When my husband told me he had a work party to go to, I never suspected anything untoward until I received a call that made me stop in my tracks! What I heard on the other line had me grabbing my car keys to confront him and packing his things the next day!
You’d think after ten years of marriage, I’d know my husband, Brian, inside out. But last week, I learned that even a decade together can’t shield you from betrayal—or the satisfaction of watching karma deliver a perfect punch!
A serious-looking woman | Source: Midjourney
It started innocently enough. On a Thursday evening, Brian walked through the door humming a tune, a rare spring in his step. “Big news!” he announced. “The company’s throwing a work party tomorrow night, a team bonding thing. Strictly employees.”
He kissed my forehead and dropped his briefcase on the floor.
“It’s going to be boring, so don’t worry about coming. Just numbers talk and small talk.”
I raised an eyebrow.
A suspicious woman | Source: Midjourney
Brian wasn’t exactly the party type. His idea of fun was watching golf on TV, but I shrugged it off.
“Fine by me,” I said, my mind already spinning through tomorrow’s tasks.
The next morning, Brian was sweeter than usual. Too sweet, if I’m honest. While I cooked breakfast, he came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and murmured, “You know you’re amazing, right?”
“What’s all this?” I asked with a laugh. “Trying to earn brownie points?”
“Maybe.” He handed me his favorite white shirt, the one with the annoying button that always came loose.
A happy man holding a shirt | Source: Midjourney
“Can you iron this for me? And, oh, while I’m gone, could you make lasagna? The one with the extra cheese? You know how much I love it.”
“Anything else, Your Highness?” I teased.
“Actually, yes.” He winked while looking smug. “Could you clean and tidy up the bathrooms? You know I like the place spotless. And it wouldn’t hurt to get them spick and span just in case… guests, you know?”
I rolled my eyes but laughed along. My husband had his quirks, and for all his little diva requests, I thought he was harmless. If only I’d known…
A woman laughing | Source: Midjourney
That day, I threw myself into my chores. The vacuum buzzed, the washing machine churned, and the smell of baking lasagna filled the house. My cleaning playlist kept me company, and for a while, life felt… normal.
I was so deep into my work that I didn’t even notice the day had gone by until my phone rang.
The number was unfamiliar, and for a split second, I toyed with ignoring it, not wanting to be disturbed. But I picked it up anyway. “Hello?”
At first, all I could hear was music, noise, and muffled laughter. I frowned, thinking it might be a prank. But then I heard Brian’s voice. Clear as day…
A woman frowning while on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“My wife?” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “She’s probably cooking and scrubbing toilets or something. She’s so predictable! Meanwhile, I’m here with you, my love.”
I then heard a woman giggling, and my stomach sank.
I froze, the phone pressed to my ear as my world tilted on its axis. Then, the line went dead. A second later, a text came through with a single address. No words, just a location. The address wasn’t familiar, but something deep inside me knew. This wasn’t a work party. This wasn’t harmless.
An upset woman staring at her phone | Source: Midjourney
My pulse pounded as I stared at the screen. I had a moment of questioning things like was this real? Could Brian, my Brian, really be this cruel?
I didn’t cry. Not yet. Instead, I threw on a coat, furiously grabbed my keys, and drove straight to the address without thinking twice. The lasagna, which I switched off, could wait. If Brian thought I’d stay home like a clueless fool, he had another thing coming!
I knew that this could all be a prank or something else innocent, but I couldn’t risk not knowing if my husband was really cheating on me. So I had to go see for myself. The GPS led me to a sleek Airbnb on the other side of town.
An angry woman driving | Source: Midjourney
The place screamed “luxury,” with its grand entrance, sparkling windows, and pristine landscaping. A collection of fancy cars was parked in the driveway, and inside, I could see a crowd of people laughing and drinking.
My stomach churned as I scanned the faces. Either Brian was about to get the surprise of his life, or maybe I was. We’d see in a minute. As I walked to the door, a doorman blocked my path, asking, “Can I help you, ma’am?”
A suspicious doorman | Source: Midjourney
Fake smiling, I replied, “Hi, yes, I just came to drop something off for my husband quickly,” I said, gesturing to the toilet brush and cleaner in the bucket I held. Confused, the doorman stared at me and then my bucket.
“Look, he’s the tall guy in the white T-shirt,” I explained.
The doorman didn’t seem convinced but figured I wasn’t harmful, so he stepped aside to let me in. Everyone turned around and stared at me, looking all disheveled from cleaning and cooking, with a bucket in hand.
