My Husband Left Me and Our Six Children for a Fitness Trainer – I Didn’t Even Have Time to Think About Revenge Before Karma Caught Up With Him

I stayed there, listening to the silence.

I cried until it felt like bruising from the inside out, but not just for me. It was for the questions that would come in the morning. For the kids asking questions I couldn’t lie about, and couldn’t fully explain without breaking something in them.

**

At six sharp, my youngest climbed into bed with me, dragging her blanket like a cape. She curled against me.

“Mommy,” Rose mumbled. “Is Daddy making pancakes?”

My heart cracked wide open.

“Is Daddy making pancakes?”

“Not today, baby,” I said softly, and kissed her curls.

I got up before I could fall apart again. I worked through breakfast, lunchboxes, missing socks, and a missing shoe that somehow made two kids grumpy.

I was pouring milk a few hours later when my phone rang.

Mark, Cole’s coworker, the one my kids trusted enough to climb on like a jungle gym.