When Lisa’s husband suggests a month-long separation to “rekindle their relationship,” she reluctantly agrees until a frantic call from a neighbor reveals a shocking betrayal. Rushing home, Lisa discovers a woman has moved in with them. This betrayal leaves Lisa determined to get her life back on track.
When Derek suggested we live apart for a month to “rekindle our relationship,” I thought it was one of those modern trends couples try to adopt when they’re struggling but don’t want to admit it.
He pitched it to me as a great idea, saying it would help us reconnect and appreciate each other more.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
“You’ll see,” he said one morning, smiling over his coffee. “It’ll be like you’re dating someone else. You’ll miss me. I’ll miss you. And when the month is over, it’ll be like a new beginning.”
I didn’t like the idea. What woman would? But Derek insisted. He seemed so sure it was for the best, so I packed my bags, moved into a short-term rental across town, and figured everything would be fine.
The first week was difficult and lonely.
A woman sitting on a sofa | Source: Midjourney
Derek barely called or texted me, but he chalked it up to him “enjoying the space” and trying to stay busy.
I even started looking forward to what he called “our big reunion, Lisa.”
One day I invited my sister Penelope.
“Are you sure, Lisa?” she asked me, pouring herself a glass of wine. “I mean, this is a little weird.”
A glass of wine on a coffee table | Source: Midjourney
“I know,” I agreed, preparing a charcuterie board. “But as soon as I showed a little resistance, Derek would lose it. So, I figured it was something he should do.”
“Yes, I understand that,” she said. “But something’s wrong, sis. I’d keep a close eye on Derek if I were you.”
I have to admit, she was right. And I felt the same way. What good reason would Derek have to want us apart?
A charcuterie board | Source: Midjourney
Then, one quiet Saturday night, my phone rang.
“Lisa,” Mary’s voice crackled over the line, low and urgent. “You need to come home. Right now. I saw a woman in your house. I can’t see much, but I saw a figure through the window.”
I put down the knife I was using to cut vegetables and shook my head to clear it.
Mary was my neighbor and wasn’t one to overreact.
Chopped mushrooms on a board | Source: Midjourney
“What? Really!?”
It felt like the air had been knocked out of my lungs.
A woman? In our house?
My mind immediately imagined the worst-case scenario:
Derek had someone else move in. A mistress.
But then again, it could have been something else. A burglary, perhaps, or Sheila, Derek’s mother.
Silhouette of a couple | Source: Midjourney
But I ruled out those possibilities almost instantly. Derek had been so distant lately, barely calling or texting. My instincts told me it had to be infidelity.
Infidelity.
“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“Yes,” Mary said firmly. “Hurry up, Lisa. Something’s happening!”
I didn’t stop to think. I grabbed my keys and rushed out the door.
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
When I reached the house, I didn’t bother knocking. My hands were shaking as I pushed open the door, adrenaline rushing through me. It was as if my instincts had taken over. I ran up the stairs and went straight into my room.
She was there.
Not a mistress, but Derek’s mother.
Sheila.
Sheila stood in the middle of my room, surrounded by piles of my clothes. My closet doors were wide open, and she was holding one of my lace bras in disgust.
An elderly woman standing in front of a dressing room | Source: Midjourney
“What are you doing?” I shouted, making her jump.
Sheila looked up, unmoved by my indignation.
“Oh, Lisa. You’re back earlier than expected,” she said nonchalantly.
She waved the bra in the air like trash.
“I’m cleaning this house. It’s not suitable for a married woman.”
My jaw dropped.
Close-up of an elderly woman | Source: Midjourney
“Excuse me ?”
She gestured to several trash bags lying on the floor. They were filled with my clothes, lingerie, dresses, and even casual outfits.
“Lisa, these clothes don’t reflect the values of a proper wife. Derek asked me to help him tidy up while you’re away.”
I felt a wave of rage wash over me.
Garbage bags in a bedroom | Source: Midjourney
“Putting my affairs in order? By throwing away my clothes? Who gave you the right to do that?”
Sheila’s lips pursed as she squared her shoulders.
“Honestly, Lisa, someone had to intervene. This house is a mess, and your wardrobe… well, it sends the wrong message. Derek deserves better!”
His words hit me like a slap in the face.
An elderly woman standing in a bedroom | Source: Midjourney
Sheila had always been critical. She’d always made snide remarks about my cooking and little comments about how I kept house, but this?
It was a new level of audacity.
“Where’s Derek?” I asked, my voice shaking with fury.
“He’s out,” Sheila replies nonchalantly. “He’s running errands, I think. He knows I’m here. We both agree it’s for the best.”
An angry woman | Source: Midjourney
What is best?
