I thought leaving after the affair would be the hardest part—until I found my husband cutting my dresses into ribbons. He said, “If you’re leaving, you don’t get to look pretty for someone else.” Those clothes held memories, milestones—my wardrobe was a diary.

I left, documented everything: the damage, his texts, the silence. I didn’t scream. I built a case. The court named the harm, not just the cost.

Later, friends brought laughter, thrift-store chaos, and joy I thought I’d lost.

He tried to break me. He didn’t.

The last word isn’t the one yelled in anger. It’s the one spoken in peace, while stepping forward—unbothered, with your child in tow, and the sun on your back.