[Music] as I entered the bathroom a sparkle on the rug caught my eye the sunlight was reflecting off something so I looked down to check being Barefoot I wanted to avoid stepping on anything sharp Vanessa hadn't mentioned dropping anything but it was possible I soon spotted it a tiny circle of foil that had fallen on the floor it was the backing from a pill strip typically left attached but Sometimes detached and dropped one side was blank but the other had a marking two since it was Wednesday it indicated Tuesday's pill I knew neither Vanessa nor
I were on any medication we'd both had recent medical checkups and were deemed healthy so why was there a pill cover in our bathroom at first it was hard to spot because without the light on it it Blended almost perfectly with the carpet eventually I found it a tiny piece of foil had fallen to the floor Catching the light and drawing my attention as I entered the bathroom I picked it up it turned out to be the backing from a pill strip the small piece of foil that usually stays attached when you push out a
pill sometimes as in this case it detaches and ends up on the floor I inspected it closely one side was blank but the other had a marking that read two since today was Wednesday I assumed it referred to Tuesday's pill this indicated that the Pills were meant to be taken daily I wasn't on any medication myself being 35 and in great shape and neither was Vanessa we had both recently had our annual checkups and were declared healthy so why was there a pill w ER in my bathroom I knew some pills need to be taken
daily with birth control being the first that came to mind however Vanessa wasn't using birth control or so I thought since I had a vasectomy 2 years ago she also didn't suffer from Menstrual cramps so why were there pills I briefly wondered if she was hiding a medical condition but both our recent checkups showed we were healthy the foil piece suggested there were more pills so I locked the door and began searching as Vanessa was still in bed I eventually found them hidden at the bottom of a tampon box inside an aspirin container the pills
were the same she used to take before my vasectomy and before we decided not to have more children if Vanessa was using the pill again it could mean she was involved with someone who could potentially get her pregnant leading me to suspect she was cheating Vanessa and I had been together for 9 years we met after University when she was a PA and after a year of dating we married when I was 26 we had two kids James and Sonia and I thought I had the perfect family after Vanessa returned to work post-maternity leave we
had an oair for the kids Vanessa's salary was almost Equal to the oars but she loved her job and didn't mind I co-own an engineering firm and while we weren't wealthy we were comfortable I cleaned up the bathroom replaced the pills and decided I needed to think carefully confronting Vanessa immediately wouldn't help I needed a plan and solid evidence I needed to understand the situation better before taking any action at work I contemplated finding out who Vanessa was was seeing when it started and how Long it's been going on I also considered whether the kids
were actually mine I wanted to confirm my suspicions before acting on my feelings of betrayal and anger I began by ordering DNA testing kits for the kids in surveillance gear including voice recorders and Tiny cameras I also planned to clone Vanessa's phone to access her messages emails and calls I needed a new phone for this purpose it took a few days for everything to arrive During that period I kept a close watch Vanessa's Behavior seemed normal our bed life was average occurring once or twice a week usually on weekends when we stayed in bed late
I didn't notice any suspicious odors on her nor did she rush to the shower as soon as she got home everything seemed unchanged either she wasn't cheating or she was incredibly cautious or the affair had become such a routine that it felt natural on Friday morning the packages arrived I had them Delivered to my office to avoid any questions the shipment included DNA kits voice recorders cameras and a phone cloning kit everything was set that afternoon I left the office early when I got home the opair was feeding the kids dinner and preparing them for
bed I let her handle that while I set up the cameras one in the bathroom one in the living room and one in the bedroom with a clear view of the bed I heard the children playing in the bath and went to Help get them ready for bed I took care of Sonia while the opair stayed with James I swabbed Sonia's cheek and put the swab in my pocket then read to her until she fell asleep when I checked on James he was still awake with the opair reading to him I offered to take over
so she could go home and she gratefully agreed swabbing James was quick and he was asleep within 20 minutes I packed up the swabs including one for my own cheek and dropped them in the mailbox the Postman would collect them in the morning the service guaranteed that results would be available online within 48 business hours which meant by Wednesday at the latest Vanessa arrived home right on schedule and we followed our usual routine she shared details about her day and I talked about mine but neither of us paid much attention to the other after dinner
she took a shower during her shower I used the chance to place the recorders in her car and bag And to clone her cell phone I checked the cloned phone for any suspicious texts or emails but found nothing either she was being incredibly cautious or she wasn't cheating I couldn't decide the weekend went by as it typically did we had closeness both mornings before the kids got up it had become a sort of routine almost like a chore if we managed to complete it before either child woke up we considered it a success our success
rate was about 50% with her Usually finishing first no calls or texts came through over the weekend and since we were together all the time I couldn't check if she was taking the tablets however I did notice that the relevant days were missing from the pill strip since I wasn't taking them and only Vanessa and I were home it seemed clear that she was on Monday I informed her that I would be working from home she left for the office giving me the chance to remove the flash drives from The cameras and review the footage
the bathroom camera confirmed that she was indeed taking the pills but the bedroom camera revealed something unexpected on Saturday evening while I was cooking dinner she had taken a shower in the bedroom footage I saw her using a phone to send texts since there were no suspicious messages on the cloned phone she must have a second phone it wasn't in her bag so where could it be I observed what Vanessa did with the phone After she finished texting she went to the air conditioning unlocked it and hid the phone inside I immediately checked the duct
