<\/p>\n
Mark and I were married for seven years. I was a 34-year-old freelance graphic designer, and I truly believed our marriage was solid\u2014until the night of his promotion party.<\/p>\n
We were \u201cthat couple,\u201d always in sync, always hand-in-hand. After years of struggling to conceive, Sophie came along and brought new joy to our lives. She was four when everything changed.<\/p>\n
At Mark\u2019s celebration, our daughter pointed at a woman and said, \u201cThat\u2019s the lady with the worms!\u201d Confused, I asked what she meant. \u201cIn her house. On her bed. Daddy said not to tell you. You\u2019d be upset.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach dropped.<\/p>\n
That woman was Tina, a coworker I\u2019d seen hovering near Mark at past work events. When I confronted him, he brushed it off, claiming Sophie saw curlers and misunderstood. But the lie was already unraveling.<\/p>\n
The next day, I met Tina under the guise of planning a party. She didn\u2019t deny anything. \u201cHe said it wouldn\u2019t take long once you left,\u201d she said, calm as ever.<\/p>\n
I told her she could have him.<\/p>\n
Quietly, I filed for divorce. Mark didn\u2019t fight. He moved in with Tina, and now even Sophie avoids visiting when she\u2019s around. Their picture-perfect start has already faded.<\/p>\n
As for me, I\u2019m healing. I paint, I sketch, I sleep again. Sophie\u2019s room glows with stars now.<\/p>\n
One night, she asked, \u201cWhy doesn\u2019t Daddy live with us?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause he lied about the worms,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
She nodded. \u201cLying is bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, baby. It is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then she hugged me. \u201cI\u2019m glad we have no worms.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe too, sweetheart. Me too.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"