01 I was scrolling through a Reddit thread: 【What’s the most surprisingly wholesome thing you’ve ever done for love?】 A comment from a user with a familiar avatar caught my eye: 【My girlfriend loves to… play with my backdoor. I was always worried about the smell, so I started secretly spraying my wife’s perfume back there before we’d meet up…】 I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. I just quietly went to my bathroom and poured a bottle of concentrated capsaicin extract into that perfume bottle. There. Now my wholesome husband could feel the heat, too. When I first saw that top-voted comment, my world stopped. It wasn't just the shocking content. It was the avatar for the user, “AgainstTheCurrent.” It was a photo of two hands, fingers intertwined. The man’s thumb had a faint scar on it. The position, the shape, the size—it was identical to my husband Leo’s. When our daughter, Chloe, was two, she was a little daredevil. One day she tried to climb the TV stand and came tumbling down, bringing a vase with her. Without a second thought, Leo dove underneath her, breaking her fall. A shard of porcelain sliced deep into his thumb. I remember him gritting his teeth through the pain, but smiling, calling it his “dad medal.” I stared at that scar on the screen, a desperate hope flickering in my chest. Maybe it’s just a coincidence. The world is full of people who look alike. A similar scar isn’t impossible. My heart hammered against my ribs. With a trembling hand, I clicked on “AgainstTheCurrent”’s profile. It was empty. No posts, no history. But I wasn't giving up. When it comes to a cheating husband, every woman becomes Sherlock Holmes. I clicked on his saved posts. My brow furrowed. 【10 Ways to be a 10/10 Boyfriend. Tag your man!】 【Advanced Kegel Exercises for Men: Liftoff in One Week.】 【Do Men Hit a Wall at 40? How to Fight Aging.】 【Style Upgrades That Make an Older Guy Look Younger.】 The more I read, the more certain I became. This had to be Leo. His behavior had been so strange lately. This is a man who used to think moisturizer was a scam, but now he was sneaking into my side of the vanity to use my skincare products. He’d worn the same style of button-down shirt for a decade, but now he was suddenly into fashion blogs and had even changed his hairstyle. Just a few days ago, he’d asked me out of the blue, “Honey, do I seem old to you?” I’d laughed. “You know what they say, men are like fine wine. You’re just hitting your peak.” He didn’t laugh back. He was completely serious, asking me about cosmetic procedures, where to get hair plugs, what treatments could make him look younger. “What’s with the sudden interest in all this?” I’d asked, confused. “It’s for work,” he’d said. “The company’s developing a new men’s cosmetic line. They’re making us do market research.” And I’d believed him. Looking at these saved posts now, it all clicked into place. When a man suddenly becomes terrified of aging, it usually means one thing. He’s fallen for a much younger woman. And he’s scared he can’t keep up. 02 I opened “AgainstTheCurrent”’s follow list. Among the handful of mutual follows, one username immediately stood out: “SweetDreamsAlways.” The IP address was the same as his. I clicked on her profile. The sickeningly sweet stench of a new romance hit me like a physical blow. Her page was full of posts. Each one made my stomach churn. 【Little moments: He’s in a serious meeting, but under the table, he’s secretly tracing circles on my palm. I give him a look, and he pretends he’s innocent! After the meeting, he made me stay behind to “organize the notes”… then locked the door and demanded a hug as punishment for ignoring him. The older they get, the needier they are~】 【Does anyone else get this? The jealous older man is the cutest thing! I was just chatting with a coworker for a few minutes today, and he got so pouty. Pulled me right into his office… ?】 【What’s it like dating a ‘dad’ type? Answer: Getting spoiled like a little girl! We were at a business dinner, and while all these executives were talking about million-dollar deals, he remembered to order me a plate of sliders with extra cheese! He spent the whole time making small talk with clients while piling food onto my plate. The client finally laughed and said, ‘Looks like you brought your kid to dinner!’】 