I Caught My Wife Cheating: My Daughter Said, "Dad, You Have to Know One Thing". Sad Audio Story

[Music] growing up in a small town outside St Lewis life was shaped by the rhythm of my family's business a bustling bar and a restaurant that brought in all types of people my siblings and I learned early on that running such an establishment required not just hard work but a keen sense of discretion and it was a world where Secrets hid in plain sight where laughter and Whispers Mingled in the air this upbringing molded me sharp ing my instincts and shaping the way I viewed trust and loyalty especially in relationships years passed and I carved

my own path away from the bar building a career and a family with Vicki a woman who shared my values and had her own unyielding ambition we built a life rooted in shared experiences and mutual respect however my childhood memories filled with Tales of infidelity and Hidden Truths occasionally surfaced coloring the way I saw the world and those around me the evening began like any other Friday night I arrived home later than usual only to find that my wife Victoria hadn't returned yet I wasn't thrilled that she'd gone out for drinks with friends after work

but what choice did I have every marriage needs space and Independence Vicki however was always considerate keeping me informed about Her plans where they were going and making sure she didn't stay out too late most evenings she would be back by 8:00 well within reason this afternoon during a work review I got a text from Vicki the four of us are having a drink I'll be home late my love Vicki always valued her reputation these outings happen no more than every 3 to 4 weeks but why did it bother me so much that's a longer

story for another time to put it simply I have trust Issues not just with women but with anyone who spends time at bars without their spouse or frequently travels for work Vicki did both but the traveling was the hardest for me to deal with you might be wondering why I have these issues and how they shape my view of Vicki here's a story that might explain it I literally grew up in a bar my parents owned and ran the most popular bar in our small town outside St Louis Missouri they also had an upscale French

Restaurant in the same building people from all over came for dinner and then moved next door to dance the night away I saw it all the laughter dancing and quiet talks over drinks that sometimes turned into arguments or romantic Whispers my parents were strict about certain things from a young age they made sure I knew the importance of discretion and Prudence the summer I turned 16 they decided it was time for me to start learning the family business My older brother and sister had started working there when they turned 16 by the time I began

my brother was 21 with a degree in hotel and restaurant management and ran the bar my sister nearly 19 had just started college but at 16 I wasn't allowed to work in the bar I started waiting tables in the restaurant I didn't like it like most teenagers I wanted to to spend time with friends have fun and work as little as possible while making good money I Dreamed of working somewhere I could flirt with young pretty girls I'd been waiting tables for about 3 weeks when things began to change the restaurant and bar attracted a

mix of people businessmen young couples and older folks out for a nostalgic night one evening I saw something that opened my eyes oh my God I whispered standing in the doorway between the restaurant and the bar my eyes darted from table to table taking in sights I never imagined Women in little black dresses men leaning in to share Whispers my teenage heart raced at scenes almost too much to process I was so distracted that my parents had to call me back to the restaurant multiple times I remember one night when my sister Sarah caught me

watching too intently she walked up to me with a frown Donnie you better get back to work and ignore what you see otherwise you're going to get in trouble I half smiled and said but little sister That's Mrs Horton with a man she's not even wearing underwear do you think Mr Horton knows I can't wait to tell the guys this is unbelievable Sarah's eyes widened in shock as she glanced over her shoulder and muttered oh crap just then I felt my father's large hand on my shoulder he squeezed hard and said Don come with me

now his voice was firm leaving no room for argument he walked through the dining room past the waiter station and into his office I followed Slowly my stomach twisting with nerves when I entered my father pointed to the chair in front of his desk close the door and sit down I did my pulse quickening I thought this is going to be really bad my father's expression was unreadable finally he spoke Don I should have talked to you about this before you started working here but I didn't I had this conversation with your brother and sister

and it never gets easier he sighed running a hand through his hair Mrs Horton is a beautiful woman isn't she his question caught me off guard and I felt my face flush I fidgeted in my chair unsure of how to respond before I could he repeated isn't she I nodded slightly and whispered yeah my dad leaned forward elbows on the desk fingers interlaced he looked tired his eyes weary listen Don this business is our life and how we make a living it supports our family keeps a roof over our heads pays for your brother's College

and we'll do the same for you and your sister if we don't mess it up he paused to let the words sink in before continuing if you see someone you know come in with their family greet them by name chat briefly and then get back to work however if they come in with someone who isn't their spouse you act as if you didn't see them you don't acknowledge them you don't remember them being here and you certainly don't Discuss it with anyone else part of working in the food and bar industry means having selective hearing

and vision if a customer does something questionable we ignore it and and don't talk about it outside of this place that's what they expect from us and it's why they trust us I nodded feeling the weight of his words settle over me he fixed me with a serious look if I ever find out that you or anyone on staff has gossiped about a customer they'll be Fired immediately no exceptions we are known for our discretion that's what keeps customers coming back do you understand son yes sir I whispered good my father leaned back in his

