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How Jake Found Out His Wife Was Cheating — And Took Revenge | Reddit Unheard Stories
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Jun 24, 2025
#redditrelationship #aita #redditstories Hey Reddit Unheard Stories fam! Today’s tale is a wild roller coaster of love, betrayal, and revenge. Meet Jake Thompson — a devoted husband whose world crumbles when he suspects his wife Emily is cheating. What follows is a gripping saga of heartbreak, sabotage, and cold justice that will keep you hooked till the end. From hotel surprises and secret evidence to undercover detective work and raw family drama, Jake’s journey proves sometimes the truth hurts — but it sets you free. Got a story that’s been eating at you? Drop it in the comments! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell for more unheard stories from real people just like you.
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0:00
hey there Reddit unheard stories
0:02
community gather around folks cuz I've
0:04
got a tale that'll grab you by the heart
0:06
and twist it like a roller coaster this
0:08
is the story of Jake Thompson a regular
0:11
guy from a small town in Maryland whose
0:13
world got flipped upside down when he
0:15
started suspecting his wife Emily was
0:17
stepping out on him it's a saga of love
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betrayal and some cold calculated
0:22
revenge told straight from a dude who's
0:25
seen it all so let's dive into Jake's
0:28
Wild Ride and trust me you're going to
0:30
want to hear this one through to the end
0:32
jake Thompson was your average Joe
0:34
living a solid life in a cozy suburb
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just outside Baltimore married to Emily
0:38
for 14 years they had two awesome kids
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12-year-old Lily who was all about
0:43
soccer and sketching and 10-year-old Max
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a Lego building video game loving
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whirlwind jake and Emily were high
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school sweethearts tying the knot right
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after graduation
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emily with her long chestnut hair bright
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green eyes and a smile that could light
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up a room was the kind of woman who made
1:01
heads turn jake a plumber turned school
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maintenance guy wasn't flashy but he was
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steady devoted to his family always
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cracking dad jokes and proud of the life
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they'd built their house was filled with
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laughter family game nights and the kind
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of love that felt unshakable
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but about 3 months ago something started
1:23
to feel off jake couldn't put his finger
1:25
on it at first emily was still her
1:27
cheerful self but there was a distance
1:30
in her eyes like she was somewhere else
1:32
even when she was right there she'd been
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going on more business trips for her job
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at Globeex Insurance a big company where
1:40
she was climbing the corporate ladder
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conferences training sessions late
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nights she always had an excuse
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at first Jake brushed it off emily was a
1:51
go-getter and he was proud of her hustle
1:54
but the late returns the vague answers
1:56
about her day the way she'd changed the
1:58
subject when he asked about work it
2:01
started gnawing at him was she really
2:03
just working late or was something else
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going on one evening Jake was sprawled
2:08
on their worn leather couch scrolling
2:10
through his phone when Emily breezed in
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from another conference in Baltimore
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she looked radiant her hair catching the
2:18
light but her smile felt forced
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"hey babe," she said pecking him on the
2:24
cheek "long day I'm beat." Jake nodded
2:28
but his gut twisted she'd been gone all
2:30
weekend and her stories weren't adding
2:32
up he didn't want to come off like some
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jealous husband but the doubts were
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piling up like dirty laundry in the
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hamper
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that's when Jake hatched a plan
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emily was headed to another conference
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at a Marriott in Baltimore close enough
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for a 2-hour drive he decided to
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surprise her show up unannounced and
2:51
maybe take her out for a nice dinner but
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deep down he knew it wasn't just about
2:56
dinner he wanted to see if his
2:58
suspicions were real was Emily cheating
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the thought made his stomach churn but
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he had to know on a crisp fall evening
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Jake kissed Lily and Max goodbye left
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them with his mom Diane and hit the road
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his old pickup truck rumbled along the
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highway the radio playing some classic
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rock he barely heard his mind was a mess
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part of him hoping he was wrong part of
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him bracing for the worst he pictured
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Emily's smile the way she used to laugh
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at his corny jokes and wondered how
3:30
they'd gotten here by the time he pulled
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into the Marriott's parking lot his
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hands were sweaty gripping the steering
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wheel like it was his only anchor jake
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walked into the hotel lobby his work
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boots scuffing the polished marble floor
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he slung his duffel bag over his
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shoulder and approached the front desk
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trying to keep his voice steady "hi I'm
