[Music] up until that day I always thought my life was predictable and well organized my routine my marriage my job everything seemed to fall into place as it should my wife Janice and I had settled into a comfortable rhythm of married life with our two young Sons despite the usual ups and downs of parenting and work I believed we had the kind of marriage most people envied one built on trust love and understanding standing there didn't appear to be any major cracks in the foundation or so I thought but as the saying goes life has
a way of surprising you when you least expect it that cool Autumn afternoon marked the start of my unraveling sense of security I had come home feeling under the weather unaware that it was the least of my worries as I lay on the couch tired and worn out I overheard a conversation that would change the course of my life Janice and her sister Carla unknowingly shattered the illusion of my perfect world revealing Secrets hidden in plain sight What followed was a series of Revelations no amount of Love or effort could fix it all came out
by chance as these things often do I had just gotten home from work feeling unwell and collapsed onto the couch eyes closed I parked in the garage and since it was chilly made sure to close the door my wife unaware I was home pulled into the driveway and left her car outside she and Carla entered entered through the front door and headed to the kitchen the couch I was lying on faced away from them so they didn't see me I nearly got up to tell them I was home but a wave of nausea kept me
down so I lay there listening to their conversation without meaning to I gathered that my wife had come home to show Carla a new dress she bought for their annual Chicago trip for the past four years the two of them had gone from our Indianapolis home to the windy city for a weekend of shows and art exhibits while they were away Bob Carla husband and I would watch the kids we figured the women deserved a break from their responsibilities by the way my wife is Janice and I'm Jim we have two kids Ryan five and
Shawn two we'd been married for 7 years and I was a middle manager at a large logistics company we lived comfortably on my salary Janice is very attractive and after two kids she's kept in shape we have Zex often and enjoy each other I thought we were the perfect couple with the perfect marriage Carla and Bob live a few blocks away and we do most things together as families and friends Carla is like a younger version of My Wife and the two are nearly Inseparable they have a daughter Melissa three as I lay there waiting
for my nausea to pass I overheard Carla admiring the dress my wife was showing her wow that's a zxy dress has Jim seen it does he know you're taking it on the trip no if he saw it he'd get suspicious so don't say anything okay ry's going to love it Janice replied who the h hell is Randy I wondered my nausea was gone but I stayed still wanting to hear more are you bringing something for Mark Janice asked who the hell is Mark I thought growing more confused Carlo responded I've got some special lingerie I've
hidden from Bob that'll really turn him on I have some special lingerie too Janice said Jim hasn't seen it either it'll really Drive Randy wild good God I thought they must be having Affairs and it sounds like they know these guys pretty well I was shocked and stunned by what I was hearing who were these men and how long had this been going on my mind was spinning from everything I'd overheard then Janice said are you going back on birth control this year yes I only wanted one child with Randy it's lucky he and Jim
look so much alike even Jim's mother says Shawn is the spitting image of him oh my God I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach and the nausea strike me like a freight train I fought to keep my stomach from turning I wanted to vomit so badly that I could feel the bile rising in my throat thankfully they chose that moment to leave so Carla could drop Janice off at home as soon as they closed the front door I bolted from the sofa and rushed to the downstairs bathroom I barely made it in time
throwing up into the toilet just as the puke knocked my mouth thank God the lid was up I felt like I threw up everything inside me and even after that I still had dry heaves quickly I sprayed some air freshener in the bathroom grabbed my jacket and headed for the garage I got in the car opened the garage door and and sped down the street closing the door behind me I drove to a nearby mall parking lot and sat in the car trying to figure out what to do next I thought about calling my brother-in-law
Bob and telling him what I'd overheard but I was still in denial that Janice could be unfaithful and that Shawn might not be my son I felt sick but as I thought more about her affair with some guy named Randy my anger started to grow what the hell was I going to tell Bob about Carla and Mark I needed legal advice immediately to figure out my options if this turned into a divorce the women were leaving for their trip in 4 days and I had a lot to figure out before then I pulled out my
cell phone and called my friend golfing buddy high school friend and lawyer Jerry Matthews his secretary Helen answered and I asked if I could see Jerry as soon as possible Helen knew me well and she could hear in my voice that something was wrong she asked can you be here in 15 minutes I told her I could and drove over quickly when I walked into Jerry's office Helen took one look at me and said Jim you look terrible I've had some bad news Helen and I think I'm coming down with something is Jerry free now
yes go right in she said clearly worried as she looked at me I hurried past her knocked once and entered Jerry's office he stood up as I came in and motioned me to a chair in front of his desk good God Jim what's going on you look awful Jerry I've been striking with two blows today one I might recover from but the other I'm not sure I can tell me about it he said sitting down first I think I'm coming down with something and second I think I have a serious problem with Janice I need
