He used me. That’s what it all comes down to. It’s like someone pulled a veil off my eyes. How didn’t I see it before? I guess I was just too trusting, too naive. I believed people were genuine. I thought things like this happened to others, not to me. But no one is immune. I see that now.
Until recently, my husband and I lived in the apartment my parents gave me before we got married. A lovely place, not too far from the city center. Cozy, comfortable. Still, Kolya kept saying it wasn’t big enough for us. He promised we’d move into something bigger one day. Maybe even build a house together. He painted these grand pictures of our future—how he’d find a better job, how we’d save up. Looking back, it was all just sweet talk. He made it sound like he was uncomfortable in my apartment, but in truth, it suited him perfectly. He wasn’t interested in changing anything. For him, this apartment was already a jackpot.
I really thought things were good between us. We barely even argued. It felt like we understood each other deeply, like we were in sync. We shared everything—or so I believed. I thought I’d found my ideal man. He was charming, attentive. Always eager to please, always finding ways to surprise me. He made sure I lacked for nothing. I thought he just loved to spoil me. I see now that it was all part of a bigger plan.
My friends used to envy me. Their husbands didn’t spend half as much time with them. Kolya and I were always going somewhere—parks, rides, movies. We felt like teenagers in love. I thought we’d kept the spark alive. But instead of thinking with my head, I got lost in the fairy tale.
Turns out the romance wasn’t for nothing. He catered to my every whim, but not because he loved me. He was just working the long con. When I look back now, it makes me shudder. How could someone fake it all so well? How could there be not even a trace of honesty in any of it? It hurts to admit, but the man I loved wasn’t real. He was just a manipulative fraud.
Everything seemed peaceful. Calm. At least that’s how it looked to me. In reality, Kolya had his own plan, and I wasn’t part of it—at least not in the way I thought.
Kolya worked in a coffee shop. I was a gym administrator. I earned more than him, and that never seemed to bother him. From what I understood, his workplace was usually empty, so he did pretty much nothing all day. He could have found something else, but he didn’t need to. He already had a steady setup: my income. Most of our household expenses fell on me. He promised it was temporary, that he’d find better work soon. But nothing ever changed. He was perfectly content living off of me.
He didn’t even ask before dipping into our shared budget to buy tickets to matches—for himself and his friends. He claimed he needed to relax sometimes or he couldn’t function. Sure. Because working half a shift at a dead coffee shop must have been so exhausting.
Still, apart from the money, things seemed okay. But money matters, doesn’t it? That’s where people’s real faces often show.
Even as gullible as I was, I started noticing things. The first red flag came when I found a comb in our apartment. Not mine. I was sure of that. I’d never had reason to doubt his fidelity before. But there it was—clear evidence. I didn’t say anything to him. I didn’t want to confront him without proof. He was still acting the same, still affectionate. But now I knew better.
I thought maybe I was overthinking. Maybe there was an innocent explanation. But then I found a long black hair on the sofa. That did it. I couldn’t live in the dark anymore. I needed to know the truth.
So I installed hidden cameras around the apartment. I reviewed the footage daily. At first, nothing. I almost gave up. But something told me to wait. And one day, I finally saw something.
It wasn’t another woman. It was his mother. At first, I was relieved. At least he wasn’t cheating, I thought. Maybe he just wanted to avoid conflict, since his mother and I never got along. But then I listened to the recording—I had installed audio too.
That’s when I heard him say it. He was going to send me on a vacation and sell my apartment. He had already found buyers.
I replayed that moment over and over. It didn’t even sound like him. The same man who had whispered love to me now talking like a cold-hearted con artist. And his mother? She loved the plan. I always knew she disliked me, but this… this was betrayal on a whole new level.
I started to wonder if our entire relationship was built on this scam. Maybe he targeted me just for the apartment. Maybe he had others lined up.
I had to act. He had already arranged my vacation. I had wanted to visit my parents in the countryside, but he insisted I go to the sea. He booked the whole trip—paid for everything. Two weeks at a four-star hotel by the coast. The kind of gesture that would’ve melted my heart before. Now I saw it for what it was.
In those last days, he was like the perfect husband. Caring, generous. I think he believed he had me completely fooled. I took down the cameras. I didn’t want to risk him discovering them. Even his mother changed her tone. She brought homemade pies, told me how lucky her son was to have me. The performance was flawless.
And then, when Kolya went to his so-called job, I called a locksmith and changed the locks. That’s when I finally felt at peace.
When he came home and found the door wouldn’t open, he started banging and calling my name. I didn’t pretend. I told him everything. That I knew about the plan, that I’d heard every word.
He tried to deny it, to plead, to say I misunderstood. But what misunderstanding could explain such betrayal? He begged, cried, swore he loved me. I turned up the music, got some ice cream, and sat on the balcony enjoying the early summer breeze.
When I came back inside, he was still there. Hoarse, tired, desperate.
No, I didn’t feel sorry for him. Let his mother feel sorry for him. I was done.
I filed for divorce immediately. The process was easier than I expected. And once it was done, I felt light. Free. Safe.
I went to the sea. He was right about one thing—I love the ocean. I hadn’t been in years. It was exactly what I needed.
As for Kolya, I don’t care what happens to him now. I just hope he keeps his distance. He got off easy, if you ask me. Let this be a lesson.
I’ll be more cautious from now on. I still hope I’ll meet someone who loves me for who I am, not for what I own. I’ll be smarter. I won’t share too much. I won’t be easy to fool again.
Most of all, I’ve learned that when you feel something’s off, you can’t ignore it. Take action. Protect yourself. Trust your instincts. That’s how you stay strong. That’s how you stay safe.