I’ve given my family everything, yet my husband is ᴄʜᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ, and the kids support him. At one of his gatherings, I took a breather and stumbled across someone unexpected: my first love. Then came an offer that left me speechless…
I stood at the stove, stirring the soup, watching it bubble but feeling distant. The house was quiet, as it always is in the evening. Then Jack entered through the front door.
No “Hi,” no “How’s your day?” My hubby did not even look my way. He put his jacket on a chair and began discussing work.
“There’s another event next week,” he said, not missing a beat. “You’re coming.”
“I don’t want to go,” I replied softly, knowing it didn’t matter what I said.
As usual, Jack continued to speak while ignoring my response. His whole life revolved around employment, the people he could impress, and how he looked to them.
I was just another accessory he anticipated to arrive with.
We sat down to eat shortly after. Lucas, our 17-year-old son, was already glued to his phone. He looked up for a second, barely meeting my gaze, then returned to texting.
“You know, you could help set the table,” I said, trying to get his attention.
“Yeah, maybe later,” he muttered, not looking up.
Jack glanced at Lucas, but said nothing. He had always been the easy father, giving Lucas whatever he wanted. A car, cash, and no rules.
Lucas regarded Jack as the cool one, whilst I was the nagging mother who forced him to eat his vegetables and study.
Across from me, Mia, our 14-year-old daughter, sat with her head down, texting like her brother. We seldom spoke anymore. Like Lucas, she looked up to Jack. He let her attend parties, didn’t scrutinize her friends, and didn’t say no.
“I’m going to Katie’s after dinner,” Mia said suddenly.
“No, Mia, you can’t…” I began, but Jack cut me off with a quick nod.
“Sure, it’s fine,” he said, not even looking at me.
“Jack, we need to talk about…” I tried again.
“Not now,” he said, brushing me off. “We’ll deal with it later.”
That is how it has always been. I was left to say no and worry about things. Jack, on the other hand, did not appear to notice the tension around the table.
He glanced at his watch and then at me.
“Be ready by six,” he said. “We’re going to the party tonight. And please, smile. I need to make a good impression on my partners.”
I stared at my plate, feeling little. A stranger in my own house. A ghost appeared at my own table. And nobody appeared to notice.
The celebration was the same as usual: lavish, loud, and exhausting. I stood off to the side as Jack entertained his business partners, shaking hands, swapping laughs, and entirely forgetting about me. It was his universe. I was simply part of the scenery.
I observed from a distance, attempting to blend into the wallpaper. Then I spotted her. Claire. Again. She was always present, too near to Jack.
I observed how she leaned in when he spoke, and how her smile lasted just a second too long. It was not a coincidence. I’d seen it too many times before. My stomach churned.
I needed air. Without saying a word, I slipped out onto the balcony, hoping to escape the weight of the evening. When the cool breeze reached my face, I was able to breathe again.
Then I saw him.
“Emily?”
Daniel was my first love. He appeared almost identical, with his lovely eyes and genuine smile. It seemed as if no time had gone.
“Daniel… I can’t believe it’s you.”
He stepped closer. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”
We started conversing, and it felt so easy and natural. It’s like slipping back into an old, beloved sweater.
Memories of a simpler period invaded my thoughts, when I was just Emily, not Jack’s wife, Lucas, or Mia’s mother. That time, I had dreams and was not defined by others. For the first time in years, I felt…alive.
“You seem tired,” Daniel said, worrying. “Are you okay?”
I smiled weakly, not sure how to answer. “Life… it’s just been a lot lately.”
“I get it. Maybe we should meet again, just to catch up. It’s good to talk sometimes.”
“I’m married now, Daniel.”
“I know,” he said gently. “But I’m only offering a conversation.”
Before he went, Daniel gave me a card.
“I won’t be in town long, but if you ever need someone to talk to… don’t hesitate.”
I stared at the card. As he went away, I realized something had changed within me. I hadn’t felt this in a long time.
Hope, perhaps?
But before the feeling could settle in, I shook my head, pushing the ideas away.
No, it is not who I am. I am married and have a family. I need to concentrate on that.
I turned to find Jack. I wanted to go home, put my arms around him, and pretend everything was normal.
But when I returned to the party, Claire was already by his side. Jack did not appear to notice or care.
