**Diary Entry**
*Saturday Morning*
“Nina, honestly, nothing terrible has really happened! Men do this sort of thing sometimesthey get carried away, dont know when to stop. Be the bigger person. Are you really going to give up your husband to some girl? Shell think shes won! Fight for your family!” My mother-in-laws words echoed in my ears as I packed.
That morning, Id taken our son, Daniel, to stay with my parents. When I got back, I pulled cardboard boxes from the loft and started packing his things firstclothes, toys, books, sealing each box with tape and labelling them. Soon, only the furniture remained, things I wouldnt take with me.
At noon, my phone buzzed. Mother-in-law again.
“Hello, Margaret.”
“Good afternoon, Nina. Edward told me everything. I know youre upset, but must you rush into this? Take a moment, cool off. Maybe its not worth destroying the family over?”
*Im not the one destroying it*, I thought. *Edward did that.*
“Nina, Im not excusing him! But for a first offence, couldnt you forgive him?”
“First offence? Hes been seeing his colleague for six months, lying to me. And you say forgive him? No.”
“Please, think again. Youre taking Daniel away from his father. Edward adores that boy!”
“Margaret, Edward can see Daniel whenever he likes. I wont stop him. But I wont live with your son any longer. Now, if youll excuse meIm busy packing.”
An hour later, she showed up at the flat, convinced she could talk me out of leaving. The conversation went in circles.
“Really, Nina, its not the end of the world! Men stray sometimesits just how they are.”
“Be wiser than this. Youll let some girl steal your husband? Shell think shes beaten you!”
“Edward isnt some trophy to fight over. Should I challenge her to a duel? A boxing match? If it werent her, itd be someone else.”
She leaned in. “Between us, Edwards father was the same in his youth. But I was smarterI kept the family together. Thirty-five years now. Well celebrate our coral anniversary soon.”
“And how exactly did you manage that?” I asked dryly.
“I didnt make scenes. I was kinder, cooked his favourite meals, took an interest in his work. Changed my hair, lost weight, greeted him with a smileeven when I knew hed just come from *her*.” She sighed. “Sometimes I wanted to throw him out, but I bit my tongue. And lookI kept my husband, my son grew up with a father, and now my grandson has a grandfather.”
“Youre an impressive woman, Margaret. I couldnt do that. Call it pride, but what youre suggesting feels like eating from a rubbish bin.”
She stormed out without another word.
By Sunday, my father arrived to help me load the boxes into a van. On the way, I asked him to stop at Margarets to drop off the keys.
*”Can you believe it?”* I told my friend Lucy the next day. *”She spent an hour begging me to forgive Edwards little mistake and not file for divorce.”*
“Whatd she say?”
“The usual. Youre depriving Daniel of his father, All men cheat, Women must be wiser. Then she shared how *she* won her husband back.”
“How?”
“I wont repeat it. Trust me, it was revolting.”
“Youve already filed?”
“Last Friday.”
“Good. Finally free of that cad. I hated watching him prance about.”
*”You knew?”*
“Not for certain. But I suspected. Remember the office party? How Jane clung to him? Or how shed suddenly volunteer for his business trips? I was in accountsI saw the paperwork. I didnt say anything because I wasnt sure.”
“You couldve hinted!”
“And if Id been wrong? Remember what happened to Sarah Bell? She told a friend her husband was cheating, showed her a photo of him hugging another woman. They made up, and *Sarah* was blamed for trying to break them up. She left the company after that.”
I sighed. “Fine. But where does this leave me?”
“Well fix up Grans old flattenants moved out last month. Its only two bedrooms, but enough for Daniel and me. The nurserys sortedMums friend got him into the one by our house. Once the divorce is final, Ill file for child support.”
“Will Edward agree?”
“He says he doesnt want a divorce, that hes learned his lesson. But once was enough. He begged me not to file for support, promised hed pay voluntarily.”
“And?”
“I refused. I want it official. Then he threatened to take DanielMy flats better, my salarys higher.”
“I didnt argue. Just counted his business trips last year. Eight. Saved that for court. If he tries for custody, Ill ask wholl care for Daniel when hes away. Ive got a job, a flat. Hell lose.”
He did try. Filed for custody, claiming I couldnt provide for Daniel. Margaret even accused me of *hiding* him.
*”The neighbours havent seen them! Wheres the boy? He should be in nursery, not some shady hideout!”*
I had to explainwe lived in *my* flat, Daniel attended the nursery down the road. Edwards constant travel made him an unfit primary carer.
They lost.
After the divorce, I found a new jobgood accountants arent hard to place. Then Lucy brought news:
“Jane quit. Moved to London.”
“Oh?”
“The office women made life hell for her. She lasted a month, realised the game was up, and left. So your ex is alone now.”
“Doesnt bother me.”
And it didnt.
Some wells are too poisoned to drink from. No matter how thirsty you are.
**Lesson learned:** Self-respect isnt negotiable. Some battles arent worth fightingbecause the prize was never worth having.
