I never imagined boredom could lead me down this path. Working from home had become so monotonous that I started spying on my neighbors. What started as a harmless curiosity quickly turned into something much more intense when I discovered secrets I wasn’t meant to see.
I watched my wife, Caroline, get ready for work again. She put on her scrubs, tied her hair back, and grabbed her bag. Being a nurse meant she’d be gone all day, and I’d be here, alone, with nothing to do. I work from home, but honestly, every day is the same, just me and my computer.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Maybe you could stay home today?” I asked Caroline.
“James, you know I can’t,” she said, looking at me. “Don’t you have something to do? You have your job too.”
“Yes, but it only takes a few hours,” I replied. “I don’t feel like starting this new project yet. I’m putting it off.”
Caroline sighed. “Well, that’s why you should start it now. It’s a good time to complete it.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I shrugged. “Meh.”
She grabbed her bag. “I’ll text you when I’m on my way home,” she said, leaning in to kiss me. “Bye.”
“Goodbye, I’ll miss you,” I said as I watched her walk out the door.
I returned to my desk and opened my laptop, staring at the screen. The document was blank, as was my mind. I no longer felt like working. I couldn’t bring myself to start.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
So instead, I made myself lunch: macaroni and cheese. It wasn’t anything special, but it helped pass the time. Then I cleaned the bathroom, not because it needed it, but because I had nothing better to do.
I scrolled through my phone, hoping to find something interesting, but nothing caught my eye. I even called a friend, but he didn’t answer, leaving me in the silence of my empty house.
Reluctantly, I returned to my desk and tried to work again. Within seconds, I was spinning in my chair, humming a silly song about macaroni I’d invented while making lunch.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
The beat of the song was ridiculous, but it made me smile. Suddenly, something outside caught my attention. I turned to the window and saw our neighbors, Cory and Angela, having an argument. I couldn’t hear them, but their expressions were intense. It was like watching a silent movie.
Curiosity got the better of me. I remembered the binoculars my nephew had left behind last weekend. I grabbed them and moved closer to the window to get a better look.
Cory was throwing things, his face red with anger. Angela was crying and yelling something at him, but I couldn’t make out the words. Then she took something out of her bathrobe pocket and showed it to Cory. My heart pounded when I saw what it was: a pregnancy test.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Cory’s reaction was immediate. He snatched the test from Angela’s hands and stormed out of the room, then out of the house. I quickly backed away from the window, my heart pounding.
I didn’t want them to see me looking. I felt bad, but I couldn’t help it. What the hell was going on out there?
That evening, when Caroline came home, I couldn’t wait to tell her what I’d seen. “Caroline, you won’t believe what happened today,” I said, eager to share.
She listened, then frowned. “James, don’t you think you’re meddling in their business?” she asked, her concern evident.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“I know, but I’m really curious how this will end. He hasn’t come back since she showed him the test. Do you think he’ll leave her?” I asked.
Caroline shook her head. “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.”
“But aren’t you a little curious?” I persisted, hoping she would share my interest.
“No,” she said firmly. “But I’m curious about something else. Did you finish any of your project today?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Uh…” I hesitated, knowing I hadn’t done much.
“James! You can’t be so careless with your work. How are we going to pay the mortgage if you get fired?”
“No one’s going to fire me,” I said, trying to reassure her. “Everything will be fine. I’ll start the project tomorrow.”
“Promise me,” she insisted, her eyes serious.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“I promise,” I replied, trying to sound confident.
And I kept my promise. The next morning, I sat down at my desk, determined to focus on work. I opened my laptop, trying to immerse myself in my project.
But as I typed away at my keyboard, something outside the window caught my eye. A strange man was approaching Cory and Angela’s house. Curiosity got the better of me, so I grabbed the binoculars again and began to observe.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Angela opened the door with a smile and greeted the man warmly. They entered together, and I saw them head straight for the bedroom. My heart started racing.
They started kissing, and I knew I should stop watching. It wasn’t my business. But then Angela’s phone rang. She talked for a few minutes, seeming relaxed, then hung up and went back to the stranger as if nothing had happened.
I couldn’t help myself. I grabbed my phone and sent Caroline a quick text: “Angela is cheating on Cory!!!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Caroline replied to me almost immediately: “Stop meddling in other people’s business.”