【Hehe, who else’s almost-40-year-old boyfriend has this much energy? After a few drinks at a work event, he was all over me, whining about how soft I was… and then in the car… let’s just say a thousand words are missing here…】 I scrolled numbly, my vision blurring. Finally, I found it. The post about the perfume. 【My fanfiction dreams have come true! I can’t believe my super serious, conservative older man would do this for me… I’m crying ?… He said he was worried I wouldn’t like his natural scent, so he makes sure to get all fragrant for me before we meet… That kind of careful, gentle love just gets me right in the feels!】 “AgainstTheCurrent” had liked every single post. Fighting back nausea, I scoured her entire account, including the comments, searching for any clue to her identity. Nothing. No pictures of her face, no personal information. Just an endless stream of nauseating flirtation. But based on her references to “the office,” “business dinners,” and “coworkers,” I was almost certain of one thing. If “AgainstTheCurrent” was Leo, then this woman was his colleague. Her tone was childish, her posts desperate to show the world how she was being spoiled by an older man. She was young. Definitely young. My mind raced, cycling through every young woman in Leo’s department. He was the Director of Marketing. He had a whole team of young, ambitious women working under him. Any one of them could be her. As my thoughts devolved into chaos, I heard a key turn in the front door. Leo was home. 03 Leo walked in humming a cheesy love song that was all over TikTok, a smile playing on his lips. He looked happy. Genuinely happy. I hadn’t seen him like that in a long time. He walked toward me, and a faint, familiar scent hit my nose. It was the gardenia perfume I’d just opened a few days ago. I shoved down the storm brewing inside me and kept my face neutral. “Hey, hon. No working late tonight?” He pulled a bouquet of roses from behind his back. “Honey, did you forget? It’s our anniversary!” Then, like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, he produced a small velvet box from his pocket. Inside was a delicate diamond bracelet. “Do you like it? I picked it out just for you.” I didn’t look at the flowers or the bracelet. I just stared straight into his eyes. “That’s funny. Fifteen years of marriage, and this is the first time you’ve remembered our anniversary. Why the sudden effort…” I paused, my voice dropping to a whisper. “Unless you did something you’re not supposed to, and this is your way of buying my silence?” The smile on Leo’s face froze. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by defensive anger. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” His voice shot up, as if a higher volume could mask his guilt. “I do something nice for you, I try to surprise you, and this is the thanks I get? You’re always so suspicious! Fine, don’t take it!” He slammed the jewelry box down on the coffee table with a loud thwack. I watched him calmly. “You’re overreacting. Did I hit a nerve?” “You’re unbelievable! I can’t even talk to you!” Leo’s eyes darted around the room, refusing to meet mine. He practically fled, grabbing his pajamas from the armchair. “I’m taking a shower!” That guilty back was all the confirmation I needed. Soon, the sound of running water filled the apartment. I walked quickly into our bedroom. His phone was sitting on the nightstand. I picked it up, my fingers flying as I entered the familiar password. I scanned his messages, checking every female colleague. Nothing but dry, work-related conversations. No terms of endearment, no flirty emojis. I checked his Amazon history, his Uber Eats orders. Nothing. How is that possible? For a second, I doubted myself. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe “AgainstTheCurrent” isn’t him after all. The sound of the shower turned off. Time was up. I quickly put the phone back where I found it and returned to the living room couch, my mind racing. 