As I pushed open the front door, my kids darted past me into the house, yelling "Surprise!" Their voices echoed in the house. But something felt off. There were shoes by the door that didn't belong to us. A couple of pairs were small, definitely children's shoes, but not my children's. I froze.

"Mom, why are there other people's shoes here?" Emma asked, her brow furrowed.

I forced a smile. "Probably some guests. Let's find Dad and see."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and moved toward the living room. My steps were slow, deliberate. I peeked around the corner and there he was: a young boy, maybe four years old, sitting in our living room, engrossed in cartoons on the TV.

The boy turned to look at me, unfazed. "Hi," he said with a toothy grin.

"Hi there," I replied, my voice shaky. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jason," he said. "I live here."

My heart skipped a beat. "You... live here?" I repeated, more to myself than to him. "Where are your parents, Jason?"

He pointed toward the hallway. "In the bedroom."

I stood there, rooted to the spot. How could this be? I had only been gone for three weeks. I needed answers. I needed to see Ian, my husband.

"Stay here, kids," I whispered to Emma and Max, who were now eyeing Jason curiously. "I'll be right back."

Each step toward the bedroom felt heavier than the last. My hands trembled as I reached for the doorknob. I paused, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

Inside, the sight that met my eyes made my stomach churn. Ian was in bed with another woman. They sprang apart, eyes wide with shock, as if they'd seen a ghost. The woman, a brunette with soft features, clutched the sheets to her chest.

"Julia!" Ian stammered, scrambling to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

I didn't answer. I couldn't. My eyes darted between them, then back to Ian. I wanted to scream, cry, or do anything but stand there in stunned silence.

"Who is she?" I finally managed to choke out.

"I'm Sophie," the woman said, her voice trembling. "I... I thought — "

I held up a hand to stop her. "Save it," I snapped. I turned to Ian, my voice rising. "Who is she, Ian? And who is that child?"

Ian looked like he might faint. "I can explain, Julia. Please, just — "

"Explain?!" I cut him off. "Explain what? That you've been lying to me? That there's another family in my house?"

Sophie looked horrified. "Ian told me you were separated! That you were out of the picture!"

I glared at Ian. "Out of the picture? That's rich. I've been at my parents' for three weeks, taking care of my sick mother, while you... you — "

"Julia, please," Ian begged. "Let me talk."

"No," I said, my voice hard. "No more lies."

I stormed out of the room, my mind in a whirlwind. Emma and Max were in the living room, still talking to Jason. I couldn't bear to look at them, not now. I needed air. I needed to think.

I stepped outside, the cool air hitting my face like a splash of cold water. My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts. There was no one I could think to call, no one who could help me make sense of this.

I had to gather myself and face this chaos head-on. The betrayal cut deep, like a knife. But beneath the pain, anger simmered, waiting to boil over.

Inside, I could hear Ian's muffled voice, trying to explain, to justify his behavior to the other woman. But there was no justification for this. For tearing our family apart, for lying to me, to our kids.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the storm inside me. I had to be strong, for Emma and Max. I couldn't let Ian's betrayal break me.

With renewed determination, I walked back into the house. Emma and Max looked up at me, their eyes wide with confusion. Little Jason still sat on the couch, oblivious to the turmoil he had unknowingly revealed.

"Mom?" Emma asked, her voice small. "What's going on?"

I knelt down beside them, forcing a smile. "We'll talk about it later, sweetie. Right now, let's get some dinner, okay?"

They nodded, sensing my need for a momentary distraction. I led them to the kitchen, my mind still reeling, but my resolve strengthened with every step.

This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.