My husband left our family of four for another woman. Three years passed before I saw them again, and it was incredibly satisfying.
After 14 years of marriage, two kids, and a life I thought was happy, everything fell apart in an instant. How quickly everything changes when you least expect it.
The moment came one ordinary evening when Oleg came home not alone. He was with a woman — tall, with perfect skin, and a smile that seemed cold as ice. I was in the kitchen, making dinner when I heard the sound of her heels.
— Well, darling, she said, scanning me from head to toe. — You weren’t lying. She really let herself go. What a shame — at least her bones are nice.
My body froze.
— Excuse me, what? I said, barely believing my ears.
Oleg sighed deeply, as if I were the reason for all this.
— Anya, I’m filing for divorce.
At that moment, the world seemed to dim, and I felt like I was losing something. Questions flooded my mind.
— Divorce? What about the kids? What about everything we built?
— You’ll manage, he shrugged. — I’ll send money. Oh, and you can live on the couch or at your sister’s. Lena is staying with me.
That night, I packed my things and left, taking the kids with me. The divorce was soon finalized. We sold the house and moved to a smaller apartment, trying to start over. Oleg disappeared from our lives, never showing up again.
At first, he still sent money for the kids, but soon even that stopped. The kids hadn’t seen him for over two years. He had abandoned not only me but them too.
But one day, while returning home with groceries, I accidentally saw them. Oleg and Lena. My heart squeezed, but the closer I got, the clearer I understood — karma exists.
I immediately called my mom.
— Mom, you won’t believe it!
They looked… different. Oleg was wearing worn-out shoes, his face tired and tense. Lena had changed too. Once well-groomed, now with a tight ponytail, she clearly wasn’t thrilled with this path. They were going into a small store, and I felt something shift inside me. He used to laugh at me for being frugal, but now here he was — trailing behind Lena into that very store where I’d always gone for discounts.
I froze. I didn’t know whether to approach or leave. But something told me I needed to see it with my own eyes. So I followed them.
In the vegetable section, they began arguing. Lena was frustrated, throwing products into the basket, Oleg grumbling in response, but she ignored him. Everything felt… heavy. I stood nearby, and then she noticed me.
Her gaze flickered with confusion, and then she nudged Oleg in the side. Our eyes met. It was a strange moment. Silence. No one knew what to say.
— Anya, he mumbled.
— Oleg, I replied briefly.
Everything I wanted to say was too heavy: about the nights the kids cried, about the struggles, about the empty days without him. But I said only:
— I’m fine.
And it was the truth.
Lena impatiently nudged him, and they left. I stood there, feeling a sense of relief. Karma had come for them.
When I got home, the kids greeted me. Feliksia put down her book and asked:
— Mom, is everything okay?
I sat beside her.
— I just saw your dad.
Toby, clinging to me, whispered:
— I miss him, but I’m angry.
— That’s okay, sweetheart. You can feel both.
Feliksia thoughtfully asked:
— Do you think he’ll come back?
I shrugged.
— I don’t know, but I know one thing: we have each other. And that’s enough.
She smiled.
— Yes, Mom, we’re fine.
A week later, Oleg called.
— Hi, this is Oleg.
— Yes?
— I want to see the kids. Lena left, and I realize I messed everything up.
Instead of yelling, I quietly replied:
— I’ll talk to them. But you hurt them.
Two days later, he stood at the doorstep. Feliksia opened the door:
— Hi, Dad, she said, emotionless.
Toby hid behind me.
Oleg handed over a bag with gifts.
— A toy car for Toby and books for Feliksia.
Feliksia took the bag but hugged me tighter.
Oleg looked at me with eyes full of regret.
— Thank you for letting me come. I want to try, if you give me a chance.
I studied him. The man I once loved. And said:
— It will take time. But I won’t stop you from being a father if you’re ready.
He nodded.
Months passed. Oleg started appearing more often. The kids remained cautious, but the ice slowly melted.
But the most important thing: when I looked at Oleg, I didn’t feel anger. I felt freedom.
I didn’t seek revenge. I survived, became stronger, and started a new life.
Sometimes it feels like we’ve lost everything, but in the process of rebuilding, we find ourselves. And the best way to get revenge is to live happily.
