During dinner, Sarah and her family were interrupted by her husband’s work call. Later, she saw him with their ex-nanny on the “Kiss Cam” of a basketball game. After receiving a frustrating text that said, “I can’t talk. I’m at work,” Sarah resolved to uncover the truth.
In their cozy home, Sarah tried to coax her young son, Adam, to eat dinner while her husband, Arnold, was absorbed in his smartphone.
“Come on, Adam, just eat the salad like a big boy?” Sarah gently encouraged, using her high-pitched voice.
Across the table, her husband, Arnold, was deeply engrossed in his smartphone, scrolling through the latest news while absentmindedly enjoying his meal. He was a successful web designer, often preoccupied with work, even during family time.
“Arnold, could you help me convince Adam to eat?” Sarah asked when her son simply refused.
“Adam, listen to your mom, okay?” Arnold replied, not once looking at them.
Sarah sighed and employed the ultimate weapon against kids who don’t want to eat their meal: dessert. Finally, her son started chewing vigorously.
A sharp beep cut through the room’s quiet as they were finishing their dinner. It was a message on Arnold’s phone. Every time his phone made that sound, it usually meant something urgent from work that couldn’t wait.
“You’re leaving for work again? Now?” Sarah asked, watching him get up and walk to the door.
“I’m sorry, honey,” he replied, putting on his jacket. “It’s the big project, the one I told you about. Tomorrow’s the deadline. I need to check my team’s work.”
The door closed behind him, and Sarah sighed. Her son, swallowing the last of his veggies, straightened his back.
“Mom, Dad forgot! The basketball game is tonight. He won’t be there, will he?” Adam asked, pouting.
Unfortunately, Sarah knew Arnold wouldn’t get home in time, so she promised to watch the game with him, smiling widely to hide her disappointment.
They were both on the couch a while later, enjoying some basketball. Sarah had made good on her promise of dessert and even gave Adam hot cocoa.
“See, Mom, I want to play like them!” Adam gushed, pointing at the screen. “Wait, isn’t that Dad?”
“What?” Sarah asked, frowning.
As the stadium’s camera focused on couples for the “Kiss Cam” segment, a fun tradition where people were encouraged to kiss when featured on the big screen, Sarah saw Arnold sitting in the crowd.
He wasn’t alone. Beside him was Nancy, their former nanny, a young woman who had spent years working in their home. Sarah’s heart sank. She knew Nancy well; she was around 22 and always friendly, but seeing her there with Arnold was like a punch in the gut.
Sarah cleared her throat. “No, sweetie. It must be someone who looks like him,” she stated, crossing her arms.
But inside, she felt a storm brewing. The sight of Arnold with Nancy at the game and the realization that he had lied about working late, hit her hard. Yet, she couldn’t react, for Adam’s sake.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, rising from the couch and hurrying to the bathroom with her cell phone. She dialed Arnold’s number, her heart pounding. But instead of his voice, she was met with the repetitive dial tone following a rejected call.
A text arrived instead: “Baby, I can’t talk, I’m at work. I’ll be home in the morning. Love you!”
Sarah needed to know more to understand what was happening. With trembling fingers, she scrolled through her phone contacts to find Nancy’s number.
As she did, her eyes fell on a small detail she had noted long ago—Nancy’s birth date. It was today. Sarah’s mind churned. Is this why Arnold is with her?
A plan formed in her head, a way to confirm her suspicions. She sent Nancy a message, trying to sound casual. “Hi! Happy birthday! I bought you a present. I want to send it to you by courier. Please send me your address!”
Luckily, Nancy texted back.
***
The game ended a while later. After ensuring her son was cared for by a neighbor, Sarah set out to observe Nancy’s house. Waiting in her car, her heart raced as she saw the luxurious exterior of the property and a flashy new convertible parked outside with a big bow on the hood.
The woman Sarah had known never gave off the vibe of someone with a lot of money. As she was about to drive back home, thinking they were taking too long, Arnold’s car arrived, and she watched in disbelief as they got out together.
Nancy began jumping and yelling. Her smile lit up the night as she was lifted into Arnold’s arms. She heard, “Thank you, baby! I love you!”
Once again, the realization hit Sarah hard, but it was two-fold. First, the convertible was Arnold’s birthday present to Nancy. Second, this was more than a passing affair–they were in love.
Sarah’s world shattered. How long had they been together? Had it started while she was babysitting Adam? She may never know.
But she knew she couldn’t stay in the car any longer and burst out, running towards Arnold, her hair flying in the wind. “How could you?! All those nights at work? Was it always her?!” Her screams were loud and wild, breaking the peaceful night.
“Sarah, please let me explain,” Arnold raised his hands. “Nancy, go inside. Let me handle this.”
“Explain? What’s there to explain? I saw you on the Kiss Cam! You’ve been lying to me!”
“I’m sorry, Sarah,” he started once Nancy was safely inside. “I should’ve been honest with you. The truth is, I love Nancy. I didn’t know how to tell you.”
With tears running down her face, Sarah threatened to take everything from him in the divorce. Arnold crossed his arms and sighed.
“Sarah, I don’t think you remember, but our prenup states that we keep the property in our names in case of a divorce. However, I am willing to offer child support and an additional $100,000,” he offered calmly.Sarah yelled several expletives at his audacity and walked off. At home, she thanked her neighbor, checked that Adam was soundly sleeping, and went to check the prenup. Arnold was right. Their agreement was tight, and there was no fidelity clause.