some advice well the first issue shouldn't be a problem since I've had my flu shot as for Janice that's hard to believe I've known both of you since you got married and you've always seemed like the perfect couple what's going on I told Jerry what I'd overheard earlier that afternoon and he looked shocked I can't believe Janice or Carla would do something like this and if Janice deliberately had a child with another man that's unbelievable so what do you want to do are you thinking of divorce or do you think you can get past her
infidelity in the child issue I don't think I can forgive her right now you know I don't handle divorces Jerry said but I can refer you to a good divorce attorney who can guide you through this if that's what you want you'll need more proof than just what you've overheard especially about Shaun's paternity do you want me to call him and set up a meeting yes please I said feeling a wave of emotion overcome me tears welled up and before I knew it I was sobbing as the weight of what I was about to do
hit me Jerry looked at me sympathetically and buzzed Helen Helen can you get Sam Ridley on the phone oh God no I heard Helen say quietly but she quickly connected Jerry to Sam Sam hey it's Jerry do you have time tomorrow morning to talk with a good friend of mine about a situation he's dealing with there was a brief pause while Jerry listened how does 9:00 a.m. tomorrow sound in Sam's office he's in the same building it's a bit late to do it today that works I nodded Jerry leaned back in his chair and gave
me one last piece of advice I suggest you go home now and try not to let Janice know anything's wrong this might not be what it seems and you could do irreparable damage if you react too quickly you're right I sighed I've got to keep it together until I'm sure thanks for your help Jerry we stood and he shook my hand I'm really sorry about this Jim you and Janice have always been two of my closest friends your pain is my pain thanks again Jerry I'll keep you updated on what happens on my way out
Helen looked at me with teary eyes I'm so sorry Jim thanks Helen when I got home that evening it was around my usual time from work so Janice didn't suspect anything out of the ordinary but she immediately noticed my appearance Jim honey you look awful are you feeling okay I clenched my teeth I wanted to laugh out to make her feel the pain I was in knowing what I now knew but instead I forced a smile and said I think I'm coming down with something then with a hint of malice I added I hope I
feel better in a few days so you can still go on your trip for a moment I saw her falter but she quickly brushed it off oh it's probably just a touch of the flu you should be fine by Friday I hope so right now I just want to lie down can I skip dinner tonight and eat later I asked eager to avoid more conversation of course honey go change and rest why didn't you come home earlier she asked I tried but there was too much going on at work I lied take some aspirin and
I'll check on you in a bit the kids enjoyed their day at daycare and Carla and I went shopping as usual I saw the cutest pair of sandals but they didn't have my size so I didn't buy anything I felt numb overwhelmed with sickness and grief I trudged upstairs to our bedroom avoiding the kids in the family room I especially couldn't look at Shawn yet oh God what if he wasn't my son what would I do I remembered before Jan's trip 3 years ago she hadn't let us have Zex the week before or after claiming
she had an infection had she purposely slept with Randy to conceive his child the thought of her betrayal was almost too much to bear I didn't wake up until the next morning I felt a bit better physically like it might have been just a 24-hour flu but the moment I recalled what I'd overheard the depression returned I glanced at Janice peacefully sleeping next to me her face so innocent it was hard to picture her with another man but I had to face that possibility I got up took a shower and dressed for work I grabbed
a cup of coffee and left the house before Janice came downstairs I could hear her upstairs with the kids but I still couldn't face them I had breakfast at Denny's and got to work early trying to focus on my job around 8:30 I told my boss I needed to take a couple of hours of personal time he gave me a nod and asked how are you feeling you didn't look great when you left early yesterday I'll be fine it's going to take some time to recover I said though my mind was on Janice not the
flu at 9:00 a.m. I was at Sam Ridley's office his secretary showed me in and closed the door behind her Sam's office had a cozy seating area with comfortable chairs around a low Table after greeting me he waved me to one of the chairs and sat across from me in this line of work he said I find this setup helps my clients feel more at ease divorce is emotional and personal I've got decaf coffee here if you want some why don't you start by telling me what's going on and we'll go from there I poured
myself a cup of coffee and began explaining everything to Sam when I finished he paused for a moment and then asked do you love your wife I thought I did I thought I loved her more than anything but now thinking about what she may have done I feel cold and empty inside it's like she's become someone I don't even know a stranger I keep wishing this was all just a nightmare and that I'd wake up and everything would be fine but I have to consider the kids they're my biggest concern Sam nodded thoughtfully well we
need to confirm if she's committing infidelity if what you overheard is true you'll have to decide whether you want to pursue a divorce we'll need to hire an investigator to follow her in Chicago this weekend it could get expensive so you might want to involve your brother-in-law to share the cost if both of them are cheating we can deal with both situations at once yeah that makes sense I said agreeing with him next Sam continued wek need to arrange DNA tests to confirm the paternity of your kids I suggest your brother-in-law does the same but
