I Was Babysitting Her Kids While She Slept With My Husband â But Her Secret Became My Best Revenge
People always said I was âtoo nice.â That I gave too much. That I was the kind of woman who forgave even when she shouldnât.
They were right.
I used to believe that if you were good, good things would come back to you. That love, once given, would last forever.
But all that changed after the wedding. That warmth Jack used to show me? It disappeared like a dream you canât remember. These days, he barely looked at me. Always lying on the couch, glued to his phone like it was more interesting than the woman whoâd married him.
We used to go on evening walks. He used to hold my hand. He used to ask, âWanna grab dinner tonight, Marie?â
Now? Nothing.
That night, I stood by the door with my coat on. I stared at him. Waiting. Hoping.
He didnât even glance up.
I tried anyway. âJack, do you remember when we used to talk about taking a little weekend trip together?â
He sighed, eyes locked on his screen. âWhy are you bringing this up again, Marie? I have work tomorrow.â
My voice cracked. âWe donât even eat together anymore.â
Jack just shrugged. âWeâre in the same house. What more do you want?â
I turned away without another word. I didnât cry, though. Not yet.
Then my phone buzzed.
It was Linda â my sister.
âMarie!â she shouted into the phone like we were in a stadium. âHey, can you come babysit tonight? Please, please, please? Youâre my angel!â
I sighed. âLinda⊠I just watched the kids three nights ago. I stayed until midnight.â
âOh, donât be dramatic! You know I donât have a husband anymore. I need time to rebuild. Before I end up old and dry like a raisin!â
She laughed like it was funny. âCome on! Youâve got Jack. Iâve got nothing!â
I glanced at Jack â still on the couch, scrolling.
âFine. Thirty minutes.â
âKnew youâd say yes! Youâre the best!â She hung up before I could change my mind.
I grabbed my bag and said, âIâm heading to Lindaâs again. Her kids need someone.â
Jack yawned. âDo whatever you want. I donât care.â
At Lindaâs
The house was quiet when I arrived. The kids were already asleep. I sat on the couch with a cup of lukewarm tea, staring at the clock. Two in the morning. No text. No call.
Seven hours, Linda. What kind of âmeetingâ lasts that long?
I checked on the kids. Billy snored softly under his dinosaur blanket. Cindy had her thumb in her mouth, hugging her raggedy stuffed monkey.
I love those kids. Truly. But thatâs when my chest tightened.
My inhaler!
I grabbed my coat pocket. Empty. I tore through my purse. Found an old one â nearly dead.
No, not now. Please, not nowâŠ
I staggered outside, trying to breathe.
Thatâs when I saw Gloria, the sweet old neighbor, watering her plants in the dark.
âMarie?â she asked, lowering her watering can. âYou alright, dear?â
âGloria⊠asthma⊠meds at home⊠can you watch the kids?â
âOf course, sweetheart,â she said, already peeling off her gloves. âGo. Iâve got them.â
I nodded, heart racing, lungs screaming. My house was only twenty minutes away. I just had to get there.
When I arrived, I noticed something strange. The bedroom light was on.
And⊠Lindaâs car was in the driveway.
My heart dropped.
No. No. NoâŠ
Inside, the house was quiet â except for laughter. A manâs voice. A womanâs.
From my bathroom.
I walked up the stairs. Every step heavier than the last. My eyes caught somethingâJackâs shirt, Lindaâs braceletâtossed along the staircase like forgotten trash.
I burst through the bathroom door.
Jack was in the tub, bubbles up to his chest. Linda sat beside him, swirling a wine glass with a strawberry on the rim.
They stared at me like I was the intruder.
âMarie?â Lindaâs smile vanished. âWhat the hell are you doing here? Youâre supposed to be with the kids!â
âWith the kids?â My voice was shaking. âI trusted you. Youâre my sister. How could you?â
Jack raised his glass like it was a joke. âGuess I picked the wrong sister.â
I couldnât breathe. I stumbled into the bedroom, grabbed my inhaler, collapsed to the floor.
