Life had been good before I ended up in the hospital.
I had been happily married to Thomas for three years. We had a comfortable life — I worked as a consultant in a clothing store, and he had a steady job in finance. We weren’t wealthy, but we managed just fine.
Thomas often came home exhau$ted, rarely finding time to ask about my day, but I never complained. I understood he was working hard for us.
One evening, as we sat together on the couch, I held his hand gently.
“I can’t wait until we have our own place,” I murmured.
“Yeah,” he sighed. “I just need a little more time to save up. You know how expensive houses are right now.”
“I know.” I smiled. “But when we finally get it, I want a big kitchen. And a backyard.”
“For a dog?” he teased.
“For a baby,” I corrected with a grin.
His expression softened, and he kissed my forehead. “We’ll get there.”
I believed him.
When Thomas left for a work trip on Friday, I didn’t think much of it. His job required travel, and I’d grown used to him being away for a few days. I decided to deep clean the apartment over the weekend.
Little did I know, that would be the worst decision I’d make.
While cleaning, I was dusting the top shelf of the hallway closet when the ladder wobbled beneath me. For a split second, I felt weightless, and then I fell.
The impact was instant — a sharp, searing pa!n sh0t through my right leg, unlike anything I had ever felt before. I gasped, my vision blurred, and I struggled to move.
Gritting my teeth, I reached for my phone, managing to dial 911 despite trembling hands.
Minutes later, paramedics arrived. The pa!n was unbearable as they lifted me onto the stretcher, and I barely kept my eyes open as they wheeled me into the ambulance.
At the hospital, the X-ray confirmed my worst fear: I had broken my leg.
“You’ll need to stay here for a few days,” the doctor said after wrapping my leg in a cast. “We need to monitor the swelling before we can send you home.”
The moment he left, I grabbed my phone and called Thomas.
He picked up immediately. “Kate? Hey! How’s my beautiful wife doing?”
“Thomas,” I whispered. “I… I broke my leg.”
“What?” His tone shifted instantly from playful to panicked. “How? What happened?”
I exhaled shakily. “I fell off a ladder while cleaning.”
“Jesus, Kate.” I heard him moving around on the other end of the line. “I’m coming home. I’ll cut my trip short.”
“No, you don’t have to—”
“Don’t even argue. I should be there with you.”
Tears pricked my eyes. “Okay.”
I was still on the phone when the door opened, and a nurse walked in.
I quickly told Thomas I’d call him later and hung up.
“You must be Kate,” the nurse said, smiling warmly. “I’m Stacy. I’ll be looking after you while you’re here.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, forcing a smile despite my discomfort.
“Don’t you worry about a thing,” Stacy assured me. “We’re going to take great care of you.”
I let out a breath, nodding. She seemed kind, and I relaxed a little.
But little did I know that in just a few days, Stacy would shatter everything I thought I knew about my life.
At first, Stacy was wonderful. She checked on me regularly, adjusted my pillows when I couldn’t move properly, and even brought me an extra blanket when I mentioned feeling chilly.
“You must be tired of hospital food already,” she joked one afternoon as she handed me a tray. “I wouldn’t blame you if you refuse to eat this.”
I laughed. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but yeah… this is not exactly gourmet dining.”
She grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll sneak you something better if I can.”
Over time, we started talking more. One evening, as she fluffed my pillows, she asked, “Do you have kids?”
“Not yet,” I admitted. “My husband and I want to buy a house first, then start thinking about kids.”
She nodded. “That’s smart. Kids are expensive.”
I smiled. “What about you? Are you married?”
She shook her head. “No, but there’s someone in my life. We’re dating. Nothing serious yet.”
“Do you think he’s the one?” I teased.
“Maybe,” she shrugged. “He’s great. He’s been spoiling me lately.”
“That’s sweet,” I said. “It’s nice when someone makes you feel special.”
The next day, when Stacy walked into my room, something caught my eye.
A bracelet.
It was a delicate gold chain with a small heart charm, and it looked just like the one my grandmother had given me.
The same bracelet that I had lost a month ago.
At first, I thought it was a coincidence. But when Stacy rested her arm on the side table to adjust my IV, I saw it up close.
The tiny engraving on the back of the heart charm had a little smiley face.
My grandmother had specifically requested the jeweler to add that smiley, telling me it was meant just for me.
Suddenly, I felt lightheaded. How was this even possible? I had looked everywhere for the bracelet, convinced I had misplaced it. But now, it was on Stacy’s wrist.
“That’s a beautiful bracelet,” I said, forcing a smile. “Where did you get it?”
