She’s the kind of woman who doesn’t need to put on airs; she’s confident, natural, and comfortable in her own skin. That’s one of the things that drew me to her in the first place. You see, Mary’s never been one for makeup or flashy clothes. She’s got one pair of high heels, and I think I’ve seen her wear them maybe twice in all the years we’ve been together.Mary’s always said that heels are too uncomfortable, and makeup just isn’t her thing. I’ve always loved that about her: the way she’s just… real. But lately, something’s been off, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.It all started about a month ago. I’d come home from work, exhausted but eager to see my girls. And there Jazmin would be, tottering around in those very same high heels, wobbling but proud as a peacock, grinning from ear to ear. “I’m a princess like Mom!” she’d chirp, her tiny voice filled with delight. Every time, I’d scoop her up, kiss her cheek, and say, “You’re the most beautiful princess in the world, Jazzy.” And she’d giggle, wrapping her little arms around my neck. But as the days passed, that nagging feeling started creeping in. Why is this happening? The heels, the lipstick… where was she getting these ideas from? It didn’t make sense. Mary never wore heels and never put on lipstick. I couldn’t recall the last time I saw her in anything other than her usual flats and maybe some lipbalm. The more I thought about it, the more it gnawed at me. One evening, after another long day, I sat at the dinner table, pushing my food around my plate, trying to make sense of it all. Mary was in the kitchen, humming as she washed the dishes, and Jazmin was in her usual spot on the floor. She was playing with her dolls that were also suddenly wearing little red streaks on their faces, mimicking lipstick. That’s when I decided I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I called Jazmin over to me, pulling her up onto my lap. “Hey, Jazzy,” I started, keeping my tone light, “you always say you look like Mom, but Mom never wears heels.”She blinked up at me, wide-eyed, as if I’d just said the most confusing thing in the world. “She does!” Jazmin insisted, nodding fervently. “Every day when you go to work.” I felt my heart skip a beat. “What do you mean, every day?” “Mommy has so many heels,” she explained, her voice full of that childlike certainty. “She takes them and drops me at Aunt Lily’s house. I see her using red lipstick in the car, and then she leaves.” I swear, at that moment, time just froze. I stared at my daughter, my mind racing, trying to process what she was saying. Heels? Lipstick? Dropping her off at Lily’s? “Are you sure, Jazzy?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper. “You see Mom wearing heels and lipstick?” She nodded again, completely oblivious to the panic that was starting to swell in my chest. “Uh-huh! She looks really pretty, Daddy. But she only wears them when you’re not home.” I tried to keep my expression neutral, but inside, I was reeling. What was happening? Was Mary… was she hiding something from me? Cheating on me? Mary chose that moment to walk into the dining room, drying her hands on a dish towel. She looked at the two of us, her smile soft and genuine, the way it always was. But now, that smile made my stomach churn.“What are you two whispering about?” she asked playfully, coming over to ruffle Jazmin’s hair. “Nothing, just talking about princesses,” I managed to say, my voice sounding foreign to my ears. But inside, I was screaming. What was going on with my wife? And why did our daughter seem to know more about it than I did? The next morning, I found myself sitting in the car, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles were white. I’d told Mary I had an early meeting and left the house at dawn, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. She’d smiled up at me, half-asleep, with no idea what I was really up to. I drove around the block a few times before parking a little way down the street, where I could still see our front door. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could barely think straight. At exactly 8:30 a.m., Mary stepped out of the house, looking just like she always did: hair pulled back, no makeup, dressed in her usual jeans and a simple blouse. She was carrying a tote bag slung over her shoulder, which wasn’t unusual either. She gave a quick wave to Jazmin, who was in the window with her dolls, and then she walked down the driveway to her car. I waited until she’d driven off before following her, staying a few cars behind, just like I’d seen in those detective shows. I felt like some sort of amateur sleuth, but the stakes were so much higher because this was my life, my wife.We drove for about twenty minutes before she finally turned into a parking lot. I slowed down as I passed the entrance and saw the sign, “Radiance Modeling Agency.” My heart nearly stopped. What is she doing here? This was definitely not the IT company she’d told me about. I pulled into a spot on the other side of the lot, where I could see the building’s entrance. I watched as