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\nA couple sitting on a bench together | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n
Still basking in her honeymoon glow, Jane is more than ready to begin her new life as a wife. But when she overhears a conversation between her husband and his friends, she discovers that her husband is as shallow as they come. Will Jane conform to the ideal woman Wayne wants, or will she leave?<\/p>\n
Dating Wayne was one thing. Being married to him was another thing altogether.<\/p>\n
Up until a year ago, I thought I had married the love of my life. Wayne and I met just as he had gotten out of a particularly toxic relationship.<\/p>\n
\nA couple sitting on a bench together | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure you\u2019re ready for me?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, of course, Jane,\u201d he said. \u201cNicole is a part of the past now. I\u2019m ready to move on and settle down and just be happy, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
At first, I was worried about being a rebound\u2014it happened more often than not. But I also figured that I had nothing to lose.<\/p>\n
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\nA couple sitting at a table and holding hands | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n
We were together for almost two years when Wayne proposed to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s make it forever, Jane,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Of course, I said yes. In the time we had been together, Wayne had shown me that I was more than just a rebound.<\/p>\n
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\nA courtyard proposal | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n
We had just returned from a dreamy honeymoon, filled with laughter, affection, and promises of a future together. Life seemed perfect, but the fa\u00e7ade shattered one ordinary day.<\/p>\n
I was about to take our dog, Bolt, for a walk, when I saw that Wayne was chatting with his friends on a video call.<\/p>\n
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\nA dog holding a flower | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, Jane!\u201d my husband called from the living room. \u201cCome and say \u2018hey\u2019 to the guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
I popped my head into the frame for a minute before heading out.<\/p>\n
When Bolt saw the leash and harness, he licked my face, excited to get away from our garden. But the sky looked ominous, hinting at rain.<\/p>\n
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\nA cloudy sky | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n
So, I ran back inside to grab my raincoat.<\/p>\n
The house was filled with laughter from Wayne\u2019s video call. I slipped upstairs to get my raincoat\u2014not wanting to make myself known because I was certain that Wayne would call me back to talk to them.<\/p>\n
Little did I know that an innocent eavesdropper to a conversation would unravel the tapestry of our relationship.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/57e87958395ded03c9b0230d0906e252bddb1d034137b29213654f04e13878a3.webp\")
\nA screen with a video call | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n
\u201cDude, are you still hung up on how Jane looks?\u201d one of his friends chuckled.<\/p>\n
My heart skipped a beat.<\/p>\n
What? I thought.<\/p>\n
Maybe it was just a joke and Wayne was going to come to my rescue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, at least she cooks better than Nicole,\u201d Wayne said. \u201cAnd she doesn\u2019t bother me much. I think she took Bolt for a walk now too, something that Nicole would definitely have made me do. But it does feel like a bit of a downgrade compared to Nicole.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you going to do about it?\u201d another voice chimed in.<\/p>\n
\u201cListen, I think I\u2019d change my mind if Jane lost a little bit of weight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their laughter rang loudly through the house.<\/p>\n
I stood frozen in utter disbelief.<\/p>\n
Wayne had never expressed such shallow concerns to me. Instead, he used to reassure me of his unconditional love\u2014especially following his relationship with Nicole.<\/p>\n
Yet, here he was, sitting with a beer in the living room, mocking me.<\/p>\n
I turned around and left the house. Bolt needed a walk, and I needed to get away from Wayne.<\/p>\n
An internal battle followed me after that. I couldn\u2019t figure out what to do. I knew that marriage would be difficult, especially because I was so stubborn about everything in my life. But I hadn\u2019t expected it to feel so bad so soon.<\/p>\n
Wayne and I were only three weeks into our marriage, and he was already comparing me to his ex-girlfriend who had broken up with him over text.<\/p>\n
I could have divorced Wayne on the spot. But that would have almost been too easy. I needed more.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t sleep. My mind raced uncontrollably.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you want to do?\u201d my mother asked when I told her the story the following day.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d I said. \u201cI want to hurt him, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ever since I overheard what Wayne had said, I couldn\u2019t look at myself in the mirror without flinching.<\/p>\n
Everything looked and felt wrong. I wanted to be covered up. I didn\u2019t want anyone to see me.<\/p>\n
My hair looked dull, my teeth seemed too yellow from all the tea I drank. The hips that I loved seemed too big. And my smile felt all wrong.<\/p>\n
My mother poured me some tea and gave me a slice of pie.<\/p>\n
\u201cHurt him now?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t thought that far ahead,\u201d I admitted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy don\u2019t you just want to get a divorce and move on? Aren\u2019t you just wasting your time?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
I did feel like I was wasting time\u2014but at the same time, I just wanted some form of revenge. I needed it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about the prenup?\u201d my mother asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t you and Wayne sign a prenuptial contract? If you get divorced now, would that mean anything?\u201d<\/p>\n