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Jake Thompson my wife Emily is here for
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the insurance conference in room 214 she
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said I could pick up a key." The clerk a
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young guy with a bored expression
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checked Jake's ID and slid a key card
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across the counter jake's heart was
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pounding as he headed to the elevator
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the key card burning a hole in his
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pocket the elevator ride felt like it
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took forever questions swirled in his
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head what if she's with someone do I
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knock just walk in what if she's alone
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and I look like a paranoid idiot when he
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reached room 214 he stood in the hallway
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for a moment staring at the door his
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pulse hammering in his ears finally he
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decided to use the key he swiped it
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pushed the door open as quietly as he
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could and stepped inside there was Emily
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sitting at a small desk surrounded by
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papers and her open briefcase "no guy no
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shady scene just her looking startled as
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the door swung open." "Jake!" she gasped
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spinning around in her chair "what are
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you doing here?" Her surprise seemed
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genuine and for a second Jake felt a
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wave of relief wash over him "maybe he
5:01
was wrong maybe it was all in his head
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"hey M," he said forcing a grin despite
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the knot in his chest "had some free
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time thought I'd swing by and take you
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to dinner?"
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Emily's face softened and she smiled
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that familiar smile that used to make
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his heart skip "that's so sweet yeah
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let's do it i could use a break
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she stood walked over and wrapped her
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arms around him giving him a big kiss
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jake's doubts started to melt away and
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for a moment it felt like old times they
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even had a quick flirty moment before
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she hopped in the shower and Jake was
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starting to think he'd misread
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everything but as he sat on the edge of
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the bed waiting for Emily to finish her
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shower he noticed her toiletry bag on
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the dresser he wasn't snooping at least
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that's what he told himself he was just
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looking for some aspirin to ease the
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headache from the drive he unzipped the
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bag rummaged through and froze
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tucked in a side pocket was a pack of
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six condoms his heart sank like a stone
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in a pond jake and Emily hadn't used
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condoms in years after Max was born
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Emily had a rough time with birth
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control pills getting nauseous and
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miserable so Jake got a vasectomy they'd
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ditched contraception altogether
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enjoying the freedom so why the hell
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were these in her bag
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he sat there holding the pack his mind
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racing there was no innocent explanation
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emily was cheating the realization hit
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him like a punch to the gut knocking the
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air out of him but Jake didn't lose it
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instead a cold steely anger settled over
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him sharp and focused he grabbed a
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safety pin from Emily's bag she always
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kept a few for clothing emergencies and
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carefully poked a tiny hole through each
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condom yeah it was petty maybe even a
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little unhinged but he wasn't thinking
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straight
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he slipped the pack back where he found
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it his hands shaking with a mix of rage
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and heartbreak while Emily was still in
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the shower he pulled out his phone and
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called his buddy Tom "tom man I need a
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favor," Jake said keeping his voice low
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so the running water would drown it out
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in about an hour call me and say
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"There's a burst pipe at the school i
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need an excuse to get out of here."
