When Amy just wants to spend the day at home, she gets a message that changes everything she thought she knew about her marriage. She doesn’t break down; instead, she acts tough because she wants to give her husband what he deserves.

Here’s what she did… (story has been slightly rewritten for originality)

I had been with Mark for six wonderful years. We had worked together for years and knew each other well. But Mark was like Casanova in the building; he was always seeing someone new.

Still, Mark picked me when he was ready to settle down. Even though it had been six years, we were still in the honeymoon phase.

At least I thought that.

Mark told me over the weekend that he had to go to work.

“I just need to catch up on paperwork, Amy,” he stated. “Maybe I’ll bring everything home, and I can work from here.”

“Do that,” I told them. “Nobody wants to be in their office on a Saturday.”

Mark gave me a kiss on the cheek, said he’d bring Indian food home, and then he left.

I thought Mark had just gotten used to his desk after a few hours and would only come back when he was done.

I had nothing bad to say. I was eager to get cozy with a book and some tea. I was going to remember that Saturdays were for taking care of myself.

I was in the middle of a chapter when my phone rang. At first, I didn’t pay attention to it until I saw Tom’s name showing on the screen. We thought of Tom, my husband’s best friend, as family, so I was interested in his message right away.

Tom said, “Hi,” into the phone. “I’m a little behind schedule for our double date.” I’ll be there around 2:00, all right? “Are you sure it’s Coachella?”

Tom’s voice, which was always happy, could be heard in the empty room.

My brow wrinkled in confusion.

What’s the double date? I believed.

I hadn’t heard anything like that from Mark. That’s all he said: he had to work and would try to bring his work home so we could still spend the day together.

I read the message again, hoping that I had gotten it wrong. No, it was Tom’s voice, talking about a double date.

The half-drunk tea and open book were on the table next to my bed. I quickly got dressed. It was almost two o’clock. Mark was telling me lies, and I didn’t want to believe him.

But if Tom wasn’t telling the truth, why would he talk about a double date? I believed.

I moved forward because I had to find answers. I had to see for myself what was going on.

The restaurant at Coachella was outside. It tried to keep the festival vibe going with loud music and decorations that hung low. It was easy for me to fit in with the crowd.

I picked a place that was out of the way but still had a good view of the door. I couldn’t stand to wait any longer, and the more I looked forward to seeing Mark, the worse it felt. To calm down, I asked for a drink.

Then Mark walked in. I really hoped he would be by himself, but he had a woman on his arm. She was beautiful and looked like a Gucci mom because she was dressed in expensive clothes from head to toe.

It broke my heart.

I saw Mark and his girlfriend walk over to a table where Tom and his wife Sasha were sitting. The table was almost hidden by plants that were hanging from it. They both jumped up and gave the two of them big hugs. It was clear that the message was only for Mark.

I watched them for a little while longer, seeing Mark look at her with love and stroke the back of her neck with his fingers.

But in the middle of a storm of feelings, a cold resolution came over me. Right now was the time to act, not cry. I told a waiter to come over. My voice was calm but strong.

“The most expensive champagne you have for that table,” I told them, pointing at Mark in a sneaky way.

The waiter knew there was drama going on, so he did what was asked with a nod and a small smile.

They were confused and forced to smile when the champagne showed up at their table. It felt like a small win. I could hear Mark’s laugh over the music and other people talking.

As they pretended to celebrate, I took a picture of them and quickly posted it online, tagging Mark. Some time went by, and I kept sipping my drink while I waited.

When Mark saw the message, his response was priceless. He was searching the room quickly but still couldn’t find me. The color left his face. In a hurry, he tried to call me. I stood back and let my phone ring while his calls went ignored.

Once more, I called the waiter over and asked for a piece of paper and one more bottle of champagne.

Cheers to an amazing double date and our split! I wrote and signed it at the end.

As I left the restaurant, I felt hurt and betrayed. My courage had faded for a moment.

That night, Mark came home, packed his things, and said he was going to Tom’s house. He said sorry and that he was just having fun. He must have needed to get rid of some stress at work.

Now it’s been a week since we last talked. But I believe it is time for me to start the divorce process.