I went home and found my copy of the contract\u2014it was straightforward. I just needed to stick it out for a year, and then I was entitled to half of everything Wayne owned.<\/p>\n
I could wait.<\/p>\n
The following months were a blur of transformation for me. I was fueled by a resolve to confront him in a manner he would never forget.<\/p>\n
I embarked on a journey of self-improvement, not for him, but as a statement of my worth.<\/p>\n
I signed up for the gym, and I began eating better. I went to the dentist regularly for cleaning. I ensured that my hair was trimmed every few months.<\/p>\n
I began to feel better in my own skin.<\/p>\n
Wayne, on the other hand, thought that I was doing it all for him.<\/p>\n
He started to buy me new clothes and shoes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just thought you\u2019d look amazing in this,\u201d he would say, waiting for me to strip down and try it in front of him.<\/p>\n
Which I never did. But Wayne kept them coming, and I kept stacking them in my closet. Soon, I\u2019d begin a new life, and I\u2019d wear them all.<\/p>\n
By our first anniversary, I had transformed myself into the very image of societal perfection that my husband and his friends idolized.<\/p>\n
I suggested that we do a big dinner with all of our friends\u2014which was actually a stage set for the final act of my long-contrived plan.<\/p>\n
The moment they saw me\u2014using one of my new dresses, their astonishment was palpable, a mirror to my husband\u2019s dazzled admiration.<\/p>\n
Wayne and his friends sat around drinking beers, while I set the table, ready for dinner. Thanks to the beers, Wayne and his friends were in a great mood.<\/p>\n
\u201cWayne, you didn\u2019t tell us that Jane looks that good,\u201d one of the guys said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you guys that she was working out more. And she\u2019s been making us eat better now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you\u2019re into your wife again?\u201d someone laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah!\u201d Wayne said. \u201cDid you see how she looks in that dress?\u201d<\/p>\n
I had never felt more objectified in my entire life.<\/p>\n
I joined the \u2018wives\u2019 and listened to them talk about the importance of collagen for skin. When dinner was ready, we sat down.<\/p>\n
As we raised our glasses for a toast, I seized the moment of silence to unveil my true intentions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m filing for divorce because I don\u2019t want to ever feel downgraded again, compared to an ex or anyone else,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Wayne demanded, putting his beer down firmly on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cWayne once shared with you guys, when he thought I wasn\u2019t around to hear, that being with me felt like a downgrade. That I wasn\u2019t Nicole. That maybe, if I lost weight, and changed how I looked, he might change his mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
A collective gasp rippled through the dining room\u2014my husband\u2019s face drained of color, his eyes widening in shock and realization.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut here\u2019s the thing,\u201d I continued, everyone hanging onto my every word. \u201cI did not transform myself for him\u2014I did it for myself because overhearing that conversation wrecked my self-esteem. Nobody should ever feel the need to change for someone\u2019s shallow affection.\u201d<\/p>\n
My husband\u2019s pleas for forgiveness and claims of change fell on deaf ears.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, Jane,\u201d he said. \u201cWe can talk about this later.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, we don\u2019t really have anything to talk about now,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cJane, please. I was a fool,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was a year ago. I don\u2019t believe any of that now. Can\u2019t you see how much I love you?\u201d<\/p>\n
I shook my head, a sad smile playing on my lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did you wait a year?\u201d Wayne\u2019s friend, Ross, asked me.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause, Wayne. Remember the prenup you insisted on? The one that generously compensates the \u2018downgraded party\u2019 in the event of a divorce initiated by dissatisfaction within the first five years?\u201d<\/p>\n
The silence was deafening as the implication of my words sank in. My husband sank back into his chair, the fight draining out of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want your money,\u201d I said, my voice softening. \u201cBut I will take enough to start a new life.\u201d<\/p>\n
I picked up my fork and continued to eat my dinner. I planned on packing my things and moving out as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
In the past few weeks, I had already secured an apartment, signing the lease so that it was ready for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust like that?\u201d Wayne asked a few days later as I packed all my books into a box.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, just like that,\u201d I said. \u201cYou started this. You ruined this marriage before you really gave it a chance. So, I\u2019m good now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou really think I\u2019m that shallow?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
I looked at Wayne for a moment, wondering if there was any remorse lying beneath his mask. But there wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
And even if, deep down, there was\u2014it was just too late.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Still basking in her honeymoon glow, Jane is more than ready to begin her new life as a wife. But when she overhears a conversation between her husband and his friends, she discovers that her husband is as shallow as they come. Will Jane conform to the ideal woman Wayne wants, or will she leave? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16509"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16516,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16509\/revisions\/16516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}