A Decade of Lies

Even after a full decade of marriage, my husband Rudolf and I were as deeply in love as the day we wed—an enviable couple in the eyes of all.

On the day of our anniversary, I saw him lifting a little boy into his arms right outside the entrance of our neighborhood.

"Daddy! Can you take me to the amusement park this time?"

The boy's words were enough to stop me dead in my tracks. I instinctively hid around a corner.

"Of course! I'll even take you on a trip." Rudolf smiled warmly and kissed the boy on the forehead.

In that instant, something seemed to have been set off in my head, as if years of trust had been shattered at that one moment.

Daddy?

Upon closer examination, I realized that the boy's features were remarkably similar to Rudolf's. No one could deny they were blood-related.

"Your dad's busy with work, sweetheart. Don't cling to him too much," said a beautiful woman standing next to the boy.

The cruel moment before me made it clear. The man who swore he would love me forever had been cheating all along.

Even after a full decade of marriage, my husband Rudolf and I were as deeply in love as the day we wed—an enviable couple in the eyes of all.

On our anniversary, he said he had to go on a business trip. He left after showering me with gifts. A few minutes later, I noticed he had forgotten his briefcase. I grabbed it and chased after him, only to find him at the entrance of our neighborhood, lifting a little boy into his arms.

"Daddy, can you accompany me to the amusement park this time?"

The boy's words were enough to make me freeze as I swallowed the words I wanted to say. Instead, I instinctively hid around the corner.

"Of course. I'll even take you on a trip." Rudolf smiled warmly and kissed the boy on the forehead.

In that instant, something seemed to have exploded in my head, as if years of trust had been shattered at that one moment.

Daddy?

I looked closely and realized that the boy's features were practically the same as Rudolf's. No one could deny they were blood-related.

A beautiful woman, standing next to the boy, said gently, "Your dad's busy with work, sweetheart. Don't cling to him too much,"

When Rudolf and that woman's eyes met, they were seemingly able to communicate with each other with just a look—they didn't have to say a word.

I clutched my chest, which had suddenly spasmed with pain. I felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing the life out of me, and breathing became difficult. I told myself to calm down, but I couldn't stop myself from trembling.

The cruel moment before me made it clear. The man who swore he would love me forever had been cheating all along.

Rudolf and I were childhood sweethearts. I had stood by him through thick and