Finally, it’s too late
After six years of marriage, John started seeing
someone else. He pressured me to divorce him,
but I refused to sign the papers. He stopped
trying to hide it and started flaunting his new
girlfriend everywhere. Then one day, I called
him, frantic. I told him he needed to divorce me
immediately because I was about to embark on
a mission, a mission I’d signed a life–or–death
waiver for. I told him I probably wouldn’t be
coming back.
- 1.
I’d had a crush on John since we were kids,
growing up in the same neighborhood. Unlike
his reserved nature, I was a boisterous tomboy,
shamelessly tagging along behind him. The
adults always said I had the personality to be a
cop. Eventually, I did join the force, albeit not
the army.
John never liked me that way. He preferred the
quiet, doe–eyed, delicate type. The girl he’d
been crazy about dumped him when his startup
く
was struggling, the same year his mom died of
cancer. His business stalled, funding dried up,
and he hit rock bottom. He started drinking
heavily, stopped shaving, the whole nine yards.
Without a second thought, I sold the condo my
parents had bought me and gave him all the money. “John,” I said, “take this. Use it.”
He was furious when he found out where the
money came from. He yelled at me, said some
really hurtful things. I’d been the target of his
disdain my whole life, but that was the first time
he’d made me cry. Between sobs, I wailed, “I
believe in you! Your company will succeed,
you’ll make tons of money, you’ll be a big–shot
CEO! This is just an investment!”
Surprisingly, he hugged me. He said if the
company took off, we’d get married.
- 2.
I’d never made an investment before, but my
bet on John paid off big time. His startup was a
success. He made a killing in the first year. He
bought me a huge house, twice the size of the
one I’d sold. He kept his promise and proposed.
<
11:07
We got married. We had the house, the cars, the money. We were living the American dream. But as his company grew, he traveled more and more, busier than I was chasing shoplifters and armed robbers. By our second anniversary, he wasn’t coming home regularly. By the sixth year, his company was about to go public. His phone calls went unanswered, and his clothes often smelled of someone else’s perfume. My
insomnia got worse.
“John,” I said, “we need to talk.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “Sarah,” he said, “I’ve met someone. She’s… kind,
understanding. I know this is unfair to you, but if you agree to a divorce, I’ll give you ten percent of the company.”
I slapped him. “John, you bastard! I love you so much, and this is how you repay me?”
He held me tight. “I’m grateful for you, for
being there for me when I was at my lowest.
But after six years, I still… I can’t. Sarah, let’s
just get a divorce.”
- 3.
Iwas usually cocyaning but when it como to
<
11:07
I was usually easygoing, but when it came to divorce, I was stubborn. I loved him too much. I
was still hoping to win him back. I went to see the other woman, told her she was a
homewrecker, that what she was doing was
wrong. I offered her money to leave John. I even
told his dad about the affair.
I thought it would bring John back. Instead, he came home, grabbed me, and exploded. He said I was crazy. He said I knew his dad had a weak heart, and I’d deliberately caused his
angina attack, trying to kill him. He said I should take my issues up with him, not threaten his girlfriend. He called me manipulative. He
smashed things. He said I disgusted him. He
said he wanted to be left alone.
After that, I couldn’t reach him. I texted him.
“John, I’m sorry. I know I mishandled things. Please don’t be angry. Come home. I know you
like long hair and fair skin. I can grow my hair
out, I can take better care of my skin.”
He replied with one line: “Sarah, being with you
is like being with a dude. I just want a divorce.
India and thin aminahal..
<
20
CI
- I
и
Let’s end this amicably, okay?”
- 4.
The other woman got pregnant. He couldn’t
wait anymore. He brought the divorce papers
himself, along with the stock transfer
agreement. It hit me then that he’d never
wanted a child with me. I’d had a miscarriage.
After I recovered, he’d always insisted on
protection, even when I protested. But now,
he’d gotten another woman pregnant.
I felt sick. I ripped up the divorce papers, the
stock agreement, everything. I threw the pieces
at him. “John, you’re the one who wronged me.
I don’t want your stock. I won’t let you get
away with this.”
I couldn’t face it. I requested a transfer to the
narcotics unit, working undercover. I just
wouldn’t come home, wouldn’t talk about the
divorce. He stopped caring about appearances. He bought the other woman a house in the
suburbs. Everyone knew. Our friends and family assumed it was my fault, that I couldn’t give
him children. They were all exasperated with the
situation. Even his dad, now that there was a
grandchild on the way, barely said a word.
