Chapter 1: The Night Everything Looked Wrong
My husband canceled our anniversary dinner because his mom was "sick" — then I froze when I saw who she was with that night.
Our tenth anniversary was supposed to be special.
Nathan and I had been talking about dinner all week.
I'd booked our favorite restaurant and even bought a new dress.
Then, two hours before our reservation, he stepped into the bedroom.
"We have to cancel."
"What?"
"My mom's sick.
She called me.
She's alone and needs me."
I was disappointed, but what was I supposed to say?
"Go.
I'll cancel the reservation."
He kissed my forehead.
"I'll make it up to you.
I promise."
That night, I ate takeout alone in the dress I'd bought for our anniversary.
Around nine, my phone buzzed.
It was my friend Tessa.
"Are you home?"
"Unfortunately."
A few seconds later, she sent me a photo.
"Maybe I'm crazy, but...
isn't that your MIL?"
I zoomed in.
It was.
Dressed up.
Glass of wine in her hand.
So much for being sick.
Then Tessa sent another message.
Wait.
"Isn't that Nathan behind her?"
My heart started pounding.
Another photo appeared.
Nathan was standing beside his mother.
But they weren't alone.
A young woman was with them.
Before I could ask who she was, Tessa sent one last photo.
Nathan had both arms around her.
Her face was buried against his chest.
And his mother was standing beside them, holding the woman's hand.
"Isn't that your husband hugging some young woman?"
I felt sick.
So this was why our anniversary had been canceled.
When Nathan finally came home, I was waiting for him.
He took one look at my face.
"What's wrong?"
I held up the photo.
His expression changed.
"Honey, I can explain."
"I don't want your explanation."
"Please, just let me explain."
"No."
I couldn't even look at him.
"You canceled our anniversary, lied about your mother being sick, and spent the night with another woman."
"It's not what you think."
"Of course it isn't."
He tried to come closer.
I stepped back.
"I want a divorce."
Nathan stared at me.
"You're making a huge mistake."
"Then I'll live with it."
I spent that night at Tessa's.
Nathan called.
He texted.
He begged me to let him explain.
But every time I looked at those photos, I saw the same thing.
My husband had lied to me on our anniversary.
A week later, I contacted a lawyer.
A few months later, we were finally supposed to meet at the courthouse to deal with the divorce.
I hadn't seen Nathan in weeks.
Then I spotted him at the other end of the hallway.
He wasn't alone.
I knew the woman standing beside him.
I'd spent months trying to forget her face.
It was the woman from the photos.
The woman Nathan had been holding on our anniversary.
Before I could even decide what to do, she walked away from Nathan and headed straight toward my lawyer.
I watched them talk.
I couldn't hear a word.
Then she handed him something.
My lawyer looked down at it.
His expression changed.
He looked at her.
Then at Nathan.
What the hell was going on?
A minute later, the woman walked away.
My lawyer came straight toward me.
"We need to talk."
"About what?"
He glanced back at Nathan.
Then he lowered his voice.
"I'm not sure you're going to want this divorce anymore."
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What did that woman just hand to the lawyer — and why would it change everything?
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