You know, I don’t know if this is normal or not—my husband’s ex-wife is making my life a nightmare.
In a little town near Bath, where gossip spreads faster than wildfire, what started as love has turned into constant worry. My name’s Emily, I’m 29, and I married James, a man who’d been married before. We have a son, Oliver, and on paper, everything should be perfect. But his ex-wife, Sarah, lives in our town, and she’s like a shadow over our happiness. I don’t know if I’m overreacting or if I’m actually losing my mind.
### Love with Baggage
James won me over with his kindness and confidence. He’s a decade older than me, and his life experience felt like security. When we met, he’d been divorced for three years. His first marriage to Sarah lasted seven, no kids. He said they split because she cheated, and I believed him. We got married two years ago, and Oliver came along—our little miracle. I thought the past was behind us. But I was wrong.
Sarah’s everywhere in our town. She works at the local café, shops at the same supermarket, and seems to know everything about our lives. I’ve caught her staring at me with pure disdain. At first, I brushed it off, but then things started happening that made me question my sanity.
### The Ghost of the Past
It began with small things. Someone wrote “Give him back” in chalk on our garden wall. I wiped it off without telling James, but it unsettled me. Then came anonymous messages online: “You’re in my place,” “He’ll come back to me.” I blocked them, but the fear grew. Once, I found an old photo of James and Sarah tucked under our door—all smiles, arms around each other. When I asked him, he just shrugged. “She’s probably lonely. Don’t let it get to you.” But how could I not when her presence was everywhere?
The worst was last month. I was pushing Oliver on the swings at the park when Sarah walked up. She smiled, but her words were venom: “You think he’s yours? He still calls me at night.” I froze. She walked off, and I stood there, numb. At home, I grilled James. He swore he hadn’t spoken to her, that she was lying to wreck us. I want to believe him, but doubt gnaws at me. What if she’s telling the truth? What if he still loves her?
### Family Under Fire
Now I’m paranoid. I check James’s phone when he’s asleep, watch his face when we pass that café. I hate myself for it, but I can’t stop. Oliver is my joy, but even his laugh can’t drown out the fear that our family could crumble. My mum, seeing me like this, says, “Em, walk away. A man with that kind of baggage isn’t worth it.” But I love James. He’s a good dad, a caring husband—but his past is like a ticking bomb.
I tried reaching out to Sarah, begged her to leave us alone. She replied, “You don’t know who you’re dealing with. He’ll always be mine.” Her words are poison, slow and deadly. I don’t know if she’s lying, but her confidence terrifies me. Why won’t she let go? Why keep tormenting us? And why does James act like it’s nothing?
### My Breaking Point
I don’t know what’s normal anymore. Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe she’s just bitter and will fade away. Or do I dig deeper and risk uncovering something that shatters us? I’m terrified of what I might find, but I can’t live like this. My mates say, “Ignore her, she’s just jealous.” But how do you ignore someone who haunts every corner of your life?
James tries to reassure me: “Em, I’m with you. I love you.” But his words feel hollow now. I notice how he dodges talk of Sarah, changes the subject when I bring her up. Is he hiding something, or just sick of the drama? I don’t want to be that wife obsessing over her husband’s ex, but I won’t be the fool getting played either.
### What Now?
This is my scream for help. I don’t know what to do. Leave James? Confront Sarah? Talk to him again—but how do I force the truth? I need to protect Oliver, our family, myself. But how, when I don’t know what’s real? At 29, I dreamed of a happy family. Now I feel like I’m in some thriller, the villain a ghost from the past.
I don’t know if this is normal. But I know I can’t keep living in fear. My next move might be a mistake, but I’ll make it—just to find peace. Sarah, James, my own heart—someone’s lying. And I’ll uncover the truth, even if it breaks me.
