When Julianne answers her husband’s phone, the furious voice on the other end reveals a devastating secret: her husband has been living a double life. Now, she’ll have to act fast to protect herself and her son from the fallout of her husband’s deceit.
If you’d asked me that morning if I was happy, I would’ve said yes. Maybe not convincingly, but I would’ve said it. That was before the call.
A silhouette of a woman | Source: Midjourney
I spent my days juggling the roles of wife, mother, and school volunteer. My husband, Raymond, was the breadwinner, a mid-level manager who came home late too often these days, citing work stress.
My eight-year-old son, Ethan, was my anchor, and the reason I kept pushing through even when Raymond’s distant eyes gnawed at me.
But I didn’t have time to dwell. Life kept moving, and I was good at keeping up.
Close up of a woman’s face | Source: Midjourney
I’d already seen Ethan off to school on the bus and was leaning in to kiss Ray goodbye when he whirled away from me and grabbed his briefcase.
“I’ve got to rush. Today’s going to be crazy and Mr. Richards must be waiting for me already,” he muttered as he rushed out the door.
I didn’t even notice he’d left his phone on the kitchen table. When it started ringing a few minutes after he left, I answered automatically, thinking it was mine.
A cell phone | Source: Midjourney
“Raymond,” snapped a woman’s voice, sharp and angry. “I warned you! If you don’t get rid of her, I’ll tell everyone I’m pregnant with your child.”
My throat closed up. I knew that voice… it was Vera, my sister!
“I’m done waiting, Ray. This is your last warning. Tell her today, or else!”
Before I could scream or demand answers, the line went dead.
A woman holding a cell phone | Source: Midjourney
I stood there, frozen, the phone clutched so tightly in my hand that my knuckles turned white. Vera had always been the storm to my calm. Beautiful, reckless, and magnetic, she flitted through life, bringing chaos and charm in equal measure.
And now she was pregnant with my husband’s child. They’d been cheating on me… for how long?
A strange, detached instinct kicked in, like my body was operating on autopilot. My thumb hovered over the screen before I unlocked Raymond’s phone, the password I’d seen him type a thousand times burning in my mind.
A woman standing in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
My fingers trembled as I scrolled through the messages. And there were dozens of texts, a thread of secrets I was never supposed to uncover.
Vera’s words were insistent, pleading: When are you going to tell her? I can’t keep doing this, Ray. She’s clueless.
Then Raymond’s careful, measured replies: I just need more time. I want to do this right. We can’t risk her finding out — it’ll ruin everything.
The bile rose in my throat as I pieced it together. They had a plan, and it was cold, and calculated.
A heartbroken woman | Source: Midjourney
They’d leave their marriages in such a way that nobody would suspect their affair. Vera was ready to leave Jack, and Raymond had been weighing how to drop me quietly and cleanly, ensuring his finances remained untouched.
She won’t get a penny, one of his messages read. I’ll make sure of it.
My knees buckled, and I slid to the kitchen floor.
A woman sitting on a floor | Source: Midjourney
The phone slipped from my grasp and clattered onto the tiles, but I didn’t care. I sat there, shaking, the weight of betrayal pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket.
Vera’s voice replayed in my head, layered over Raymond’s careful lies. The two people I trusted most in the world had conspired against me, trading whispers behind my back while I set the table for family dinners and kissed Raymond goodnight.
The betrayal didn’t just sting; it consumed me, a fiery, unrelenting ache that made my vision blur.
An emotional woman | Source: Midjourney
I pressed my hands to my face, trying to block it all out. But it was burned into my mind now. My husband and my sister were plotting my destruction.
For the first time in my life, I felt entirely untethered. But I wasn’t going to let them destroy my life. And I wouldn’t let Ethan suffer for their selfishness.
Anger fueled me, sharpening my focus as I grabbed my keys and headed straight for Vera’s husband’s office.
An office building | Source: Pexels
Jack was the kind of man who could turn chaos into order. He was everything Vera wasn’t: level-headed, meticulous, and about as far from impulsive as a person could get. If anyone could help me, it was Jack.
The office building was quiet. Jack’s secretary wasn’t even there yet; her desk sat empty as I marched past it, my sneakers squeaking against the polished floors.
My heart pounded in my chest as I reached his door and knocked harder than I intended.
A door | Source: Pexels
“Come in,” Jack called, his deep, calm voice carrying through the door.
