Eileen is ready to have children with her husband, James. But after she starts paying closer attention to him, she begins to notice late-night phone calls and different smells that cling to him. What is going on?

I’m 33, and I’ve been married to my husband, James, 39, for a few years now. Initially, we both decided that children would be in our future — we wanted to move into a house, a big difference from our little apartment, and we wanted to be financially stable.

Which is exactly what we are now.

I’m an Editor at a wildly successful magazine, and James is in cyber security — heading his own team at a large corporate company.

So, now that I’m ready to have a baby, I’ve been waiting for James to get with the program. But recently, I’ve noticed that James has been acting very strangely. He is always on his phone — answering late-night calls, and a different perfume clings to the air around him.

I was devastated at the thought that James might have been cheating on me.

But if I was going to start a family with this man, I needed to know the truth. I decided to hire a private investigator.

“Listen, Alexis,” Benson, the investigator, told me when we met over coffee.

“More often than not, you’re going to find your husband doing exactly what you think he is. So, you need to be prepared for the worst.”

I nodded. I knew what I was getting into, and I knew that at the end of the investigation, my marriage could potentially be over. The thought alone unraveled everything I knew about my life, but I needed to know.

Benson promised he would do what was necessary, and I returned to work — ready to put together the final articles for the magazine’s deadline.

Then, things took a turn.

I met with Benson at the end of the week — he had promised to have enough information for me.

“Eileen,” he said once I sat down at the table. “We need to drop the investigation. It’s time to close this off. Trust me, it’s safer for us because there’s a lot more at hand.”

I was left reeling, my mind racing with the countless possibilities revealing whatever James was doing.

I was shocked by Benson’s reaction. I knew that private investigators saw shady things in their line of work — but I didn’t expect Benson to actually refuse the job after he trailed James.

“Keep the money,” he said. “I don’t want it.”

But I couldn’t just sit back and accept defeat. I refused to be kept in the dark. So, I took matters into my own hands. I planned to install hidden cameras and a voice recorder in James’ car and his study at home.

But as I was setting the cameras up, I found existing hidden cameras already in place. In our home.

Who was the man I married? Was our home a prison under constant surveillance? Panic set in, and I started packing, ready to flee to my parents’ house until I knew more.

That’s when James walked in.

“What are you doing?” he asked, looking at the open suitcase.

“Why are there secret cameras in our house?” I demanded.

James’ response took me by surprise.

“How did you find them? Were you planning to install a camera too?” he asked, with a gentle smile on his face — a smile that definitely didn’t fit the situation. It was as if he was trying to defuse a bomb with kindness.

“I wanted to know if you were cheating on me, James,” I said, suddenly exhausted. “But these cameras are even worse. Are you checking on me? Why are they here? Who are you?”

The questions poured out, each one heavier than the last.

James watched me for a few moments, the clock in the hall ticking away.

“I’ll tell you everything, but you need to try and understand,” he said. “That’s all I ask.”

James revealed he was in security, but not the type he told me.

“I’m an agent, Eileen,” he said. “I couldn’t tell you anything for our own safety, but I couldn’t sit back and do nothing. So, I installed the cameras, and I check them constantly for our protection.”

“What agent?” I asked, feeling stupid at my slow comprehension of what James was trying to say.

“I’m with the Secret Service, Eileen. I provide protection for high levels of the government, and sometimes for diplomats when they come into the country.”

My mind was racing. A secret agent?

“Are you your own version of James Bond?” I asked, trying to laugh at the situation.

James laughed heartily before becoming serious again.

“It’s a lot,” he admitted. “It’s a stressful job, but I’m trying to get back into the cybersecurity part of it all.”

“What would that entail?” I asked.

“It would mean that I would sit behind a computer and watch everything regarding the people that I have to protect.”

“Why would you change to that?” I asked, trying to understand.

“Because it will be safer for both of us. And we can start planning our family. I’m doing it for us.”

James smiled at me. But I didn’t know what to say. Hours ago, I was convinced that my husband was involved with something worse than just cheating on me. Now that he revealed the truth, I felt calmer.

“Eileen?” James asked. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t tell you the truth. Is this a deal breaker?”

I laughed. I knew that a sane person wouldn’t be able to handle it. But I loved James and couldn’t imagine my life without him — with a side of espionage and all.

“No,” I said. “It’s not a deal breaker at all.”

Now that the truth is out, I’m feeling more settled. I know our lives haven’t gotten any easier — but at least I know what I’m dealing with.

James has promised to switch to the desk side of being an agent, but only time will tell. For now, we’re in a good and honest space.

What would you have done in my shoes?