but found it empty she must hide the phone there while she's home but takes it with her when she leaves I needed to access that phone this was the first solid evidence that something was going on though I still didn't know exactly what the signs pointed to cheating but it wasn't certain I reviewed the footage of her getting Dressed that morning and saw her retrieve the phone from the air conditioning unit and put it in her bag before heading out I had to get that phone when she came came home that night I watched her
closely she tossed her bag carelessly in the hallway and went about her usual evening routine after dinner she took a shower and I checked her bag the phone wasn't there she must have taken it with her and hidden it in the air conditioning unit again what she Didn't realize or didn't care about was that the other side of the vent led into Sonia's room quietly I listened for the sound of the shower and sneaked into Sonia's room I opened the vent from her side and found the phone inside side I took it to my office
and cloned it onto the new phone in just a few minutes after returning the phone to the vent and almost closing it I heard Vanessa coming out of the shower I sat by Sonia's bed and stroked her hair just as Vanessa entered is something wrong she asked softly I shook my head I like to spend time with them from time to time I whispered it reminds me of how lucky I am to have two such wonderful kids she smiled you're such a softy she said let's go before you wake her the next day was the
first time I could review the cloned phone that's when everything fell apart as I sat in my office tears streaming down my face while staring at the cloned phone I didn't notice the Intercom from my secretary eventually she gave up on reaching me that way and knocked before entering Michelle my secretary was a no-nonsense woman in her 30s or 4S with slim build red hair and green eyes she always dressed conservatively far old than her years our interactions had always been strictly professional I'd seen firsthand what happened when someone crossed boundaries with her I once
had to deal with a business partner who couldn't Handle her rejection Michelle made it clear she would leave and sue for harassment if he didn't stop his ultimatum led to his departure and me gaining a larger share of the company when Michelle saw me upset she stepped back briefly then returned to my office she locked the door pulled up a chair and handed me some tissues from her everpresent Supply I took them and began wiping my tears tell me was all she said I showed her the phone the phone Contained text messages between Vanessa and
an unnamed person these messages revealed a series of secret meetings and an ongoing relationship the other party knew intimate details about Vanessa that only a long-term partner would know things like a mole on the inside of her thigh and the distinctive sound she made during intimacy I was never mentioned in the texts it was as if I didn't exist there was no reference to my presence or any Mention of me at all Michelle asked if I knew who it was but I didn't she then asked how I found out so I explained finding the silver
Tab and the pills as I talked I noticed she was holding my hand for the first time Michelle mentioned needing more details and said the DNA results for the children would be ready by Wednesday she asked if I could hold it together until then and I wasn't sure she understood and told me the Portland office needed me urgently She had booked me on the next flight and arranged for my return on Thursday when I said I couldn't focus on that she instructed me to tell Vanessa I was dealing with an issue in Portland and would
be back on Thursday Michelle sent a text to Vanessa who replied quickly asking me to let her know when I arrived Michelle glanced at my phone with a smirk then called someone named Lorraine arranging to meet her later she then told me to go clean myself up her tone And the fact that I was almost conditioned to follow her orders in the office meant I complied immediately it was actually a relief not to have to make decisions myself and to leave everything to someone else when I emerged Ed from the bathroom she was holding my
jacket where are we going I asked you have a meeting with an old friend of mine she replied I went along with it it turned out Lorraine was Michelle's best friend and also a Divorce lawyer she had handled Michelle's divorce when her husband had been unfaithful with a coworker Michelle explained the situation to Lorraine while I watched in a days it felt surreal Lorraine clearly experienced with such cases turned her focus on me once she had enough information Gary she said I thought she was addressing someone else until I felt a sharp sting on my
cheek Michelle had slapped me this jolted me back to reality Line's Expression of shock and amusement quickly vanished as she looked at me seriously Gary she asked I nodded do you have any idea what you want to do about this my engineer mindset kicked in I focused on planning end them both I said I expected Michelle to react with shock but surprisingly she actually smiled all right Lorraine said I understand your frustration but unfortunately that's not an option it's illegal however we do have legal Alternatives let's go over Those before we start she continued I'm
just outlining your options I'm not endorsing any just yet that might come later your first option is to do nothing from what I gather you had a good life before all this and it doesn't have to change you can continue as if you're unaware your second option is an amicable divorce you'd file for irreconcilable differences and divide your assets the company the house and the 401K since she earns less you'd likely need to provide support for her for several years and for the children until they finish High School your third option is to go all
out file for adultery if the children aren't yours you could also file for false completion of the birth certificate you could sue the other person for alienation of affection if they're the father or if they're a cooworker sue for not following the company's fraternization Policy which most companies have these days if the other person is married you could give their spouse all the details of the affair if they were aware we might have a case against them as well if they weren't maybe I can help them with their own divorce you could go public inform
everyone friends family colleagues if she's part of any groups or church organizations tell them too go as hard as you can to protect your assets you'd need to sell your share of The company to an offshore trust remortgage the house to extract all possible equity and cash out your 401K use the funds for a big Splurge in Vegas my mind was racing I immediately understood her Point option one wasn't feasible I wasn't about to be anyone's fool especially after being unknowingly won for so long option two wasn't acceptable either I'd invested too much in building
the business and our lifestyle there was no way I was going To give her half of everything I had and continued to support her while she was with someone else option three I said letun go nuclear Lorraine smiled all right I'll start preparing the necessary paperwork I recommend we begin some discreet surveillance on your wife to gather more details about who she's seeing when and where we need more evidence can I keep that phone it's more useful to me than to you I nodded and handed her the phone Michelle and I left Lorraine's office and