Stacy glanced down at it, then smiled. “My boyfriend gave it to me.”
A chill ran down my spine. “That’s sweet. When did he give it to you?”
“A month ago.”
My fingers tightened around the hospital blanket. The pieces started to fall into place.
I had been getting ready for a party. I was doing my makeup when I reached for my jewelry box and noticed my bracelet was missing.
“Thomas, have you seen my bracelet?” I asked, rummaging through the drawers.
“You probably left it somewhere,” he said.
“But it’s always in my jewelry box.”
He sighed. “Kate, we’re getting late. Just wear something else.”
His reaction had seemed off at the time, but I let it go, thinking I must’ve misplaced it.
Now, staring at the bracelet on Stacy’s wrist, I knew the truth.
Thomas had taken it. And he had given it to Stacy.
Before I could say anything else, I needed to be sure.
My heart raced as I reached for my phone. I quickly found a photo of Thomas and me from our anniversary dinner and turned the screen toward Stacy.
“Is this your boyfriend?” I asked.
Stacy glanced at the photo, her smile faltering for a second before it faded.
“How do you know him?” she asked, confused.
I swallowed hard. “Because that’s my husband.”
Silence.
Her eyes darted back to the bracelet, then to me.
“Wh-what do you mean? Your husband?” she stammered.
“I’m saying Thomas is not just your boyfriend,” I said, my voice steady. “He’s my husband. And that bracelet? It was mine before he st0le it and gave it to you.”
Stacy took a shaky step back. “That… that can’t be true. He wouldn’t do that to me.”
“He’s been doing it to me for months,” I said bitterly. “You just didn’t know.”
“No…” she said. “He told me he was single. He never mentioned a wife.”
I almost laughed. “Of course, he didn’t.”
Stacy’s breathing became uneven as she processed everything. Her expression hardened.
“I can’t believe this,” she whispered.
I looked at her, then a plan formed in my mind.
“If you’re willing to help me, we can make him confess when he comes here tonight,” I suggested. “He said he’d be back from his trip today.”
“What do you have in mind?” she asked.
“We call the cops,” I said. “And when he comes in, we make him admit what he did.”
“Alright,” she nodded. “I’ll do it.”
She took off the bracelet and handed it to me. “It’s yours,” she whispered. “Keep it.”
That evening, Thomas arrived at the hospital, frantic and exhau$ted. “Kate, baby, I got here as soon as I could,” he said, brushing my hand. “How are you feeling?”
I studied him carefully.
He was the same man I had married. The man I had trusted. The man who had st0len from me and lied straight to my face.
Before I could respond, the door opened.
Two police officers walked in, followed by Stacy.
“What’s going on?” Thomas asked, confused.
Stacy stepped forward and pointed at the bracelet on my wrist. “She says you st0le that from her and gave it to me.”
Thomas’s face contorted. “What?”
The officer looked at me. “Ma’am, is it true?”
Before I could respond, Stacy’s voice cut through. “No. It’s not true. I don’t have any bracelet. I don’t know why she thinks her husband is interested in me.”
I couldn’t believe it. Was this the same woman who had agreed to expose Thomas?
“See?” Thomas chuckled nervously. “This is ridiculous. I don’t even know what this is about.”
Then, I heard it.
A sigh.
Then, a quiet, shaky voice.
“Alright… I did it.”
I turned to Thomas, watching as he ran a hand down his face. “I st0le the bracelet,” he admitted.
Stacy gasped. “No!”
But he ignored her.
“I met her at a bar after an argument with Kate,” he confessed. “It wasn’t supposed to be serious, but things happened. I took the bracelet because I thought Kate wouldn’t notice. But she did.”
I exhaled a sigh of relief.
The officers exchanged glances before one of them spoke. “Ma’am, do you want to press charges?”
I looked at Thomas, who wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“No, officer,” I said. “I don’t want to press charges.”
Thomas looked surprised.
“I’m not going to ruin your life,” I said. “But I’m not going to stay in it either.”
The officers left, and I turned to Stacy.
“What the heck was that?” I shouted at her.
“I… I—”
“Get out!” I screamed. “Just get out of this room. Now!”
She hesitated, then nodded and left without a word.
Thomas stepped closer, trying to apologize. “Kate, I—”
“Don’t.” My voice was calm. “Just leave.”
His eyes filled with regret, but I didn’t care anymore.
He walked out, and that was the last time I saw him. Our divorce was finalized soon after.
Letting go wasn’t easy. But I had no choice. I couldn’t stay with someone who had betrayed me so deeply.