Past Midnight, As Usual
A ticking clock echoed through the dimly lit kitchen as Megan sat alone, her thoughts wandering. She felt her heart skip a beat when she heard the front door creak open suddenly.
It was well past midnight when she glanced at the clock, far later than her husband David had ever arrived home.
Waiting Up For Him Again
The echoes of David's footsteps in the hallway grew louder and louder as she awaited for him in the doorway.
However, Megan couldn't quite pinpoint what was different about him. A completely unexpected act was performed by her husband, leaving her in a state of confusion.
In A Stumble And A Slur
Walking unsteadily, he scanned the floor as he stumbled toward the other end of the room. He had done this before.
As he looked at Megan, who was sitting quietly on the couch, he lifted his head and locked eyes with her. It was clear that his speech was slurred and barely audible; he uttered the words no spouse would want to hear.
His Wish Is Her Command
“I want a divorce!" Megan's heart sank as she heard this, and her mind raced as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
Despite her strong-willed nature, Megan was tired of playing games. Waiting for him to come home from the bar until early in the morning was a nightmare for her. It wasn't worth taking any more of his troubles.
No More Fighting For It
Her pleading for forgiveness was probably what he expected. He was surprised to see Megan react differently than he had expected.
No tears were shed, no begging, and no attempt to save their marriage was made. Her response to his request was simply a smile.
Little Did He Know
She responded in a way that surprised David. Instead of fighting, she seemed relieved. After leaving the house, he felt confused and hurt. In his ignorance, he didn't realize what was happening.
Megan immediately called her lawyer and started plotting. According to her husband, their lives were comfortable because of him.
Handing Over The Papers
David didn't realize Megan had shielded him from the truth. His life would now come crashing down around him.
It wasn't until the divorce signing that he stopped laughing. Their respective lawyers sat with them in a room. Megan, however, was smug inside.
David Was Pale As A Ghost
The settlement was handed to David with a smug look on his face. His eyes widened. His jaw dropped when he saw what was written on the page. There was even a ghostly look on the face of his lawyer.
"This can't be true," He stammered as he glanced at the payslips. In time, his laughter turned into begging.
Longing For Love
Throughout her life, Megan Everly longed for that one love that would sweep her off her feet. In her teenage years, she had difficulty finding someone who met her expectations.
Before meeting David, she hadn't realized how much she was missing. There was something special about him.
Inseparable
David stood out from the crowd of mean-spirited and petty boys in high school. The kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor he possessed appealed to Megan.
Their bond grew stronger as they dated through their adult lives, and from the moment they met, they had an instant connection. The two seemed inseparable.
Proposal
They were the epitome of high school sweethearts who stood the test of time, proving that true love knows no boundaries.
David and Megan had just graduated from high school when David made the bold move of proposing to her. Megan was filled with a rush of emotions as she hugged him tight and said yes.
Dreams Coming True
She was elated and felt like all her dreams had come true. For the first three years of their marriage, David and Megan enjoyed a comfortable life.
David worked a typical nine-to-five office job to provide for the couple's needs while Megan stayed at home. However, little did she know that life had some surprises in store for her.
A Small Business Idea
Despite not having a formal career, Megan was driven by her desire to help others and even had a small business idea brewing in her mind.
Megan was kind-hearted and concerned about the mental health of adolescent girls who were unable to afford therapy. She resonated with the idea because she was at that point in her life years ago.
Taking Matters Into Her Own Hands
She decided to take matters into her own hands and spent considerable time studying the concept of life coaching. She then went on to train potential employees online, with the aim of providing an affordable alternative to therapy for those in need.
Though it did not generate a large income, Megan saw a great deal of potential in her idea. However, little did she know that unforeseen problems lay ahead of her.
A Touchy Topic
Megan and her husband had been living a contented and harmonious life until the topic of children came up. Megan felt that it was the perfect time to start a family and take their relationship to the next level.
However, her husband's response was not what she had anticipated. His reaction was unexpected and unsettling, which left Megan confused and unsure about their future together.
Change In Behavior
As soon as the topic of having a child came up, her husband's behavior underwent a dramatic shift.
He became noticeably anxious and began to offer up a string of flimsy excuses. Despite her own eagerness and preparedness, it became apparent that her husband was not on the same page.
Showing His True Colors
As time passed, Megan noticed a significant shift in her partner's demeanor. His behavior had taken a turn for the worse, and she could hardly recognize the man she had once known from high school.
His work hours seemed to have stretched longer, and he began arriving home later and later in the evenings. She knew that she had to confront him.
Confronting Him
When Megan finally mustered the courage to confront him, she was met with the vague response that he was "working late."
She bought his excuses for the better part of a year before he started getting sloppy. He was less subtle as he started coming home in less of a coherent state. She knew that she had been taken for a fool.
Breaking Her Heart
That was when Megan started having her suspicions that he was avoiding her. She couldn't understand why the man she loved was breaking her heart like this.
As time went by, she grew increasingly disheartened with the lack of interest he showed in her life. But she could never have guessed what his next move would be.
Throwing Herself Into Her Business
Despite her daily routine of keeping the house in order and preparing homemade meals for him, she found herself feeling unfulfilled. She needed something to do.
To combat the monotony, she began channeling her energy into her burgeoning business, carefully strategizing and investing in its growth. But she knew she couldn’t tell David.
Belittling Her
She stopped confiding in David about her progress after he had consistently belittled and dismissed her ideas in the past. He doomed it from the start.
While David enjoyed spending his evenings presumably at a local bar, Megan used that time to focus on her business. Her hard work and dedication paid off, and her business grew rapidly beyond her expectations.