And then I saw him…
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
My husband stood in the middle of the room, his arm casually draped around a young woman in a tight red dress. He looked more alive than I’d seen him in years, laughing and sipping champagne like he didn’t have a care in the world!
Every part of me wanted to rush over to him and let loose, but another part whispered, “Be smart. Don’t just react. Make it count.” Brian spotted me almost instantly. His face drained of color, and he took a step back, nearly spilling his drink!
A shocked man embracing a woman | Source: Midjourney
“Emily?” he stammered, pulling away from the woman at his side. “What… what are you doing here?”
“Hi, sweetheart,” I said, my voice loud enough for the room to hear. “You left something at home.”
Brian blinked, confused. I reached into the bucket and pulled out rubber gloves, a toilet brush, and a bottle of toilet cleaner I’d brought with me.
“Since you like talking about my cleaning skills, I figured you might need these to clean up this mess you’ve made of our marriage.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The woman in red took a step away from Brian, looking mortified. But I wasn’t done.
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
“You know,” I said, turning to the room, “Brian loves to play the doting husband at home. But as you can see, he’s more interested in playing house with whoever strokes his ego.”
“Emily,” Brian said, his voice low and desperate. “Can we go outside and talk?”
“Oh no,” I said sharply. “You didn’t care about privacy when you were mocking me behind my back. Why start now?”
An angry woman | Source: Midjourney
I turned to the crowd, addressing them like an audience at a theater.
“Enjoy the party, everyone. Just remember: if he cheats with you, he’ll cheat on you!”
And with that, I dropped the bucket near his feet and walked out, my heels clicking against the marble floor. But as I reached my car, my phone buzzed again. The same unknown number.
A woman looking at her phone | Source: Midjourney
“You deserve to know the truth,” the message read. “I’m sorry it had to be this way.”
My hands trembled as I called the number. I realized I never bothered to find out who had given me the tip and why. Was it a woman Brian cheated with who now felt spiteful? Or perhaps someone who wanted him for themselves?
Heck! For all I knew, it could’ve been the woman Brian was with, trying to put a spanner in the works so she could get him for herself.
The phone didn’t ring long before a woman answered. “Hello?”
A woman on a call | Source: Midjourney
“Who is this?” I demanded.
“My name’s Valerie,” she said after a pause. “I… used to work with Brian.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because someone had to,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration. “I’ve been watching him lie and cheat for months. Bragging about you, laughing about how ‘easy’ it is to fool you. It made me sick.”
I swallowed hard. “How did you even get my number?”
A woman on a call | Source: Midjourney
“I left the company a month ago for greener pastures after working to secure the venue for the office party,” she admitted. “But before I quit, I saw what kind of man he is. I found your number in the emergency contact database. I know it was wrong, but you needed to know. My husband, Ted, was the same way. I left him two years ago and vowed never to stand by and see the same thing happen to another woman.”
Her words hit me like a freight train.
A shocked woman on a call | Source: Midjourney
“I got another female colleague to attend the party and shadow Brian, at the opportune moment, she called you and let you hear him berate you before giving me back my phone. I’ve been hiding outside the venue in my car, waiting for you to arrive and confront him once and for all. You deserved the truth, Emily.”
I should’ve been angry—should’ve felt violated—but all I felt was gratitude.
“Thank you,” I whispered before hanging up. I was ready to go home and lick my wounds and felt it pointless to meet Valerie. She’d played her part, and now it was time for me to play mine.
An angry woman in her car | Source: Midjourney
The next morning, I woke up with a clarity I hadn’t felt in years! Brian’s belongings were packed and waiting outside the door. When he came home last night, his key wouldn’t fit the lock because I put a keyhole cover we had in the house.
I don’t know and don’t care where he slept last night. His phone buzzed with a single text from me that morning: “Enjoy.”
A shocked man after looking at his phone | Source: Midjourney
And for the first time in a long time, I smiled. Not because of revenge, but because I finally took back control of my life. Divorce was the next thing on my to-do list that day, and I couldn’t wait to take him for all he’s worth!
A happy woman sitting at home | Source: Midjourney
If that story was up your alley, then you might like the next one about a wife who suspected her husband of cheating when he suddenly insisted on sleeping in the car. One night, she followed him and discovered something more disturbing than just cheating…
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
My Parents Abandoned Me and My Younger Siblings When I Was 15 — Years Later They Knocked on My Door Smiling
Tori’s world shatters when her cruel parents abandon her and her two little brothers, leaving them to fend for themselves. Years later, just as she begins to rebuild her life, her estranged parents knock on her door, smiling as if nothing happened. Why have they returned now, after all these years, and what do they want from Tori?
