I went to check on my boyfriend, worried he was too sick to even text me back. But what I found shattered my trust and sent my world spinning. Days later, the last person I ever expected showed up at my door, and together, we started something that changed my life forever.
One crisp autumn day, I sat alone in my small, cozy apartment, the sunlight streaming weakly through the windows.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
The orange and red leaves outside seemed to mock my restlessness as I stared at my phone, waiting for my boyfriend, Jace, to finally show up.
He hadn’t visited in days, claiming he was just tired, but something about his excuses didn’t sit right with me.
I fiddled with the hem of my sweater, tapping my foot anxiously against the hardwood floor. Finally, I gave up and dialed his number. The phone rang a few times before he answered.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Hello?” Jace answered, his voice low and groggy, like he’d just woken up.
“Are you sleeping?” I asked, trying to hide the edge in my voice.
“Yeah,” he said, pausing for a second. “Sorry I didn’t text you. I just fell asleep. I’m not feeling great—might have a fever or something.”
“Oh…” I said softly, not sure what else to say.
He coughed hard into the phone, making me wince. “Look, I’ll text you later,” he muttered, his words rushed.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Feel bet—” I started, but the line went dead before I could finish.
Frustration bubbled up as I tapped my fingers on the table, my thoughts racing. If Jace was really sick, I couldn’t just sit there doing nothing. I’d take care of him, whether he liked it or not. That’s what girlfriends do, right?
Grabbing my coat, I headed out into the crisp autumn air, determined. The walk to the store was brisk, the kind that makes your cheeks tingle.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Inside, I picked up fresh fruit, tea, and a box of throat lozenges, imagining how grateful Jace would be when I showed up.
Back at his building, I pressed the elevator button, adjusting the heavy bag on my arm. Usually, I took the stairs, but not today.
The elevator hummed softly as it descended, and I distracted myself by humming along to a tune stuck in my head.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
When the doors slid open, my heart stopped. There he was—Jace—with his arms around a woman I didn’t recognize.
Her face pressed against his chest, and they were so close it made my stomach churn. This wasn’t just a hug. It was something more.
“Looks like you’re feeling better,” I said, my voice louder than I intended, cutting through the quiet hallway.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Jace’s head whipped toward me, his face draining of color. “Kate…” he stammered, his arms falling away from the woman. He stepped toward me, his hand reaching out like that would somehow fix things. “I can explain.”
His mouth opened, but I held up a hand to stop him. “Don’t. Just don’t. If you take one more step or say one more word, I swear I’ll make you regret it.” I hurled the bag of groceries at him, the fruit spilling across the floor.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Without waiting for his reaction, I turned and walked away, my heart pounding with anger and disgust.
He didn’t call after me, didn’t try to stop me, and for that, I was glad. He wasn’t worth it. Not anymore.
A few days had dragged by since I’d caught Jace in the elevator with another woman. He hadn’t bothered to call, text, or even send a pathetic apology.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Not even a simple “I’m sorry, I’m a jerk, and I don’t deserve you.” Was that too much to ask?
It gnawed at me, this unfinished business. I couldn’t move on, couldn’t let go, because it felt like he was still lurking in my life, like a shadow I couldn’t shake.
I decided I needed closure, even if it meant facing him. So, I texted him, my fingers trembling with anger. After a few minutes, he replied.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
@Jace:
Let’s meet tonight at 6 p.m., at our café.
Our café. The place where we had our first date. The nerve. Still, I agreed.
At 6 p.m., I sat in the corner booth, the one we always chose. The warm smell of coffee and pastries surrounded me, but it brought no comfort.
Every time the door opened, I glanced up, expecting to see him. But Jace didn’t show.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
By 7 p.m., I was tapping my foot under the table, staring at the cold tea I hadn’t touched. By 8 p.m., I was furious. Finally, my phone buzzed.
@Jace:
I can’t come. I can’t stand seeing you so sad like this.
I stared at the screen, stunned by his cowardice. What did that even mean? He couldn’t stand seeing me?
He was the one who had cheated, yet he was acting like the victim. My anger boiled over.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
When I finally got home, the fury still burned in my chest. I stomped up the stairs, muttering under my breath.
Then, as I turned the corner, I froze. Standing outside my apartment was her. The woman from the elevator. She looked nervous, like she’d been waiting for me.
“What the hell are you doing here?!” I shouted, my voice echoing in the hallway. I couldn’t believe she had the nerve to show up.
“I want to talk to you,” she said, her tone calm but uneasy. “I feel like I owe you… more than just a conversation.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I folded my arms tightly, glaring at her. “You’re a few hours late,” I snapped. “I don’t want anything to do with that jerk. You can have him.” Turning away, I fumbled with my keys, determined to shut this conversation down.
“That’s the thing—I don’t want him either,” she said, her voice firmer this time. It stopped me cold. “I finally realized what he’s really like, and I wanted to talk to someone who understands.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I hesitated, my hand still on the doorknob. This was absurd, completely insane. But a part of me was curious.