chair some tension easing from his shoulders now get back to work and remember what I said I returned to work that day and continued working at the restaurant throughout high school and college I never gossiped about customers but I witnessed more dishonesty than someone My age should as I got older and started working in the bar I observed groups of men or women having boys or girls nights I watched as married individuals did things that wouldn't pass the test of marital loyalty I learned maybe I learned too much because I became intolerant of those who

attended parties and stayed late I realized that many Out of Towners were just looking for fun and trying to meet locals it was fine if they were single but many were married Or wore wedding rings often they ended up with other married clients I grew to disrespect and feel disgusted by them but treated everyone with the same level of politeness and discretion ultimately we wanted a successful business I noticed that people who came to parties and left early after a drink or two had solid stable marriages those who stayed late often had troubled marriages and

many later divorced during my freshman year of college my father hired a new Waitress when I first saw Victoria I was struck by desire over the next two years working together we fell in love we met each other's families and relatives we talked and discovered that we were Kindred Spirits we laughed at the Antics and foolishness of the Unfaithful customers we saw finally the Christmas before our college graduation I proposed to Vicki by then we both knew we shared the same values and wanted to be together for Life the only bump in Our relationship was

our parents request for a prenuptual agreement Vicki and I believed it was unnecessary as we saw ourselves as life Partners my parents had a business and to my surprise a significant Investment Portfolio that they wanted to protect if I inherited it to my surprise Vicky's parents had the same concerns they had considerable wealth and wanted Vicki's share protected in case of a divorce the agreement they drafted solved these Issues we agreed that anything we owned before marriage or inherited from our maternal relatives would remain hours if we divorced the agreement also covered pensions which we

would each keep only jointly acquired property after marriage would be divided the agreement even addressed Child Care stating that if we divorced while having minor children custody would go to the parent who traveled less unless it posed a risk to the children graduation day finally came Vicki graduated with a bachelor degree in finance and secured a great job at a local brokerage firm I graduated with a bachelor's degree in construction management and a minor in landscape architecture after college I worked for a construction company for 2 years to learn the trade neither Vicki nor I

were interested in running a restaurant or bar my parents turned the business into a corporation and we let my sister and brother manage it mom stayed on as the Accountant while Dad remained the behind the scenes boss after 2 years I started my own construction and Landscaping Company since Vicki and I struggled to cover our mortgage and car payments my parents provided the startup Capital through the family Corporation I received a salary to manage the business it was challenging at first but Vicki steadily climbed the career ladder one day she came home elated she had

been selected for a position in The Brokerage Firm's compliance Department which ensured that all satellite offices adhered to SEC regulations the only downside was the job required some travel usually 3 to 4 days a month my past made me uneasy about it over time my business Grew From handling small remodels to adding rooms garages and constructing new buildings with Landscaping I was content and never tried to take the business out of the corporation and make it solely mine my Salary increased each year as the business grew in value and income I gradually accepted Vicki's travel

though I never felt entirely comfortable even though I wasn't thrilled when she went out with friends it wasn't often and she was usually home by 8:00 p.m. of course I occasionally traveled and went out for a beer with the construction Crews or office staff it was good management but I made sure to leave after a couple of beers and was Typically home no more than an hour later than usual unless Vicki joined me after 3 years of marriage Vicky and I decided it was time to start a family our first child was Patrick followed by

little Suzanne 18 months later she was Tiny and as she grew she had me wrapped around her finger by the time she turned four she was a younger version of her mother when she gets older she's sure to make your heart St as Vicki gained more experience at work She became known as the go-to person for handling tough office situations she could identify issues and knew how to help fix them if she faced resistance she wasn't afraid to call out the wrong doing if that didn't work she would escalate the issue to headquarters and push

harder many office managers who crossed paths with her ended up seeking new jobs because of this Vicki's travel increased sometimes she was away for up to 2 weeks a month we both hated it we Discussed it and she believed she was on track to lead her Department within 2 years which would end the travel and come with a big salary boost we agreed to push through until then due to the economic downturn my small company had to take on jobs we would have passed on before the housing and stock markets crashed we had already let

go of about half of our staff we weren't in financial trouble because we avoided major loans and heavy overhead but we Weren't as profitable as before one small job I took on ended up steering my marriage toward disaster I wish I'd never taken it maybe I'd still be happily married maybe not that Thursday morning I walked into my office wondering why I even showed up the night before IID stayed late to finish all the paperwork on my desk Vicki had been out of town all week for compliance inspections and based on our conversations wouldn't be

