In the beginning, he used to feel ashamed when he thought like that. Now he feels ashamed that he used to feel that way. This transition is not entirely his own doing. Mary’s behavior has indeed changed a lot since the last week. She no longer waits for him when he returns from office at midnight. She doesn’t seem to care to look her best when he’s around. She talks on the phone for long hours, watches ‘Sex and the City’ regularly and mentioned it once or twice that she should probably get a cellphone of her own. And yes, she sometimes (twice actually)forgot to kiss him goodbye. She’s changed alright, sighed Mr. Adam Colingbridge. Thirty years of living by the rulebooks preceded by another twenty years of learning those rules gives a man enough maturity not to expect to see his wife waiting for him when he returns home at midnight, especially after thirty years of marriage. Probably a change in the order was long overdue. she’s been acting out the part of a good housewife long enough, now she’s showing her true colors. Or maybe she really been a good wife and just wants to spice up her life a bit. Maybe its because they never had any child. Maybe she’s been always like this and he’s noticing it now. He’s noticing too much and too deep lately. Every new move she makes, every step she takes adds strenght to his conviction that Peter, the office clerk was telling the truth. Its like a jigsaw puzzle and he’s cutting the missing pieces to complete the puzzle. The puzzle is not yet solved but it doesn’t matter. He knows what the final picture would be like. He just has to cut the remaining pieces.

It all started two weeks ago when he overheard Peter saying to the office steno, Miss Collin that he’s seen Mr. Colingbridge’s wife sitting hand-in-hand with another man in a park. For the first time in his life, Mr. Adam felt betrayed. He felt as if all these days he has been carrying a dagger stabbed into his back and suddenly today he’s feeling the pain. His senses grew numb, sweat trickled down his temples. He stood transfixed to the spot for some time not knowing how to react. Never had he imagined that one day it would come to this. He then collapsed into the nearest chair and sat with his face in his hands trying not to cry. Then it happened. The feeling of betrayal gave way to the need for revenge. Revenge seemed totally justified and warranted. He’s been betrayed, his life shattered for no fault of his. all his life he’s not done anything wrong that would warrant the pain he’s experiencing now. Revenge, revenge, revenge – the words resonated in his mind and somehow helped ease his pain.