I never thought a simple surprise visit would shatter everything I believed about my 28-year marriage. My name is Gerald, I’m 56, and until that Thursday afternoon in October, I thought I knew my wife, Lauren, better than anyone. It started as an innocent idea.
Lauren, the CEO of Meridian Technologies, had been pulling 12 and 14-hour days. I’d been making dinner for one for too many nights, eating alone while she texted updates about board meetings. That morning, she’d rushed out without her coffee, and I thought bringing her a latte and a sandwich might brighten her day.
The downtown office building gleamed in the autumn sun. I’d only been to Lauren’s office a handful of times; she always said it was easier to keep work and home separate. I walked through the glass doors, feeling oddly nervous.
A security guard sat behind a desk, his nameplate reading “William.”
“Good afternoon,” I said with a smile. “I’m here to see Lauren Hutchins. I’m her husband, Gerald.”
William looked up, his expression shifting from professional courtesy to confusion.
“You said you’re Mrs. Hutchins’s husband?” His voice made my stomach tighten. “Yes, that’s right,” I said, holding up the lunch bag.
William’s expression changed completely. He laughed, a genuine, bewildered laugh that echoed through the lobby. “Sir, I’m sorry, but I see Mrs.
Hutchins’s husband every day. He just left about 10 minutes ago.” He gestured toward the elevators. “There he is now, coming back.”
I turned and watched a tall, confident man in an expensive charcoal suit stride through the lobby.
He was younger than me, maybe in his mid-40s. He nodded to William with familiar ease. “Afternoon, Bill.
Lauren asked me to grab those files from the car.”
“No problem, Mr. Sterling.”
Frank Sterling. I knew the name from Lauren’s work stories—her vice president.
My hands felt numb around the coffee cup. William was looking between Frank and me, confused. “I’m sorry, sir, but are you sure you’re Mrs.
Hutchins’s husband? Because Mr. Sterling here is married to her.”
The words hit me like physical blows.
Married to her. Frank paused, and when his eyes met mine, I saw recognition. He knew exactly who I was.
“Is there a problem here?” Frank’s voice was smooth, controlled. Every instinct screamed at me to explode, but a deeper wisdom told me to play along. “Oh, you must be Frank,” I said, my voice steady.
“Lauren’s mentioned you. I’m Gerald, a friend of the family. I was just dropping off some documents.”
Frank’s shoulders relaxed slightly.
“I can make sure she gets whatever you brought.”
I handed over the lunch. “Just tell her Gerald stopped by.”
Back in my car, the world looked the same, but it had fundamentally shifted. Twenty-eight years of marriage, of believing I knew this woman completely.
My phone buzzed. A text from Lauren: Running late again tonight. Don’t wait up.
Love you. The words felt like another lie in a web of deception I’d been blind to. I drove home through streets that suddenly felt foreign.
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