My marriage felt like a dream until I discovered my husband was renting a secret house on the outskirts. What I found when I visited unveiled a heart-stopping truth, exposing the dark reality of the man I thought I knew.
For years, I thought my husband Stan and I were living a fairy tale. He was my soulmate, not just a partner I shared the same roof or bed with, and I happily put his wishes first, even delaying having children. Then, one day, a forgotten phone revealed the painful truth: my husband wasn’t who I thought he was.
A young romantic couple under a transparent umbrella on a rainy day | Source: Unsplash
Stan and I met during a press conference in Tokyo seven years ago. We’ve been together ever since, married for five of those golden years. He seemed perfect in every sense of the word.
“Mindy, you wouldn’t believe the day I’ve had,” Stan once said, collapsing onto our plush sofa after a long day at work. “But seeing your face makes it all better.”
I smiled, settling next to him. “Tell me about it. I want to hear everything.”
Those were the days when we couldn’t get enough of each other.
A couple sitting beside each other in a room | Source: Unsplash
Stan loved me and showered me with precious gifts, but after some time, I got bored of his expensive gifts. I wanted him, his time, and not those materialistic sparkly diamonds or opulent pearls.
“Another necklace?” I once asked, trying to mask my disappointment as I opened the velvet box.
Stan beamed, oblivious to my tone. “Only the best for you, darling.”
I forced a smile, wishing he’d understand that his presence was worth more than any jewelry.
A man putting a pearl necklace around a woman’s neck | Source: Pexels
Stan worked in an office in an amazing position and made good money. But the thing is, he started spending more time at work while I stayed at home, dusting, cooking, and cleaning.
Stan barely had time for me, and I missed those days when we used to Netflix binge, bake together, or even grab some good sleep. Stan started coming home late, and I’d be mostly asleep.
His focus shifted entirely to work, and as his career climbed new heights, our connection dwindled.
A man working on a laptop in his office | Source: Pexels
So while I was already dealing with the heartbreak of Stan not spending time with me, on a fateful morning, right after my husband left for work, I noticed he’d forgotten his phone on the table in a hurry.
I thought he would come back for it, but he didn’t.
I went about my day, doing laundry and refilling the vases with fresh garden flowers when his phone buzzed suddenly. Curiosity overcame me, and I impulsively grabbed it to check the message.
A smartphone on a table | Source: Pexels
Stan had locked his phone, but he didn’t know I had once seen his pattern lock and knew it by heart, though I never snooped into his phone or privacy before.
But something compelled me to check the message after seeing it written in all caps with the words “final reminder.”
So I unlocked Stan’s phone and saw the message: “STAN! THIS IS YOUR FINAL REMINDER TO PAY THE RENT FOR THE HOUSE, OR I’LL HAVE TO RENT IT TO SOMEONE ELSE! TOMORROW IS THE DEADLINE!”
Close-up of a woman with a smartphone | Source: Pexels
My hands shook as I read it again. Stan was renting a house? Without telling me? I felt like I’d been punched in the gut.
Just then, he called my phone. “Hey, honey. I left my phone at home. I’ll be home late tonight… important client meeting.”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “Fine!”
As I hung up, I couldn’t help but wonder what Stan was hiding from me.
A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
The rest of the day was a blur as I obsessively checked the clock. At precisely five o’clock, I hailed a cab, directing the driver to Stan’s office, which I knew closed around half-past five or six.
I didn’t take my car because mine was a yellow Mini Cooper, and I didn’t want to risk Stan finding out I was following him.
“I need to be there a bit early,” I told myself, my heart pounding. “I have to find out what he’s up to.”
A cab on the street | Source: Unsplash
At 6 p.m. sharp, I saw Stan leaving his office and get in his car, driving to the outskirts of the city. Weird.
“Follow that car,” I instructed the driver, feeling like I was in some kind of spy movie.
After what felt like an eternity on wheels, Stan parked outside a small, rundown house and went inside the building.
A house nestled among flower bushes and trees | Source: Unsplash
I asked the cabbie to wait, and gathering my courage, I went after Stan ten minutes later. My hand trembled as I reached for the doorknob.
“Here goes nothing,” I whispered to myself.
I slowly opened the door and nearly lost my breath when I saw Stan sitting on a chair near an easel of painting. What was going on?
I barged inside, and Stan’s face turned pale as though he’d seen a ghost.
“M-Mindy?” he stammered. “What are you doing here?”
Rear view of a man painting on a canvas | Source: Pexels
I ignored his question, my eyes darting around the room filled with canvases and paint tubes. “What on earth are you doing here, Stan? Why did you rent this house?”
