I anticipated conflict when I went to see my ailing mother-in-law to give my weary husband a respite. However, I couldn’t have been prepared for what I discovered. She wasn’t even ill. And my world fell apart when she told me the truth. Because where had Jacob gone if he wasn’t spending every night with her?
How could that be? I pondered.
Jacob had been coming here every night. That’s what he told me, anyway.
But I had a horrifying conclusion as I looked at my mother-in-law, who was in wonderful health. There was a
Jacob and I have been wed for eight years. Long enough to realize that I was never the biggest admirer of his mother, Linda.
She made it apparent from away that I wasn’t suitable for her son.
She wished for him to wed a more elegant, wealthy, and attractive woman. Not me.
I did everything I could to win her over over the years. She always made me feel like an outsider, but I ignored it, played nice, brought gifts on holidays, and smiled through backhanded compliments.
But it was never enough, no matter what I did.
Jacob and I finally agreed that I should just keep my distance. Less drama, less contact.
Then, one month ago, Jacob sat me down with an oddly serious look on his face.
Carol, Mom is ill. I’m needed by her.
My heart skipped a beat at what he said. Despite our disagreements, I felt sorry for her since I knew she was struggling on her own.
He continued by saying that she was very ill. Scarcely able to go around and too feeble to cook.
And he was her only family, in spite of everything. He took care of her by driving an hour to the next town over every night after work.
I didn’t voice any complaints. How was I able to?
He was a decent son.
And truthfully? I felt bad for not seeing how she was doing personally.
However, something changed last week.
Jacob looked very worn out when he got home. Not simply worn out. Totally exhausted.
His eyes were bloodshot and his face looked pallid. He groaned as if every muscle in his body hurt, kicked off his shoes, and fell into the couch.
He muttered, already half asleep, “I just need an hour, babe.” “Then I’m going to Mom’s.”
I saw him strain to maintain eye contact. He had ran out of gas.
Something changed inside of me at that point.
I felt terrible. He was taking care of his mother every night while working full-time. It was unfair.
So I decided while he was sleeping.
I picked up some groceries, grabbed my handbag, and drove to Linda’s house, bracing myself for the customary cold reception.
I convinced myself that her rudeness didn’t matter. She was ill. She required assistance.
I braced myself and knocked on her door.
The door then swung open.
And everything in my universe fell apart.
Linda was standing there all right.
Not ill. Not feeble.
Not even jammies were on her. She had just had her nails done, cosmetics on, and was all clothed.
She started crying before I could even comprehend that.
She clutched my hands as she cried, “Oh my God.” “What happened, Carol? It’s been three months since I last saw Jacob! Is he alright?
My body went frigid all over. When I left the goods on her doorstep, I was completely unaware of it.
“What?” I muttered. “You mean that you haven’t seen him?”
Linda looked as perplexed as I did as she wiped away her tears.
“I— I believed he had experienced something! He stopped coming to see me a few months ago! He refuses to take my calls. won’t even reply to my text—
My heart stopped beating.
No. No, no, no.
I shook my head and added, “He told me he’s been coming here every single night.” “He informed me that you were ill and required assistance!”
She twisted her face in surprise.
“Is ill? I’m all right! I spend every weekend at my gardening club! What’s going on, Carol?
I took a step back and shook my head. This was all illogical.
Every night after work, Jacob had begun taking the car out. I saw him go. I could hear the weariness in his voice. His face even showed it to me.
All this time, had he been lying?
I forced myself to remain calm and swallowed hard. Carol, think. Consider.
Then, with trembling hands, I took out my phone and called Jacob.
Once, it rang. Then twice.
Directly to voicemail.
I gave it another go.
voicemail.
A profound, stomach-churning fear descended upon me. There was a problem.
I turned to face Linda. She continued to cry.
There was only one meaning to that. He hadn’t been going to see his mom. It had been months since he had visited.
I inhaled deeply and steadily before deciding.
My voice was eerily calm as I said, “Don’t tell him I was here.” “Please.”
Linda gave a nod. “All right… I hope all is ok.
I hurried back to my car after turning.
It was a blur on the way home.
I clenched my fists around the wheel until my knuckles were white. Every possibility—an affair, a gambling problem, a second job—ran through my head.
However, nothing made sense.
Lying was not Jacob’s style. I didn’t believe he was, anyway.
However, I never imagined that he would lie about this.
