The photo was of him and Vanessa on a yacht, smiling like they didn’t have a care in the world. His arm was wrapped around her waist, and they looked so happy.

I stared at the photo in disbelief. How could Jack do this to me?

At that point, everything started to make sense. All the late-night meetings, excuses about finances, and dismissive comments about my exhaustion.

While I was juggling two jobs and raising our kids, Jack was here, funding Vanessa’s lavish lifestyle.

I carefully placed the photo back and finished cleaning the nightstand.

I couldn’t let on that I knew. Not yet.

If Vanessa didn’t recognize me, I could use that to my advantage. So, I plastered on a fake smile, finished my shift, and went home with a new mission.

Operation FOEATA. Find Out Everything About This Affair.

At home, I slowly started to pull back.

I stopped cooking elaborate meals and quit picking up after Jack’s messes. I told him work was getting harder and that I didn’t have the energy to do everything anymore.

“I’m doing the best I can, Jack,” I said coolly. “Work’s been rough.”

“Work’s been rough?” he snapped. “And you think I’m not tired? The house is falling apart, Liz. What happened to you taking care of things like you used to?”

I shrugged. “Things change, Jack. Maybe I’m just stretched too thin.”

“Well, figure it out,” he rolled his eyes. “I can’t keep coming home to this mess.”

Meanwhile, at Vanessa’s, I started piecing together clues. I spotted the gifts Jack had given her and found handwritten notes in his unmistakable scrawl.

I also overheard Vanessa on the phone, cooing about her “sweet boyfriend.” Every detail fueled my growing fury, but I kept my composure.

Then, one evening, Jack dropped a bombshell.

“Liz, we need to talk,” he said while standing in the kitchen.

I set down the dish I was washing. “What’s this about, Jack?”

“This isn’t working anymore,” he confessed. “I’m not happy. You’re not happy. The house is a mess, you’re always tired, and I feel like… like we’ve grown apart.”

“We’ve grown apart? Jack, this is coming out of nowhere.”

“It’s not out of nowhere,” he said in a defensive tone. “I’ve been feeling this way for a while, and I think it’s better if we just take a break. I’ll stay with a friend for now.”

I paused for a bit.

A friend? I thought. Really, Jack?

“Is that what you want?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said firmly, his eyes darting away from mine. “It’s for the best.”

I nodded slowly.

“Alright, Jack,” I began. “If that’s how you feel, I won’t stop you.”

Two days later, he moved out, and I knew exactly where he was going.

The night Jack arrived at Vanessa’s apartment, I was already there. I had finished my cleaning for the day and decided to linger, sipping tea on the plush sofa in the guest room.

I knew he’d show up.

Right on cue, the sound of a key in the lock echoed through the apartment.

I quickly slipped on one of Vanessa’s designer gowns that looked like it had never been worn.

My heart raced, but I kept my face calm.

The door swung open, and there he was, dragging his suitcases behind him.

Vanessa greeted him with her usual sultry smile.