The Man of My Dreams Left His Wife for Me, but I Had No Idea What was in Store

The man Id always dreamed of left his wife for me, yet I had no clue what lay ahead.
I had been sighing for him since my school days, living in a tiny village near Lyon. It was a blind, reckless lovethe kind that makes you lose your mind and forget everything else. When he finally noticed me, I threw away the last crumbs of common sense I possessed. This happened years after university: fate brought us together in the same law firm. Same profession, shared interests. I thought it wasnt a coincidence but a sign, a fairytale about to become real.
He seemed perfect, a man straight out of my fantasies. His being married didnt bother my youthful selfI didnt understand what it meant to watch a marriage crumble, nor the hidden pain behind such stories. I felt no shame when Raphaël abandoned his wife for me. Who could have guessed that this choice would bring me so much sorrow? As the proverb goes, you cant build your happiness on someone elses misery.
When he chose me, I floated on a cloud, ready to forgive anything. Yet in everyday life he was far from a prince. His belongings littered the apartment, he outright refused to wash dishes, and all the housework fell on my shoulders like a heavy load. At the time I turned a blind eyelove blinded me, made me gentle, compliant, almost submissive.
He quickly erased his previous marriage from his mind, as if it never existed. They had no children, and, as he admitted, the marriage had been forced upon him by his inlaws. With you its different, youre my destiny, he whispered, and I melted. My joy was intense but fleeting, like a flash of lightning. Everything changed when I discovered I was pregnant.
At first Raphaël beamed with happiness: a child, his child! We threw a big family party, invited close friends and relatives. Toasts, wishes for health and happiness for the baby that evening is etched in my memory as a warm glow amid the darkness that later followed. I dont regret that night, but after it my blind love began to dim, like a candle in the wind.
As my belly grew, Raphaëls presence at home dwindled. I took maternity leave, and our meetings were reduced to latenight encounters. He worked late, vanished for corporate events. At first I tolerated it, then it became unbearable. Daily life turned into torment: pregnant and immobile, I watched his socks and shirts strewn everywhere, silent accusations hanging in the air. I wondered whether we had rushed into parenthood. I knew love cools over time, but I never imagined it would evaporate so quickly.
He still brought flowers and chocolate, but that wasnt what I neededI craved his company, his support, his warmth. Then the truth burst open. A casual coffee chat with coworkers revealed a new recruit in our department, young and energetic. The team was already overstretched, and my maternity leave had made the situation critical. Coincidence? I didnt know if it was her, but it was clear Raphaël had someone else. His life now revolved around work, meetings, and urgencies. One day I found a note with unfamiliar initials tucked in his jacket pocket. My heart tightened, yet I slipped it back, pretending not to notice. Fear of being alone in my seventh month froze me.
He complained that I was always on edge, and every argument ended with a weary sigh, as if I were a burden. I was terrified to raise the main issueI knew it meant the end. And then it happened. The most terrible words I ever heard: Im not ready for a child. I have another woman. I cant recall exactly how he said it; my head was buzzing, my world collapsing. I thought I was going mad with pain and humiliation.
But I found strength inside me. I filed for divorce, each letter feeling like a blow to the heart. He didnt expect me to take that step, nor to throw his things out the next day. Fortunately the apartment was rentedwe didnt have to share it.
And the child? Think of the child! How will you manage? he shouted as he left.
Ill manage. Ill work from home. My parents will help. Mother always said you were a womanizer; I should have listened, I replied, closing the door.
Responsibility for my son gave me an inner power I never knew I possessed. Alone, I might never have left, but for him I could. His betrayal was so vile that I erased Raphaël from my life as if hed never existed. My eyes opened, and I finally saw who he truly was.
The first months after the divorce, including the birth, were hellish. I returned to my parents house in a nearby townthey welcomed me warmly, especially delighted by their grandson. I missed Raphaël, but I banished those thoughts. Deep down I knew I had made the right choice and would give my son everything I could.
Once I regained my strength, I went back to worktranslating legal texts from home. There were months with no income, but my parents supported me until I built a client base. My son grew, the years slipped by unnoticed until I realized he needed his own space. My parents didnt want us to leave, yet I dreamed of independencea office for me, a bedroom for him for his studies. By then I could afford to rent an apartment.
Life improved. Kindergarten gave way to school, elementary to middle school, and for the first time in years I felt free and tranquil. Then he resurfaced. Our small town is tightknit, especially in the legal community. Raphaël found my office without trouble. How I regretted not having moved farther! He claimed he had taken a step back, regretted the past, saying he was young and foolish. He asked to meet his son, a child hed never seen.
By law he has the right to see him, and if he wants, he will get it. That thought chilled my blood. Weeks passed after that conversation. I said Id think about it, but my mind is chaoticI dont trust him and I refuse to let him get close to my boy. Is this my punishment? The price for stealing him from his first wife? Im seriously considering moving to another city to protect us from a past thats knocking at our door again.