I married someone I never loved, and now I can barely stand him.
My life honestly feels like something out of a soap opera. Seven years ago, I married a man I didn’t love. Years before, I was utterly smitten with a young manhe was a sailor. We were together for two years. Then one day, he came back to town, arm in arm with his new wife. My heart shattered, and in that moment of despair, I agreed to marry my best friend, Tom. I foolishly believed maybe my former love, Jack, would realise exactly whatand whohed lost. But he and his wife soon moved away to Manchester. And by then, I was pregnant with Toms child.
At first, Tom was incredibly kind and attentive. But over the years, his jealousy grew steadily more intense. We argued nonstop about it. Tom could never let go of the past, forever accusing me of feelings long since buried. The fact is, I never loved Tom, but I have always been faithful and grateful for all hes done for me and our son, Henry. Our friends were forever singing Toms praises, and my parents absolutely adored him. But last year something inside him snapped. Tom had an affairand came clean about it himself. I forgave him, for Henrys sake and for all our shared history together.
A month ago, feeling a bit low, I stayed the night at my friend Charlottes flat, talking until late. When I returned home, Tom was in a foul mood. It turned out he had bumped into Jack in town, and was convinced Id somehow orchestrated itthat I must have seen him too. In the heat of the moment, Tom lost his temper and raised his hand to me. That was the final straw. I filed for divorce the next day.
Now Im living with Henry at Charlottes house. First, Tom tried to apologise, turning up with gifts, but now hes making threats. He promises that if I dont withdraw the divorce petition, hell fight to take Henry away from me. If he goes through with it, I honestly dont know how Ill cope. Part of me wonders if I should just take back the petition and try, once more, to keep the family togetherfor Henrys sake. What should I do? This feels like a never-ending family drama, and Im lost.