home until Late Friday evening I considered heading straight to one of our three job sites to spend the day working handson and inspecting the progress as most know the best way to keep employees alert and ensure quality is for the boss to be on site ready to step in I hadn't been at my desk long when my assistant called me she said Don we have a casual environment here and I try to treat my staff like family Mrs Sloan is here to discuss building a deck and Landscaping Her backyard do you have time to see

her I thought a nice little porch and some plants I decided to take the meeting a small job could still keep some of my guys employed and help their families when Mrs Sloan walked in I was stunned I could barely speak she looked so much like Mrs Horton the first woman I'd ever been infatuated with that it caught me off guard I finally collected myself stood up and greeted her Mrs SLO nice to meet you I'm Don Patterson she saidou Here to build porches that's right I replied please have a seat so we can discuss

your plans I'm sorry but you remind me of someone I knew when I was younger it felt like she just walked in the room please forgive me Jasmine laughed light and familiar sound Don it's me Jasmine Jasmine Horton she must have noticed my confusion because she added you know Denita and Alfred Horton's daughter we used to come to your family's restaurant all the time I Blinked in Surprise oh my God I'm sorry you were younger back then and you've changed so much Jasmine's laugh tinkled again well I guess we've all changed I was only 10

when my parents divorced and after that Mom and I couldn't afford to visit your place anymore with a sigh Jasmine continued anyway my husband and I just bought a house near where we used to live he said we could build a porch and maybe add a Jacuzzi if the price is right we'd like to move forward when I Heard you had a construction business I wanted to ask you first before anyone else we spent the rest of the morning reminiscing And discussing her and her husband Steven's plans once we had a rough outline of what

they wanted I told her I'd need to visit the property and take measurements to give an accurate quote she replied no problem Don I'm free all day so just let me know when you'd like to come I said how about I come by at 1:00 this afternoon I need to Check in at my job sites and grab some lunch first but then I'll have the rest of the day to take measurements and prepare an estimate does that work for you Jasmine left and I stepped out of my office to tell my secretary Laura I'll be

out for the rest of the day I'm heading to the job sites grabbing lunch and then going to Mrs sloanes to assess her project lock up when you leave and call my cell if you need anything everything was going smoothly at work But I ended up staying longer than planned to meet with one of the property owners which made me late for lunch I arrived at Sloan's around 1:30 Jasmine greeted me at the door and the first thing I did was apologize for my tardiness Mrs Sloan I'm sorry for being late I met with a

property owner and waited for him I tried to call but only got your answering machine Jasmine laughed softly I've told you just call me Jasmine sorry I missed your call Earlier I was cleaning the pool when I got home and left my cordless phone inside but no worries you're here now would you like something to drink or should we head out to look at the yard I smiled and shook my head I'm fine Jasmine let's just go check out your backyard after taking all the measurements I said it's easy to estimate most of this but

since you don't have a hot tub yet you'll need to buy one before I can give you a full Quote I need its Dimensions to order the necessary materials Jasmine looked surprised and said Oh I thought you provide the hot tub too I don't know much about them can't you just include it in the project I chuckled and said yes Jasmine I can do that but we don't sell them so I'll need to buy it elsewhere to do that I need to know the size you want will it be built in or stand alone and

will it run on 210 or 110 volts Jasmine seemed flustered Reminding me of how she'd get upset over small things when she was younger finally I said why don't we discuss it a bit and you could call your husband or talk to him tonight I can wait to finalize this until you've decided on the hot tub now Jasmine seemed genuinely anxious almost shaking she said oh no I can't call him he told me to handle this and I plan to he's on a business trip in Denver so I won't see him until the Weekend let's

figure this out now I asked her more about how they'd use the hot tub and learned they rarely had guests mostly she used the pool and backyard sometimes with one or two friends once I had enough information we went to my supplier and Jasmine picked out a small five-person hot tub I took the measurements and we returned to her house I asked if there was a place where I could connect to the internet to access my office system some of my Budget items changed on Thursdays and I wanted up-to-date prices before preparing the quote Jasmine

smiled and said of course Don come into the office Steve works as a manufacturers rep for saving Business Systems so he has a great home office for when he's not traveling you can connect your laptop to our Network or use our desktop I stepped into the office and was impressed it was set up like a professional business space with a desk to the left of the Door windows overlooking the backyard two leather chairs in front of the desk and a bookshelf on the opposite wall Jasmine walked behind the desk and pulled out a chair for

me she smiled and said you can sit here while you work let me know if you need anything thank you I said as I walked to the desk I set my laptop down and sat Jasmine handed me a DSL cable to connect when I reached for it my eyes caught a photograph I paused hand hovering then pulled back and Stared at it before picking it up Jasmine noticed my reaction and looked puzzled as she held out the cable her eyes moved between my face and the photo I was gripping tightly is something wrong she asked

