I Left My Husband To His Sixty-Year-Old Old Flame

At my sixtieth birthday celebration, after I finished my speech, my usually serious husband suddenly burst into tears. Then my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson did the same.

Everyone stood up, with tears in their eyes, and walked towards me. Their sudden emotional displays made me a bit uneasy.

I wiped the sweat from my hands and raised my arms, hoping to offer a hug. But my husband brushed past me.

Then my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson did the same.

My husband held onto the hand of the person behind him with his incessantly trembling hands.

My son cried out, "Nina!"

My daughter-in-law and grandson eagerly suggested they catch up properly.

For forty years, I had poured my heart and love into this family, only to be utterly defeated by someone returned who held a special place in my husband's heart.

Nina Sanders, the one who had had a relationship with my husband, had developed Alzheimer's. Her memory now regressed to when she was eighteen. She stared at me and asked me who I was.

Seeing the family act like they had their worst enemy here, I laughed, "Just an outsider."

1

This was my birthday. And I had specially pinned a flower to my collar.

Then Nina saw it and rushed over to snatch it. She kicked and bit me with her surprisingly great strength.

I endured the searing pain she caused me and removed the pin, fearing it might scratch her.

Just as I adjusted the pin, my son yanked me hard. The pin then pierced my thumb, causing me to scream in pain.

But all I saw were my son's bloodshot eyes. He said, "Mom! You've gone too far!"

My daughter-in-law, who was shielding Nina, said in a reproaching tone, "Jordyn, you've taken Nina's things for so many years. It's just a flower, do you really need to fight over it?"

Cory looked at me with disappointment. "She's sick."

Nina continued to sob uncontrollably, and Cory comforted her gently. I had never seen him this patient before.

I froze there for a long time, letting their accusations pierce my heart. Blood trickled down from my finger, staining the gold trim of my gown.

Nina was hungry, so Cory took her to eat holding her hand. The other family members left, too.

I was not sure how long it passed until a staff of the restaurant exclaimed because of my wound, which brought me back to my senses. She hurriedly brought gauze to bandage my wound.

Even a stranger would treat me kindly. But what about my family?

They did throw me an extravagant party, yet none of the dishes did I like. They did prepare a three-tiered lavish cake for me, yet with my name misspelled.

They resented me for taking whatever was supposed to be Nina's. But why had no one ever asked me that if I wanted it?

Cory cherished Nina so much that he didn't want her free spirit to be confined by the rules of a wealthy family. So, he chose me.

Thus, my family had clipped my wings and sent me into the Marshall family. I became a wife and mother, spending all my time in dealing with family affairs and other wealthy families. After giving birth to Ryan Marshall, our son, I was finally accepted by the Marshall family.

But Nina regretted it, saying she refused to be the other woman between us. She left without a trace for forty years, destroying all my hard work in this family.

Everyone said I drove Nina away. Even my daughter-in-law and grandson, who had never met Nina, were filled with resentment towards me, having been influenced by others.

I swallowed all my bitterness, clinging to the so-called title of "Mrs. Marshall" and living a life worse than death. And now, it was time to return everything to its rightful owner.

After drafting the divorce agreement with a lawyer, I went home and heard the sound of laughter when I opened the door.

Nina, wearing a beautiful pink dress and a birthday hat, was the center of attention.

If it were me, Cory would have said the dress was inappropriate for me, and Ryan would have said I was too old to dress young. But for Nina, they abandoned all their principles.

Ryan playfully dabbed some cream on Nina's face. "Are you happy, Nina?"

Cory tucked her hair behind her ear and knelt to look into her eyes. "Nina, you are as beautiful as you used to be."

Nina, giggling, held Cory's face in her hand and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Everyone cheered and laughed at this scene while I watched it from afar.

There was a hastily bought cake and some plain home-cooked dishes on the table. And family bound by unbreakable ties was around. Just such simple things that I had longed and worked for my whole life. But I realized it was only a fool's dream.

I laughed along with everyone until I retched and tears streamed down my face.

The room felt complete silent when everyone noticed my presence.

Ryan instinctively shielded Nina behind him. "Nina finally decided to come back, and you're going to drive her away again?" He demanded.

Seeing me stare silently at the cake on the table. Cory spoke up to explain to me, which could rarely be seen, "Nina is sick. She's just like a child. She saw you were having a birthday party and wanted to have one herself. Are you really upset about that?"

