Man Discovers His Wife Is Leading a Double Life after Finding Strange Receipts — Story of the Day

Mark and Amber had recently gotten married. Everything happened very quickly; just six months ago, they were strangers. Now, Mark, returning from work, was bringing flowers for his wife.

Mark immediately knew that Amber was “the one,” and the more they talked, the more he became convinced. So, he didn’t wait long and proposed to her four months after they met. Despite knowing each other for such a short time, he felt like he had known Amber his whole life.

Mark pulled up to their house and parked. The evening sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the neighborhood. He got out of the car, not forgetting the flowers, and took a deep breath, feeling the cool breeze of early evening.

He walked up the path to their front door, his heart beating a little faster with anticipation. Amber, as always, met him at the door with a warm smile.

Her eyes sparkled when she saw the flowers. She reached out and took them, her fingers brushing against his.

“These are beautiful, Mark,” she said softly, her voice full of affection. She leaned in and kissed him gently. “How was your day at work?”

“The clients were a nightmare,” Mark replied, rubbing his temples. “I’ve never seen so many revisions for such a small project. I’m exhausted.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Amber said, concern in her eyes. “I made dinner. We can open that bottle of wine to relax.”

“That sounds perfect,” Mark said, his shoulders relaxing a little. He followed Amber to the kitchen. She started setting the table while he sat down and opened the wine bottle.

As he poured the wine, he noticed Amber’s phone on the table. A message notification had popped up. Mark usually respected Amber’s privacy and never looked at her messages. But something made him curious this time.

He glanced at the screen and read, “Honey, will you be here tomorrow? Mila misses you,” from an unknown number. Mark’s heart skipped a beat.

“Who is Mila?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Amber looked up, confused. “What?”

“You got a message. Someone called you honey and said Mila misses you. Who is this?”

Amber quickly went to the table and grabbed her phone. She read the message and frowned. “It must be a wrong number,” she said, looking up at Mark.

“Amber, you can tell me the truth,” Mark said, his voice tense.

“I am telling the truth,” Amber insisted. She showed Mark the chat with the unknown number. There was only that one message.

“Okay,” Mark said, but he didn’t sound convinced.

Amber sighed. “I don’t like that you don’t trust me.”

“I’m sorry,” Mark said, looking down. “But you understand how this looks, right?”

Amber nodded and placed the dinner plates on the table. The aroma of the meal filled the room, but it did little to ease the tension. They ate almost in silence, with only the clinking of plates cutting through it, a sharp contrast to their usual lively conversations.

Meanwhile, Mark couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

After dinner, they cleared the table and went about their evening routine, but it all felt different. The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken thoughts and doubts.

That night, Mark lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind was racing, filled with questions and worries. He was tempted to check Amber’s phone, but he decided against it. He didn’t want them to become “one of those couples” who spied on each other.

He tossed and turned, unable to find comfort. The growing anxiety inside him made it hard to relax. After what felt like hours, he finally fell asleep, though his sleep was restless.

The next day, Amber went to her yoga class early in the morning, leaving the house before Mark even got out of bed.

Still groggy, Mark started getting ready for work. He decided he wanted to wear his favorite sneakers, but he couldn’t find them in their usual spot by the door. Frustrated, he began searching the closet.

He pulled out shoe box after shoe box, each one filled with everything except the sneakers he was looking for. As he rummaged through the piles, he saw one more box tucked away in the far corner of the closet.

Curious and hopeful, Mark took it out and opened it. But instead of sneakers, he found a bunch of receipts.

Mark frowned and began sifting through them. Each receipt was more puzzling than the last: children’s toys, kids’ clothes, children’s entertainment events, and even a visit to a pediatrician. A chill ran down his spine.

They didn’t have any children, and as far as Mark knew, Amber didn’t have any children either. Could Amber be hiding such a big secret from him?

The message on her phone yesterday, where someone called her honey and mentioned Mila, flashed in his mind. He began to suspect that Amber had another family.

With his heart pounding, he decided not to wait. He grabbed his phone and called Amber right away, but she didn’t answer, and anxiety gnawed at him. Then he decided to call the place where she went for yoga.

“Hi, may I speak to my wife, Amber? She’s supposed to be in your yoga class right now,” Mark said, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Amber?” the instructor replied, puzzled. “We don’t have anyone named Amber in our classes.”

Mark’s stomach dropped. He thanked the instructor and hung up, his mind swirling with thoughts. Now he was sure Amber was hiding something from him.

The evidence was mounting, and Mark couldn’t ignore it any longer. He felt betrayed, hurt, and more confused than ever. He knew he had to find out the truth, no matter how painful it might be.

When Amber returned home, she was surprised to see Mark. “Hey, you’re still home,” she said, a hint of confusion in her voice.

Mark forced a smile. “Yeah, I couldn’t find my sneakers, so I thought I’d wait and ask you. I looked everywhere.”

“Oh, I put them in the wash,” Amber replied casually. “Sorry, I should have told you.”

