I believed Mark and I would stay together for life, just like we promised on our wedding day.
For seven years, I thought we had a solid marriage. At thirty-four, I worked as a freelance graphic designer from home, and life seemed pretty perfect—until the night of my promotion party revealed everything I didn’t want to know.
We were the couple they envied—connected, affectionate, and always in sync. We laughed at the same jokes, finished each other’s thoughts, and even during rough patches, we found our way back.
The only real struggle we faced was trying to conceive. After two heartbreaking years of failed tests and silent disappointments, I finally got pregnant.
When our daughter Sophie was born, it felt like life had clicked back into place.
By the time Sophie turned four, Mark’s career was thriving. His firm threw a celebration for his promotion, and Sophie and I went along.
She wore a fluffy pink dress and sparkly shoes; I picked a simple blue dress. The event space was rustic and glowing with string lights. Mark soaked in admiration as people congratulated him all night.
I was chatting with another guest when Sophie tugged on my arm and said, “Mommy, that’s the lady with the worms!”
Her voice was louder than I would’ve liked, drawing attention. I crouched beside her and asked, “What worms, sweetheart?”
“In her house,” she said confidently. “Red ones. On her bed.”
My stomach twisted. “Whose house?”
She pointed toward the bar. I followed her finger to a woman in a sleek black dress—Tina. She worked in accounting and had shown up at more than one company event.
Always standing just a bit too close to Mark, always laughing a bit too freely. My instincts stirred, but I’d never had reason to question anything—until now.
Sophie added, “Daddy said not to tell you. That you’d be upset.”
I froze. My daughter, innocent and unaware, had just exposed a secret I couldn’t ignore.
I pulled Mark aside. “She says you took her to Tina’s house.”
He blinked, then chuckled. “Seriously? Not now. Let’s talk at home.”
I gave him a look that said we would be talking. That car ride home was painfully silent. Sophie dozed in the back seat, unaware of the emotional storm brewing up front.
Later that night, after we’d put her to bed, I confronted him again.
“Sophie said she saw red worms on Tina’s bed.”
He scoffed, brushing it off. “She saw curlers. I told her they were worms as a joke so she’d stop freaking out. I went to pick up some paperwork, and she came with me. That’s it.”
“In her bedroom?” I asked sharply.
He hesitated. “She was showing me something on her laptop. Sophie must’ve wandered.”
“And you told her to keep it secret?”
“I didn’t want you to misinterpret anything,” he muttered.
That was enough. His flustered answers, the avoidance—it all screamed guilt. I didn’t argue further. I just watched him walk away.
The next morning, I found Tina’s number on Mark’s laptop. I messaged her, pretending I was planning a company mixer and wanted to meet. She agreed immediately.
We met at a nearby café. She looked polished and ordered a fancy drink like she did every day.
Once we sat down, I got to the point. “My daughter says she’s been to your apartment. She mentioned red worms. I assume those were curlers?”
Tina didn’t react. Just stirred her drink and said, “I was wondering when you’d find out. He told me it wouldn’t take long. Once you were out of the picture, we could be open.”
I blinked, but stayed calm.
“You’re okay being someone’s second choice?”
“I’m okay being chosen eventually,” she replied with a smile.
I stood up. “You can have him.”
I left the café surprisingly calm. I wasn’t devastated—I was done. Over the next few weeks, I quietly filed for separation, found a lawyer, and prepared for divorce. Mark didn’t fight it. In fact, he moved in with Tina soon after.
Now, Sophie refuses to visit if Tina’s there. She tells me about their arguments, how Mark always looks tired. The man who once seemed so put-together now mumbles through custody exchanges.
As for me? I’m healing. I joined Pilates, started drawing again, and repainted Sophie’s room with glow-in-the-dark stars.