But I didn’t listen. My curiosity was too strong. I picked up the binoculars just in time to see Cory park his car near the house. He got out with a young woman.
They walked inside together, and Angela and the stranger suddenly looked panicked. From where I was, I could see Cory and the woman kissing on the first floor.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
It was like a bizarre real-life drama unfolding right in front of me, and I couldn’t look away.
Then Angela glanced out the window and saw me staring. My heart leaped and I quickly ducked, hoping she hadn’t actually seen me.
When I looked again, Angela was holding a note that said “Help,” and it pointed downstairs, where Cory was.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Not knowing what else to do, I left my house and walked to the neighbors’ door. My heart was pounding when I knocked. Cory opened it, looking annoyed.
“What do you want?” he asked, his tone sharp.
“I… uh… I need to borrow some salt,” I stammered, trying to sound casual.
Cory sighed, clearly not in the mood. “Wait here,” he said, going back into the house. A moment later, he returned with a small container of salt. “Anything else?” he asked, his patience wearing thin.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Uh…” I searched for another excuse. Just then, I heard a thud upstairs. “Pepper too, if you don’t mind,” I blurted out. I could feel my face reddening. What did I say? Cory looked at me like I was wasting his time, but then he sighed again and went back inside.
While he was gone, I saw Angela’s stranger jump out the window and run away. What’s going on?
Cory returned with the pepper spray just as the stranger froze, staring at us. Cory handed me the pepper spray, and I could see the stranger’s confusion growing.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Angela! That guy doesn’t look like your father. Are you married?!” the stranger suddenly shouted.
“WHAT?!” came a woman’s voice from inside the house. The young woman who had come with Cory appeared at the door, her eyes wide.
“Cory, are you married?!” she asked.
“What? No…married?” Cory stammered, trying to find the right words.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Yes, I was just in the room with his wife,” the stranger said.
The young woman’s face twisted in anger. “Oh, you…!” She slapped Cory hard and stormed off.
“I’m not married!” Cory yelled at him.
The stranger and the young woman left together without another word. “Angela!” Cory shouted, his voice echoing down the hallway.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I watched Angela slowly walk down the stairs, her face frozen and her brow furrowed.
“I thought we agreed you weren’t going to bring anyone into our house!” Cory said, his voice rising in frustration.
Angela crossed her arms. “I was thinking the same thing, but you brought someone here too!”
Cory retorted, “Only because you brought someone first!”
Angela’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t know that!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I couldn’t stay silent any longer. “Wait, so it doesn’t bother you that you’re cheating on each other?” I asked, completely baffled by what was happening.
Cory turned to me with an incredulous look. “Cheating? Dude, we’re divorced,” he said flatly.
Angela nodded, still looking at Cory. “Yes, we’re divorced. Cory just refuses to let me have the house, so we’re forced to live together.”
“Oh…” I said, realization hitting me. “So you’re not married?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Cory shook his head. “What made you think we were married?”
“Well, you live together and… the pregnancy test…” I started to explain, feeling a little silly now.
Cory’s expression changed. “Wait, how do you know about the pregnancy test?”
Angela suddenly turned her gaze to me, her eyes blazing. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. That creep was spying on us with binoculars!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“WHAT?!” Cory yelled, his anger now directed at me.
“It’s not what you think…” I tried to explain, but before I could finish, Cory’s fist was already reaching for my face. The last thing I remember is the world going black and me hitting the ground.
I was back home, feeling a stabbing pain in my eye. Caroline was sitting next to me, holding an ice pack to my face.
“I told you not to interfere,” she said as soon as she saw I was awake. “I knew this would end badly.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I groaned, feeling a mixture of pain and frustration. “What if you asked me how I’m feeling? Maybe a ‘Sorry you got hit, James’ or an ‘I love you, James’ instead of an ‘I told you so’?” I grumbled.
Caroline sighed but managed a small smile. “You’ll do just fine. But now you see why I told you not to meddle in other people’s lives.”
“Yes, I understand,” I mumbled.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She looked at me seriously. “So, are you going to finish your project now?”
I nodded. “Yes, but I’ll be working somewhere else. Not at home.” I frowned, thinking about the trouble my curiosity had caused.
“That sounds like a good idea,” Caroline said, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch,” I winced, the pain in my eye worsening.
“Sorry,” Caroline said, unable to help but laugh a little.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
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