Having left his wife penniless after the divorce, Anton rubbed his hands with satisfaction. And three years later, when he accidentally ran into his ex, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

Anton had always treated himself the boss of his life. While others were plodding through textbooks, Anton was already busy with business. Sometimes he was reselling cars, other times he was collecting computers to order. It was then that he met Albina. She was a humble honor student, studying a foreign language.

They became lovers. Then, they got married. Soon their firstborn, Dimka, was born. Albina threw herself wholeheartedly into motherhood. A couple of years later, a daughter, Lenochka, arrived. Taking care of two little ones wasted all her time and energy. Albina wanted to hire a nanny.

But Anton rejected it.

Children should be cared for by their mother. Anton said that he was investing everything in developing his business. Meanwhile, he’d buy a big TV, or a car for himself, or go out with friends. And when Albina required a hairdryer, her husband said that her old one was just good.

For illustrative purpose only

Time passed away. The children grew up and started school. Albina began to feel lonely and tired. If Albina asked him to go somewhere, Anton would say he was busy while he always found time to meet with his friends.

— We’d better get divorce, — Anton blurted out. — I’m tired of this whole family game. I have my own life. And I need freedom.

— Break up? — Albina said. — What about the children? What about me?

— Well, you’ll be fine, — Anton shrugged. — You’re a mother, after all. You’ll handle somehow.

That very evening, Anton moved out, pick up all his things. Albina couldn’t believe that her comfortable life had destr0yed overnight. She began to find a job. She had to leave the children with a neighbor.

With great difficulty, she handled to get a job as a cleaner at a shopping mall.

It wasn’t the job Albina had wanted, She had to take on extra shifts at night. Albina was ripped between work and home. And then she would be busted in the evenings.

— Mommy, why are you always at work? — little Lena asked. — I miss you so much.

— I’m sorry, sweetheart, — Albina sighed. — I need to earn money to buy us food and clothes.

For illustrative purpose only

— And what about Daddy? He earns a lot. Why doesn’t he help us?

Albina didn’t know what to say. Anton had seemingly disappeared from their lives.

Albina barely controlled to get time off from work and went to the office. There, she was in for a sh0ck. It happened that grandfather had been quietly buying shares of various companies throughout his life. And now he had left his entire inheritance to his beloved granddaughter.

Albina couldn’t believe her ears.

She remembered how grandfather always said, “Save your pennies, granddaughter. They’ll come in handy someday.” Now shae understood it.

Albina decided to use the money shrewdly.

She entered in professional development courses to return to her field. And part of the funds was invested in a small business. She opened a café in their neighborhood.

She was happy in working in the dining area sometimes—it helps her feel better the café’s atmosphere and chat with the patrons.

Albina naturally turned to welcome the new guests—and froze. He is Anton. Next to him was a young, striking blonde. She approached the table the couple had chosen.

For illustrative purpose only

— Good afternoon. What would you like to order? — Albina said.

Anton looked up from the menu and stared at his ex-wife in sh0ck:

— Albina? Are you working here as a waitress?

— Yes, I work here, — the woman replied calmly. — So, what will you have?

— Two cappuccinos and croissants, — Anton said. — Look at you, down on your luck. I thought you were still working as a cleaner. – he smirked.

— Your order will be ready in a few minutes, — she said.

When Albina brought the order, Anton couldn’t continue commenting again:

— You’re doing pretty well. Maybe serving coffee really is your calling?

Albina said nothing.

— Albina! How are you? So, shall we discuss our proposal? Are you free now?

Albina smiled:

— Well, as you can see, I’m working a bit on the side.

The second man laughed.

— You, as usual. In your situation, everyone is in offices, and here you are, out among the people.

Albina said:

For illustrative purpose only

— Enjoy your meal.

Anton sat there, mouth agape.

— So you’re the owner? — he finally managed to ask.

Albina smiled:

— Yes, this is my cafe’. Enjoy. If you need anything, you can ask the waitress Lena.

And Albina came into the office. She could experience her ex-husband’s surprised gaze on her back. It was obvious that she had finally let go of the past.

I Came Home to My Husband and His Ex Digging My Garden – What They Hid Years Ago Made Me Pale

Margaret never expected to come home to find her husband, Martin, frantically digging up their beautiful garden alongside his ex-wife. Their hushed whispers and dirt-stained hands hinted at long-buried secrets. Upon confrontation, Margaret realized Martin wasn’t as perfect as she thought.

