You and your husband, Brady, have been married for a year now. Your relationship has been steady and sweet—nothing dramatic, just a loving and supportive partnership. You both trust each other completely, with no reason to doubt the other.

Brady works in marketing, a career he enjoys. He’s found a company he genuinely likes, surrounded by co-workers he gets along with—a pleasant surprise, considering he’s never been much of a people person.

One of his co-workers is a young woman named Belle. At 23, she has a bubbly and outgoing personality. Brady has rarely mentioned her, and when he has, it’s been in passing—things like working together on a project or her lending a hand with something at the office. You always assumed it was a typical co-worker relationship and thought nothing more of it.

Brady’s company is hosting a grand dinner party to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and he invites you as his plus-one. It’s a big event at an impressive venue, giving you the chance to meet his co-workers and bosses in person for the first time.

As the evening unfolds, you find yourself in a group conversation with several of his colleagues. A lively woman joins the group—Belle. She introduces herself cheerfully to a few unfamiliar staff members, and you follow suit, introducing yourself as well. But then, with a bright smile, she adds something that catches you off guard: she calls herself “Brady’s work wifey.”