My husband’s mistress rang the doorbell, handed me her coat, and said: “Tell Stephen I’m here.” She thought I was the maid. In my own house. She didn’t know I had been his wife for 12 years, nor that I was the owner of the company where her father worked. Twenty minutes later, Richard walked in. By nightfall, he was packing his bags. And three weeks later, I made a call that would cost him everything…

Amber began crying loudly and demanded to know what else Stephen had lied about.

Then she mentioned something unexpected.

“Stephen promised he could help my father’s career,” she said.

“What is your father’s name?” I asked.

“Victor Lane,” she replied.

My stomach tightened because Victor Lane worked in the operations department of my company.

I looked at Stephen and asked calmly, “Did you promise promotions in my company to your girlfriend?”

Stephen looked down at the floor and said nothing.

Amber cried harder and called him pathetic.

Finally I told Amber she needed to leave my house immediately.

She picked up her handbag and coat and walked toward the door while I followed.

Before leaving she turned and said quietly, “I am sorry, I did not know you were real.”

After she left, Stephen tried to grab my arm but I stepped back.

He started apologizing rapidly and promised to break up with Amber and fix everything.

I asked him how long he had been lying to me.

He admitted his medical practice had actually been failing for five years.

He said he felt emasculated by my success.

I reminded him that I worked two jobs so he could attend medical school.