After my husband betrayed me and my children turned away from me, I was faced with an impossible decision.

I gave everything for my family, but my husband's infidelity and the children are on his side.

At one of his parties, I stepped outside for some fresh air and ran into someone unexpected - my first love.

Then came an offer that took my breath away...

I stood at the stove, stirring the soup, watching it bubble, but feeling far away.

The house was quiet, like every night.

Then Jack walked through the front door.

No "hello," no "how was your day?"

My husband threw his jacket on a chair and started talking about work.

"There's another event next week," he said without pausing.

"You're coming."

"I don't want to go," I replied quietly, but knew what I said made no difference.

Jack kept talking, ignoring my answer as always.

His life revolved around work, the people he could impress, and how he came across to them.

I was just another accessory he expected to bring.

Soon after, we sat down to dinner.

Lucas, our 17-year-old son, was already busy on his phone.

He looked up for a moment, barely meeting my eyes, and then continued typing.

"You could help set the table," I said, getting his attention. "Yeah, maybe later," he muttered without looking up.

Jack glanced at Lucas and smiled, but said nothing.

He was always the easy parent who gave Lucas everything he wanted.

A car, money, and no rules.

Lucas saw Jack as the cool one, while I was just the annoying mom who forced him to eat vegetables and study.

Across from me sat Mia, our 14-year-old daughter.

She had her head down and was typing, just like her brother.

We hardly spoke anymore.

Like Lucas, she looked up to Jack.

He let her go to parties, didn't question her friends, and never said no.

"I'm going to Katie's after dinner," Mia said suddenly.

"No, Mia, you can't..." I started, but Jack interrupted me with a quick

nod.

"Sure, that's fine," he said without looking at me. "Jack, we need to talk about..." I tried again.

"Not now," he said, pushing me aside. "We'll sort it out later."

It was always like that.

I was the one who had to say no, who was worried.

Jack, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice the tension at the table.

He glanced at his watch and looked 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 small.

A stranger in my own home.

A ghost at my own table.

And no one seemed to notice.

The party was as it always was - lavish, loud, and exhausting.

I stood off to the side while Jack entertained his business associates, shaking hands, exchanging jokes, and completely forgetting that I existed.

This was his world.

I was just part of the scene.

I watched from a distance, trying to blend into the wall.

Then I saw her.

Claire.

Again.

She was always there, always too close to Jack.

I noticed how she leaned toward him when he spoke, how her smile lingered a moment too long.

It was no accident.

I'd seen it too many times.

My stomach churned.

I needed fresh air. Without a word, I crept out onto the balcony, hoping to escape the weight of the evening.

The cool breeze hit my face, I could breathe again.

But then I saw him.

"Emily?"

There was Daniel, my first love.

He looked almost exactly the same, with his kind eyes and his honest smile.

It was as if no time had passed.

"Daniel... I can't believe it's you."

He took a step closer.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

We started talking, and it felt so easy, so natural.

Like slipping back into an old, beloved sweater.

Memories of a simpler time flooded my mind, when I was just Emily, not Jack's wife or Lucas and Mia's mother.

Back then, I had dreams and wasn't defined by others.

For the first time in years, I felt... alive.

"You look tired," Daniel said worriedly.

"Are you OK?"

I smiled weakly, not sure how to respond.

"Life... it's just a lot lately."

"I understand. 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 just offering a chat."

Before he left, Daniel handed me a card.

"I won't be in town long, but if you need someone to talk to...

don't hesitate.

I stared at the card.

As he walked away, I realized something had changed inside me.

Something I hadn't felt in a long time.

Hope, maybe?

But before the feeling could take root, I shook my head and pushed the thoughts away.

No, that's not who I am.

I'm married, I have a family.

I need to focus on that.

I turned to find Jack.

I wanted to go home, put my arms around his body and pretend everything was fine.

But when I stepped back into the party, Claire was already at his side.

Jack didn't seem to notice or care.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked, trying to sound as normal as possible. Jack raised an eyebrow, looked at his watch, and shook his head.

"I called you a cab. You're clearly ready to go home."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I knew you'd want to rush home," he said with a casual shrug.

"That's just the way you are. You never stick to these things to the end. It's OK. I'm staying - it's important."

