My ex-husband was ready to start a new chapter, but something about his engagement didn’t feel right. A casual conversation at work turned into a revelation I couldn’t ignore. He refused to believe me, so I had to show him the truth, even though it would hurt.
I was sitting at my desk, even though my job as a restaurant manager didn’t leave me much time to rest.
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It was one of the few moments when the room was quiet—no customers were making special requests, no complaints were coming from the kitchen, no servers were rushing to fix last-minute problems.
I breathed deeply, savoring the fleeting peace, knowing it wouldn’t last.
My phone rang. I glanced at the screen—Aaron. My ex-husband. Curious, I picked up the phone to read his message.
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A photo popped up. It was our son, David, grinning from ear to ear, holding a giant stuffed animal. The bright lights of an amusement park twinkled behind him.
A warm feeling washed over me. I was glad Aaron and David were having fun.
Nearby, two waitresses were chatting, their voices light and excited. Lindsey held out her hand to show off a huge diamond ring.
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Claire grabbed Lindsey’s hand, her eyes wide. “That rock is huge! We should be able to see it from space.”
Lindsey laughed, tilting her hand to catch the light. “I know, right? I got really lucky.”
Claire raised an eyebrow. “Is he rich or what?”
Lindsey smiled. “He’s not a millionaire, but he has money. Enough to buy this, at least.”
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I frowned. Lindsey had been dating Leo, one of our kitchen staff, for over a year. “Aren’t you with Leo?” I asked.
“I am,” Lindsey replied, still admiring the ring.
I stared at her. “Since when has Leo been rich?”
Lindsey finally looked at me. “Leo isn’t. But my fiancé is. It was Leo’s idea, actually.”
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I blinked. “What?”
“The plan was simple,” Lindsey explained. “Find a rich guy, marry him, get divorced in a few months, and take the money. Then Leo and I will live the good life.” She twirled the ring on her finger. “We’re halfway there.”
My stomach knotted. “Don’t you think that’s… cruel?”
Lindsey shrugged. “I don’t love my fiancé, so no.”
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“But he might love you,” I said. “He asked you to marry him, didn’t he?”
Lindsey shook her head. “That’s his problem. He fell for it because I’m younger.”
I stared at her, unable to believe what I was hearing.
I married young and for love. At the time, Aaron and I thought love was enough.
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But over the years, we realized we were too different. We wanted different things, we dealt with problems in opposite ways, and we saw the world differently.
Breaking up was painful, but we knew it was the right decision. Even today, I have no regrets.
Aaron was always a good friend and, more importantly, he was a wonderful father to David.
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That evening when I got home, Aaron was already at the door with David. My son jumped inside, his face beaming with excitement.
“Mom, we rode the biggest roller coaster ever! I wasn’t even scared!” he said breathlessly.
I smiled, ruffling her hair. “That sounds great.”
Aaron stood stiffly behind him, his expression tense.
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“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“We need to talk,” he said. “In private.”
I nodded and led him to the kitchen.
We sat down at the table. Aaron ran a hand through his hair, his fingers drumming lightly against the table.
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Something was wrong. His shoulders were tense, his gaze different, as if he wasn’t sure where to begin.
I leaned forward. “Aaron, you’re scaring me. Did something happen?”
He exhaled sharply. “No, nothing serious. Actually… it’s serious. But in a good way.”
I frowned. “Serious in a good way? What do you mean?”
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Aaron hesitated. Then, under his breath, he said, “I’m going to get married again.”
I blinked. “What? That’s great!” I smiled, trying to reassure him. “I don’t see why you were so worried.”
Aaron shrugged. “I don’t know. I might have thought you’d be upset.”
“Upset? Aaron, I’m really happy for you. You deserve to be happy.”
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Relief softened his face. “Thanks. I’ll tell David later. I wanted you to know first,” he said.
“Of course. I’m sure he’ll be happy for you too,” I said.
Aaron smiled, more relaxed now.
“So… who is she?” I asked. “Are you going to show me a picture? How did you meet?”
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Aaron chuckled. “I knew you’d ask.” He took out his phone and tapped the screen. “I came prepared.”
He turned the screen towards me. My stomach plummeted. I couldn’t hide my shock.
“It’s Lindsey,” I said, my voice flat. “One of my waitresses.
Aaron shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah. That’s why I was worried about your reaction.”
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I looked at the photo again, my mind racing. “How could this have happened?”
Aaron scratched the back of his neck. “I met her when I picked David up from a restaurant. Later, I saw her on a dating app. We started talking… and here we are.”
