Helper asking for “extra ways” to earn money + suspicious vibes with the husband. Am I overthinking or is something wrong?
Need to vent because I cannot sleep. My mind is just racing and I feel like a private investigator in my own house.
Recently, my helper has been quite desperate for money. She’s been asking me almost every week if there are “extra jobs” she can do to earn more pocket money. I told her multiple times that her schedule is already full and, legally, I cannot just pay her to do outside work, but she keeps pushing—saying she really needs the cash for “family emergencies” back home.
I felt bad for her at first, but then things started getting weird.
The “extra work” talk stopped suddenly, but her mood completely changed. She’s been oddly cheerful, and I’ve noticed she’s suddenly wearing better clothes even on her work days. Then today, the “red flag” moment happened.
I walked into the living room and caught my husband and her in the middle of a conversation. The moment they saw me, they both jumped like they were struck by lightning. My husband immediately buried his face in his phone, and she scurried off to the kitchen.
But it was the eye contact. It wasn’t a “boss and employee” look. It was that cheeky, “we have a secret” kind of look. You know that look? The one that makes your skin crawl because you know you’re the only one not in on the joke.
The math is not mathing:
- She stopped begging me for extra money, yet she seems to have more of it.
- My husband has been “losing” cash lately, claiming he’s spending it on expensive lunches or “losing it at the mahjong table” (he rarely even plays).
- He’s suddenly very defensive of her. If I complain that the toilet isn’t clean, he’ll jump in and say, “Aiya, she’s tired, give her a break,” which is totally unlike him.
I suspect he’s been giving her the “extra pocket money” she wanted in exchange for… God knows what. I feel like I’m living in a drama serial but there’s no “Skip Intro” button.
Has anyone dealt with this “tag-team” nonsense before? How do I even check without looking like a crazy person? I’m thinking of checking the CCTV but I’m actually scared of what I might see.
TL;DR: Helper was desperate for cash, now she’s suddenly fine. Caught her and my husband sharing “cheeky” looks and now I’m 99% sure he’s paying for “favours” behind my back. Sian.