Her words echoed in my head as I stood there, stunned. Derek hadn’t just let it happen. He’d invited her here.
I was still standing in the bedroom smoking when Derek finally came home an hour later, pounding up the stairs. Sheila had moved into the living room, probably sensing that her presence would only add fuel to the fire.
“Lisa?” Derek said as he entered the room.
His tone was confused, almost annoyed. “Why are you here?”
A shocked man | Source: Midjourney
“Why am I here?” I snapped. “Because Mary called and told me there was a woman in our room going through my things. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was your mother!”
Derek sighed as if I was the one making a big deal out of it.
“Lisa, calm down. Mom is just here to help you.”
“Help?” I repeated, incredulous.
Close-up of a woman | Source: Midjourney
“Yes,” he said, his voice exasperatingly patient. “You’ve been having trouble with… well, everything lately. Haven’t you? You only sweep the living room and the kitchen. The rest of the house is a mess. There are crumbs in the bed. And the refrigerator handle is always sticky.”
“That’s because you eat in bed, Derek! You choose to eat in bed like crazy, instead of eating in the living room or dining room. As for the fridge, it’s sticky because of your peanut butter and jelly hands.”
Crumbs on a bed | Source: Midjourney
“Don’t blame me for everything, Lisa!” he shouted. “I thought Mom could step in while we figured something out.”
“While we sort things out?” I repeated, my voice rising. “Is that why you think this breakup is necessary? You said this separation was to rekindle our relationship, Derek. Not to invite your mother to fix me like I was some kind of broken appliance.”
Derek rubbed the back of his neck.
“Lisa, don’t twist things. You’ve been stressed lately, and Mom offered to help. That’s all. I didn’t think you’d react like this.”
A man holding his neck | Source: Midjourney
I let out a bitter laugh.
“Of course I react like that! You didn’t even tell me. You moved your mother into our house. Into my room! And you let her throw away my clothes. How did you think I would react?”
He growled, visibly frustrated.
“Look, I didn’t plan for this to happen. It’s just… you’ve been so busy lately, and Mom knows what it takes to run a decent household. She was trying to help you… to help us.”
A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney
I looked at him in disbelief.
“You think this helps us? You think letting your mother invade my space, disrespect my boundaries, and insult my choices is helpful? Derek, this isn’t a partnership. This is control. And the fact that you can’t see it is even worse.”
Derek looked stunned, as if he hadn’t expected me to be so angry. But I didn’t care. I was done.
I grabbed a suitcase and packed the clothes Sheila hadn’t deemed inappropriate. Without looking back, I walked out the door.
A suitcase in a bedroom | Source: Midjourney
That was three days ago. I’ve already contacted a lawyer.
Some people might think I’m overreacting, but for me, it wasn’t just about the invasion of privacy or the humiliation of my mother-in-law throwing away my things.
Derek wanted to make it clear that he didn’t see me as an equal partner in our marriage.
A lawyer sitting at his desk | Source: Midjourney
He didn’t want a wife.
He wanted someone to cook, clean and keep house like in the 1950s.
It’s not me.
When Derek asked for a “break,” I didn’t know what he was expecting. But I’ll tell you what he got.
A divorce.
Stereotype of a 1950s housewife | Source: Midjourney
Now I’ve moved into Penelope’s apartment while the divorce is settled. I can’t wait to get half of everything Derek owns.
He needs to understand what it feels like to have everything going for him one day and then have the rug yanked out from under him when he least expects it.
“What was the worst part of all this for you, sis?” Penelope asked.
A comfortable apartment | Source: Midjourney
“That my husband considered me a failure,” I replied. “Our marriage wasn’t perfect, of course. But we weren’t in such deep waters, you know? And Sheila always hated me. Remember when we were getting ready for the wedding and she came over and criticized my hair and makeup?”
My sister sighs and continues making the homemade pizzas we’re having for dinner.
“I always knew Derek was the biggest mistake of your life,” she admitted.
Homemade pizza on a counter | Source: Midjourney
“What?” I jumped, nearly knocking over a bowl of olives.
“I’m sorry, Lisa,” she said softly. “But after you met him, you lost interest in all your hobbies. Where is my sister who painted whatever she wanted? All she needed was a canvas and her paints.”
I was silent for a while.
“I didn’t realize,” I said.
A bowl of olives | Source: Midjourney
“Find her, Lisa,” Penelope said. “She deserves to come back.”
That’s what I did. I rented a space for myself, making sure there was an extra room for my art studio.
Finally, I was going to get rid of Derek and Sheila and find myself again.
A home art studio | Source: Midjourney
Read also: I saw the message “I’m pregnant” on my husband’s phone and secretly came to his dinner with a stranger
This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the story. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims regarding the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and all opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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