“Well, he doesn’t hit you, he doesn’t cheat, he doesn’t drink. What are you complaining about?” I had heard this phrase so many times that I could recite it in my sleep.

My friends, my parents, even my colleagues—everyone repeated it as if it were some universal truth.

I had spent my whole life struggling against this unfairness, questioning it silently.

But in the end, I had followed the rules anyway. Because that was what I was taught.

Now, with the kids grown and out of the house, it was just me and Tony. And suddenly, the truth was impossible to ignore.

“You don’t clean well enough.” “You never learned to cook like my mother.” “You should do more.”

The words cut deep, not because they were new, but because they never stopped.

I worked just as much as he did. I earned more than him. And yet, after a long day, I scrubbed floors, washed dishes, and folded laundry while he sat on the couch, watching TV, acting as if I owed him something.

One evening, Tony sprawled out in front of the television again. “Carmen!” his voice boomed from the living room.

I sighed. My hands were covered in flour from kneading dough. I wiped them on my apron and kept working. “What?” I called back.

“Come here! Right now!” he barked.

I clenched my jaw and walked into the living room. Tony sprawled on the couch, he didn’t even look at me.

“What do you want?” I asked, crossing my arms.

He pointed at the television. “Why is there dust on the TV?”

I let out a short laugh. “If you don’t like it, clean it yourself.”

Tony scoffed. “Who’s the woman in this house? Me or you?” He shook his head. “I’m tired from work.”

“So am I,” I said. “I did the laundry. I’m making dinner. You’re sitting there doing nothing.”

He waved a hand. “Stop making excuses. That’s your duty! Sarah from work has a job too, but she still does everything at home. And she looks amazing, while you—” He gestured at me. “You’ve let yourself go.”

The words hit hard. They weren’t new, but this time, something in me snapped. I ripped off my apron and threw it onto the floor.

“You think she’s so perfect? Go live with her! Or clean your own mess! I’m done!” I yelled.

I turned and stormed upstairs, my heart pounding. I grabbed a suitcase and yanked open my closet.

Tony’s footsteps thundered behind me. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“On vacation! I deserve it!” I threw clothes into the suitcase without folding them.

“You’re just going to leave me here alone?” His voice rose in panic.

I zipped the suitcase shut. “I need to think about whether I even want this marriage anymore!”

Tony stood there, mouth open, unable to speak. Maybe he thought I was bluffing.

Maybe he believed I would calm down, unpack my things, and apologize like I always did. But not this time. I had reached my limit.

I packed my suitcase, tossed it into the car, and drove off without looking back. The road stretched out before me, open and endless.

I had no plan, only a need for space. Somewhere near the beach sounded nice.

I couldn’t even remember the last time I had taken a vacation, the last time I had done something just for myself.

I stopped at a gas station to refuel and grab some water. Inside, I picked up a bottle and some snacks, then headed to the counter. A man stood there, staring at me. He looked familiar.

I shifted my weight, feeling uneasy under his gaze. He wasn’t just glancing at me. He was studying me, as if trying to place me in his memory.

“Do we know each other?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

A smirk spread across his face. “You once said you’d never forget me.”

My breath caught in my throat. The voice, the eyes, the way he smiled—it all came back in a rush. “David…” I whispered.

He chuckled. “Nice to see you again.” He pulled me into a hug, firm but familiar. “What brings you here?”

“I’m on vacation,” I said, stepping back.

David raised an eyebrow. “Vacation? All by yourself?”

“Yes,” I said.

“If you need a place to stay, I own a motel nearby. I can give you a discount.” He winked.

I shook my head. “No, thanks. I need some time alone.”

David nodded. “Alright. But if you change your mind, stop by.” He handed me his business card and then walked out. I stared at the card in my hand, heart pounding.

As I handed the cashier my money, my mind kept spinning. Of all the places, of all the moments, David had appeared here.

My first love, standing right in front of me at some random gas station on the side of the road.

It felt too strange to be a coincidence. Was it a sign? Was this meeting supposed to happen?

I shoved the thought away, grabbed my change, and stepped outside. David was already gone. No trace of him, as if he had never been there at all.

I climbed into my car and pulled onto the road. The highway stretched ahead, empty and endless.

But before I could even make it a quarter mile, the engine sputtered. The car lurched forward, then stalled completely.

I groaned and stepped out, lifting the hood. Everything looked normal, but I had no clue what I was looking for.

A car slowed beside me. The window rolled down. “Trouble?” David asked, smirking.

I crossed my arms and let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes, my car won’t start. I have no idea what’s wrong.”

David stepped out of his car and walked over. He leaned under the hood, inspecting the engine. After a moment, he shook his head. “You’re going to need repairs.”

My stomach dropped. “What? It was working fine just a minute ago.”

“Cars break down, Carmen. It happens,” he said. “I know a mechanic. He can take a look. While you wait, you can stay at my motel.”

I hesitated. “Really? That would help a lot.”

David nodded, and I slid into the passenger seat. The ride to his motel was quiet, but not uncomfortable.

When we arrived, David parked outside a small but well-kept building with a glowing neon Vacancy sign.

“Welcome to my little place,” he said, opening the door for me. He handed me a room key and shook his head when I tried to pull out my wallet.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Consider it a favor for an old friend.” I hesitated but eventually accepted.

Later, the mechanic checked my car. “You’ll need a few days,” he said, wiping his hands on a rag.

