10/14/2025
I've been married to Tom for almost 15 years, and we have five children together. Our life wasn't luxurious—just bills, a mortgage, and endless laundry—but we were truly happy. Tom's job sometimes required him to go on work trips. The kids and I always missed him on those days and counted down until he returned. One day, I decided to surprise him with lunch at his office. When we walked in, Tom's face lit up. He dropped everything, scooped up our youngest, kissed me on the cheek, and laughed as the kids proudly handed him their drawings. He even introduced them to a couple of coworkers nearby, glowing with pride. For a moment, I thought: "This is what happiness looks like." After a quick lunch together, I gathered the kids and we headed out. That's when, in the lobby, I ran into my old friend Sarah, who also worked there. We chatted, and I sighed: "It's exhausting, especially with TOM TRAVELING SO MUCH." Her brow furrowed. "TRAVELING? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? There haven't been any work trips here for months. Budget cuts." Her words hit me like a punch. My smile froze, but inside I knew—I had to find out the truth. A week later, Tom said he had another trip. That night, I checked his briefcase and found a ticket to Boston. I booked a seat for the same day, left the kids with a nanny, and followed him. In Boston, I rented a car and trailed his taxi until it stopped at a charming LITTLE HOUSE WITH WHITE SHUTTERS. Then the front door opened—and my world TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.