When I married my husband, I believed we were starting fresh. But over time, his ex kept messaging him — small favors, late-night questions — and he always replied. I tried to be understanding, but when he left our anniversary dinner to fix her sink, the hurt became too loud to ignore. It wasn’t jealousy; it was feeling like our marriage came second.

One evening, I finally said, “This makes me uncomfortable.” He brushed it off as kindness, and I wondered how love could grow when one of us kept looking backward.

Then, weeks later, my ex messaged me for an old contact. I answered politely and moved on. That night, my husband grew noticeably tense. He admitted, “I don’t like you talking to him.” For the first time, he felt what I had felt for months.

The next morning, he apologized. We talked honestly about boundaries — not out of insecurity, but love. And together, we chose each other again.