concern Crossing her face that's my husband my pride and joy I keep telling him to replace that picture with one of him and his chel but he won't I'm tired of seeing his ex-girlfriend every time I use the desk why are you looking at me like that What's the matter I carefully placed the photo back on the desk and stepped away Jasmine did you say your husband was in Denver I asked my voice strained her expression shifted to surprise yes I did why do you ask my wife is also in Denver and has been all

week Jasmine did Steven know you were getting an estimate from me or mention me at all no she replied frowning but what does that matter he just told me to a quote for the deck and Hot tub as long as it didn't exceed $20,000 why are you asking I took a deep breath meeting her eyes Jasmine the woman in this photo with Steve is my wife Jasmine's eyes widened as she processed the information wow that's strange so you married Steve's ex-girlfriend we've only been married for 18 months when did you get married a knot formed

in my stomach as I looked at Jasmine Vicki and I have been married for 9 years this photo can't be more Than two years old I recognized the necklace I bought her for Christmas just over two years ago she also bought that outfit specifically for our summer vacation the following Year Jasmine hesitated then said if what you're suggesting is true Don I'm so sorry but why does her being in Denver worry you Jasmine I continued you mentioned you've been married for 18 months based on what Vicki's wearing in that photo I think it was taken

right around when you and Steve got married when did he frame it and what did he tell you about it it can't be Jasmine responded her voice breaking the photo was taken the day he won first place at the big state Chevrolet car show tears welled in Jasmine's eyes as she sank into one of the leather chairs in front of the desk she continued quietly that was 3 weeks before we got married I never suspected anything he told me it was an old picture but he's holding the first place Trophy damn him wait a minute

Jasmine I said trying to steady my thoughts let's think this through carefully I saw plenty of situations like this when I worked in my family's restaurant I learned to stay quiet because cheaters always get exposed eventually yes this looks suspicious but all we know for sure is that Steve and Vicki are in front of his car hugging the photo appears to be about 18 months to 2 years old you're younger than us so I doubt Steve could be one of Vicky's ex-boyfriends but it's not impossible Vicky and I started dating when we were 18 while

working at my dad's restaurant I know the names of most of her past crushes just like you probably know Steves how old is he by the way he's 29 and I'm 27 Jasmine said I nodded slowly H that's possible since Vicki isn't quite 31 I don't know what to make of this damn what do we do now if we confront them they'll just deny it Whether it's something from the past or happening now if they're involved and we confront them they might become more secretive or even run away together I feel like I need to

ask but until today I trusted Vicki completely I'm at a loss we talked more and came up with what we thought was a reasonable plan we decided not to mention what we had discovered that day Jasmine wouldn't tell Steve about our conversation and we would hire a private investigator to look into both Vicki and Steve the next day we spoke to the security company we used for our construction sites and they referred us to an investigative agency they worked with we talked to their staff and signed a contract for their services we each wrote a

check for our share of the advance Jasmine used a shorten name on her check so that if Steve asked she could say it was a deposit for the project I used my business account which Vicki never checked so I was in the Clear I'd just cover any business expenses later 3 weeks later Jasmine and I met with the investigator he said Don Jasmine I'm happy to report that we couldn't find any evidence suggesting your spouses are seeing each other or even know each other we monitored them every afternoon and after work and there was nothing

out of the ordinary the only unusual thing was was last Friday when Mrs Patterson and some co-workers went out in St Louis visiting several bars And dancing with different men Vicki danced with Steve once but it was innocent they kept a decent distance and neither's hands wandered there was no kissing or anything inappropriate and they didn't speak to each other after the dance I exhaled deeply and leaned back in my chair glancing from the investigator to Jasmine a nagging thought began to take root that this entire situation might be fueled by the deep-seated distrust I

had developed From years of working in the family business I'd gone so far as to check phone records and install cameras and voice recorders in our house as well as in Vicki's car and purse every search came up clean finally I spoke I guess this was just paranoia on my part I'm relieved but I feel ashamed for doubting them letun end this wait a second Jasmine said her tone serious didn't you mention that Steve is going to San Antonio next week she hesitated as if Piecing something together yes but why does that matter I leaned

forward a new sense of urgency creeping in oh we won't need to monitor anyone next week right that's exactly when we should be paying attention Vicki told me two weeks ago that she has a compliance check next week I can't remember exactly where but I think she said Austin depending on their schedules they could be within an hour of each other we've already confirmed there's nothing suspicious Here at home so let's focus on monitoring this trip if nothing turns up I'll admit it was all in my head it's reasonable to think that if they were

just old friends she might have posed for a photo with his trophy throughout the investigation and uncertainty Jasmine and I saw no change in how Vicky or Steve treated us their behavior was exactly as it had always been I thought long and hard but couldn't identify any shift in Vicki's actions or attitude Since we began dating or even in the early years of our marriage she treated me as if I were the only man in her life she still initiated closeness responded to me warmly and was as loving and attentive as ever the Friday night

