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No More a Betrayed Wife, I Reclaimed My Buried Dream
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On my 35th wedding anniversary, I was surprised to receive an invitation from my best friend and my husband. The words written on the invitation left me stunned. ‘ “Miss Margaux Clarke and Mr. Richard Sinclair, invite you to the joyous celebration of their thirty-third wedding anniversary.” Despite being married for thirty-five years, my husband and I had never had a formal wedding ceremony. I went to confront him, clutching the invitation. But the sound of laughter coming from inside made me stop at the door. “Dad, your wedding photos with Margaux look really nice. Way better than your photo with Mom,” my son said. “Your mother is a plain housewife, while Margaux is a dance professor. Surely, she could never match Margaux’s poises and elegance,” Richard replied, waving his hand dismissively. “Don’t say that,” Margaux chimed in. “Anna would be sad if she knew you were talking badly about her. Besides, isn’t today your anniversary?” Richard let out a mocking laugh. “Like she cares about any of that stuff. The only thing she cares about is which groceries are on sale today. Celebrating a special occasion is never in her agenda.” Standing outside the door, listening to my husband mock me without the slightest restraint, I then realized that my devotion of more than thirty years was nothing more than their laughing material. I had decided, there was no point in spending whatever years I had left exhausting myself for a family like this anymore.
Chapters (5)
Chapter 1
On my 35th wedding anniversary, I was surprised to receive an invitation from my best friend and my husband. The words written on the invitation left me stunned. ‘
“Miss Margaux Clarke and Mr. Richard Sinclair, invite you to the joyous celebration of their thirty-third wedding anniversary.”
Despite being married for thirty-five years, my husband and I had never had a formal wedding ceremony.
I went to confront him, clutching the invitation. But the sound of laughter coming from inside made me stop at the door.
“Dad, your wedding photos with Margaux look really nice. Way better than your photo with Mom,” my son said.
“Your mother is a plain housewife, while Margaux is a dance professor. Surely, she could never match Margaux’s poises and elegance,” Richard replied, waving his hand dismissively.
“Don’t say that,” Margaux chimed in. “Anna would be sad if she knew you were talking badly about her. Besides, isn’t today your anniversary?”
Richard let out a mocking laugh.
“Like she cares about any of that stuff. The only thing she cares about is which groceries are on sale today. Celebrating a special occasion is never in her agenda.”
Standing outside the door, listening to my husband mock me without the slightest restraint, I then realized that my devotion of more than thirty years was nothing more than their laughing material.
I had decided, there was no point in spending whatever years I had left exhausting myself for a family like this anymore.
***
No one knew but Margaux and Richard—I, too, was one of the best students at the dance school thirty-five years ago.
I had won several major championships and a potential to win a national title. If it hadn't been for me getting pregnant, I wouldn’t have given up the solo performance I’d been preparing for two years.
Margaux took over that opportunity, which made her a star overnight. She then offered a teaching position at the dance school, which later gave her a greater chance to advance to become a dance professor.
While I… had never performed on stage again.
Margaux’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. “You’re being too harsh, Richard. As far as I can remember, Anna used to be one of the brilliant dancers too,” she paused, then continued softly, “but if you weren't deliberately getting her pregnant back then, that solo performance would've never fallen into my lap, and I wouldn’t have won the national championship.”
Her words left me completely stunned. It felt as though I’d been plunged into a frozen lake.
Margaux spoke gently, as if she were casually mentioning something insignificant. Yet that supposedly insignificant moment was the reason I’d willingly spent more than thirty years as a housewife.
No wonder I’d gotten pregnant despite always using birth control. Richard had told me that our child and I were bound by fate, and that was why the baby had overcome every obstacle to find its way into my womb. I’d even felt guilty about the pregnancy, believing I’d caused Richard trouble.
Now, looking back, I realized that the past thirty-five years of my life had been nothing but a joke. My heart felt like a sharp blade went through it over and over, and I was left breathless.
Margaux raised a hand to tuck a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. The diamond ring on her left ring finger glittered under the lights.
I recognized that ring.
Three days ago, I'd found it in a drawer in Richard's study. At the time, I'd thought he'd finally remembered that he owed me a wedding and a ring thirty-five years ago. The company had just been getting off the ground, and the budget were tight. He couldn't afford a ring, let alone a proper wedding.
At that moment, holding my hand, Richard said, “Anna, when we have enough money, I’ll buy you a ring with the biggest diamond and throw you the most lavish wedding ever to make up for it.”