My daughter-in-law frowned, "Jordyn, you have celebrated so many birthdays. But Nina only gets this one. You can't be this greedy."

They had convicted my crime with their words.

Looking at these family members who were treating me like I were a stranger, I suddenly felt utterly exhausted. I pulled the divorce agreement from my bag and said to Cory sincerely, "I'll leave immediately after you sign this ."

Cory didn't take it. His face was cold as he issued his command as if he wasn't listening to me, "Nina doesn't remember you. You'll stay upstairs and keep to yourself for the next few days."

I stubbornly didn't move with the agreement still in my hand. This was the first time I didn't lower my head and obediently say "yes."

Cory seemed surprised.

Ryan sneered and snatched the agreement from my hand. "What kind of drama are you stirring up now...Divorce?"

He angrily threw the agreement to the floor, "Just because Nina was back?! Why are you always causing trouble to us even when you are this old? Are you trying to disgrace me and dad?"

I looked at my son, momentarily dazed. The little boy who would cling to my leg and call me "Mommy" repeatedly had grown up. As an adult with a family and a successful career, he could now point at me with his finger and accuse me of shaming him.

I laughed bitterly, tears streaming down my face. Ryan's expression softened when he saw my tears. "Mom..."

At this moment, Nina suddenly covered her ears and started screaming. She swept everything off the table. The crash of objects echoing through the room.

Cory just ignored me and picked up Nina to protect her from the shards.

I blocked his path.

Ryan frowned. "You've caused enough troubles to us."

Nina grew impatient, babbling incoherently.

Cory took the pen from my hand and looked at me coldly. "Don't you regret this."

I straightened my back.

I would never regret it. Never!

The family marched out the house surrounding Nina, leaving a mess behind them. I had always been the one to clean up their messes. But this time, I wouldn't be.

I took a deep breath, turned around, and walked away. Everything about the Marshall family no longer concerned me.

When I made copies of the thick, signed divorce agreement, I kept touching and rereading them. And I finally felt I was alive again.

When I was young, I had spared no effort for a loving family and a lifelong partnership. I spent the night making a soup that was good for the stomach only for Ryan to knock it over and Cory to take just one sip.

Cory said, "Haven't you learned the family rules? Don't take the maid's job."

The first time Cory and Ryan secured a major deal together, I was too excited to sleep and waited outside their company with a drink hoping to celebrate with them all night. But I only found out that they had already been to Maldine, the most popular travel destination, when I woke up at the hospital.

I knew it when I read a cold text message, written, "Redundant."

I meticulously prepared for the gatherings with wives of other wealth families as I didn't want to disgrace our family. Yet Ryan kept his distance from me when he saw me, and Cory asked me with his brows furrowed, "You think you look good dressing like this?"

I was forced to play the role of "Mrs. Marshall," suffocated by the expectation of me being gentle and virtuous.

No one had noticed, resolved, and even cared all my pain, helplessness, joys and sorrows.

Did my heart ache? More like it's been dead for a long time.

Now, all I felt was relief.

I was back at the entrance of the theater, without even noticing how I was here.

Standing there, I felt my heart, long numbed, ached once more.

I seemed to hear the thunderous applause when the curtain fell.

Once upon a time, those flowers of encouragement and endless rounds of applause belonged to me.

I was the strong and resolute mermaid princess, weeping as I raised a dagger against the prince who betrayed.

And I was the brave and righteous adventurous pirate king, adjusting my hat for a clearer sights set on the stars and distant lands.

These vibrant characters I created had unknowingly fused with my soul.

I kept asking myself at every sleepless nights, "Have you truly reconciled yourself to a life like this?" How could I?

I recalled the year when I was 21. My aging mentor came to the Marshall family, shouting hoarsely at the doorstep, "Jordyn has been learning from me since she was four! She was born to be a star under the spotlight!"

But Cory said with a cold voice, "My wife cannot be an actress appear in public."

Locked inside, I cried and banged on the door until my left hand broke. But I had never saw my mentor again.

I found a chance to escape from the house, hoping to meet my friends at the theater. But I fainted halfway. When I awoke in the hospital, I was told that I was three months pregnant.

The care Cory offered me was like a comforting yet stifling embrace that I was taken good care and imprisoned.

I had a difficult birth when I bore Ryan, which left me a torn pelvis and a swollen body.

I refused to accept the changes on me and tried to stand on tiptoe but only fell heavily like a bird with broken wings. From then on, my life was completely shattered.

