My ex-husband was ready to start a new chapter, but there was something about his engagement that didn’t sit right with me. A casual conversation at work turned into a revelation I couldn’t ignore. He refused to believe me, so I had to show him the truth—no matter how much it hurt.
I was sitting at work, though working as a restaurant manager didn’t leave much time to sit.
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It was one of those rare moments when the dining room was quiet—no customers asking for special orders, no complaints from the kitchen, no waitstaff running in with last-minute issues.
I took a deep breath, savoring that fleeting peace, knowing it wouldn’t last.
My phone buzzed on the counter. I glanced at the screen: Aaron. My ex-husband. Curious, I picked it up and tapped the message.
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A photo loaded. It was David, our son, grinning from ear to ear, holding a giant stuffed animal. Behind him, the lights of an amusement park glowed.
A wave of warmth washed over me. I was glad Aaron and David were having fun.
Nearby, two waitresses were chatting, their voices light and excited. Lindsey held out her hand, fingers spread wide to show off a huge diamond ring.
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Claire grabbed Lindsey’s hand, eyes wide. “That rock is massive. Probably visible from space.”
Lindsey laughed, angling her hand to catch the light. “I know, right? I got so lucky.”
Claire raised an eyebrow. “Is he rich or something?”
Lindsey smiled smugly. “He’s not a millionaire, but he’s got money. Enough to buy this, at least.”
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I frowned. Lindsey had been dating Leo, one of our line cooks, for over a year. “Aren’t you with Leo?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Lindsey said, still admiring the ring.
I stared at her. “Since when is Leo rich?”
Lindsey finally looked at me. “Leo isn’t. But my fiancé is. Actually, it was Leo’s idea.”
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“The plan’s simple,” Lindsey said. “Find a rich guy, marry him, divorce him in a few months, and take the money. Then Leo and I can live the good life.” She twirled the ring on her finger. “We’re halfway there.”
My stomach twisted. “Don’t you think that’s… cruel?”
Lindsey shrugged. “I don’t love my fiancé, so no.”
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“But maybe he loves you,” I said. “He proposed, didn’t he?”
Lindsey waved it off. “That’s his problem. He fell for me because I’m young.”
I stared at her, unable to believe what I was hearing.
I had married young and for love. Back then, Aaron and I believed love was enough.
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But as the years went by, we realized we were too different. We wanted different things, handled problems in opposite ways, and saw the world through different lenses.
Parting had been painful, but we knew it was the right choice. Even now, I had no regrets.
Aaron was still a good friend—and more importantly, a wonderful father to David.
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That afternoon, when I got home, Aaron was already at the door with David. My son bounced in, his face beaming with excitement.
“Mom! We went on the biggest roller coaster! I wasn’t even scared,” he said, barely pausing to breathe.
I smiled and ruffled his hair. “Sounds amazing.”
Aaron, however, stood stiffly behind him, his expression tense.
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“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“We need to talk,” he said. “In private.”
I nodded and led him to the kitchen.
We sat at the table. Aaron ran a hand through his hair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.
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Something was off. His shoulders were tight, his gaze restless, like he didn’t know where to begin.
I leaned forward. “Aaron, you’re scaring me. Did something happen?”
He exhaled sharply. “No, nothing bad. Actually… it’s serious. But in a good way.”
I frowned. “Serious in a good way? What do you mean?”
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Aaron hesitated. Then, all at once, he said, “I’m getting married again.”
I blinked. “What? That’s great!” I smiled, trying to reassure him. “I don’t understand why you’re so worried.”
Aaron shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I thought you’d be upset.”
“Upset? Aaron, I’m really happy for you. You deserve to be happy.”
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Relief softened his face. He nodded. “Thanks. I’ll tell David later. I wanted you to know first.”
“Of course. I’m sure he’ll be happy for you too,” I said.
Aaron smiled, more relaxed now.
“So… who is she?” I asked. “Are you going to show me a photo? How did you meet?”
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Aaron chuckled. “I knew you’d ask.” He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “I came prepared.”
He turned the screen toward me. My stomach twisted. I couldn’t hide my shock.
“That’s Lindsey,” I said flatly. “One of my waitresses.”
Aaron shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah. That’s why I was worried about your reaction.”
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I looked at the photo again, my mind racing. “How did this happen?”
Aaron scratched the back of his neck. “I met her when I picked up David from the restaurant. Then I saw her on a dating app. We started talking… and here we are.”
I swallowed hard. My hands clenched under the table. I couldn’t keep this to myself.
