I’m 49 years old and recently ended a 20-year marriage to Isabel, also known as “Izzy.” In all honesty, the relationship had completely stagnated, and my wife appeared to be as over it as I was. I thus began dating a woman named Jenna following our breakup.

Oddly enough, I met her at a party that a mutual friend threw when I was still legally married. When my daughter Maya turned fifteen, I thought it would be a good time to introduce Jenna to my family.

When we arrived at the party, something didn’t feel quite right. Jenna is constantly being side-eyeed and muttered to by my ex’s family. They didn’t feel the usual jealousy; instead, they thought they had seen a ghost or something.

My ex immediately yells, “You idiot!” and starts laughing when he sees me with Jenna. It was a loud, uncontrollable sound.
Everyone looked at her, perplexed. Caleb and Maya, my children, had been eating burgers at a table, but they stood there looking as confused as the rest of us.

I saw that my girlfriend had lost her smile. She swallowed nervously and looked around. However, I saw Gloria, Izzy’s mother, stomping toward us before I could ask her or Izzy what was happening.

Anger was red in her face. She abruptly stopped inches from Jenna and gave her a forceful slap across the face.

My girlfriend’s hand flew up to her cheek as she staggered back. I took a step forward to protect her, but Gloria wasn’t done yet.

“You have no right to display your face here!” she yelled in rage at Jenna. Following all that you did to my daughter? Do you really think you can just walk in here?

“What on earth are you talking about, Gloria?” I tried to gently push her away as I demanded.

My ex-brother-in-law David suddenly came forward, glaring at Jenna with blatant hatred as he placed his arms around Gloria to hold her back.

“You’re not really sure, are you?” He spat, staring at me as if I were the world’s biggest idiot. “This woman was Izzy’s high school bully,” he said, gesturing to Jenna. The way she tormented her was unrelenting!

Jenna refused to look at me, instead focusing on the floor. “Is… is this true?” I muttered.

After hesitating, Jenna gave a firm nod. That was years ago, though. I was foolish and young.
David interrupted her. “Marcus, it wasn’t just high school! She attempted to have Izzy expelled from college. propagate false information and accuse her of plagiarizing papers and cheating on tests during her first year.

I took a step back and shook my head. I turned to Jenna and said, “No, that can’t be.” “Tell them you weren’t that person!”

David spit out, “It was her.” “Being too dim to enroll in college, she nearly ruined my sister’s future!”

Jenna screamed at him, “I WASN’T STUPID!” before turning to face me. “Yes, Marcus, I did those things. It’s accurate. However, people evolve. Doesn’t that make a difference?

My mind was racing. “When we first met and kept running into each other, did you know she was my wife?” I inquired.

Jenna nodded, looking down.

“Leave my house now!” Gloria thrashed in David’s arms and screamed.

“Please, Marcus. Jenna tried to touch my arm and said, “Leave with me, and I’ll explain everything,” but I was done with her.

I said, “No,” and my voice broke this time.

“You think you’re so perfect?” Jenna asked. You believe no one was harmed by you? You were bored, so you left your wife and children. It’s not all my fault!

I’m not sure whether she said that to be spiteful, to hurt me, or to defend herself. But with her head held high, she turned and left.

I noticed that the whole backyard was quiet after she left. Everyone was waiting for something while they watched me.
My relatives’ eyes were filled with sympathy, but Izzy’s side of the family was filled with disdain. Maya stared at me as if I were a stranger, and Caleb stood off to the side, his face tight and his arms crossed.

“Dad,” she said in a whisper. “How were you able to?”

“Maya, I had no idea about any of this!” I let out a cry.

Caleb moved ahead. To be honest? “You were unaware?” my son inquired.

“It is irrelevant!” Maya went on irately. “You destroyed our family for no reason at all!”

Those words struck me more strongly than anything else that day.

I had persuaded myself that I was acting morally for months. that since everything was going so well, it was meant to be. Everyone appeared content!

My children weren’t, though. I became aware of that at that precise moment. I still felt like the one who had been wronged, though.

Izzy had remained silent during all of this. As if it didn’t concern her, she stood there and watched it unfold. I have no idea why I detested that so much. I shouted, “IT WASN’T MY FAULT!” to her. “I DIDN’T KNOW!” before leaving in embarrassment.

I composed myself and made an effort to communicate with my children in the days that followed. Caleb occasionally answered, but his responses were always brief. There was no response from Maya. I was afraid to call Izzy.

I would, after all, permanently cut Jenna off.
A few weeks later, I ran into my cousin and told her how I felt. She gave me a therapist’s business card at the conclusion of our meeting.

Just a few days later, I gave them a call. He made a statement that truly helped put things in perspective.

“It doesn’t matter if you knew or not. You decided to get a divorce. “You told me that you hurt your family on a whim,” the doctor started. “What your ex-in-laws disclosed was definitely shocking. But what’s important now, in the end? Do you wish to permanently lose your children?

No, that was not what I wanted. I saw all of my foolishness and selfishness. So I did something about it.
I started by giving David a call to get the whole story of how Jenna nearly destroyed Izzy’s future. It took police officers and attorneys to finally persuade her to stop and leave their lives. He called me many derogatory names and said that Jenna had deceived me during our conversation.

David reluctantly granted my request for forgiveness.

I then pleaded with my ex-mother-in-law over the phone. Only after she lectured me for two hours did she forgive me. She also assured me that her daughter was the best person I would ever meet.

And the most agonizing conversation was this one. Izzy was the mother of my children and the next person I called, but I would never again have her as my wife. I had to plead with her for assistance with the children in addition to forgiveness.

Thankfully, Izzy was kind enough to agree after letting me know that I had no real way of knowing Jenna’s identity. I finally let out a sigh.

After a few weeks, Caleb and Maya were willing to engage in a meaningful discussion with me. But we had to start slowly. They had to agree to it.

This is my only opportunity to turn things around and regain custody of my kids. They’ll be here tomorrow. Good luck to me.