Revised Edition 20
“Brother-in-law, you know… Mana-nee already knew long ago.”
She noticed the heart-marked LINE notification when you forgot your smartphone at home and went to work, and that’s how she discovered your affairs.
After that, it seems she deliberately took a day off just to go through your phone in detail.
If it were me, I would have gotten furious and confronted you right then and there, but Mana-nee wasn’t like that.
Instead, she decided to devote herself to you even more sincerely, watching for a whole year. She thought that if you cut things off with those women, she’d try her best to start over with you… but…
Your relationship with those female friends only grew livelier and more frequent, while on the other hand, you still acted kind toward Mana-nee. Pretending not to know anything while staying by your side—it was too painful for her. That’s why she decided to leave.
Mana-nee had asked me to keep quiet, but it’s already been two years since then, so I thought it would be okay to tell you the truth now.”
What kind of expression must I have right now? To my ex-wife’s cousin, I must look completely pathetic!
If there had been a hole nearby, I would’ve wanted to crawl right in…
“Then… then… when she said at the time of the divorce that she’d fallen in love with another man—was that a lie?”
“Probably… at least as far as the reason for the divorce goes,” she answered with another loaded remark.
“…Meaning?”
“Heh… I guess you could say a lie turned into truth. Now she really does have someone she loves…”
“….”
“Hey, brother-in-law, can I ask you something?
You didn’t actually love my sister, did you?
Not as much as you claimed, right?
Because whenever you were with us, you treated her kindly and made it seem like you treasured her. So I honestly thought my sister was loved and cherished… but it was all just an act, wasn’t it?”
“Even if you won’t believe me now, after everything’s been exposed… I really did think of Mana as precious. I loved her.”
“No, brother-in-law. That doesn’t have any weight anymore. A man who truly loves his wife and values his family would refuse temptation—even if it was right in front of him.
But you? You had three different women you sent obscene LINE messages to, flirting and enjoying yourself!
That’s just… unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.”
I know you’ve always treated me well, so it’s hard to say this… but honestly, that’s how I feel.”
“Yeah… you’re right, Kana-chan. It’s my fault. I deserved to be thrown away by Mana.”
By the time I realized it, tears were already rolling down my face.
