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"Boyfriend’s in this,but I know some of these guys.Thanks,girl,for showing me their true colors."
"Same!I was setting one up with a friend.Thank God it they didn’t see eye to eye.Wanna slap myself awake."
My phone blew up with calls from Jake and his crew.
I couldn't block them fast enough.
I ditched my SIM card.
I'd planned to change numbers and move after this anyway.
With a new card,I made a burner account to keep an eye on updates.
The result was satisfying.
The evidence caused great damage.
Jake got fired.
His buddies’s identities were revealed to—some lost jobs,others got dumped.They all paid a price.
Jake hunted for me.
At my workplace,he heard that I was on leave.
And when he went to find me again,I was already gone.
My apartment was empty.
Frustrated but helpless,he gave up.
Then Lila,pregnant from that wild night,hounded him to marry her.
Trying to avoid her every day became his life.
A year later,unable to find a girlfriend—his reputation trashed,no one setting him up—he settled for her.
His other options were worse than Lila—either unattractive or broke with debt,some outright toxic.
After a year,seeing Lila's kid was cute,he resignedly married her.
No big wedding,just a simple dinner and a marriage liscense.
Word was,Lila cried joyfully."I’ve waited for this day for so long."
"Marrying you is my dream,my family's dream!"
"I'm so happy!"
Her happiness lasted only a few months.
Jake was no prize.
Lazy,without a job yetpicky about work—wanting high pay for easy gigs—he stayed unemployed.
He gamed all day,ignoring chores and the kid.
Lila had to work,clean,raise the child,and cater to his every need,she became resentful.
A few complaints,and a drunk Jake would beat her,raging,"I'm no good?Go find someone else!"
"You stole me from my girlfriend,ruined my rep,cost me my job.Who'll support me if not you?You deserve this!"
"Regret it now?Too late!"
When sober,he'd send her flowers,cook a bit ,trying to sweet-talk her out of divorce.
She'd soften,and he'd go back to his old self.
A vicious cycle they’d never escape.
She'd consider divorce,then back off,telling herself,"Every marriage has flaws."
"Besides his drunken abuse and laziness,he's fine.He sweet-talks me."
"No big betrayal.I'll endure.He's immature—when the kid's older,he'll change."
Jake,initially reluctant,later clung to the marriage.
He realized,despite her nagging,she was a decent girl.
Another woman might not tolerate him.
So they slogged on,a resentful pair for life.
I'd moved to another city,met a true gentlemen,married,and had kids.
Happy and fulfilled was my life.
Jake Carter was only a stain,now gone,never recalled.
