The idea seemed absurd, but that evening, I found myself setting up a profile on the app using a stranger’s pictures. As I swiped through profiles, my heart stopped — I saw Dan’s account. It couldn’t be him, I reasoned. Someone must be using his pictures. Curiously, I swiped right, and we matched.
Soon, I received a message from his profile. “Hi, what’s up?” it said.
“Hi. Making lasagna. You?” I replied, trying to act normal despite my racing heart.
“I knew someone who made excellent lasagna,” he responded, which made me think of Dan. “I was looking for plane tickets.”
“Really? You’re planning a trip?” I replied.
“Yes, decided to take a break. Can’t choose which country to fly to,” he said.
“I’ve always wanted to visit Italy,” I replied. I wanted to go there with Dan, but he never agreed because he thought Italians were too emotional for his liking. He wasn’t fond of the weather there, either.
I was shocked when the stranger replied, “Don’t like Italy. The climate’s too hot, and people are too emotional. But… they know how to cook!”
My heart said it wasn’t a coincidence that this man had the exact reasons for disliking Italy as my late husband. Intrigued, I continued the conversation, discussing travel preferences and hiking, a love Dan had instilled in me. Turns out, this man liked hiking, too!
But things took a turn when I mentioned my “husband” and our separation, a lie to keep the conversation going. The Tinder guy suggested meeting up, and I agreed, driven by a need to uncover the mystery behind this familiar stranger.
At the cafe, waiting for him, my heart raced with every chime of the door. But he never showed up. Instead, I saw a man across the street, eerily resembling Dan, hurrying away. I tried to follow but lost him in the crowd.
I immediately pulled out my phone and texted the Tinder guy. Guess what? He never replied.
Confused and anxious, I drove to Jane’s, only to find a “For Sale” sign in her yard. Jane didn’t answer her phone, and her next-door neighbor, Mrs. Gilbert, mentioned Jane had rushed to the airport with a man resembling Dan. My world collapsed.
Dan couldn’t just rise from the dead and run off with Jane. Could he? With my mind plagued with worries, I somehow thanked Mrs. Gilbert and returned to my car. Once inside, I called Jane’s sister.
“Be honest if you’ve been hiding something all this while,” I said as I explained everything to her.
“Look, Maria, sometimes grief plays tricks on your mind—” Jane’s sister started, but I cut her off.
“I know how it sounds. Just tell me what I asked!” I said desperately.
“Maria, I swear, there’s nothing,” she replied. “But I’ll call and ask the family, okay? Take care.”
Then, the call ended. I knew I couldn’t wait for things to be resolved. I started the car and headed towards the airport. Was Dan alive? Had he and Jane conspired together? I was determined to find out.
As I arrived, I hurriedly parked my car and dashed inside the airport, my eyes scanning the crowds for any sign of Jane and Dan.
There! I spotted them in the distance. Jane, with her bright red suitcase, and the man, his back to me, were heading toward security. “Jane!” I called out as I pushed through the crowd.
As they reached the security checkpoint, they seemed to blend into the flow of passengers.
I managed to reach the security barrier just as they placed their bags on the conveyor belt. I tried to follow them, but a security officer stopped me.
“Ticket and ID, ma’am,” he said firmly. “Look, I need to get through. It’s urgent!” I explained.
But the officer didn’t budge. “Without a ticket, I can’t let you through.” I watched helplessly as Jane and the man made their way through the checkpoint.
Noticing my defeated expression, the security guard softened and asked if I was worried and needed help. I shook my head and stepped back. It was too late.
My best friend and ‘dead’ husband approached the boarding gate, showed their tickets to the gate agent, and disappeared out of my sight. Yes, the man was Dan.
I stood there, watching the plane taxi to the runway and lift off, soaring into the sky until it was just a speck of clouds.
I was heartbroken once again. But this time, the heartbreak didn’t make me weak. I was bent on getting to the bottom of whatever was happening.
I drove to a police station and explained everything to a detective. Detective Martinez, the officer on Dan’s case, looked into Dan’s accounts and said, “Your husband’s accounts are currently frozen due to the outstanding debts. If those are settled, the accounts will be unlocked, and we can track him… in case he makes any transactions.”
I reasoned that I could repay the debts if I sold my house. It was risky, and I could lose everything, but I was prepared for whatever happened now.
I sold my house to settle the debts and rented a small apartment. The cops were already watching Dan’s account for any activity, so all I had to do now was wait.
Finally, a break came. One afternoon, my phone rang when I returned from the grocery store. It was Detective Martinez. He asked me to come to the station, and when I arrived, I learned the cops had tracked the money withdrawn from Dan’s accounts to Austria. I was baffled. “Austria?”