I watched in shock as my parents rushed around the living room, packing their things. “We’ll call child services, and they’ll take you away,” my father barked.
A senior couple looking out the window | Source: Freepik
My little brothers clung to me, their faces etched with confusion and fear.
“Tori, what’s happening?” Lucas asked with wide, scared eyes.
He was just six, and my heart broke for him.
A girl with her brothers | Source: Midjourney
“I don’t know, Lucas,” I said, hugging him tight. “But it’s going to be okay. I promise.”
The thing was, I was only 15, and I had no idea what was happening.
Ben, who was only five, began crying. “I don’t want to go, Tori. I want to stay with you.”
A child crying | Source: Pexels
My heart ached for my little brothers.
I wanted to protect them, to keep us all together, but I felt so powerless.
The doorbell rang, and my heart sank even further.
A person ringing the doorbell | Source: Pexels
It was the Child Protective Services, just like Dad had threatened.
A woman with a kind face stepped into the living room. She introduced herself, but I didn’t catch her name. My mind was racing too fast.
“I’m here to help,” she said gently. “I know this is hard, but we need to take you somewhere safe.”
A social worker | Source: Pexels
Lucas tightened his grip on me, and I held him close. “Please, don’t take us away,” I begged. “We can stay here, we’ll be good.”
The woman sighed, her eyes sad. “I’m sorry, Tori. It’s not up to me.”
Tears streamed down my face as they led us out of the house.
A sad girl | Source: Midjourney
Lucas and Ben were crying, too, their little hands clutching mine until they were pulled away. I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest.
We were loaded into separate cars, each headed to a different foster home.
I watched my brothers through the car window, their tear-streaked faces disappearing from view.
Sad kids in a car | Source: Midjourney
The drive to my foster home was a blur of tears and confusion.
I kept replaying my father’s cold words in my head, wondering how it had come to this.
How could they just throw us away like that?
A sad girl looking out the car window | Source: Midjourney
The next chapter of my life began at the Thompsons’ foster home, and it was no better.
From the moment I arrived, I felt like an outsider.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson barely looked at me, treating me like a burden rather than a child in need.
An older couple | Source: Freepik
I could feel their cold glances and the way they spoke to me, always short and dismissive.
It was clear I wasn’t wanted.
“Make sure you finish your chores, Tori,” Mrs. Thompson would say, her voice devoid of any warmth.
Dirty dishes in a sink | Source: Pexels
“Yes, ma’am,” I would reply, keeping my head down.
The loneliness was suffocating.
I missed Lucas and Ben terribly and wondered if they were okay or if they missed me, too.
Two brothers | Source: Midjourney
The days dragged on, each one blending into the next, filled with chores and silence.
There was no warmth, no comfort, only the cold indifference of a family that didn’t care.
One day, I couldn’t take it anymore. And so, I decided to run away.
Backshot of a girl wearing a backpack | Source: Pexels
I thought maybe I could find my brothers, or at least find a place where I felt less alone. The first time I ran, I didn’t get far. The police found me and brought me back.
The Thompsons were furious.
“Why do you keep trying to run away?” Mr. Thompson snapped at me. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re causing?”
A serious-looking older man | Source: Freepik
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, but I knew I wasn’t. I just wanted out.
Every time I ran away, the same thing happened. I would be dragged back, scolded, and ignored even more. But I didn’t give up.
One rainy night, I made up my mind. I packed a small bag with the few belongings I had and slipped out the window.
A window stained with drops of rain | Source: Midjourney
Choosing the uncertainty of the streets over the Thompsons’ cold indifference was the hardest decision I ever made.
Life on the streets was harsh and unforgiving. I found temporary refuge in an old, abandoned trailer. It had a broken door and a leaky roof, but it gave me some shelter from the elements.
A girl inside a dilapidated trailer | Source: Midjourney
Every day after that was a struggle.
I worked odd jobs, anything that would pay a few dollars to keep me going. I cleaned cars, carried groceries, and even helped out at a local diner. The money was barely enough, but I was surviving somehow.
The hardest part of it all was not knowing where my brothers were.
A girl wearing her apron | Source: Pexels
I missed Lucas and Ben so much. I visited them whenever I could, but they were moved around so much that it became increasingly difficult.
One day, when I went to visit Ben, the most heartbreaking thing happened.
When I knocked on the door, an unfamiliar face answered.
A woman behind a door | Source: Pexels
“Excuse me, can I see Ben?” I asked.
