I FOUND JESSICA’S TINY DIAMOND WATCH TUCKED INSIDE HIS MUDDY WORK BOOT
The kitchen fan stopped whirring and I stood frozen, the cold, heavy watch clenched tight in my fist. I found it when cleaning his closet, tucked deep in the toe of his muddy work boot, half-buried in dirt and old socks. The heat was starting to build in the house now the AC was off, making my palms slick with sweat. The watch felt alien, expensive, completely out of place there.
He walked in, home early, and saw my face before I could hide it. He didn’t even ask what was wrong, just stopped dead in the doorway by the stairs. His eyes immediately darted down to my hand clutching the small, glittering thing. A cold dread started spreading through my chest.
“Where did you get this?” I managed, my voice shaking, barely a whisper. He swore under his breath and ran a hand through his hair, refusing to meet my gaze. “It’s not what you think,” he mumbled, turning away towards the sink, “Just… something I found.”
I recognised it instantly from her Instagram photos, even the tiny diamond chips around the face. Jessica’s. He finally admitted she “lost” it at his office last week, that he’d picked it up off the floor. He said he just found it again this morning when he was getting ready and was going to return it after work. The lie hung thick in the hot air between us.
Then the watch face lit up showing a new message from an unsaved number.
👇 *Full story continued in the comments…*I snatched the watch back before he could grab it, the small screen glowing with a notification. The message was short, brutal in its simplicity: *Thanks for last night. Hope you found it okay.* It wasn’t signed, but the unsaved number and the context screamed Jessica.
My breath hitched. The cold dread wasn’t just spreading anymore; it was a tidal wave crashing through me. “Last night?” My voice was louder now, a raw, wounded sound. “You said you just found it *this morning*.”
He flinched, the color draining from his face. “It’s… it’s not what you think. That’s an old message. It’s…” His eyes darted around the kitchen, searching for an escape route or a believable lie.
“Don’t,” I cut him off, holding up the watch, the incriminating words still stark on the screen. “Don’t insult me. This is a new message. Sent now.” My hands were trembling so violently the tiny diamonds on the watch face glittered erratically. “Tucked away in your boot? Jessica’s watch? A message about ‘last night’?” The pieces slammed together with sickening force.
He finally looked at me, his expression a mixture of guilt, panic, and resignation. He didn’t deny it anymore. He couldn’t. He just stood there, silent, the lie dissolving in the hot air between us, replaced by the heavy, undeniable truth.
I felt a cold, hard knot form in my stomach. It wasn’t just the watch, not just the message. It was the muddy boot, the hiding, the fumbling lies. It was the complete betrayal. I dropped the watch onto the counter. It landed with a soft clink, suddenly seeming insignificant compared to the chasm that had just opened between us.
“I don’t even want to hear it,” I said, my voice flat and hollow. “Get your things. I want you out.” I turned and walked towards the stairs, the heat of the house suddenly unbearable, leaving him standing alone in the kitchen, the tiny diamond watch glowing faintly on the counter like a misplaced, damning star.