“Yes. It’s a significant lead,” Detective Martinez told me. “But all the money’s gone. It was taken out in cash.” I feared losing Dan again. “Wha-What does that mean for finding my husband?” I asked. “It means we have a location to work with,” Officer Martinez replied.
But it was a risky operation. The days that followed were a blur. I took a part-time job at a local bookstore to keep myself busy. Then, one day, while I was shelving books, my phone rang again. This time, Detective Martinez had good news.
“Your husband has been in touch with someone in Austria, Mrs. Johnson. We found an email. It was encrypted, but we cracked it. We think it’s about… relocating again. But don’t worry, we’re working with Austrian authorities. If he tries to leave the country, they’ll know.”
I felt a flicker of hope, and a few days later, I got the call I was waiting for. Dan and Jane were arrested while trying to cross the border into Switzerland.
I was at the station, watching them confess. Dan revealed he was desperate when his business failed. He couldn’t handle the failure and the debts.
So, he and Jane planned to fake his death using a homeless man’s body. They apologized and said they felt helpless. Dan also confessed he was cheating on me with Jane. He thought by faking his death, he could start fresh with her.
Well, I’m glad he and Jane faced their karma. While their deceit caused me pain, I had closure and a chance to start fresh and move forward with my life.
2. I Hid in My Husband’s Rear Seat to Uncover His Dark Secret
As Daniel and I drove home that day, my mind was plagued with worries. I had hired someone to see if Daniel was being unfaithful to me, but my husband had managed to buy the guy’s silence.
Why would he do that if he was innocent? However, I thought knowing about the private investigator would make Daniel change and focus on our relationship. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Sitting in the passenger seat of our car, I glanced at him. He looked too calm like he didn’t care that he had hurt me. “Did you remember to pay the electricity bill?” I tried to make conversation and forget my troubles.
“Yep, all done,” Daniel said smoothly. But something in his voice told me he wasn’t being honest. When we got home, it felt hot inside. “Is it just me, or is it really warm in here?” Daniel wondered aloud.
“I’ll check the thermostat later,” I said, dropping my bag. Then, we heard water running upstairs. “Did you forget to turn off the tap?” Daniel asked.
“No, I always make sure they’re closed,” I replied.
Suddenly, I noticed Daniel’s expression change. He seemed nervous. “Honey, I left my laptop in the car; could you fetch it for me?” he asked, his voice strained.
I hesitated, not keen on going back outside, but Daniel persuaded me with a promise of a special treat. “You know, we could stay awake till morning. Netflix and chill?” he suggested with a smile.
I couldn’t help but smile back and agree to fetch his laptop. It had been some time since we’d made love, and I was excited. As I left, Daniel hurried upstairs. I wondered briefly about the running water but dismissed it as I stepped outside.
But I found no laptop in the car. Confused, I went back inside. “Daniel, your laptop isn’t in the car. Where did you leave it?” I called out. He appeared on the stairs.
“Honey, I-I flooded the bathroom and bedroom!” he stammered, panicking. “It’s a mess. Don’t go up there. Let’s sit down. I’m in shock.”
I was taken aback by his dramatic reaction. “Daniel, please, you’re scaring me now,” I said, trying to make sense of his words. “Are you sure the bathroom and bedroom are flooded? I don’t see any water leaking from upstairs. I’m going up to take a look.”
Daniel seemed desperate to stop me from going upstairs. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth,” he said tremblingly. “I’ve been under a lot of stress lately, and I didn’t want to burden you with it. Just don’t go upstairs.”
But his words only fueled my suspicions. I went upstairs despite his protests and found no sign of flooding. “See, Dan, no flooding. Are you alright?” I asked, genuinely concerned for his well-being.
“I must be stressed,” Daniel said, looking troubled. “Maybe I left the faucet on slightly. That’s why the floor is wet,” he quickly added.
I sensed something was off but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. “Fine, you go and fix yourself a drink,” I said, still worried about his erratic behavior. “Just take it easy, Daniel; this is not normal behavior. I’ll be right back, need a shower.”
“Okay, I’ll go relax with a drink and order food. You have your shower, then join me, okay?” Daniel proposed, seemingly relieved.
I agreed and headed to the shower. As I undressed, I noticed a toiletry bag on the towel rack that wasn’t mine. Inside, I found a toothbrush, razor, and skin care products that clearly belonged to another woman.
The shock hit me like a wave. The truth about Daniel’s behavior suddenly became clear. The investigator I had hired couldn’t provide concrete evidence of his infidelity, but I had hoped that the scare would make Daniel reconsider our marriage. Clearly, I was wrong.
Feeling betrayed and heartbroken, I contemplated my next steps. It was then the wet footprints leading to the spare room caught my eye, further confirming my suspicions.
I followed the trail and discovered a pink bath towel peeking from the closet, undeniable proof of another woman’s presence in our home.