With a deep sigh, I turned back to her. “Fine. Come in,” I said, pushing the door open and stepping aside.
As she entered, I asked, “What’s your name, anyway?”
“Ashley,” she said softly, her eyes darting to the floor.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Kate,” I said, introducing myself reluctantly.
“I know,” she admitted, guilt written all over her face.
I walked to the kitchen, motioning for her to follow. “Come on,” I said. “I’d offer you tea, but I think this calls for something stronger.” I grabbed a bottle of wine from the counter and set it down.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Ashley sat at the table, folding her hands nervously. “You didn’t know about me,” she began. “But I knew you existed. Jace told me he had a girlfriend, but he said you were awful to him. He claimed you ignored him, flirted with other men, made him feel worthless.”
“What the—?! That’s exactly what he did to me!” I burst out, anger flaring.
Ashley nodded slowly. “I see that now, after what happened when you caught us. But back then, I believed him. I thought he was going to leave you and be with me.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Looks like the jerk fooled both of us,” I said bitterly, pouring the wine.
“That’s why I’m here. I don’t want him to get away with it,” she said, her voice steady.
“What are you suggesting?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
Ashley smiled, a sly, mischievous grin. “Revenge,” she said simply. “You know how much of a homophobe Jace is?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Her words made me pause, curiosity sparking despite my anger. And that was how it all began.
Ashley and I wasted no time setting our plan into motion. We created several profiles for Jace on popular dating sites, carefully crafting his “interests” and uploading photos we had saved from his social media.
We sent flirty messages to men who seemed eager to connect, pretending to be Jace himself.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“I’m looking for someone special,” we wrote, ending with a winking emoji. We even set up meetups at his apartment, choosing times when we knew he’d be home.
The thought of him opening his door to confused strangers made us laugh until our sides hurt.
On another site, we posted his phone number with the tagline: “Night owl? Call me between 2 and 4 a.m. for some fun.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Though we couldn’t track the exact number of calls, the texts we received from Jace told us everything we needed to know. “Who are these people?” “Why won’t my phone stop ringing?” His desperation fueled us to keep going.
The billboard idea was the final touch. We found ad space in the busiest parts of town and designed a bright, eye-catching poster featuring Jace’s smiling face with the caption: “Looking for a man to support and cherish.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Seeing the first billboard go up was priceless. We high-fived in the car, imagining his face when he spotted it.
Our phones buzzed nonstop with texts and calls from Jace. “You have to stop this,” he wrote. “Please, I’m begging you!”
Eventually, we responded.
@Me:
We can stop, but there’s one condition.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
@Jace:
I’ll do anything. Just stop.
I sent him the amount—enough for a two-week vacation to Spain. When the transfer hit my account, I sent him one last text.
@Me:
Oops, we forgot the passwords to the accounts, and the billboards are prepaid for two months 🙂
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
After sending that final text to Jace, Ashley and I blocked his number. There was nothing more to say. The moment felt oddly triumphant, like closing the chapter of a bad book I’d been stuck reading for far too long.
We immediately turned our focus to planning the trip. A few days later, Ashley and I landed in Spain.
The sun was bright, the air warm, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore was the perfect soundtrack to our newfound freedom.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
We found a spot on the beach, stretched out on lounge chairs, and ordered cold sangria.
Ashley turned to me with a grin. “Best team effort ever,” she said, raising her glass of sangria. I smiled, knowing she was right.
I’d lost a terrible boyfriend but gained one hell of a friend. Revenge never tasted so sweet.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Tell us what you think about this story and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.
If you enjoyed this story, read this one: When a grouchy old man slams the door on a persistent teen, he thinks he’s rid of her for good. But when a hurricane traps them together, the storm outside reveals the truth about her shocking connection to his past.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
After 23 Years of Marriage, Wife Asks Husband on a Date and Learns He Is Ashamed of Her — Story of the Day
A woman decides to ask her husband out on a date to rekindle their flame. He refused, admitting he was ashamed of her, only to learn an important lesson from one of his good friends later.
Jack and Mary had been married for 23 years with four children who needed constant attention from Mary. Their life was a routine, something that no longer excited the couple.
Their daily routine differed from one another. Jack would come home from work, lay on the couch, and watch television until dinner. Meanwhile, Mary worked the entire day, cooking dinner, washing everyone’s clothes, caring for their youngest child, and guiding the other kids with their homework.
When Mary would finally have free time late at night, she’d watch romantic films and imagine herself in them. She’s been dreaming of going on a date, as she and her husband haven’t gone on one in a while.
Mary wanted to go on a date with her husband, as they haven’t been on one in a while. | Source: Shutterstock
However, when Mary looked at herself in the mirror, she was saddened by what she saw. She looked nothing like the women in the movies.
She glanced at her wedding photo in front of the mirror and couldn’t believe her eyes. She now saw a tired, sad old woman instead of the cheerful young girl she once was.