I stepped inside, and he looked up from his desk, his brow knitting in confusion when he saw me.
“Julianne?” He stood, concern flashing in his sharp, gray eyes. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
I didn’t bother with pleasantries. My hands trembled as I crossed the room and set Raymond’s phone on his desk.
A cell phone on a desk | Source: Pexels
“I have something important to tell you, Jack. It’s about Vera and…” I faltered, my voice catching. “You’ll need to see it for yourself.”
He gestured for me to sit, but I stayed standing. His gaze didn’t leave me as he picked up the phone and scrolled through the messages. With each swipe, his face darkened. His jaw tightened, and his grip on the phone grew rigid.
“Goddammit, Vera,” he muttered under his breath, his calm veneer cracking.
A stressed man | Source: Midjourney
He set the phone down with more force than necessary and pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. I thought he might explode, but instead, he grabbed a notepad from his desk and flipped it open. His movements were precise and deliberate.
“We need a plan,” he said, his tone clipped and businesslike.
I blinked at him, startled by his composure. “You’re not… shocked? Hurt?”
“No, I’m furious,” he said, meeting my eyes.
A furious man | Source: Midjourney
His voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge beneath it. “Vera’s always been mercurial, but this time she’s gone too far.”
He tapped his pen against the notepad, his jaw set. “I’m filing for divorce. And I’m going to help you do the same. With evidence like this, they don’t stand a chance.”
I sank into the chair across from him, my earlier fury replaced by something steadier.
“Jack,” I said, my voice soft. “Thank you.”
A grateful woman | Source: Midjourney
His lips pressed into a thin line as he began scribbling notes. “Don’t thank me yet. This is going to be messy. But they’ve left us no choice. We’ll have to move fast, even if it means I have to pull some strings. This is what we’re going to do…”
Jack continued taking notes as he outlined his plan. My resolve solidified as I took it all in. I was a little awed by how quickly he calculated each step, but mostly, I was relieved.
I wasn’t alone in this fight. Jack and I would make sure Vera and Raymond paid for their betrayal, and that neither of us would be left picking up the pieces alone.
A lawyer in his office | Source: Midjourney
That evening, Vera and Jack joined Raymond and me for dinner. I’d texted Vera the invite the minute I got home. I’d then called Ray’s office to tell him he’d left his phone at home.
“Oh my God,” he muttered, a hint of panic in his voice. “Just… switch it off and put it in my nightstand drawer, okay?”
“Sure, honey,” I replied. “By the way, Jack and Vera will be joining us for dinner tonight. Could you pick up a bottle of wine on the way home?”
A woman speaking on her cell phone | Source: Midjourney
Next, I arranged for Ethan to sleep over at a friend’s house. By the time we sat down to dinner that evening, all the pieces of Jack’s plan were in place.
I poured a large glass of wine and set it down in front of Vera.
“Oh, no wine for me, Jules.” She pointedly stared at Raymond. “I’ve been feeling a little under the weather lately.”
“I guess that makes sense,” I replied. “The first trimester is rough and pregnant women aren’t supposed to drink, are they?”
Wine glasses on a table | Source: Pexels
Vera’s fork clattered against her plate, and Raymond’s hand tightened on the edge of the table.
“Oh, don’t act surprised,” I said. “I know about the affair, the baby, and your little plans to leave me with nothing.”
Jack, who had been waiting for his cue, produced two folders and rose from his seat.
“These are your divorce papers,” he said, slapping one folder down in front of Vera before placing the other in front of Ray. “And these are yours.”
Divorce papers | Source: Pexels
Raymond turned to me, panic flooding his eyes. “Julianne, please…”
“You don’t get to talk!” I snapped, my voice trembling with rage. “You’ve destroyed everything, and for what? Her?”
Raymond looked at Vera, who was openly crying now, then back at me. He didn’t answer. He just stared at the table, defeated.
An emotional man | Source: Midjourney
In the weeks that followed, Jack and I worked like a team. He was relentless in court, helping me secure a settlement that ensured Ethan and I would be fine.
Raymond lost his assets, his reputation, and whatever shred of decency he thought he had left. Jack filed for full custody of his children, and Vera was left scrambling.
The scandal tore through our small town. Everyone knew what had happened, and neither Raymond nor Vera could walk into the grocery store without whispers trailing them.
