{"id":5113,"date":"2026-02-14T07:19:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T07:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113"},"modified":"2026-02-14T07:19:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T07:19:36","slug":"my-husband-leaned-toward-his-friend-and-switched-to-french-smiling-like-i-wasnt-even-there-elle-est-si-naive-he-murmured-shes-so-naive-i-froze-with-my-f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113","title":{"rendered":"My husband leaned toward his friend and switched to French, smiling like I wasn\u2019t even there. \u201cElle est si na\u00efve,\u201d he murmured\u2014she\u2019s so naive. I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth. Then he laughed and added something that made my stomach drop. I set my glass down slowly and thought, Do I expose him right now\u2026 or let him keep talking and hear everything? Because what he said next could end our marriage."},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"27\" data-end=\"162\">My husband didn\u2019t know I spoke French. That was the one advantage I had left in a marriage that had started to feel like a performance.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"164\" data-end=\"522\">We were at Maison Laurent, the kind of downtown Chicago restaurant where the candles are real and the servers say \u201cof course\u201d like it\u2019s a promise. My husband, Derek Mills, had insisted we join his boss and a few coworkers for \u201cnetworking.\u201d I wore the navy dress he liked, smiled on cue, and tried not to notice how he kept checking his phone under the table.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"524\" data-end=\"869\">Across from me sat Derek\u2019s boss, Paul Hargrove, with his wife, Elise\u2014both polished, both amused by themselves. Wine glasses clinked. The conversation bounced from quarterly reports to vacation homes. I nodded at the right moments, even when my mind drifted to the unpaid daycare invoice and the leaky kitchen sink Derek kept \u201cforgetting\u201d to fix.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"871\" data-end=\"995\">Then Derek leaned toward Paul, lowered his voice, and switched to French with a casual confidence that made my skin prickle.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"997\" data-end=\"1117\">\u201c<strong data-start=\"998\" data-end=\"1042\">Elle pense qu\u2019on est encore fous d\u2019elle,<\/strong>\u201d Derek said, lips barely moving. <em data-start=\"1076\" data-end=\"1117\">She thinks we\u2019re still crazy about her.<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1119\" data-end=\"1168\">Paul chuckled. \u201c<strong data-start=\"1135\" data-end=\"1152\">C\u2019est mignon.<\/strong>\u201d <em data-start=\"1154\" data-end=\"1168\">That\u2019s cute.<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1170\" data-end=\"1323\">My fork paused midair. I kept my face neutral, the way my high school French teacher had drilled into me during oral exams: breathe, listen, don\u2019t react.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1325\" data-end=\"1530\">Derek continued, still in French. \u201c<strong data-start=\"1360\" data-end=\"1450\">Je l\u2019ai \u00e9pous\u00e9e parce qu\u2019elle \u00e9tait\u2026 pratique. Bonne avec les enfants. Pas compliqu\u00e9e.<\/strong>\u201d<br data-start=\"1451\" data-end=\"1454\" \/><em data-start=\"1454\" data-end=\"1530\">I married her because she was\u2026 practical. Good with kids. Not complicated.<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1532\" data-end=\"1610\">My stomach tightened. I stared at the candle flame so I wouldn\u2019t stare at him.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1612\" data-end=\"1695\">Elise leaned in, smiling. \u201c<strong data-start=\"1639\" data-end=\"1671\">Et elle ne se doute de rien?<\/strong>\u201d <em data-start=\"1673\" data-end=\"1695\">And she has no idea?<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1697\" data-end=\"1881\">Derek\u2019s laugh was soft, confident. \u201c<strong data-start=\"1733\" data-end=\"1811\">Aucune id\u00e9e. Et apr\u00e8s la promotion, je pourrai enfin\u2026 corriger mon erreur.<\/strong>\u201d<br data-start=\"1812\" data-end=\"1815\" \/><em data-start=\"1815\" data-end=\"1881\">No idea. And after the promotion, I can finally\u2026 fix my mistake.<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1883\" data-end=\"1944\">Paul lifted his glass. \u201c<strong data-start=\"1907\" data-end=\"1924\">\u00c0 ta libert\u00e9.<\/strong>\u201d <em data-start=\"1926\" data-end=\"1944\">To your freedom.<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1946\" data-end=\"2035\">The word freedom hit harder than any insult. Because it sounded planned. Like a timeline.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2037\" data-end=\"2180\">I set my fork down carefully, the metal barely making a sound. My heartbeat roared in my ears, but my voice came out calm as I looked at Derek.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2182\" data-end=\"2272\">\u201cDerek,\u201d I said in English, smiling like a perfect wife, \u201cwhat exactly is your \u2018mistake\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2274\" data-end=\"2290\">His smile froze.