The Night I Caught Him Cheating on Me

He kept tapping on his phone, barely noticing me.

“Bobby.”

He stopped, finally turning to look at me.

“When are we going to have the church wedding, Bobby?”

A flicker of panic crossed his face before he forced a smile. “Nicole, be patient, okay? I’m really busy right now. Once things settle down, we’ll do it.”

But he didn’t realize how forced that smile looked, how hollow his words sounded.

“I’ve been waiting a year for this wedding,” I said softly.

He stayed silent, his gaze shifting away.

“Bobby… are you still planning to marry me?”

He hesitated. “Nicole, I’m just… really tired tonight.”

“Are you just tired tonight, or… tired of being with me?”

His hand tightened around the doorframe, but he didn’t answer.

I couldn’t tell if I’d guessed correctly or if he was just holding back his frustration. For ten long seconds, we stood in silence. I stared at his broad back, feeling a strange detachment creep over me.

Was this the same Bobby I’d known seven years ago?

He finally closed the door and, in a rare move, lay down beside me. He reached over, gently rubbing my head—a gesture that felt both deliberate and distant.

“Nicole, what’s on your mind?” he asked softly.

I looked at him, expressionless, feeling the weight of everything left unsaid. I wanted to stay in this moment, to cling to the comfort of pretending, as if I didn’t know the truth lurking between us. But the memory of their messages flashed in my mind, and instinctively, I pushed him away.

He looked at me, shocked. Normally, I’d melt into his arms, eager to tell him about my day in that playful, teasing way he always loved. But now, a wall had formed between us, one I didn’t know how to dismantle.

In a rare show of tenderness, he wrapped his arms around me and pressed a kiss on my forehead.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’ve neglected you lately.”

Bobby’s phone kept buzzing, his fingers twitching toward the screen. Just as he was about to reply, I reached out and held his hand. For some reason, he gestured to his mouth, a flicker of discomfort in his eyes. In the dim light, his expression was hard to read, and for a moment, I wished I could see him more clearly—to know if any trace of guilt crossed his face.

He leaned in to kiss me, but his lips barely brushed mine, held tight, as though he couldn’t bear to linger. He pulled back immediately. I let out a bitter laugh, realizing how easily he mistook my sadness for a forgiving smile.

“Nicole, be good,” he murmured, gently.

I nodded, my throat thick with tears I could barely suppress. “Go to sleep,” I whispered, turning away.

As I shifted, I caught the sound of his quiet sigh, one of relief, as though he had just passed through a storm. The tears finally spilled, silently falling as I lay there, wide awake, through the night.

I listened to the soft taps of his typing. Near dawn, I heard the faint hum of a video call.

“Bob…” came her voice, sounding fragile and hurt, laced with a practiced sweetness that cut through the dark room.

I felt Bobby’s gaze on me and quickly closed my eyes, feigning sleep. He hesitated, then, believing I was asleep, he let his guard down. It was past three in the morning, and the quiet confidence in his voice stung.

“Bob, you promised me you'd only hold her, not touch me anymore,” her voice whined softly through the call.

“We’re very far apart,” he reassured her gently.

“I don’t believe you! Show me, show me how far you are!”

There was a gentleness in his voice I hadn’t heard in so long. I didn’t turn around, but I could feel him move, shifting the quilt between us. The chill crept across my back, and I bit down hard, forcing myself to stay still, to keep my shoulders from betraying my shaking heart.