With trembling hands, I approached the closet, dreading what I might find. I couldn’t bring myself to open the door, overwhelmed by the betrayal. I sank onto the floor, my back against the closet.
Tears streamed down my face as I spoke to the empty room.
“I thought we had the perfect marriage,” I confessed to the silence. “I tried my best to save this marriage. I thought I was brave enough to face his infidelity. But I’m not, I think. You must be more attractive than me…”
It was then the closet door slowly opened, and Sophia, Daniel’s mistress, stepped out, looking just as shocked as I felt. “I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice filled with regret. “I didn’t know he was married.”
Her apology touched me. She seemed sincere and genuine. “It’s not your fault,” I told her.
“What do we do now?” Sophia asked, sounding scared. “We can’t let him get away with this. He… told me to hide here so that you didn’t see me.”
Sophia’s words gave me a newfound strength. I wiped away my tears, feeling a new sense of determination. “I have an idea,” I said, already formulating a plan.
Meanwhile, oblivious to our plans, Daniel sat downstairs, enjoying his drink.
“Guess who?” Sophia teased Daniel in the living room, covering his eyes with her palms. Daniel was shocked. He thought Sophia had left. “What the hell? You were supposed to leave!” he said, panicking. I watched them from my hiding place upstairs. Everything was going according to Sophia and my plan.
“I’m tired of being a secret, Daniel,” Sophia declared boldly. “It’s me or her, and I want you to decide now!”
Daniel promised to ask for a divorce and drive Sophia home. I was hurt seeing my husband give up on marriage, but I had decided he didn’t deserve me.
He handed Sophia a blanket and asked her to hide in the car so that nobody saw her. But the person hiding in the backseat was me. Daniel thought I was still in the shower, but that was Sophia — a quick change of places while Daniel left to get the car keys.
In the car, Daniel wouldn’t stop talking about how I disgusted him, how ugly I looked, and that I wasn’t hot like Sophia. Under the blanket, I was holding my phone, recording everything. As soon as he started the car, I emerged from under the blanket.
He spun around to look at me. Sophia approached his window. He was shocked, realizing his dark secret was out.
“Thanks to Sophia’s evidence and my recording, I’ll take everything from you, including our business, Daniel!” I told him confidently.
Despite everything, he kept pleading with me, saying he could fix things. Well, you know what they say: once a cheater, always a cheater.
“Let’s not make a big deal out of this,” he tried to say, but we ignored him. “He’s nothing to me now,” Sophia told me. We faced Daniel together one last time.
“You’ll get your divorce,” I said calmly. “I’ll get our business lawyer to draw up the papers. I’m sure she’ll be happy to do that. I hope you can afford her with what little you’ll have left when we’re through. Remember our prenup? And yeah, keep the car. You can live in it if you don’t find a place!” I said, turning my back on the man I once loved.
As Sophia and I walked away, hand in hand, I realized that despite the pain, I was not alone. We would rebuild our lives. We were stronger and wiser after facing the truth.
3. The ‘Ghost’ in Our House
One day, my son, Jake, was home early from school.
As he entered, he was met with soft tunes of Billie Holiday coming from my bedroom. What he didn’t know was that Herman, my second husband and also Jake’s stepfather, was there with Jezebel, his mistress.
“This is so naughty of us! What if you get caught?” Jezebel whispered to my husband, and Herman brushed off the risk, “She’s never home this early. We’ve got all morning.”
But then, the front door creaked open. Jake was back. They heard his footsteps and panicked.
“Who is it?” Jezebel asked Herman in a whisper. “It can’t be my wife,” Herman said. “She told me she was working late. Quick, get—” But he didn’t get to finish as Jake’s voice cut him off.
“Herman? Are you here?” Jake asked, entering the bedroom. At that point, Herman knew he could no longer lie.
“What are you doing at home, Jake?” Herman asked.
“The school sent us home because of a lockdown scare. They thought there was a gunman on campus. Herman, who is this lady?” Jake asked, looking at Jezebel.
And you know what my husband did? He denied Jezebel’s presence. “Jake, you must be seeing things,” he said. “You’re still scared after what happened at your school.”
Jake looked again at Jezebel and said, “But I see a lady right there, Herman.”
Herman sighed and then pulled Jake closer. “Hey, buddy,” he said, softening a little. “Close your eyes and count to ten. It’ll disappear if you do that. And you see, if you can’t see the ghost, it can’t see you.”
I couldn’t believe Herman went as far as telling Jake to close his eyes and count to make the ‘ghost’ disappear. As Jake closed his eyes, Jezebel hid, and when he opened his eyes, she was gone, leaving him to believe he had magical powers. “I made her disappear?” Jake exclaimed in joy.