Soon, our financial standing improved. When I felt we were stable enough, I brought up marriage, but Richard seemed reluctant.
“We’re too old for that. Aren’t you afraid we’ll be the laughingstock of everyone?” he asked, which was met with laughter from my son.
“Mom, you’re already a grandma. Why on earth would you want to throw a wedding party?” he asked, shaking his head. “Besides, do you even still see your old friends? Who are you going to invite?”
“Exactly,” my daughter chimed in. “It's not like you have any friends outside the family. Why bother throwing a wedding? And honestly, would a wedding dress even look good on you at your age?”
She chuckled.
“Just forget it. You do a great job taking care of the house and Justin.”
At that moment, I swallowed the rest of my words.
I told myself I was being too sentimental. We'd made it through thirty-five years of marriage, and our children were already grown. What difference did it make whether we had a wedding or not? I told myself.
Life would go on as usual. I was content with my life…until I found that ring.
I was so happy when I found it, thinking Richard was finally going to give me the ring he'd promised thirty-five years ago. But now, the sight of it on Margaux's finger felt like a vicious slap across my face.
Over the past thirty-five years, Richard and Margaux had held thirty-three weddings.
Not once had he thought of me. So, I pushed open the door, and the laughter stopped abruptly.
“Anna, you’re here?”
Margaux was the first to notice, sounding rather startled. Then she stood up gracefully. “Please don't see it wrong. Today is your anniversary with Richard. We were all just here to—”
“To what? Celebrate your thirty-third wedding with my husband?” I cut her, my voice surprisingly calm
Margaux's face paled. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Anna! What the hell are you talking about?” Richard shot to his feet.
I couldn’t help feeling ridiculous watching him rush to defend her desperately. I flung the invitation onto the table in front of everyone.
The moment they saw the red invitation, the atmosphere shifted.
“Mom, Margaux is here because she’s Dad’s patient. This is therapy session,” my daughter said, trying to smooth things over. “You know Margaux lost her husband years ago, and they never got to take a wedding photo. Dad is just trying to help her work through her emotional trauma.”
It sounded plausible, considering Richard is a psychologist. Still...
“Therapy?” I laughed, tears spilling down my cheeks.
“What kind of therapy takes thirty-three years, requires a wedding celebration every year, and involves giving a patient a diamond ring?”
“Give it a break, Mom!” Our son stood up impatiently. “Margaux has had a hard life. She lost her husband and never had children of her own. She just wants to make up for some of her regrets. You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”
The children I had raised with my own hands and the husband I had spent my life with seemed to consider Margaux more family than they considered me. Almost in unison, they took her side, making me feel as though I were the one tearing this family apart.
I couldn't understand what I'd done wrong.
Then, Margaux hurried to explain.
“Anna, I just think you're so lucky. You have Richard and such a wonderful family, while I have nothing. I just wanted to experience what it's like to…” Her voice trailed off as she lowered her head, tears falling one by one onto the back of her hand.
Richard immediately stepped forward and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. The familiar tenderness of the gesture sent a chill through me. But when he turned to face me, all that warmth disappeared.
“You’re only upset because I haven’t given you the wedding I promised, aren’t you?” he said, his tone almost condescending, as if he were scolding a child for throwing a tantrum.
“Once Margaux and I finish our wedding, I’ll arrange one for you right away. There’s no need to make such a fuss.” He gave me an impatient look before continuing, “you should go home. There’s still a mountain of chores waiting for you. You need to do the laundry, prepare dinner, and help Justin with his art project. Now stop arguing over something so trivial.”
I stood frozen, unable to respond.
At his words, the hurt and anger I'd been holding inside suddenly ebbed away, leaving only a deep, bitter disappointment.
I lowered my gaze to my rough hands. For thirty-five years, they had washed their clothes, prepared their meals, and cared for three generations of this family. Yet for the first time, I barely recognized them as my own.
This wasn't the life I'd been meant to live.
I should have been a celebrated dancer, admired by audiences everywhere, or a respected professor whose work was recognized by her peers.
Instead, I'd sacrificed my future for people who couldn't even see what I'd given up for them.
What a wasted life.
I had no intention of sacrificing another day of my life for this family.
When I raised my head again, I was surprised by how calm I felt. Looking straight at Richard, I spoke without a trace of hesitation.
“If you think it’s trivial, then let's get a divorce.”
The room fell silent.
Chapter 2
Richard’s lips curled into a mocking smile.
