The Betrayal
Stephanie Rickshaw had always placed her marriage above all else. She deeply respected her husband and would never do anything to hurt him. But everything shattered the day she discovered what he’d been doing behind her back.
As she read through countless messages, her husband’s betrayal became painfully clear. That was the moment Stephanie knew she needed to get revenge.
A Regular Morning
The day Stephanie uncovered the truth began like any other. That morning, she prepared John’s breakfast while he got ready for a busy day at work. "No need for lunch," he muttered, "I’m meeting your mom at Denny’s."
This had become a common occurrence, and Stephanie thought nothing of it—if only she knew what was really happening.
Growing Tensions
Stephanie hadn’t been feeling well that day, and things between her and John had been tense for a while. He was always working late, and when he was home, he kept to himself, barely speaking.
She sensed the growing distance, though she didn’t understand why John had become so withdrawn.
Silence and Questions
In the weeks leading up to this, Stephanie wondered if she’d done something wrong, but John always brushed her off. She longed to understand what had gone wrong between them, missing the closeness they once shared.
Shortly after 7 a.m., he grabbed his briefcase and left the house. Little did Stephanie know, a shocking discovery awaited her.
An Empty Day
Watching him drive away, Stephanie sighed, preparing herself for yet another lonely day at home. She started her chores, moving around the house and gathering dishes to wash.
But as she entered John’s office, something caught her attention.
The Forgotten Phone
There, on his desk, lay John’s phone—something he rarely left behind. Stephanie had never considered going through his phone before, but lately, she’d had a nagging feeling that something was off.
Maybe his phone would finally provide the answers she was seeking.
Discovering the Truth
With a mix of hesitation and determination, Stephanie sat at his desk and unlocked the screen. Immediately, she noticed a message from her mother.
Clicking on it, she found weeks of messages between them, each one revealing a deeper betrayal. With every word she read, Stephanie’s heart broke a little more.
A Bright Childhood
Born and raised in Greenville, Carolina, Stephanie had always been known for her bright spirit and optimism. Growing up, she was the only daughter of two hardworking parents.
Her father adored her, but her relationship with her mother, Margery, was more complicated. Margery was kind to everyone but seemed to harbor resentment toward Stephanie.
A Difficult Bond
While Margery proudly showed off Stephanie in public, they rarely spoke in private, leaving Stephanie puzzled and hurt.
Fortunately, Stephanie found plenty of love and support from her friends at school, particularly from one special person—John Rickshaw, her high school sweetheart and the boy she dreamed of marrying.
The Perfect Match
Stephanie and John had been inseparable since ninth grade, and to her, he was everything she could have wanted—smart, handsome, and someone who truly understood her.
She envisioned a future together, yet she had always been a little perplexed by how well John and her mother, Margery, got along.
They Spent Time Together
Stephanie could recall times he would come over to their house and spend hours with her mother in the kitchen, chatting and preparing dinner together. Margery always referred to herself as his mother-in-law, and he seemed proud of it.
Stephanie thought it was sweet. They stayed together all throughout high school and college, and before they knew it, they were married and living in a home of their own.
Living Together
At 26 years old, Stephanie was starting to wonder when she and John would start trying for a family of their own, but something seemed to hold him back. Stephanie remained patient. She was sure that someday, she would be the mother of his children.
Luckily, she enjoyed every second of living with John. He spent his weeks working for a successful company in town while she got to stay home and care for their house.
His Briefcase
However, one day, Stephanie discovers something about her husband. He had just come home from work when she approached his briefcase. It was normal for her to remove the small lunch box she would pack every morning.
But when she opened it, she was surprised to find his lunch box full of food. “Oh, you didn’t have your lunch today. Busy day at the office?” She questioned, curious about what she had found. He always finished his lunch.
Out For Lunch
“No, actually,” he said with a slight smile on his face as he approached her, “It was a super slow day, so I went out for lunch with your mother.” As soon as he said those words, Stephanie was caught off guard. “My mother? Since when have you two been going out for lunch together?”
But he simply shrugged his shoulders and headed toward the refrigerator for a drink. “Every now and again. I don’t think it’s a big deal.”
No Big Deal
Stephanie agreed that it wasn’t a big deal. She knew how much they loved each other. But why hadn’t he mentioned it before? Stephanie decided to let it go and prepare them a wonderful dinner.
But she had no idea that her husband’s behavior was about to change drastically. That night, they ate together and watched their favorite television shows before going to bed. But the next morning, John had a request.
A Casual Morning
That morning, Stephanie was in the kitchen just like any other day, preparing breakfast and lunch for John. He walked into the room, dressed in his usual suit and tie.
