I Wished My DIL Was Cheating, Until I Found Out the Real Reason Behind Her Behavior — Story of the Day

When I arrived at Leon’s home to help with little Josie, I immediately felt something was off.

Molly, my daughter-in-law, usually greeted me with a warm smile and a hug, but this time, she barely looked up from her phone. Her once-vibrant energy was nowhere to be seen. She seemed distracted like her mind was miles away.

“Hi, Molly,” I said, trying to catch her eye.

“Hi, Mom,” she replied, her voice flat, still focused on whatever was on her screen.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” she muttered, not even bothering to look up.

But everything wasn’t fine. Molly was spending less and less time with Josie. They used to be inseparable—reading books, playing games, going on little adventures to the park.

Now, it seemed like Molly was always glued to her phone, barely noticing the world around her.

Josie would tug at her sleeve, asking to play, but Molly would just smile absently.

“Maybe later, sweetie.”

I took Josie out to the park, helped with her homework, and read her bedtime stories. I didn’t mind spending more time with my granddaughter—she’s a joy.

But there were times Molly would suddenly leave the house.

“I’ve got some errands to run,” she’d say, grabbing her bag and heading out the door without much explanation.

She’d be gone for hours, leaving me to take care of Josie. When she returned, she never seemed in a hurry to get back to her responsibilities. She’d just walk in, a little too casually, and go straight back to her phone.

***

One evening, I decided to confront her about it, gently. I was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner, when she walked in and sat down at the table, phone in hand as usual.

“Molly,” I began, “you’ve been out a lot lately. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just taking care of some things,” she replied vaguely.

I stopped chopping.

“You know, if something’s bothering you, you can talk to me, right? I’m here for you.”

For a moment, she hesitated, as if she was about to say something, but then she shook her head.

“No, it’s nothing. Just… things I need to handle on my own.”

Why was she being so secretive? Why was she pulling away from her family?

That was the moment when suspicion started to creep in. She was hiding something. I knew one thing for sure: I had to keep an eye on Molly. For her sake, and the sake of our family.

***

A few days later, the much-anticipated day arrived when Molly was supposed to take Josie to the amusement park.

Josie had been buzzing with excitement all morning, her little feet practically dancing around the kitchen.

“Mommy, are we going to the park now?”

“Not today, sweetie,” she said, her tone flat and distracted.

“But you promised…”

Before Molly could answer, the doorbell rang. I went to open it, and there stood a cheerful woman with a big smile.

“Hi! I’m Emily, Molly’s friend,” she said brightly. “I’m here to take Josie to the amusement park. Molly and I arranged it.”

Molly finally put her phone down and stood up.

“Yes, Emily’s going to take you today, Josie. You’ll have so much fun with her.”

Josie looked confused, her eyes darting between Molly and me.

“But I wanted to go with you, Mommy.”

Molly sighed, crouching down to Josie’s level.

“I know, sweetheart, but I have something important to do. But you’ll have a great time with Emily, I promise.”

Emily crouched beside her and showed her a picture of a ride on her phone.

“Look, Josie, we’re going to have a blast! And guess what? We’ll even get cotton candy.”

I couldn’t keep quiet any longer.

“Molly, what could be more important than spending time with your daughter? This was supposed to be your day together.”

Molly’s expression shifted, her face hardening as she straightened up.

“Mom, I appreciate everything you do, but I don’t need you questioning my decisions. I have things I need to handle, and I need you to respect that.”

“But…” I began, but she cut me off, her voice firm and sharp.

“No, Mom. Just… stay out of it.”

She grabbed her coat and headed for the door without another glance.

I stood there, stunned, as Emily took Josie’s hand and led her outside. “Come on, Josie, we’re going to have so much fun!”

Josie looked back at me with wide, confused eyes before following Emily out the door.

As soon as they were gone, a wave of anxiety washed over me. I couldn’t just let this go. Something was very wrong.

Why had she become so secretive and cold?

I grabbed my coat and quietly slipped out the door. I followed Molly at a safe distance, careful to keep out of sight. She walked quickly, not looking back even once, as if she were in a hurry to get somewhere.

She made her way into the center of town, weaving through the streets until she arrived at a small café tucked away on a quiet corner. I watched from across the street as she entered.

