When Eileen senses that something is amiss with her husband, James, she decides to engage a private investigator. However, several weeks into the inquiry, the investigator expresses a desire to terminate the investigation.
What could be the reason behind this? What actions might James be involved in that would deter even a professional investigator from pursuing the matter further?
At 33, after being with James for years and married for four, I thought I knew everything about him. We had built a life together, agreeing to postpone having kids until we’d settled into our careers, bought a house, and achieved financial security. Now, with our two-story house, savings, and stable jobs—me as an editor at a prestigious magazine and James leading a cybersecurity team—everything seemed perfect.
But it wasn’t.
James had been acting strangely.
He was glued to his phone, taking late-night calls that ended abruptly when I entered the room. There was a faint scent of unfamiliar perfume on him at times. And the lies—subtle, but there. His attention was elsewhere, as though he existed in a parallel world. I tried to brush it off, telling myself I was imagining things, but the doubt gnawed at me.
One day, during a work break, I confided in my colleague Rachel.
“I know something’s wrong, Rach,” I muttered over my salad. “He’s taking weird calls and smells like another woman.”
Rachel looked at me sympathetically. “Have you talked to him?”
“Of course,” I said, exasperated. “He just says it’s work. But I know he’s lying. What if he’s cheating? How can I start a family with him if I can’t trust him?”
Rachel leaned in, lowering her voice. “If you want real answers, there’s someone who can help—a private investigator.”
The suggestion felt heavy and intrusive, but also tempting. I needed clarity, even if it meant crossing a line. Rachel gave me the name and number of a PI named Benson, assuring me he was discreet.
The thought of James cheating on me was a gut punch, but I had to know the truth.
I met Benson in a dimly lit café and told him everything.
“Those calls can’t all be work-related,” I said, stirring my coffee. “Something’s going on. I feel it.”
Benson nodded. “Eileen, I’ve been doing this for a long time. Most of the time, when someone suspects infidelity, they’re right. Are you ready for whatever I uncover?”
I hesitated but nodded.
The days that followed were agonizing. Every glance James gave his phone sent my pulse racing. I threw myself into work, trying to distract myself. Then Benson called.
“Eileen, we need to stop,” he said, his voice tense.
“What? Why?”
“There’s more here than we realized. It’s safer if we drop this investigation.”
Panic surged through me. What could be so bad that even Benson wanted out? He refused to elaborate.
“Keep the money,” he said before hanging up. “I don’t want it.”
That night, unable to sleep, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
I bought hidden cameras and a voice recorder, planning to plant them in James’ car and home office. While setting up a camera in his study, I found something that chilled me.
There were already hidden cameras installed.
They were everywhere—our bedroom, the hallway, the living room, even the kitchen.
My chest tightened. Who was James? Why was our home wired like this? I called my best friend Annie in a panic.
“Annie, I found cameras in the house. I don’t know why they’re here. I’m not okay.”
“Breathe,” she said calmly. “What are you doing now?”
“Packing,” I replied. “I can’t stay here.”
As I zipped up my suitcase, James walked in. He stopped, taking in the scene.
“Darling, what’s going on?”
I pointed to the camera in our bedroom. “Why are there cameras in our house, James? What’s going on?”
To my surprise, he didn’t get angry. He smiled, almost amused.
“How did you find them? Were you installing a camera too?”
“Yes! I thought you were cheating! But this… this is worse! Why are there cameras everywhere? Who are you?”
James sighed and stepped closer.
“I’ll explain everything, Eileen. Just hear me out.”
“I told you I work in cybersecurity,” he began. “That’s not the whole truth. I’m an agent.”
My stomach dropped. “An agent?”
“Secret Service,” he said. “The cameras are for our safety. I couldn’t tell you—it was too dangerous. I needed to protect us.”
His words spun in my head. James wasn’t cheating. He was living a double life to keep us safe.
“I’ve been trying to transfer to desk duty,” he continued. “I want to be home more, to build our family.”
Relief and disbelief warred within me. “So, no affairs?”
James smiled. “No affairs. Just secrets I hated keeping from you.”
I exhaled, looking at my suitcase. I’d been ready to walk away, but now everything made sense.
“Is this a deal breaker?” James asked, his voice soft.
I thought for a moment before answering. “No,” I whispered.
James pulled me into his arms, and for the first time in weeks, I felt steady again.
Our life wouldn’t be easy, but at least now, I knew the truth.
What would you have done?