Prospering Business
Now, she had a team of five coaches working for her, helping her business to prosper even further. But there was an extra bonus on top of that.
As a mentor, she dedicated herself to shaping young minds and helping them achieve their goals. As the business grew, word of mouth quickly spread.
Seeing A Return
Her reputation grew stronger with each passing day, and she was rewarded with a percentage of the income earned by the organization since she was the sole owner of it all.
She had never taken a penny from her husband to jumpstart the business. She passed on her knowledge and trained her coaches, but now she could take on a more personal role.
Balancing Responsibilities
Initially, she found it hard to balance her responsibilities with her personal life and often found herself unable to conduct sessions due to her husband's return home.
However, since she no longer had to worry about cooking for him, she was able to pour all of her energy into the business. But she had no idea that she was so close to an explosive confrontation with her husband.
A Good Decision
Even though Megan wasn’t aware of it at the time, by making the choice to fully dedicate herself to her profession, she demonstrated a savvy and calculated maneuver that would eventually yield significant rewards and benefits.
But David’s condition wasn’t going to improve. She had no idea that in just a few days, everything would end.
Guidance
Megan finally felt like she had some financial stability and decided to take control of her life. Recognizing that her home life was far from ideal, she reached out to a professional for guidance.
After consulting with an expert, she began to uncover the underlying toxicity in her relationship with her husband.
Eye Opening
It was eye-opening for her to realize just how deeply the issues ran, and she knew that it was time to take action. She wouldn’t be a victim anymore. She needed to talk to David.
As she reflected upon her circumstances, she came to a realization that she needed to take action to improve her situation, even if it meant making difficult decisions.
Hoping He’d Change
Her heart held onto the hope that her loved one would understand her perspective and come back to her, but she knew that the truth might be hard for him to accept.
Megan, feeling tired and frustrated, made the tough decision to retire to bed without waiting for David to come home. He wouldn’t listen to her in the state he’d be in anyway.
Waiting Until The Morning
She was aware that he was likely to arrive home late again, and her attempts to communicate with him would probably be futile. But things had to be talked about.
She resolved to put off the conversation until the next day, when she would be better prepared to address the issue head-on. But little did she know that he was going to explode.
Making Breakfast
Megan was up before the sun had fully risen. She tiptoed around the kitchen, quietly preparing a hearty breakfast for her partner. Hopefully, he’d see the best in his life with the effort she was putting in.
As the clock struck 10:00 AM, he emerged from the bedroom, stretching his arms and yawning. He sat down at the table with a smile on his face, eagerly anticipating the meal that awaited him.
Trying To Leave
With a satisfied look on his face, he finished his breakfast before announcing his intention to leave for his tennis match with Mark at 11:00 AM. However, Megan couldn't allow him to leave just yet.
Megan's voice was filled with kindness as she stopped David in his tracks. "Wait. Before you go, I need to talk to you about us," she said.
Unhappy
David looked at her with an expressionless face and tried to walk towards their bedroom. However, Megan refused to let him go that easily.
As she took a deep breath, anxiety flooded her system, and she put her foot down. "No, they are not good," she said. "I am unhappy, and I need things to change."
Uncooperative
As she stood there, nervously wringing her hands, David's expression shifted from confusion to hurt. With a heavy sigh, she spoke up, "I know things haven't been easy between us lately, and I think we need to work on it.”
“That's why I'm asking you to come with me to couple's therapy. It could really benefit us." Despite her earnest plea, David's demeanor remained cold and uncooperative, leaving her feeling even more uncertain about the future of their relationship.
Speaking Up
In a moment of frustration, Megan found herself at a loss for words. Her partner was ignoring her, and the silence between them was suffocating.
She knew that if they didn't address the issue at hand, their relationship would be doomed to fail. Finally, unable to keep her emotions in check any longer, Megan spoke up.
Not Going To Work Out
Tears streamed down her face as she uttered the words that would change everything: "It's either that or things aren't going to work out."
As David finally came to a halt, he turned around and cast a sharp glance back at her. From the look on his face, she could tell that he was far from pleased about the words that had just slipped out of her mouth.
The Real David
A bitter expression played across his features as he spoke, his voice laced with contempt. "And what exactly are you going to do about it?" he spat.
"You're the one chasing after your foolish dreams, while I'm the one who brings home all the money. Without me, you'd be nothing but a homeless beggar on the street."
Catching Him In The Act
The words cut her like knives. This wasn’t her husband anymore. He stormed off to start his busy day while Megan was left in the kitchen.
She didn’t even cry. She was too numb. She decided that she would confront him while he was in the act. He wouldn’t be ready for the confrontation.
Separating
That night, Megan confronted him when he got home at 2:00 AM from his “tennis match.” She told him once again about her ultimatum. But that’s when he exploded. “I want a divorce,” He bitterly said.
Megan couldn’t agree more on the inside. He must have expected her to go back on her word, but she was all too ready for the war to begin.
Settling Things
Fast forward to the two settling their divorce with their lawyers present. She handed David something that he wasn’t expecting; it was her pay slip. He couldn’t believe what he saw written on the page. Even his lawyer looked pale as a ghost.
"This isn't possible," He said as sweat beaded on his brow. She had much more power than he had thought.
Never Looking Back
David now knew the truth - Megan’s business had grown rapidly in the last few months. She was now earning far more money than he was. That’s when regret washed over him.
He begged her not to go through with it. But his manipulation didn’t work on her anymore. They signed the papers, and she never looked back. She knew that she’d find the right person, especially now that she knew her worth.