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“Aaron, I have to tell you something,” I said carefully. “And it’s not good.”
Aaron’s face tightened. “If it’s about the age gap, I know. Eleven years. It doesn’t bother us.”
I shook my head. “It’s not that. Just today, Lindsey was talking about her fiancé. I didn’t realize she meant you.”
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Aaron frowned. “What are you saying?”
“She said she’s marrying you just to divorce you and take your money.”
Silence fell. Then suddenly, Aaron’s expression darkened. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you!” he shouted. “I can’t believe you’re making this up!”
“Aaron, it’s the truth!” I protested. “Why would I lie?”
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He clenched his jaw. “Because you’re jealous!”
“Jealous? I’m trying to protect you,” I exclaimed.
“Sure. You just can’t stand that I found someone younger who actually loves me,” Aaron snapped.
“She has a boyfriend! He works in our kitchen!” I shouted.
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“You’re lying!” His face was red with anger. “I can’t believe you’d stoop so low.”
“This conversation is over.” He 
stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
I couldn’t let it go. I wouldn’t let Lindsey scam Aaron. He didn’t deserve that. No matter how angry he was at me, I had to make him see the truth.
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I thought about it all night. Aaron wouldn’t believe just words—he needed proof. Clear, undeniable proof.
The next day, I sought out Leo. He was working in the kitchen, focused on chopping vegetables. I took a deep breath and walked over.
“Hey, Leo,” I said, approaching. “You and Lindsey make such a great couple. I was thinking—why not surprise her with a romantic dinner here after close? She’d love that.”
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Leo’s face lit up. “You really think so?”
“Of course,” I said. “She even mentioned recently that she wanted something special like that.”
He wiped his hands on his apron, clearly excited. “Wow, I had no idea. That sounds perfect.”
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I nodded. “You could set a nice table, maybe bring some flowers. She’d love the effort.”
Leo smiled. “That’s a great idea, Melanie. Thanks for suggesting it. Can I do it tonight?”
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Then I sent a message to Aaron. My fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before I typed.
I knew he wouldn’t reply. He was too angry. But he didn’t need to respond—he just needed to read it.
I know you think I’m lying, but if you want the truth, come to the restaurant after ten tonight.
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I hit send and exhaled. I felt a weight on my chest. Would he come? Would he ignore me? I had no way of knowing. All I could do was wait.
That night, after putting David to bed, I opened my laptop. My fingers trembled slightly as I logged into the restaurant’s security system.
The cameras flickered on. I found the right angle—one that showed the table Leo had set up.
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Candles flickered in the dim lighting. A small vase of flowers sat in the center. It looked romantic. Too romantic.
I watched as Leo and Lindsey sat down together. They ate, talked, and laughed. Leo’s eyes sparkled with love.
He was completely devoted to her. Lindsey smiled, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
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She leaned toward him, brushing his arm with her hand. Finally, she kissed him.
I winced and quickly switched to another camera. I couldn’t watch that. My stomach twisted.
On the exterior camera, something caught my eye. My breath caught. Aaron was there. He had come. He pushed the restaurant door open and went inside.
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Heart pounding, I switched back to Lindsey and Leo. Just in time.
Aaron appeared, his face contorted with rage. Lindsey and Leo pulled apart, their expressions shifting from surprise to panic.
Leo opened his mouth but said nothing. Lindsey looked around, searching for an exit.
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Aaron’s voice thundered. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but his anger was obvious. He pointed at Lindsey and then at Leo.
Lindsey crossed her arms, flipping her hair over her shoulder, but Leo looked terrified.
Then, suddenly, Lindsey took off her engagement ring and threw it at Aaron.
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It clattered onto the table. Aaron picked it up, his face pale. Without another word, he turned around and stormed out.
I switched cameras again. Outside, Aaron stood still, his shoulders trembling.
He buried his head in his hands. Even from behind the screen, I could tell he was crying.
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I swallowed hard. I had done the right thing. He needed to see the truth. But somehow, I still felt guilty.
After a while, the doorbell rang. I hesitated before opening it. Aaron was there, his face red from crying, eyes full of regret.
“You were right,” he said, his voice hoarse.
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“This doesn’t make me happy, just so you know,” I said. “I didn’t want to be right about this.”
Aaron nodded, shoulders heavy. “I’m sorry I doubted you.” He took a shaky breath. “I should’ve trusted you.”
He stepped forward and hugged me. “Thank you.”
I hugged him back, feeling his pain.
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