After nineteen years of marriage and raising two children, my husband left me for a younger colleague.
I’m 42 years old, and two weeks ago, my world fell apart: my husband, with whom I spent 19 years and raised two kids, announced that he wanted a divorce. He candidly admitted he’s been in a relationship for two years with a 28-year-old coworker who is now expecting his child.
Since then, I haven’t stopped crying, tormented by the question: how could I have been so blind not to see his infidelity? I trusted Mark when he said he was staying late at work due to new projects and frequent business trips across the country. I waited for him, tidying up our home, cooking his favorite meals, and ironing shirts for the week ahead. I never suspected that all this care was not just for me and the kids.
I was troubled that Mark seemed to spend less and less time with the children, pulling away from family traditions. His financial contribution to the household decreased, and domestic issues remained unresolved by him. I justified it by his busyness and fatigue. When he said he couldn’t join us for this year’s holiday, I resigned myself to going with the kids to my parents’ place in the countryside. Upon returning home, I noticed Mark had changed: he became reserved, avoided closeness, and one day I smelled another woman’s perfume on his clothes and saw lipstick marks on his shirt collar.
When I demanded an explanation, he confessed to the affair and stated his intention to leave. My attempts to remind him about the 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, couldn’t imagine life without him, but I understood that holding on was pointless.
Now I’m left alone, with a broken heart and fear of the future. I realize there’s a long road to healing ahead, but I hope I can find the strength to live on for myself and our children.