04 It was late. Beside me, Leo’s steady breathing filled the dark room. I stared at the ceiling, wide awake. I replayed the last few months in my head. We were high school sweethearts, married right after college. Our daughter, Chloe, was twelve now. Fifteen years. We were the model couple in our friend group, the ones people pointed to as proof that true love existed. Leo’s life was an open book. His world consisted of work, me, and Chloe. He had no female friends to speak of. His phone password was my birthday. His lock screen was a picture of me and Chloe. I knew the passwords to all his bank accounts. He never hid anything from me, and I never felt the need to check. Until last year, when he was promoted to Director of Marketing. Suddenly, late nights and business trips became the norm. But he was always transparent, telling me his schedule in advance, sharing his location, and sending pictures from his hotel room. He’d even bring back little souvenirs for Chloe. If it hadn’t been for that avatar, the word “cheating” would have never crossed my mind in connection with Leo. But there was no “if.” The scar was the same. The perfume was the same. The IP address was the same. I couldn’t lie to myself any longer. This was not a coincidence. Luckily, I had a spy on the inside. 05 The next morning, I texted Cassie, asking if she wanted to grab lunch at the cafe downstairs from her office building. She agreed immediately. Cassie was the daughter of Leo’s childhood best friend, Dave. Our families were close; we’d even bought houses in the same neighborhood. Dave was a few years older than Leo but had married young. Cassie, a senior in college, was stressing about finding an internship. Leo had pulled some strings and gotten her a position at his company. I’d practically watched her grow up. I arrived at the cafe early. A few minutes later, Cassie came jogging in, slightly out of breath. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was wearing a simple white sundress, her high ponytail bouncing as she moved. She radiated youth. “Auntie! Sorry, have you been waiting long?” Her eyes lit up when she saw the food I’d already ordered. “Wow! Short rib tacos and truffle fries! My favorites! You’re the best!” She grabbed a fry, popped it in her mouth, and fanned her tongue. “Ooh, hot, hot!” I managed a weak smile. “Take your time, no one’s going to steal it. How’s the internship going? Are you settling in okay?” She made a face, complaining through a mouthful of food. “Ugh, don’t even ask. The company just landed a huge new client, and everyone is going crazy. We’re working overtime every single day. Uncle Leo is the busiest of all. I haven’t had a proper lunch break in days…” My heart sank. Was it possible he really was just busy with work? Was I just being paranoid? Cassie took a long sip of her iced tea. “So, Auntie, what’s up? You wanted to see me about something?” I hesitated, then lowered my voice. “Cassie, I wanted to ask you… at the office… have you noticed Leo getting close to any of the other women? Especially one of the younger ones?” She tilted her head, putting on a show of deep thought. After a few seconds, she shook her head firmly. “Nope! Uncle Leo is super serious at work. He’s always got his game face on. Honestly, everyone’s a little scared of him. No one would dare get too close.” She saw the worried look on my face and seemed to guess what I was thinking. “Auntie, you’re not thinking that Uncle Leo is…” She didn’t say the word, but we both knew. She rushed to reassure me. “That’s impossible! He’s famous in the office for being a devoted husband. He’s always talking about ‘my wife’ and ‘my daughter.’ All the other women are so jealous of you!” Looking at her innocent, earnest face, I couldn’t bring myself to mention the Reddit post. I forced a laugh and made an excuse. “Oh, it’s nothing. He’s just been acting a little different lately. I was just curious.” Cassie patted her chest dramatically. “Don’t you worry, Auntie. You’ve got me watching him for you! I won’t let any hussy get within ten feet of Uncle Leo!” Her confident declaration eased some of my tension. I gave her a grateful smile. “Okay. Thanks, Cassie. I’d appreciate you keeping an eye out.” 06 After we finished eating, Cassie glanced at her phone. “Oops, break’s almost over. I’ve gotta run, Auntie!” I nodded and reached for my purse. And in that split second, disaster struck. As Cassie turned to leave, a waiter carrying a tray rushed past her. She didn’t see him. CRASH! With a startled yelp, the entire glass of orange juice on his tray went flying, soaking the front of her white dress. The waiter, pale with shock, stammered apologies while I grabbed napkins, trying to help her clean up the mess. But as my fingers brushed against her collarbone, I froze. Around her neck was a necklace. The pendant was a unique design of two interlocking rings, studded with tiny diamonds. That design… I would never, ever mistake it. It was an exact match to the bracelet Leo had given me the night before.
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