you can talk to him about it we should schedule another meeting with him present I shook my head I don't want to involve Bob until after they've gone on their trip right now I'm struggling to act normally around Janice and I can use the flu as an excuse but if I tell Bob now and he acts differently around Carla they might catch on that's smart Sam acknowledged can you give me Janice's itinerary so I can pass it to the investigator it would help to have the hotel name and room number if she has one booked
they usually reserve the same room each year I replied I'll get that for you along with any other details do they fly or drive Sam asked they fly and use taxis or shuttles I answered that'll make it easier to keep track of them Sam said now you need to secure your finances do you know what I mean by that I think so I said cautiously protect your ass assets Sam explained assume for now that what you heard is true if your wife has access to joint accounts credit cards Etc think about changing the beneficiaries on
your insurance policies to your kids sometimes when a spouse senses a breakup they drain the accounts you can always change things back if it turns out there's no issue be as generous as you like with the joint checking account so she can manage but secure the rest you should also give your brother-in-law a heads up when we negotiate the divorce we can aim for a fair split of the assets got it I'll start working on that today I said determined I hope this turns out to be nothing Jim but if it's true you should be
able to get custody of your older son without any trouble Sam reassured me thanks Sam I'll get you that itinerary by tomorrow I promised after leaving Sam's office I headed straight to the bank I closed all our joint savings and CD accounts transferring the money into a new account in my name only I left $1,000 in our joint checking account and moved the rest into my personal saving next I contacted my stock broker and transferred our investments into my own account he seemed a little worried about what it might mean but I didn't explain I
considered canceling our credit cards but worried that if any charges were declined while they were in Chicago it would raise suspicion so I decided to hold off until I had more information from the investigator back at the office I tried to focus on work but my mind kept wandering I couldn't bring myself to eat lunch I wasn't sure if it was lingering effects from the flu or the constant images of Janice with another man that made me lose my appetite my stress and anger kept Rising but I knew I had to stay calm when I
got home that evening I continued to fake being sick Janice seemed genuinely concerned why didn't you stay home today you shouldn't have gone to work I didn't want to risk you or the kids getting sick if you caught it you might not be able to go on your trip with Carla this weekend I replied watching her reaction closely you could be right maybe you should sleep in the spare room room until you feel better the thought that crossed my mind was unbearable she was ensuring her weekend with her lover wouldn't be interrupted I realized it
was going to be tough to keep her from suspecting that I knew anything over the next few days I kept up the act of being sick navigating dinners and conversations while pretending to be unwell I checked her AOL email account but discovered she had changed the password after some guesswork I figured it out it was Shaun's name and birth date once inside I found a series of emails from someone with the username rnm I copied them into a file to print later reading through a few confirmed my worst fears proof of her affair they had
been planning for the weekend and it seemed they used the phone while I was at work most of the arrangements were already made so I didn't expect to learn much more from the emails but they provided enough written evidence now I just had to wait the next day I faxed a copy of Janice's itinerary to Sam and tried to function normally at work it wasn't easy my boss and secretary could tell something was wrong but didn't push me I printed off the emails from rim and mailed them to Sam I learned that this affair had
been going on for four years during their annual trip Randy and Mark booked one room while Janice and Carla booked the adjoining room so they could each share a space with their respective lover they reserved the same rooms every year Randy and Mark it turned out were married and lived in Milwaukee they used the Chicago Boat Show as their excuse for the trip leaving their wives to watch the kids at home Friday arrived and Janice and Carla were set to leave for the airport around noon when I came downstairs Janice had made coffee I wanted
to make you a good breakfast before I left she said cooking bacon and eggs which was unusual since I usually just had cereal I'm worried about you you haven't been eating well all week that flu must really be holding on I'm sorry we haven't been physical engaged this week and I appreciate you trying to keep us from getting sick when I get back Sunday you should feel better and I'll show my appreciation then thanks Jan I'm looking forward to it I said forcing a smile and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek she seemed
satisfied with the gesture don't forget to be home by noon today you'll need to start watching the kids so we can get to the airport on time she reminded me I haven't forgotten I replied my voice slipping into a low growl as I fought to keep my composure the thought of what she might be planning for the weekend was eating away at me she looked at me concerned what's wrong Jim are you mad at me for something no no I quickly said trying to sound casual just clearing my throat must be some fle I forced
