Months after moving to a new state because of what she believed was her husband’s new job, a shocking truth shattered Amanda’s world. Her husband wasn’t who she thought he was, and he had been keeping a profound secret from her for a long time. Amanda was devastated, unsure of what steps to take next. This is her story, along with the guidance we offer her.
Two months ago, my husband had a big announcement. He sat me down and declared that he has been promoted. He said, «Honey, my job is sending me to a place two states away. We need to start preparing to move right away.» This news came as a big surprise. While I knew my husband often traveled for work, I never expected us to relocate to another state, especially on such short notice.
Despite the suddenness of it all, I was happy for him. His new position seemed to bring him joy. Thankfully, I’m a stay-at-home mom, so this significant change wasn’t impossible for us. We just needed to enroll our two kids in new schools, which was manageable.
Little by little, we adapted to our new life. The kids enjoyed their new school, and our neighborhood was pleasant. Our new house was more spacious, and I even started attending yoga classes and made some friends already.
All was good until one day a dark revelation crushed my reality. As I was picking up my 6-year-old from school, he got into the car and started to cry. I asked, «Ryan darling, what’s wrong?»
Looking at me, he said in a shivering voice, «Mommy, please don’t let Miss Foster be my mommy. I don’t want her to be my mom instead of you.»
I knew Miss Foster; she was his arts teacher. A young woman in her 20s who was pregnant, but what did that have to do with us? I then learned from my son that he saw his dad talking to Miss Foster in the morning when he dropped him off. My son saw his dad hugging his teacher and holding her hand.
When he came home, I confronted my husband, and after hours of trying to resist, he finally tearfully admitted that he had been seeing Miss Foster for years whenever he traveled here for work.
A few months ago, she told him she was pregnant with his child, and he couldn’t find any other solution than to move to be close to his unborn son as well.
He admitted shamefully that he was planning on maintaining this double life because he didn’t know what else he could do at this point. I don’t understand why he did this, especially that we were always a happy couple, and I gave him everything he wanted. He begged me to forgive him. But I find it impossible.
We wanted to share some tips with Amanda, hoping that they would be helpful.
Prioritize your children.
Amidst the chaos, prioritize self-care to nurture your mental and emotional well-being. Engage in activities that bring you comfort and relaxation, whether it’s spending time with supportive friends and family, continuing to do yoga, or indulging in other hobbies that bring you joy.
Taking care of yourself will help you build resilience and cope better with the challenges ahead.
Seek counseling.
