After a long trip, I got home to find a strange child in the living room. The boy told me he lived there, and as I followed his innocent directions to the bedroom, I found out something about my husband that broke my heart.<\/p>\n
My kids ran past me and into the house, saying \u201cSurprise!\u201d as I opened the front door. It was loud inside the house. But something didn\u2019t feel right. Shoes that didn\u2019t belong to us were by the door. Some pairs were very small and looked like they belonged to kids, but not my kids. I went cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, why are shoes from other people here?\u201d Emma asked with a raised brow.<\/p>\n
I tried to smile. \u201cMost likely some guests.\u201d \u201cLet\u2019s check with Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
After taking a deep breath to calm down, I walked toward the living room. My steps were careful and slow. When I looked around the corner, I saw him: a young boy, maybe four years old, watching cartoons on TV in our living room.<\/p>\n
The boy looked at me without being scared. He smiled and said, \u201cHi.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHello,\u201d I said, but my voice was shaking. \u201cWhat are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cMy name is Jason.\u201d \u201cThis is where I live.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart beat faster. \u201cYou\u2026liv\u2026here?\u201d I told myself over and over, more than I told him. I asked Jason, \u201cWhere are your parents?\u201d<\/p>\n
He pointed in the direction of the hall. \u201cBedroom-wise.\u201d<\/p>\n
I just stood there, frozen in place. How is this possible? I had only been away for three weeks. I needed to know. I had to see my husband Ian.<\/p>\n
My eyes were now fixed on Jason, so I whispered to Emma and Max, \u201cStay here, kids.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ll be back soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was more weight on each step toward the bedroom. As I reached for the doorknob, my hands were shaking. I stopped, took a deep breath, and then opened the door.<\/p>\n
When I looked inside, what I saw made my stomach turn. Ian was having sex with someone else. As if they had seen a ghost, they sprang apart, their eyes wide with shock. The woman, a brunette with soft features, pulled the sheets up to her chest.<\/p>\n
Hi, Julia! Ian stuttered as he got to his feet. Ask yourself, \u201cWhy are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n
I did not reply. I was unable. I quickly looked at both of them and then back to Ian. I didn\u2019t want to scream, cry, or do anything else but stand there in shock.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is her name?\u201d I was finally able to choke out.<\/p>\n
The woman said, \u201cMy name is Sophie,\u201d and her voice was shaking. \u201cI\u2026 I thought\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
I put out my hand to stop her. I yelled, \u201cSave it!\u201d I spoke louder to Ian as I turned around. \u201cWho is she, Ian?\u201d Who is that kid?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ian looked like he was going to pass out. \u201cLet me explain, Julia.\u201d Just please\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExplain!\u201d I stopped him. \u201cExplain what?\u201d That you\u2019ve been telling me lies? That there is another family living in my house?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie looked really scared. \u201cIan told me you were split up!\u201d That you weren\u2019t in the picture!\u201d<\/p>\n
I glared at Ian. \u201cNot in the picture? That\u2019s very nice. I\u2019ve been taking care of my sick mother at my parents\u2019 house for three weeks while you\u2026 you \u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
Ian begged Julia to help him. \u201cLet me talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
I spoke loudly and said, \u201cNo.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t lie anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mind was all over the place as I stormed out of the room. The three of them were still talking to Jason in the living room. I couldn\u2019t stand to look at them right now. I had to get air. I had to think about it.<\/p>\n
When I went outside, the cool air hit my face like a splash of water. As I took out my phone and looked through my contacts, my hands started to shake. I couldn\u2019t think of anyone to call who could help me figure this out.<\/p>\n
Going outside for a breath of fresh air and to think about who to call | Source: Pexels
\nGoing outside for a breath of fresh air and to think about who to call | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n
I had to get myself together and deal with this mess head-on. It hurt like a knife when someone betrayed you. But anger was building up under the pain, ready to explode.<\/p>\n