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Tom didn't ask questions just said "You
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got it brother whatever you need." Jake
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hung up his mind made up he couldn't
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stay the night with Emily not after this
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the thought of being close to her now
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made his skin crawl like he was
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betraying himself just by being in the
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same room when Emily came out of the
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shower all smiles and wrapped in a
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fluffy hotel towel Jake played it cool
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even though he felt like he was choking
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on his own heart they headed down to the
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hotel's dining room a fancy spot with
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dim lights clinking glasses and
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overpriced wine
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jake told her to order whatever she
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wanted it was on him she picked a small
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felt minion and a glass of rosé chatting
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like everything was normal like she
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hadn't just shattered his world jake
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couldn't let it go he leaned forward
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trying to sound casual his voice tight m
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you happy with us with our marriage she
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looked at him like he'd grown a second
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head her green eyes wide of course Jake
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we've got a great house two awesome kids
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and you're the best husband I could ask
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for why would you even ask that
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her words were sweet but they felt
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hollow like a script she'd rehearsed
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jake forced a smile said he was just
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feeling lucky to have her and she
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laughed calling him a silly goose for
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worrying
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silly goose Jake thought his jaw
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clenching you're killing me here M right
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on Q his phone rang jake excused himself
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to the lobby waited a minute to sell the
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act and came back with the story that
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was Tom there's a burst pipe at the
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school i got to head back tonight
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emily's face fell her lips parting in
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what looked like disappointment but Jake
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couldn't tell if it was real or just an
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act
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as they headed to the elevator a guy
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stepped out tall slick with a cocky grin
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that made Jake's fists itch "hey Emily,"
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he said his voice smooth as oil "stop by
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your room earlier but you weren't
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there." He stuck out his hand to Jake
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"i'm Ryan Carter emily talks about you
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all the time." Jake shook his hand but
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inside he was screaming this was the guy
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he could feel it in his bones
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ryan's smug smile the way Emily's eyes
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darted away it was all the confirmation
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he needed they rode the elevator in
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silence jake's mind a storm of anger and
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betrayal he tried one last time to talk
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to Emily about quitting her job saying
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he wasn't comfortable with her working
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with Ryan she brushed him off her tone
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sharp jake you're being paranoid i love
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my job and Ryan's just a colleague let
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it go jake grabbed his bag gave her a
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quick hollow kiss and left his heart
