Ive been married for twenty years and never suspected anything was off. My husband travelled a lot for work, and Id grown used to it. Hed reply to my messages late, come home tired, saying hed had long meetings. I never went through his phone or bombarded him with questions. I trusted him.
One afternoon, I was folding laundry in our bedroom. He sat down on the bed, shoes still on, and said, I want you to let me finish before you say anything. At that moment, I knew something was wrong. He told me hed been seeing another woman.
I asked who she was. He paused for a moment and then told me her name Emily. She worked near his office. She was younger than him. I asked if he was in love. He said he wasnt sure, just that things felt different with her, that he didnt feel so worn out. I asked if he was planning to leave. He answered, Yes. I dont want to pretend anymore.
That night he slept on the sofa. He got up early the next morning and didnt come home for two days. When he finally returned, hed already spoken to a solicitor. He told me he wanted a divorce as quickly as possible, no drama. He started listing what hed take and what hed leave. I just sat and listened. In less than a week, I had moved out.
The following months were tough. I had to handle everything alone paperwork, bills, decisions all the things we used to share. I began going out more, not really out of desire, but because I needed to. I accepted invitations just to avoid sitting at home. At one of these outings, I met a man in the queue at a coffee shop. We chatted about nothing much the weather, the crowds, the lateness.
We kept catching each others eye. One day, sitting at a little table, he told me his age he was fifteen years younger than me. He didnt make jokes about it or act awkwardly. He asked my age and carried on as if it didnt matter. He asked if Id like to go out again, and I said yes.
With him, everything was different. No grand promises, no flowery speeches. He asked how I was, listened to me, and stayed by my side when I talked about the divorce, never changing the subject. One day, he said plainly that he liked me, and that he understood I was coming out of something complicated. I told him I didnt want to repeat my mistakes and didnt want to be dependent on anyone. He said he wasnt trying to control me, nor did he want to save me.
My ex found out through others. Months had passed with no contact, but he rang and asked if it was true I was dating a younger man. I told him yes. He asked if I wasnt ashamed. I said whats truly shameful was his betrayal. He hung up without another word.
I divorced because he left me for someone else. Then, without even searching for it, I ended up with someone who loves and values me.
Is that a gift from life?