"Jack... why is she always with you?" I blurted out, my eyes flying to Claire, who was now pretending not to listen.

He laughed, shaking his head.

"Emily, don't start that. Don't turn it against me. You're the one running away, not me.

It's always been like that.

No matter what I said, no matter what I felt, somehow I was always the one to blame.

"Fine," I whispered.

The taxi arrived a short while later, and I got in, feeling more alone than ever.

The next morning I woke up and instinctively reached for him, but Jack's side of the bed was empty and cold.

He hadn't come home.

My heart sank as I sat up, and my phone vibrated on the nightstand.

It was a message from Jack:

"I stayed at a friend's house. Talked late last night."

I stared at the message.

There was no warmth, no real explanation.

Just words that felt like a hollow excuse.

I wanted to believe him, but I couldn't.

Something deep inside me knew the truth. Downstairs, I made breakfast and tried to keep everything normal.

But nothing felt normal anymore.

Mia wandered into the kitchen, barely looking at me as she picked up her phone from the table.

"I'm staying at Olivia's after the party tonight."

"No, Mia," I said, putting the plates on the table.

"You're staying home tonight."

Her eyes flashed with anger and she slammed her phone 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 her plate away.

"You always make everything harder! Dad lets me do whatever I want, but you..."

She stood up, her face red with frustration.

"No wonder he doesn't love you anymore! You always mess everything up!"

Her words hit me hard.

Before I could say anything, she stormed out of the room.

Lucas, who had been sitting quietly at the table, finally spoke.

Mia is right, you know."

"What?"

"It's obvious," he continued.

"Dad is seeing someone else now. It's because of you."

I blinked, unable to comprehend what I was hearing.

"What do you mean?"

Lucas shrugged and looked at me with disappointment.

"You've let yourself go. You're always nailing him, making everything difficult. No wonder he found someone else who understands him."

My chest tightened as his words sank in.

My own children saw me as the problem.

I'd lost them, just like I'd lost Jack.

I walked to the kitchen table where Daniel's business card still lay.

Later that afternoon, I made the call to Daniel.

I needed someone to listen to me.

When we met, I immediately felt relief, like a weight had been lifted from my chest.

For the first time in years, I allowed myself to speak openly.

"I don't even know where to begin," I began. "Jack... it's like he's been slipping away from me for years.

At first I thought it was me, not doing enough.

But no matter how hard I tried, nothing changed."

Daniel sat next to me, listening quietly, nodding now and then but never interrupting.

I've given up so much," I continued, my words coming faster now.

"My dreams, my happiness.

I made myself disappear for him.

And now... now I feel like nobody.

Just lost and empty."

"Emily, it sounds like you've been carrying a lot for a long time."

Yes, I have."

"You deserve better," he said gently.

"You really deserve it."

For years I'd told myself that this was normal, that my happiness didn't matter.

But now, sitting there with Daniel and someone else saying it, I wasn't so sure.

As we walked, I noticed something in the distance.

My heart skipped a beat.

It was Jack.

He was with Claire.

And they were kissing!

OMG! Is this a nightmare?

"What's going on?" Daniel asked, following my gaze.

"This is Jack... and Claire."

Daniel and I stood still, watching them kiss.

Jack didn't see me.

Something inside me changed in that moment.

Something final.

Whatever I felt for him was gone.

Daniel gently took my hand.

"It's not my business, Emily.

But maybe the kids need some time away from you to realize what they're missing.

Sometimes it takes distance for people to understand."

I looked up at him, unsure of what to say, but he wasn't finished.

"I'm flying to Florida tomorrow.

I have a house there, lots of space.

You're welcome to come with me.

I'm not asking for anything, and I won't rush you.

It gives you time to clear your head, to think before you decide what you want." The idea of ​​getting away, escaping the weight of my life, was tempting.

But I was afraid of making the wrong decision, afraid of what might 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, the need to escape, the entertainment, the park, everything.

Without waiting for an answer, I rushed away.

I gave everything for my family. but my husband's betrayal destroyed me, and my children took his side.

At one of his parties, I stepped out for some fresh air and met someone

unexpected - my first love.

Then came the offer to fly to Florida with him.

And I accepted it.

