After 14 years of marriage, two children, and a life I believed was happy, everything collapsed in an instant. It’s incredible how quickly things can change when you least expect it.
It happened on an ordinary evening when Oleg came home—only he wasn’t alone. A woman was with him—tall, flawless skin, and a smile that felt icy. I was in the kitchen, making dinner, when I heard the click of her heels.
“Well, darling,” she said, looking me over from head to toe. “You weren’t lying. She really has let herself go. What a pity—at least the bones are good.”
My body froze.
“Excuse me?” I managed to say, not believing what I’d just heard.
Oleg took a deep breath, as if I was the one who caused this situation.
“Anya, I’m filing for divorce.”
In that moment, my entire world dimmed, and I felt something inside me slip away. A flood of questions surged.
“Divorce? What about the kids? What about everything we built together?”
“You’ll manage,” he shrugged. “I’ll send money. Oh, and you can stay on the couch or go to your sister’s. Lena’s staying with me.”
That night, I packed our things and left with the kids. The divorce was finalized soon after. We sold the house and moved to a modest apartment, trying to start over. Oleg disappeared—not only from my life but from the children’s too.
At first, he still sent money for the kids, but that stopped after a while. The kids hadn’t seen him in over two years. He had abandoned not just me, but them.
Then one day, while coming home from the store, I saw them. Oleg and Lena. My heart clenched, but the closer I got, the clearer it became—karma is real.
I immediately called my mom.
“Mom, you won’t believe this!”
They looked… different. Oleg wore worn-out shoes, his face tired and tense. Lena had changed too. Once polished, now with a tight ponytail and an irritated expression. They were entering a small discount shop, and something inside me shifted. He used to mock me for bargain shopping, and now here he was, trailing after Lena into the very store I used to go to for deals.
I froze. I didn’t know whether to walk away or approach them. But something told me I needed to see this with my own eyes. So I followed them.
In the produce section, they started arguing. Lena was frustrated, tossing items into the cart. Oleg muttered something back, but she ignored him. Everything felt heavy and worn out. I stood nearby, and then she noticed me.
Her eyes filled with confusion before she nudged Oleg in the ribs. Our eyes met. It was a strange moment. Silence. No one knew what to say.
“Anya,” he mumbled.
“Oleg,” I replied calmly.
Everything I wanted to say—about the nights the kids cried, the struggles, the emptiness—sat on my tongue. But all I said was:
“I’m doing well.”
And it was the truth.
Lena gave him an impatient shove, and they left. I stood there, feeling a deep sense of relief. Karma had arrived.
When I got home, the kids greeted me. Felicia put down her book and asked:
“Mom, are you okay?”
I sat down next to her.
“I just saw your father.”
Toby leaned into me and whispered:
“I miss him, but I’m angry.”
“That’s okay, sweetheart. It’s okay to feel both.”
Felicia asked thoughtfully:
“Do you think he’ll come back?”
I shrugged.
“I don’t know. But I know this—we have each other. And that’s enough.”
She smiled.
“Yeah, Mom. We’re okay.”
A week later, Oleg called me.
“Hi, it’s Oleg.”
“Yes?”
“I want to see the kids. Lena left, and I realize now that I ruined everything.”
Instead of yelling, I quietly replied:
“I’ll talk to them. But you hurt them.”
Two days later, he stood at the door. Felicia opened it.
“Hi, Dad,” she said flatly.
Toby hid behind me.
Oleg held out a gift bag.
“A toy car for Toby and some books for Felicia.”
Felicia took the bag but hugged me tighter.
Oleg looked at me with eyes full of regret.
“Thank you for letting me come. I want to try, if they’ll let me.”
I studied him—the man I once loved—and said:
“This will take time. But I won’t stand in the way of you being their father, if you’re truly ready.”
He nodded.
Months passed. Oleg started coming around more often. The kids stayed cautious, but the ice slowly melted.
But the most important part? When I looked at Oleg, I felt no hatred. I felt free.
I didn’t seek revenge. I survived, grew stronger, and began a new life.
Sometimes it feels like we’ve lost everything, but it’s in the rebuilding that we find ourselves. And the best revenge is living well.