Those twenty-one years was like a dream. When the dream broke, I was just walking in this world like a ghost of my former self.

Under the dim streetlight, ash fluttered like a heavy fog settling in my mind.

I leaned against the lamppost, attempting to stand on tiptoe.

Then I seemed to hear the melody of "Das Musical Elisabeth" pouring forth like a gentle river.

I had never forgotten my past.

Someone from the theater peeked out, "Ms. Thomas, is it really you? Can you help us out? Mr. Marshall wouldn't mind, would he?"

I wiped away my tears, not wanting the younger peers to see me as a joke. I nodded, "I can make the decision."

After a night of practice, I was confident with myself. Worse, I'd run into Cory again. He was scanning the audience as if searching for someone.

Instinctively, I wanted to flee. But as my fingers brushed the tassels on my dress, I put myself together. Then I took a deep breath, reminding myself that we had no ties anymore.

I am Jordyn Thomas, the former main actress of this theater. I had my own aspirations and pride.

With a veil covering my face, I gracefully stepped onto the stage.

Age might have slowed my dancing, but that was not a problem. There were many forms of theater performance. And there were many possibilities of my life.

With a heavy thud of my cane made of rich mahogany wood and the stage lights flickered, the duchess was now on the stage with an confident and stoic aura.

I spoke my lines rhythmically, and sang my songs gently and passionately.

I put all the love and hate of half a lifetime into the role, during which I was utterly absorbed.

When I snapped back to the reality, I heard the audience erupt into applause. And I saw a flash of surprise and admiration flickered in Cory's eyes.

Staff members who knew me wept with joy, "It's so wonderful to have you back, Jordyn!"

During intermission, Nina burst into the theater's backstage. I had just changed back into my own clothes when she spilled makeup remover all over me.

When I was about to lose my temper, I turned and locked eyes with Cory's deep, dark eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I said coldly, "Unauthorized personnel must leave the backstage."

As I raised my hand to call security, Ryan rushed in. "Nina... Mom, what are you doing here?

Weren't you so determined about the divorce yesterday? You must follow us here as we brought Nina to the show."

He stabbed at my already wounded heart again with his mocking gaze.

Cory said nothing. But it was his silent acquiescence and indulgence toward Ryan that had caused the greatest harm to me.

In a moment, Nina had plucked nearly all the feathers from a prop hat.

I pulled her away. Then Ryan shoved me hard, "What does this worthless thing have to do with you? You're pulling Nina over this? Do you even have a heart!"

Cory couldn't stand it and wanted to reprimand Ryan.

Ryan, full of resentment, pointed at Nina. "She is crying! And don't you even care?"

Nina's confused face was now covered with tears.

Cory took a deep breath and ordered me with a solemn expression, "Apologize to Nina."

I bit my lip hard, finally unable to hold back. I raised a nearby cane high and struck it on Cory's head.

"You're not welcome to my performance! Get out!"

Ryan chuckled, "Mom, are you jealous that Nina is taken good care of because of her Alzheimer, so you're acting crazy? How can you still daydream at your age? Thinking holding a cane makes you a duchess?"

Before he could finish, staff had come and restrained him on both sides. "Don't make trouble here. Please leave."

I watched coldly as Cory pointed angrily at me, "She was the one causing trouble, why isn't she being kicked out?"

The staff dragged Ryan to the door and shoved him out. The door slammed shut in front of him.

"How dared they challenge our leading actress?"

The door was thick so they might not hear it clearly. But Ryan knew it was definitely nothing good.

For someone like Ryan, accustomed to privilege, even if people weren't entirely subservient to him, they were at least respectful. It was the first time he had been treated like this. This wasn't just a disgrace to him. It was as if his dignity was being ground into the dirt.

Thinking of the staff's respectful attitude toward me, Ryan was infuriated, "Mom must be basking in her theater-loving friend's glory. She didn't earn this with her own ability, yet she flaunts it in front of us!

No matter how close a friend is, she's still an outsider. Besides, her friend is gone. When Mom comes home, we need to talk to her, make sure she knows who's really her family members! Dad, don't you agree?"

Cory felt his head was throbbing with pain.

That obedient Jordyn had just hit him? Insulted him? And even kicked him out?

Cory's face darkened as if he'd lost his father.

Just as he was about to turn back for answers, Nina suddenly cried out. She raised her right hand, showing a barely noticeable cut on her thumb.

Ryan instantly forgot everything else, "To the hospital! Hurry!"