For the past nine years, I believed I was in a truly loving marriage. Nathan and I married right after high school, knowing only each other. He promised, “We’ll grow together, Dani. We’ll study and build careers side by side,” and I trusted him completely. For a long time, it seemed he lived up to his word.
Two years into our marriage, our daughter Ellie was born. Now a spirited seven-year-old, she is the joy of our lives. But over the past few years, I began to see our marriage crumble before my eyes. Nathan started making hurtful comments about my appearance, saying things like, “You’ve just let yourself go, Dani. Do you think you can keep our spark alive in those drab clothes?” He even accused me of neglecting Ellie by working too much—even though I was home most of the time, except when she was at school. “You’re always glued to that computer. Do you even pay attention to Ellie? She’s always alone when I get home,” he complained.
At first, I fought back and expressed how I felt, but eventually, I grew tired of our endless arguments. One evening, as I tucked Ellie into bed, I simply said, “Do what you want,” and let the fight drop.
Then, unexpectedly, Nathan became more pleasant. I assumed his change was due to a new job offer in another city. I didn’t mind moving—I could work remotely, and Ellie was just starting first grade. “It’s a fresh start,” Nathan said as he helped me pack up our lives.
We relocated, hoping to leave our troubles behind and start anew. Nathan even enrolled Ellie in a new school he had meticulously researched. “I’m serious about this move, honey,” he said, handing her a juice box. “This is going to be amazing.”
But a few weeks after Ellie began at her new school, she started coming home upset, refusing to explain why. One day, I found her in tears in her room. “Honey, what happened?” I asked, deeply concerned.
Through her tears, Ellie said, “I don’t want Miss Allen to be my mom! I want you to be my mom!” A chill ran down my spine—Miss Allen was her teacher. “Why would she try to replace you?” I asked, pressing her for more details.
After a heavy sigh, Ellie explained, “Yesterday, when Dad picked me up, Miss Allen told me to wait by the door while she spoke to him. I didn’t catch everything, but I heard her say she’d be a better mom than you… and Dad laughed when she said it.”
In that moment, everything made sense—the criticisms, the move, the sudden change in his behavior. I realized Nathan was having an affair. That evening, after ensuring Ellie was asleep, I poured Nathan a drink. He accepted it with a smile, unaware of the turmoil inside me. I began, “Miss Allen seems really good with Ellie, doesn’t she?”
“Really?” he replied, his eyes lighting up. “I always knew she liked her…”
I interrupted, “Is that enough for Miss Allen to become her new mom? What’s really going on? Don’t lie to me.”
Nathan’s face went pale, and guilt washed over him as he confessed. He admitted that he’d been involved in an affair even before our move, but had briefly ended it when the new job opportunity came along. Yet, he and Miss Allen had rekindled their relationship, and they’d been together for two weeks before Ellie overheard their conversation.
The next day, while dropping Ellie off at school, I confronted Miss Allen about the affair, but she denied everything. Determined to protect my daughter, I transferred her to another school where she could feel safe and cared for.
Divorce became inevitable. As painful as it was, I felt a sense of relief—Nathan had been undermining our family long before, and it was time to end our marriage officially. Now, months into the divorce, my focus is solely on Ellie. I constantly reassure her that she is unconditionally loved. She’s moved past the hurt caused by Miss Allen and now adores her new teacher. Meanwhile, Nathan is free to come and go, but Ellie remains the center of my world.