Oh mate, let me tell you this storyits a proper cautionary tale. I finally realised what Id done. I wanted to go back to my ex-wife, the woman Id spent 30 years with, but by then, it was too late
Im 52 now. And Ive got nothing. No wife, no family, no kids, no jobabsolutely nothing.
My names Edward. Lived three decades with my wife, Margaret. I was the breadwinner, looked after the family, while she took care of the home. Never wanted her to workliked having her there. But over time, she started to get on my nerves.
We carried on, polite enough, but the love just fizzled out. Thought that was normal. Suited me fine. Then everything changed. One night, down the pub, I met Lily. Twenty years younger than me. Gorgeous, sweet, funnylike something out of a dream.
We started seeing each other, and before long, she became my mistress. Two months in, I couldnt keep lying to Margaret. Didnt even want to go home after work anymore. Knew I was in love with Lily, wanted to marry her.
A few days later, I came clean. Margaret didnt kick offjust stayed dead calm. Thought maybe she didnt love me either, the way she took it. Only now do I realise how much I hurt her.
We divorced. Sold the house wed shared for years. Lily insisted I shouldnt let Margaret keep it, so I didnt. She ended up in a tiny flat, while I blew my savings on a two-bed for Lily.
Didnt give Margaret a penny, even though I knew she was skint and wouldnt find work straight away. My sons stopped speaking to methey knew Id betrayed their mum and wouldnt forgive me.
Back then, I didnt care. Lily was pregnant, and we were buzzing for the baby. When our son arrived, though, he didnt look like either of us. My mates reckoned he wasnt mine, but I ignored them.
Life with Lily was a nightmare. I was working all hours, doing the housework, looking after the kid. Lily just kept asking for money and was out all hours. Place was a tip, never any dinner ready. Shed roll in at 4 AM, reeking of booze, picking fights over nothing.
Lost my job. Exhausted, angry, slacking off. Three years of that, then my brotherwho never liked Lily and always doubted the kid was minemade me take a DNA test. Turns out, he was right.
Divorced Lily straight after. By then, Id had no contact with Margaret or my sons. Once it was all over, I decided to go back to her. Bought flowers, a bottle of wine, a cakeshowed up at her old place. But shed moved. Bloke who lived there gave me her new address.
Went round, and some fella answered the door. Turned out Margaret had landed a good job and married a colleague. Happy as anything.
Saw her in a café later. Asked if shed take me back. She looked at me like I was daft and walked off. Now I get itthe mistake I made. What was I thinking? Throwing away everything for some young woman?
Im 52. Got no wife, no job, even my own kids wont talk to me. Lost everything that ever mattered. And its all my fault. Worst part? Ill never be able to fix it.
