Revenge on the Arate Instructor

A little backstory: I'm first-generation Chinese-American and have been studying my father's Kung Fu since I was little. I was also raised on Cowboy movies and have very Zorro-like motivations when it comes to righting wrongs.

That said, my father always repeated his fighting strategy, that to beat an enemy on his own terms means he won't ever mess with you again (if he uses his hands, you beat him using your hands, if he likes working from the ground, you beat him from the ground, etc). Which is also very like Zorro, too, now that I think about it.

So, last summer, my co-worker from another department, Sara, breaks down sobbing at work. It seems her husband (Tom) was having an affair with their family friend. On several occasions, I remember Sara telling me that she and her husband were meeting the other couple (Jenny and Adam) for dinner on several occasions, as well as a few vacation trips, too. The two couples were so close, I was surprised to hear that Tom and Jenny were having an affair for over a year already. Sara told me Adam was as devastated as she was, and that neither had seen it coming.

So, my inner Zorro decided he couldn't leave this injustice unpunished and proceeded to take Sara out for drinks after work. I got her good and drunk, brought her back to my place, gave her a thorough Chinese massage, and "comforted" her like she'd never had been before, all while letting her know that 1. It was like giving Tom a taste of his own medicine, 2. It was a good release of tension and frustration, 3. She was still a very desirable woman, and 4. This was JUST between us, JUST a one-time thing, and ONLY because we were friends and wouldn't affect our working relationship. She was okay with this, and it really did cheer her up.

Now to the revenge!

I knew Tom went to a Karate school across town, so I joined up. (I've done this several times before, as it's always cool to learn new styles and strategies. I usually pretend I know nothing about martial arts. I stay for a year or two, before moving on. Sometimes I don't learn much, but other times, I've come away with gold.) Tom held a rank one short of black belt and was the junior teacher for most classes. I just tried to blend in and keep my eyes open. Sure enough, I noticed he paid attention to a very nice-looking yellow belt, more than anyone else. There seemed to be a connection, even though it was obvious to me, they were trying very hard not to give anyone clues.

After class, I managed to engage her in conversation, while Tom was in the office, and managed to get her to blush a few times. I repeated the pattern over several weeks, working my subtle magic, and eventually got her number.

Once Jenny and I started meeting on the side, I stopped going to the Karate classes when she attended. I noticed Tom was more and more on edge each night. (Knowing about Chi and energy flow, I know there is only so much energy a person can give their partner, no matter the circumstances. I was spending so much of Jenny's sexual energy, she was having less and less for Tom, and it showed.)

Tom had apparently gotten suspicious (unlike Adam and Sara), and decided to follow Jenny. He decided to confront us outside my apartment complex, just as she was leaving. I was helping her to her car, as her knees were still a bit wobbly. He came at me, yelling and screaming about cheating ("How could you do this to me?" - ironic, no?), working himself up to get physical (I've seen this many times). I waited until he was in motion, and moved to avoid him, so that he stumbled awkwardly. Embarrassed, he gathered himself into a fighting stance, squaring off with me. I took a neutral stance and worked at evasion and throwing. By the time the police arrived, Tom was covered in mud and grass-stains, red in the face, and wheezing. Except for a light sheen of sweat, I was still pretty fresh. Jenny had, of course, been crying all this time.

Update 1: Tom ended up serving 2 years in prison - he'd gotten into several scuffles, trying to defend his "honor", and had time tacked on for his bad behaviour.

Update 2: Sara and I only hung out a few times before her divorce - just talk, no sex. After her divorce, we became FWB for about a year or so.

Update 3: I saw Jenny's profile on a friend's dating app, sounding pretty desperate and angry. She's apparently been on it since the divorce and is still single.

Update 4: Adam took a few years off relationships of any kind, throwing himself into work. I heard recently, though, that he and Sara connected and are talking. (Zorro strikes again!)