When I found the right auditorium, I peeked in. Mark was still lecturing. He hadn’t noticed me, so I decided to sit at the back and listen. It had been a while since I’d seen him in his element, and I thought it might be fun.
A university auditorium | Source: Pexels
The auditorium was large, with rows of seats sloping down towards the stage. The students seemed engaged, their eyes fixed on Mark. I settled into a seat, trying to stay inconspicuous.
Mark was talking about psychological experiments, showing slides of various studies. He seemed animated, his voice clear and confident.
“To prove the point, I recreated the experiment on my wife,” he said suddenly.
Mark presents the results of his research | Source: Midjourney
My blood froze. What did he just say?
“Our subject, Janet, has an average IQ and the social awareness of a teenage girl. Testing this theory on her was not a hard task. Take a second to look at this video of her, and then we will discuss it.”
My face appeared on the screen, along with some unflattering characteristics written underneath. The room seemed to close in around me. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My own husband had used me as a subject in his experiment without my knowledge.
Janet tries to remember what Mark was telling her in her home | Source: Midjourney
The screen showed a video of me recounting a childhood memory of getting lost in a mall. But that never happened. I watched in horror as the video played on, interspersed with screenshots of our text conversations. Mark had been planting this false memory in my mind for weeks.
I felt a mix of anger, betrayal, and humiliation. How could he do this to me? How could he expose me like this in front of his students?
Janet sees her face on the screen | Source: Midjourney
As the video ended, the students began to ask questions. My heart pounded, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. I raised my hand, my voice shaking with rage.
“What if your wife were to find out about you experimenting on her? How do you think that would go for you?” I asked, my voice louder than I intended.
The students turned to look at me, and Mark’s face went pale. He recognized my voice and saw me sitting at the back. His confident demeanor crumbled.
Shocked Mark hears Janet | Source: Midjourney
“Janet, I—” he started, but I cut him off.
“I would say that she would understand that I love her and that whatever I did was for science and educational purposes. So she should be honored to take part in such a wonderful process of educating,” Mark stammered, trying to maintain his composure.
“Honored?” I said, my voice rising. “You humiliated me, violated my trust, and used our relationship for your experiment. How could you think any of this is honorable?”
Angry woman shouting | Source: Pexels
The students were now fully focused on us. Mark looked like a deer caught in headlights.
“You never asked for my consent, never considered my feelings. You manipulated me for your gain. What kind of person does that?” I continued, my anger boiling over.
Mark looked down, visibly distressed. He took a deep breath and began to explain, his voice shaky but trying to maintain a semblance of authority.
Mark explains his experiment | Source: Midjourney
“The experiment,” he started, “was about false memory implantation. It’s a psychological phenomenon where suggestive information can create memories that never actually happened. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been subtly suggesting to Janet a fictional event from her childhood: getting lost in a mall.”
He glanced at me, then back at the students. “I integrated these suggestions into our everyday conversations and text messages, gradually making the memory seem real to her.”
A snip of the video where Janet tries to recall the event | Source: Midjourney
He pointed to the screen. “The video shows her recounting this false memory in detail. It’s a powerful demonstration of how malleable our memories can be.”
I could see the students were fascinated, but all I felt was rage and betrayal. “So, you tricked me into believing something that never happened? For what, a class experiment?” I demanded.
Student smiling in a classroom | Source: Pexels
“Janet, it’s not just a trick. It’s a significant scientific finding,” Mark replied, trying to sound reasonable. “The documentation, the text messages, and the video all show how easily memories can be altered. It has real implications for understanding human psychology.”
“But at what cost, Mark?” I shot back, my voice breaking. “You used me without my consent. You made me question my own mind. How could you do that to someone you love?”
Mark’s face was ashen. “I didn’t think it would affect you this much. I thought you’d understand the importance of the experiment.”
Screaming woman | Source: Pexels
I couldn’t believe his audacity. “Understand? You humiliated me in front of your students. You made me feel like a fool. This isn’t about science. It’s about respect and trust, and you shattered both.”
The students were silent, their eyes darting between Mark and me. Some looked uncomfortable, others intrigued. Mark tried to maintain control of the situation, but it was clear he was losing his grip.
Mark is trying to keep his composure | Source: Midjourney
“Janet, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said, his voice pleading.
“You didn’t mean to hurt me?” I echoed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “You filmed me, you manipulated me, and you showed it all to your class without my knowledge. That’s beyond hurtful, Mark. It’s a betrayal.”
Mark’s shoulders slumped. “I thought you would see the bigger picture.”
Hurt upset woman | Source: Pexels
“The bigger picture?” I shouted. “The bigger picture is that you used me as a lab rat. You never considered how this would affect our relationship, our trust.”
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “You need to ask yourself what kind of person would do this to their spouse. Because right now, I don’t recognize the man I married.”
The room was dead silent. Mark looked like he wanted to disappear. I couldn’t stand to be there any longer.
Shocked Janet | Source: Midjourney
I turned and walked out of the auditorium, my heart pounding. I could feel all eyes on me, but I didn’t care. The betrayal was too deep, the hurt too raw.
Outside, I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. My mind was racing with thoughts and emotions. How could Mark do this to me? How could he justify using me for his experiment?
Woman crying | Source: Pexels
As I walked to my car, I reflected on our marriage. Trust is the foundation of any relationship, and Mark had shattered that trust. I thought about the implications of his actions—not just the public humiliation, but the deeper betrayal of our bond.
Could our marriage survive this? Did I even want it to? These questions swirled in my mind as I drove home, unsure of what the future held. The man I thought I knew had shown a side of himself I never imagined, and it left me questioning everything.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