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heavy as he drove home the 2-hour drive
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back was torture jake couldn't stop
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picturing Ryan stopping by Emily's room
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the condoms in her bag the lies she'd
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been feeding him his hands gripped the
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wheel so tight his knuckles turned white
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by the time he got home he was a wreck
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angry hurt and lost he wanted a divorce
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but he knew he needed proof
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he wasn't some private eye with a fedora
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and a trench coat he had no idea how to
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catch her all he knew was he couldn't
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live like this knowing his wife was
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unfaithful but unable to do anything
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about it a couple days later Jake
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dragged himself to Globeex's annual
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company picnic at a local park
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he wasn't thrilled about it suspecting
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half the people there knew about Emily
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and Ryan the sun was shining kids were
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running around and the smell of burgers
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on the grill filled the air but Jake
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felt like an outsider in his own life he
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kept his head down sipping a soda and
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watching Lily and Max play games with
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the other kids
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emily was in her element laughing and
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chatting with her co-workers Ryan
11:18
included they weren't being obvious no
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handholding or flirty glances but their
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closeness the way they leaned in to talk
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made Jake's blood boil then out of
11:28
nowhere a woman approached him her heels
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clicking on the gravel path "you must be
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Jake," she said her voice warm but
11:36
cautious "she was stunning long auburn
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hair piercing blue eyes and a figure
11:42
that could stop traffic." "I'm Laura
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Carter Ryan's wife." Jake's jaw nearly
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hit the ground ryan's wife why would a
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guy cheat on someone like her laura's
11:55
smile was tight like she was holding
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back a storm of her own they walked to a
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quiet spot by the lake away from the
12:01
picnic's noise and the chatter of
12:03
co-workers
12:04
the water lapped gently at the shore and
12:07
a cool breeze rustled the trees but the
12:09
air between them was heavy
12:12
laura hesitated her fingers twisting the
12:14
strap of her purse then dropped a
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bombshell
12:17
"i've known about Ryan and Emily for 2
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months," she said her voice low "i hired
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a detective i've got photos phone
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recordings everything i'm serving Ryan
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divorce papers and I need Emily to
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testify or sign a statement to make my
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case solid." Jake felt a mix of relief
12:34
and rage like a dam breaking inside him
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he wasn't alone in this mess someone
12:40
else saw the truth laura I'm in Jake
12:43
said his voice steady for the first time
12:45
in days i found condoms in Emily's bag
12:48
at the hotel we don't use them i know
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she's cheating but I don't have proof
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like you do
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laura nodded her eyes softening with
12:57
understanding she invited him to her
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place the next day while Ryan was
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golfing to go over the evidence jake
13:03
felt a spark of hope like maybe he could
13:06
take back control of his life the next
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morning Jake dropped Lily and Max at his
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mom's promising them a fun day of baking
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cookies with Grandma Diane
13:16
he drove to Laura's house in Crestmont a
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tidy neighborhood with manicured lawns
13:20