Shaking the thought, she decided to change her reality. The next day, when Jack returned from work, she sat him down at the dinner table.
“Jack, I was thinking… maybe we can go on a date? There’s a nice place that opened downtown. Maybe we can go check it out,” she suggested.
Jack scoffed and was surprised that Mary even initiated it. “Date? Why would we go on a date? Is today a special day or something?” he asked.
Mary always looked tired, as she looked after the entire household every single day. | Source: Pexels
Mary shook her head. “Well, we don’t have to wait for a special day to go out on a date… we can make any day special,” she smiled kindly.
Instead of feeling touched by Mary’s gesture, Jack started to feel irritated. “Look at you!” he told Mary. “You look terrible. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Mary felt hurt by her husband’s harsh words, especially since she looked that way because she had just finished cleaning their house. “I just finished doing all the housework; that’s why I look like this,” she justified.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You look like this every day. You used to take care of yourself, fix your hair, dress up well, but now you look like an old maid. I don’t know when you started to let go of yourself,” Jack told her.
Mary’s eyes filled with tears. “Even when you cry, you look terrible. Do you want the truth? I’m ashamed of you. I can’t take you out like this,” Jack said before walking out the front door.
Mary couldn’t help but cry after hearing such hurtful words from her husband. | Source: Pexels
Jack went to his friend Samuel’s house and invited him to a bar for a beer. But Samuel turned him down immediately. “Sorry, mate. I’m going on a date with my wife. There’s this new place downtown I wanna take her to.”
Jack was offended that his friend refused a trip to the bar for a date with his wife. Then he saw Samuel’s wife heading down the stairs. She looked beautiful in her dress and had a big smile as she held flowers in her arms.
“Sam, I just found this bouquet on the table in our room. Did you put them there?” she beamed, kissing Samuel on the cheek.
“Yep, surprise! Also, here…” he said, taking a paper bag from behind the front door. His wife opened it and inside was a beautiful evening dress.
“Oh, Sam. This is beautiful! You are the best husband! Let me change quickly. I will wear this dress on our date,” she said excitedly, rushing back upstairs.
Samuel surprised his wife with flowers before their date. | Source: Pexels
Jack was stunned at what he had just witnessed. “Sam, your wife is beautiful, and you two look so in love! My wife always looks miserable. She barely ever smiles nowadays,” he said.
“When was the last time you asked Mary out on a date?” Samuel asked his friend.
“I can’t remember… two years ago, maybe?” he replied.
“You last asked her out on a date two years ago, and now you’re complaining to me that she doesn’t smile?!” Samuel said, hitting his friend playfully on the arm.
Shaking his head, Samuel decided to give Jack a valuable piece of advice. “You know, mate. I make every single day special for my wife. She’s the light of our home. She deserves all the love and appreciation from me. She’s always been beautiful, but every day, she puts in extra effort to look even more beautiful – because she feels loved.”
Samuel makes every day special for him and his wife. | Source: Pexels
Jack stood there, quietly absorbing what Samuel was saying. He realized he had a responsibility he hadn’t been fulfilling toward his wife.
“When I take my wife on a date, it’s not because it’s a special day. It’s because I choose to make every day special. Try it, mate. It might work wonders on your marriage,” Samuel suggested.
Jack nodded, realizing that what Samuel said was what Mary was trying to tell him earlier. “Thanks, Sam. Well, enjoy your date tonight. I’ll go back home now.”
When Jack returned home, he had a gift for Mary. “I’m sorry for hurting you with my words earlier today. I was being disrespectful, and you didn’t deserve that,” he said, handing her the gift box. “Would you like to go out on a date with me tomorrow? I booked us a table at that cool place downtown…”
Jack surprised Mary with a gift before asking her out on a date. | Source: Pexels
Mary looked at Jack, surprised. She was thrilled and smiled the same cheerful smile she used to show him every day when they were younger. She opened the gift box and saw a beautiful silver necklace.
“This is so beautiful, Jack. Thank you. I would love to go on a date with you tomorrow,” she replied.
The following day, Jack saw Mary transform right in front of his eyes. She looked breathtaking, and he was reminded that he had the most beautiful woman by his side. He was happy, and so was she.
Since then, both Mary and Jack have made it a point to work on their relationship. They rekindled the flame between them, and it did wonders not only for themselves but also for their family life.
What can we learn from this story?
- You don’t need a special day to celebrate. You can make every day special. Jack initially believed dates should only be celebrated on special occasions. His good friend Samuel made him realize that every day could be memorable, and it was up to him to make it that way.
- Show your loved ones your love, support, and appreciation every day. We often overlook the little things our loved ones do for us every day. It’s important to pay attention to them and show your appreciation so that love continues to bloom at home.
Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day.
If you liked this story, you might like this one about a wealthy inventor who abandoned his wife for a younger woman, only for her to save him from a thief later on.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
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