I sat on the plane, leaning against the window, watching the world below slowly disappear under a blanket of clouds.

Daniel sat next to me, calm as ever.

"Are you OK?" he finally broke the silence and looked at me.

"I don't know.

I guess I'll be OK eventually."

My mind wandered back to the note I'd left on the kitchen table, which Jack and the kids would soon find.

For the kids, I'd written:

"I'm going away for a while.

Just for a month.

Don't worry, you'll be fine with Dad.

You always have.

I need some time to figure out what I want out of life. Please understand that.

I love you both very much."

I had to pause before writing Jack's message.

I had no idea how he would react, but I knew it had to be said.

Finally, I wrote:

"Jack, I know about Claire.

I've known for a while.

I can't stay in a house where I don't feel appreciated, where I'm invisible.

I need time to think, so please don't contact me.

Give me that time to decide what's next... for me... for us."

Daniel's voice brought me back to the present.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not yet.

It's just... I've left everything behind.

The kids, the house.

Jack."

"Hey," he said gently.

"You need to breathe.

You haven't breathed in so long."

I was grateful for his presence.

He didn't push, didn't try to fix things.

When the plane landed, we stepped out into the warm Florida night.

Daniel took my bag and led me to the car.

"Welcome to Florida," he said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"It already feels different."

When we pulled up to his house, I stared in awe.

"Daniel... this place is... it's huge."

The property was like something out of a dream, with a pool shimmering in the moonlight and the ocean just steps from the balcony.

"Yes, it was my sanctuary," Daniel replied, opening the front door.

"I bought it a few years ago.

Thought it might be the fresh start I needed."

We stepped out onto the patio and he pointed toward the horizon.

"The ocean... it helps me think." I leaned on the railing and heard the soothing sound of the waves crashing in the distance.

"It's beautiful here...

"We'll take it one step at a time," he assured me.

We sat on the patio, drinking lemonade and talking about our past.

"You know, I never really stopped thinking about you, Emily," Daniel said quietly.

"You brought something into my life back then... something I missed."

I didn't know how to respond.

Part of me wanted to believe him, but another knew I had too many broken pieces to fix.

"I... I don't know, Daniel.

It's all a little too much right now."

"That's OK," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"We don't have to figure everything out tonight.

Just know that I'm here for you."

That night I felt I could breathe again. But deep down I knew that the escape was only temporary.

Reality was waiting for me at home, and sooner or later I would have to face it.

The sun had barely risen when Daniel knocked on my door.

"Hey, how about we play some tennis before breakfast?"

He held up two rackets and looked at me playfully.

I put on a sporty face and followed Daniel into the garden.

His backyard was huge, with tall trees framing the court.

"Don't worry," he said as he handed me a racket.

"I'll teach you."

I tried to follow his instructions, but the ball still flew wildly to the side.

"Not bad for a first shot," he teased.

I laughed, feeling a little lighter.

We spent the next hour playing, him showing me the basics while I missed most of my shots.

But it was fun.

Afterward, we prepared breakfast on the grass.

Daniel spread out a blanket and opened a basket filled with sandwiches, fresh fruit, and lemonade. "You know how to plan a day," I said, surprised.

Later, we walked along the beach, the sound of the waves soothing every nerve.

Daniel held my hand, and for the first time in a long time, I didn't pull away.

"This day," I said quietly, looking at him, "it's perfect."

"It's just the beginning."

The evening had started so beautifully.

We sat on the terrace, the warm light of candles flickering between us and casting soft shadows on the table.

But suddenly the air changed.

I heard footsteps behind us.

A woman and a child stepped onto the terrace.

I froze.

"Daniel!" the woman greeted him cheerfully.

"I hope we're not disturbing you."

Daniel's face tightened for a moment, but he quickly hid it behind a smile.

"Isabella... Nathan," he said, standing up and waving to them.

"Emily, this is my son Nathan.

And... my wife Isabella."

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest.

His son? His wife?!

Everything inside me shut down when I realized that the man sitting across from me, who I had once again developed a deep interest in, was married.

"Hello," I finally answered.

Isabella took a step forward and held out her hand.

"It's so nice to meet you, Emily. Daniel has told me so much about you."

Her smile was gentle, even kind.

But it felt wrong.