a smile hoping it would pass as genuine she gave me a strange look but didn't press the issue and went back to chatting after breakfast I grabbed my suit jacket and briefcase heading towards the garage aren't you going to kiss me goodbye she asked watching me with curiosity realizing I needed to put in more effort or she might get suspicious I dropped my briefcase turned around and took her in my arms kissing her on the lips my stomach Twisted with nausea but I forced it down trying to convey affection it must have worked because when
I pulled away she said wow honey maybe you should stay home this morning and we can have our Sunday's X today I forced a laugh and said I'd like to but if I'm going to take half the day off I need to get some work done first I kissed her cheek picked up my briefcase and headed to the garage she was smiling as I left and I hoped I had erased any suspicion if she wanted to play the loving wife I could keep up the role of devoted husband a little longer I got home by
noon as promised and Janice had lunch waiting for me we ate together and chatted while she gathered her bags by the door I forced myself to remain calm and cheerful even though inside I was boiling with anger and frustration well I hope you girls are going to behave yourselves I said trying to sound as light-hearted as possible we always do honey she replied with a smirk but there are always some cute guys to look at as long as it's just looking I added more seriously because if you ever decided to play around it would destroy
me I don't think I could handle it and I know our marriage wouldn't survive she looked startled for a moment but then smiled you know I've always been faithful to you Jim and that won't ever change I know but you're a beautiful woman and I'm sure you get hit on sometimes and I understand that a stay-at-home mom might get bored her face went pale but before she could respond car honked outside signaling her arrival Janice gave me a quick kiss and turned away as I picked up her bags and followed her to the car I
thought I saw a tear in her eye a few minutes later I stood on the driveway watching as their car disappeared down the street we waved goodbye maybe for the last time after feeding the kids lunch I called Bob and told him I'd be stopping by for a minute he sounded surprised but said he'd be home so I packed up the kids and drove over I had copies of Janice's emails with me when I arrived Bob was finishing feeding Melissa and greeted us with a smile as we walked in hey guys let's head into the
family room and watch a video with the kids I'm not staying long I said Bob we need to talk let the kids go play he looked puzzled but did as I asked sending the kids into the family room what's going on and what do you have there he asked pointing to the packet in my hand these are for you to read I told him as we sat at the kitchen table but first I need to tell you something really bad so try to stay calm what's wrong are you dying or something no but I wish
it were that simple this could be the end of our marriages Bob went pale and sat in silence as I told him about the conversation I overheard between Janice and Carla a few days ago then I handed him the emails to read oh my God oh my God he kept muttering as he read through them his Devastation was clear he loved Carla as much as I love Janice when he finished he put his head on the table and cried after a while he called calmed down and I told him about Sam the investigator in Chicago
and what I had done with my finances I mentioned my plan to visit a clinic for DNA tests to determine the paternity of my kids and asked if he wanted to come with me the thought that Melissa might not be his daughter hadn't even crossed his mind until then his eyes widened in shock and he suddenly bolted for the bathroom I could hear him vomiting the dry heaves eerily familiar from my own reaction a few days earlier when he returned pale and shaken he agreed to come with us we gathered the kids and drove to
the clinic the staff was professional and quick taking saliva swabs from all of us I also asked for a blood test to record our blood types they said the results would be faxed by Wednesday after leaving the clinic we stopped by Bob's Bank where he made changes to his accounts he decided to contact his broker and insurance agent from home on the way back I asked if he wanted to stay at my house for the weekend suggesting he shouldn't be alone after some thought he agreed but wanted to stop by his house to pick up
a few things that evening we sat in the kitchen after putting the kids to bed talking about what we were going to do now that we knew our wife's betrayal had been going on for 4 years we agreed to wait until the investigator's report and the DNA results came in before making any decisions we also realized we would have to act as if everything was normal when our wives returned we'd have to pretend to be the loving husbands and even sleep with them all while waiting for the truth to unfold Bob mentioned that his doctor
had given him some Viagra samples for a previous issue and he thought they might help him get through the weekend I told him I'd pick up a couple of doses when I dropped him off at his house on Sunday the weekend passed in Silence with our wives none the wiser each night Jan and Carla called and we acted happy to hear from them they seemed pleased that Bob and I were spending the weekend together with the kids Jan even suggested we do it again next year I thought bitterly yeah if there even is a next
year on Sunday afternoon before they returned home I dropped Bob and Melissa back at their house I picked up a few doses of the Viagra and headed back to my place preparing to confront Janice around 400 p.m. I heard a honk outside Janice was home I went out to help her with her luggage and she was all smiles seemingly happy to see me I thought if she can act happy so can I so I played the part of the loving husband despite the anger churning inside me knowing what she had done the kids were thrilled