I could hear Ian\u2019s words inside, trying to explain and defend his actions to the other woman. But there was no reason to do this. Because you lied to me and our kids and broke up our family.<\/p>\n
When I took a few deep breaths, I tried to calm down. For Emma and Max, I had to be strong. I could not let Ian\u2019s deception hurt me.<\/p>\n
I walked back into the house with more purpose than before. Emma and Max looked up at me with wide-open eyes in shock. Little Jason was still sitting on the couch, unaware of the trouble he had let slip.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom?\u201d It was a low voice that Emma asked. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n
I knelt down next to them and tried to smile. \u201cSweetheart, let\u2019s talk about it later.\u201d Let\u2019s go get dinner right now, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
They nodded because they could tell I needed a short break. Even though my mind was still spinning, I led them to the kitchen. With each step, my resolve grew stronger.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t over yet. Not even close.<\/p>\n
Sophie joined me in the kitchen after Ian finally left, pulling his suitcase behind him. She was just as shocked and sad as I was. Sophie did the right thing by telling him to leave the house. The weight of the evening was heavy on us as we sat there in quiet.<\/p>\n
Sophie\u2019s voice broke as she said, \u201cI can\u2019t believe this.\u201d \u201cHe told me you were dead.\u201d That you passed away four years ago. I never didn\u2019t believe him.<\/p>\n
When I shook my head, the pain of betrayal came back. \u201cI don\u2019t get how he could have two lives at once.\u201d It\u2019s not like I knew him at all.<\/p>\n
She looked at me with tears in her eyes. Julie, I\u2019m really sorry. I didn\u2019t know. \u201cIf only I knew\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
I spoke more softly and said, \u201cIt\u2019s not your fault.\u201d \u201cHe lied to both of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Together, we drank a bottle of wine, which made our pain less sharp. We talked and cried together, and it was strangely comforting to be with each other. We were both broken by the betrayal, but in that breaking, a weak bond started to form.<\/p>\n
Over the course of the night, Sophie said something that made me more determined. \u201cI found a dating site a while ago.\u201d Ian was on it, but he went by a different name. I was afraid to talk to him about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cA dating profile?\u201d I asked as I stood up straighter.<\/p>\n
Sophie said \u201cyes.\u201d \u201cYes.\u201d \u201cI had no idea what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
I got a lot of energy and an idea started to form. \u201cHe needs to pay for what he did.\u201d Let\u2019s make a fake account. A picture of Brian, Ian\u2019s boss, and Lisa, his wife, will be used. We\u2019ll get Ian to talk about something embarrassing and get him to tell us all of his dirty secrets.<\/p>\n
Sophia looked at me with hope and uncertainty in her eyes. \u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter that, we send everything to Brian.\u201d He should take care of Ian.<\/p>\n
We worked on our plan over the next few days. When we made the profile, we chose pictures of Lisa that would make Ian want to connect with her. His first bite came right away.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Ian swallowed the bait whole. He thought he was talking to Brian\u2019s wife, so he started talking badly about Brian and telling him all kinds of private and embarrassing things. When he decided to meet at a hotel, that was the last straw.<\/p>\n
We sent Brian pictures of everything along with a note telling him who we were and why we were doing this. The answer came quickly.<\/p>\n
Ian was called into a meeting with Brian and fired right then and there for being so dishonest and untrustworthy. When he went back to pack his things, he looked like he had lost.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did this,\u201d he said in a mean voice.<\/p>\n
I looked him in the eye and spoke softly. \u201cIan, you hurt yourself.\u201d Leave my house now.<\/p>\n
Sophie and I found comfort in each other after Ian left our lives. We helped each other deal with our feelings and focused on getting our lives back on track.<\/p>\n
As the days went by, our friendship grew stronger, and the pain we both felt became a source of strength. We were no longer fooled by Ian\u2019s lies; we were now survivors who were stronger together.<\/p>\n
This work is based on real people and events, but it has been made up for artistic reasons. To protect privacy and make the story better, names, characters, and circumstances have been changed. Any similarity to real people, living or dead, or real events is completely accidental and not on purpose by the author.<\/p>\n
thecelebritist.com is the source.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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