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2292\" data-end=\"2295\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"2297\" data-end=\"2322\">Part 2<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2324\" data-end=\"2489\">For a second, Derek didn\u2019t breathe. His eyes flicked to Paul and Elise\u2014silent panic behind his polished expression\u2014then back to me. He tried to recover with a laugh.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2491\" data-end=\"2554\">\u201cBabe, what are you talking about?\u201d he said, a little too loud.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2556\" data-end=\"2665\">I tilted my head. \u201cYour mistake,\u201d I repeated softly. \u201cThe one you said you\u2019d \u2018correct\u2019 after your promotion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2667\" data-end=\"2867\">Paul\u2019s face changed. Elise\u2019s lips parted, then pressed into a tight line. They\u2019d assumed I was decoration, not a person. And Derek\u2014my husband\u2014looked like someone had pulled the plug on his confidence.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2869\" data-end=\"2911\">\u201cYou\u2026 you don\u2019t speak French,\u201d he blurted.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2913\" data-end=\"3022\">I picked up my water glass and took a slow sip, buying myself one more second of control. \u201cApparently, I do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3024\" data-end=\"3222\">The table went still. In the pause, I noticed details I\u2019d ignored for months: Derek\u2019s ring looked too loose, the faint cologne that wasn\u2019t his usual, the way he\u2019d been \u201cworking late\u201d every Thursday.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3224\" data-end=\"3267\">Paul cleared his throat. \u201cMaybe we should\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3269\" data-end=\"3374\">\u201cNo,\u201d I said, still smiling. \u201cPlease. Keep going. I\u2019m curious what else I\u2019ve been too \u2018na\u00efve\u2019 to notice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3376\" data-end=\"3428\">Derek\u2019s face reddened. \u201cClaire, don\u2019t do this here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3430\" data-end=\"3589\">Claire. My name sounded strange coming from him, like he was saying it for the first time. I leaned forward slightly, voice low enough that only he could hear.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3591\" data-end=\"3716\">\u201cYou were going to toast to your freedom,\u201d I said. \u201cFreedom from what? From me? From our kids? From the bills you don\u2019t pay?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3718\" data-end=\"3761\">His jaw clenched. \u201cYou\u2019re twisting things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3763\" data-end=\"3812\">Elise shifted uncomfortably. \u201cDerek, that\u2019s not\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3814\" data-end=\"3982\">But Derek cut her off, eyes locked on mine. \u201cFine,\u201d he said, dropping the pleasant tone. \u201cYou want the truth? Yes, I\u2019m up for a promotion. And yes, things will change.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3984\" data-end=\"4015\">My pulse spiked. \u201cWhat things?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4017\" data-end=\"4118\">He glanced toward Paul like he needed permission. Then he said it, quietly, like a business decision.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4120\" data-end=\"4191\">\u201cI\u2019m moving to New York. Paul\u2019s opening a new office. It\u2019s a big step.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4193\" data-end=\"4226\">\u201cAnd you didn\u2019t tell me,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4228\" data-end=\"4326\">Derek\u2019s shoulders rose in a shrug that felt like betrayal. \u201cBecause you would\u2019ve made it a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4328\" data-end=\"4462\">A laugh almost escaped me\u2014sharp, humorless. \u201cSo your plan was to call me \u2018practical\u2019 and \u2018not complicated\u2019 while you line up an exit?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4464\" data-end=\"4512\">Paul finally spoke. \u201cClaire, Derek didn\u2019t mean\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4514\" data-end=\"4642\">\u201cHe meant every word,\u201d I said. Then I looked at Derek. \u201cAnd what else did you mean? When you said you could \u2018fix your mistake\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4644\" data-end=\"4736\">Derek\u2019s eyes darted again, and I saw it\u2014fear, not of losing me, but of me learning too much.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4738\" data-end=\"4782\">Because the mistake wasn\u2019t just marrying me.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4784\" data-end=\"4842\">It was something he\u2019d done that could cost him everything.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4844\" data-end=\"4913\">And I was starting to realize I wasn\u2019t the only secret at that table.