to see their mom and she spent time with them while I packed her bags I found her dirty laundry mostly lingerie and held my breath as I checked two pairs of underwear for any signs of seed there was nothing conclusive but I couldn't relax if she had removed them before Zex and hadn't put them back on there wouldn't necessarily be any signs I sighed and rejoined my family that evening we went out for a family dinner later after the kids were in bed Janice took my hand and led me upstairs why don't you get undressed
she asked with a smile her eyes bright she went into the bathroom to freshen up and when she returned I pretended to be asleep I couldn't bring myself to touch her knowing what I knew instead I lay there planning my next steps and waiting for the investigator's report the next morning at work I got a call from Sam the investigator had gotten both video and still shots of Janice with Randy and Carla with Mark he would finish the report and have everything delivered to Sam's office by Wednesday Wednesday is going to be a day Sam
said a wave of nausea hit me but this time it wasn't from the flu he then asked what's your plan going forward we should meet with Bob to figure out the next steps I'll call Bob and set it up I replied after hanging up I immediately called Bob at his office I told him about the investigator's findings and Sam's request for a meeting Bob started to break down his voice trembling as he quietly cried it took a moment for him to pull himself together and we agreed to meet with Sam on Thursday morning after received
the DNA results on Wednesday we also agreed to stay calm and avoid raising suspicion with our wives when I called Sam back we set the meeting for Thursday at 9:00 a.m. that evening at home Janice didn't mention anything about Zex which was a relief I still couldn't bring myself to touch her though I kept up the act of being normal every interaction twisted my stomach knowing what I had seen and what I was about to uncover Thursday morning came quickly Bob and I met at Sam's office both looking like we hadn't slept in days Sam
had everything ready including a TV near his desk after greeting us he gestured to the TV I've got the footage queued up we can watch it with or without sound your choice we decided to watch without sound first Sam turned on the TV and the image came to life the camera angle was from above likely hidden near the ceiling a undressed man I didn't recognize appeared first and lay down on the bed my stomach clenched as the scene unfolded moments later a woman in a short black nighty walked into view straddling the Man's legs it
was Janice I jumped up from my chair and ran to the bathroom vomiting violently it felt like my insides were being ripped apart when I returned Sam had paused the footage Janice was wearing the same nighty she'd worn during our last Z session the previous Sunday I nodded for him to continue Janice was now on her back with the man on top of her in the missionary position Sam turned on the sound and we heard their labored breathing I'm so glad we do this once a year Randy Janice said between gasps if I didn't have
this I'd go stir crazy at home I love my husband but he wouldn't respect me if I did with him what I do with you ry's voice responded equally breathless I feel the same way Jan Sam quickly turned off the sound sparing us more of their talk the footage played for a few more minutes until they climaxed then Sam switched to the second video which showed Carla and Mark in a similar encounter when it was over Sam turned off the TV and looked at us what do you want to do gentlemen do you want to
proceed with divorce Bob and I sat in stunned silence for a few moments before I finally spoke Sam we've discussed this and we want to move forward with the divorce papers but hold off serving them until we tell you we also want the full names and addresses of Randy and Mark we plan to send their wives copies of the report and the videos understood Sam nodded the investigator included their names and addresses in his report I'll give you copies before you leave along with the video footage what about your children's paternity Bob and I handed
him the DNA results we had picked up that morning Shawn isn't my son I said sadly but I'd like to adopt him I've raised him and I can't imagine life without him you'd need the biological father's consent for that Sam explained but if you file a paternity suit and push for child support he might sign away his rights to avoid paying that's what I'm thinking I agreed can we also sue for alienation of affection absolutely that could give you Leverage do you want to proceed with both the paternity suit and the alienation of affection claim
yes I replied without hesitation Sam then asked have you confronted your wives yet no I said we planning to do that tonight during dinner all right here are copies of the report and the video I'll the paperwork started Sam said handing us the materials I'm sorry it's come to this but we'll get through it after leaving Sam's office Bob and I headed to an audio video store to make extra copies of the video while there I bought a wiretap recorder I planned to set up at home over the weekend then we went to Kinko to
print extra copies of the report once we had everything we bought large shipping envelopes addressed them to the wives of Randy and Mark and sent them express mail to their homes in Milwaukee inside we included a brief handwritten note explaining who we were and how they could contact us or Sam if needed later that day at work I told my boss I was taking a few days off for personal reasons he agreed and I made sure my staff knew how to reach me I called the credit card companies to cancel our joint accounts and opened