I’ve heard of men cheating on their wives with their colleagues, friends, and even exes, but I never thought I’d be forced to think like that about my husband, Martin. I always thought he was the perfect man I could’ve asked for.

A man smiling | Source: Midjourney

A man smiling | Source: Midjourney

We met through a mutual friend two years ago, right after I’d broken up with my ex-boyfriend of five years. I was at my lowest… heartbroken, insecure, and questioning everything about myself.

That’s when Martin came into my life, like a breath of fresh air.

From the moment we met, he was nothing but kind and attentive. He’d listen to me ramble about my day for hours, never once checking his phone or looking bored.

A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney

What really won my heart was how he showed up at my doorstep with homemade chicken soup and my favorite rom-com movies downloaded on his laptop.

“Everyone needs a little TLC when they’re sick,” he said with a warm smile.

This is it, I thought. This is the man I’ve been waiting for all my life.

One of the things that endeared Martin to me was his cute little quirk. He’d stammer when he got nervous or stressed, and I found it absolutely adorable.

A man talking to his girlfriend at home | Source: Midjourney

A man talking to his girlfriend at home | Source: Midjourney

There was this one time, about a month into our relationship, when he was taking me out to this fancy Italian restaurant for our “monthiversary” (yes, we celebrated those back then).

Martin was all dressed up, telling me about this new accounting software his firm was implementing, getting all excited and animated.

“It’s going to revolutionize how we handle client data,” he said, waving his fork around for emphasis. Suddenly, the fork slipped from his fingers, clattering to the floor and splattering tomato sauce all over his shirt.

His face turned red in an instant.

A man feeling embarrassed | Source: Midjourney

A man feeling embarrassed | Source: Midjourney

“I-I-I’m so s-sorry,” he stammered, looking mortified. “I d-didn’t m-mean to… Oh g-god, what a m-mess.”

I couldn’t help but find his flustered state endearing. I reached across the table and took his hand.

“Hey, it’s okay,” I said softly. “These things happen. Besides, red is totally your color.”

That got a chuckle out of him, and soon we were laughing about it. Later, over tiramisu, he admitted that he tended to stammer when stressed or embarrassed.

A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney

As our relationship progressed, Martin opened up more about his past, particularly about his ex-wife, Janet.

“She was always after more,” he’d say, shaking his head. “More money, more things, more status. Nothing was ever enough.”

According to Martin, their marriage had crumbled under the weight of Janet’s insatiable greed. He told me stories of maxed-out credit cards, arguments over designer clothes, and tantrums thrown when they couldn’t afford lavish vacations.

A man recalling his past | Source: Midjourney

A man recalling his past | Source: Midjourney

“That’s why we broke up,” he explained one night as we cuddled on the couch. “I just couldn’t keep up with her demands anymore. It was like I was drowning, and she kept pushing my head underwater.”

How could anyone treat such a wonderful man so poorly? I thought.

That day, I vowed that I would never be like that. I would appreciate Martin for who he was, not what he could give me.

A man hugging his girlfriend | Source: Midjourney

A man hugging his girlfriend | Source: Midjourney

When Martin proposed a year into our relationship, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Our wedding was small but beautiful, and it was the best day of my life.

Fast forward to last Tuesday. I had just spent the weekend at my mother’s place and was looking forward to getting home. I decided to surprise Martin with his favorite lasagna for dinner.

However, as I pulled into our driveway, I saw something that made me slam on the brakes too hard.

Front view of a car | Source: Pexels

Front view of a car | Source: Pexels

There, in our front yard, were two people digging up my beloved garden. And not just any two people. It was Martin and a woman I recognized from photos as Janet, his ex-wife.

I sat in the car for a moment, blinking rapidly, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me. But no, they were there, digging up all the flowers I had worked so hard to grow.

What was Janet doing here? Why was she with Martin? And why on earth were they destroying my garden?

A woman in her car, looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

A woman in her car, looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

At that point, I got out of the car and marched over to them.

“What’s going on here?” I demanded, my voice trembling with anger.

Martin’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock. “M-M-Margaret!” he exclaimed, dropping the shovel with a clang. “Y-you’re h-home e-early.”

He’s stammering, I thought.

At that moment, all my worst fears came rushing in. Martin only stammered when he was truly stressed or nervous. But why? What was he hiding?

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

My mind raced with possibilities. Was he cheating on me with Janet? Had they never really broken up? Or was it something even more sinister? Why else would they be digging up our yard in secret?