That meant I was stuck there. But maybe it wasn’t so bad. It gave me time to breathe. To think. And to talk to David.

We started spending almost every moment together. In the mornings, he took me to a small diner down the road.

Over eggs and coffee, we talked about everything—where life had taken us, the dreams we once had, the ones we lost along the way.

In the evenings, he invited me to dinner, always insisting on paying. He was different from the boy I once knew, but somehow still the same.

The warmth in his eyes, the way he laughed, the way he looked at me—it all brought back memories I hadn’t let myself feel in years.

At first, I didn’t want to admit it. But every time he smiled at me, my stomach flipped. My hands felt clammy.

My heart pounded in a way it hadn’t in a long time. It was as if I had stepped back in time, as if I was sixteen again, falling for him all over.

One evening, we sat on the terrace of the motel, the air warm and filled with the scent of night-blooming flowers. I watched him sip his drink, his gaze fixed on the stars above.

“Have you ever regretted that we broke up?” I asked.

His eyes met mine, serious yet soft. “Every single day.”

The words sank deep. Without thinking, I leaned in. His lips met mine, hesitant at first, then eager. One moment led to another, and by morning, I woke up in his bed.

Reality hit me like a cold wave. Shame crawled over my skin. I had cheated. I sat up, gripping the blanket.

My hands trembled as I reached for my phone. A message from Tony. It had arrived in the middle of the night.

Carmen, I know I haven’t been the best husband, but as soon as you left, I realized how much I love and miss you. Please forgive me for everything. I promise I’ll change—just come back.

Tears blurred my vision. Tony, the man who had dismissed me for years, suddenly wanted me back.

He claimed he would change, but hadn’t I heard that before? And yet, I had betrayed him.

I slipped out of bed without waking David. Quietly, I returned to my own room and began packing.

I had to go home. Just as I zipped up my bag, a knock sounded at the door. My breath caught. I hesitated, then opened it.

David stood in the doorway, his expression shifting from warmth to confusion. “Where did you disappear to? I woke up, and you were gone. I thought we’d have breakfast together.”

I tightened my grip on the suitcase handle. “I’m going home.”

His brows furrowed. “Home? Why?”

“Tony apologized,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “He says he’s ready to change.”

David’s jaw tightened. “Carmen, you told me yourself. He’s said that before. He never changed.”

I looked down. “I have to give him one last chance.”

“But your car isn’t ready yet,” David said.

“I’ll take the bus,” I replied.

David reached for my hand. “Please, don’t go. Stay with me.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I love you.”

I pulled my hand away, my heart pounding. I walked past David without another word.

His presence lingered behind me, but I refused to turn back. Even though my heart was breaking, I couldn’t just walk away from my marriage so easily. I boarded the bus and sank into a window seat.

But my mind wasn’t there. It was with David. His words echoed in my head.

Tony had promised to change before. Every time I forgave him, he fell back into the same patterns. So why was I trying to fix something that had been broken for years?

My pulse quickened. I couldn’t do this. I shot up from my seat, ignoring the startled looks from other passengers. The doors were just closing, but I ran to the front. “Stop! Let me out!”

The driver sighed but pulled over. I jumped off and sprinted back to the motel. Breathless, I reached the lobby. A staff member looked up. “David’s outside,” she said. “By your car.”

I hurried out, but as I got closer, I heard the mechanic speak. His words made me freeze. Something sounded off. I stayed hidden and listened.

“Well, that was quite the scheme you pulled,” the mechanic said, shaking his head.

David crossed his arms. “You don’t understand. I had to make sure she stayed.”

The mechanic let out a short laugh. “I’ve seen men come to me after their wives broke their cars in anger, but I’ve never seen a man break a woman’s car before.”

I felt my stomach drop. What? My chest tightened as I clutched the wall for balance. David did this?

The mechanic wiped his hands on a rag. “There was nothing wrong with it. We fixed it on the first day.”

I stepped forward, my voice shaking. “How could you?!”

David turned, eyes wide. “Carmen?”

I felt my hands tremble, but I held my ground. “How could you lie to me?”

His expression softened. “But I did it for us.”

“For us?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You knew what I had been through! You knew how I suffered because Tony never respected me! And you did the same thing!”

David threw his hands up. “How else would you have stayed?”

I clenched my fists. “I’m a grown woman! I can make my own choices about my life!”

David stepped closer. “I just helped you!” His voice grew desperate. “Now we can be together!”

I shook my head. “You know what? I was ready to leave Tony for you. But I will not trade one controlling man for another.”

His face fell. “Carmen, please, I only wanted what was best.”

I took a step back. “No, David. You wanted what was best for you.”

I walked up to the mechanic. “Keys,” I said.

Without hesitation, he reached into his pocket and handed them over.

I gripped the keys tightly, walked to my car, and got in. My fingers trembled as I started the engine.

David took a step toward me, his mouth open, but I didn’t wait to hear what he had to say.

I pressed my foot on the gas and drove away. I wasn’t going back to Tony. I wasn’t staying with David.

For the first time in my life, I chose the one person who would listen to me and respect me. Myself.

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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: All my life, I felt like an outsider in my own family. My mother adored my sisters but treated me like a burden. The reason? I looked too much like the man she wished to forget. When I finally discovered the truth about my real father, everything changed—but not in the way she expected. Read the full story here.

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