My Boss Used Me to Get Back at His Wife—In the End, He Lost Everything

I was told by my boss that he admired me and was choosing to break up with his wife to be with me. I trusted him… until I understood I was being used in a messy fight between his wife and him. I was used by him to get his wife back. In the end, karma came in and said, “You’re trapped!”

I was 35 and didn’t want a relationship when I started my job at the publishing company. Being early, staying late for six years and keeping a low profile rewarded me only with the senior editor job.

No matter how quiet it was in the apartment, the only thing interrupting it was Hemingway’s periodic meows. Saturday and Sundays were usually set in routine. My heart went with David when he abandoned me for his old college friendship.

My next co-worker, however, was my boss, Nathan.

Nathan’s desk sat in the corner office which had glass windows that gave a stunning overview of the city. His hair was salt and pepper when he was 42 and it only made him seem more attractive. His smile always brightened the whole conference room.

Amy,” he said, leaning against the door after school at 5:30 and as always, his jacket was over his shoulder. Are you up working late again today?

When I glanced from the manuscript, pushed my glasses back and tried to calm my heart. I am almost done with this.

You are working too much. He would stare at me for just a little while more than usual. Do try to have fun and do other things, not just work.

That is not hard for him to claim. He was successful, self-assured and had Priscilla, his wife, who sometimes entered the office in expensive clothes definitely worth more than my rent each month.

I didn’t want to be the stereotype of a single woman dreaming about her married manager. I pushed those feelings far down and soon enough, I started to think they never existed.

It was only until the night things changed.

Is it possible for me to shut this door? Nathan was in the office entryway and he looked quite fatigued. It was already six o’clock and the office was deserted.

“Sure.” I stored the file on which I was working. “Everything okay?”
He sat down in the chair that faced me. “Not really.” He put his hands over his cheeks. Priscilla is leaving me.”

“Oh.” I found my heart doing something unusual and I was instantly embarrassed and full of guilt. I’m very sorry for you.

“Don’t be. It has been happening for a long period. We’ve been going our ways under the same roof for months now.

Upward he looked at me. She told me the following. She told me I cared more about the company than I did about us as a couple.

It’s not fair how that happened. You have made something truly impressive through this school community.”

“Have I?” There was such intensity in his look that I held my breath in surprise. There are days when I feel I haven’t really gotten ahead at all.

Because I wasn’t sure what to tell her, I just listened patiently and gave her some bad office coffee. We remained talking even after a cleaning crew arrived. That night, something changed between us and I couldn’t put my finger on it, but felt it all the way inside me.

Many thanks, Amy, for being a careful listener. He squeezed my hands before he stood up to go. You are important and I think you should know that. Why I never noticed it before, I don’t understand.”

I ought to have realized what would happen. Even so, when Nathan stopped by often, gave me coffee from the special shop nearby and asked what I thought about things besides work, I began to trust my feelings.

About three weeks after we had that late-night talk, he asked me out to dinner.

“Just colleagues,” he said, flashing a look that showed something else was there. It would be nice to spend time with others.

From just having one dinner together, we started having two and then three. Our hands touched when we met at the table on the fourth visit.

You got to my heart, Amy. It makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable.”

My heart beat fast against my sides. “You serious? What mark will Priscilla make for our lives?

My partner and I will start the divorce proceedings next month. It’s all finished now, Amy. It has been that way for a long period.”

After around a month passed, he was fully honest about his life. I would often feel his hand touching mine in business meetings. In meetings with the executive team, he would ask for my advice and give it more worth than it had ever been given to me before. The office observed the changes. Naturally, they did.

I ran into Melissa from accounting during the break in the break room. “So…… Nathan, you two, right?”
You are really bold to be pursuing the boss. It was obvious from the way she spoke what she really meant. Even before his divorce has been finalized.

I felt like I should say it’s not like that. That instead of lies, we shared about real books, dreams and our individual vulnerabilities. That he usually told me about the future and treated me as if I were part of it.

One night, Nathan suggested we move in together, right after we had spent a night in his downtown apartment after he left home. For a short period. Observe the result.

“You sure?”

Never so certain!
During those next two weeks, the couple lived happily together.

In the morning, I found Nathan preparing breakfast, we reviewed what we would do over the weekend and we chatted about traveling. He once brought up kids as if he expected us to be a family someday.

He said he’d never felt the same about anyone as he did about me, while touching my hair one night. Everything with Priscilla was very carefully planned. This seems to be real life.”

I was sure that what he said was true. I believed every single thing that was said to me and I didn’t know any better.

That was all fine until a call came at two in the afternoon on a Tuesday. I was at my desk, going through the final proofs for our spring catalog.

Would you come by my office for a moment? He spoke in a voice that sounded unusual and sounded very far away.
He was standing at the window when I saw him.

What is happening? I asked and shut the door behind me.

He turned and I felt there was a difference in his eyes.

We had a conversation last night, Priscilla and I. We are going to make another attempt.”

Everything went blurry for just a little while. “WHAT? Explain what you mean.

I am sorry, Amy. It’s complicated. We are connected by history and money we have put in. He no longer looked at me, only looking off across my shoulders. All your LAN gear is already packed up from our old place. I will send a driver who will drive you to your house tonight.”

That simple? As if the last few months had been nothing but a strange dream?

Stop avoiding me and look right at me! Please make eye contact when you are talking to me.

At the end, he didn’t even regret doing it. Simply impatience such as when a meeting continued past its scheduled time.

“I thought…” I was not able to finish reading. What had been my thoughts? That I had some special quality? That there was someone in my life who loved me?