she took me to a small family-owned hotel where she checked me in go take a shower and order some room service she instructed she was clearly in charge I'll be back later with some things for you I moved through the motions my whole world was crumbling yet here I was in a hotel room ordering room service like I was on vacation it was the only way I could handle the overwhelming stress N9 years of my life felt wasted what hurt the most was that I had been completely unaware of everything how had I missed what
was happening who was she seeing was it the boss she had returned to after each child she had said she loved her work and the freedom but was that the truth or was it just that she couldn't stay away from her lover for long I eyed the mini bar tempted to drown my sorrows when Michelle walked in don't even think about it she said you need to stay focused not numb yourself you have to Make a plan and you can't do that if you're drinking plan I said feeling defeated I had a plan and it
was a good one I had a loving wife and two beautiful kids and now look where I am I have a cheating wife and no idea if the kids are even mine I feel like the biggest fool in the world everything in my life is falling apart and you want me to plan she studied me for a few moments I expected her to offer some sympathy or even a hug but instead she checked her Watch all right she said firmly the pity party is over how many times did you face obstacles while we were building
the company how many times did things not go as planned what does that have to do with how many times she pressed I don't know I admitted a lot there was the time the patent office lost our application for the inverse thread and we got outbid by heading Le there was also the time the bank tried to foreclose on us early due to pressure And there was okay she interrupted when did you ever just sit down and give up during those times that was different I said how was it different she asked what made those
situations so unique I had something to fight for back then I explained I had a family relying on me I had you still have a family she said and they are just as dependent on you but it's not just them there are 141 employees and their families counting on you to get through this none of your Partners can keep the company going they're all Engineers but you're the only one with a business sense if you fail the company fails do you think she cares about the families relying on your company if she gets half she'll
sell it off to the highest bidder and you'll lose control heading Le will end up owning everything you've built is that what you want I looked at her realizing she was right I had invested too too much time and effort to let everything Slip away to whoever offers the most to my Unfaithful wife I needed to get things organized to ensure the future for myself and my remaining family if the kids turned out to be mine I would make sure they're well taken care of as for Vanessa she had made her choices and could live
with the consequences I would mourn the loss of that relationship once everything else was settled my fog of confusion lifted and with renewed anger and determination I sat down with Michelle to make plans my goal was to secure the company's future and protect the only family I had left as soon as I made that decision everything became clear the pain and uncertainty vanished Michelle noticed the change in me and nodded with approval that's the Gary I need now she said the one who knows how to plan ahead we spent the evening planning to secure the
company's future I initially considered selling my shares to my partners but Michelle advised Against it she thought they would mishandle the company if they became majority shareholders so I needed to keep control we decided to set up an offshore trust where I would sell the company at market value I would remain a CEO with a minimal salary and the trust's records would be out of Court's reach keeping the owner's identities hidden while this would make me a Millionaire on paper I needed to liquidate all that Capital this meant Cashing out my 401k and extracting the
equity from the house which was solely in my name since Vanessa wasn't working when we bought it I made a list of tasks and texted my lawyer to arrange an appointment for the next day after Michelle left I showered and went to bed despite expecting a restless night I fell asleep quickly and woke up to my phone alarm I found a message from Vanessa on my phone you didn't let me know you arrived is everything okay Sorry was working late and then fell asleep things are coming together now I should be back by Thursday good
see you then love you I couldn't bring myself to reply I just couldn't muster the energy to type those words Michelle knocked on my door shortly after 8 I had taken another shower and was considering going out for breakfast breakfast she said signaling for me to follow her we went to a diner nearby and sat in a booth enjoying pancakes and bacon with maple Syrup part of me was puzzled by my calm demeanor it was as if my world hadn't just collapsed and my heart wasn't broken I reasoned that eventually the full impact would hit
me once things settled I wasn't looking forward to that but for now I had tasks to focus on Brian Spencer Michelle said naming my lawyer called and said he can see us at 10 we should go to your bank first to cash out your 401K and unlock the equity in your house before heading there I Understand why consolidating my funds makes sense I said but won't the court just order me to pay her half if there's a record of me having all that money only if you still have it Michelle said with a smirk that's
where Vegas comes into play once you've withdrawn all that Equity spend a week in Vegas and blow it all do this before you file for divorce when the court assesses your finances you'll appear broke actually in debt the bank Bank might foreclose on your house And your salary will barely cover your living expenses that's assuming the kids aren't yours if they are you can put the entire 401K into a trust for their college funds Vanessa won't be able to access it she could end up earning more than you and might even end up paying you
alimony when will you get the DNA results the company said the results should be available online sometime today I replied picking up my phone I checked the email from the company found The link and clicked on it the page began to load but I set my phone down I wasn't sure I was ready to see the results just yet may I Michelle asked and I handed the phone to her she picked it up and scrolled through the screen a couple of times I watched her face trying to gauge her reaction she looked up from the
phone the results aren't ready yet she said the tracking indicates they should be in within the next 12 hours I exhaled a breath I Hadn't realized I was holding letun go she said standing up the bank should be open now releasing the equity from the house and cashing out my 401k was surprisingly quick I closed all our savings accounts including the kids college funds and moved the money into an account I opened solely in my name the only account I left untouched was the joint one we used for everyday expenses which had less than $10,000