a new card in my name only I also canceled Janice's cell phone checking her email from my office I found a message she had sent to Randy on Monday morning telling him she had made it home safely and was looking forward to next year Randy hadn't replied yet the rest of the day I spent uploading parts of the video and images from the report onto my computer creating a secure website to document the infidel I included details about dates times and places along with the DNA test results with everything in place I left work knowing
the confrontation was just hours away when I got home that evening Bob Carla and Melissa were already at the house after we made drinks Bob and I sat in the family room while the women and kids were in the kitchen preparing dinner is everything ready Bob asked I just need to load the video into the DVD player I said I pulled one of the copies for my briefcase case and loaded it preparing for what was about to happen after dinner we sent the kids into the bedroom to watch cartoons and gathered in the family room
I've got a video I want to show everyone I said keeping my voice neutral Janice and Carla looked at me expectantly but confused this isn't something dirty is it Janice asked suspicious you promised me you wouldn't bring any x-rated stuff into the house it's family related I replied educational it shows how a family can be destroyed she nodded but remained skeptical the video began with a shot of the bed in the middle of the room a moment later Randy appeared undressed climbing onto the bed at first Janice didn't recognize him but when she did she
exploded you said this wasn't x-rated I told you it was educational I said calmly then Janice appeared on screen climbing onto the bed and straddling Randy oh my God oh my God Janice screamed how did you get these her face turned pale as we watched her bring Randy to climax both she and Carla started wailing crying uncontrollably turn it off turn it off Carla screamed don't worry Carla Bob said coldly we've got a video of you too they were both in shock crying and sobbing the kids came running to see what was wrong but we
sent them back to the bedroom before they saw anything finally Janice managed to gasp please turn it off Jim please we need to talk I turned it off leaving them sobbing in shame covering their faces tell us why you did this I said still calm we trusted you and you betrayed us how do you plan to earn our trust back you broke your wedding vows I don't want to hear I'm sorry or I can explain because nothing you say will take away the pain you've caused us we just want to know how you plan to
regain our trust or our marriages are over and we'll divorce with these videos we'll get custody of the kids and you'll get little from us financially if you think this marriage is worth saving tell us how you'll win back our trust I don't know I don't know Janice cried looking at me desperately you're my love I thought it was just a harmless fling once a year I didn't think anyone would get hurt I'm your love I responded would someone who loves her husband deliberately go out and get pregnant by another man explain that my love
oh God Janice sobbed her cries becoming uncontrollable Carla still crying looked at her sister with compassion Bob stepped in you should take Carla and Melissa home and work on your own plan to fix your marriage Jim and I have a lot more to work through Janice stayed huddled on the sofa crying in deep distress as I saw Bob and his family to the door Carla turned her tear stre face away her makeup smeared I didn't acknowledge her as I hugged Bob before parting I returned to the family room and told the kids to go back
to their bedroom they were concerned something was wrong so I decided to take them to my parents house for the night they were excited grandparents always spoiled them and they loved it I went back into the family room and told Janice I'm taking the kids to my folks I'll be back in half an hour you have that time to figure out how you'll atone for your infidelity and whether you think this marriage and access to the kids is worth saving the only reason I'm considering letting you stay is because of the kids I still haven't
decided what to do about Shawn he's my son as far as I'm concerned as of now I'll decide if I want a divorce if you argue I'll make the video DNA results and investigators report public including to your family friends and the church you won't have a life left in this community think about it she didn't acknowledge me but kept sobbing I bundled up the kids with their pajamas and toothbrushes and drove to my parents house about 15 minutes away my dad was surprised to see us but when I told him Jan and I wanted
a little privacy he winked and said we understand son take as long as you need you don't look too good though I'll be fine Dad when I got back home the house was quiet she wasn't in the family room so I headed to our bedroom and found her moving her personal belongings to the guest room I looked at her and said well she looked terrible but kept crying this marriage you and my kids mean more to me than anything I won't say sorry or try to explain because you asked me not to why I let
myself get pregnant by him I don't even know I'll stay if you let me I realize I have to move out of our bed until you want me back I won't withhold myself from you you can have me anytime you want I know you might sleep with someone else to get back at me and I can't stop you it'll hurt but I'll take it I'll do whatever you ask agree to any conditions just to stay with you and the kids if we divorce it'll destroy me thank you for even giving me a chance to redeem
myself that's quite a speech Jan now listen you may not understand the conditions I'll need for you to stay you might decide you want to leave I want revenge so badly I can taste it I've been inor tment for 10 days but your torment might last years have you considered that I have Jim I'll give you my conditions tomorrow I said then went downstairs later in bed I could hear her sobbing in the guest room all night part of me wanted to comfort her but remembering what she'd done made me too angry she would have
