When you love someone, you trust them. That’s how it should be, right?
At least, that’s what I believed in my marriage to Liam. For three years, I never doubted him. I had no reason to. Until his birthday came around—and everything I thought I knew about love, marriage, and friendship shattered in an instant.
Liam’s birthday was approaching, and I had been secretly planning a beautiful surprise for him. I wanted it to be special. But days before, he casually dropped a bombshell.
“I won’t be here for my birthday,” he said, zipping up his suitcase. “There’s an urgent business trip I can’t refuse.”
I frowned. “But it’s your birthday, Liam. Can’t they reschedule?”
He sighed, shaking his head. “You know how it is, Trina. We have to afford our lifestyle. I promise, we’ll celebrate when I get back.”
That phrase—“afford our lifestyle”—always came up when Liam had to put work before us. It stung, but what could I say?
“Fine,” I muttered, trying to hide my disappointment.
The night before his trip, he called a cab. As he was about to get in, he waved. “I’ll see you Sunday evening!” Then he shut the door and was gone.
The next morning, as I made breakfast, my phone rang. It was my mother, cheerful as always.
“Happy birthday to Liam!” she said. “What do you two have planned?”
I sighed. “Nothing, Mom. He had to leave for work.”
“Oh, that’s a shame. Since you’re free, why don’t you come shopping with me?”
I agreed, and soon we were hopping from store to store, looking for a baby shower gift for her friend’s daughter.
After a long day, we were starving. “Let’s grab some food,” my mom suggested. She led the way toward a cozy restaurant near the mall.
Then she stopped abruptly and grabbed my arm. “Trina,” she whispered, eyes wide. “Look.”
I followed her gaze. Through the restaurant window, I saw them. Liam and Mandy, my best friend. Sitting way too close in a booth. Laughing. Flirting. Then, as I watched in horror, Mandy gently ran her fingers along Liam’s cheek before leaning in to kiss him.
My stomach twisted into knots. My mother gasped. “That is Liam, right? And Mandy?”
I nodded, numb. “Yes.”
“I thought he was supposed to be out of state?” she asked, her voice low but sharp.
“He was,” I whispered. “But I guess he wanted to spend his birthday with his mistress.”
Mom’s face hardened. “Your best friend did this to you.”
I clenched my fists. “I should go in there and confront them.”
“No,” my mother said firmly, gripping my wrist. “Not here. Not now. But trust me, we will make them regret this.”
She pulled out her phone and discreetly snapped a few photos. Then she turned to me, her eyes blazing with determination. “Come on, let’s get dinner. We have planning to do.”
We sat at a salad bar down the street, and my mother revealed her plan. It required patience, but it was brilliant.
Days passed. Liam returned home as if nothing had happened. “Hey, babe,” he greeted me with a kiss. I forced a smile, playing my role perfectly.
Then came the weekend, when everything would fall into place.
I invited Mandy and her husband, Steve, over for dinner. As we set the table, Mandy smiled at me. “Did you really cook all this by yourself?”
“Yes,” I said sweetly. “Tonight’s special. I have a big announcement.”
Liam raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s the occasion?”
I pulled something out of my pocket—a pregnancy test. “I’m pregnant,” I declared, waving the positive test in the air.
Liam’s eyes widened. He forced a smile. “Wow! This is… a big surprise!”
Mandy’s smile faltered. “Congratulations, guys!” she said, though she looked uneasy.
I beamed at her. “Of course, you’ll be the baby’s godmother!”
Mandy visibly stiffened, but before she could say anything, I continued, “But that’s not my only announcement.”
Liam frowned. “What could be bigger than that?”
I turned to Steve, then back to Liam. “The baby is Steve’s.”
The room fell silent. Steve choked on his food. “What?” he spluttered, coughing.
Mandy and Liam both gawked at me in shock.
“This is ridiculous!” Steve exclaimed. “That’s impossible!”
I tilted my head. “Oh? Just like Liam and Mandy thought they could hide their affair from us?”
Mandy’s face drained of color. “What are you talking about?”
I pulled out my phone and tapped on an app. A video played. Liam and Mandy’s voices filled the room.
“Does Trina know?” Mandy’s voice whispered.
“She has no idea,” Liam chuckled. “She’s so clueless.”
Then came the unmistakable sound of kissing.
Steve shot up from his chair. “Mandy, you’ve been cheating on me?”
Mandy opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“You used me for my money?” Steve’s voice rose. “Well, guess what? When we divorce, you get nothing. There’s a clause in our prenup. You’re done.”
Mandy gasped. “Steve, no, please—”
Steve laughed bitterly. “Time to find a job, sweetheart.”
I turned to Liam. “You can pack your things too.”
He scowled. “What about the baby?”
I smirked. “There is no baby.”
Liam’s face twisted in fury. “You lied?”
I shrugged. “Just like you did. But now, I know for sure that you never cared about us.”
Liam followed Mandy out the door, both of them humiliated and broken.
As I closed the door behind them, my mother placed a hand on my shoulder. “Justice,” she said simply.
Steve and I had all the evidence we needed for divorce court. Liam and Mandy thought they could betray us and walk away untouched.
But they were wrong.
I wasn’t broken. I was free.