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"4915\" data-end=\"4918\" \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"4920\" data-end=\"4945\">Part 3<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"4947\" data-end=\"5142\">I kept my face calm, but my mind was racing. If Derek was so comfortable mocking me in another language, he\u2019d been doing it for a long time. That kind of arrogance usually hides something bigger.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5144\" data-end=\"5241\">\u201cSo,\u201d I said, voice steady, \u201cwhat\u2019s the real plan? You leave for New York and I just\u2026 disappear?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5243\" data-end=\"5289\">Derek\u2019s lips tightened. \u201cStop being dramatic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5291\" data-end=\"5446\">Paul reached for his napkin, wiping his mouth like he wanted to erase the whole moment. Elise stared into her wine glass, suddenly fascinated by the swirl.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5448\" data-end=\"5564\">I looked at all of them. \u201cYou know what\u2019s dramatic? Planning a life behind someone\u2019s back and calling it \u2018freedom.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5566\" data-end=\"5642\">Derek leaned in, lowering his voice. \u201cClaire, we\u2019ll talk at home. Not here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5644\" data-end=\"5717\">I nodded slowly, then switched to French\u2014clear, measured, and deliberate.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5719\" data-end=\"5781\">\u201c<strong data-start=\"5720\" data-end=\"5753\">Non. On va parler maintenant.<\/strong>\u201d<br data-start=\"5754\" data-end=\"5757\" \/><em data-start=\"5757\" data-end=\"5781\">No. We\u2019re talking now.<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5783\" data-end=\"5885\">Derek went pale. Elise\u2019s head snapped up. Paul\u2019s eyes widened, just for a second, before he masked it.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5887\" data-end=\"6108\">I continued in French, still calm. \u201c<strong data-start=\"5923\" data-end=\"6017\">Quand tu dis \u2018corriger mon erreur,\u2019 tu parles d\u2019un divorce\u2026 ou de quelque chose d\u2019ill\u00e9gal?<\/strong>\u201d<br data-start=\"6018\" data-end=\"6021\" \/><em data-start=\"6021\" data-end=\"6108\">When you say \u2018fix my mistake,\u2019 are you talking about a divorce\u2026 or something illegal?<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6110\" data-end=\"6173\">Paul\u2019s fork clinked against his plate. Elise whispered, \u201cPaul\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6175\" data-end=\"6220\">Derek\u2019s voice dropped, harsh. \u201cClaire, stop.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6222\" data-end=\"6280\">But it was too late. I had their attention\u2014and their fear.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6282\" data-end=\"6427\">Paul leaned forward, forced a smile that didn\u2019t reach his eyes. \u201cThis is getting out of hand. Claire, Derek is under stress. Promotions do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6429\" data-end=\"6637\">\u201cStress doesn\u2019t rewrite someone\u2019s character,\u201d I said in English. Then I turned back to Derek. \u201cIf you\u2019re moving, you owe me the truth. About the job, about the money, about why you needed me to stay \u2018na\u00efve.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6639\" data-end=\"6781\">Derek\u2019s nostrils flared. \u201cYou want truth? Fine. I\u2019ve been covering things\u2014expenses, reports. Paul needed numbers to look clean for investors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6783\" data-end=\"6831\">Elise inhaled sharply. Paul\u2019s face turned rigid.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6833\" data-end=\"6894\">My stomach dropped. \u201cYou\u2019re admitting you falsified reports?\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6896\" data-end=\"7093\">Derek\u2019s eyes flashed\u2014then softened into a calculated look, like he was choosing a new tactic. \u201cI\u2019m saying I protected our future. The promotion comes with a bonus. We can pay off debt. Start over.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7095\" data-end=\"7148\">Start over. Without me, was what he\u2019d said in French.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7150\" data-end=\"7283\">I stood up, chair scraping softly. I didn\u2019t shout. I didn\u2019t cry. I simply gathered my purse and looked at him like he was a stranger.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7285\" data-end=\"7378\">\u201cYou used me as cover,\u201d I said. \u201cYou called me practical because you thought I\u2019d stay quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7380\" data-end=\"7417\">Derek reached for my wrist. \u201cClaire\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7419\" data-end=\"7452\">I stepped back. \u201cDon\u2019t touch me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7454\" data-end=\"7722\">I walked out of that restaurant with my head high, but my hands were shaking. In the car, I opened my notes app and started writing down every detail: dates, names, the New York office, the investors, the falsified reports. Then I called my sister to pick up the kids.