After Our Divorce My Ex Married His Mistress! But A Guest Said Something That Made Him Turn Pale..
Hearing that, I no longer felt satisfaction, only a bitter sadness. After all, he was the man I had loved for eight years.
«My husband hesitated,» Jessica said. «He was going to approach him, but Ethan realized he was being watched, got scared, threw down his sandwich, and ran off like a true fugitive.»
«And Ashley?»
«After the scandal, the pregnancy turned out to be fake, just as we suspected. No one wants to hire her. Her parents, ashamed, sold their house to pay off the wedding debts and took her with them. They say they’re having a very hard time.»
The two people who had reveled in my pain were paying a very high price for their greed.
«Life is fair sometimes,» I whispered.
I hung up, my heart heavy, but that sadness was fleeting. I looked at my garden, where the lavender bloomed in a sea of violet. I took a deep breath. Their life, as tragic as it was, was no longer mine.
A week later, I presented the final hotel project to the investor, a very demanding Swiss man. I had prepared everything in detail. When I finished, the investor, who according to Michael never smiled, stood up and applauded.
«Marvelous, Miss Hayes,» he said with admiration. «This is exactly the soul I was looking for. You have done an excellent job.»
Michael, beside me, smiled proudly. The project was approved without a single change.
Back at the studio, Michael told me, «Sarah, you’ve amazed me. The client is delighted. He’s going to recommend us for a much larger resort in Provence.»
«It was a team effort, Michael.»
«But the vision was yours. To celebrate, the company has decided to give you a 30% raise, effective this month, and you deserve a week of paid vacation. Go wherever you want and recharge, because the Provence project is waiting for you.»
I was so happy I wanted to jump in the middle of the street. A raise, a vacation, and most importantly, my work was recognized. I realized that by leaving Ethan, I hadn’t lost anything. I had found myself, and so much more.
I decided to use my vacation to travel down the California coast. I rented a small car and drove on back roads, staying in rustic inns, eating goat cheese and toast with olive oil. I met new people. We talked about wine, art, and the beauty of life. I realized my value wasn’t in being someone’s wife or in the money I had, but in my independence, in my ability to create my own happiness.
When I returned to Willow Creek, my garden was even more beautiful. I signed up for advanced French classes and a pottery workshop. I wanted to keep learning.
One afternoon while reading in the garden, Jessica called. We talked often, but only about my life, her work, her kids. We never mentioned Ethan or Ashley again. They had disappeared from my life like a nightmare that fades at dawn.
I watched the sun dance on the leaves. I understood that those eight years of marriage, though painful, had taught me a lesson. And the divorce wasn’t an end; it was a beginning. The door to a new path, a path filled with sunshine.
I smiled. I knew my future on that path would only get better.
