The Anniversary Showdown

It was our anniversary, and Mark was taking me to a Chanel show.

But the moment we stepped into the venue, some random girl smacked me across the face.

I went to retaliate, but Mark held me back.

He insisted she must have mistaken me for someone else, that I should just let it go, and “respect the rules of an international event.”

Later, I caught him cornering her in a back hallway.

The girl’s eyes were filled with a mix of love and smug satisfaction.

“Thank you, Mark, for bringing me to the show and letting me practice slapping your wife. I’ll work extra hard to repay my CEO!”

She playfully shook her little fists by her cheeks.

And my husband, Mark, was pinching her face, looking absolutely doting.

1.

I knew exactly who this girl was.

Clicking my heels, I walked over, and in front of her shocked gaze, I returned the favor with two stinging slaps.

Then, without a second thought, I kicked Mark in the shin, coldly telling him, “If you’re going to cheat, you should learn how to deal with getting called out by the wife.”

The girl's face immediately began to swell.

I pulled out a wet wipe to clean my hands, then raised an eyebrow.

“You’re Mark’s new assistant, right? Ashley? “

Ashley flinched, looked at Mark with teary eyes, and nodded hesitantly.

Mark pulled Ashley behind him.

“Sarah, don't harass Ashley. I brought her here to get some experience.”

I stared him down.

“I’ve never heard of an employee 'practicing' on her boss's wife.”

Mark’s eyes grew cold.

“Ashley hasn’t met you before. She didn’t know you were my wife. She thought you were some mistress and got emotional.”

“You’re eight years older than her, you shouldn’t be this petty.”

Even he seemed to realize how weak that excuse sounded.

Mark’s eyes darted away nervously.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“As your assistant, she should know it's our wedding anniversary today.”

“Who else would be with you on our anniversary besides your wife?”

“Besides, does a lowly assistant get to call out the boss’s mistress?”

Mark was speechless.

But he still shielded Ashley, without even attempting to come closer to me.

This trip to Paris had been Mark’s plan, to scope out the market and celebrate our third anniversary.

But right before we were supposed to leave, he called, saying Ashley had messed up and forgotten to book my flight.

Because he couldn’t delay his trip, he had to go on ahead.

But he did manage to book me a first-class ticket for two days later.

I don’t like to nitpick. A two-day delay wouldn’t keep me from seeing the show.

So I didn’t say anything.

But he never mentioned that Ashley flew with him on the original flight.

2.

Mark and Ashley were silent.

It was like a movie scene frozen in place.

I wasn’t going to let Ashley off the hook easily. I decided to call her out directly.

“Mark, it seems your assistant didn’t just ‘forget’ to book my ticket.”

“She did it on purpose.”

Ashley shook her head like a little rag doll.

Mark also rejected my theory.

He ac...