The tale may seem ordinary, yet it carries a lesson—a couple in their early fifties, having celebrated their silver wedding anniversary. Their two children were grown and independent. Life had been steady, neither brimming with passion nor marred by constant quarrels. The husband, Geoffrey, stood out only in his perpetual gloom, his stern face aging him beyond his 56 years.
Then came the change, swift and unexpected, sparked by a new colleague at work. She wasn’t particularly young, but still twenty years Geoffrey’s junior. Suddenly, emotions—bright ones—flickered across his face. Soon, the entire office knew of the affair between Geoffrey and Imogen.
He began confiding in coworkers, even slipping that she pressed him to divorce. Eventually, the whispers became reality. Geoffrey left his family, renting a flat where he and Imogen settled. Out of lingering respect, he surrendered everything to his ex-wife, determined to start anew.
Time passed, and Imogen wanted children. Geoffrey, too, longed to expand their family. When infertility forced them to hire a surrogate, Imogen changed her mind—motherhood wasn’t for her after all.
In the end, Geoffrey faced yet another parting. He remained in that borrowed flat, alone but for two small children. The promise of fresh excitement had cost him his fortune, his family—all for a woman who never truly valued it.
