Amber and Mark were a happy young couple until the day Mark found strange receipts among his wife’s belongings. Purchases for a child they didn’t have. What is Amber hiding? Mark decides to uncover the truth that will change their lives forever.
Mark and Amber had just gotten married. It all happened so quickly; barely six months ago, they hadn’t even known each other. Today, Mark was coming home from work and bringing his wife flowers.
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Mark knew instantly that Amber was “the one,” and the more they talked, the more convinced he became. So he didn’t wait long and proposed to her four months after they met. Although they had known each other for such a short time, he felt like he had known Amber forever.
Mark pulled up in front of their house and parked. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the neighborhood. He got out of the car, not forgetting the flowers, and took a deep breath, feeling the cool early evening breeze.
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He walked up the driveway to their front door, his heart beating a little faster in anticipation. Amber, as always, greeted him at the door with a warm smile.
Her eyes lit up when she saw the flowers. She reached out and took them, her fingers brushing against his.
“They’re beautiful, Mark,” she said softly, her voice full of affection. She leaned towards him and kissed him gently. “How was your day at work?”
“The clients have been a nightmare,” Mark replied, rubbing his temples. “I’ve never seen so many revisions for such a small project. I’m exhausted.”
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“I’m sorry to hear that,” Amber said, concern in her eyes. “I’ve got dinner ready. We can open this bottle of wine to relax.”
“Sounds perfect to me,” Mark said, his shoulders relaxing a little. He followed Amber into the kitchen. She set the table while he sat down and opened the bottle of wine.
As he poured the wine, he noticed Amber’s phone on the table. A message notification had popped up. Usually, Mark respects Amber’s privacy and never checks her messages. But this time, something piqued his curiosity.
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He glanced at the screen and read, “Honey, will you be there tomorrow? Mila misses you,” from an unknown number. Mark’s heart began to race.
“Who is Mila?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
Amber looked up, confused. “What?”
“You got a message. Someone called you, honey, and said Mila missed you. Who is it?”
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Amber quickly walked over to the table and grabbed her phone. She read the message and frowned. “Must be a wrong number,” she said, looking up at Mark.
“Amber, you can tell me the truth,” Mark said, his voice strained.
“I’m telling the truth,” Amber insisted. She showed Mark the list of messages with the unknown number. There was only one.
“Okay,” Mark said, unconvinced.
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Amber sighed. “I don’t like that you don’t trust me.”
“I’m sorry,” Mark said, looking down. “But you understand what this looks like, don’t you?”
Amber nodded and placed the plates on the table. The aroma of the meal filled the room, but it did little to ease the tension. They ate almost in silence, only the clinking of plates breaking it, a stark contrast to their usual animated conversations.
Meanwhile, Marc couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
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After dinner, they cleared the table and resumed their evening routine, but everything seemed different. The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken thoughts and doubts.
That night, Mark lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind was racing, filled with questions and worries. Although tempted to check Amber’s phone, he decided against it. He didn’t want them to become “one of those couples” who spy on each other.
He tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. The growing anxiety within him made it difficult for him to relax. After what seemed like hours, he finally fell asleep, but restlessly.
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The next day, Amber left for her early morning yoga class, leaving the house before Mark even got out of bed.
Still dazed, Mark began getting ready for work. He decided to wear his favorite sneakers, but couldn’t find them in their usual place by the door. Frustrated, he began rummaging through the closet.
He pulled out box after box of shoes, each filled with everything except the sneakers he was looking for. Rummaging through the piles, he saw another box hidden in the far corner of the closet.
Curious and hopeful, Mark took it out and opened it. But instead of sneakers, he found a pile of receipts.
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Mark frowned and began sifting through them. Each receipt was more confusing than the last: children’s toys, children’s clothes, children’s entertainment events, and even a visit to the pediatrician. A chill ran down his spine.
They didn’t have any children, and as far as Mark knew, Amber didn’t either. Could Amber be keeping such an important secret from him?
The message on his phone yesterday, where someone had called him honey and mentioned Mila, flashed through his mind. He then began to suspect that Amber had another family.
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Heart pounding, he decided not to wait. He picked up his phone and called Amber immediately, but she didn’t answer. Anxiety gnawing at him, he decided to call the studio where she was going to practice yoga.
“Hello, can I speak to my wife, Amber? She’s supposed to be at your yoga class right now,” Mark said, trying to keep his voice steady.
“Amber?” the instructor replied, puzzled. “We don’t have anyone named Amber in our classes.”
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Mark’s stomach plummeted. He thanked the instructor and hung up, his mind swirling with thoughts. Now he was sure Amber was hiding something from him.
The evidence was piling up, and Mark could no longer ignore it. He felt betrayed, hurt, and more confused than ever. He knew he had to find out the truth, even if it would be painful.
When she got home, Amber was surprised to see Mark. “Hey, you’re still home,” she said, a hint of confusion in her voice.
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Mark forced a smile. “Yeah, I couldn’t find my sneakers, so I thought I’d wait to ask you. I looked everywhere.”
“Oh, I put them in the wash,” Amber replied casually. “Sorry, I should have told you.”
