My name is Ariana, I’m 32, and just last week, the perfect life I believed I had came crashing down—all because of a forgotten laptop. My husband, Tom, had been preparing nonstop for a crucial presentation at the Grandview Hotel. He was stressed, working late, and I supported him by keeping everything ready—his meals, his suit, the house.
That morning I kissed him goodbye, telling him he’d be amazing. Then I saw his laptop, left on the coffee table with all his work still on it. Panicking, I rushed to the hotel with the laptop, only to learn from the receptionist that no such event existed. When I asked about his booking, I was told room 1408. My heart raced as I took the elevator.
There, just outside the room, were Tom and my best friend Lisa, arm in arm, laughing like nothing was wrong. Then he kissed her. I quietly took a photo to have proof—something undeniable. Without confronting them, I walked away, tears burning my eyes but a strange calm settling inside.
Back downstairs, the receptionist, Linda, saw my distress and listened. Together, we called Lisa’s husband, Mark, who rushed to the hotel. After seeing the photo, anger filled his face, and we quickly made a plan.
Linda arranged for the elevator to “break down” just as Tom and Lisa tried to use it. Mark, disguised as a maintenance worker, slipped in just before the doors shut. Trapped between floors, Mark’s sharp remarks about secret affairs filled the tiny space and changed everything—Tom and Lisa’s smiles disappeared, and panic set in.
@reddit.woman My best friend wanted me out of the picture so she and my husband could play happy family with my daughter. Now, she’s having the hardest time of her life. #redditstories #reddit #redditstorytimes #redditreadings #askreddit #usa The title of this story was changed
When the elevator finally opened, we were waiting. Tom’s jaw dropped; Lisa looked stunned. Mark revealed himself, declaring their time was up. Arguments and confessions followed, ending two marriages and a friendship.
That night, I returned to my empty apartment, feeling a mix of pain and freedom. Over weeks, I reconnected with old friends, rekindled hobbies, and even created a dating profile—not to rush into anything, but to move forward.
Though the memory still hits me, it no longer breaks me. Tom and Lisa’s happiness is no longer my concern. My focus is on building a new life, one I’m starting to believe will be better than what I once had.