I swallowed hard. My hands clenched under the table. I couldn’t keep this to myself.
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“Aaron, I have to tell you something,” I said carefully. “And it’s not good.”
Aaron’s face tightened. “If this is about the age difference, I already know. Eleven years. We don’t mind.”
I shook my head. “That’s not it. Just today, Lindsey was talking about her fiancé. I didn’t realize she was talking about you.”
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Aaron’s eyebrows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“She said she was marrying you just to get a divorce and take your money.”
Silence. Then, suddenly, Aaron’s expression darkened. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you!” he shouted. “I can’t believe you’re making this all up!”
“Aaron, it’s the truth!” I protested. “Why would I lie?”
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Her jaw clenched. “Because you’re jealous!”
I gasped. “Jealous? I’m trying to protect you!”
“That’s true. You can’t stand that I found someone younger who really loves me,” he fumed.
“She has a boyfriend! He works in our kitchen!” I shouted.
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“You’re lying!” Her face was red with anger. “I can’t believe you’ve sunk this low.”
“It’s the truth!”
“This conversation is over.” He left, slamming the front door behind him.
I couldn’t let this go. I wouldn’t allow Lindsey to scam Aaron. He didn’t deserve this. No matter how angry he was with me, I had to show him the truth.
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All night long, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Aaron wouldn’t just believe the words, he needed proof. Clear, undeniable proof.
The next day, I watched for Leo. He was working in the kitchen, intent on chopping vegetables. I took a deep breath and approached.
“Hey, Leo,” I said, approaching. “You and Lindsey make a great couple. I was thinking, why not surprise her with a romantic dinner here after hours? She’d love it.”
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Leo’s face lit up. “Do you really think that’s the case?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “She even mentioned wanting something special like that recently.”
He wiped his hands, looking excited. “Wow, I had no idea. This looks perfect.”
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I nodded. “You could set a nice table, maybe bring some flowers. She’ll be delighted with the effort.”
Leo smiled. “That’s a great idea, Melanie. Thanks for suggesting it. Can I do it tonight?”
I smiled. “Of course.”
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Then I sent Aaron a message. My hands hovered over the keyboard for a moment before typing.
I knew he wouldn’t answer. He was too angry. But he didn’t have to answer, he just had to read it.
@Me
I know you think I’m lying, but if you want the truth, come to the restaurant after 10 p.m.
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I pressed send and exhaled. My chest felt tight. Would he come? Would he ignore me? I had no way of knowing. All I could do was wait.
That night, after putting David to bed, I opened my laptop. My fingers trembled slightly as I logged into the restaurant’s security system.
The cameras started flashing. I found the right angle, the one that showed the table Leo had set.
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Candles flickered in the dim light. A small vase of flowers sat in the center. It looked romantic. Too romantic.
I watched Leo and Lindsey sit together. They ate, talked, and laughed. Leo’s eyes shone with love.
He was completely devoted to her. Lindsey smiled, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
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She leaned down, brushing her hand against his arm. Then, finally, she kissed him.
I grimaced and quickly switched cameras. I couldn’t watch this. My stomach was twisting.
On the outdoor camera, movement caught my attention. My breath caught. Aaron was there. He came. He pushed open the restaurant door and entered.
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Heart pounding, I went back to watch the footage from the camera on Lindsey and Leo. Just in time.
Aaron appeared, his face contorted with rage. Lindsey and Leo broke away, their expressions changing from shock to panic.
Leo’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Lindsey’s eyes darted around her, searching for an escape.
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Then Aron spoke. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but his anger was evident. He pointed at Lindsey, then at Leo.
Lindsey crossed her arms, tossing her hair over her shoulder, but Leo looked terrified.
Then, suddenly, Lindsey took off her engagement ring and threw it at Aaron.
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It crashed onto the table. Aaron picked it up, his face pale. Without another word, he turned and stormed off.
I switched cameras again. Outside, Aaron stood motionless, his shoulders shaking.
His head was in his hand. Even behind a screen, I could tell he was crying.
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I swallowed. I had done the right thing. He needed to see the truth. But somehow, I still felt guilty.
After a while, the doorbell rang. I hesitated before opening it. Aaron was standing there, his face red from crying, his eyes filled with regret.
“You were right,” he said, his voice hoarse.
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“That’s not satisfactory to me, just so you know,” I said. “I didn’t want to be right about that.”
Aaron nodded, his shoulders heavy. “I’m sorry I doubted you.” He took a shaky breath. “I should have trusted you.”
He came forward and hugged me. “Thank you.
I hugged him back, feeling his pain.
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