“Of course! You got rid of the ghost. You’re a brave young man, Jake,” Herman assured him. Then, coaxing Jake to keep the encounter a secret, Herman allowed him unlimited screen time.
But that night at dinner, Jake shared his day, mentioning the ‘ghost’ he saw. “She was a lady with big, frizzy hair, Mom,” he said.
“She?” I repeated, looking at Herman. I knew Herman stayed at home all day as he was looking for jobs. Was he cheating on me? I would find out soon. It’s just that it would happen in a way I had never expected.
“He must be in shock, Grace,” Herman told me. “Go watch cartoons, Jake. You’re done with your dinner, right?”
After Jake left, Herman kept insisting the ghost was a result of Jake’s traumatic school experience. But I knew something was wrong.
“I’ll call the school and get Jake an appointment with the psychologist,” I told Herman. “Now that you’re not working, you can take him to the appointment.”
“I’m trying to find a job, Grace!” Herman almost yelled at me. “Don’t boss me around just because you support us!”
“I know. But maybe you should spend less time at that Moe’s Diner you visit often and help more with Jake,” I suggested stiffly.
Herman didn’t say much after that and promised to help me with Jake.
After dinner, as I was tucking Jake in bed, I said, “Talk to the counselor at school. It might help you understand what’s going on, honey, alright?”
“Okay, Mom,” Jake replied sweetly, wishing Herman and me good night.
“It’s for the best that we’re taking him to a doctor. My boy’s well-being is at stake,” I told Herman while we sat in the living room.
Herman again said it wasn’t needed, but I was adamant. “I’ll make an appointment with the psychologist. And I’m taking Jake there myself since you don’t want to!”
The next day, I was meeting Dr. Warren, who suggested regular visits to help Jake.
“Don’t worry,” Dr. Warren reassured me. “I think what’s happening with Jake is a classic case of Kleinian Projective Identification. It involves a child projecting feelings onto another or the world outside, often to make the other person experience what the projector is feeling, causing delusional behavior like Jake’s. We can deal with this.”
“I just want what’s best for Jake,” I said worriedly. “If you think you can help him, then we’ll do whatever it takes.”
I was so scared for my little boy. I just wanted Jake to be fine soon. After Dr. Warren’s appointment, I took Jake out for lunch. There, he saw a ghost again, this time in Jezebel, our frizzy-haired waitress.
When Jezebel dropped our food, I said nothing. Jake closed his eyes and began counting. “It’s okay now, Jake, she’s gone,” I assured him.
Jake opened his eyes and focused on his ice cream. At that point, I had an idea. It was clear who the ‘ghost’ in my son’s life was. It was Jezebel from Moe’s Diner — the place my husband frequented.
“Jake, should we call Herman and ask him to join us for lunch?” I asked. “You think Herman will like it?”
Jake nodded unenthusiastically, and I smiled. “But my phone’s dead. I’ll ask the waitress if I can use hers. Alright? I’ll be right back.”
Approaching Jezebel, I said, “Hey. My phone’s almost flat. Can I use yours to make a quick call to my office?”
“No problem. Go right ahead,” she said, lending me her phone.
I dialed Herman’s number and got the shock of my life when the caller ID on Jezebel’s phone revealed “Loverman.” Shocked, I hung up quickly and returned to the table. But now the truth was out.
With a weak smile, I encouraged Jake to finish his food soon. I arranged a playdate for him and went home alone. Settling on the sofa, I reached for my phone and dialed a moving company.
Soon, the movers arrived and packed up Herman’s things. When Herman arrived, he was shocked. “Grace, what’s going on? What are these men doing with our things?” he asked, baffled.
I imitated the charade Herman had once played with our son. “Herman, what men? I don’t see any men. You must be seeing ghosts. Oh, and to be clear, those are not our things; they are your things.”
Herman’s face paled. The tables had turned. His voice quivered, “Grace, you must believe me. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. Look, I was wrong, but I—”
“I will never forgive you for what you did to my child,” I said, cutting him off. “The time for lies and infidelity is over. You know what you are to me now? A ghost!”
I told him that his stuff was being put in storage because we were no longer living together. “Also, I’ve been in consultation with Dr. Warren, and we’ve initiated criminal charges for emotional abuse. The police will be here shortly,” I added.
While Herman was still processing the news, two officers arrived. They informed Herman of his rights and took him away; justice was served.
I turned to the door, closed my eyes, and counted to ten – my way of making Herman’s ghost disappear. Opening my eyes, I saw Jake, who ran to me and embraced me.
I held him close. The road ahead was uncertain, but we were united and would face whatever challenges lay ahead with courage and love. As these three stories reveal, cheaters may think they’re in the clear, but karma always has the last word. Remember, what goes around comes around.
