A Man Caught His Wife Having an Affair with His ‘Golden’ Brother at Their Family’s Vacation Home — He Pretended Not to Know, but the Next Evening, They Showed Up at His Door, Shouting, ‘What the Hell Have You Done?!’

“Don’t start being difficult.”

Molly gave me a warning look.

I smiled at her.

“Relax, sweetheart. I’m only asking questions.”

For the first time since I’d met her, Molly seemed afraid of what I might ask next.

That night, she fell asleep beside me.

I lay awake listening to the wind rattle the bedroom window.

At one point, she moved closer and rested her head on my shoulder.

“Kevin?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think people can make terrible mistakes and still be good people?”

I stared into the darkness.

“What kind of mistake?”

She was quiet.

Then she laughed softly.

“Nothing. Just something I was thinking about.”

I turned toward her.

“Are you trying to tell me something?”

“No.”

She kissed my shoulder.

“I love you.”

I closed my eyes.

There had been a time when those words could calm every fear I had.

Now I wondered whether she had said them because she meant them—or because she was trying to make the lie easier to live with.