I thought my marriage was loving, but over the past few years I’ve seen it fall apart. Nathan, my nine-year-old husband, had become mean and was always making fun of how I looked and how I raised my kids.
I stayed even though he was mean because I hoped things would get better. Then Nathan got a new job in a different place, so we moved. I thought that this new start would make our relationship stronger.
She wouldn’t say why at first. I found her crying one day, and she told me a shocking truth.
Nathan’s teacher, Miss Allen, told him she would be a better mum to Ellie. I could feel the ground give way below me. Nathan’s sudden friendliness, the move, and this news all added up to a terrible picture: he was cheating on her.
That night, I talked to Nathan about it. His guilty look confirmed what I already thought. He was seeing someone else before we moved, and Miss Allen wanted more. They got back in touch two weeks before Ellie heard them.
When I talked to Miss Allen the next day, she denied everything. I moved Ellie to a different school so she wouldn’t be caught in the middle of Nathan’s cheating.
The split was inevitable, and even though it hurt, I was glad it was over. Our pain from Nathan’s deception had been building up for too long.
After months, I’m still thinking about Ellie and telling her of my love. She has forgotten about Miss Allen and is doing great with her new teacher.
Nathan is free to come and go as he pleases, but I care most about Ellie’s health. Her tears showed that Nathan had lied to her, which kept me from getting into a bad marriage.
I learnt that love sometimes means letting go and putting the people who really matter first.