Totally wrong.

'Likewise,' I said, even though I hadn't heard a word about her.

We all sat down and the evening passed as if nothing had happened.

Isabella was friendly and welcoming, making small talk and asking me about my time in Florida.

Nathan, Daniel's son, chatted easily with his father, completely unaware of the storm raging inside me.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong deep down.

How could Isabella be so calm?

How could Daniel not have told me?

What's going on here?

After dinner, Isabella approached me casually, with a gentle smile.

"So, are things serious between you and Daniel?"

I almost dropped my cup.

Excuse me?"

She raised her eyebrows slightly, as if amused by my shock.

"I thought I'd ask. You two seem close."

"No, no... we're just friends. That's all," I said, my words coming out quickly.

But everything about that moment felt absurd.

How could Daniel's wife stand here and ask me something like that?

And then, as if the situation couldn't get any worse, Daniel came over and asked,

"Do you want to dance?"

That was the last thing I wanted to hear right now.

"Daniel," I whispered sharply, "I can't do this. Not in front of her."

He looked at me, his face full of confusion.

"Emily, it's not what you think."

"I'm not going to ruin your family. This is wrong."

"Emily, please... I never meant to hurt you."

But it was too late.

The betrayal, the lies, they weighed too heavily on me.

I'm leaving."

I packed my things.

I didn't know where I belonged anymore.

Florida didn't feel like home, and neither did the life I'd left behind.

At that moment, my phone buzzed.

It was a message from Jack:

"Flight home. There are problems with the kids."

Without a second thought, I booked the first flight back.

When I opened the front door, the house was a mess - both literally and emotionally.

Lucas was sitting on the couch, his arm in a sling, staring blankly at the TV.

Mia was pacing, her eyes red from crying.

"Mom!"

Mia ran to me as soon as she saw me.

"I'm so sorry!

I didn't mean for all this to happen."

She clung to me tightly, and I hugged her back.

I glanced at Lucas. "What happened to you?"

"Car accident," he muttered.

"It wasn't my fault. A guy ran a red light."

"And Mia?"

I looked at her and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I got into an argument with someone at the sleepover. The police had to take me home.

She looked down, ashamed.

"Daddy wasn't there."

I gritted my teeth.

Of course Jack wasn't there.

He was probably with Claire, like always.

My heart ached at the thought, but right now my children were lost, and I hadn't realized how much until that moment.

Mia gripped my hand tighter.

"Please, Mom, don't go again. I need you."

I looked at both of them and saw the fear in their eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere."

When Jack finally walked through the door, I was ready.

"I'm filing for divorce. The kids are staying with me, and if you want to see them, you're going to have to make real changes."

I didn't wait for an answer.

I'd waited enough.

It was time to take control of my life, for myself and my kids.

Later that evening, I sat at the kitchen table, staring at my untouched cup of tea.

My head was numb and my body exhausted from everything that had happened in the last few days.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

I knew it was Daniel before I even opened the door.

He had taken the next flight after mine.

I stepped aside to make way for him without saying a word, too tired to argue or send him away.

"Emily, I have to explain everything to you." I sat back down at the table, barely able to look him in the eye.

"What are you trying to explain, Daniel?

You're married. There's nothing left to say."

It's not what you think.

My marriage to Isabella - it's a farce."

"A farce? What does that even mean?"

"She's an immigrant. She needed help to stay in the country, and my son

Nathan needed stability after his mother died.

I married her to make that possible.

There's nothing romantic between us, Emily."

"You... just married her to help her?"

"Yes.

I wanted to give them a chance, a life here.

The marriage will be over in a month."

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

He looked down, ashamed.

"I was scared, Emily.

Scared that you wouldn't understand, that I would make another mistake.

But now I see that you are the one who really understands what it means to be honest, to have true family values."

"I... I can't do this right now, Daniel.

I'm exhausted.

My decision to divorce Jack hasn't changed, but I need time."

.I understand.

I just needed to tell you the truth."

And then, with the next words, my heart stopped.

"I've fallen in love with you, Emily.

All over again.

Move in with me with the kids."

I'll think about everything tomorrow," I whispered, even though deep down I knew what I wanted.

I already knew I was going to fly back to Florida.

With the kids.