Coming In Late
The only thing that broke the silence was the ticking of the wall clock. Megan was alone with her thoughts at the kitchen table. That's when the door slowly opened.
She didn't like how late he was getting home. She had been waiting for hours, and it was well after 12 AM.
Finally Getting Home
David had finally gotten home, and his footsteps slowly approached through the hall. Finally, he appeared in the kitchen.
Megan stared at him and could immediately tell that he wasn't his usual self. But she had no idea that her husband was going to do something outrageous.
Speaking To Her
He hadn't noticed her yet, he was nearly tripping over his own feet as he scanned the ground. Was he looking for something? Unfortunately, this behavior was something Megan was used to.
He eventually noticed Megan. She had migrated to the couch while he was stumbling around. He tried speaking to her, but she could barely understand what he was saying.
Harsh Words
That's when Megan finally managed to hear what he was trying to tell her. "Divorce... I want a divorce." She felt her muscles seize up. She didn't expect him to say this.
She couldn't believe she had waited so long for him to come home every night, only for him to treat her like this. She wouldn't tolerate any more of his nonsense.
Agreeing
She thought about how she should react. He probably wanted her to ask for forgiveness. She smiled. She wasn't going to lay down so easily.
"Alright, David," she said with a smile. She was going to play his little game and see how he would react now that she was taking control.
Lawyer
David wanted to play his game, but not in the way Megan was about to. He recoiled at her words, not expecting her to agree. He packed some of his things and left the house. Megan had a plan.
As soon as the door closed behind David, Megan grabbed her phone and left a message for her lawyer. In the morning, he would call her, and they would make a plan.
Keeping Things Stable
Megan had been keeping things stable for David for years now. There were a lot of things that went on in the house that he didn't know about.
Without her there to keep things together, David was going to realize just how much he needed her. They arranged a meeting with their lawyers present, but Megan was sure she'd win.
Laughing Turned Begging
David had a smug look on his face until he was handed the settlement. His eyes grew wide. He couldn’t believe what he saw written on the page. Even his lawyer looked pale as a ghost.
"This isn't possible," He stammered as he looked down at her payslips. His laughing would turn to begging.
Megan Everly
Megan Everly had always yearned for that one true love who would sweep her off her feet. Throughout her teenage years, she found it difficult to find someone who could match her expectations.
It wasn't until she met David that she realized what she had been missing. He was something unique.
Stood Out From The Crowd
Unlike the other guys in high school, who were petty and mean-spirited, David stood out from the crowd. Megan was drawn to his kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor.
From the moment they met, they had an instant connection, and their bond only grew stronger as they dated through their adult lives. Megan thought that nothing could ever separate them.
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 Different Side
But one night, Megan saw a side of David that she wished would have stayed hidden. It was a casual Thursday night at their home. Megan was alone, as usual, working on an upcoming project.
By this point, she knew that her husband wasn’t at work. He was at a local bar, drinking his sorrows away. But that night would be the beginning of the end.
Coming Home
Megan was working on her laptop with a steaming cup of tea in front of her. She had a group session coming up with a few of her clients, and she wanted to be prepared.
She was in the middle of writing a script when she heard the front door slam shut. The second she realized that her husband was home, her heart sank. The last while, there had been tension between them, and she had no idea why. But she was about to learn the devastating truth.
He Ignored Her
When David walked into the dining room where Megan was working, he simply stared at her. Without so much as a “hello”, he turned on his heels and began heading for their bedroom.
His eyes were bloodshot, and she could tell he was out of it. Megan was confused. He always greeted her when he came home, but that night, he simply ignored her. She decided to follow him to the bedroom, but she was about to meet the monster her husband had become.
He Was Angry
As soon as she stepped into the bedroom, she noticed David standing in front of the mirror. He was in the process of loosening his tie. As soon as he pulled it over his head, he bundled it into a ball and slammed it down on the floor, angrily.
Megan was taken aback by his needlessly aggressive behavior. “Honey, are you alright?” She asked, worried about his terrible mood. If only she had stayed downstairs.
Disgusted
David turned to face the woman standing in the doorway. He had a disgusted look on his face. It was like he couldn’t stand to look at the woman he once loved. “Is everything okay?” He laughed bitterly to himself.
David and Megan had never been the type to fight. They were generally good about talking things out, but there was something he had been bottling up, and it was about to break loose.
Distant
Megan watched her husband with concern behind her eyes. Although things had been tense lately, she had never seen her husband so angry before. She didn’t say a word as she waited for him to speak.
The sour expression on his face intensified as he kicked his shoes off and turned his back on Megan. “You’ve been so distant lately,” She finally said, “What’s going on?”
The Truth
David pinched the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb, shaking his head. He had always been able to handle his temper, but this day was different. He turned to his wife once again.
“What’s going on is that I am working my fingers to the bone while you sit at home and do some nonsense work on your laptop,” His words stung the moment they left his mouth.
How Could He?
Megan was speechless as she stared at the man she had loved so much for so many years. How could he say something like that? But this wasn’t a big surprise for Megan.
Each time she tried to talk to David about her business and how well it had been going, she could tell he wasn’t listening. He would be distracted by his phone or the television.
Hurtful Words
She felt sick to her stomach. She was proud of the work she had been doing, but now she knew how her husband truly felt about it. Tears burned behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
David had always told Megan that she was free to do what she wanted. He told her that she wouldn’t have to work a day in her life if she didn’t want to, but now, he was revealing his true feelings about the matter.
By Herself
All Megan wanted to do was leave the house and be by herself. In the last few months, she had accomplished something amazing, and now, her husband was making her feel terrible about it.
Did he even listen when she told him how well the business was doing? It certainly didn’t seem that way. David huffed as he changed into his pajamas. “I’ll give you some time alone,” Was all Megan said.
Too Emotional
That night, while David lay in bed, Megan remained in the front of the house. At first, she tried to do some more work, but she was far too emotional. Lately, her husband had been spending all of his time inside bars.
Now, she was starting to wonder if she was the reason. She was never the type to flaunt her money, but she was doing so well for herself.
Wide Awake
Megan didn’t get any sleep for the rest of that night. Instead, she lay on the couch, wide awake. She couldn’t stop thinking about what David had said. But what had gotten into him?
That was the first night she realized that her marriage was in serious trouble. She wondered how long David had felt that way without saying anything. She was beyond hurt by the conversation they had.
Pretending
The next morning, when David emerged from their bedroom in his work clothes, she pretended to be asleep. She didn’t want to speak to him just yet.
She lay with her eyes closed, pretending not to know that he was staring at her. Once he left the house, she decided to get back to work. The last thing she wanted was to waste an entire day sulking about what he said.
Putting In Work
As soon as she began working, she forgot all about her husband’s behavior from the previous night. She had received many emails overnight from people who wanted to work with her, and that was all that mattered.
She spent the morning responding to emails, but by the time she was done, she’d remembered what happened the previous night.
No Calls Or Texts
She wondered if David felt bad for what he had said the night before. Had he even thought of her since leaving the house that morning?
She reached for her phone to check for any texts or missed calls, but there was nothing. He hadn’t even tried speaking to her. She kept trying to remind herself that this would blow over. All she needed was to focus on her work.
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.