After nineteen years of marriage and raising two children, my husband left me for a younger colleague.
I’m 42 years old, and just a fortnight ago, my world fell apart: my husband, with whom I’ve spent 19 years and raised two children, announced he wants a divorce. He confessed frankly that he has been in a relationship for two years with a 28-year-old colleague who is now expecting his child.
Since then, I’ve been unable to stop crying, tormented by the thought of how I was so blind to his betrayal. I trusted Oliver when he said he was working late due to new projects and frequent business trips across the country. I waited for him, keeping our home tidy, cooking his favorite meals, and ironing a week’s worth of shirts. I never suspected that all this care wasn’t just for me and the kids.
I was worried that Oliver was spending less time with the children, growing distant from our family traditions. His financial contribution to the household had decreased, and domestic issues were left without his input. I justified this with his busy work schedule and tiredness. When he mentioned he wouldn’t be able to join us on holiday this year, I accepted it and went with the kids to stay with my parents at their cottage. Upon returning, I noticed changes in Oliver: he became withdrawn, avoided intimacy, and one day I caught a whiff of unfamiliar perfume on his clothes and found lipstick marks on his shirt collar.
When I demanded an explanation, he admitted to the affair and revealed his intention to leave. My efforts to remind him about our children and the years we’ve spent together didn’t change his decision. We sought legal advice to initiate the divorce process. I didn’t want to let him go and couldn’t envision life without him, but I realized there was no point in holding on.
Now I’m left alone, with a broken heart and fears about the future. I understand that there is a long journey to healing ahead, but I hope I can find the strength to move on for the sake of myself and our children.