and big shady trees laura greeted him at
13:23
the door looking tired but determined
13:26
her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail
13:29
the house was warm and inviting with a
13:31
faint smell of coffee and fresh flowers
13:33
on the table she led him to the den
13:36
where a big computer monitor sat on a
13:38
table in front of a plush leather couch
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"take a seat Jake," Laura said offering
13:42
him a drink "beer soda wine." Jake went
13:46
for a Pepsi needing something familiar
13:48
to ground him laura sat next to him her
13:50
expression serious "in a few minutes
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you're going to see Ryan and Emily live
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at a motel full color i paid $1,400 to
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set this up cameras mics the whole deal
14:02
ryan thinks he's slick but he's covering
14:04
the cost of his own downfall
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jake's stomach twisted but he nodded he
14:09
needed to see this no matter how much it
14:11
hurt the monitor flickered to life
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showing an empty motel room with tacky
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floral wallpaper and a lumpy bed then
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the door opened and there they were
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Emily and Ryan walking in like they
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owned the place they didn't waste time
14:27
on small talk or pleasantries clothes
14:29
hit the floor and Jake's heart sank
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the video was crystal clear though the
14:35
sound was a bit muffled like a bad radio
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signal jake felt like he was watching
14:40
his life fall apart in real time every
14:42
moment a knife to the chest laura
14:45
glanced at him her own face tight with
14:46
pain "we don't have to watch this you
14:49
know," she said softly "it's being
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recorded for the lawyers how about I
14:54
show you my koi ponds instead?" Jake
14:56
managed a weak smile yeah anything's
15:00
better than this
15:02
they left the den and headed to the
15:04
backyard where Laura's koi ponds were a
15:06
slice of paradise three shimmering pools
15:09
filled with colorful fish gliding
15:10
through the water the pumps hummed
15:13
softly and the filters bubbled a stark
15:16
contrast to the chaos in Jake's head
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laura explained how she'd built the
15:21
ponds herself learning the hard way
15:23
since Ryan never helped jake with his
15:26
plumbing background was fascinated by
15:28
the setup and offered to help with
15:29
maintenance sometime
15:31
it wasn't about flirting just two people
15:34
finding a moment of peace in the middle
15:35
of a storm they talked for hours the koi
15:38
swimming lazily as the sun climbed
15:40
higher
15:42
jake felt a connection with Laura not
15:44
romantic but real like they were allies
15:47
in a war neither wanted to fight
15:50
she showed him photos and recordings
15:52
from her detective damning evidence of
15:54
Emily and Ryan's affair complete with
15:56
dates times and motel receipts jake was
15:59
both crushed and empowered he had what
16:02
he needed to move forward but the weight
16:04
of it was heavy over the next few weeks
16:07
Jake turned into a reluctant detective
16:10
every time Emily showered he'd check her
16:12
toiletry bag finding fresh packs of
16:15
condoms each time he kept up his petty
16:17
sabotage poking holes in them with a
16:20
safety pin he carried on his keychain
16:23
it wasn't about hurting her it was about
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taking back some control even if it was
16:28
small
16:29
he tried twice more to get Emily to quit
16:31
her job and cut ties with Ryan but she
16:34
shut him down hard
16:36
the second time she got nasty throwing
16:38
jabs about his masculinity that stung
16:40
more than he'd admit jake started
16:42
pulling away making excuses to avoid
16:45
intimacy and Emily hit back with more
16:47
digs like she was daring him to call her
16:50
out then Emily dropped a bomb she was
16:52
taking a stress relief trip to her
16:54
sister NY's place 3 hours away for a
16:57
week jake's mind went straight to the
17:00
worst he did some digging and found out
17:02
NY's town had two abortion clinics he
17:05
wasn't trying to stop Emily from making
17:06
her choices he just wanted to make it
17:08
harder to let her feel the weight of her
17:11
actions he gathered info on the clinics
17:14
noting their hours and the mandatory
17:16
2-day cooling off period for procedures
17:20
he told his parents Diane and Frank
17:22
everything laying bare his failure as a
17:25
husband they listened their faces heavy
17:28
with sympathy and promised to support
17:30
him
17:32
frank even offered his truck to move
17:33
Emily's stuff out of the house jake
17:35
drove to NY's unannounced claiming he'd
17:38
taken sick leave to unwind
17:41
nancy and her husband Brad lived in a
17:43
modest house with a wraparound porch
17:46
emily was shocked to see him her eyes
17:48
wide as he walked in with a duffel bag
17:51
"jake
17:53
what are you doing here?" she asked her
17:56
voice tight jake played it casual
17:59
mom and dad wanted to keep the kids for
18:01
a few days so I figured I'd come visit
18:04
need to chill out too you know the room
18:06
went quiet and Jake could see Nancy and
18:09
Emily exchanging glances like they were
18:11
scrambling for a plan jake had divorce
18:13
papers ready coordinated with Laura who
18:16
was serving Ryan at the same time he
18:18
headed to one clinic struck out then
18:20
went to the family planning center at