Mark nodded, his mind racing. He decided to ask her about the yoga class to see what she would say. “How was your yoga class?”

Amber’s face lit up. “It was great! We did some new stretches today, and I feel so relaxed. The instructor even complimented my form.”

Mark listened, feeling a mix of sadness and anger. She talked about the class as if she had really been there, describing poses and breathing exercises in detail.

He realized that confronting her now would only lead to more lies. He was tired of the deceit and decided he needed to find out the whole truth.

“That’s good to hear,” Mark said, trying to sound normal. He made up his mind to follow her the next day when she went to “yoga.” He needed to see for himself where she was going and what she was really doing.

The next day, when Amber left for “yoga,” Mark quietly followed her, making sure she didn’t see him. His heart pounded as he kept a safe distance. Amber walked to the bus stop, and Mark stayed hidden behind a bench.

When she boarded the bus, Mark quickly got on, making sure to sit at the back where she wouldn’t notice him. The bus ride felt like an eternity. They finally got off on the other side of town, an area Mark wasn’t familiar with.

Amber walked a few blocks and approached a small house. Mark hid behind a nearby tree, his breath shallow and his palms sweaty.

The door opened, and a man came out. He hugged Amber warmly, and then a little girl, no more than five years old, ran out and hugged her too.

Amber bent down and hugged the girl tightly, smiling brightly. They all went inside, and Mark felt his world shatter. Amber had another family!

Unable to contain his anger and confusion, Mark decided to confront her right then. He approached the house and knocked on the door. The same man who had hugged Amber opened it. Mark pushed him aside and stormed inside.

“So these are your yoga classes?!” Mark yelled. Amber, who was playing with the little girl on the living room floor, looked up in shock.

Amber, who was playing with the little girl on the living room floor, looked up in shock. “Mark, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“Better tell me what YOU are doing here,” Mark demanded, his eyes blazing with anger.

“I…” Amber stammered, glancing at the little girl, who was now looking up at them with wide eyes. “Let’s go outside, and I’ll explain everything.” She walked towards the door, motioning for Mark to follow.

Mark hesitated, then followed her out, his mind racing with questions. The cool breeze did little to calm the storm inside him. Amber took a deep breath and began to explain.

“Mila is an orphan,” she said softly. “This man, John, is her guardian. He and his wife took Mila in as a foster family. John’s wife was the one who wrote the message you saw.”

Mark frowned, still trying to piece everything together. “What does this have to do with you?” he asked, his voice tense.

Amber looked down at her hands. “I wanted to adopt Mila before I met you,” she admitted. “I visited her often and got to know her. But when we got together, I was afraid to tell you. You said you didn’t want children, and I didn’t want to lose you. I was scared, Mark. I love Mila, but I love you too.”

Mark sighed and looked away. “I lied too,” he confessed. “I said I didn’t want children because I can’t have them. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

Amber’s eyes widened in surprise. “So, we both lied,” she said quietly. “We both hid something important.”

Mark nodded, feeling a mix of relief and sorrow. “Yeah, we did,” he said. “But I need time to think about all this. It’s a lot to take in. I’m going to stay somewhere else tonight. I need to clear my head.”

Amber watched him walk away, tears streaming down her face. She hoped that, despite everything, they could find a way to move forward together.

That evening, Mark sat alone in a small hotel room. The dim light and quiet surroundings made his thoughts even louder. He couldn’t stop thinking about everything that had happened.

It felt like their whole marriage was built on lies, and he wondered if they could ever have a happy life together. But he loved Amber very much. She was his everything.

He also thought about Mila. The little girl seemed sweet and innocent, but he was afraid he wouldn’t be a good father. He never had a good example growing up, and he worried he wouldn’t know what to do or how to be the dad she needed.

As he sat there, his phone buzzed with a message. It was from Amber. He hesitated for a moment, then opened it.

There were two photos: one of him making a funny face with raspberries and one of Mila doing the same. The message from Amber read: “I think I know why I love you both. Because you are so much alike.”

A wave of emotion washed over Mark. He turned off his phone and knew what he had to do. He left the hotel, got into his car, and drove home. The drive felt like it took forever, but his mind was clear now. He knew he needed to talk to Amber.

When he walked inside, he found Amber waiting. Her eyes were red from crying, but she looked up hopefully as he entered. He walked up to her and took her hands in his.

“Amber,” he said softly, “I don’t know what the future holds. But I do know there’s no one I want to build a family with more than you. Let’s work on adopting Mila. She deserves a family, and so do we.”

Amber’s eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of relief and happiness. “Are you sure?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Mark nodded. “No, I’m not sure about anything. But you are the only thing I’m sure of right now.”

Amber smiled, and they kissed, holding onto each other tightly. They both knew it wouldn’t be easy, but they were ready to face the future together, as a family.

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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Mila and Andrew are exhausted by constant arguments with their elderly neighbor, Karen. Determined to find peace, they decide to mend the relationship. But when Andrew steps into Karen’s house, he uncovers a disturbing secret that changes everything. Read the full story here.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.