Stan didn’t understand how I’d found out until I told him about seeing the message on his phone. He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping.
“This house is my escape from the daily grind. It’s where I come to refresh and refocus.”
I felt a surge of relief and confusion. “But why didn’t you tell me?”
Grayscale portrait of a shocked woman | Source: Pexels
Shame flushing his face, he averted his gaze. “I was embarrassed about my hobby, given my high-profile job. I feared your teasing.”
I moved closer, my anger softening. “Stan, I’d never laugh at something that makes you happy. But why all the secrecy?”
Although I wanted to believe him, my instincts told me he was still hiding something from me. And I was right.
Just two minutes later, someone knocked on the door.
A man sitting on the couch and covering his face | Source: Unsplash
Stan jumped up, panic flashing across his face. “Mindy, maybe you should go home now. I can explain everything later.”
But I was already moving towards the door. “No, I think I’ll get my answers now.”
“Mindy, wait—”
Stan tried stopping me, but I approached the door and opened it, only to stand back in shock.
Grayscale of a startled woman covering her mouth | Source: Pexels
A young, beautiful brunette stood in the doorway, chewing bubblegum and eyeing me curiously.
“Who are you?” I asked.
She blew a bubble before answering, “I’m Luke’s girlfriend. He paints portraits of me. And who are you? What are you doing here?”
My world spun. “Luke? Girlfriend?” I sputtered. Then, finding my voice, I declared, “I’m his WIFE! And his name’s STAN! Not Luke!”
A young woman blowing gum bubble | Source: Pexels
The girl’s eyes widened in shock. Before I could process what was happening, Stan rushed past me, pushing the girl away and slamming the door shut.
He turned to me, his face ashen. “Mindy, I can explain—”
I yanked away as he tried to cup my face. “What’s going on, Stan? Who is she?”
My eyes darted around the room, noticing for the first time that all the easels were draped with beige cloth. With trembling hands, I pulled the cloth off the nearest one.
A room full of painting easels covered in beige cloth | Source: Midjourney
My breath caught in my throat. It was a painting of a half-naked woman, the same woman who had just been at the door.
Tears began streaming down my face as I moved from easel to easel, uncovering more paintings.
“Mindy, please,” Stan begged. “It’s not what you think—”
But I was beyond listening. I dropped to my knees, pulling out more canvases from under the bed. They were all the same—portraits of scantily clad women in suggestive poses. And then I found the photos.
A teary-eyed woman covering her mouth | Source: Pexels
“Oh God,” I choked out, staring at images of Stan… my Stan… in compromising positions with these women.
The truth hit me like a freight train. Stan was cheating on me.
“It was a mistake,” he kept saying, his words tumbling over each other. “Some kind of obsession I can’t overcome. Mindy, please—”
But I was already moving towards the door, my vision blurred by tears.
Grayscale of a man covering his face | Source: Pexels
“Mindy, wait!” Stan called after me. “Let me explain!”
I ignored his pleas, stumbling out into the night air. My whole body shook as I got into the cab, Stan’s cries still echoing in my ears.
Overwhelmed, I raced home and frantically packed before seeking refuge at my aunt’s place. The next morning, I called my lawyer and initiated divorce proceedings.
Divorce papers on a table | Source: Pexels
Two weeks have passed since that day. As I wait for the divorce proceedings to begin, I can’t stop shaking.
How could I have shared my life with someone like Stan? How could I have been so blind?
I reported him to the police, shattering his carefully curated public image. It felt like the only way to reclaim some power in this nightmare.
Two cops walking on the street | Source: Pexels
As I sit in my new apartment, staring at the walls, I can’t help but think about how quickly my “perfect” marriage crumbled. It was as fragile as glass, shattering into a million pieces at my feet.
I don’t know how long it will take to heal from these scars. The betrayal runs deep, inflicted by the very man I worshipped, trusted, and loved.
Man Hears His Dog Barking from Afar, Finds It Sitting near an Abandoned Baby – Story of the Day
Jack checked on his dog Ralph who kept barking on the street, only to discover an abandoned baby with him. The baby turns out to be a very special girl who would change Jack’s life forever.
Despite being a wealthy man, Jack was known as one of the kindest and most generous people in town. He could have had it all until three months ago when he discovered his wife had been cheating on him with his best friend.
Jack divorced his wife, and she moved to a different state with his now ex-best friend. He didn’t let the incident harden his heart, and he remained kind towards everyone around him. However, everybody knew that he was quite a lonely man no matter how kind and friendly he was.