“Oh, honey, no need to pack me lunch. I’m meeting Margery for lunch again,” he said. She paused and turned toward him. “Margery? You’ve never called her by her first name before,” she frowned.
Something Was Different
But he simply shrugged. “Well, she prefers it over Mrs. Tyson, so I figured why not?” He said and sat around the breakfast table. That morning, he left for work around 7 a.m., just as he always did.
As soon as he did, Stephanie got started on her usual chores around the house. But when John returned later that evening, it didn’t take long for Stephanie to notice that something was different.
Unusually Late
John walked through their front door just after 6 p.m., which was unusually late for him. She expected to have him home just after 5. “You’re home late. Were you stuck in traffic?” Stephanie asked innocently, but she could see his face as it twisted in annoyance.
“I was just busy, okay?” he snapped, dropping his briefcase to the floor before storming toward his office.
Processing It
Stephanie stood frozen in the middle of the kitchen, trying to process John’s sudden shift in mood. He had never snapped at her like that before.
For a second, she wondered if she had done something wrong. But the longer she thought about it, the more she tried to make sense of it. Perhaps he just had a tough day at work.
Giving Him Space
That night, Stephanie decided to give John some space. But she grew increasingly worried when he refused to have dinner. By the time she went to bed, he was still in his office, locked behind the black door.
What on earth was going on? That night, Stephanie lay wide awake in their bed, waiting for John to come to bed, but he never did. Instead, he slept in the guest bedroom.
Uncertainty
When Stephanie awoke the following morning, uncertainty crept over her. John had never slept in a different bed than her before. After tying a robe around her body, she quickly headed toward the kitchen to prepare his first cup of coffee.
She just hoped that some sleep severed him well. But when he entered the kitchen just five minutes later, she couldn’t help but notice that something still wasn’t right.
I’m Fine
John refused to make eye contact with Stephanie as he drank his coffee and sorted through his briefcase. She had to say something. “Honey, are you okay?” she finally asked, feeling a tight knot in the pit of her stomach.
She just hoped he wouldn’t snap at her again. He glanced up at her for just a second before looking down at the briefcase once again. “Yeah, I’m fine,” He said.
He Refused
Stephanie thought this behavior would only last for a day or two, but it lasted for weeks. John seemed angry all the time, and she didn’t know why. She would ask him about it often, begging him to tell her what the issue was, but he refused.
He kept saying that he was fine. But Stephanie knew that just wasn’t true. Something had changed, and she didn’t know what it was. But soon, she would find out.
Coming Home Late
John would still have lunch with her mother at least once a week, and he always seemed to come home late. Stephanie was starting to wonder if he was having some serious issues at work. She would ask him about it, but he would just shake his head.
Something wasn’t right, and with each passing day, she grew more and more depressed and desperate for answers.
Trying Her Best
She could tell that John wasn’t happy anymore, but she had no idea why. She was doing everything in her power to make him happy. She still woke up early each morning to prepare his coffee and breakfast.
She took care of the house and prepared him a lovely meal every single night. But she was starting to wonder if that was enough. But one day, just weeks after his change in behavior occurred, she learned the terrible truth.
That Morning
That morning, she awoke to John beside her. He had turned his back on her and was staring at his cell phone. “Morning, honey,” she greeted him, but as soon as she did, he stuffed his phone under his pillow and sat up.
“Hey,” he said and crawled out of bed. She quickly got up and made her way downstairs to fulfill her morning duties.
A Normal Morning
While John got ready for a busy day at work, Stephanie made his breakfast and coffee. Minutes later, he entered the kitchen. “No need to make me lunch. I’m meeting up with Margery,” he said as he sat down to eat his breakfast. Stephanie simply nodded.
That morning, she watched him leave the house and head to his car. She hoped his strange behavior would soon end.
Leaving For Work
She watched from the kitchen window as he got into his car and reversed from their driveway. Within minutes, he was gone. She sighed to herself, preparing to spend another lonely day at their house.
She decided to get started with her chores right away. Stephanie made her way around the house, collecting dishes to add to the washer. But when she entered John’s office, she noticed something.
His Phone
As soon as she stepped through the door and into his office, she noticed John’s phone, which he had left on his desk. Stephanie had never gone through her husband’s phone before, but at that moment, she wondered what she would find.
Something wasn’t right as of late, and she wondered if his phone would have the answers she had been looking for.
Invading His Privacy
Her eyes glanced between the phone and the black door. She had never invaded his privacy like that before, but she couldn’t help herself. Stephanie’s heart was racing as she shut the office door and locked it behind her.
The last thing she wanted was for him to come back and see what she was doing. She sat in front of his desk and gripped his phone with shaky hands, but she had no idea what she was about to come across.
