My husband pulled the chair out from under me in front of all my colleagues, trying to humiliate me… but eleven minutes later a phone call came, after which he was the one who ended up disgraced 😲😨
The chair leg suddenly scraped sharply across the parquet floor, producing an unpleasant screeching sound. It was so sudden that for a moment everything inside me tightened. Just a second earlier I had been calmly reaching for my glass, and the next moment the support under my feet simply disappeared.
I lost my balance and fell heavily to the floor, awkwardly hitting my elbow against the edge of the table. A fork slipped off the plate and fell onto my knees, leaving a greasy stain of sauce on my light-colored dress. The huge restaurant hall, where our company was celebrating its tenth anniversary, suddenly fell into a strange silence.
Just a few seconds earlier everything had been completely different.
The CEO stood up from his seat, picked up his glass and said:
— Today I want to drink not only to the company, but also to the person thanks to whom we survived the most difficult year. To Anna.
Everyone turned toward me. I stood up, a little embarrassed, because I had never liked being the center of attention.
— Anna is one of the strongest employees we have, he continued. — If it weren’t for her projects, we wouldn’t have reached this result.
I saw how my husband’s face slowly changed as he sat beside me.
He was holding a glass but wasn’t drinking. His lips were pressed together so tightly that they turned white. I knew that expression. I knew it far too well.
For several months he had been having problems at work. A failed contract, conflict with management, conversations about dismissal. And every time the subject of work came up at home, he would abruptly change the topic.
But today the entire hall was listening to how I was being praised.
The CEO finished his toast:
— Anna, you are truly an excellent employee. Thank you for your work.
People raised their glasses.
I reached for mine as well. And at that exact moment the chair leg screeched across the floor. Under my knees there was suddenly nothing.
I fell. Awkwardly and clumsily, like a schoolgirl who trips on stage.
The fork struck the plate. The glass on the table swayed. Several drops of wine spilled onto the tablecloth.
— Oh, Anna… my husband’s voice came from above. — How clumsy you are.
He looked down at me with a cold smile.
— Looks like you had too much champagne. I told you it would be better if you didn’t drink.
I looked at him and realized he had done it on purpose. He had pulled the chair out from under me. He wanted the entire hall to see me on the floor.
The CEO coughed awkwardly and looked away. Some colleagues pretended to be busy with their food. Only a young waiter wanted to approach, but when he met my husband’s gaze he suddenly stopped and began adjusting the napkins.
I stood up by myself. My palm burned — I had hit it hard when I fell.
— Mark… why did you do that? I asked quietly.
— Anna, don’t make a scene, he replied calmly. — Go and fix yourself up. It’s embarrassing because of you, and your boss praises you for nothing.
I didn’t say anything and simply looked at my watch.
20:03
Mark didn’t even suspect that in eleven minutes his confidence would disappear just as quickly as the chair had disappeared from under my legs. After a single phone call he suddenly turned pale… 😨😱
At exactly 20:14 his phone rang. He looked at the screen… and turned pale. The hand holding the phone began to tremble.
— Yes… I’m listening…
After a few seconds his face turned gray.
The hall became very quiet again. And this time everyone was not looking at me.
He took a step aside, but it was too quiet in the hall for anyone not to hear fragments of the conversation.
— What?..
— What police?
— Wait, you must be mistaken…
His face was getting paler and paler.
My husband pulled the chair out from under me in front of all my colleagues, trying to humiliate me… but eleven minutes later a phone call came, after which he was the one who ended up disgraced.
— This is a misunderstanding… I didn’t sign anything… it’s the accounting department…
At that moment the CEO slowly turned his head toward him.
— Mark, is everything alright? — he asked calmly.
Mark lowered the phone. His fingers were trembling.
— It’s… it’s the police… — he said hoarsely.
Several people at the table raised their heads.
— They say a criminal case has been opened against me… because of the contracts.
Mark stood in the middle of the hall and no longer looked like a confident man.
I calmly took a napkin, wiped the sauce stain from my dress and slowly sat down on the nearest chair.
And for the first time that evening I truly felt calm.