to atone the next morning I woke up early showered and dressed casually it was Saturday and we were expecting family over but I wanted to write out the conditions for our new marriage I sat in the kitchen riding and Crossing things out until I had a final draft by 10:00 I went upstairs to wake her Jan get cleaned up and meet me downstairs I told her she nodded and I soon heard the shower running in half an hour she was sitting at the kitchen table I've thought about this carefully I began I've tried not to
let my desire for Revenge make me do something I'll regret I don't know if I still love you but I hope you'll stay and give me a chance to figure that out I miss the wife I used to have she gave me a weak smile oh Jim I want to be your wife again and move past all this I know I have a lot to make up for yes you do here's what you'll need to do I began reading the list of conditions one you will never be alone with another man again not even the
pizza delivery guy or the meter reader two no more trips alone anywhere if your mother is dying and I can't go with you or someone I trust can't go with you then you don't go three you will notify me every time you leave the house where you're going how long you'll be and why you'll also notify me when you're back four you will not have any credit cards or a cell phone I've already canceled them five you will make yourself available for zeex not love 247 nothing will be off limits if you could do it
for Randy you can do it for me understand yes I understand she replied softly I always wanted to do more with you but was afraid you'd lose respect for me well you've lost all my respect now was it worth it no no she sobbed burying her face in her hands six you will treat me with respect at all times you will be a happy obedient wife and mother seven you will report to me every time you communicate with a man even if it's on the phone in a chat room or by email I'll have ways
to verify this so be honest eight you will sign adoption papers allowing me to adopt Shawn if I want to nine you will limit your communication with Carla to 1 hour a week I don't know if she influenced you or you influenced her but Bob and I agree you need to be kept apart 10 you will receive a clothing allowance but I will approve all new purchases I won't have you using my money to buy ZXI clothes for another lover that's a sore point for me and that's it I looked up from the list and
asked do you have any comments or issues with these conditions any breach will be punished accordingly none I accept them they're more lenient than what would have given you if our roles were reversed thank you she responded you know you'll need to get Shaun's biological father to sign off too I reminded her I know and we're working on getting that signature she replied her voice steady you should also know that Randy and Carla's lover aren't getting off easy we've sent the investigators report and video to their wives we'll also be suing them for alienation of
affection if Shaun's father doesn't agree to the adoption we'll sue him for child support I'm sure he'll sign the papers to avoid that and agree not to contact Shawn until after his 21st birthday her eyes widened in shock oh my God you're going to destroy him she gasped I looked at her coldly so you still have feelings for him no she said shaking her head it's just I didn't think about the consequences when I got involved with him and had his baby she closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh it was just so
easy we never thought we'd get caught I had a rough night after that conversation constantly dreaming of Jan and Randy laughing at me while they had ZX I woke up Furious drenched in sweat I must have made some noise because Jan rushed into the room are you okay she asked her voice full of concern still caught in my rage I snapped yes I'm fine leave me alone I'm sorry she whispered and backed out of the room the next morning I woke up early showered dressed and knocked on Jan's door we leave for church in 1
hour I told her and then went to get the kids ready we all left on time and attended the service as usual afterward we went to IHOP for breakfast keeping up with our weekend routine back home I spent the afternoon watching football Jan worked on a crossword and the kids played it felt normal as if nothing had happened but during halftime I slipped into the garage and installed a wiretap recorder from now on I'd have a way to monitor Jan when I wasn't home later I received a phone call from ry's wife Jim thank you
for the package you sent it was enlightening and I'm using it in my divorce against him she said her voice calm but Resolute is once a year infidelity really enough for a divorce I asked sarcastically it hasn't been just once a year she replied her tone sharp heun's been cheating for years now I have proof to make him pay thank you I paused for a moment before asking can you do something for me of course name it she said sounding willing to help I need a DNA sample from Randy I have a paternity issue I
need to resolve whatever you need I'll get it to you in a few days thanks again oh by the way Mark's wife is divorcing him too she added casually no I hadn't heard that thanks for letting me know I replied surprised by the new piece of information after we hung up I found Jan in the family room with the kids she looked at me curiously but didn't ask who had called that was Randy's wife I told her watching her closely she's divorcing him and Mark's wife is divorcing him too turns out your lovers were serial
cheaters the evidence I sent gave their wives all the proof they needed to leave them it's going to cost them dearly they'll be paying for their mistakes for the rest of their lives at that Jan went pale and fled the room sobbing when she returned later her face was still streak with tears I'm sorry for running off it's not because I have feelings for him it's the guilt I ruined two marriages maybe three I just stared at her there was nothing more to say thus began a long and painful period of atonement to monitor her
