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566words2026-01-26 09:04

My wife’s best friend of forty years,who stood by her side through thick and thin,passed away from cancer.
At the memorial,my wife,Eleanor,suddenly announced she would marry her friend’s husband.
Crying, she said they had been in love for years and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

Our children’s cries,the pleas of friends and family,and my own begging were all met with her silence.
Watching them clasp hands in the pouring rain,I felt utterly drained.
I’d never truly had her heart.What was the point of holding on to her now?
I pushed open the door and handed Eleanor the signed divorce papers, saying, “Fine. I agree to the divorce.”
…
Eleanor stared at me,her eyes filled with disbelief.

With trembling hands, she took the papers and carefully covered them with her coat to keep them dry, as if they were her lifeline.
My heart ached with pain.
This freedom to pursue her true love—she had probably longed for it for forty years.
The man holding her hand,despite the wrinkles around his eyes, still had a charming demeanor.

Charles Bennett gently pulled Eleanor into his arms,addressing me earnestly:
“James,thank you for letting her go.I’ll take good care of Eleanor from now on.”
As their figures disappeared into the rainy night,two cars came to a screeching halt at the door.
Our son,Nathan,and daughter,Claire,rushed me into the house.
Seeing another copy of the divorce papers on the table,they exchanged a glance and confirmed with me:
“Dad,you…agreed to divorce Mom?”
Exhausted,I rubbed my forehead,took deep breaths to ease my throbbing headache, and then said,
“Forcing something never works.”
“At our age,we don’t have many years left.”
“If your mom is set on this,I’ll respect her choice.”
Eleanor and Margaret Evans had been best friends for forty years.
They met through me and Charles,and their friendship deepened, making our families feel like one big family.
After battling cancer for a decade,Margaret finally passed away.
But at her memorial service,Eleanor shocked everyone by announcing that she would marry her best friend’s husband,Charles.
That day,I learned the truth.
Over forty years ago,during a volunteer program in the rural West,Eleanor and Charles had declared their love for each other, but they were torn apart by policies that forced them back to the city.
Later,Eleanor and I met through a matchmaker and got married.On our wedding day,among the guests I had invited,she saw her first love again.
But it was too late.
Due to hesitation, years passed by. Eleanor, being aware of Margaret's poor health, suppressed her feelings.
After Margaret’s death,she boldly expressed her true feelings.
Silence filled the room.
Claire poured me a cup of warm water,hesitated for a moment, and then asked softly,
“Dad…after the divorce,how will the assets be divided?”
I paused,realizing that the children had a right to know,especially since it involved their future responsibilities towards us.
I answered honestly:
“Your mom wanted to leave with nothing,but I insisted on dividing everything equally in the agreement.”
Nathan sighed with relief and said:
“That’s good.Dad,you know the Bennetts spent everything on Margaret’s illness.They’ve got little left.”
His tone—why did it sound like he was worried that Mom would struggle after marrying Charles?
Claire gave her brother a stern look.He realized his mistake and quickly added:
“I mean,Dad,you’ll be alone now.You should keep more for yourself.”
My eyes stung as I looked at my grown-up,independent children:
“Thankfully,I still have you two.”