Their Pleas
Sarah ignored several warnings from her friends. She was determined now. She wanted to stay to prove them wrong despite their pleas for her to leave.
In the end, there was no evidence to support these claims. She was happy and she wanted to stay by her husband’s side for as long as she could.
But eventually, Sarah decided to investigate once and for all to put an end to her nagging worries.
The Life They Wanted
Having a big family had always been a dream of Sarah and Derek Thompson. They were both thrilled when Sarah learned she was pregnant and could not wait to welcome their daughter into the world.
Sarah stared out over their beautiful garden as they moved into their dream house in Sacramento. For the first time in her life, everything seemed perfect. This was just what she wanted.
But everything around them changed when Maddie was born.
Getting Help
As Sarah began a new job while looking after their four-year-old daughter, Maddie, she was having trouble coping. The couple decided to get some help since both of them were working full-time.
Their new nanny, Melissa, would provide the help they needed. Every morning, she would come to work and leave at 5 p.m. when Sarah and Derek got home from work.
Melissa quickly became a source of problems for them.
The Perfect Candidate
When Melissa was interviewed for the job, she appeared to be the perfect candidate. All of her questions were answered with a smile, and she had a long list of glowing references to back her up.
The best part of all was that Maddie loved her and they got along perfectly from the very start. They could not be separated. Derek assured Sarah that she was a great candidate, despite her doubts.
In time, however, some problems would begin to appear in the happy household.
Gorgeous Girl
As a young woman in her 20s, Melissa was gorgeous. It appeared that many men drooled over her because she was tall, blonde, and had an athletic figure. In spite of the fact that she was pregnant, she assured them that it wouldn't affect her work.
As a result of her pregnancy, Sarah was still carrying a bit of extra weight. Seeing Melissa in shorts and crop tops made her feel insecure because her figure was no longer what it used to be.
Sarah didn't mind until she saw something she shouldn't have seen.
Getting To Work
Melissa would step in and take over every morning when Sarah left at 9 a.m. After making breakfast for Maddie and getting her ready for the day, she would immediately start working on activities.
Melissa had the convenience of knocking on Derek's office door when she needed anything because he worked from home.
At that point, things at the Thompson residence became complicated.
Checking In
Every day, Sarah would check in with Derek and see how things were going at home. She wasn't used to not being around her husband and daughter, and she always felt better after a phone call.
During their daily call, there was always background noise. Sarah always assumed that the noises were coming from Maddie playing around.
But one day, Sarah distinctly heard a giggle and she knew it wasn’t her daughter.
Giggling
When she heard it, she thought it sounded like a woman giggling, and Derek quickly excused himself by saying he had to leave. Sarah found it quite strange.
Her husband and the new nanny seemed too friendly to her, or was she reading into it too much? She didn't want to make any assumptions, but she felt uneasy.
Sarah knew that there was only one way to find out what was going on.
Going Home For Lunch
Sarah decided to have lunch at home. She made sure not to tell Derek about her plans because she wanted it to be a surprise. She also wanted to see for herself if anything was going on.
Upon entering the house, she saw Maddie playing with her dolls on the living room floor all by herself. She wasn't being watched by Melissa. Sarah frowned.
When she called out to her, she heard a door slam and someone running away.
Where Was Melissa?
Melissa looked disheveled and flustered as she hurried in. As soon as she saw Sarah home, her face turned red. Melissa wasn't expecting her home.
Her voice became higher-pitched and chirpy as she spoke to Sarah. “Sorry, I just had to quickly bundle Maddie’s laundry into the washing machine, she was alone for just a second, I promise.”
Despite this, Sarah remained unconvinced.
I'm Home
Sarah watched Melissa suspiciously before she rushed to get to her daughter. Derek's office was next on her list of destinations.
Sarah went up to the door and was surprised to hear Derek say, "Come in, naughty girl." The look on his face was telling as soon as she stepped in.
The sight of his wife's face caught him off.
Explanation
“I hope you’re referring to me?” was all Sarah could think to say. Having never heard Derek talk like that before, she felt extremely embarrassed.
After getting up, he sheepishly explained, clearly embarrassed. “I was actually referring to Maddie, she’s been coming over to my office and knocking on the door all the time. It’s a little game we play.”
It was hard for Sarah to decide whether she was relieved or even more suspicious.
Stay For Dinner
Throughout the day, Sarah overanalyzed the whole situation. What was happening? It was impossible for her to make assumptions about Melissa and her husband since she hadn't seen them interact before.
After that, she decided to approach Melissa and ask her to stay for dinner. She had a knot in her stomach as she spoke to the beautiful young girl.
This was the only way to see how they interacted with one another.
A Whole Meal
When Sarah got home, she was so exhausted that she regretted inviting Melissa for dinner. Her only want was to relax on the couch and eat a sandwich.
However, she would encounter an unusual sight. There was a lot of activity in the kitchen. A full meal, including dessert, had been prepared by Melissa for all of them.
Sarah may have misjudged the whole situation.
A Special Treat
Several candles were lit around the house, including at the table she had set. Her house looked amazing, and she was happy to come home to such a relaxing environment.
She couldn't contain her excitement when she got her own special meal made just for her. An ear-to-ear smile spread across Derek's face as he sat at the head of the table.
