I believed my marriage to John was stable, if imperfect. But a chance encounter with our old friend Lisa shattered that illusion. We’d been together since high school, but over the past year, John had grown distant, often coming home late and exhausted.

One afternoon, I stopped by our favorite café and found John with Lisa, laughing and chatting. Confused, I joined them, and Lisa excitedly invited us to her upcoming Halloween party. John hesitated but eventually agreed, though he seemed unenthusiastic.

At the party, I felt nostalgia wash over me as I reconnected with old friends. But I noticed John standing alone, detached from the festivities. When the group decided to play “Truth or Lie,” Lisa turned to John and asked if he’d been seeing her behind my back. My stomach dropped as he quickly denied it, but doubt lingered.

I stepped outside for air, and Lisa followed, casually revealing that she and John had been seeing each other for a year. Heart racing, I rushed back inside to confront John. He flatly admitted it, blaming me for a high school misunderstanding about a supposed date with Robert, my best friend.

Robert then revealed the truth: I’d never gone on that date; I had been visiting my father in prison. Lisa’s revenge was based on a lie, and John had betrayed me out of weakness.

“I’m filing for divorce,” I stated, ready to reclaim my life, knowing I could finally start fresh—perhaps even with Robert by my side.