Yesterday I decided to drop by my friend’s house, thinking we could catch up over a glass of wine.

Her car wasn’t in the driveway, but her husband’s truck was parked out front.

Figuring she’d be back soon, I let myself in, calling out a casual greeting.

The house was silent except for faint voices coming from upstairs.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I tiptoed up the stairs, not sure what I’d find.

As I reached the top, I saw the guest bedroom door slightly ajar, and through the gap, I caught a glimpse that made my heart stop.

There, in the dim light, was my friend’s husband—but not with her.

He was tangled up with her mother in a moment that should never have happened.

The shock of it made me accidentally nudge the door open wider.

They looked up, faces drained of color, frozen in the horror of being caught. Before I could process the betrayal, they were on their feet, stammering out excuses that made no sense.

Then, in a desperate move, her husband said, “We’ll give you $10,000—just please, keep this between us.”

I stood there, my mind reeling, unable to believe what I was hearing. The idea that they thought they could buy my silence was almost as sickening as what I had just witnessed.

I didn’t know whether to scream, cry, or walk out the door and never look back.