My wife left me and our children two years ago, at the most difficult moment.
When Anna ran out of our flat with a suitcase and coldly said, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ I was left standing there with our four-year-old twins, Max and Lily.
One minute we were a family, and the next I was alone with two children and a mountain of expenses.
I worked as a programmer in the computer business, which promised big profits, but some questionable things happened and the company went bankrupt before we knew it. I went from a six-figure salary to receiving unemployment cheques overnight.
Young frustrated sad man holding wedding engagement ring, wife or girlfriend leaving depressed heartbroken husband, couple breaking up divorce concept, relationships breakup, proposal rejection
I saw the disappointment in Anna’s eyes the day I told her the news. She was the head of marketing and one of the most presentable women I had ever seen. But I never imagined she would leave in difficult times.
At night, I drove for car-sharing companies, and during the day I delivered groceries.
I also looked after the children. Max and Lily were upset and constantly asked about their mother.
Fortunately, my parents were there for me. They helped me with the twins at night and whenever I needed them, but they couldn’t help financially.
However, Max and Lily became my lifeline. Their little arms hugging me at the end of a long day, their tiny voices whispering, ‘We love you, Daddy,’ kept me going. I couldn’t let them down.
I am glad that the second year after Anna left was so different. I got a freelance coding project, and the client was so impressed with my skills that he offered me a full-time remote job at his cybersecurity firm.
The salary wasn’t six figures, but it was stable. We moved to a cosier flat, and I started taking care of myself again. I went to the gym, cooked healthy meals, and established a routine for the children.
And then, exactly two years later, I saw Anna again.
While Max and Lily were at nursery, I sat in a café near our new home and finished my work.
She was sitting alone at a corner table, her head bowed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
This woman looked exhausted. Her coat was faded, her hair dull, and the heavy circles under her eyes were evidence of sleep deprivation.
So what had happened? Why was she crying in a random trendy coffee shop? I knew I shouldn’t pay any attention to it. I should have ignored her, finished my drink, and left immediately. But, after all, she was the mother of my children.
Her eyes met mine, and her expression changed from defiant to humiliated.
Leaving my cup and laptop on the table, I approached the woman who had destroyed our home.
‘You abandoned us. You left without any remorse. And now, two years later, I find you crying in a café? What’s going on?’
She shook her head again. “I can’t explain it, but leaving you was so wrong. I lost my job almost immediately after that. I survived on my savings, my parents sent me some money, but after a few months, that ran out. The people I thought were my friends disappeared when I needed them most.”
‘I miss you,’ she whispered, sniffing. ‘I want to come back.’
Anna reached across the table, her hand landing next to mine. ‘David, please. I know I don’t deserve this, but I’ll do anything to make it right. I lived in cheap flats, going from one temporary job to another. I had time to think. Now I realise what I’ve lost.’
I pulled my hand away. ‘You haven’t thought about Max and Lily, have you? Not once in two years. In fact, you haven’t even mentioned them since I sat down at the table.’
As I thought about the situation, I felt increasingly disgusted.
‘Please, David. Just give me a chance.’
I stood up, turning my back on her. ‘No.’
I went back to my table, picked up my laptop, and left.