For So Long
Stephanie let out a shaky breath. For so long, she had been wondering what was bothering her husband so much. She had never seen him so moody and angry before.
She just hoped that his phone would give her some of the answers she needed. She carefully unlocked his phone, but as soon as she did, she noticed that he had unopened texts from her mother, Margery.
Why Were They Texting?
Stephanie frowned down at her phone, wondering why on earth they were texting if he was seeing her that afternoon. She clicked on the notification mindlessly, expecting her mother to call their lunch off or something.
But that was not the case. As soon as she clicked on it and opened their texts, she read something rather strange. “I long to be next to you,” her mother had texted him.
More Texts
She sat frozen for a second, wondering what on earth she had just come across. What on earth did her mother mean by that? But then, she decided to scroll up in their chat.
But she never could have guessed what John and Margery had been talking about. Her eyes grew wide when she read texts from her husband. “I miss you, Margery. I wish you were here instead of Steph,” she read.
A Clear Picture
“No, no, no,” she muttered to herself as tears stung behind her eyes. She kept reading, and each text painted a clearer picture.
“Meet me at the motel. I’ll just tell Steph I had to work late,” one text read. Stephanie felt like she was going to be sick. Was her husband having an affair with her mother? The texts seemed to confirm that theory. She couldn’t believe it.
How Could They?
That morning, Stephanie was a crying mess. She couldn’t believe that her mother and husband were seeing each other. She didn’t know who she was more disappointed with. How could her mother do this to her? How could John cheat on her?
She sat alone in his office for hours, crying as she read through their messages. How long had this been going on?
Respect
Stephanie had always put her relationship above everything else in her life. She respected her husband, and she would never do anything to hurt him. But the day she learned what her husband had been getting up to behind her back, everything came crashing down around her.
She read through hundreds of texts that revealed her husband’s betrayal. That was when she knew she had to get her revenge.
Time For Confrontation
Part of her wanted to drive down to his office and confront him in front of his colleagues, but she decided against it. If she was going to confront him about it, she wanted to ensure that her mother would be there to see it, too.
But as she sat in his office, she suddenly remembered something. He was supposed to be having lunch with her mother that afternoon.
She Was Angry
Her sadness was replaced by anger as she slipped his phone into one of her pockets and left the office. She knew that her mother was a sucker for a good Denny’s lunch, which was why she decided to head to the one close to John’s work.
It was just before noon when she left the house, determined to confront the two people who had hurt her the most.
Lunchtime Trafic
The drive to Denny’s was short despite the lunchtime traffic, but as soon as she entered the parking lot, she spotted her husband’s car. Just as predicted, John and Margery had decided to meet at Denny’s.
She quickly stepped out of her car, ready to confront them. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so utterly betrayed. She was going to make them regret what they had done.
Going In
It was just after 12 p.m. when she stepped through the doors of that Denny’s. From where she stood, she could see her mother’s silver hair. “Can I get you a table for one?” a waitress asked at the entrance, but Stephanie ignored her and began walking toward their table.
They didn’t notice Stephanie walking straight toward them as John took Margery’s hand into his own and kissed her knuckles.
She Showed Up
Stephanie thought she was going to be sick as she watched the display of affection. But she continued marching toward them. But as soon as she stopped in front of their table, the two of them looked up, their smiles dropping the second they saw her.
“Honey, what- what are you doing here?” John stumbled over his words, trying his hardest to fake a smile.
Confronting Them
Stephanie glared at him, her blood boiling as she watched him let go of her mother’s hand. She reached into her pocket. “You left this in your office this morning,” She said and tossed his phone onto the table. “I read some interesting texts between you and my mother.”
John and Margery looked like they had seen a ghost as their faces went pale. “Stephanie, it’s not what it looks like,” her mother tried to say.
She Told Him To Leave
But it was too late. Stephanie raised her hand, signaling for them to stop. She didn’t want to hear any of their excuses. “I don't want to hear it. I gave you everything,” she told her husband as the tears slipped from her eyes once again.
“You betrayed me with my mother. I will never forgive either of you. I’m going out tonight. I want your things gone when I get home.”
He Tried To Stop Her
Stephanie turned around and began heading for the door as John ran after her. Margery stayed behind, sobbing into her own hands. John begged for her forgiveness as he tried to stop her, but it was too late.
She told him once again that it was over. That night, while she was out with friends, telling them everything, John slowly began packing his things and leaving.
Leaving Him
Stephanie filed for divorce the very next day and blocked her mother’s number. She wanted nothing to do with either of them. In the months that followed, he begged her not to leave him, but it was too late.
In the end, their divorce was settled, and she began to move on. Stephanie knew it would take some time for everything to settle, but in the end, she knew that everything would be fine again.