The woman shook her head. “No, they moved out last week. I think they went to another state.”
My heart sank. “Do you know where they went?” I asked desperately.
A sad girl | Source: Midjourney
She looked at me with pity. “I’m sorry, I don’t.”
I felt like I had failed Ben. I sat on the steps of the house and cried.
I had promised Ben we would be together, and now it felt like that promise was shattered.
A young girl crying | Source: Midjourney
As days turned into weeks, I clung to the hope that I would find my brothers again. Lucas was still in town, and I visited him whenever I could.
But the fear of losing him, too, was always in the back of my mind.
A cute boy | Source: Pexels
Months later, I got a job as a cleaner at a small shop on the outskirts of town. The work was menial, scrubbing floors and cleaning shelves, but it was steady.
Every penny I earned, I saved. I lived frugally, spending only on the essentials.
A girl working as a cleaner | Source: Midjourney
One day, while sweeping the floor, the shop owner, Mr. Jenkins, noticed my hard work. “Tori, you’re a hard worker,” he said. “Have you thought about going back to school?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir. I want to go to college, but money is tight.”
Mr. Jenkins smiled kindly. “Keep saving, and you’ll get there. I believe in you.”
An old man busy working | Source: Pexels
His words gave me hope. I continued to work hard, and eventually, I saved enough to enroll in community college. But balancing work and studies was tough. My days started early with cleaning the shop, and my evenings were filled with classes and homework.
There were times when I felt overwhelmed, but I kept pushing through. I remembered the promise I made to myself and my brothers. I had to make something of myself. I couldn’t let them down.
A girl writing something in her diary | Source: Unsplash
Years passed, and finally, I graduated with a degree in business administration. With my newfound qualifications, I applied for a job as a store assistant at a large clothing store.
Starting at the bottom was challenging, but I was no stranger to hard work. I showed up early, stayed late, and always gave my best.
A shopping store assistant | Source: Pexels
With time, my manager, Ms. Carter, noticed my dedication.
“Tori, you’re doing great work,” she said one day as we restocked shelves together. “I’m promoting you to a supervisor.”
“Thank you, Ms. Carter!” I said, excited and grateful. “I promise I’ll do my best.”
Smiling senior woman | Source: Pexels
As a supervisor, I faced new challenges and responsibilities. I worked hard, learning from mistakes and asking for advice. My efforts paid off, and after a few years, I became the store manager.
But it seemed like fate had decided to test me once again. Just as I was settling into my new apartment, there was a knock on the door.
A person holding a door knocker | Source: Pexels
I opened it to see my parents, Charles and Linda, standing there with suitcases in hand, smiles plastered on their faces as if nothing had ever happened.
“Hello, darling!” my mother said cheerfully.
An older couple on doorstep | Source: Midjourney
I stood there, frozen in disbelief. They had the audacity to show up now after all these years?
“Can we come in?” my father asked, still smiling.
A smiling older man | Source: Pexels
Still in shock, I stepped aside, letting them enter. They sat in the kitchen, a stark silence hanging between us. I made coffee, my mind racing with a thousand questions.
As they sipped their drinks, my mother finally spoke. “We were hoping you could let us stay here for a while, just until we get back on our feet.”
An older woman sitting at the table | Source: Pexels
I stared at her, taken aback. “You want to live with me?”
“Yes,” they both said, almost in unison.
“Why? How did you even find me?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady.
An upset girl sitting at a table | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, sweetie, how does that matter? We are family, and family is supposed to help each other, right?”
I couldn’t contain my anger any longer.
“Oh really?” I snapped. “You haven’t asked a single thing about my brothers since you arrived. You just show up here, expecting me to help you after you abandoned us? Where were your ideas about family helping each other when we were struggling on the streets?”
An angry girl | Source: Pexels
They looked taken aback, but I didn’t give them a chance to respond. I stood up and went upstairs, retrieving an old ten-dollar bill my father had given me years ago. Returning to the kitchen, I handed it to them.
“I hope this helps you as much as it helped me back then. Now, get out of my house and never come back.”
A hand holding a single bill | Source: Pexels
Their smiles faded as the reality of my words sank in. Without another word, they gathered their things and left.
As the door closed behind them, I felt a strange sense of closure. They were gone, and I was finally free.
My past no longer held me back. I was ready for whatever came next.
A girl with a coffee cup looking out the window | Source: Pexels
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’sanother one: Hudson reunites with his parents after 13 years, hoping for a fresh start. But just five minutes after capturing their happy family photo, an unexpected revelation shatters everything.
A person taking a family photo | Source: Pexels
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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