I Played Along When a Man Called Me the Maid—Then I Found My Husband’s Lie

The kitchen smelled of citrus as I scrubbed the counters, the dishwasher humming softly. Cleaning wasn’t my favorite chore, but it kept my mind quiet. Then the doorbell rang. I opened it to find a polished man with a wide grin, holding a briefcase. “Hey! I’m here for Mr. Hayes,” he said cheerfully. “You’re the cleaning lady, Sarah, right? I’m Paul, his business partner.” Before I could respond, he added, “Mrs. Hayes told me about you. Showed me your picture, even.”

My heart stopped. “Mrs. Hayes?” I asked, my voice calm but my mind racing. “Yeah,” Paul said, laughing. “She and Mike are such a fun couple.” Mrs. Hayes? Who was that? I decided to go with it. “Come in,” I said, forcing a smile. “Have you known them long?” I asked as he sat on the couch. “Oh, forever,” he said. “They’re always so happy.” My pulse quickened, but I played it cool, grabbing a glass of water to step away and think.

A man talking to a young woman on her porch | Source: Midjourney

In the kitchen, I gripped the counter. Who was Mrs. Hayes? Back in the living room, Paul was on his phone. “I’ve got a photo of them,” he said, showing me. My stomach dropped—it was my sister, Lauren, arm in arm with Mike. “She’s gorgeous, huh?” Paul said. I nodded, my throat tight. “When was this?” I asked. “Last year, at a company party,” he said. “Mike kept his personal life quiet until I met her. She said you were the cleaning lady.” My hands trembled as I handed back the phone. My sister?

I forced a smile. “Got more photos?” I asked. Paul showed another, not noticing my shock. “You okay, Sarah?” he asked. “Fine,” I said. “Coffee while you wait for Mr. Hayes?” He nodded, and I escaped to the kitchen, my thoughts swirling. Lauren as Mike’s wife? What was going on? I brought the coffee, my heart racing but my face composed. “Paul,” I said firmly, “we need to talk.” He looked confused. “About what?” I pointed to a framed photo on the table. “Look at that.”

Paul picked it up, his brow furrowing. “That’s you,” he said. “And that’s Mike, my husband,” I said. “I’m Mrs. Hayes, not the cleaning lady.” His jaw dropped. “But Lauren said…” he stammered. “She’s my sister,” I said coldly. Paul set the photo down, shaken. “I didn’t know. They said she was his wife!” I watched him squirm before asking, “Why are you here?” He sighed. “To buy Mike’s business share. But it’s in your name.” I raised an eyebrow. “And Lauren stopped the sale?” He nodded. “I thought it was you.”

I hid my anger with a bitter laugh. “It wasn’t. What’s your offer?” Paul named a big number, and I stayed calm. “Send the papers tomorrow,” I said. He agreed, eager to leave. The next night, Mike burst in, furious. “You sold my share?” he yelled, slamming the door. I sat on the couch, calm. “Hi, Mike. Bad day?” He glared. “You had no right!” I stood, facing him. “The share was mine. And I know about Lauren.” His face paled. “I can explain—” I cut him off. “I’m filing for divorce. I’ve talked to a lawyer.”

Mike sank into a chair. “You’re destroying me!” I shook my head. “You did that yourself.” Two weeks later, I signed divorce papers, free and stronger. The settlement was hefty, including compensation for Lauren’s fraud. I cut ties with both, and their lies fell apart. Mike lost his business, and Lauren lost him. The betrayal hurt, but it taught me my own power. I replaced Mike’s photo with fresh daisies, smiling. My new chapter was mine to write.

 

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