One morning, Mrs. Whitman looked straight at me and asked a question that froze the air between us.
“Claire, are you having an affair with my husband?”
Her voice was calm, but her eyes were sharp, searching every flicker of my expression.
My breath caught. “No, Madam, never. Why would you think that?” My voice trembled despite my effort to stay steady.
She bit her lip, hesitating. “There was a red lipstick stain on his shirt, one he hasn’t worn in weeks. I don’t wear red. You’re the only other woman in this house who might.”
My throat tightened. “Madam, I don’t wear lipstick. The one you gave me is still in its box.”
She studied me for a long moment, then sighed. “Maybe I’m wrong. But secrets don’t stay hidden forever.” She turned and walked away, leaving a chill in her wake.
That was the day everything began to unravel.
When I first came to the Whitman household, I thought I had found a home. Their house in Brookfield was stunning—spotless, full of light, with walls covered in vibrant paintings and framed photographs of family milestones. Even the servants’ quarters, where I stayed, were comfortable and tidy—far more than I had dared hope for.
Mrs. Whitman was a kind employer. She never barked orders, only corrected me gently when needed. She trusted me to work without constant supervision, which I appreciated deeply. Mr. Whitman, whom we all called “Sir,” was polite too, always offering a quiet “thank you” when I handed him freshly ironed shirts.
Their two older children were away at boarding school, but their younger daughter, Emily, was still at home. She was in eighth grade—bright, cheerful, and respectful. She often sat in the kitchen with me while I worked, chatting about school or asking for help with her homework.
For months, I thrived in my role. I woke before dawn, prepared breakfast, cleaned the house, did laundry, and managed whatever task was asked of me. The Whitmans seemed happy. In the evenings, I’d often see them on the couch together, laughing softly at some television program. To me, they were the perfect couple.
But then, I started noticing things.
Mr. Whitman often sat in his car with the windows rolled up, talking on the phone for long stretches. At first, I thought it was work. But then I saw him pacing the balcony during calls, his face glowing with a private smile. He always stepped away, out of earshot. That smile wasn’t the smile of a businessman—it was the smile of a man hiding something.
I kept quiet. I was just the help. It wasn’t my place.
Then came the day I was folding laundry and spotted a faint red lipstick stain on the collar of his white shirt. My stomach dropped. Mrs. Whitman only wore maroon, soft pink, or beige. Never red. I scrubbed at the stain with trembling hands, fighting tears. She was such a kind, devoted woman. She didn’t deserve this.
When Mrs. Whitman announced she’d be away for a three-day conference on the coast, she placed her hand on my shoulder. “I know you’ll manage the house perfectly, Claire.” Her warmth and trust made the secret I carried feel heavier.
That evening, I asked Mr. Whitman if he preferred rice or potatoes with his dinner. He waved me off. “I’m eating out,” he said, adjusting his cufflinks. “Just make sure Emily eats on time. How’s this shirt with this suit? I have an important meeting.”
“It looks great,” I said, though my voice was flat. His phone buzzed, and I saw his face light up at the screen. There was no meeting.
The next day, while scrubbing his clothes, I found another lipstick stain—this time on the cuff of that same white shirt. My hands shook as I tried to wash it out. The truth burned in my chest.
The signs multiplied. He wore cologne more often, even on weekends. He slipped out of the house at odd hours, returning with the faint scent of an unfamiliar perfume. Sometimes he hummed softly, lost in private joy.
I knew what I was seeing. But fear held me silent. Speaking up could cost me my job—and my daughter’s future depended on this income.
Then came Mrs. Whitman’s question—the accusation that nearly broke me.
That night, I couldn’t eat. The pain of her mistrust weighed on me. I wanted to tell her everything—the lipstick, the phone calls, the perfume—but what if he denied it? What if he twisted it to make me the guilty one?
The days that followed were heavy. Mrs. Whitman no longer smiled at me as easily. Conversations felt forced. Mr. Whitman acted as though nothing had happened, still taking his secret calls at the edge of the property.
One afternoon, Mrs. Whitman took Emily and me out for dinner, hoping to lighten the mood. At the supermarket, Emily teased, “Mama, buy me white chocolate, but don’t expect me to share!” Mrs. Whitman laughed and promised us both a treat.
But when we walked into the restaurant, everything froze.
There, in a corner booth, sat Mr. Whitman—his hand intertwined with that of a woman in a red dress. Her lips gleamed the same shade of red I had scrubbed from his shirts.
Mr. Whitman looked up. His smile vanished. He dropped the woman’s hand, his face stricken with panic.
Mrs. Whitman didn’t scream. She didn’t march over. She simply clutched her handbag tighter and whispered, “Let’s go home. We’ll have dinner another time.”
In the car, her voice cracked. “So that’s the lipstick. The late-night calls.” Emily and I stayed silent. The weight in the air was unbearable.
That night, the house was unnaturally still. From behind her locked door, I heard Mrs. Whitman’s muffled sobs. Emily retreated to her room with a carton of yoghurt and cakes, shutting out the world. Mr. Whitman returned late, moving around the house as if nothing had changed, but the air was heavy with silence.
The next morning, Mrs. Whitman came to the kitchen. Her eyes were red and swollen. “Claire,” she whispered, “I’m sorry I doubted you. You’ve been nothing but loyal.”
I swallowed hard. “It’s okay, Madam.”
But we both knew it wasn’t. Not for her. Not for the marriage she had built on trust. And not for Emily, who had witnessed her father’s betrayal with her own eyes.
From then on, the laughter that once filled the house was gone. Meals were eaten in silence. Mr. Whitman stayed out later and later. Mrs. Whitman withdrew into herself. Emily grew quieter, her bright spirit dimmed.
I still scrubbed the lipstick stains from his shirts. But some stains, I realized, can never truly be washed away.