before Vicki's upcoming trip we went out for a date later as we lay in bed I turned to her and asked do you remember when we worked at my dad's restaurant and used to laugh at all the cheaters and the ridiculous things people did I Thought I noticed a brief tension in her body but it was fleeting she smiled and turned to face me yes some of those people were really unbelievable sometimes when I see similar Behavior at work I think back to those days and wonder how people can be so foolish why do you

ask a guy at work thinks his wife is cheating I said he hasn't found any proof though when he shared his worries with me I thought back to those times and told him to stay Calm I suggested he stay observant because cheaters eventually expose themselves I also mentioned that taking the time to figure things out is better for the children since divorce always affects them Vicki's expression turned somber as she responded why do you assume a marriage has to end in divorce maybe the wife really loves her husband and the affair means nothing to her

maybe she doesn't want a divorce at all no Vicki I said he's like me he spent Time in bars and has the same low tolerance for infidelity that we do I can't see him accepting a long-term Affair just as we wouldn't maybe he'd forgive a one-time mistake but never something ongoing Vicky tensed again when I said I wouldn't accept a long-term Affair but she smiled turned to me kissed me softly and said I'm glad you're still the man I married we know how devastating Affairs can be if he needs help try to talk Sensen to

him and Maybe we can both help him get through it good night sweetheart we settled in bed but from all the tossing and turning it was clear neither of us fell asleep quickly the next week was hard for me I called the investigators twice but all they said was our team is monitoring both of them and we provide a report by next Monday finally Monday came and Jasmine and I met at the investigator's office as we sat down we felt like bad news was Coming the investigator leaned back and said you know when you asked

us to follow your spouses last week I almost said it would be a waste of money this turned out to be one of the trickiest infidelity cases we've ever seen but you were right Steve and Vicky are having an affair we have photos and recorded conversations to prove it I'm honestly surprised if we'd only followed them locally we wouldn't have found out based on the recordings they meet only three Or four times a year far from here they act as if it's coincidental when there in the same city and work hard to appear as just

acquaintances but what we uncovered showed they're skilled at hiding it they traveled to two different cities stayed in different hotels and met at a third Hotel without sharing a room they booked adjoining rooms at different times with Steve paying cash for his and Vicki checking in as Angela Foster with a government ID under that Name Steve checked in as Steven Allen also using a government ID they stayed only from Tuesday to Thursday and only saw each other on those days I leaned back processing everything Foster Vicky's maiden name is Victoria Angela Foster Jasmine whispered Allan

is Steve's middle name well I said I guess that's it except for the tears I'll contact a divorce attorney as soon as possible Jasmine started to respond but the investigator cut in hold on that's Not everything usually I wouldn't mention this but something doesn't add up I know they were intimate but this doesn't feel like a typical Affair it seems more like some elaborate game we have hours of conversations on tape and most are innocent there were only two intimate moments the whole week and their Pillow Talk was odd here let me play a recording

so you can see what I mean when the investigator played the specific part of the tape we heard Vicki Speaking she said you know Steve I'm starting to think we need to end this we've been doing this for 6 years and had our fun we've proven that we're the exception to the rule smart cheaters I'm sure you'd agree that zeex between us isn't nearly as good as with our spouses plus something Don said Friday night is bothering me we talked in bed and he reminded me of what we learned working at his parents restaurant that

all cheaters eventually get caught no one Thinks through all the possibilities at some point every cheater either gets overconfident or makes a minor mistake that exposes them I'm still uneasy about Denver it was the first time we were in the same city and I think it was a mistake we shouldn't have deviated from the plan we should only meet in different cities close enough to Rendevous in the middle like we do here sure it's a hassle to book two rooms and pay for an unused one but we've proven Our point we're smart cheaters and if

you play it smart you can cheat and win I don't want to do anything that could make me lose Dawn I love him more than anything he's the best man I've ever known honestly after our first couple of encounters the real thrill for me was in the planning and scheming the logistics booking rooms and coordinating details became more enjoyable than solving a puzzle or Sudoku Z just dulls the excitement don't deny it I know you feel The same way you even told me in Denver that you always left unsatisfied the investigator paused the tape and

looked at us that's not all but this part of the conversation was the most puzzling I can't quite make sense of it I started started laughing surprising both Jasmine and the investigator regaining my composure I said I'm sorry it's not funny I'm furious but I need to explain something a few years back a couple we were friends with divorced after the Wife was caught cheating she had been doing it for almost 4 years and was exposed by a simple mistake the night we found out Vicky and I were with friends and we ended up discussing

infidelity and how cheaters often make foolish decisions we remembered what my father used to say when we worked at his restaurant and what we witnessed there Vicki argued that anyone could cheat successfully if they were smart and kept it controlled I disagreed saying no one Could cheat without eventually being caught it might take years but it would happen I said even a minor innocent slip could expose it we both stuck to our points but for weeks afterward Vicki would mentions smart cheaters winning I believe her affair with Steve began around that argument Vicki has always

taken pride in her intelligence and I think I unknowingly pushed the wrong button she wanted to prove she could do it and get away with it she probably Could have if she had stopped earlier but now no she won't get away with it Jasmine and I were now waiting to meet with a divorce attorney since sharing the cost of the investigator had worked well we decided to share the lawyer fees too when we were called into the office the lawyer looked surprised Mr Patterson and is this Mrs Patterson I smirked and said no sir I'm