she got out of the car and walked inside. My mind was spinning with a thousand different thoughts, each one more confusing than the last. I had to know what was going on. After a few minutes, I made my way to the building, trying to keep my nerves in check. The glass doors slid open, and I stepped into a lobby that was buzzing with activity. Young women were bustling about, holding portfolios, and chatting with what looked like photographers and stylists. I felt like I’d walked into a completely different world. I spotted Mary near the reception desk, talking to a tall woman in a sleek black dress. They exchanged a few words, and then the woman handed Mary a garment bag. I watched, dumbfounded, as Mary smiled, took the bag, and headed toward a set of double doors at the back. Without really thinking, I followed her at a distance, slipping into the room just as the doors were closing. Inside, it was like a different universe. There were bright lights, mirrors everywhere, and racks upon racks of glamorous outfits. A large platform at the center of the room was a runway, with a photographer setting up his equipment on the far side.Mary disappeared behind a curtain, and for a moment, I just stood there, frozen. I didn’t know what to do. Should I confront her right now? Should I wait and see what she was really up to? Before I could decide, she stepped out from behind the curtain, and I swear, my jaw almost hit the floor. She was transformed. Gone were the simple clothes, the bare face. She was wearing a stunning red dress that hugged her in all the right places, her hair cascading in loose waves around her shoulders. She’d put on makeup: bright red lipstick, smoky eyes, the whole works. She looked… beautiful. Like a completely different person. My heart was racing as I watched her walk to the runway, confidence radiating from her. She took a deep breath and then, as if a switch had been flipped, she began to strut down the runway, every step deliberate, every move graceful. The photographer’s camera clicked rapidly, capturing every moment. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My wife, the woman who always insisted on being natural and comfortable, was out here living a double life as a model. Why hadn’t she told me? The thought of her keeping this secret made my chest tighten with anger, confusion and hurt. I waited until the photoshoot was over and she was back in her regular clothes before making my move. She was heading to her car when I stepped out from behind a nearby column.“Mary,” I called out, trying to keep my voice steady. She spun around, her eyes wide with shock. “Jonathan? What are you doing here?” I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. “I could ask you the same thing. You told me you got a job at an IT company, but I just saw you modeling.” She looked like she’d been caught red-handed, and for a moment, she didn’t say anything. Then she sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping as if the weight of the world had suddenly dropped onto them. “Jonathan… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she began. “I’ve always dreamed of being a model, but I was afraid you wouldn’t understand. When I got the opportunity, I couldn’t resist. I wasn’t doing it for the money, just for the thrill of it, for the pleasure. But I also felt like I was betraying my own values, the ones you love about me, by doing this. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me.” Her words hit me hard. I could see the vulnerability in her eyes, the fear that I might judge her or love her less because of this. And suddenly, everything clicked. This wasn’t about her hiding something from me out of malice or deceit; it was about her hiding from herself, from the fear that she wasn’t living up to the person she thought she needed to be. “Mary,” I said softly, stepping closer. “You don’t need to be ashamed of pursuing your dream. I love you for who you are, natural or not. If this makes you happy, then I support you. Just promise me one thing, no more secrets.”She looked up at me, tears welling in her eyes, and for a moment, I thought she might break down. But instead, she nodded, a small, appreciative smile breaking through. “I promise,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Thank you, Jonathan.”I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight as if I could somehow make all the confusion and hurt disappear with that single embrace. And in that moment, I knew that our love was strong enough to embrace even the dreams we kept hidden, the parts of ourselves we were too afraid to share. I pulled back slightly, wiping a tear from her cheek with my thumb. “By the way,” I said, trying to lighten the mood, “I think Jazmin makes a pretty good princess too.” That made her laugh, a real, genuine laugh that caused the tension between us to dissolve. “She does, doesn’t she?” said Mary, her eyes shining. We both laughed then, and just like that, a secret that could have driven us apart became a bond that brought us even closer together.
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