Our son spoke first, impatient in his tone.
“Dad already said he’d make it up to you with a wedding. What more do you want? He and Margaux have been planning their wedding for over six months. They can’t just call it off!”
“Besides, you’ve already waited thirty-five years. What’s a few more months? This wedding is very important for Margaux’s treatment. Can’t you be a little more understanding?”
Looking at my son’s face, so much like Richard’s, I was reminded of the countless times over the past thirty-five years when Richard had reacted the same way whenever I brought up the wedding he’d promised me.
Impatience. Contempt. Disgust.
Richard walked up to me.
“I know you feel like you’re being treated unfairly,” he said calmly. “How about this? Once Margaux and I finish our wedding, I’ll arrange everything a proper wedding should have for you, too.”
He spoke as if he were doing me a favor.
“Now, stop sulking and go get groceries,” he continued dismissively. “Make beef with cilantro for dinner. It’s Margaux’s favorite.”
I stared at him for a moment, hardly able to believe what I’d just heard.
Richard knew exactly what Margaux liked and didn't. But when it came to me, he couldn’t care less. For example, I absolutely hated cilantro. It was the only food I was allergic to.
***
Back when Richard was still courting me, he took me out to dinner one night. I had an allergic reaction to cilantro and ended up in the hospital. He stayed by my bedside all night, holding my hand as he made a promise.
“I’m sorry, Anna,” he said earnestly. “I’ll remember that you can’t eat cilantro. I swear I’ll never let you eat or near it again for as long as we live.”
After we got married, Margaux began coming over more and more often, claiming she wanted to thank me for giving up my solo performance for her. Margaux loved beef with cilantro, so before long, the dish became a regular fixture on our dinner table.
Every time I made it, my hands would itch terribly, but Richard never once asked me my condition.
The worst time, my hands swelled up like balloons after I finished cooking. In the middle of the night, my fever soared to 104 degrees, rashes broke out all over my body, and I could barely breathe.
I shook Richard awake. He glanced at me, then rolled over. “Just put on some ointment. I have a meeting tomorrow.”
That night, I went to the emergency room alone. I spent the entire night receiving IV treatment before my symptoms eased.
The next morning, when I returned home, Richard barely glanced at me. “Since you’re feeling better, remember to take Justin to school,” he said indifferently. “And Margaux is coming over tonight, don't forget to pick up some cilantro when you go grocery shopping.”
He was so indifferent, I lost my words.
I kept telling myself that for the sake of our home, our children, and the thirty-five years of love we’d shared, I could endure a little more.
Looking back now, I could hardly believe how foolish I’d been.
***
I threw a glance at everyone in the room. Each one of them had the same confidence on their faces.
For thirty-five years, no matter how much I’d suffered or how thoroughly they’d ignored me, I had always gotten up the next morning and gone about my usual routine: getting groceries, cooking, doing laundry, and mopping the floors.
That was why they were so sure I would do the same this time.
But for the first time in my life, I wanted to fight back. And I was determined.
“Richard,” I called. “I don’t want a wedding anymore.”
I looked him straight in the eye and continued, “If you want to marry her, then give her the title she deserves. I’ll step aside.”
Then, and only then, Richard’s face darkened.
“Don’t you think you’ve taken this too far?” he snapped.
Before I could respond, our son jumped in.
“Stop it, Mom! You’re being stubborn,” he said impatiently. “Do you really think you can walk away from this family? What about Justin? Can you really bear to leave your own grandson?”
At the mention of his name, Justin looked up at me. But instead of coming to me, he turned and threw himself into Margaux’s arms.
“That’s great!” he exclaimed. “Now Margaux can be my real grandma.”
His words pierced my heart.
Margaux had her eyes on me.
“Anna, please don’t do this,” she said gently. “You’ve been married to Richard for so many years. There’s no need to let a little misunderstanding come between you.”
“If you’re not okay with Richard treating me, I’ll stop seeing him. Starting today,” she continued, “I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right between you two.”
As she spoke, she stepped closer and reached for my hand.
“Look, why don’t you take my wedding dress? You can also use the venue, and here, take the ring,” she offered softly. “You can have it all. I just want you and Richard to make up.”
The way she spoke to me, as if she were handing out charity, only made me feel more disgusted. I instinctively pulled my hand away.
Just then, Margaux stumbled and lurched forward. Her knee struck the corner of the coffee table with a sickening thud. She let out a piercing scream and collapsed to the floor, clutching her leg as tears instantly welled in her eyes.
