For as long as I could remember, my parents seemed to have the perfect marriage. They were the model of stability and love. That is, until the day they told me they were getting a divorce. As if that wasn’t enough to shatter my world, I later discovered my father, a respected university professor, in an intimate moment with my best friend. I thought exposing the truth would set things right, but I had no idea how much it would cost me.
When my parents first told me about their separation, I felt like the ground had fallen out from under me. Their marriage had always seemed so solid. “This is just something that happens in life, Olive,” my mom had said, trying to explain.
Since my dad was a professor at the same university where I was studying, I decided to talk to him about it. But what I found when I reached his office completely shattered everything I thought I knew about my family. There, in his arms, was Ann—my best friend and next-door neighbor. But it wasn’t just a friendly hug; it was an intimate embrace that left me speechless.
Could Ann be the reason my parents were divorcing? Ann was legally an adult, but the idea of my father being with her felt like a betrayal. I didn’t want to cause a scene, so I left and returned to my dorm, feeling helpless but determined to confront Ann.
Back in our room, I couldn’t shake the image of what I had seen. I paced back and forth, my mind racing with questions. When Ann finally returned, her carefree attitude only made my frustration worse.
“You seem in a good mood,” I said sharply.
“Is that a problem?” she shot back, looking surprised.
“No, just curious. Where were you?” I pressed.
“Out for a walk,” she said, brushing it off.
“Just a walk?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Olive, what’s going on? You seem off,” Ann asked, her concern obvious.
“I want to know why my best friend was hugging my dad like that!” I blurted out.
Ann froze, looking nervous. “I… I don’t know how to explain this,” she stammered.
“Nothing to explain? I saw it with my own eyes!” I snapped.
She took a deep breath. “It’s not what you think. I needed help with a project, and your dad was kind enough to offer support.”
“Yeah, right,” I said, my voice laced with sarcasm. “We all get that close to our professors.”
“He saw I was really stressed, and he just comforted me,” Ann tried to explain.
“Ann, why can’t you just tell me the truth? What’s really going on here?” I demanded, my voice shaking with anger.
Finally, she lowered her head. “The truth is… I have feelings for your dad,” she confessed, barely above a whisper.
I could barely breathe. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whispered in disbelief.
“Olive, please. It’s nothing serious, and he’s married. I know it’s complicated,” she said quickly.
“Well, that’s kind of irrelevant now, because my parents are getting divorced,” I said, the words coming out like a punch.
Ann stepped toward me, looking regretful. “I’m so sorry. But I promise, it doesn’t change anything between us.”
“Swear it,” I said, needing that assurance.
“I swear,” Ann said, her voice sincere. “But why didn’t you tell me about your parents?”
“I haven’t processed it yet,” I admitted, a tear slipping down my cheek.
Ann hugged me. “I know a way to cheer you up,” she said, her voice light. “There’s a party at the other campus. It’ll help take your mind off things.”
I managed a weak smile. “Sure, why not?”
For a brief moment, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe everything would be okay. I decided to trust Ann again, but something still gnawed at me.
A few days later, while Ann was in the shower, I noticed her phone buzzing on my desk. I glanced at the screen—there was a message that simply read, “See you in my office.” The number wasn’t saved, and my heart sank.
I shouldn’t have done it, but my curiosity got the better of me. I opened the message and saw the conversation. It was clear now—Ann was meeting my father again. The betrayal stung deeper than before. When Ann returned, she grabbed her phone and left without another word.
I knew what I had to do. I followed her, silently trailing behind until I saw both Ann and my father exit his office. As they walked away together, I slipped into the office and began searching.
My heart pounded in my chest. I rifled through papers and checked drawers, but found nothing that would confirm what I suspected. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something that made my blood run cold—a woman’s bra, partially hidden in his jacket.
Before I could process what I was holding, I heard footsteps in the hallway. I dove under the desk, heart racing. The door opened, and my father and Ann walked in, talking casually. They didn’t notice me hiding. After a few moments, they left, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I grabbed the bra and left.
The next day, while preparing for my presentation, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that had happened. My father approached me nervously in the hallway. “Olive, Ann told me about our conversation, and I think you’ve misunderstood something,” he said.
“I haven’t misunderstood anything. I know what I saw,” I replied coldly.
“Please, Olive, let me explain,” he urged.
Before he could say more, I was called to present. I walked into the room, my mind in chaos. My presentation went well despite my emotional turmoil, and when I finished, the audience gave me a standing ovation. But I barely heard it. My father was watching from the back of the room, looking proud.
As I stood there, holding the microphone, I decided it was time for the truth to come out. “Thank you for your support today, but I have something else to share,” I said, my voice shaking. “There’s something going on that goes beyond academics here. Professor Miller is having an affair with his student, Ann!” I shouted, my words echoing through the room.
I held up the bra. “Here’s the proof I found in his office.”
The room fell silent, and I watched as Ann ran out in tears. For a moment, guilt washed over me, but I pushed it aside. I couldn’t back down now.
The dean came up to escort me off stage, but I refused. I wanted to leave on my own terms. As I stepped outside, my father was waiting for me, furious. “How could you do this to me? To Ann? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” he shouted.
“You were cheating on Mom with her—she’s nearly the same age as me!” I fired back.
My father’s face turned pale. “That’s not the whole story,” he said. “Before you were born, your mother and I took a break. I slept with Ann’s mother. And Ann… she’s my daughter.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What? This is why you’re divorcing Mom?”
“No, it’s not about Ann. Your mother and I grew apart over time, and we decided to divorce after you went to college. But I regret how things turned out,” he said, looking worn.
“And the bra?” I asked, still confused.
“It’s your mother’s,” he admitted, his face flushed. “After the divorce, we reconnected for a while, and things happened.”
I stood there, stunned. I had been carrying my mother’s bra as proof of something I misunderstood.
Soon after, I found out I had been disqualified from the grant competition due to my outburst. I had ruined my chance at studying abroad, and I realized the full extent of my mistakes.
I went to my father’s office to continue our conversation. The dean was leaving, his expression grim. “What now?” I asked softly.
“He advised me to step down. My reputation is in ruins,” my father replied, exhausted.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, guilt overwhelming me.
“You’ve got to apologize to Ann,” he said firmly.
“I will,” I promised, knowing the damage I had done.
As I walked through the halls, tears filled my eyes. My rash actions had torn apart everything I held dear. I had lost my best friend and ruined my future. All I could think about was how I could have handled everything so differently.
I couldn’t undo what had been done, but I vowed to learn from my mistakes.
