“Yesterday they both came again: my mother and my mother-in-law” – their pleas break my heart.
In a small town near Toledo, where the ancient olive trees murmur about family dramas, my life has become an unbearable struggle. My name is Ana, and two years ago I discovered a truth that shattered my world. Now I find myself at a crossroads, torn between the pain of betrayal and the pressure from my family, who begs me to save our marriage.
A love that never existed
When I married Javier, I was 25. He was older, self-confident, with a steady gaze and promises of a bright future. I believed our marriage would last forever. We dreamed of children, a home, happiness. But life was cruel. For 15 years, I lived in an illusion, unaware of how my husband was drifting away from our family. Two years ago, the truth emerged like a poisonous shadow: Javier had another woman. Not a simple affair, but a second life I knew nothing about.
I found out by chance, thanks to a friend who saw them together in a cafe. At first, I didn’t believe it, but then everything fell into place: his late arrivals, excuses about work, the coldness in his gaze. He wasn’t just cheating on me: he was living with her while I raised our two children, Lucía and Álvaro, and waited for my husband at home. That truth devastated me. I filed for divorce, unable to bear the humiliation. But then another nightmare began.
My family’s pleas
My mother, Carmen, and my mother-in-law, Pilar, joined forces in their mission: to convince me to withdraw the divorce petition. They came together again and again, pleading and scolding. “Withdraw it, Ana! Don’t destroy the family at 42! Think of the children! Javier made a mistake, but he won’t leave with her. He’ll grieve and come back. Don’t be selfish!” they told me, as if they were judges.
They said I should forgive for the children, for the “stability.” My mother-in-law even blamed me: “You didn’t take care of your husband enough, that’s why he left.” My mother added that starting over at my age was crazy. “Who’s going to love you with two kids?” she would snap, and her words cut like knives. I cried at night, feeling cornered. But how could I forgive someone who betrayed everything I believed in?
A betrayal that never ends
Javier didn’t deny his guilt, but he didn’t apologize either. He just shrugged: “That’s how it happened, Ana. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His indifference was killing me. He continued to live with that woman, while I was left alone with the children, the debts, and a broken heart. My mother and mother-in-law insisted he would come back, that it was a “passing mistake.” But I could see in their eyes that he wouldn’t. He had already chosen another life.
I tried to explain to them that I couldn’t live with a man who didn’t respect me, but they didn’t listen. My mother-in-law wept, remembering what a good son Javier was, how much he cared for the family. My mother clutched her heart, saying that a divorce would embarrass us in front of the neighbors. Their pressure was overwhelming, but I didn’t give in. I wanted to be free, to regain my dignity.
My children, my pain and my strength
Lucía and Álvaro became my beacon in this darkness. Even though they’re young, they notice their father has distanced himself. One day, Lucía asked me, “Mom, why doesn’t Dad love us anymore?” I didn’t know how to respond. I hugged her, hiding my tears. For their sake, I must be strong. But how can I explain to them that their father chose another woman? How can I teach them to trust the world when mine has fallen apart?
My mother and mother-in-law use the children as an argument: “Don’t take their father away from them! The family should be united!” But what kind of family is that without love and respect? I don’t want them to grow up in a house where their mother endures humiliation for the appearance of happiness. I want to show them that a woman can be strong, even when everything is against her.
The moment of truth
Yesterday they came again. They stood at my door, like guardians of the past, pleading: “Ana, drop the lawsuit! Don’t destroy the family! Javier will change, you’ll see, he won’t abandon you.” I looked at them, and anger and grief battled inside me. These women, each in their own way, are trying to hold on to what’s already been lost. But I can’t keep living a lie.
I told them firmly: “I won’t go back to a man who betrayed me. If you love Javier so much, talk to him, not me.” They left, leaving me with a final warning: “You’ll regret this, Ana. At 42, you don’t start from scratch.” But I don’t believe them. I believe in myself.
A step into the unknown
Divorce is scary. It’s lonely, it’s hard, it’s scary to gossip. But it’s even scarier to stay in a marriage where you’re not valued. I don’t know what’s in store for me. Maybe I’ll end up alone. But I choose my children and myself. I want Lucía and Álvaro to see a mother who isn’t afraid to fight for their happiness.
This story is my cry for freedom. My mother and mother-in-law may call me selfish, but I know: I’m not destroying a family. I’m saving myself. And maybe, one day, they’ll understand that I was right.
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