Melissa seemed to be trying to impress her family.
Watching Them
Sarah watched Melissa and Derek closely as they ate. Her attention was not drawn to anything between them. It seemed like everything was fine.
They never exchange awkward looks or accidentally touch one another. It was a relief for Sarah. Her trust in Melissa had been misplaced, and she knew that now.
At least, that's what Sarah thought.
The Call
Sarah became more and more content with Melissa over the weeks. Her only concern was Maddie, but she got on with Melissa so well and that was all she cared about.
As far as she could tell, Derek was acting normal and there had been no signs to worry her. She could finally sleep peacefully at night, knowing that her family was okay.
But it all changed one morning when Melissa called her, crying in panic.
An Emergency
Due to her pregnancy, Melissa had a bad stomach ache and needed to see a doctor because she didn't want to take a chance.
In order to help Melissa, Sarah arranged for Derek to watch Maddie for one hour so that Melissa could go to a doctor. He wasn't too pleased since he was busy, but he agreed.
Sarah had no idea how much more she was going to find out from this story.
Maddie Time
She was so tired when she got home that she just wanted to collapse on her bed. In spite of this, she still had to prepare dinner for Maddie and spend some time with her.
The hour he lost looking after Maddie forced Derek to work a little later than usual. Sarah took it upon herself to spend time with her daughter and have dinner with her.
But when she took Maddie to bed, the little girl said something very confusing.
They Went Together
“Mommy, I had a good day with Daddy and Lissa today. We went to the doctor because Lissa was sick and I got a red lollipop because I was so good.”
Sarah's eyes widened as she watched her young daughter. Her blood was starting to boil and she was sweating. She couldn't help the anger that surged within her.
Their nanny went to the doctor with her husband, why?
Burst To The Surface
Was there anything going on at her house? After putting her thoughts to rest, all those thoughts burst to the surface once again.
After kissing Maddie goodnight, she headed to the door of her bedroom. Is it appropriate for her to confront Derek? The lack of solid evidence prevented her from doing so.
In order to find out what was going on, she needed to investigate first.
Strategic Locations
In order to monitor the house more closely, Sarah purchased a few nanny cams to install in strategic locations. Every time there was a movement, she would receive an alert.
The time had come to find out what really happened when she wasn't home. She braced herself for what she might see when she received an alert on her phone.
It didn't let her down.
Difficult Child
Maddie was resisting Melissa's attempts to walk her out of her room. Despite her best efforts, she kept pulling away from her hand. After that, she threw a massive tantrum on the floor.
Sarah became sad and wondered what was going on with her daughter. By calling, she would ruin her plan and they would know that she was watching.
Suddenly, Derek entered the picture, and things began to change.
She Was Alerted
Melissa stood to the side, looking upset, while Derek comforted Maddie. As far as Maddie was concerned, Melissa wasn't welcome around her.
Sarah was now in a state of panic. Did Melissa do something to Maddie? Did she break her trust? After watching for a while, she saw Derek put his arms around Melissa and hug both of them.
Sarah’s stomach twisted into a tight knot. She couldn't believe it.
Dinner With Friends
She thought he was just comforting them both because they were upset. It couldn't hurt anyone if he did that, right? As a gentleman, he was just doing his duty
After watching what she just saw, Sarah decided that she would not watch any further. She didn't want to upset herself anymore.
That night, she arranged to have dinner with her friends. Advice was needed.
Telling Them Everything
She knew that she needed some time out of the house. When she met with her friends, they had a much-needed conversation with them.
She informed them of everything that had been going on, including her thoughts and suspicions. At the end of the night, she was wiping tears from her cheeks.
Her friends convinced her that Derek wasn't being truthful and that she had to investigate further.
What Had She Done?
It was hard for Sarah to comprehend what had happened to her life. Their lives were normal until Melissa showed up, and now even their daughter disliked her.
Sarah couldn't believe that she let this woman into her home. Why did she let this woman into her home? It all came with so many problems.
Sarah wanted to try one more time to catch them in the act.
Holding Hands
Melissa informed Sarah the next day that she had to visit the doctor once again. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity to spy on them, Sarah agreed.
In order to follow them to the doctor's office, she took an hour off from work. She was nervous because she wasn't sure what to expect. Then, as she sat in her car, she saw Derek and Melissa holding hands and smiling as they came out.
While she was devastated, she was also angry.
Confronting Him
As she jumped out of the car, she confronted both of them but didn't make a scene because Maddie was nearby. Taking Derek aside, she spoke privately with him.
“That’s why you wanted her to watch Maddie, so that you could be close to your mistress?” Derek's face fell in shame. He knew he had made a mistake. She asked him how long the affair had been going on and when he was planning on telling her.
But just then, Maddie shouted loudly, “Mommy, mommy, I’m going to be a big sister!”
A Long Time
It appears that the affair has been going on for a very long time. Melissa was three months pregnant with Derek's child. In a fit of emotion, Sarah took Maddie and left. Her mind went back to the last time Derek went to the doctor with her. He did it because he knew she was pregnant. What made her so blind?
As soon as Sarah filed for divorce, Derek left the house and a car with her. They have joint custody of Maddie and Sarah's heart drops every time she spots the new happy family.
Disclaimer: In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.