“Why did you push me?”
She cried, looking up at me in disbelief.
Chapter 3
Richard rushed over first. He shoved me aside, then crouched down to help Margaux.
My lower back slammed into the cabinet behind me, sending a sharp pain shooting through my spine. Thirty-five years of housework had left me with severe lower back strain. After such a hard impact, the pain was so intense that my vision went black. I no longer had the strength to stand.
“Margaux! Are you okay?” Richard asked anxiously.
He carefully examined her leg. When he saw the beads of blood on the scrape across her knee, his face went pale.
Our son rushed over, too, glaring at me angrily.
“Have you lost your mind?” he shouted. “Why would you push Margaux?”
Our daughter knelt beside Margaux on the other side, looking close to tears.
“Margaux, are you okay?” she asked anxiously. “Does it hurt?”
Justin stepped in front of Margaux protectively.
“Grandma Margaux, don’t be scared!” he declared. “I’ll protect you!”
Margaux leaned against Richard, her whole body trembling as she sobbed.
“Richard, my leg... My leg hurts so much...” she cried. “What if I can never dance again?”
“That won’t happen!” Richard reassured her, holding her close. His voice was full of worry. “I’ll take you to the hospital. You’re gonna be okay.”
Then he looked up at me, his eyes filled with hatred, as if I were his sworn enemy.
“If you have a problem, take it up with me. Why did you push Margaux? She was kind enough to give up her wedding for you, and this is how you treat her?”
I was in so much pain that I couldn’t say a word.
“You want a divorce? Fine. Meet me at the courthouse tomorrow morning,” Richard said coldly. “And you can forget about the wedding. You’ll never have one. Not as long as you live.”
He turned to Margaux, gently helped her into his arms.
“Let’s get you out of here,” he murmured. “Anna and I are getting divorced, you don’t have to give up your wedding for her anymore.”
I watched them disappear through my blurred vision.
The family members who stayed behind stared at me with disappointment.
“You’ve gone too far, Mom,” my daughter said. “You know how important her legs are, yet you still went and hurt her.”
“You don’t need to pick Justin up or drop him off for the next few days,” my son added coldly. “I don’t want him growing up cruel and vicious by following your example.”
The door shut as their figures retreated.
I finally push myself up from the cold floor. Every movement made my lower back feel as if someone were snapping me in half.
Gritting my teeth, I used the cabinet to pull myself to my feet. Margaux’s perfume lingered thick in the air. Its cloying sweetness made me want to throw up.
Holding on to the wall, I slowly made my way back to the bedroom. I took out a pain-relief patch and applied it to my lower back. Only then did the pain ease a little.
Once I had enough strength to walk, I called a cab to the hospital.
I checked in alone, waited in line alone, got my X-rays alone, and waited by myself for the results. Meanwhile, every member of my family was by another woman’s side.
The results came quickly. My chronic lower back strain worsened, and I suffered a severe sprain. The doctor glanced behind me, seemingly expecting someone to be there.
“Didn’t any of your family come with you?” she asked.
I instinctively tightened my grip on the diagnosis report and shook my head.
“No.”
The doctor opened her mouth, then gave me a pitying look.
“There’s nothing particularly bad about your condition,” she explained gently. “You just need plenty of rest and little activity.”
I nodded and thanked her before leaving the emergency department.
The sharp smell of disinfectant mingled with the scent of medication, hitting me so strongly that my eyes began to water. When I felt tears on my face, I froze for a moment, then quickly raised a hand to wipe them away.
But somehow couldn’t stop.
Then my phone buzzed several times. Desperate to distract myself, I unlocked the screen. Margaux sent me a long grocery list, only to unsend it a second later.
Another message followed almost immediately.
Margaux: [Sorry, Anna. My finger slipped.]
Margaux: [I meant to send that to Richard. He said he wanted to cook dinner himself tonight, so he asked me to make him a grocery list.]
Margaux: [He told me to get plenty of rest because of my injured leg. He's going to stay at my place and take care of me for a while. I hope you don't mind.]
I stared at her messages for a long time.
Over the past few years, my chronic lower back pain had grown worse. Even walking to the nearest bus stop had become difficult.
Sometimes, when the pain was unbearable, I'd ask Richard to pick up a few things from the market on his way home from work.
But he always refused, complaining that he was exhausted after work and had no energy to push through a crowded market. He also insisted that I barely had any housework to do and questioned how bad my back could really be if I could hardly walk.