in it anyway my lawyer while not exactly Derailing our plans certainly added a significant twist but he did it in a helpful way you're overlooking one detail he pointed out when we discussed our strategy you you have a prenuptual agreement I do I responded taking aack I wasn't aware of this it was a requirement of the partnership agreement when you first started he explained all Partners had to have a prenup to safeguard the company in case of any relationship issues it only protects the Company so she can't claim any company assets for divorce purposes you're
considered an employee so she can only claim against your salary and 401K what I recommend he continued and I hope I'm not disrespecting your divorce attorney plan is to invest all the funds from the house and your 401k back into the company consider buying out one of your partners I know Robert has been hinting at wanting to sell his share you don't have enough to buy him out Entirely but you could take a loan from the Company pension fund to cover the difference the loan repayments will come from your salary which will lower your income
for asset assessment purposes since everything else will be tied up in the company and thus protected she won't be able to touch it your credit rating might suffer when the bank forecloses on your house and you'll lose half of whatever remains in your bank account but you'll receive nothing else we can Also adjust your salary to be lower than hers which might even result in her having to pay you alimony what will I have to live on I asked if all my salary goes towards loan payments I'll still need to cover living expenses and food
plus I have two kids to take care of he interrupted let's hold off on making any decisions about the kids until we have more clarity if they turn out not to be yours have you thought about how you'll stay involved in their lives I don't Know I replied it's too painful to even think about right now I need to be certain before I can make any decisions about that he added don't overlook the other aspects of your attorney's plan I'm confident you'll secure a settlement from her company that will cover the loan and restore your
full salary once everything is resolved plus if it turns out the children aren't yours you might be able to reclaim expenses from their biological father since this would be Settled after the divorce it won't impact your divorce settlement can you reach out to Robert and see if he's interested in selling his share I asked I'm not sure I can handle that myself right now he agreed I'll contact him and let you know what he says we shook hands and as we left his office I felt a sense of relief things were starting to fall into
place which was reassuring but then I remembered the reason behind these plans and the relief was replaced by a Deep Hollow ache in my chest as we were having lunch at the diner I hesitated to check my phone again I couldn't bring myself to do more than click the link in the email and hand the phone to Michelle I watched her closely hoping her reaction would reveal whether I was a father or not I'm so sorry Gary she said softly it was the most compassionate I had ever seen her she handed me the phone and
I read the results for myself neither child was biologically mine Though they did have the same father it just wasn't me the shock of losing both children was eclipsed by the fury I felt over the Betrayal not not only had she misled me about the children but she had also convinced me to get a vasectomy leaving me unable to have biological children of my own Gary Michelle's sharp voice snapped me back to reality this isn't the time or place for this keep it together we'll get through this I promise I took several deep breaths to
Calm my anger I had been so enraged that I even considered hiring someone to end the man who fathered the children I thought were mine Michelle took charge again and guided me out of the diner Lorraine called she informed me she wants to see you we headed to Lorraine's office when we arrived Lorraine's expression was Grim I have a preliminary report from the private investigator she said it seems Vanessa didn't waste any time a man stayed over at your house Last night but we couldn't see inside I have cameras set up in the house I
replied I can go change out the flash drives and check what happened okay Lorraine said do that now and then we can make a plan the information on those drives will likely be crucial the opair will be there I said I can't go back I'm supposed to be away on business Lorraine checked her phone the opar is at a play center with Sophie and James she said I'll keep an eye on her and let you know If she leaves my house was about a 30-minute drive from Lorraine's office and Michelle drove quickly we arrived without
any issues and I swapped out the flash drives I took a brief look around the house but didn't notice anything unusual we then went back to Lorraine's office and reviewed the flash drives I decided not to view the footage from the bedroom I didn't want to see what had happened there I immediately recognized the man as soon as he entered the house As I suspected it was her boss Bill Wright the man she hadd been working for throughout our relationship what nearly broke me was seeing how he arrived at the house he had his own
key and let himself in when he arrived James saw him and exclaimed daddy bill before running to hug him that was the breaking point for me I collapsed in tears unable to watch anymore Lorraine observed as I fell apart and Michelle for the first time comforted me holding me while I Cried it took a while but eventually I composed myself do you need some time Lorraine asked but I shook my head the pain had lessened somewhat and anger was beginning to take its place what the next step I asked I already have a copy of
the employment terms and conditions from your wife's company Lorraine replied there's a non-fraternization policy so you have a case against the company for not enforcing it since the person your wife is involved with is a Senior executive the company can't claim ignorance we then shared my company lawyer advice with Lorraine and she broke into a wide grin she called him and requested copies of the prenup which he promptly sent over this is perfect Lorraine said as she reviewed the prenup forget everything I said before your lawyer plan is spoton if your partner wants to sell
buy him out invest all your available funds into the company that will protect it from her we can Pursue claims against her company for not enforcing the policy against him for alienation of affection against her for false information on a birth certificate and both of them for expenses related to the children the deductible on the birth medical bills alone is significant it all hinges on whether Robert is willing to sell I said we'll have to wait for his response Michelle dropped me back at the hotel and I headed up to my room just as I