Don Patterson and this is Jasmine Sloan we found out her husband and my wife were cheating on us So we split the cost of the investigator now we're hoping to split your fee as well attorney George Spalding smiled and gestured for us to sit of course let's see if we can work something out please have a seat I handed him a copy of the investigator's report and photos before he could review them I said I don't think my case will be too complex I also brought a list of everything Vicky and I own and how

and when we acquired it here's a copy of prenuptual agreement Which details property Division and child custody all I want is a divorce due to infidelity and a settlement per the agreement Jasmine's case might be more complicated I sat back and waited as he reviewed the documents after finishing my paperwork Jasmine provided hers which was similar except she didn't have a prenuptual agreement the lawyer outlined the divorce process timelines and his fees he also discussed what Jasmine might want from her Divorce finally he said I think that's enough for now I'll review everything including the

investigator's report if I have questions I'll reach out otherwise I'll prepare the documents and move forward would you like me to serve the papers directly or contact you first Jasmine and I agreed we wanted a call when the documents were ready to be served we left the attorney's office and went back to our routines deciding to stay in touch two days later George Spalding called after some small talk George said Don I've reviewed everything you gave me and I have to tell you this is the strangest case I've ever seen I even had two partners

look at it and they agree yes there was infidelity but it's clear that your wife loves you honestly it doesn't even seem like a traditional Affair it feels more like a game where they had to include Zex to play Don are you sure you want to move forward with this I mean you said you Had an almost perfect marriage no fights a good bad life mutual love and respect if you don't mind me saying so it's almost like you were part of this game too now the only option left is divorce could you talk to

Vicki and move past it you know she told Steve that they needed to end it and that it was just a game for her I sat and thought for a moment before responding no George I've asked myself that question a lot at one point I thought I could move on if it had been Just a game without Zex and only an emotional or pretend Affair I might have been able to ignore it maybe Vicki was angry that I mocked her belief that she could cheat smartly and not get caught she couldn't let my statement go

that all cheaters are eventually exposed if she had crossed the line and slept with Steve I might have looked past it but it's been 6 years even if the zeex wasn't fulfilling for them it was still infidelity and she has to face the Consequences George sighed well it's your life I hate doing this but I have the documents ready when do you want her served I smiled slightly George she and Steve are on the East Coast this week she's supposed to return late Friday afternoon can we serve her at her office on Friday her flight

lands around noon so she should be back at her office by 3:30 or 4: I'd like her served then along with the recording I have it's the clip where she talks to Steve about Breaking things off you're welcome to listen but at the end I say they lost like I said cheaters always get caught on Friday morning I gathered my team in the office before they left for their work sites I informed them that Vicki and I were getting a divorce and explained the reasons behind it I instructed them not to take any orders from

her or share any details about the business or my personal life once they left my secretary Laura stayed behind oh Don I'm so sorry she said I can't believe Vicki would do this I remember how much she hated cheaters Laura gave a sad chuckle some of the things she said when we'd see someone we knew acting that way I never would have guessed at 4:10 that afternoon George called to confirm that the documents had been served by 4:30 the call I had been dreading came Vicky's name flashed on the caller ID I answered hello Vicki

I heard her crying and then her voice Shaky and broken said Don can't we stop this you know I love you with all my heart I see now how stupid I was but you made me so angry that night with your arrogant lecture about how smart cheaters never get away with it for the first year it was just planning and meeting to prove we could I know you heard me tell Steve I didn't love him and that the zeex wasn't even good we were going to stop please don't do this I still can't believe you

found out After all these years I need to know how you did it Vicki this isn't on me you did this I said my voice steady now I have to end it I thought we were on the same page about cheating I thought we agreed it was unacceptable and that cheaters would always face the consequences I can't understand how you Justified this to yourself I decided to tell Vicki how I discovered her Affair Vicki I began I wasn't going to Tell you this but now I think I should you were right going to Denver was

a mistake the Thursday before you came back Jasmine Sloan visited the office to discuss building a deck and Landscaping her yard she let me use Steve's office and while I was there I saw a picture of you with him and his trophy from the state classic Chevrolet show Jasmine mentioned that you were one of Steve's old girlfriends at first I almost believed Her until I noticed that in the photo you looked exactly like you do now not years ago and you were wearing the Je jewelry and clothes I bought for you about 2 years ago