In his eyes, I was simply being dramatic.
In all our thirty-five years of marriage, he'd never cooked me a single meal. Not when I had fever that reached 104 degrees. Not when my back hurt so badly that I couldn't even straighten up. He would simply sit there and wait for me to bring his food to him.
Whenever I complained, Richard would answer impatiently, “What do you expect a grown man like me to know about cooking?”
So it wasn't that he couldn't cook. He simply didn't want to cook for me.
I took a deep breath and replied that whatever Richard did was none of my concern anymore, since we had nothing to do with each other. I also reminded Margaux to tell him that we were meeting at the courthouse the next morning.
After sending the message, I blocked her.
Chapter 4
I got home the same way I left. Then I looked around the empty house, feeling something I hadn’t felt in years. Relief.
For the first time, I didn’t have to cook for the whole family or spend my day cleaning up after everyone.
I went to the bedroom and packed up everything I’d accumulated over the years. But after searching through drawers and closets, I realized that there’s not much thing I owned.
Thirty-five years of marriage, packed into a single box—and still plenty of space left. Then I booked a flight to France online.
The latest Global Dance Arts Festival was going to be held in Paris. It was the competition I’d once dreamed of entering more than anything.
After marrying Richard, I hadn’t given up on the idea of returning to the stage —I’d considered making a comeback more than once.
But every time I brought it up, Richard would say, “The family needs you, Anna. I’m busy with work, and the kids need you to take care of them. Once they’ve grown, you can do whatever you want. I’ll support you all the way. For now, let’s focus on building a good life for our little family, okay?”
Looking at our newborn son, Keith, and the earnest look in Richard’s eyes, I’d softened and given in. But even after the children grew up, there was still an endless amount of work waiting for me at home. I never got the chance to do all the things Richard had promised I could do someday.
Now, at last, I had the chance to live for myself, no longer had to worry about family, children, or the endless and exhausting housework.
That night, I slept more peacefully than I had in years.
Early the next morning, I arrived at the courthouse right on time. But by noon, Richard still hadn’t shown up.
After a long moment of hesitation, I dialed Richard’s number.
He answered, but before I could say a word, his angry voice came first.
“What? Feeling guilty now? I can put up with your jealousy and tantrums, Anna, but how could you be this vicious?!”
His barrage of accusations and anger left me frozen. It took me a long moment to process what he was saying.
“What did I do?” I finally asked.
“Playing dumb, huh?” Richard let out a cold laugh. “It was you spreading rumors accusing Margaux of academic fraud and being a homewrecker, right? I’ve already had someone look into it. They traced the IP address of the first person who spread it, and it came from this city. Who do you think could it possibly be?” He accused.
In seconds, I knew who actually did it.
But I also knew Richard would never believe me, no matter what I said. Once he’d decided I was guilty, even if the truth were right in front of him, he would still blame me.
Richard’s furious voice continued through the phone. “You need clear this up. Tell everyone you’re sorry. Admit that you made up those rumors because you were jealous of Margaux and her success!”
My grip tightened around my phone. I’d been waiting outside the courthouse for hours, and standing right under the scorching sun had me dizzy.
“I know you won’t believe me, but it wasn’t me.” I squeezed the word out.
“If it wasn’t you, Anna, then who?” Richard snapped, his anger growing. “Thirty-five years ago, you were always the one in the spotlight; she was always second to you. You flaunt yourself in her presence every single day. Looking for faults in her every move. You were jealous when she took your spot in the solo performance and won the championship because you were pregnant. You’ve been jealous of her ever since, haven’t you, Anna?”
I froze.
Margaux was my closest friend at dance school. After every rehearsal, she would ask me to help her perfect her movements.
Whenever I won an award, Margaux was the first person I wanted to share the news with. And when I became pregnant and could no longer perform solo, she was the first person I thought of when our professor asked me to recommend a replacement.
I’d never imagined that anyone could look at those memories and see boasting and fault-finding instead of friendship.
I would sometimes feel envious or a little down when I watched Margaux succeed. But I’d never been jealous of her. And if Richard hadn’t deliberately gotten me pregnant, none of this would have happened.
With a tight grip around my phone, I shot, “You got me pregnant. You did it knowing full well I’d have to give up my solo performance. You planned everything ever so meticulously, making a way for Margaux, because you had feelings for her!”
I pause.
“Now, tell me that’s not true. Can you do that, Richard?”