18:22
the reception desk he put on his best
18:24
confident face i'm Jake Thompson my wife
18:28
Emily said I need to sign a consent form
18:30
for her procedure the receptionist
18:33
checked her computer nodded her sister
18:36
signed but your signature is better
18:37
here's the file
18:39
jake signed below NY's name noting the
18:42
procedure was set for Friday at 11:00
18:44
a.m he asked about payment pulling out
18:47
his checkbook but the receptionist said
18:49
Emily had paid $800 in cash jake thanked
18:53
her his mind racing he'd bought himself
18:56
time to disrupt Emily's plans the next
18:58
day Jake insisted on tagging along with
19:00
Emily and Nancy to the mall knowing they
19:03
were trying to make the clinic
19:04
appointment
19:06
they were pissed their faces tight as
19:08
they shopped for random stuff bras
19:10
underwear anything to look busy jake
19:14
stayed back keeping an eye on them from
19:15
a distance blending into the mall's
19:17
crowd they were deep in conversation
19:20
gesturing wildly clearly frustrated the
19:23
appointment time came and went and Jake
19:26
knew he'd delayed it they grabbed lunch
19:28
at Olive Garden the silence between them
19:31
thicker than the marinara sauce
19:34
jake was grinning inside savoring their
19:36
irritation back at NY's Jake pulled
19:38
Emily aside in the kitchen the air was
19:41
tense like a storm about to break he got
19:44
straight to the point m I want you to
19:47
quit your job and stop seeing Ryan
19:49
Carter her teeth clenched her eyes
19:52
flashing with anger i'm so sick of this
19:55
Jake i'm not quitting my job and Ryan's
19:58
just a friend change the subject or get
20:01
out
20:02
jake reached into his bag pulled out a
20:05
legal-sized envelope and slid it across
20:07
the table i've asked you 10 times in the
20:10
last 2 months you said no every time
20:13
these are divorce papers sign them and
20:15
mail them in there's a stamped envelope
20:17
inside emily's face went pale but she
20:20
didn't back down you can't divorce me
20:23
just because you don't like my job or my
20:25
friends you need grounds Jake and you
20:27
don't have any jake reached into his bag
20:30
again pulling out a stack of photos six
20:32
images of Emily and Ryan caught in
20:35
compromising positions he laid them on
20:37
the table one by one watching her
20:39
reaction
20:41
she froze her breath catching he added
20:44
six more then another set each one more
20:47
damning
20:48
emily started screaming "Stop it you're
20:51
spying on me you're such a creep." Jake
20:54
stayed calm his voice low i didn't take
20:57
these i just know you've been lying to
20:58
me his phone rang and he answered it
21:01
learning his dad was 10 minutes away
21:02
with Emily's stuff he hung up and turned
21:04
to her dad's bringing your things to
21:07
NY's the locks are changed at the house
21:09
i signed over your car title and there's
21:12
$200 from our bank accounts in the
21:13
envelope you can see the kids once a
21:16
week maybe overnight once a month if you
21:18
sign a statement about the affair oh and
21:21
I've got a 2-hour DVD of you and Ryan at
21:23
the Scandia Motel from May 10th it's all
21:26
there jake slid a safety pin across the
21:29
table his eyes locked on hers i've been
21:33
poking holes in your condoms for 2
21:35
months you went through 48 in the last 2
21:37
weeks alone ryan's been luckier than I
21:40
ever was emily's face twisted with rage
21:44
you miserable weasel that's the most
21:46
despicable thing I've ever heard
21:49
jake leaned in his voice steady the most
21:52
despicable thing is you cheating on me i
21:54
might be a fool but you're a liar as he
21:57
gathered the photos his dad pulled into
21:59
the driveway jake stood his heart
22:02
pounding but his resolve firm
22:05
goodbye Emily good luck with your
22:07
procedure on Monday she started crying
22:10
collapsing into a chair as Nancy rushed
22:12
in to comfort her brad followed Jake to
22:15
the porch looking uneasy
22:17
man you can't throw away 14 years over a
22:20
misunderstanding
22:22
jake cut him off
22:23
why is my wife here Brad you tell me
22:26
brad looked at his feet mumbling an
22:28
apology and helped unload Emily's stuff
22:31
from the truck weeks later Globeex fired
22:33
Emily and Ryan emily didn't fight the
22:36
divorce but Ryan did losing his house
22:39
investments and a chunk of alimony emily
22:42
followed Ryan to Omaha but he ditched
22:44
her leaving her to move back with Nancy
22:46
who was also divorced after Brad took a
22:48
job in Alaska
22:50
jake meanwhile was building a new life
22:53
he and the kids spent time with Laura
22:55
bonding over koi ponds and family
22:57
dinners there was no romance yet just a
23:00
friendship born of shared pain lily and
23:03
Max adored Laura calling her the koi
23:06
lady and drawing pictures of her fish 4
23:08
months later the divorces were final
23:11
jake put the house up for sale and moved
23:13
in with Laura who'd become a rock for
23:15
him and the kids they planned a June
23:17
wedding nothing fancy just a celebration
23:20
of new beginnings
23:22
on Christmas Emily showed up with gifts
23:24
for Lily and Max staying for 2 hours
23:27
before leaving quietly
23:29
jake was polite but the air between them
23:32
was heavy with unspoken words she never
23:34
apologized and Jake didn't expect her to
23:38
looking back Jake's journey was a roller
23:40
coaster of heartbreak and redemption he
23:43
trusted his gut found the truth and took
23:45
back his life even if it meant getting a
23:48
little dirty along the way so Reddit
23:51
unheard stories what's the lesson here
23:54
sometimes love blinds you but the truth
23:57
sets you free even if it stings like
23:59
hell
24:01
if you've got a story like Jake's drop
24:03
it in the comments let's keep these
24:05
unheard stories alive thanks for
24:07
listening and I'll catch you in the next
#Marriage
#Troubled Relationships