I almost set my doubts aside thinking that maybe you dated him before we met and had just run into him at the car show I added but then after more conversations with Jasmine I found out that you and Steve were both in Denver that week we hired an investigator and Tracked you for a month other than one dance at a party with your friends there was no contact between you two we were about to dismiss everything thinking the photo was just a coincidence but by then Jasmine and I were were already sharing a lot of

details I remembered her mentioning that Steve would be in San Antonio the same weekend you said you'd be in Austin so we decided to follow you if we found nothing we would have let it go but we did find something didn't we I Heard Vicki's quiet sobs before she finally spoke Don I love you so much I don't want to lose you can you forgive me just this once I sighed heavily no I can't not now maybe if it hadn't gone so far but I can't move past the fact that you slept with him and

how long it went on Don don't you see bicki pleaded it wasn't serious it was like a game we only had Zex because we were away and both wanted an outlet we used each other to relieve frustration we never said we Loved each other it was just about the game and finding some relief Vicki that doesn't matter what matters is that you did it you planned it met up with Steve and made a fool out of me I'm sure it started at one of those parties didn't it Vicki s deeply yes it did we were

chatting when he invited me to dance the girls and I had been talking about a couple we knew who had an affair and got caught I mentioned that there's no such thing as a smart Trader while we were Dancing I told Steve about that and he said I bet we could beat that I travel a lot if I found someone who did too we could meet far from home and never get caught we danc some more and then we decided to test it he was a manufacturer's rep I was conducting compliance reviews we figured out

we'd be in the same place in a few weeks and planned to meet we developed a secret non-committal arrangement she continued we agreed not to call each other at home Or on our personal phones we used burner phones and work calls just to schedule meetings I even got a new credit card that was buil to my parents address we thought we covered every Trace except for the photos I didn't know he kept those Vicki gave a sad smile one mistake and the Traer is caught I'm so sorry Don I got caught up in the excitement

I love you there was a click as she hung up and I realized tears were streaming down my face I sat back lost in thought when Laura said good night my next memory was Darkness outside both sets of parents tried to stop me from divorcing Vicki with her parents plea being the most heartfelt one Saturday they visited to see the kids and we sat by the pool Vicky's mother turned to me her expression full of concern Don we know she messed up badly that first night she came to our house hysterical saying she'd ruined everything

eventually she told us everything and showed us the Evidence I met her eyes as she continued Don if her father had done what she did I would have left him too but can't you at least try to forgive her I see how much she loves you in the way she looks at you and talks about you her problem is always needing to prove she's the smartest did you ever consider that maybe you pushed her into this she told me about the argument you two had before she decided to prove she could have an affair without

getting caught I took a Deep breath and responded Yes Mona I have thought about my role in all of this I told her once that if she'd met him but hadn't slept with him I might have been able to forgive it but she did sleep with him we both admitted to being cheaters before we got married and she was the one who insisted on including infidelity Clauses in our prenup and then she did this it breaks my heart but I can't just move past it the divorce was finalized and I felt Relieved that we had

a prenup we divided our invest ments and the house which I kept by allowing Vicki to take her share from our investments my business was safeguarded as it was family registered so Vicki received nothing from it despite everything I remained civil to Vicki and never restricted her access to the kids though the trust between us was irreparably broken one evening I took the kids out to dinner when I noticed Jasmine walking in looking hesitant the Hostess approached her and I stood up to meet them Jasmine great to see you I said with a smile smile

if you're alone why not join us it's just me and the kids she smiled a hint of relief on her face and hugged me giving me a quick kiss on the cheek thank you I'd love to it's been a bit lonely since I introduced her to my children and shortly after my father came over with a curious look Don who's this lovely lady he asked Dad this is Jasmine Sloan her Husband's family used to visit when I was a kid I replied Mr Patterson's face brightened with recognition ah I remember now you look so much

like your mother how are your parents doing they're doing well dad moved to Kansas City after the divorce and I visit mom a couple of times a month Jasmine said good to hear my father said warmly hope to see you around more often after ordering I apologize for not staying in touch summer is my busiest time but That's just an excuse I'm sorry don't worry Jasmine said I didn't call either I'm here to celebrate Steve finally agreed to the divorce we sold the house and split everything though he fought child support since he didn't want

me working I won I'm renting a small place for now but once I get a job I'll find better the kids grew restless and Jasmine and I ordered another bottle of wine eventually I said I should get these kids home before they get us Kicked out it's been great talking maybe we can do this again I'd like that Jasmine said with a smile the waitress informed us the bill was already paid that old man I laughed he's trying to set us up I left a tip stood up and said kids say good night to your

grandparents I helped Jasmine up and offered my hand may I escort you to your car of course she said taking my hand as we waited I said I don't want this night to end before you came I was just looking Forward to relaxing by the pool with the kids Jasmine smiled and replied me too except I don't have a pool or kids it's still early I said glancing at her would you like to come by after I put them to bed she nodded with a warm smile I'd love that later once the kids were asleep