“Ready to go?” I asked, trying to sound as normal as possible.
Jack arched an eyebrow, checked his watch, and shook his head.
“I called you a taxi. You’re clearly ready to leave.”
“What?” I asked, confused.
“I knew you’d want to rush home,” he said with a casual shrug. “That’s just how you are. You never stay through these things. It’s fine. I’ll stay—it’s important.”
“Jack… why is she always with you?” I blurted, my eyes darting toward Claire, who was now pretending not to listen.
He laughed and shook his head.
“Emily, don’t start. Don’t turn this around on me. You’re the one running off, not me.”
It was always like this. Regardless of what I said or felt, I was always to blame.
“Fine,” I whispered.
The taxi arrived moments later, and I got in, feeling more alone than ever.
The next morning, I awoke and reached out reflexively, but Jack’s side of the bed was empty and cold. He hadn’t arrived home. My heart plummeted as I sat up, and my phone vibrated on the nightstand.
It was a text from Jack.
“Stayed at a friend’s. Late night talking.”
I stared at the message. There was no warmth, and no clear reason. Just phrases that seemed like a lame justification. I tried to believe him, but I couldn’t. Something deep within me recognized the truth.
I made breakfast downstairs, trying to maintain a usual routine. But nothing seemed normal now. Mia walked into the kitchen, scarcely looking at me as she picked up her phone from the counter.
“I’m staying at Olivia’s tonight after the party.”
“No, Mia,” I said, setting the plates on the table. “You’re staying home tonight.”
Her eyes burned with rage, and she slapped her phone down on the counter.
“Dad already said I could go!”
“Well, I’m saying you can’t. You’re fourteen, Mia. You can’t just do whatever you want.”
Mia pushed the plate away.
“You’re always making things harder! Dad lets me do what I want, but you…”
She rose up, her face flushed from frustration.
“No wonder he doesn’t love you anymore! You’re always ruining everything!”
Her words struck me hard. Before I could respond, she stormed out of the room. Lucas, who had been sitting silently at the table, eventually piped up.
“Mia’s right, you know.”
“What?”
“It’s obvious,” he continued. “Dad’s seeing someone else. It’s because of you.”
I blinked, unable to understand what I was hearing.
“What do you mean?”
Lucas shrugged and looked at me with disappointment.
“You’ve let yourself go. You’re always nagging him, always making things hard. No wonder he’s found someone else who understands him.”
My chest clenched as his words penetrated. My own children viewed me as the problem. I’d lost them, just like I had Jack.
I walked over to the kitchen counter, where Daniel’s business card was still sitting.
Later that afternoon, I called Daniel. I needed somebody to listen.
When we met, I felt immediate relief, as if a weight had been lifted from my chest. For the first time in years, I let myself talk freely.
“Emily, it sounds like you’ve been carrying a lot for a long time.”
“Yeah, I have.”
“You deserve better,” he said softly. “You really do.”
For years, I convinced myself that this was normal, and that my happiness was unimportant. But now, sitting there with Daniel and hearing someone else say it, I wasn’t so certain.
As we continued walking, something in the distant attracted my attention. My heart skips a beat. It was Jack. He was with Claire. They kissed!
OMG! Is this a bad dream?
“What is it?” Daniel asked, following my gaze.
“That’s Jack… and Claire.”
Daniel and I stood still, watching them kiss. Jack did not see me.
Something inside of me shifted at that moment. Something definitive. Whatever feelings I had for him were gone.
Daniel gently gripped my hand.
“It’s not my place to say, Emily. But, maybe, the kids need some time without you around to realize what they’re missing. Sometimes it takes distance for people to understand.”
I looked up at him, unsure what to say, but he hadn’t finished.
“I’m flying out to Florida tomorrow. I have a house there, plenty of space. You’re welcome to come with me. I’m not asking for anything, and I won’t pressure you. It’ll give you some time to clear your head, to think things over before you decide what you want.”
The thought of running away, escaping the burden of my existence, was appealing. But I was afraid of making the wrong decision, of what may happen if I left.
“I’ll send you the ticket tonight,” Daniel continued.
“You don’t have to make any decisions now. Just… think about it.”
“I should go,” I said suddenly, feeling the need to escape the conversation, the park, everything. Without waiting for a response, I hurried away.