He agreed to have HR address any unease at work, just as we would want them to handle a problem with a printed batch. It should not become a personal issue. We should treat this like adults and simply.

I did not say anything else as I walked out. My pride was all that was holding me up.

On that night, I got a call from Marcus in design. Although we were not very close, he was always pleasant and kind and his eyes would smile when he smiled.

“You okay? I watched you go away from work today. You looked…”

“Destroyed?” I laughed in a disappointed way. “I’m fine.”

That’s not how it is. You really should be informed about something.”
His words made the hurt I was feeling even worse. Apparently, Nathan’s golf buddy heard him talking in the executive bathroom.

Elaine likes giving Priscilla a slight scare by comparing what life is like now for her with how it would be once they are married. A detail about “the editor who has never stopped wanting Nathan.”

The idea that I had no real influence in his marriage broke my heart.

He did not ask for a divorce, Amy.” I went through the official public records. It could be that they meant to do so. It could have been that she was on her way out of the relationship. I have no idea. I was… only thinking of how much you would worry too.”

After I hung up, I yelled into my pillow and my throat got very sore.
It almost seemed there was no reason to go to work the following day.

Then, overnight, a chilly determination had found its home in me. I did my makeup very carefully, chose the right dress and got to the office late enough to catch everyone in their seats.

Nathan was with the department heads in the open kitchenette. Priscilla was seen, just like usual, enjoying some sweet pastries. It did happen more quickly than I thought it would. As a consequence,… EPIC!

I went over to them with a slight smile and a step in my pace.
Everyone, this is me, saying: “Good morning.” I would like to tell you something that happened recently.
Nathan’s look sharpened and his head turned upwards.

I reached into my purse, took out the small stick and held it up. “I’m pregnant.”

All sound had been taken away. I heard the air conditioning unit working from overhead.

“AMY??” Nathan gasped. Do you think this idea is entirely crazy? Please let’s discuss this privately.

“Why? I felt it was important to be honest with people at work. That’s the usual message you bring up in staff meetings.

Priscilla’s face held no expression and she swept her gaze back and forth between the pregnancy test I had and her husband’s coloring face.

This is completely outrageous,” said Nathan. It’s not a big deal; you are acting like there is a big problem.

“Nothing? Is that what you feel about me now? NOTHING?”

Something took over and the way he acted as an executive was no more.

Are you looking for the truth about this? Fine!” His speech grew louder sentence by sentence. I never did love you! I had you wake up Priscilla to show her why she shouldn’t leave me.

We could hear everyone involuntarily gasp and Priscilla’s hands turned a pale white on the pastry tray.

How could you think I would let her leave the divorce taking half of what I have? He made clear his point by pointing his finger at his wife. Half of every project I have worked on? I would not let it come at my expense!

Almost I regretted what had happened to him. He had let me know his whole story without even noticing.

Priscilla handled the tray carefully as she put it on the table. She took a step towards the elevator, said nothing and disappeared.

After that, I caught up as I paid no attention to the stares, the whispering and Marcus’ attempt at placing his hand on me in support.

These weeks went by in a haze. I stayed at home from work and didn’t respond to any messages or phone calls from my colleagues. Such news went around like a rumor—staff were leaving, Allen lost clients and Nathan was surrounded by trouble.

Downs arrived after everyone else and left before the end of the concert and he brushed anyone off who asked him a question.

Then, one Sunday afternoon when it was raining, the doorbell rang.
Priscilla appeared exactly as elegant in jeans and a sweater as she did in her designer clothes.

Could I come in here?

I could not find the words as I hesitated by the spot.

She sat on the couch while I offered her tea which she sensibly declined. She said, “I have filed for divorce.” I am going to run the company now.

“What? How…?”

We wrote a morality clause into our prenup. Nathan was constantly concerned with what I might do, he never stopped to think about what he did.” There was a touch of a smile on her face.

Strangely enough, I actually own nearly all the shares of the company. Always have. I used money from my family to get the business off the ground.”

I didn’t know what to tell them. What reason did she have for telling me this?

Is it certain that you are pregnant? she added the question suddenly.

I gave a little shake of my head. “No. I went to the drugstore in the morning to buy that test.

I was surprised when she laughed. “Brilliant!”

When she stood and walked over, her face became more serious. I made some changes in the way the executive team is organized. Nathan’s out. I also require someone who gets editorial, is honest and is not afraid to point out problems to leaders.

She stretched out her hand. Will you return again? I am offering the role of director with a salary double your previous one and you will report to me.’

Why should I matter to you in any special way?

You decided to destroy it all as soon as you saw what was really happening. It is someone like that I would trust to help me rebuild my life.”

In 6 months, the company performed well with the new team at the helm. Priscilla and I unexpectedly became friends from admiring each other and sharing the special experience of loving and losing the same man.

I happened to see Nathan once near a café on the other side of town. In just a short time, his strong attitude was lost and he walked around with his shoulders hanging and eyes darting all the time.

“Amy?!” he came up and approached my table with caution. You look very nice.
“Thank you.” I didn’t suggest that he sit with me.

I was told the company is experiencing good results. The smile he tried to put on looked very forced. Priscilla always had the greater intelligence.

“Yes! She was.”
He shifted a little and nodded tentatively. “I’m sorry. For everything. I was… I felt like a different person.”

“No,” I said as I started to get ready to leave. You were truly yourself with me. That was what caused the problem.

I walked away and I felt a calm sense of happiness. Sometimes, individuals use others as means to move forward in their own goals. What many don’t know about pawns is that they can advance the entire way and turn into something very powerful.

In other cases, it’s them who announces, “CHECKMATE..!”