I stocked the mini fridge by the pool with drinks and settled down with a Pepsi Jasmine joined me and took one for herself I gazed at the pool exhaled deeply and turned to her you Know I think your mom might have had a role in my divorce I sorry I shouldn't have said that I was just wondering Jasmine sat looking at me in shock with what seemed like a tear forming in her eye I struggled to get up from my chair and sat on the edge of hers I wiped the tear from her eye and

said let me tell you how foolish I was when I was 16 I had only been working at the restaurant for a few weeks when your mother came in with a man I didn't recognize they had Dinner and then went to the bar to drink and dance I always thought your mom was the most beautiful woman in the world until I met you anyway I couldn't stop staring at her my father not only caught me staring but also overheard me saying that I would tell my friends about what I saw at school on Monday I

paused phw I still remember the reprimand and lecture I got that night in his office that talk shaped my thoughts on marital Fidelity To this day you know that later when Vicki started working with us she got the same lecture we often shared stories about what we witnessed at the restaurant and thought we were on the same page with my father's views maybe I was too strict about Fidelity for my own own good that night with your mother set me on the rigid path I followed throughout this case I'm sorry and before you ask no

none of my family or staff ever told anyone about your mother I don't know who did but your parents didn't divorce until almost a year later as far as I know that was the only time she and her companion were at the restaurant Jasmine looked at me and said well maybe some good came from all this or maybe not depending on how you see it she married that man and they stayed together until he died in a car accident a few years ago I think she may have cheated on him too I've always heard that

once a cheater always a cheater Once I was sure Jasmine had calmed down I returned to my chair and we moved on to lighter topics I found out she had a degree in accounting and had worked in the field for some time I smiled remembering how my mother used to complain about wanting more rest but couldn't as she managed the books for the bar and restaurant and supervised the weight staff I thought hiring a nanny for Laura might be a good idea the the following Wednesday I had just come Home from work and was drinking

a glass of water when I heard a knock at the door I opened it and was surprised when Jasmine crying threw herself into my arms and tried to kiss me through her tears she said thank you oh thank you your parents called and offered me a job I went for an interview and test and they hired me I start tomorrow and they're paying me more than I expected she began crying again and I held her close stroking her hair over the next Few months Jasmine and I grew even closer I started taking the kids out

to dinner several nights a week and timed our visits so Jasmine could join us when she was free when Christmas arrived Jasmine was invited to dinner at the Patterson together we helped prepare the New Year's party at the bar my father and siblings jokingly complained about how we were always hugging and kissing when they looked for us by then we were an established couple invitations to one Of us naturally included the other Valentine's Day came which was another big night for the restaurant and bar so Jasmine and I were working after most of the customers

had left I walked into the dining area and said Jasmine could you come to the bar for a moment the band is on a break and I need help with something on stage Jasmine smiled sure I needed a break anyway once on stage I asked her to hold the microphone stand as I knelt down I tugged on its base and Said hey can we get a light over here Jasmine glanced around for a light source and one of the spotlights shown on us I said Jasmine the microphone picked up my voice and echoed through the

room Jasmine looked down and saw me holding out a small black box at first she thought it was part of the mic stand the bright light made it hard to see so she reached for it confused I spoke again Jasmine I'm down here at your feet Asking you will you marry me you brought light back into my life and I'm only happy when I'm with you as her fingers touched the Box she realized what I was saying she opened it and found a beautiful ring in inside her jaw dropped and she covered her mouth with

her hand slowly she took the ring from the box tears streaming down her cheeks she knelt and kissed me deeply yes she whispered oh yes I love you with all my heart I've been hoping for this moment For months the room erupted with cheers and Applause when Jasmine pulled away she saw my entire family gathered around my brother lifted her up and hugged her and she was passed from person to person receiving hugs and congratulations Jasmine planned the wedding for June over the months she gradually moved her things from her small apartment into my house

at the post wedding reception we opened our gifts at the bottom of the pile was a single yellowed envelope Inside was an old heart-shaped Valentine with the original signature erased on the Valentine were written the words I received this Valentine from the only man I've ever loved on our first Valentine's Day I kept it safe all these years it feels right to pass it on to you now as a symbol of my heart moving from me to you may your life be filled with love and care for one another may you never break each other's

hearts or let Pride come between you Congratulations wishing you both a lifetime of happiness with all my love Victoria [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]