Mark nodded, his mind racing. He decided to ask her about the yoga class to see what she would say. “How did your yoga class go?”
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Amber’s face lit up. “That was great! We did some new stretches today, and I feel so relaxed. The instructor even complimented my form.”
Mark listened, feeling a mixture of sadness and anger. She spoke of the class as if she had actually attended it, describing the poses and breathing exercises in detail.
He realized that confronting her now would only lead to more lies. He was tired of the deception and decided he had to find out the whole truth.
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“That’s good to hear,” Mark said, trying to sound normal. He decided to follow her the next day when she went to “yoga.” He needed to see for himself where she was going and what she was really doing.
The next day, after Amber left for yoga, Mark discreetly followed her, making sure she didn’t see him. His heart pounded as he kept a safe distance. Amber walked to the bus stop, while Mark remained hidden behind a bench.
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When she boarded the bus, Mark quickly got on too, making sure to sit in the back where she wouldn’t notice him. The bus ride seemed to last forever. They finally got off at the other end of town, in a neighborhood Mark didn’t know.
Amber walked a few blocks and approached a small house. Mark hid behind a nearby tree, his breath short and his palms sweating.
The door opened and a man came out. He hugged Amber warmly, and then a little girl, no more than five years old, ran out and hugged her too.
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Amber leaned down and hugged the little girl, smiling big. They all went inside, and Mark felt his world crumble. Amber had another family!
Unable to contain his anger and confusion, Mark decided to confront her immediately. He approached the house and knocked on the door. The same man who had hugged Amber opened the door. Mark shoved him aside and burst in.
“So these are your yoga classes?!” Mark shouted. Amber, who was playing with the little girl on the living room floor, looked up in shock.
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“Mark, what are you doing here?” she asked.
“You better tell me what YOU are doing here,” Mark demanded, his eyes blazing with anger.
“I…” Amber stammered, glancing at the little girl, who was now staring at them with wide eyes. “Let’s go outside, and I’ll explain everything.” She headed for the door, motioning for Mark to follow her.
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Mark hesitated, then followed her outside, his mind flooded with questions. The cool breeze failed to calm the storm within him. Amber took a deep breath and began to explain.
“Mila is an orphan,” she said softly. “This man, John, is her guardian. He and his wife took Mila in as a foster family. It was John’s wife who wrote the message you saw.”
Mark frowned, still trying to piece it all together. “What does this have to do with you?” he asked, his voice strained.
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Amber looked down at her hands. “I wanted to adopt Mila before I met you,” she confessed. “I visited her often and got to know her. But when we got together, I was afraid to tell you. You said you didn’t want kids, and I didn’t want to lose you. I was scared, Mark. I love Mila, but I love you too.”
Mark sighed and looked away. “I lied too,” he confessed. “I said I didn’t want kids because I can’t have them. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
Amber’s eyes widened in surprise. “So, we both lied,” she said quietly. “We both hid something important.”
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Mark nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and sadness. “Yes, we did,” he said. “But I need time to think about this. It’s a lot to take in. I’m going to stay somewhere else tonight. I need to clear my head.”
Amber watched him walk away, tears streaming down her face. She hoped that, despite everything, they could find a way to move forward together.
That evening, Mark remained alone in a small hotel room. The dim light and the quiet surroundings made his thoughts even louder. He couldn’t stop thinking about everything that had happened.
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He felt like their entire marriage had been built on lies, and he wondered if they could ever have a happy life together again. But he loved Amber very much. She was his everything.
He also thought about Mila. The little girl seemed sweet and innocent, but he was afraid he wouldn’t be a good father. He’d never had a good role model growing up, and he worried he wouldn’t know what to do or how to be the father she would need.
As he sat there, his phone displayed a message. It was from Amber. He hesitated for a moment, then opened it.
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There were two pictures: one of him making a funny face with raspberries and one of Mila doing the same. Amber’s message read: “I think I know why I love you both. Because you look so much alike.”
A wave of emotion washed over Mark. He turned off his phone and knew what he had to do. He left the hotel and got in his car to drive home. The drive seemed to last forever, but everything was clear in his head now. He knew he had to talk to Amber.
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When he arrived home, Amber was waiting for him. Her eyes were red from crying, but she looked up hopefully when he entered. He approached her and took her hands in his.
“Amber,” he said softly, “I don’t know what the future holds for us. But I know there’s no one I want to build a family with more than you. Let’s work on adopting Mila. She deserves a family, and so do we.”
Amber’s eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of relief and happiness. “Are you sure?” she asked him, her voice trembling.
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Mark nodded. “No, I’m not sure of anything. But you’re the only thing I’m sure of right now.”
Amber smiled, and they embraced, holding each other tightly. They both knew it wouldn’t be easy, but they were ready to face the future together, as a family.
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If you liked this story, read this one: Mila and Andrew were fed up with the constant arguments with their elderly neighbor, Karen. Determined to find peace, they decided to repair their relationship. But when Andrew walked into Karen’s house, he discovered a disturbing secret that changed everything. Read the full story here .
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