Husband Leaves Wheelchair-Bound Wife, Few Years Later Sees Her Walking in Park with Another Man — Story of the Day

When the autumn sunlight hit the grove of elms, Central Park was having a grueling day, overcrowded by people and children basking in New York's midday sun. It was noon, and Estella was walking with Rio, her fiancé.

Several years ago, when she'd lost her ability to walk in a car crash, doctors told Estella she could never walk again. But now, not only could she walk, she could jump…and run! The joy around made her forget her wheelchair — a painful reminder of that dark day that led to an ugly scar in her previous marriage and then a divorce.

But now, things were better and more beautiful. Estella found a man who loved her pluses and minuses and supported her in her ups and downs. He paid for her surgery, helped her get back on her feet, and was ready to bring down the skies to make her smile. After meeting Rio, Estella never wanted to visit those dark chapters of her past and believed this newfound happiness would last forever.

She clutched Rio's shoulder tight, and as she sighed with joy, taking another step forward, she was in for an unpleasant surprise. Mike, her ex-husband, who dumped her over her disability years ago, was sitting in a wheelchair, begging for alms...

"What is it, darling? Estella? What's wrong? Keep walking..." Rio kept harping near her ear. Estella was too shocked to be distracted. She stood frozen, and her ears turned deaf. She could not hear Rio or the screaming kids. The whirling breeze made her feel sick. She wanted to snap out of it and convince herself the man in the wheelchair was not Mike.

"That man in the wheelchair...he's my ex-husband who dumped me...Take me to him."

Alas, reality hit her like a ton of bricks. How could she forget the man she once loved beyond the skies and stars? How could she not recognize the face under that scruffy beard and sun-tanned creases? And those lips that kissed her on their first date in the fall of 2013? How chapped and crusty they looked. The hands that once held champagne glass looked miserable and exhausted, stretching out to random passers-by for alms.

Estella could not believe her eyes. Mike looked terrible and nothing like the day when she first saw him in the pub five years ago.

"Jesus, what happened to him?" she panicked, her past slowly clouding her eyes, taking her on a trip down memory lane to a time that felt like a fairytale.

It was October 2013, and Estella could not stop blushing when her friends talked about who would date Mike Fraser, the most handsome guy at the party.

Mike had recently graduated with a degree in sales management and was already an executive assistant manager at an outlet of a famous chain of supermarkets. Estella had just completed her interior design course and was looking for a job. Mike was a hot, handsome man with a charm that could spark any woman's desire, and Estella fell for him at first sight.

She was shy and sat quietly in the lounge sipping red wine, her gaze flirtatiously fixed on Mike popping the champagne bottle, cheering out loud. Then, when she least expected it, he made his way toward her, stretched his hand, and said with an elaborate smile," Will you dance with me, gorgeous?"

Estella had butterflies in her belly and could not say no to him though she was not good at dancing. She just could not turn down the company of a handsome man like Mike.

Soft jazz rolled in the background as Estella and Mike swayed across the dance floor, locked into each other's arms. Her smokey eyes bewitched him. And she was enchanted by his peppered stubble and charm.

"I know this is a little weird!" he distracted her in a soft, flirty tone. "But I'd love to grab your number and see you around...for coffee? Tomorrow at four?"

Estella was on cloud nine. They exchanged numbers and left the party early. Mike and Estella walked across the moonlit lane, and their first kiss gave them goosebumps. It was so dreamy and magical. Estella spent a sleepless night, impatient to meet Mike the next day.

The following evening, they met and talked over several cups of coffee. They told each other those magical three words before spending a passionate night in Mike's apartment. Estella worried about taking things too fast, but she followed her heart and understood Mike was the one she would spend the rest of her life with.

After a whirlwind four-month romance, Mike got down on one knee and popped the question against the backdrop of the sea. Estella gasped, covering her mouth as beads of warm tears rolled down her cheeks, and she cried YES!

The couple married in a simple church wedding two weeks later and started a new chapter of their lives together. There were no complaints, regrets, or discussions about each other's past. Estella and Mike dwelled on their present and looked forward to a beautiful future. Everything seemed perfect initially until Mike came home worried and sad one evening.

"I was just about to call you. Mmmmm, you smell lovely," Estella hugged Mike from behind but was taken aback when he yanked her hands and walked away.

"What is it, darling? Is everything alright?" she asked, following him to the balcony.

At first, Mike hesitated and then mustered the courage to talk.

"Honey, I am going to manage a new store. I'm promoted."

Estella cried in joy. "That's amazing, baby. But why are you sad? I'm so happy to hear this. You've always wanted a promotion!"

Mike gulped and knew Estella's heart would break after hearing him out.

"I know, babe. But the problem is, the new store is far away."

"How far?"

"In the next state...I'll have to relocate there."

Estella's smile faded. Moving in with Mike to the new state would cost her ambition. The area he was promoted to did not offer any vibrant opportunity that fit her interior design skills.

"Babe, trust me. It's just temporary and mostly for training, I think. We will return to New York soon once I get enough experience. It's a tremendous opportunity, and I don't want to miss it. Please, babe, say yes. Let's go together."

Estella had always dreamed of starting her dream career, but now, she was forced to make a difficult choice. After a deep thought, she decided to put Mike ahead of her. She halted her career plans briefly, and soon, they left New York and moved to the new state.

"This place is just okay, baby, but I wish we go back to the city soon," Estella was disheartened. In her free time, she surfed the internet looking for a job, but nothing turned up based on her profile. She was so bored at home and kept looking for some gig, eventually landing as a receptionist in a local furniture mart.

Three months later, Estella quit her new job, and the decision came quickly because she was pregnant. She gave birth to twins eventually and dedicated all her time to caring for her babies while Mike worked hard day and night.

Estella had never thought she would leave her ambitions behind and become a full-fledged housewife and mother. But family mattered to her more than her dreams, so she postponed all her career plans for the time being until things were sorted.

Mike was delighted when Estella adapted to her new lifestyle. He felt sorry for her for not getting a chance to establish her dream career and was certain she would adjust and give him the space to focus on his work. Everything seemed peaceful for a few months until Mike came home one evening, drunk and angry.

"Honey, what happened?" Estella grew anxious. Mike had promised to quit drinking when they married. He had kept his word all this while but was compelled to break it over something terrible that happened at work.

"Babe, I'm sorry," he cried on Estella's shoulders. "I lost my job today. My boss fired me."

"What?? Honey, what are you saying? What happened?" Estella grew tense when Mike then told her he might be arrested soon.

"I wanted to spend more time with you and the babies. So I handed a part of my work to my assistant. But I had no idea he would steal money and mess up with the sales reports. Now I am framed for theft. I don't know what to do. It's a big black mark in my career," Mike revealed.

Estella ran her hands through his hair, telling him everything would be alright. She had always made some of the most difficult choices for Mike because she believed he would never let her down. So she sold her old house in New York and hired an expensive lawyer to bail him out of the case. Mike paid a hefty fine, got away with the trial, and the three-year jail sentence was suspended.

But after that, their life became miserable. Due to the legal tussle, Mike's reputation was overshadowed by criticism and infamy. Since he was fired, nobody was ready to hire him. He could not even land an ordinary gig anywhere.