was about to sit on the bed There was a knock on the door I opened it to find her waiting in the hallway come on she said you can't stay here why not I asked because you shouldn't be alone she explained you'll either brood or hit the mini bar I want to keep an eye on you while she spoke she had already packed up my few belongings she took my arm led me out of the room checked me out and drove me to her car where are we going I asked though I didn't really care
to my place she said I have a spare room you can use but I started to say she gave me a look that made me stop I had never been to Michelle's house before and was surprised to see that it was almost as large as mine whereas my home had two levels hers was a single floor she showed me to a room with its own bathroom shower and change she instructed dinner will be ready in 30 minutes we ate dinner in Silence the food was probably good but I barely Tasted it my mind was a
whirlwind of thoughts that wouldn't calm down I was Furious but too drained to show it I was heartbroken but couldn't muster the energy to care all I could focus on was executing my plans I was on autopilot with my course set as I was contemplating what what to do next my phone rang I flinched hoping it wasn't Vanessa it wasn't hi Robert I answered my voice flat why was all he said Robert and I had been friends since University We had trained together and it was a project we worked on that laid the groundwork for
our business initially I had a larger share of the company because I could invest more Capital than he could Vanessa is cheating on me I said flatly she's been unfaithful the entire time all along he asked AST you mean neither of the kids is mine I told him there was a pause of Silence on the other end of the line so you plan to invest all your assets into the company And rely on the prenup for protection he inquired either Brian Spencer our lawyer had thoroughly explained this or Robert had a much better grasp of
the partnership agreement than I did I want to retain 5% he said and stay listed as a Consulting engineer I'll handle the details with HR the rest is yours all right I responded I'll have Brian prepare the necessary paperwork Gary he said after a pause I'm truly sorry I know it's hard now but it does get Better I've been through something similar and it does improve it was then that I recalled Robert's divorce about four years ago I didn't know much about it since he was a very private person but I knew it hadn't been
easy that's why he was aware of the prenups significance he had used it himself the next morning Michelle brought me a cup of coffee to wake me up come on she said we have a lot left to do our first stop was Brian Spencer the lawyer he had Already prepared all the documents for my buyout of Robert and we completed the transaction in less than 30 minutes I handed over everything I had withdrawn from the house my savings and my 401k I also had to secure a loan from the Company pension plan to cover the
remainder on paper I was now roughly a million dollar in debt my salary had been cut by about half as the loan payments were deducted before taxes afterward we went to see Lorraine I Presented her with all the documents from the business transaction and she was thrilled this is excellent she said I'll file the paperwork today we should be able to serve them all by Monday if you'd like we can serve him her and the company at the same time where would you like her served anywhere that will cause her the most humiliation I replied
if you could do it with a billboard during the Super Bowl I'd gladly pay for that Lorraine chuckled wek serve her at her Office she said at 10: a.m. on Monday provided the papers clear the courts by then if I file them today I should have them back by tomorrow afternoon I nodded what's next I glanced at Michelle who was managing things next she said we have two more stops before you head back to the office and act like you just returned from a crisis in Portland do you think you'll be able to hold it
together at home until Monday I guess I'll have to I replied don't just guess She said tell me what you need to stay composed until then I'm not sure I said maybe some good news she gave me a reassuring smile then letun go she said I was surprised when we arrived at the medical center where I had all my physicals and where I had undergone the procedure that made it impossible for me to become a father what are we doing here I asked you wanted some good news she said come on I followed her into
the clinic and waited as she approached the Reception desk the receptionist nodded and directed us to have a seat we sat down less than 2 minutes later my doctor emerged and invited me into his office I glanced at Michelle who had stayed where she was please come with me I asked and she nodded following me inside Dr Harrington made no mention of Michelle being present during my consultation he was familiar with her as she was both my and Vanessa's doctor so he knew she wasn't my wife why I had chosen to bring Her along was
none of his concern Gary he began I understand you're interested in discussing the possibility of reversing your vasectomy my eyes widened in surprise was that even an option I looked at Michelle who had a faint smile on her face yes is it possible I asked certainly Dr Harrington replied since your vasectomy was performed Less Than 3 years ago there's about a 95% success rate for reversal the procedure takes longer than The original surgery and requires general anesthesia but I'm confident you'll be able to father children again after the operation tears filled my eyes once more
I still had a chance at fatherhood though it meant undergoing surgery it was a small price to pay for the opportunity to have my own own children I didn't know who I would have children with but at least it was possible I understand it's a lot to process Dr Harrington said here's some Information about the surgery and its costs unfortunately it won't be covered by your insurance if you decide to proceed let me know and we can arrange for a preliminary evaluation thank you doct Michelle said as she took the information from him wek be
in touch I stood up as well allowing Michelle to guide me out of the clinic and back to her car is this good news she asked with a gentle smile on impulse I hugged her tightly Burying my face in her hair Thank you I said then I realized what I had done and quickly stepped back I'm so sorry I stammered I Gary she said softly it's okay we both got into her car one more stop then it's back to the office Michelle said I had visited Bill Way's house several times during Vanessa's employment with him
he and his wife Stephanie lived in a well-to-do neighborhood just outside the city within a gated community they had hosted some company events there why are we Going there I asked Michelle stepped out of the car and headed towards the front door I followed her she didn't need to knock Stephanie had already been notified by the security guard who led us into the community and was waiting for us at the door Gary Stephanie greeted us you must be Michelle his secretary were you the one who called yes that was me Michelle replied please come in