To ease his loneliness, Jack got himself a dog and named it Ralph. “At least you won’t betray me, right Ralph?” he said once he got him, smiling through the pain.
As he was a busy man, Jack had Ralph trained to behave. He would allow Ralph the freedom to run in their backyard in the afternoons, and once he grew tired, the adorable dog would find its way back inside the house.
One day, he let Ralph outside. He was watching a movie on TV when he realized Ralph had not returned home yet. He stepped out and heard the dog barking from afar.
Jack ran over the fence to get closer. Once he reached the road, he saw Ralph next to a baby lying on the grass.
“You poor child,” he said, saddened that someone would leave a helpless baby out on the street. He checked around the area for a bag that might have belonged to the child, but there wasn’t any. A tiny baby was crying, lying in a basket, while my dog sadly nudged her with his nose, as if out of sympathy. Inside the basket, I found a note. I read it with a heavy sigh.
“Don’t look for her parents. This child is yours now. Take care of her.”
Before taking her home, he went to the nearby convenience store and purchased baby milk and diapers so that he could properly care for the child. When they got home, he fed her and changed her diapers. Then he called the police and reported the incident.
“This poor baby was left alone on the street with nothing but her clothes. There were no other adults in the area, so I took her in,” Jack explained.
The police said that they would check CCTV footage in the area to find her parents. However, they were to search for foster parents for the baby for now.
After hearing this, Jack didn’t hesitate. “Can I become her guardian?” he asked. “I run my businesses from home, so I wouldn’t have any problems taking care of her.”
The police got a couple more details and proof of identification from Jack, and they allowed the little girl to live with him. Jack took care of her for months, and when it was determined that her parents could not be identified, she was up for adoption.
As soon as he could, Jack processed the papers needed to adopt the little girl, whom he named Emily, legally.
He raised Emily as his own daughter, even naming her after his mother who also raised him on her own. He loved Emily dearly and provided her with everything she needed and more.
Likewise, Jack was Emily’s hero. She looked up to her dad and always wanted to be around him. Together, they enjoyed every meal together and would go to the park, their favorite ice cream parlors, and the arcade where they spent time a lot of time together.
When Emily turned seven and started going to school, many of the parents and even teachers would note how Jack and Emily looked alike. Even Jack’s friends would say that they “looked like twins.”
Jack never thought of Emily as his adopted daughter, so he took these as compliments and would simply smile every time someone spoke about their resemblance.
One day, while Emily was playing with Ralph in their backyard, she fell and scratched her head on the pavement. As Jack began to treat the wound with an antiseptic, he noticed an incredible thing.
“Would you look at that, sweetheart? We have the same birthmark!” he said, surprised. He never noticed Emily’s birthmark before because her hair covered it.
“We were always meant to be together, dad,” she said, wiping her tears away and smiling at her dad.
Curious about how this could happen, Jack decided to do a DNA test. He took a sample of Emily’s hair and sent it alongside his own. He didn’t think much of it, but he was stunned when the results came about three weeks later.
The test showed a 99.9% match that Emily was his daughter. He had always been a loyal man, so it only meant one thing – his ex-wife had been pregnant with his child.
He decided to give her a call, and she answered. “What do you want, Jack?”
“Why didn’t you tell me we had a daughter?” he asked her as soon as she answered.
“I didn’t want to raise your child, nor did I want to see you ever again, so I left her on the road. I knew you’d find her anyway. Bye now, and please don’t ever call me again,” she said before putting down the phone.
Jack couldn’t believe it and was in tears. While knowing that Emily was actually his biological daughter did not affect his love for her, he was glad to know that he was able to care for his own daughter.
“What’s wrong, dad?” Emily asked after she saw her dad crying.
“Nothing’s wrong, sweetheart. I’m just really happy,” he explained. “Remember what dad told you? That you were sent to me from heaven even though I was not your real dad?” he asked her.
Emily nodded. “You are my real dad, dad. Don’t forget that,” she corrected him.
“Yes, sweetheart. I am your real dad. These DNA results prove that” he said, handing her the paper.
“I told you, dad. We were always meant to be together,” Emily said, hugging him.
A few years later, Jack found love again. Having been present in all of Emily’s school activities, he eventually fell in love with one of her teachers.
Two years after they got married, Emily gained a baby sister. Emily took on being a big sister with a lot of pride and joy.
Since then, Jack, Emily, and the rest of their family have lived peacefully and happily. They valued their time together as a family more than anything. This prompted Jack to retire early to spend more time with his children.
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