I watched as my fiancé Andy got ready to leave again. Lately, he was always disappearing somewhere. I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“Do you really have to go?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

“Yes, it’s for work. I can’t refuse,” Andy replied, not meeting my eyes.

“You seem to be going out for work quite often these days,” I said, trying to sound casual.

Andy stopped what he was doing and looked at me. “What are you implying?” he asked, a hint of defensiveness in his voice.

“Nothing,” I replied quickly. “Just stating a fact.”

But inside, I felt a growing suspicion. Something didn’t feel right.

Andy grabbed his things and went into the bathroom. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was cheating on me. He was always texting someone, going somewhere, and having constant meetings.

My heart sank every time he left without much explanation. Suddenly, his phone received a message. I glanced at the bathroom door, hearing the shower turn on. The sound of running water filled the apartment. This was my chance.

I knew it was wrong, and I had never done it before, but I couldn’t live with the thought that he was cheating on me. My hands trembled as I picked up his phone. Andy didn’t know that I knew his phone password. Now, it played into my hands. I unlocked his phone and quickly looked at the source of the message.

It was a group chat named “Andy and Kira.” My heart skipped a beat. Kira was my best friend, and I didn’t understand what this was all about. My mind raced with questions, and I needed answers.

I looked at who was in the chat. Andy, Kira, my mom, my sister, and my brother. What the…?! My heart pounded in my chest. I scrolled to the top of the chat and saw that it was created eight months ago. The first message was from Andy.

@Andy:

I’m sorry you had to find out about Kira and me like this. But I can’t let Erin find out. I love them both and still want to marry Erin…

My mom was upset at first. She said Andy couldn’t treat me like this, but after a few days, a message came from her.

@Clarissa:

Do you really love Kira?

@Andy:

Yes.

Then my brother Scott and my sister Maria joined in.

@Scott:

Maybe you should try an open relationship.

@Maria:

Yes, it’s very popular now. Many couples live like this.

@Andy:

We’ve been together too long. Erin would never agree to an open relationship.

@Clarissa:

Then we will help you. We will help you hide this relationship until you are ready to talk to Erin.

@Andy:

Thank you, guys! I really appreciate it.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. How could my family have the audacity to suggest this to my fiancé and hide it from me for so long? I scrolled through the chat and took numerous screenshots.
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I found out that Kira went on a trip with my family and Andy when I got sick and couldn’t go. What broke my heart the most wasn’t that Andy was cheating but that my mom was so calm about it and even supported him.

I didn’t understand how she could do this; I was her child, not Andy. I took screenshots of the entire chat, including the one between Andy and Kira, which had quite a few provocative photos from both of them, then sent them to myself and deleted them from Andy’s phone so he wouldn’t notice.

When Andy came out of the shower, I tried to act normal, even though I wanted to punch him. I watched him walk around the room, getting dressed, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me.

My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt a mix of anger and betrayal. He smiled at me, completely unaware.

Andy got ready, and I saw him to the door. I tried to stay calm, even though every fiber of my being wanted to confront him right then and there.

“Goodbye, honey, I love you,” he said and kissed me on the cheek. I felt like tearing my skin off at that moment.

“Me too,” I replied, trying not to show that something was wrong.

For a few days, I couldn’t find peace, and I was constantly nauseous from nerves. Andy started to worry a lot and even bought me a pregnancy test, which I wanted to throw in his face; the last thing I needed was to get pregnant by this jerk. Every time I saw him, my anger and frustration grew.

But finally, the day of the rehearsal dinner arrived, and I was ready to reveal what Andy and my family had done. I was very nervous, feeling like my whole body was shaking.

Andy said he needed to go somewhere before dinner. I held back from saying, “To your lover, Kira?” But I was glad he was going; I didn’t want to see him or be in the same room with him.

I gathered all the screenshots and set them on a timer to send out at 5:30 p.m., right during the rehearsal dinner. They would be sent to Kira’s family, my family, Andy’s family, and all our friends. I knew it would be explosive, but it was the only way to make sure everyone knew the truth.

When I arrived at the restaurant, my mom and her husband were already there. She hugged me, and it felt like I was going to throw up. I quickly hugged her back to avoid suspicion.

“You have no idea how happy I am for you and Andy,” my mom said, her voice full of excitement.

“Yes, me too,” I replied, forcing a smile. It was all I could muster.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated, and everyone seemed so happy. It made me sick to see them all so cheerful, knowing the betrayal that lay beneath the surface.