When I first met Brian, I didn’t know what to expect. We were both fresh out of college, eager to start new careers and build a future together. He was charming, funny, and everything I thought I wanted in a partner. Over time, we grew closer, and I fell in love with the man who would become my husband. After four years together, we finally tied the knot, surrounded by friends and family, celebrating the beginning of what I thought would be a perfect life.

But over the past few months, things between us had changed. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but Brian had become distant. He was always busy, working late or traveling for business. At first, I didn’t think much of it—he had a demanding job, and I respected his career. But as the weeks went on, the distance grew. His phone was always glued to his hand, and he became irritable when I asked about his day. He even started canceling plans we had made, citing “important work commitments.”



I tried to shrug it off, telling myself that he was just stressed and needed some space. But deep down, I knew something was off.

One evening, after Brian had come home late from another “work trip,” I noticed something strange. I had been tidying up in the living room when I found a letter on the coffee table. It wasn’t addressed to me. It had my name on it, but it was clearly from someone else—someone I had never heard of.

The letter read:

Dear Sarah,

I know this will come as a shock to you, but I felt it was time for you to know the truth. I’ve been seeing Brian for several months now. We’ve been in a relationship, and I’m pregnant with his child.

I never meant for things to happen this way, but I believe you deserve to know. I’m not trying to ruin your marriage, but I can’t hide this anymore. Brian is the father, and I hope you understand why I’m telling you now.

Sincerely,
Lara

I stood there, frozen. My heart raced, and my hands trembled as I read the letter again. The words were sharp and cold, each one cutting deeper than the last. My mind refused to process what I was reading. Pregnant with his child?

Brian had never mentioned anyone named Lara. I didn’t recognize the name. And yet, the letter was unmistakable. It was from a woman who claimed to be in a relationship with my husband—and she was pregnant.

I didn’t know what to do. I thought I must be mistaken. This couldn’t be real. Brian and I had been together for so long, and this woman—this stranger—was saying she was carrying his child.

I felt sick to my stomach as I waited for him to come home. When he walked through the door, I barely recognized him. His face was tense, and his shoulders were hunched like he was preparing for a confrontation. I didn’t even say hello. I just held up the letter in front of him, my hand shaking.



“What is this?” I demanded.

Brian’s face turned pale as his eyes dropped to the floor. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out at first. Then, his voice cracked.

“Sarah, I… I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner.”

“Why didn’t you?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He sat down on the couch, his hands gripping his knees. “Lara... she’s someone I met during a work trip. At first, it was just… it was just supposed to be one night. But things happened. I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

I could barely hear him through the pounding in my ears. One night?
“You had an affair?” I asked, the words tasting like acid in my mouth.

He nodded, his face twisted with shame. “I didn’t mean for it to go this far. I never wanted you to find out like this. I know I’ve made mistakes.”

My chest tightened, and tears welled up in my eyes. “How long has this been going on, Brian? How long have you been seeing her?”

“Months,” he said, barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know how to stop. It was a mistake. I never meant for it to happen. I swear.”

I took a step back, unable to believe what I was hearing. The man I had built my life with—the man I had trusted above everyone else—had been lying to me. For months.

“Do you love her?” I asked, my voice barely audible.

His eyes filled with guilt. “No. I love you, Sarah. I always have. I never wanted this to happen.”

The room felt suffocating. I wanted to scream, to throw the letter in his face, to demand answers to questions I didn’t even know how to ask. But instead, I stood there, shaking, unsure of what to do next.

“I need time, Brian,” I said quietly. “I need time to think about this.”

He stood up quickly, his hand reaching out for mine. “Please, Sarah. Don’t leave me. I made a mistake, and I’m so sorry. I’ll do anything to make this right. I want to fix this.”

I pulled my hand away, stepping back. “I don’t know if I can forgive you for this. I don’t know if I can trust you again.”



The silence between us was deafening. We both knew that everything had changed in that moment. I didn’t know where we would go from here. I didn’t know if there was any way to fix this.

I needed to decide—whether to stay with the man I once loved or walk away and rebuild my life. But one thing was clear:

Brian’s betrayal had shattered something in me, and I wasn’t sure it could ever be repaired.