more closely I purchased an audio recorder that captured voice activated signals from small transmitters I hid throughout the house it wasn't perfect but it allowed me to track her movements our days dragged on and the toll it was taking on her became clear she looked more worn and exhausted each day it was wearing me down too my boss and secretary even suggested I see a doctor thinking I was still recovering from the flu but I knew the truth I was sick with anger and bitterness our love life had turned cold and mechanical Z was just
Z without love Jan never complained even when I was aggressive sometimes almost cruel as I took out my anger on her she responded to me without protest but there was no joy in it every evening I checked the recordings but there was never any sign she was talking to someone she shouldn't she followed all my rules calling every time she left the house and Reporting when she returned but the strain was obvious it was a affecting the kids too they were quiet and nervous watching us as if they feared everything was about to fall apart
it broke my heart to see them like that my need for Revenge my harsh rules were destroying what I was trying to save finally on a Sunday afternoon while the kids were playing outside I took Jan by the hand and led her to the family room we need to talk I said pulling her down onto the sofa beside me I handed her a manila envelope she stared at it blankly for a moment before breaking down in tears I love you Jan but I can't keep doing this I told her I'm watching you fade more every
day and I realize I can't live like this anymore the kids are suffering too I've thought a lot about my feelings over the past few days and I've come to a hard realization I don't love you anymore I wanted to keep going for the kids sake but that's not enough I can't forgive you I can't get over what you did and I especially can't get over that Shawn isn't my son she looked at me through her tears nodding slowly I understand she whispered I love you Jim and I wanted to be with you again but
I understand the next morning Jan left the house I explained to the kids that mommy and daddy needed some time apart it was hard to make them understand but somehow we got through it there was backlash from the extended family especially on her side but we kept moving forward Randy ended up divorced living in a small condo paying his ex-wife for the rest of his life Carla and Bob stayed together but their marriage became Loveless whenever I visited the tension between them was palpable like a bomb waiting to explode after many discussions Bob decided to
give their marriage one more chance agreeing to attend counseling with Carla I wasn't sure it would help as for me counseling was never an option I had already made my decision I adopted Shawn as my own I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth about not being his biological father to him I had always been dad and I wasn't about to break that bond from the day he was born I had been the only father he knew and I wasn't going to take that away 5 months later our divorce was finalized Jan didn't ask
for anything in the settlement and I didn't offer the only thing I gave her was visitation rights with the kids she started dating again about a year later and remarried 5 years after our divorce I was invited to the wedding but I didn't attend I let the kids go though it was their mother's big day and I didn't want to be in the way as for me I never remarried or even dated again my experience with Jan had been enough for a lifetime I had no desire to face the possibility of more pain and betrayal
some might call me a coward for staying single but I saw it differently I chose to focus on raising my kids rather than risk another marriage and the potential heartbreak that could follow I made the decision to protect What mattered most to me years passed and the pain eventually dulled though it never completely disappeared I still thought about Jan occasionally wondering how things might have been different if she had made other choices or if I had been more forgiving but those thoughts didn't stay long I had made peace with my decisions knowing there was no
going back Shawn grew up without ever knowing the truth he became a fine young man and I couldn't have been prouder of him he was my son in every way that counted my daughter also thrived despite everything the kids stayed grounded they didn't let the chaos of the past shape their Futures both went on to live happy successful lives and that became my greatest accomplishment occasionally I saw Jan at family events or Gatherings for the kids we were polite even cordial but there was always a distance between us that would never close I didn't hate
her anymore but there was no love either she' moved on and I had moved on in my own way as the years passed I realized that the true cost of infidelity isn't just the the immediate pain it's the long-term destruction it leaves behind it's not just about broken trust or ruined marriages it's the ripple effect on everyone involved the children the families the friendships that suffer that's the real tragedy but in the end life goes on people heal even if they never fully forget mistakes are made and we all have to live with the consequences
that's what I learned from all of this you can't change the past but you can choose how to move forward for me moving forward meant dedicating myself to my kids being the best father I could be and never looking back at the wreckage behind us I never remarried but I didn't need to my life was full with my children their achievements their growth and the love they gave me in return that was more than enough and while I'd never tell them the full story I hoped that someday they would understand how far I went to
protect them and give them the stable life they deserved [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]
