Dec 6, Broken

by Double J
(USA)
I've been with my husband since I was 25 and I'm now 45. We've grown into adults together. We've raised two children together. We've been through good jobs, moves, bad jobs, bad kids, great kids, stressful family dynamics and financial hardships. He is my best friend. And he betrayed me by sleeping with another woman. We had just reached our 17th anniversary when I found evidence of the affair. He initially admitted to an infrequent sexual affair but after much snooping and begging, I found out he saw this woman regularly while he was traveling for work. He even took her on the road with him. She became his confidant, his lover, his friend. I was so unaware that I had been replaced. Once the secret was out he swore it was over and I committed to making our marriage work. Sadly three months later this woman called me at work to tell me that their relationship had continued until just a few days before. At this point I felt I was married to a complete stranger. He wasn't my husband. My husband had been replaced by a selfish, weak, immoral man/child. My entire world was turned upside down and all that I knew was true was exposed as a lie. I asked him to leave our home and he did. After some soul searching he came home and told me how this woman had filled an emptiness in his life but he had come to realize that their life together was pure fantasy in a controlled environment. There was no arguing over bills, kids, in-laws or housekeeping. They enjoyed each other in a perfect world of no responsibilities, no kids, no bills, and no past. Although I felt he was being truthful I was still utterly devastated that this stranger had been so important to my husband that he would risk our family and marriage to be with her. I have stayed with him. That's shocking to say. I'm not a weak woman. I'm capable of living alone. But I love him and I know he loves me. The woman has moved on. So I beleive. And we are working to repair a gravely damaged relationship. So far it's slow but favorable progress. I, like all those women before me, never thought I would be a member of this sad club. But I'm no one special and I'm subject to all the ills society has to offer. Hopefully love will triumph in our relationship but if not then it will be a sad but well learned lesson. Never take your happiness for granted. Never.

View the original article here