I never wanted to be that person. The one who secretly goes through their partner's phone, searching for something—anything—that might prove their gut feeling right. But last night, after months of feeling like something was off, I did it. And now, I wish I hadn’t. My husband and I have been together for eight years. We have a good life. A comfortable home, shared dreams, and what I thought was a deep, unshakable bond. But for the past few months, he's been distant. Less affectionate. Distracted. Always on his phone. I convinced myself it was work stress or just a phase. But then, the late-night messages started. He’d quickly turn his phone face down when I walked into the room. A few times, I caught a glimpse of a name I didn’t recognize. I asked him about it casually, and he laughed it off—just a coworker, he said. Last night, he fell asleep early, and his phone buzzed on the nightstand. My heart pounded. I hesitated. I knew once I crossed that line, there was no going back. But the curiosity—and fear—was stronger. I opened his messages. There it was. Not a full-blown affair, but something that still made my stomach drop. Flirty messages. Inside jokes. Late-night conversations that lasted for weeks. He never mentioned me, never drew a clear line. She called him “babe” once, and he didn’t correct her. I sat there, staring at the screen, feeling like I was outside my own body. I wasn’t angry—not yet. I was just… empty. Like everything I believed about our marriage had been quietly shifting beneath my feet, and I was just now realizing I’d been standing on unsteady ground for months. I put the phone back. I didn’t wake him up. I didn’t scream or cry. I just lay there next to him, staring at the ceiling, wondering what hurt more—the fact that he was emotionally connected to someone else or the fact that he never thought I’d notice. I don’t know what my next step is. Maybe a conversation. Maybe a confrontation. Maybe walking away from the life we built together. But what I do know is this: I will never ignore my instincts again. Would you have checked the phone? Would you tell him you know? Or would you just walk away?