Wearing the Dress My Husband Gifted Me, I Discovered the Painful Secret He Was Hiding

Excited to surprise my husband, I dressed up in the beautiful outfit he recently gifted me. But when I arrived at his office, what I witnessed left me frozen in disbelief.

My husband is the director of a prominent import-export company, earning a high and steady salary. After we got married, he encouraged me to quit my job and focus on caring for our family. With our spacious four-story house and a one-year-old child, my days were consumed with endless chores and childcare responsibilities.

Though I used to be the campus beauty during my university days, two years of being a stay-at-home mom had taken a toll on me. My once-fit figure and radiant appearance now felt like a distant memory. Whenever I tried on my old dresses, they didn’t fit, and I couldn’t help but sigh. Thankfully, my husband never criticized me, which spared me from feeling even worse.

Last week, my husband unexpectedly gave me a gorgeous dress. It was elegant and perfectly matched the style I used to love. I hadn’t worn anything so nice in a long time, so I decided to surprise him by wearing it to pick him up at work.

This afternoon, I took our toddler shopping and then headed straight to his office. I imagined his face lighting up with pride when he saw me—a rare moment of effort to reclaim my old self. I thought he would be delighted to see me dressed up and radiant, even if just for a day.

As I stood outside his office building, I saw my husband driving out in his car. Before I could wave or call his name, he stopped the car, got out, and opened the passenger door for someone else—a young, beautiful woman. She stepped out of the building in a dress identical to mine, only in a smaller size.

She was slim and perfectly put together, the very image of elegance. My heart sank as I watched him assist her into the car with a level of care that spoke volumes. His actions made it clear: this wasn’t the first time they had been together.

To make matters worse, his colleagues passing by didn’t seem surprised. Their nonchalant attitudes suggested that this wasn’t a secret at all—at least not to them.

That evening, I waited for my husband to come home. Nine o’clock came and went, but he was still out. When I finally called him, he claimed to be meeting with a client. I bit my lip, holding back tears, but as soon as I hung up, they flowed freely.

The dress he had given me still hung in front of me—a cruel reminder of what I had seen earlier. I couldn’t help but question everything: Was the gift a way to distract me from his affair? How long had this been going on?

Writing this now, I feel utterly lost. I don’t know how to confront him when he finally gets home. Should I ask him outright or wait for him to confess?

And beyond that, I don’t know what my next step should be. Should I fight for our marriage for the sake of our child, or should I walk away and start anew?

The life I thought I had built with him feels like it’s crumbling before my eyes.