I had a thought halfway home. An imprudent, impetuous, and desperate idea.
There was only one way to learn where Jacob had been going if he hadn’t been going to see his mother all this time. I parked two blocks from our house and waited there rather than heading directly home.
Hours passed while my fingers pounded nervously on the steering wheel.
Then Jacob’s vehicle backed out of our driveway at precisely 9:15 p.m.
My breath caught. He’s there.
I turned on the engine and followed him, my pulse racing.
I followed him at a safe distance and drove quietly. Naturally, he didn’t go in the direction of Linda’s town.
He headed in the other direction.
After half an hour, he entered a peaceful suburban area.
I parked down the street and watched with my stomach in knots.
Jacob arrived at a small, unassuming house. left. walked over to the door.
twice knocked.
And then, without hesitation, he entered. I didn’t know who owned this house. And I certainly wasn’t prepared to learn.
As I reached for my phone, my hands shook.
My initial reaction was to call him, insist on an explanation, and force him to come out and confront me. However, I stopped myself.
I have to see the reality. I had to witness it for myself.
I got out of the car before I could talk myself out of it. As I ascended the path, my legs felt unsteady.
I knocked.
Twice.
The door then sprang open.
There stood a woman in her mid-thirties. She was really attractive in her PJ pants and sweatshirt, and she had blond hair.
When she spotted me, her eyes grew wide.
Before I could comprehend her response, a young boy appeared behind her.
He was no more than five years old.
He also had the eyes of Jacob. Jacob’s hair.
Jacob came into view at that point and noticed me.
Carol? What are you doing here, Carol? He inquired.
I looked at my spouse, then at the woman, then at the young boy.
All of a sudden, everything made sense.
The fatigue. the late evenings. the separation between us.
Jacob hadn’t been tending to his mother’s illness.
Here he had been.
alongside them.
I was numb. I felt as though I was floating outside of myself, seeing a scene that belonged in a soap opera, my body and mind separated.
“You have a son?” It hardly sounded like my own words.
Jacob opened his mouth, but he didn’t make a sound.
The woman stared between us, her expression stunned, and I suddenly realized that she must have been his ex-girlfriend.
“You didn’t tell her?” she muttered.
I gave a tremulous laugh.
Jacob said a falsehood. To my face, he lied.
I looked across at the woman. “Were you aware of his marital status?”
She paused. Then she nodded, looking guilty.
“I… I was aware of you. However, Jacob claimed that you were aware of him. She glanced at the boy, who continued to hold her leg.
A new wave of treachery swept over me.
There was a whole second life for Jacob. a youngster who is hidden. A hidden house. An additional family.
I had been sitting at home in the meantime, thinking he was a decent son and feeling terrible for him.
I wanted to shout and start throwing stuff at that point, but I refrained.
I smiled and uttered two words instated.
I told the woman to keep him.
I turned and left after that. I didn’t turn around.
Even though it was one of the most difficult nights of my life, I learned that I needed to stand up for myself. I couldn’t allow one man to destroy my entire life.
So the next morning, I filed for divorce. The man I believed to be my husband was someone I was certain I wanted to get rid of.
Jacob quickly crawled back, pleading for another opportunity, but I was done. I informed him that a man who betrayed me in this way without hesitation was not someone I could live with.
He persisted in pleading with me to give him the opportunity to justify his decision to help that mother and his child. I wasn’t in the mood for explanations, but he said stuff like “they needed me” and “It’s not like I don’t love you.”
Not right now.
Not after I had discovered the reality.
I wish to share one item with everyone. Trust your instincts if you ever feel that something is off. Don’t disregard the indications that you need to learn more.
Listen to your intuition.
Here’s another story you might love if you liked this one: Youngsters are incapable of lying. Laura, Lisa’s mother, froze when Lisa, then five, answered her father’s phone and said, “I can’t keep secrets from Mommy.” The search for the devastating truth started when she picked up the phone and heard what she heard next.
Although this work has been fictionalized for artistic reasons, it is based on actual individuals and events. To preserve privacy and improve the story, names, characters, and specifics have been altered. Any likeness to real people—living or dead—or real events is entirely accidental and not the author’s intention.
The publisher and author disclaim all liability for any misunderstanding and offer no guarantees regarding the veracity of events or character portrayals. The opinions contained in this narrative are those of the characters and do not represent the author’s or publisher’s perspectives. It is presented “as is.”
