I drove home through tears, barely able to see the road. The next several days felt unreal. Trent didn’t return, but my phone filled with messages. Nora repeatedly asked where her father was, and I told her he was busy with work because I had no idea how to explain what had happened. Trent sent apology after apology. By the time his messages reached nearly fifty, I finally answered with four words: “I need more time.” But time didn’t quiet my thoughts. I kept replaying that bedroom door opening, wondering how long the affair had lasted and how many other lies had been hidden inside our marriage.

Eventually, heartbreak turned into anger. I wanted Trent to experience the humiliation I felt. I wrote a long message explaining everything and planned to send it to his deeply religious, conservative family, who had always treated him like the perfect son. I imagined their reactions when they learned about Colin. Before sending it, however, I decided to take Nora to my mother’s house. Then another thought occurred to me. Kira deserved to know what had happened inside her own marriage. I drove to Trent’s workplace intending to tell her everything. But when I entered the parking lot, I unexpectedly saw Trent standing beside his car.