Last week, my husband left for a business conference in another city, and I decided to surprise him by showing up on the last night. I booked a hotel room at the same place where he was staying and planned to meet him in the hotel lobby bar. I dressed to impress—classic black dress, a touch of perfume, and my favorite red lipstick. When I finally walked into the bar, I saw him sitting there, chatting and laughing with a group of colleagues. His secretary, the young, beautiful woman I’d heard about so often, was sitting right next to him, looking effortlessly elegant.

He was delighted to see me, and his face lit up with genuine surprise. He introduced me to everyone, including her. She was polite and professional, but I could sense the familiarity between them—the easy way they talked, the inside jokes they shared. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of insecurity. I knew they’d spent the last few days together, attending meetings, sharing meals, and navigating the professional world as a team.

That night, as we lay in the hotel room, he told me stories about the conference, mentioning her several times. I tried to push away my worries, reminding myself that he was here with me, that I was the one he’d chosen to be with. But the seed of doubt had been planted. I couldn’t help but wonder what their conversations were like when I wasn’t around, and if those moments of shared laughter ever felt more than professional to either of them.