Stephanie invited leading us to a room that resembled an office just off The foyer I had never been in this room before from the photos on the desk and the wall it was clearly Bill's office but Stephanie took a seat behind the desk and motioned for us to sit across from her as though this was a formal discussion how can I assist you Stephanie asked directing her gaze at me I sat there unable to speak simply staring at herid you know I finally asked Stephanie sighed deeply no I suspected but I didn't have any concrete
Evidence if I had I would have gone after him for every scent he had has join the club Michelle muttered do you have evidence Stephanie asked and I nodded in response I have proof that neither of the kids are mine that they share a different father I also have video footage of him and Vanessa at my house and of my son calling him dad I couldn't finish the sentence as my throat tightened and once again I was overwhelmed oh Gary I'm so sorry Stephanie said I had my suspicions about Bill and Vanessa for years but
he was always so cautious I had him followed checked his phone and emails and even confronted him but he managed to convince me I was just being paranoid the private investigator I hired didn't find anything I assure you if I had been certain or had any solid evidence I would have come to you immediately but I couldn't shatter what seemed like a happy marriage based solely on suspicion I needed concrete proof and I never managed to gather any what are you planning to do she asked I hesitated unsure if I should reveal my plans to
the wife of my adversary I worried she might relay everything to him as soon as he returned home although it was likely too late for him to make a significant move I wanted the Revelation to hit him as hard as it did me the real question is what will you do now that you have proof I asked she gave a small smile in Response I understand she said and I don't blame you for being cautious I wouldn't share my plans either if you could recommend a good divorce lawyer I would be grateful Michelle handed her
a card from her purse thank you Stephanie said Willow week be enough time for you I nodded in agreement perfect Stephanie replied I'll contact she held up the card and coordinate with her Stephanie then stood up signaling that our meeting was over Michelle and I both stood as Well Stephanie came over and gave me a brief hug giving me a kiss on the cheek once again I'm so sorry she said take care of him she said to Michelle who tensed slightly at the hug he deserves better than what that woman did to him back at
the office I spent the rest of the day catching up on tasks I had neglected while in Portland when the day was over I went home Michelle as usual knocked on my door peaked in and informed me she was leaving for the Evening she had reverted to her usual professional demeanor this change made me feel a Pang of loss I'd thought we were growing closer but perhaps that was just my imagination I said good night to Michelle and thanked her for all her assistance I stayed late at the office trying to catch catch up on
the work I had missed what time will you be home Vanessa's text came in around 8 probably another hour or two I need to catch up on things after my trip I replied I'll Likely be asleep by then since I have an early start tomorrow love you XX I couldn't bring myself to respond to that message I continued working until nearly 11: hoping Vanessa would be asleep when I got home the less interaction I had with her the better I would feel when I arrived home the house was dark and everything seemed normal I checked
on Sonia and James they were both asleep looking as Charming as ever a wave of emotion hit Me and I had to retreat to the bathroom to cry I didn't want Vanessa to see me upset over children who weren't even mine I still hadn't made up my mind about what to do regarding them it seemed unlikely that either child would remember me if I chose to leave although I had no obligation to them I cared deeply for both how could I walk away from them when just 48 hours ago they were my children my own
flesh and blood and my greatest Pride now they were just Another reminder of my wife's betrayal I decided to wait and see how things unfolded the decision might be made for me I went to bed trying hard not to wake Vanessa falling asleep took forever and when my alarm went off the next morning Vanessa was already gone the oir was in the kitchen feeding the children when I came in I looked at her wondering if she knew what had happened there's no way she didn't know was she now watching me laughing at the fool who
couldn't even Keep his wife happy did she realized the children weren't even mine did she take them to say good night to Daddy bill just like she used to do with me my thoughts spiraled imagining her and Vanessa in a compromising situation with Bill way wght while the children cried in the Next Room I shook my head in frustration she knew I thought and come Monday I was going to take immense satisfaction in firing her I'd make sure she never worked as an opair again I'd Inform the agency that hold on what was I doing
I was directing my anger at someone who had little control over the situation damned if she did damned if she didn't if she had told me she'd have lost her job she could have left I mused but she seemed to care about the kids whom she had looked after since before Sonia was born I was venting but probably at the wrong person I went to work Michelle was already at the office when I arrived it was as if the last few Days hadn't happened she was all business though I noticed from my schedule that she
had blocked out the day for something labeled marketing I settled into my office and she brought in my morning coffee just as she had every day for the past 9 years she also brought herself a coffee which was unusual marketing I asked when did I start doing marketing she grinned and it was a bit devilish which oddly made me feel better inside we need to Plan she said the final part of Lorraine's strategy I looked at her confused what informing everyone Michelle replied her friends family church groups volunteer organizations everyone she interacts with needs to
know about her actions and what she's been up to that's not going to make me look good I said I'll be a joke a loser who can't even satisfy his wife raising another man's children you need to make your side of the story public she said If you don't Vanessa will and it'll make you look worse than just being an unaware loser imagine being portrayed as an abusive husband or a father mistreating his kids people might believe those accusations and when we go all out against her she'll retaliate with everything she has get ahead of
it and people will be less inclined to believe her counter claims some will still believe them but there's nothing you can do about that Michelle prepared A media pack with all the evidence we had on Vanessa's infidelity it included the private investigators report copies of the DNA test confirming I wasn't the biological father of my two children and videos from my house including one of James greeting Bill and footage from the bedroom which I had neither seen nor wanted to later that morning Lorraine emailed me she had received a DNA sample from Stephanie which she