People in a grocery store | Source: Pexels
One evening, as I watched Ethan play in the yard, I felt a strange sense of peace. My life wasn’t what I thought it was. It was messy, complicated, and painful. But it was mine, and I was free to shape it into something new.
Here’s another story: Mia’s thrilled when her unruly son, Jack, returns from a weekend at Grandma’s house as a model of discipline, but his strange transformation leaves her uneasy. Determined to uncover what happened, Mia’s questions lead her to a dangerous revelation.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
10 Little-Known Mistakes in Pretty Woman That Will Blow Your Mind
Pretty Woman is one of those movies I can watch over and over — it never gets old or boring.
But considering how many times I’ve seen it, it’s surprising that I’ve never noticed these bloopers and mistakes that tell a different story about the film.
Disney changed everything
*Pretty Woman* became a romantic comedy that captured millions and launched Richard Gere and Julia Roberts to fame.
But that’s not how it was originally meant to be. The first screenplay was titled *3,000*, written by then-struggling screenwriter J.F. Lawton. The early draft dealt with much darker themes about social inequality and corporate greed.
However, everything changed when Disney took over. The company chose to downplay the themes of class and sex work in Los Angeles. Instead, Disney gave it a big budget and turned it more into a romantic comedy.
Al Pacino turned down the lead role
For me, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Richard Gere as Edward Lewis, the wealthy businessman from New York who hires Vivian (Julia Roberts) to be his escort for a week.
The casting process for *Pretty Woman* took longer than expected, with Al Pacino initially in the running for the role of Lewis. The famous actor even took part in a casting reading with Julia Roberts but ultimately decided to pass on the part.
Although he liked the script, Pacino never explained why he turned it down. Looking back, he has shown respect for Roberts, who was a relatively unknown actress at the time.
“I mean, you could tell at the reading that this was going to be good, that it would be a hit,” Pacino said.
He also mentioned: “And this girl was amazing. I asked Gary, ‘Where did you find this girl?’” (Gary being Gary Marshall, the film’s director). Pacino’s instincts were right, as Roberts’s outstanding performance would shape her career and the film’s legacy.
The croissant becomes a pancake
In the scene where Richard Gere’s character orders breakfast in the room, there’s a funny little detail you might not have noticed. It starts with Vivian enjoying a croissant while talking to Edward.
But then, in an instant, the croissant magically turns into a pancake.
How did that happen? According to director Garry Marshall, he liked Julia Roberts’ performance in the later takes, where she was eating a pancake instead of the croissant, so they decided to use that footage.
However, this caused a continuity issue. In the first shot with the pancake, Vivian takes a second bite, but in the next shot, the pancake only has one bite missing, and the bite marks are clearly different.
It’s clearly not the same pancake!
Truth behind the iconic dress
The careful attention to costume design might go unnoticed by most moviegoers. However, whether you notice fashion or not, it’s hard to miss the iconic red dress that Julia Roberts’ character wears in the film.
The red dress represents Vivian’s transformation and empowerment during a key scene in the movie when Roberts’ character joins Edward Lewis for a night at the opera.
Vogue described the dress as “eye-catching, incredibly sexy without losing any elegance.” The genius behind that stunning dress? The award-winning costume designer Marilyn Vance.
She created six fabulous outfits for Julia Roberts’ character, Vivian Ward, and also designed Richard Gere’s stylish looks.
For example, the charming brown-and-white polka dot dress Roberts wore to the horse race was made from old silk found in a small antique fabric shop in Los Angeles — talk about recycling in style! And those chic shoes? They were by Chanel.
Richard Gere’s tie
As for Gere’s wardrobe, it was a masterclass in color coordination, featuring brown, navy, and blue-gray suits, all designed by Vance.
Now, about that famous tie that Roberts takes from a store employee? According to Vance, it was “nothing special” and definitely not a designer piece.
She bought it in a Los Angeles shop for $48.
The tie appears several times in the film, and if you watch closely, you might notice that it mysteriously changes knots from time to time.
During the polo match, Edward wears a straight-collar shirt with the tie that Vivian gave him, knotted in a half-Windsor. But in a later scene, sharp-eyed viewers can see a subtle change — Edward’s collar has turned into a spread style, and the tie is now in a full-Windsor knot.
‘Obscene’ shopping spree
When Richard Gere shows Julia Roberts’ character the glamorous world of the rich, he takes her on a wild shopping spree down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
That afternoon shopping trip? It would have cost Gere’s character at least $30,000, according to designer Marilyn Vance.
