Lately, my husband has been acting strange—always on his phone, disappearing for late-night “work.” I could feel something was off. He was distant, avoiding my questions, and my heart sank with every excuse. I feared the worst: that he was cheating. I had to know the truth, even if it meant losing everything.
To say it was a joyful day would be an understatement. My husband, Trent, had gotten a promotion, which felt like a huge step for our family. To celebrate, his boss, Kira, invited us over for dinner.
Kira and her husband, Colin, were warm and welcoming, making us feel right at home. They even went out of their way to prepare vegetarian dishes for our daughter, Nora. She had just turned 12 and was starting to show those early signs of becoming a teenager.
I watched Trent laughing with Colin by the grill, while Kira took a seat beside me, smiling.
“You have a wonderful family,” Kira said.
“Thank you. You do too,” I replied, smiling at her.
“I say that to a lot of people,” she continued, leaning in a bit closer. “But with yours, I really mean it. You all look so perfect together. Like you’ve stepped right out of a TV commercial.”
I laughed, trying to stay relaxed. “That’s so nice to hear. I appreciate it.”
“Well, I’m not surprised,” Kira added. “Trent is amazing. He’s our best employee. Smart, hardworking, always dependable. Plus, he’s so charming and fun. Really, he’s like a dream guy. The kind of man any woman would be lucky to have.”
Her words made my stomach tighten. “I know,” I said, glancing over at Trent.
“But don’t worry,” Kira said, her eyes twinkling. “Lots of women at work flirt with him, but he never crosses the line. He’s loyal. The dream husband.”
Trent was a great husband, a caring father to Nora, and always someone I could rely on. But lately, things had changed, and I couldn’t ignore it. Kira’s words echoed in my head, making me feel uneasy.
Trent seemed different. He was always glued to his phone, checking messages, even during dinner. He started taking more business trips with Kira. When he wasn’t traveling, he worked late hours with Kira. I didn’t want to think the worst, but the changes were impossible to ignore.
I couldn’t remember the last time we were intimate. When I tried to bring up how distant he seemed, he’d brush it off. “It’s just work,” he’d say. “I’m tired.” But that didn’t explain everything. We hadn’t been close—really close—in months.
I’d think back to when we first got married. I was pregnant with Nora. We were young, but we loved each other, and we wanted to make it work. Now, I wondered if Trent regretted it, if he wished things had turned out differently.
I watched Kira join Trent and Colin by the grill. They laughed, and everything seemed normal, but then I saw Kira touch Trent’s shoulder. It wasn’t much, but it felt too comfortable.
That night, when we got home, Trent didn’t say a word. He just went straight to bed, leaving me alone with my thoughts and fears.
A few days later, I found him in the hallway, tying his shoes.
“You just got home,” I said, confused. “Where are you going now?”
“I need to go back to work,” he replied, not looking at me.
“It’s already 8 p.m. What work can’t wait until tomorrow?” I asked.
“I got promoted. There’s more to do now,” he said, still focused on his shoes.
I felt my chest tighten. “Trent, what’s going on? You don’t talk to me anymore. You’re always disappearing, always on your phone. Just be honest with me—are you cheating? Is it with Kira?”
He stopped and looked at me. “What? No. I’m not cheating with Kira. I promise,” he said, then stood up and left, shutting the door behind him.
