Beth returns at six, so we’ll be done before she gets back.”

I blinked at the screen, my chest tightening.

Ben and Emily had… plans?

Emily giggled, playfully waving as Ben left the house.

Their smiles. The way they looked at each other.

My stomach lurched.

I didn’t have proof yet.

But what else could it be?

My husband was cheating on me.

And I should have seen it coming.

I needed the truth. No doubts.

No excuses.

The next morning, I stood in the kitchen, my coffee growing cold between my hands, my decision already made. I wasn’t going to work.

When Ben walked in, freshly showered, adjusting his tie, he paused mid-step. He could tell something was off.

“You’re not ready for work?” he asked, his tone carefully neutral.

I took a slow sip of coffee, watching him over the rim of my mug.

“Nope. Called in sick.”

He stiffened. Just for a second.

But I caught it.

“You’re not going?” His fingers twitched slightly before he forced them into his pockets. “You never call in sick.”

I shrugged. “I need a break.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“Why don’t you go out for a bit?” he said, voice light but forced. “Shopping? Get yourself something nice.”

I folded my arms.

Now he was nervous.

“You want me to go shopping?”

He nodded—too quickly. “Yeah. Take your time.

Enjoy yourself. Maybe stay out till six?”

There it was. The confirmation I needed.

I let out a slow breath, forced a small smile, and nodded.

“Sounds like a great idea.”

But I had my own plans.

I remembered Emily had once given me an emergency contact—her father, Josh. Back then, I had laughed, thinking I’d never need it.

Now, I dug through my phone, found the number, and hit call.

When he picked up, I told him everything.

Silence.

Then, in a low, furious voice, he said, “I’ll meet you at your house at three.”

At exactly 3 p.m., Josh and I sat in my car, parked across the street.

The air inside was thick with tension, the kind that made your hands grip the steering wheel too tight, your breath come too fast.

We watched as Ben’s car pulled up. He looked relaxed.

Unbothered.

He stepped out, stretched his arms like a man who had no idea his world was about to come crashing down, and walked inside.

Josh clenched his jaw, his fists tightening in his lap. “That little—”

I took a deep breath, my own anger bubbling just beneath the surface. This was it.

The moment of truth.

“Let’s go.”

We got out, crossed the street in quick, determined strides, and stormed up the driveway.

I shoved open the front door without knocking, without hesitation, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst.

Josh was a step ahead of me.

And the moment he saw Emily standing in the living room, he lost it.

“Emily! What the hell is going on?!”

She spun around, eyes wide, her face going pale like she had just seen a ghost.

“Dad?” Her voice was small. Shaken.

Josh’s face twisted in rage.

“You’ve been sneaking around with a married man?!”

Emily’s eyes darted to me, then to Ben, then back to her father. She looked terrified.

I braced myself for the worst. For the excuses, the lies, the confirmations of every ugly thought I had in my head.

But then—I noticed something.

The living room wasn’t what I expected.

There were balloons, colorful and bright.

Decorations, half-finished, draped over the furniture. Half-wrapped presents were scattered across the floor. Some boxes were still sealed, and some ribbons were left undone.

My breath caught in my throat.

It didn’t look like a secret date.

It looked like a surprise party.

Emily burst into tears and ran past us, shoving the door open as she fled.

Josh hesitated only a second before running after her.

“Emily!” he shouted, his voice breaking. “Wait!”

The door slammed behind them.

And then—it was just me and Ben.

The silence between us felt like a canyon.

My pulse hammered in my ears as I turned to him, my voice raw. “What… what is this?”

Ben let out a long, tired breath.

His shoulders sagged. He looked more exhausted than angry.

“It was supposed to be a surprise for you.”

I blinked. My mouth felt dry.

“What?”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out two plane tickets.

“I saw how hard you’ve been working, how much you do for us,” he said quietly. “Emily helped me put this together. We were going to surprise you tonight.”

His voice was flat.

Defeated.

“But I guess that’s ruined now.”

A wave of guilt crashed into me, so strong I almost staggered under its weight.

I had expected betrayal.

I had built an entire story in my head.

And I was wrong.

My throat burned. I had hurt Emily. I had hurt Ben.

And for what?

I turned and ran outside, my legs moving before my mind could catch up.

Josh and Emily were standing at the edge of the driveway. She had her arms crossed, tears streaking down her face. Josh stood beside her, his anger fading into something else—regret, maybe.

I stopped a few feet away, my chest heaving.

“Emily,” I blurted, breathless.

“I—I made a mistake.”

Her lips pressed together. She wiped at her face, still refusing to look at me. “Yeah.

You did.”

I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry.”

Silence stretched between us.

Josh sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “Jesus, Beth,” he muttered.

Emily sniffed, finally glancing at me, her expression unreadable.

I wanted to say more, but what could I say that would fix this?

Some mistakes don’t come with easy apologies.

Some lessons come the hard way.

Trust is a fragile thing.

But when given to the right people, it’s the most rewarding gift of all.

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends.

It might inspire them and brighten their day.

Source: amomama