One morning, my best friend called to “congratulate” me on a baby I didn’t have. She’d just seen a “Just Had a Baby” sticker on my boyfriend Eric’s car. We’d been together two years, and I’d never even met his friends or family.

Eric claimed it was a joke from a friend’s party, but doubt gnawed at me. Later, searching online, I found his mother’s public profile — and photos of Eric with a pregnant woman, a young son, and a newborn. The woman’s profile revealed she was his wife, Angela.

I applied for a nanny job she’d posted, just to meet her face-to-face. When Eric walked into the interview, his expression said everything. I told Angela the truth, showing her proof. She confronted him, furious and betrayed.

I left that house knowing my heart was bruised but my eyes were finally open. Sometimes the hardest truth is the one that sets you free.