I had no idea when I went for my manicurist appointment that my world was about to be turned upside down.

The day before, my husband, Adam, had surprised me with an appointment at Lily’s Luxe Nails, a place I loved. When I arrived, Lily, the owner, greeted me with her usual bubbly personality and soon began sharing details about her “dream guy.” My heart sank as she described him: a successful manager with dimples. Adam fit the description perfectly. My anxiety grew as Lily showed me a picture of him — it was Adam, wrapped in her arms.

I was livid. Convinced my husband was cheating, I plotted revenge. After my appointment, I contacted Lily’s husband, James, and together we bought cans of paint to mark the cheaters. We headed to a hotel where I thought I’d catch Adam and Lily in the act.

But when I burst into the hotel, expecting confrontation, I was met with a banner reading, *”Happy Birthday, My Love!”* Adam, Lily, and a room full of friends and family yelled, “Surprise!” Adam had planned a surprise birthday party, and I’d walked into it like a fool.

I was devastated with embarrassment. Adam explained he’d hoped I’d figure it out with the manicurist appointment. I apologized, overwhelmed with relief.

As we left, I saw “CHEATER!!!!” written across the car. Adam laughed, saying, “It’s washable — and a great story for our kids!”