compared to the test results I had it confirmed that Bill was indeed the father of both children I paused at the thought the children suddenly they didn't feel like mine anymore we added this new information to the pack and prepared everything for distribution the materials would be sent to Vanessa's parents my parents and Vanessa's brother and sister with whom I was quite close digital copies would be sent to her Facebook and Linkedin contacts as well as anyone else I could think of for our Immediate family I arranged for a courier company to deliver the packages
at 10:00 a.m. on Monday the same time everything was set to be revealed I just had to get through the weekend I had a plan for that too as an engineer it took me less than an hour to design and assemble a small device it had a motor a timer and a battery I could set it so that the motor would activate causing a strong vibration after a specific time on Friday night after the opair had left I secretly placed the device under Sophie's pillow it was set to activate at 6:00 the next morning around
the time we usually wake up this would wake Sophie and ensure that our usual weekend morning routine was off the table the plan worked perfectly Sophie woke us up by coming into our room so no closeness happened that morning just as I had hoped I couldn't help but smile Saturday I stayed busy tackling tasks Vanessa had been pushing me to do for months when She noticed my productivity I just mentioned it was about time that night when Vanessa tried to initiate closeness I pretended to be asleep the next morning her daughter was once again startled
awake by the device on Sunday we took the kids to the zoo as I looked at Vanessa and the children I cared for I almost broke down but managed to keep it together on Monday I told Vanessa I would work from home to speak with the opair after she left for work I told the Opair to keep the children home instead of going to the play center this surprised her as I had never refused her request before I heard James getting upset about missing the outing shortly after 9 Michelle showed up at the house I
was taken aback but letter her in for the first time ever I made coffee for her we had a scheduled teleconference with Lorraine at 9:30 Gary line said this is your final chance to back out I'm not suggesting You should but if you've had any doubts over the weekend Now's the Time to voice them no I replied no doubts at all then I'll see you on the other side Lorraine said it was officially underway I kept an eye on my email waiting for the confirmation of service notices at precisely 10:00 a.m. the first one arrived
follow follow by the second about 3 minutes later and the third 5 minutes after that then my phone rang I expected it to be Vanessa but it was my Mother Gary she began hi Mom I responded what's going on she asked did you read the packet I sent you I inquired yes but then you know what I know I said Vanessa has been cheating on me likely throughout our entire marriage with her boss the kids aren't mine I'm divorcing her Gary can't you no Mom I have to go I have other calls coming in I
ended the call only for my phone to ring again immediately this time it was Vanessa Gary she said but I stayed silent Waiting for her to continue we need to talk she said but I still didn't respond I'm coming home she said then ended the call Vanessa is on her way I informed Michelle I'll leave you to it Michelle said I wanted to ask her to stay but I didn't know how I just looked at her call me Michelle said when you you figure out what's happening then she left Vanessa showed up about 20 minutes
later I heard her car pull into the driveway but she didn't even bother to Park in the garage I wasn't sure how she would act when she came in I didn't know if she'd be confrontational or just sneak in instead she came straight into my office and took a seat across from me at the desk Gary I she started I'm not interested I cut her off but not interested I repeated don't you even want no I said I don't want to hear anything from you you lied to me for 9 years neither of the kids
are mine yet you convinced me to get a vasectomy While you were still on the pill just so you could continue your affair with Daddy bill her eyes widened in shock so no Vanessa I continued I don't care what you have to say my lawyer's contact information is in the packet you received when you were served if you have anything important to discuss you can talk to her what about the children she asked what children I responded I don't have any children and if it were up to you I'd never have any I would ask
Why you did this to me but I really don't want to hear another lie I have no interest in your excuses or justifications I just want this whole mess to be over so I can pick up the pieces of my life and move on I called the opar into the room I knew she could hear me since my office door was open and she was just in the Next Room you're fired I said effective immediately pack your things and get out what she asked why because you were covering for her I Said pointing at Vanessa
you knew she was sleeping with her boss B I don't know if you knew the kids were his instead of mine but you definitely knew what was happening I have video proof of you talking to Bill about the kids get out Gary Vanessa interjected you can't fire her I'm the one who pays her wages the opar shot Vanessa a grateful look well I said I've already informed the agency that you were involved in an affair and that I won't be taking legal Action if they remove you from their roster so if vanessa wants to keep
you on personally not only will she have to pay you but she'll o need to handle all your tax vacation pension sick leave and insurance the opare's face went pale Not only was she losing her job but being kicked off the agy's books made it nearly impossible for her to find another position agencies shared information now get out I ordered and she hurriedly left did you have to do That Vanessa said she didn't deserve you're talking again I cut her off I told you I don't want to hear it what I do want is you
to pack your stuff take your kids and get the hell out of my house this is my house too she protested not according to the paperwork I said it's in my name only until the courts say otherwise get the hell out she flinched at my shout James walked in mommy he said Sonia fell down Vanessa looking shocked and tearful stood up and Went to tend to her daughter I shut my office door and stayed inside while she gathered her things a few minutes later she returned with Sonia in her arms are you going to say
goodbye to don't even say it I cut her off she's not my daughter and heun's not my son take them to Daddy Bill and let him take care of his own kids they have nothing to do with me Gary I get out I heard the front door slam and Vanessa's car drive away the moment she was gone I exhaled deeply And fell apart I was caught off guard when Michelle walked in and wrapped her arms around me as I cried she comforted me while I struggled to pull myself together losing my marriage children and life