Talk about a shopping spree on steroids! It’s like they were shopping with Monopoly money — no wonder Vivian was in a daze.
The ruby-and-diamond necklace was real
The jewelry Julia Roberts wore with her stunning red ball gown — a heart-shaped necklace made of rubies and diamonds — was valued at an incredible quarter million dollars. Yes, you heard that right.
According to movie trivia sites, this ruby-and-diamond masterpiece was the real deal. In fact, while filming, an armed security guard from the jewelry store responsible for this extravagant necklace stood watch behind the director.
Jewelry box scene was a practical joke
The scene where Richard Gere gives Julia Roberts the expensive necklace is not only one of the most romantic and iconic moments in movie history, but it also has a funny backstory.
Originally, it was meant as a playful prank for the film’s gag reel.
As you might remember, the jewelry box snaps shut on Julia Roberts’ fingers, causing one of the most genuine and charming laughs ever caught on film.
The real story behind the scene came from director Garry Marshall, who explained why he and Gere decided to play this trick on the young actress.
According to Marshall, Roberts, who was just 23 at the time, would sometimes show up on set a little sleepy after a late night out.
“I said, ‘Richard, you gotta wake her up a little, so when she reaches for the box, slam it.’ It was a soft box. I would never hurt her,” Marshall explained.
It wasn’t until the final stages of editing that they decided to keep the scene in the movie. “We put it in… and it became like the trademark of the movie,” Marshall said.
And just like that, an unscripted joke turned into cinematic magic.
Edward’s disappearing shoes
As mentioned earlier, there are some mistakes in *Pretty Woman* that aren’t easy to spot on the first viewing, but some keen viewers have noticed them.
For instance, when they leave the opera and head to the park, Vivian takes off Edward’s shoes. However, as he begins to lie down, the shoes magically reappear.
Money in the boot
Speaking of things on (or in) your feet, there’s a little mystery involving Vivian’s boots that you might have missed.
When Edward gives her $100 in the penthouse, she slips the cash right into her boot for safekeeping. But later, after room service arrives with champagne and she takes off her boots, the money has mysteriously disappeared.
Did the cash vanish into thin air, or is Vivian just really good at hiding things? Maybe those boots had a secret compartment, or perhaps the $100 simply didn’t want to stick around for the rest of the film…
Four colored condoms
When Vivian offers Edward a selection of colorful condoms, it seems they have a mind of their own.
Vivian starts with four neatly arranged options (not counting that fancy gold circle one). But in the next shot, the order has magically changed.
Richard Gere didn’t like his character
Richard Gere has certainly gained from the success of *Pretty Woman*—both in his career and his bank account. But he hasn’t always been fully positive about the film, especially regarding his character, Edward. At a film festival in Venice, Gere described Edward as “criminally underwritten.” He added, “Basically, he’s just a suit and a good haircut.”
One scene in particular seemed to bother Gere, where Edward plays the piano while Vivian moves closer. Reflecting on it, Gere sarcastically said, “I mean, no chemistry. This actor and this actress obviously had no chemistry between them… I haven’t seen that in a long time. That’s a sexy scene.”
Director Garry Marshall came up with the idea for the scene after asking Gere what he usually did late at night in a hotel. Gere remembered, “I said, ‘Well, I’m usually jet lagged, so I’m up all night. Usually, there’s a ballroom or a bar, and I’ll find a piano and play it.’” Marshall then suggested, “Well, let’s do something with that.”
So, the scene was mostly improvised, with Gere explaining: “He said, ‘Play something moody.’ I just started playing something moody that reflected this character’s interior life.”
Then, just as mysteriously, the original lineup of condoms snaps back in the third shot. It’s as if the condoms were having their own little dance routine behind the scenes.
More than just onscreen lovers
If you ask me, the chemistry between Julia Roberts and Gere in *Pretty Woman* was undeniable. But the sparks didn’t just fly when the cameras were rolling — they formed a close bond off-screen too.
In 2017, Gere shared that he still talks to Roberts “all the time,” and back in the day, they would chat “three or four times a day.”
You could say it was love at first sight, in a friendly sort of way.
Even in a fairytale romance, things don’t always go as planned. Maybe that’s what makes this movie so charming and keeps us watching it again and again, year after year.
Did we miss your favorite *Pretty Woman* blooper? Share it with us and keep the fun going!
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