After a few minutes, I saw her sit down at a table with an unfamiliar man. They leaned in close, speaking quietly, their faces tense and serious.

Was Molly hiding something that could shatter our family?

I couldn’t bear to watch it any longer. Turning away, I hurried back home. Molly’s behavior had gone beyond strange and I needed to get to the bottom of it, no matter what.

But what was I supposed to do now?

***

That evening, when Molly finally returned home, I was waiting for her. I couldn’t hold it in any longer—the questions, the doubts, the fears that had been eating away at me all day.

“Molly,” I began. “Where have you been? And don’t tell me it was just errands.”

She looked startled, not expecting this.

“Mom, what’s this about?” she asked slipping off her coat.

“This is about you,” I shot back.

“About how distant you’ve become. I have to ask… are you having an affair?”

Molly’s eyes widened in shock.

“What? How could you even think that?” she stammered, her voice rising. “Mom, you’re jumping to conclusions!”

Leon, who had been in the next room, heard the commotion and hurried in.

“What’s going on here?”

“I’m trying to understand what’s happening with Molly,” I said, my voice shaking.

“She’s been acting so strangely, and now I find out she’s been sneaking around meeting some man in secret. What am I supposed to think?”

Leon turned to Molly. “Molly, is this true?”

Suddenly, Molly’s face went pale, and she clutched her stomach, gasping for breath.

“It hurts… I can’t…,” she whispered, before collapsing to the floor.

Panic hit us like a tidal wave.

“Molly!” Leon shouted, rushing to her side as she lay motionless on the floor.

I stood frozen for a moment, my heart pounding in my ears, before grabbing the phone and dialing 911.

“Please, hurry!” I begged the operator, giving them our address.

Leon cradled Molly’s head, his face pale with fear, as we waited for the ambulance.

At that moment, all my anger and suspicion were replaced by a crushing wave of guilt.

Had I pushed her too far?

***

At the hospital, the minutes felt like hours as we waited for news. Leon paced the floor, I sat quietly in the corner.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a nurse came to tell us that Molly had regained consciousness.

Molly was lying in the bed, pale and weak, but awake. Her eyes fluttered open as we entered, and when she saw us, tears welled up in her eyes.

“Molly,” Leon whispered, rushing to her side. “Thank God you’re okay.”

I stood at the foot of the bed, too overwhelmed to speak. Molly took a deep breath, gathering all her strength.

“I need to tell you both something,” she began. “I’ve been keeping something from you, and it’s time you knew the truth.”

Leon’s brow furrowed. “What is it, Molly? Please, just tell us.”

Molly swallowed hard, her eyes filling with tears.

“A few months ago, I received a devastating diagnosis. The doctors told me I had a serious illness… something that couldn’t be treated easily. From that moment, everything changed. I was terrified. I couldn’t bear the thought of you and Josie watching me waste away. So I decided… I decided not to go through with any more tests or treatments. I wanted to prepare you for life without me.”

Leon’s face drained of color as her words sank in. “Molly… why didn’t you tell me? Why did you go through this alone?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued.

“I didn’t want to burden you, Leon. I thought it would be easier if I just… faded away. That’s why I’ve been distant, why I’ve been meeting with a lawyer. I was drafting my will, trying to make sure everything would be taken care of.”

A heavy silence filled the room. My heart ached with guilt, knowing I had misjudged her so badly. Leon reached out and took her hand.

“I wished my DIL was cheating, but not this!” I thought as the truth hit me.

Just then, the door opened, and the doctor walked in. His expression was surprisingly calm.

“I have some news,” he said, looking between us. “Molly, you’re pregnant, and everything is fine. Your previous diagnosis was a mistake. You’ve been under so much stress that your body reacted in ways that made it seem like something was seriously wrong. But it’s not. It was a medical error, one that could have been corrected if we had done further tests.”

Molly stared at the doctor, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.

“Pregnant?”

The doctor nodded, smiling gently. “Yes, pregnant. And healthy. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Leon immediately pulled Molly into a tight embrace. “We’re going to be okay, Molly. We’ll get through this together, I promise.”

I watched them, tears streaming down my face, but this time, they were tears of relief. All the fear and anxiety that had gripped our family for months suddenly lifted, replaced with a renewed sense of hope.

For the first time in a long while, I believed that everything would be alright. Our future, once again, felt bright.