Ever since she sent me that text message, I haven’t been at ease. It was two days to her birthday and I was putting a small party together to surprise her.

On that very afternoon, I was seated with my friend Alex when she sent me the message.  The message appeared on my notification.

I thought the message didn’t make sense. I felt it wasn’t meant for me but just when I was about to open the message and respond to it, she quickly deleted the message.

I was like, “What’s going on here?”

The message was: “I miss us too and can’t wait to see you.”

A few seconds later, she sent another text; “Hey babe, how’s the day going and where are you?” Meanwhile, she knew where I was because we discussed that in the morning.

I asked her: “What did you just delete?” She answered: “I made a silly spelling mistake that’s why I deleted it.” Then she asked: “Is anything the matter?” I said: “Not at all.”

I was only wondering, she said: “I had to delete it because it didn’t make sense.” Then she sent a laughing emoji.

I met her through Alex and it was through Alex that I got her to say yes to my proposal two years ago. So the first person I discussed the issue with was Alex, who was sitting right next to me.

I said: “Guess what just happened. Tilly sent me a message I believe she was sending to another person and quickly deleted it.”

He asked: “I hope it’s not her nudes?” He laughed. I said: “It’s worse than that but she’s trying to be clever.”

When I read out loud what she sent, Alex said: “This girl is planning to meet someone else. Don’t rush things. Let’s set her a trap and see if indeed she’s trying to see someone else.”

That same night, Alex called me: “Don, I did some small investigation bi. Her ex is back in town. I believe that message was meant for him.” The message echoed in my head, “I miss us too and can’t wait to see you.” I said, “Alex that could be true.”

That “I miss us too” line is definitely for someone she had been with before.” Alex said, “So just put your eyes and ears on the ground I’m also following up on that lead.”

I put all plans on hold for her birthday. The surprise birthday plan was canceled. The places I intended to go with her on that day too was canceled.

That same day that she sent the message, she called me on a video call around 9:pm. We talked like nothing was wrong. She was at her funny best and I was at my smiling best.

She was in her room with cloth covering her body, indicating she was about to sleep. I told Alex: “She just called me on video. I think her guilty conscience is pricking her.”

Alex said: “It could also be a ploy. We should act fast. She called you on video for you to believe she was about to sleep but just when you’re content in your belief, she will get out of bed and go and see that boy she was sending the message to.”

That made a lot of sense to me because Tilly never called me on Video until I call. So around 11:pm, I picked a taxi and went to her place. Everything looked peaceful and undistracted. I knocked on her door and there was no response.

I called her phone, no response. I called again, no response. I knocked on her door, hard enough for everyone to hear. The next few minutes, I saw her calling my phone.

I picked it up, “She asked, “Are you the one knocking?” I said, “I’ve been calling.” She said: “Sorry I didn’t hear. But why didn’t you tell me that you’ll be coming here?” I said, “I wasn’t sure.”

It wasn’t my intention to sleep there that night but I had to sleep there. When she was asleep, I looked around for her phone.

I couldn’t find it. Later I saw the phone safely tucked under her pillow. There was no way I could reach it without waking her up so I left it alone.

The next morning, I told her: “I have to be in Cape Coast tomorrow for work.” She said, “You’re traveling on my birthday?” I said: “It’s a bad time but it’s about work so I have no option.” She said: “Then birthday postponed, when you come, we’ll have a party.” I nodded.

Alex asked me: “Did you meet her in the house last night?” I said, “Yeah, she was sleeping.” He asked: “Did you check her phone?” I said, “It was under her pillow.” He said, “Just keep your eyes open. I’m also checking on the movement of her ex and see if I’ll find anything fishy.”

So on her birthday, I sent her a text. I ordered a cake and wine to be delivered to her without my details.

I was expecting her to ask me if I was the one who sent her the cake but that question didn’t come. She wrote on her status: “Thanks a lot an admirer, for sending me this beautiful cake.” An admirer? It meant someone had claimed ownership of my gift.

I didn’t say much. In the evening I called her and asked about her plans. She said, “You’re not here so what else can I do? I will just sleep. When you come on Saturday, we’ll have the party.”

Around 11:pm I was at her door knocking. She called on my phone and asked, “Are you the one knocking?” I said, “How can I be the one when I’d traveled?” She said: “Then who could be knocking on my door at this time?” Seconds later, she pushed her curtains aside and looked through the window to see who it was.

She said: “I knew it would be you.” She started screaming and jumping up. “I knew you were tricking me,” she said. That’s how she got up, dressed up, and followed me as we went out to waste the night.

It’s been three weeks of me trying all the tricks in the books to catch a cheating girlfriend but any move I make, she meets me squarely with a smile on her lips. Alex asked me, “Are you sure you saw the message she deleted that day?” I said, “I saw it very well.

“I read everything before she deleted it.” He said: “So now what next?” I said: “She’s cheating I can feel it.” Alex asked: “So why are we not catching her?” I said, “That’s the issue now. I know what I saw and I believe what I saw.

“That message was meant for someone and that someone is coming back into her life.”

My issue now is, I can’t forget about the message and its implications. My girlfriend is seeing someone else apart from me judging by that message I saw and the explanation she gave for deleting the message.

I haven’t caught her and I haven’t found anything else to back my claim so I can’t make any move. But it’s worrying me.

I can’t even open myself up to enjoy the relationship because everything she does smells of cheating.

What am I not doing right? Should I discuss that message with her, ask her questions and bring closure to the issue? I feel if I do that, she’ll lie to me but here’s the case I’m not catching her too. So, what should I do?”