Ethan’s life changed dramatically when he returned from a business trip to find his wife, Isabel, in the emergency room. Panic surged through him, but nothing could prepare him for the sight of another man sitting by her bedside. This stranger’s presence threatened to shatter everything Ethan thought he knew about his marriage. Who was he, and what secrets did he hold?
Ethan believed his life was perfect. He and Isabel had been married for eight years, enjoying a comfortable life in a beautiful home. Each morning, Ethan rose early, determined to provide for their future, believing his hard work kept Isabel content. To him, she was more than a wife—she was his best friend. They shared laughter, dreams, and plans for their future.
One evening, as they relaxed on the porch, Ethan gazed at the sunset with satisfaction. “We have a great life, don’t we?” he asked Isabel, who sat beside him quietly. She smiled, but there was a glimmer in her eyes that Ethan couldn’t interpret. “Yeah, it’s wonderful,” she replied softly. He dismissed her demeanor, attributing it to fatigue.
Then everything changed.
Ethan was 40 miles away on a business trip when an unfamiliar number called. “Hello?” he answered.
“Is this Ethan?” a woman’s voice inquired.
“Yes, who is this?”
“This is Nurse Karen from the hospital. Your wife, Isabel, is in the ER. She’s unconscious.”
Ethan’s heart dropped. “What happened? Is she okay?”
“We don’t have all the details, but you need to come as soon as possible.”
Fear gripped Ethan as he responded, “I’ll be there right away,” and hung up. Trembling, he turned his car around, racing back to town. His mind swirled with dread—Isabel had been fine that morning; what could have gone wrong?
Every mile felt like an eternity. He whispered a desperate plea for her safety, his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel.
Upon arriving at the hospital, he rushed inside. “Where’s my wife?” he asked the nurse, anxiety palpable in his voice. “Isabel Williams.”
The nurse’s expression was puzzled. “Her husband is already with her,” she replied calmly.
Ethan’s confusion deepened. “I am her husband,” he insisted.
The nurse pointed down the hall. “Room 12.”
When Ethan entered the room, he froze. A man sat beside Isabel, holding her hand. The man looked up at Ethan’s entrance.
“Who are you?” Ethan demanded, his voice quaking with anger and fear.
The man rose and introduced himself. “I’m Logan. Her… lover. We’ve been together for a year. We were in an accident, and I brought her here. I asked the nurse to call you.”
Ethan’s world shattered in that moment. His fists clenched, rage and disbelief washing over him. “Her lover?” he repeated, struggling to grasp the reality. “What do you mean?”
Logan nodded, his tone steady. “I know she loves you, Ethan. She always talked about you—how she missed the way things used to be. But she felt neglected and didn’t know how to tell you.”
Ethan was stunned, his mind racing. Isabel had cheated on him? How could she feel neglected? He looked at her unconscious form, his heart aching with confusion and betrayal.
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