as I knew it was over whelming Michelle took charge urging me to act quickly we packed my clothes and important documents then headed to the office where I was served with an emergency occupation and restraining order I was now banned from my own house And could only retrieve belongings with Vanessa's lawyer present confused and defeated I moved into Michelle's spare room my clothes were now in her wardrobe and my documents were at the office for the past week my routine involved working and staying with Michelle who kept things strictly professional despite her supportive hug on
Monday we had a meeting with Vanessa and Bill's company lawyers we were pursuing a claim for a substantial sum far exceeding Their insurance coverage of $1 million their lawyers were all business while Lorraine my lawyer Had A Satisfied grin on her face what will it take asked their lawyer to settle this matter Lorraine responded immediate and permanent dismissal of the senior person involved with the loss of their pension additionally they must agree to keep Vanessa on the payroll for for at least 3 years and pay us $1.5 million I wasn't paying much attention as the
Negotiations unfolded in the end they agreed to everything but I would receive only about $750,000 at least that would cover a significant portion of my debt to the Company pension fund all payments to be made after the divorce is finalized Lorraine clarified and they agreed Lorraine stayed with us for the next meeting with Bill way wri's lawyers when I left their office I was half a million dollars richer this sum would allow me To fully pay off the pension fund loan and still have a comfortable amount left though this would be finalized after the divorce
my final meeting of the day was with Vanessa's attorneys Vanessa was present with them but avoided making eye contact as I walked in Michelle and Lorraine accompanied me your client Financial disclosures in the divorce petition are absurd Vanessa's lawyer began heun's a majority shareholder and CEO of a company valued at around $20 Million not to mention the assets in the house say savings and 401K I propose let me interrupt you Lorraine said pulling out a stack of papers from her briefcase the company's finances are irrelevant to this divorce as stipulated in the prenuptual agreement signed
by all parties my client recently made a substantial investment in the company using most of his savings his entire 401k and taking out a loan against the house he also borrowed from the Company Pension fund one of the partners wanted to sell their shares and it was crucial crucial to prevent those shares from falling into the hands of a competitor who has been trying to acquire the business for years given that the loan from the pension fund has reduced his salary he now earns less than your client I will be requesting a maintenance arrangement from
the court to support him while he adjusts what about the children asked Vanessa's Lawyer there is DNA evidence proving those children are not his Lorraine replied Vanessa falsified birth records to misrepresent my client as the father with fraudulent intent additionally we are exploring claims for damages due to a serious assault as she convinced him to undergo a surgical sterilization under false pretenses believing he was the father alternatively Lorraine continued your client can sign the divorce petition as it stands pack her Belongings and vacate the marital home she will receive half of the joint account which
currently holds $944 315 Vanessa's lawyer reviewed the documents the prenuptual agreement and then glanced at Vanessa for the first time she looked at me Gary please she began i n years I interrupted nine damn years you lied to me every single day there's nothing you can say that I want to hear Vanessa glanced at her lawyer And nodded then signed the documents I wasn't around when she moved out instead I received an email from her lawyers notifying me that the restraining order had been lifted and that the house was officially mine I could move back
in whenever I wanted I thought about it but decided against it I put the house up for for sale it didn't cover the full amount owed to the bank but I made up the difference and settled with them 2 months later I was still living in Michelle's spare room after the divorce Vanessa moved in with her parents despite all the evidence I provided they sided with her and refused to speak to me I didn't miss their company Stephanie for some unknown reason hadn't divorced bill as she had said she would I had no interest in
why and didn't care to find out Bill had lost his job and pension leading them to sell their home in the gated community and downsize to a smaller apartment despite losing his Previous income Bill found a decent job with his skills and managed to get by I hadn't seen Vanessa since the lawyer's office and had no desire to I was at my desk at work when Michelle knocked and entered the room without waiting for a response Bill way is dead Michelle said bluntly what I responded shocked how Stephanie found him with Vanessa again she explained
she shot him I leaned back in my chair unable to suppress a wide grin that spread across my face couldn't Happen to a nicer guy I said after a moment Michelle laughed am I terrible for feeling happy about this I asked her not at all Michelle replied that scumbag got what he deserved oh and this was just delivered she placed an official looking envelope on my desk I eyed it wearily knowing what it probably contained I picked it up and tore it open that's it I declared I'm finally a free man finally Michelle agreed then
she did something I never would have Expected she kissed me it wasn't a brief PEC or a simple kiss it was a full passionate kiss with tongues and all when she finally pulled away I slumped back in my chair breathless and stunned feeling as rigid as a statue Michelle giggled at the sight of my clear reaction for 9 years she said I've taken care of you you're the most incredible man I've ever met not once did you ever look at me inappropriately or make advances and I admired you for that I've Waited 9 years for
you now that you're free I know you've always respected me and that's a form of love too we make a great team I know you as well as any wife knows her husband and if you think about it you know me in the same way give me a chance to show you that not all women are deceitful and untrustworthy please I was taken aback I recalled all the time spent with her before I discovered the infidelity I thought about how I had defended her Fiercely even to the point of expelling my business partner at that
moment I realized that I had genuine feelings for Michelle and that I still did it seemed inevitable to develop some kind of emotional connection when working so closely with someone for such a long time while I was married to Vanessa I never had to confront or evaluate these feelings but now it was clearly necessary say something she asked her face showing concern it was the first Time I had ever seen her appear Unsure how many I inquired she looked confused how many what she asked asked children I clarified how many children should we have [Music]