I was caught off guard when my son, Oliver, drew a picture of a grinning man. “He visits Mommy when you’re at work,” he said with childlike innocence. At first, I dismissed it as imagination, but when I noticed a stranger entering our home, I was forced to uncover the truth.
While tidying the dining table, I came across Oliver’s drawing. Most of his artwork was typical for a six-year-old—colorful dinosaurs, our house with an exaggerated chimney, and stick figures of our family. But this picture made my stomach drop.
Among the crayon doodles was a tall figure with unusually long arms and massive hands, dressed in what seemed to be a suit. Its grin was disturbingly wide, stretching across its entire face.
Keeping my voice light, I called out, “Oliver, is this me? Who is this?”
His blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he abandoned his LEGO blocks.
“That’s Mr. Smiles, Daddy! He’s Mommy’s new friend. He comes over when you’re at work.”
My heart pounded. Laura and I had been together for nine years, enduring both hardships and celebrations. The idea of her being unfaithful had never crossed my mind—until now. I tried to shake off the thought. There had to be a logical explanation.
Still, the unease lingered.
“When does he come over?” I asked, striving to keep my tone steady.
Oliver focused on his tower of blocks. “Sometimes in the morning. Sometimes at night. He always makes Mommy and me laugh.” Then, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, he added, “But, Daddy, don’t tell anyone!”
That night, I barely slept. Lying beside Laura, I watched her peaceful expression, once comforting but now tormenting. What was she dreaming about? Who was she dreaming about?
The next afternoon, I left work early and parked down the street. Hours passed as I waited. Then, at 3 p.m., a sleek black car pulled into our driveway.
A tall, wiry man stepped out and strode up to the front door. Even from a distance, I could see Laura’s warm smile as she welcomed him inside. The door shut behind them.
My hands tightened around the steering wheel, leather creaking under my grip.
Maybe I’m imagining things, I told myself. But if I’m not, I have to know the truth.
Determined, I began gathering evidence over the following weeks. I showered Laura with flowers and gifts, hoping to rekindle our connection, but I also documented everything—dinner receipts from places I hadn’t been, hushed phone calls, and more of Oliver’s drawings of “Mr. Smiles.” With each clue, my suspicions grew.
Laura sensed my shift in behavior.
“You seem distant lately,” she remarked, concern in her eyes as she touched my forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”
Her worry only confused me further. If she was hiding something, how could she act so naturally?
“Laura… is there someone else?” I finally asked.
Her brows furrowed in shock before she let out a short laugh. “What? No! How could you even think that?”
I wanted to press further, but all I had was circumstantial proof. I needed undeniable evidence.
That Friday, I pretended to work late and installed a hidden camera on the bookshelf in our living room. From my parked car, I watched the live feed on my phone, my coffee turning cold as I waited.
Right on time, Mr. Smiles arrived. Laura greeted him with the same affectionate smile that once belonged only to me. But then something unexpected happened—my sister walked in, followed by Oliver. More people trickled in—neighbors, friends.
My stomach clenched.
They all knew? Even my own sister?
I watched in stunned silence as Mr. Smiles, now wearing a party hat, juggled oranges for Oliver, making him giggle.
“What the hell is going on?” I muttered, shoving open the car door.
Fueled by anger and confusion, I stormed up the front walk and burst into the house. Conversations halted, the music cut off, and all eyes turned to me.
“You all knew, didn’t you?” My voice shook. “Even Oliver? Even my sister?”
Laura, holding a roll of streamers, paled. “No, wait—”
I turned to Mr. Smiles. “You’ve disrespected me! This is my home, my—”
My words died in my throat as I noticed something on the floor. A banner, not yet hung, gleamed under the light: Happy 10th Anniversary!
The silence was deafening.
Tears welled in Laura’s eyes as she whispered, “You thought I was cheating on you?”
Mr. Smiles cleared his throat. “Sir, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m a wedding planner and party entertainer. Your wife hired me months ago to plan this event—your anniversary celebration.”
Regret crashed over me like a tidal wave.
“I—” My throat tightened. “I didn’t know what to think. Oliver said a man kept coming over, that he made you laugh…”
Laura’s voice trembled with hurt. “Because he did magic tricks for Oliver while we planned the party! I wanted to do something special for you, and you assumed the worst?”
Shame burned through me as the guests began filing out, murmuring awkward goodbyes. My sister squeezed my shoulder. “Fix this,” she whispered.
Oliver, sensing the tension, looked frightened, so Laura’s mother took him upstairs. When we were finally alone, Laura sank onto the couch, streamers pooling around her feet.
“I spent months planning this,” she murmured. “I wanted it to be perfect. Like our first anniversary, when you surprised me with a picnic in the park. I wanted to do something just as special.”
I sat beside her but left space between us. “And I ruined it.”
“Yes,” she said bluntly. “You did.”
I swallowed hard. “I let my fears take over. Can you ever forgive me?”
Laura wiped away a tear, h