In a marriage that’s lasted 17 years, spouses often feel they know each other inside out. Today’s story is about Abby, who believed her marriage was open and honest until she stumbled upon something unexpected in her husband’s room. What she found shattered her trust in him.

Abby and Fred have enjoyed a happy marriage for over 17 years. Abby, 37, wrote to us seeking advice on a situation that could rival any dramatic movie plot. She’s torn between forgiving Fred, who betrayed her trust, and leaving him for good.

Abby begins her story by describing their life together. Fred, 47, is older and brought stability to their relationship. They have two children and have faced life’s challenges together.

Abby thought she knew everything about Fred, from his medical history to his past relationships. They never cheated on each other and maintained their spark over the years. However, everything changed recently.

Fred started acting anxious about six months ago for no apparent reason. Abby tried to talk to him about it, but he brushed off her concerns, saying she was overreacting.

During a routine cleaning for their wedding anniversary, Abby found a bag under Fred’s bed filled with expensive women’s lingerie—bras, panties, and stockings. These weren’t for Abby, as they were for a curvier woman. Abby was shocked and immediately suspected Fred of having an affair.

Abby continues her story, saying, “When Fred got home, I immediately showed him the bag of lingerie and asked him straightforwardly what was going on. He went pale and then got angry, accusing me of invading his privacy. He said I shouldn’t have touched his things and insisted there was nothing wrong with what I found.”

“He assured me it wasn’t an affair and that he only had feelings for me. But I didn’t believe him, and I don’t think anyone would. I kept pressing him for answers about the lingerie, but he was stubborn and avoided the topic.”

“I pretended to let it go and acted like I believed him, but I couldn’t shake my suspicions. I hired a private detective to follow Fred and find out the truth. It was humiliating to have to resort to this, but I felt I had no other choice.”

“A week later, the detective gave me his findings. He discovered that Fred had a previous wife whom I had never heard about. They were married for a year and divorced because she cheated on him. Since then, Fred had stayed in touch with her, but only as friends. However, what bothered me was that Fred never mentioned her to me.”

“I confronted Fred again, armed with this new information. Finally, he started talking. He explained that he and his ex had remained friends all these years. The lingerie was actually for her. He had bought it to help her feel confident about her body, as she was feeling insecure lately due to her curves. He planned to give it to her as a gift and arrange a photo shoot for her in the lingerie.”

“I was shocked to hear Fred calmly explain this to me, as if it were a casual gesture of friendship. I asked him to leave me alone for a while. Reluctantly, he moved out, and now I’m torn about what to do for my family.”

“Do I divorce him? Should we go to counseling? Or am I overreacting to what could just be a friendly gesture?”

This story is another example of a woman discovering something unexpected in her husband’s possession, much like another woman who found tampons in her husband’s car and suspected infidelity, only to uncover a different truth.