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7724\" data-end=\"7823\">Because if Derek had been lying in French over candlelight, he\u2019d been lying in English at home too.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7825\" data-end=\"8060\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">And now I want to ask you\u2014if you discovered your spouse\u2019s betrayal like this, would you expose them immediately\u2026 or quietly gather proof first? Tell me what you\u2019d do, because I chose one path the moment I heard that toast to \u201cfreedom.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My husband didn\u2019t know I spoke French. That was the one advantage I had left in a marriage that had started to feel like a performance. We were at Maison Laurent, the kind of downtown Chicago restaurant where the candles are real and the servers say \u201cof course\u201d like it\u2019s a promise. My husband, Derek [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-life-new"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>My husband leaned toward his friend and switched to French, smiling like I wasn\u2019t even there. \u201cElle est si na\u00efve,\u201d he murmured\u2014she\u2019s so naive. I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth. Then he laughed and added something that made my stomach drop. I set my glass down slowly and thought, Do I expose him right now\u2026 or let him keep talking and hear everything? Because what he said next could end our marriage. - True Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"My husband leaned toward his friend and switched to French, smiling like I wasn\u2019t even there. \u201cElle est si na\u00efve,\u201d he murmured\u2014she\u2019s so naive. I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth. Then he laughed and added something that made my stomach drop. I set my glass down slowly and thought, Do I expose him right now\u2026 or let him keep talking and hear everything? Because what he said next could end our marriage. - True Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"My husband didn\u2019t know I spoke French. That was the one advantage I had left in a marriage that had started to feel like a performance. We were at Maison Laurent, the kind of downtown Chicago restaurant where the candles are real and the servers say \u201cof course\u201d like it\u2019s a promise. 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Because what he said next could end our marriage. - True Stories","og_description":"My husband didn\u2019t know I spoke French. That was the one advantage I had left in a marriage that had started to feel like a performance. We were at Maison Laurent, the kind of downtown Chicago restaurant where the candles are real and the servers say \u201cof course\u201d like it\u2019s a promise. 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I set my glass down slowly and thought, Do I expose him right now\u2026 or let him keep talking and hear everything? Because what he said next could end our marriage. - True Stories","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ultrarealistic_cinematic_photo_202602141418-1.jpg","datePublished":"2026-02-14T07:19:36+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/#\/schema\/person\/5c3397997033ec1244d0e345888afa8e"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ultrarealistic_cinematic_photo_202602141418-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ultrarealistic_cinematic_photo_202602141418-1.jpg","width":571,"height":1000},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?p=5113#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"My husband leaned toward his friend and switched to French, smiling like I wasn\u2019t even there. \u201cElle est si na\u00efve,\u201d he murmured\u2014she\u2019s so naive. I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth. Then he laughed and added something that made my stomach drop. I set my glass down slowly and thought, Do I expose him right now\u2026 or let him keep talking and hear everything? Because what he said next could end our marriage."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/","name":"True Stories","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/#\/schema\/person\/5c3397997033ec1244d0e345888afa8e","name":"true love","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7edec003db6c2d994c618a5c9257e4836d0823076211ef1f440ea5b2dfb07eb1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7edec003db6c2d994c618a5c9257e4836d0823076211ef1f440ea5b2dfb07eb1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"true love"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org"],"url":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/?author=2"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5113"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5113\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5115,"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5113\/revisions\/5115"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/true.lifestruepurpose.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}