched it from the nearest one and looked for myself.

Valerie caught the shift in my composure and let out a mocking laugh. "See it now? That's your handwriting, isn't it?"

"Valerie, explain yourself. When did I sign this?"

She pulled out the chair in front of me, dropped into it with open contempt, and met my eyes.

"Three months ago. The night before you rushed off on that business trip. I got you drunk, and afterward, while we were in bed, I slipped it in front of you. You thought it was some contract for a car or a house. Didn't even bother to read it before you signed." A cruel smile curled her lips. "That's how much you trusted me."

She was right. I had trusted her without reservation. And all it earned me was betrayal.

So that was how I'd signed the stock transfer contract. No wonder Morris had the nerve to turn on me. He didn't think he needed to answer to me anymore. As far as he was concerned, the company was Valerie's now, and she called the shots.

My fingers tightened around the pen in my hand until my knuckles went white, then purple.

"Valerie, you're ruthless. I must have been blind to ever trust you the way I did."

She rose from the chair, satisfaction written all over her face, and walked over to me. She placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a patronizing pat. "Well, that's just your bad luck. Who told you to be so good to me? Who told you to catch feelings?"

Morris, sensing blood in the water, dropped any pretense of respect.

"Nathaniel! From now on, I'm the one stepping on you." He threw his head back and laughed. "You have no idea how many years I've been waiting for this day."

"You know what? Every single minute, I've been dreaming about you losing everything and crawling to me on your knees like a dog, begging."

"Morris, I've never treated you badly. Not once. Why do you hate me this much?"

"Because every time we went back home, the whole village would sing your praises and spit on me. They laughed at me for not being as good as you. Called me useless. Said I'd spend my whole life as your lapdog." His voice cracked with years of bitterness. "Tell me, how could I not hate you?"

The fool. He had no idea those villagers only stirred up trouble because they were jealous he had someone like me looking out for him.

I stared at the two of them, unblinking. They mistook my silence for defeat.

Valerie waved the lawyer over with the divorce agreement. "Sign it. As for the assets, I'll give you a million dollars as a consolation fee."

"As for your things, I don't want any of them. The contract spells it out. You've got nothing left." She tilted her head, feigning generosity. "But don't worry, I won't push you to the edge."

The moment she finished, she flung the divorce papers in my face and demanded my signature.

Morris, convinced they'd already won, scooped her up and spun her around in celebration.

I pulled out a cigarette, placed it between my lips, and lit it. Drew a long, slow drag.

Then I picked up the pen and signed without hesitation.

But my company? They would never take it.

"Good. Now that the divorce is settled, go back to your office, pack your things, and get out. The seat's Morris's now."

The shareholders in the conference room burst out laughing, every last one of them looking at Valerie and Morris like they were watching a pair of idiots.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Morris snapped.

"Nathaniel, are you going to walk out of here on your own, or do I have to call security to drag you out?"

I leaned back in my chair. "What do you think?"

When Valerie saw I wasn't budging, humiliation twisted into rage and she called the security guards in.

"Throw Nathaniel out of this building. I'm the one running this company now. Do you hear me?"

But the guards didn't move. They stood behind me, hands clasped, perfectly still.

"Are you all deaf? I said do it!"

I rapped my knuckles on the table, amused. "You heard her. Go ahead."

The guards moved instantly. One of them crossed the room and backhanded Valerie across the face, sending her sprawling.

"Valerie, I built this empire with my own two hands. You really think a pair of backstabbing lowlifes can take it from me?"