After I Caught My Fiancé Cheating On My Birthday

In our circle, I'm known as the tolerant one. I've been with Joshua Henry for over a decade, and no matter how he acted outside our relationship, I always chose to look the other way. But on my birthday, he crossed a line—he brought some new college girl into our home.

I was so furious my face burned, tears spilling down my cheeks. Joshua brushed them away with his thumb, a lazy smirk on his face. "Sadie, you're pushing thirty. Quit acting like a child."

"Oh—and close the door on your way out, would you?"

At Thanksgiving dinner, his friends were taking bets on how long I'd put up with it this time. Joshua just swirled his drink and said, "Sadie's a patient woman. She'll be back in three days, tops."

What Joshua never understood was that women like me can put up with things for a while, but eventually, we crave a stable home life.

On my birthday, I left work early, loaded down with groceries, and headed back to the house Joshua and I shared near downtown. When I opened the door, the living room was pitch-black—not a single light on. I figured he was still stuck in meetings at the office, so I started stocking the fridge with everything I needed for pulled pork sandwiches and spiced honey cake.

Then I heard strange noises coming from the study upstairs. A chilling fear gripped me, cold sweat trickling down my spine—I thought a burglar might have broken in. I grabbed a book off the table and crept upstairs. Taking a deep breath, I suddenly twisted the doorknob.

The room was wall-to-wall plush carpet, the AC cranked up high, and some indescribably weird smell hung in the air. Joshua was lounging in a chair, leaning back, his handsome face slick with sweat. Caught off guard by my sudden entrance, he looked annoyed. "Ever heard of knocking?"

I waved the book in my hand and couldn't help but let out a dry laugh. "I didn't know you were home. I heard noises and thought we had a break-in."

Joshua stayed seated, but his tone softened. "If there's ever an intruder, call me right away. Coming up here with a book is a good way to get yourself hurt."

"All right, all right, got it."

I walked over to him, teasing him about whether he'd gotten me a birthday gift. That's when I heard a rustling sound from under the big desk. A girl crawled out, looking shaken.

I'd heard Joshua was chasing some top student from the music department—she was known for being proud and had turned him down more than once. Now here she was, standing right in front of me.

She couldn't have been older than twenty—innocent face, porcelain skin, and an almost ethereal beauty. Her wrinkled Victorian-style dress said it all about what had just happened.

Joshua caught my stunned expression and twisted his lips into a playful grin. "Seen enough?"

"If you're done, do me a favor and close the door on your way out."