“W-we were just…” he started, but Janet cut him off.

“Oh, you didn’t tell her?” she began. “Love, she DESERVES to know that 10 years ago we buried a time capsule.”

“A time capsule?” I repeated numbly.

A woman talking to her husband's ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her husband’s ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

“Yes, we buried one when we were still together. When we lived here,” she revealed, gesturing to a muddy metal box near her feet. “We always planned to dig it up someday.”

Martin nodded, looking sheepish. “Y-yeah. We, uh, we thought it would be fun to look back on our memories.”

“Your memories,” I echoed. “So, you decided to destroy my garden for your little trip down memory lane?”

“I-I’m sorry,” Martin stammered. “I d-didn’t think—”

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

“No, you didn’t think,” I snapped before storming into the house.

Inside, I paced the living room, trying to process what had just happened. How could Martin do this? How could he keep this secret from me? And how dare he prioritize his past with Janet over our life together?

I heard the front door open and close, followed by hushed voices in the hallway. Then Martin called out, “Margaret? Can we talk?”

A woman standing in her living room | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in her living room | Source: Midjourney

I took a deep breath and stepped into the hallway. Martin and Janet were standing there with the muddy time capsule between them.

“What’s there to talk about?” I asked coldly.

“Please, let us explain,” Martin pleaded. “It’s not what you think.”

Janet nodded. “We just wanted to reminisce a bit. There’s nothing —”

I held up a hand, cutting her off.

“You know what? Fine. Go ahead. Reminisce. Dig up your past. I’ll be outside.”

A woman talking to her husband's ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her husband’s ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

I brushed past them and went outside. As I looked at the mess they had made of my garden, an idea formed in my mind.

So, I started gathering wood for a bonfire. By the time I had a good blaze going on, the sun had almost set. I could hear Martin and Janet in the kitchen, laughing over something they’d found in the time capsule.

“Hey,” I called out. “Why don’t you guys bring that stuff out here? We could have a nice little bonfire.”

A bonfire in the garden | Source: Pexels

A bonfire in the garden | Source: Pexels

A few minutes later, they joined me outside, and Martin put the time capsule on the ground.

“This is nice,” he smiled.

I nodded and reached into the box to grab a handful of its contents. I had a few old photos and letters in my hand.

“Margaret, what are you —” Martin started, but his words died in his throat as I tossed everything into the fire.

“What are you doing?” Janet demanded.

A woman standing with her mouth open | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing with her mouth open | Source: Midjourney

“Burnt bridges should stay burnt, don’t you think?” I said firmly. “It’s time to focus less on the past and more on the future we’re supposed to be building together, Martin.”

I watched as the flames consumed their memories, thinking this wasn’t how I imagined our life together. However, it also gave me hope that maybe we could build something new from here. Something honest and real.

Looking at Martin, I also realized he wasn’t the perfect man I thought I’d married. He was just as flawed as the rest of us.

A man standing near a bonfire | Source: Midjourney

A man standing near a bonfire | Source: Midjourney

Suddenly, Janet broke the silence.

“I think I should go,” she said, backing away from the fire. Neither Martin nor I tried to stop her as she hurried out of the yard.

Once we were alone, Martin turned to me with tears in his eyes.

“Margaret, I’m so sorry,” he said. “I never meant to hurt you. I just… I didn’t know how to tell you about the time capsule.”

I took a deep breath, “Did you think I wouldn’t understand?”

A woman talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

“I was afraid,” he admitted. “Afraid you’d think I still had feelings for Janet, afraid you’d be upset about the garden. I thought if I could just dig it up quickly while you were away, it would be over and done with. But I guess I was wrong. I messed up, big time. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I don’t know, Martin,” I said honestly, staring at the fire. “You’ve broken my trust. That’s not something that can be fixed overnight.”

A woman looking away while talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking away while talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

“We have a lot to talk about, and a lot to work through,” I continued. “But not tonight. Tonight, I need some space.”

“Of course,” Martin nodded. “I’ll… I’ll sleep on the couch.”

As he returned to the house, I remained by the fire, watching it slowly die down.

The garden needs to be replanted, I thought. New seeds, new soil, new life. Maybe our relationship could be the same way.

Only time would tell which path we’d choose. But one thing was certain, my thoughts regarding Martin would never be the same again.

A woman standing in the garden, thinking | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in the garden, thinking | Source: Midjourney

What would you have done if you were in my place?

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