Red rose petals covered the bed.
They planned this.
And right then â in that moment â sweet, kind Marie⊠died.
Someone else was born in her place. A woman ready to make them both pay.
The Secret Iâd Been Holding
At sunrise, I returned to Lindaâs. Gloria was snoring softly in a chair, blanket around her legs. I slipped inside. Cindy and Billy were still dreaming.
And Tommy â Lindaâs youngest â lay fast asleep, hugging a dino pillow.
People always joked, âTommy doesnât look like Lindaâs ex. Doesnât really look like Linda either.â
But I knew the truth.
I sat beside Tommy and ran my fingers through his blond hair. Then, gently, I plucked one single strand and tucked it into a plastic bag.
âIâm sorry, sweet boy,â I whispered. âThis is bigger than you.â
I knelt by Gloria and shook her gently.
âMarie?â she murmured.
âMy husbandâŠâ I sobbed. âWith my sisterâŠâ
Her hands were so soft as she cupped my face.
âOh, honey. You donât deserve this. Never did.â
âI want revenge,â I whispered. âI want them to feel what I feel.â
Gloria nodded slowly. âThen donât forgive. Let it burn.â
Two Weeks Later
The DNA results came in a plain white envelope. I didnât open it right away. I sat with it beside a cold muffin until I finally tore it open.
Seventy percent match.
Not a full match. But close enough.
Close enough to crack their perfect little world in two.
A few nights earlier, Jack had stood at the door with his suitcase.
âIâm moving in with Linda.â
Iâd smiled. âGood luck, honey. This isnât over.â
Time for the Final Act
That evening, I pulled up to their new house. It looked like a magazine adâpretty porch lights, fresh flowers.
Fake. Just like them.
I knocked. Linda answered in a silk robe. Her lipstick was still wet.
âMarie?â she hissed. âWhat are you doing here?â
I smiled sweetly. âIs my husband home?â
Jack walked in, beer in hand. He looked nervous.
I sat on their white sofa like I owned it.
âWe need to talk,â I said.
Linda rolled her eyes. âIgnore her. Sheâs lost it.â
I held up the envelope.
âJack. Ever wonder who Tommyâs real father is?â
He froze. âDonât drag the kid into this.â
âRead it.â
Linda lunged. âDonât you dareâ!â
Jack opened it. His lips moved slowly.
âSeventy percent? What does that mean? Heâs mine?â
âIs he, Linda?â I asked.
Jackâs voice rose. âLinda! Is he my son?!â
Lindaâs face hardened. âNo. Heâs not yours.â
Jackâs jaw dropped.
âThen whose is he?!â
She laughed â but it was cold. âYour brotherâs. Rick. Mr. Perfect. He knocked me up, then paid me to keep it quiet.â
Jackâs face twisted. âYou used me. You used everyone.â
Linda smirked. âSo what? Rick gives me money, gifts, spa days. He doesnât want his wife to find out. So I keep quiet.â
âYou disgust me,â Jack whispered.
I stood up.
âLooks like you picked the wrong sister, Jack.â
Then I turned and called, âKids? Letâs go get some ice cream.â
Cindy and Tommy peeked around the corner. I knelt down.
âCome on, sweethearts. Grab your coats.â
Tommy tugged my sleeve. âBut⊠what about Mom?â
I smiled gently. âMom and Uncle Jack need to yell at each other. Letâs leave them to it.â
Lindaâs screeching followed us out the door. Jack shouted something back. The house mightâve looked perfect, but it was crumbling inside.
Outside, the sun was warm. The air smelled like freedom.
Two small hands grabbed mine.
âChocolate or strawberry?â I asked.
âBoth!â they shouted.
Perfect.
I wanted something sweet that day.
Because revenge had never tasted so good.