After nineteen years of marriage and raising two children, my husband left me for a younger colleague.
At 42, my world fell apart two weeks ago. My husband, with whom I’d spent 19 years and raised two kids, announced he wanted a divorce. He openly admitted to having been in a relationship for the past two years with a 28-year-old colleague, who’s now expecting his child.
Since then, I’ve been in tears, tormented by the question: How could I have been so blind not to notice his betrayal? I trusted David when he said he was working late due to new projects and frequent business trips around the country. I waited for him, keeping our home tidy, cooking his favorite meals, and ironing his shirts a week in advance. I had no idea that this care wasn’t just for me and the kids.
It troubled me that David spent less and less time with our children, growing distant from family traditions. His financial contribution to our household decreased, and domestic issues were left unresolved by him. I excused it as being due to his busyness and fatigue. When he announced he couldn’t join us on our holiday this year, I accepted it and went with the children to stay with my parents in the countryside. Returning home, I noticed David had changed: he became withdrawn, avoided intimacy, and once, I caught a scent of unfamiliar perfume on his clothes and lipstick marks on his shirt collar.
When I demanded an explanation, he confessed to the affair and his intention to leave. My attempts to remind him about our children and the years we spent together didn’t change his mind. We consulted a lawyer to arrange the divorce. I didn’t want to let him go and couldn’t envision life without him, but I understood there was no point in holding on.
Now I find myself alone, with a broken heart and fear of the future. I realize there’s a long road ahead to healing, but I hope I’ll find the strength to continue for myself and our children.