Chapter 5
Silent on the other end of the line.
“Why are you bringing up something that happened thirty-five years ago? What’s in it for you? Whether it’s true or not, what difference does it make? You’ve lived a good life with me, have you not?”
During that brief pause, I heard Richard breath coming in short, rapid gasps—no doubt from anger.
“Margaux has already taken this matter to the police. If you don’t want to get charged and end up in jail, you can try to fight it.” Now his tone dropped, sounding threatening.
“But I’ll tell you one thing. You’re nothing more than a housewife now, while Margaux is a dance professor, and I’ll be on her side. She and I have connections you can’t possibly match. If this goes to court, you won’t stand a chance.”
The call ended.
I stood frozen in the courthouse courtyard. The sun’s heat burned my skin, but inside I felt only cold. He wanted me to apologize for something I didn’t do.
That would never happen.
When I got home, I found my stuff dumped outside, the door lock had changed, too.
I knew this was Richard forcing me to back down. He was counting on how much this family meant to me.
But this time, I refused to lower my head and give in like I always had. Without a word, I pulled my suitcase along and left the apartment complex.
My phone buzzed. I looked down and saw a news alert.
‘Dance Professor Margaux Clarke Targeted by Malicious Defamation; Longtime Friend Richard Sinclair and His Children Publicly Show Their Support.’
I opened it.
A video appeared on the screen.
Richard stood with a solemn expression, our son and daughter behind him, along with our grandson. The whole family stood together in a neat row.
Richard’s expression turned solemn as he addressed the camera.
“Regarding the false claims circulating online about Ms. Clarke, my patient, I’d like to make an official statement. As her treating physician and a longtime friend, I feel responsible for clearing the air. These malicious slanders are nothing other than my wife’s doing.”
Our son then stepped forward.
“My mother has always resented Ms. Clarke for taking her place in the national competition thirty years ago. But the truth is, she simply wasn’t as talented as Ms. Clarke, which is why she had to give up her chance. Ever since then, she’s held a grudge against her.”
“As her children, this whole situation pains us, but we can’t go against our conscience and cover up for her,” he said, his voice heavy with sorrow.
Richard nodded in agreement before continuing
“My wife hasn’t been in a great mental state for the last few years. I’ve tried to have patience and understanding with her, but it doesn’t seem to have yielded any positive results.”
He paused briefly before adding, his expression grave, “She’s spent most of her life being a housewife. I believe it narrowed down her perspective. Whenever she sees Margaux and me conducting perfectly normal psychological therapy sessions, she assumes there’s something improper between us. That’s how things have spiraled to this point.”
I stared at the family I’d spent more than thirty years with, and all I could feel was how tragic my life had become. To them, I was nothing but a narrow-minded housewife who knew only how to get jealous and hurt others.
Compared to Margaux, who stood at the center of the screen as both a victim and a respected dance professor, I was portrayed as someone beneath her in every way.
At that moment, the last tiny piece of hope I’d held on to for this family shattered.
I opened my contacts and called a junior from my old dance school, Caroline Watson.
She also studied law.
She’d shown up to almost every one of my dance competitions back when I was still competing, to cheer me on. We’d grown close over time.
Even now, we occasionally caught up during the holidays, chatting about how things had been going.
“Hi, Anna,” she answered on the first ring.
“I read the news. I’m sorry this is happening to you, but don’t worry. I don’t believe any of it. If you need anything, just let me know. I’m here to help.” A hint of worry in her voice.
Before I knew it, tears had welled up in my eyes.
I was deeply moved. Someone I rarely saw still trusted me without question, while my own child, whom I’d raised with my own hands, and the husband I’d devoted decades of my life to had chosen to believe someone else instead.
“That’s why I called, honestly,” I said. “I need help with some legal paperwork. I want to divorce my husband, Richard. We’ve been married for thirty-five years, but he’s been cheating on me for thirty-three of them. I want him left with nothing, and I want to sue every party who had a hand in this matter.”
“Of course, Anna,” Caroline replied without hesitation. “I’ll send you a flight ticket so we can go through the details in person.”
Caroline wasted no second. I had the flight ticked ready by afternoon. I soon hailed a taxi and headed to the airport.
As I boarded the plane and watched the city gradually shrink in size, I felt nothing but relief.
I never got the marriage that was promised to me, the one I’d been waiting for thirty-five years. And throughout that time, I lost the life that should have been mine.
Today, I’m taking my life back.
