My Husband Was Nothing Without My Help to Become Successful But He Abandoned Me Years Later Due To Suspect

I’m a 37-year-old woman. I am working in San Francisco. I’ve been divorced for about five years. My ex-husband and I started work at the company on the same day. We first met at the job interview with our turns back to back.

He was tall with decent looks, and his low-pitched voice was excellent. I wish I could join this company with that person. I remember thinking that as I enter the interview room. I’m ashamed, but if I may brag about myself for a moment, I had a pretty high SAT score, and I was often complimented for doing my work very well.

I was a little nervous about the interview that day, but I succeeded in getting the job. Perhaps my self-hypnosis was effective in telling myself to be me. As usual, on the first day of work, my husband, who also got the job, and I became co-workers. We received the training on the job together and ate lunch together, providing time to get to know each other better and become closer. In contrast to me, who is lively and greedy, my husband was kind and he was gentle in everything.

At that time, I had only dated bad boys types, but after being betrayed too many times by such men, I became attracted to my gentle husband. My husband also seemed to like me, who was quite different from him, because I was active and he found me charming. Luckily, we were assigned to the same department, and because we had ample time together, I can’t say who started first, but naturally, we became a couple. I spent each day excited over my husband, who was kind and caring toward me, making me so happy. But even in the midst of that, there were parts that I was a little worried about.

Since we both were new employees, I felt it would become a problem if anyone found out we were dating, so I told my husband, “Let’s date secretly for one year like this. After that, let’s open up to the people at work.” My husband said that he would listen to anything I say unconditionally. I fell in love with him, who would say anything so nicely, and thought that the dating I had before couldn’t be called dating.

However, to such a nice and kind husband, he had a fatal flaw. It was that he had no ambition. Unlike me, who wanted to be promoted quickly after being recognized for my ability, somehow my husband was okay with anything and always did things that promoted others and not himself. In my eyes, I could see how his coworkers were taking advantage of him.

So, I told him after work, “Honey, didn’t I say this before? If you continue to say yes to everyone’s request, you will clean up after someone’s dirty work, and you won’t be promoted. Don’t you want to be promoted?” I continued to nag at him as if a mother was nagging over school grades.

However, this kind man instead said, “Why are you getting worked up over such minor matters, and that it was okay with him?” Even though he was a person with many positive points, his only flaw was just too serious that I would get angry at him many times during the day at work.

Then, one day, I overheard my assistant manager’s telephone conversation in the woman’s lounge. “I don’t have to do any overtime at night these days. I have an underlying to do all my work for me. So don’t worry about it and let’s all get together tonight. I just need to make an excuse that I have to go home early today due to a family matter. These days I like coming to work.” Wow, I felt so angry at her that I wanted to grab at her hair.

This is the reason that one should get promoted. If one feels unfairly treated, I wondered how she could say that when I was by her side. I was sure that the underlying she referred on the phone was my husband. Because I was upset with the manager, I tilted my head a bit to glare at her. But to my surprise, the assistant manager told me this, “What you just heard, pretend you didn’t hear it. As a senior, I’ll give you some advice that you pretend not to have heard what you heard and pretend not to have seen what you have seen. If you side for your co-worker just because you started on the same day, then instead of Jonathan, I’ll make you work overtime. Got it?”

I wanted to immediately tell her that the underlying she was referring to was my boyfriend, but since we were both newbies in the company, revealing our relationship would have no effect. So I just bit my lips. After that day, I pestered my lame husband to make a new product development plan together. I thought that it was about time that the company would bring up a new business or new product development.

However, my husband had no motivation, and moreover, he had too much of other people’s work that he had accepted. After a month or two passed, just as I predicted, the department announced for us to come up with any new product ideas, regardless of one’s position. My team leader, whom I liked, adjusted my work hours so that I could devote more time to the new product development. A stroke of luck comes to a prepared person, right?

I submitted the plan I had prepared in advance after editing it some and submitted before anyone else, and decided to help my husband, who did not even start his plan. However, helping was just in words because helping an unmotivated person only caused heavy sighs. As a result, my husband couldn’t complete the plan and did not submit it.

After some time passed, I heard the long-awaited news. My plan was one of the three chosen for the new product development. I was given a chance to develop it as the youngest employee in the team, and having accomplished something that my seniors couldn’t, my team leaders singled me out to compliment me. I felt like flying when a person I respected gave me his recognition.

However, the happier I became, my husband’s face turned darker for some reason. My team leader was a divorced man who had divorced a year ago. Even though he did not do it openly, he secretly helped me often, and my husband was unhappy about it. It was a sort of jealousy. Later, I heard from my husband one more thing. That he compared me with my husband sarcastically when I became recognized for my ability in new product development.

So I thought this was the right time and told my husband, “See, you should have listened to me when I asked you to prepare a plan in advance. You are wonderful, except for your not being too greedy. After we get married, you become the head of the household, yet are you going to be like this still?” My husband seemed surprised when I mentioned our marriage for the first time.

After that day, my husband began to pay more attention to his work. I complimented my husband to encourage him. Then my team leader asked me to go on a business trip to Hawaii related to the new product. Our company had launched a food-related brand which became popular among young people. Among them, the branch in Hawaii was the focus of the marketing department. Of course, I agreed to go with him.

However, when my husband watchedme, it was the first time that he showed his displeasure by saying, “The trip is two days, one night. Can’t you ask someone else to go on your behalf? How can a girl like you say you will go without any fear? It is a product of my idea, so why should I tell other people to go? What am I saying, is that why do you have to go together with him with just the two of you?”

When I saw my husband getting angry, it only made me chuckle. I felt good to think that my husband really liked me this much. Truthfully, if he had just more ability, he was really a great man, hard to find in this world. So, I was determined to make him successful however I could. I felt sorry for my team leader, but I thought the fastest way to motivate my husband was using my team leader as the bait. I showed my husband that I was attracted to capable men by stimulating his jealousy.

Even during our dating, on the day I was to travel to Hawaii, I told him that I was helpless but I had to go. Even though my husband was pouting and kept his silence from the night before, that’s how I went on a business trip with a team leader. I have to admit that there was a strange atmosphere between my team leader and me in Hawaii. So, I casually slipped in our conversation that I was dating my husband.

The team leader seemed very surprised at my confession. He promised to keep it a secret as he said that he didn’t know about us at all. I returned to San Francisco after finishing the business trip to Hawaii safely, as I had wanted. My husband started to be greedy about his work after I returned. Although he couldn’t change his kind personality to refuse work from his seniors, in the midst of that, he continued to either study or do marketing research that was needed for the new product development.

We both got promoted, and I became greedier for more work. When I became pregnant unexpectedly, I did want to have a child after getting married someday, but still, the timing wasn’t right at the time. But my husband was thrilled at my pregnancy and proposed to me right away. I couldn’t erase the new life starting in my body and couldn’t betray the man who proposed to me, who was so happy over my pregnancy. So, I ended up getting married earlier than I had anticipated.

People at my work became surprised, as they had no idea that we were dating. The assistant manager who was rude in that woman’s lounge was the most surprised person among all. In truth, our relationship was strained somewhat because my husband and I got promoted to her position faster. Since she had slaved my husband so openly, of which I was aware, I’m sure she felt uncomfortable in front of us.

Aside from her, everyone congratulated us. Soon, I announced my pregnancy to the company. I felt uneasy, but because of my pregnancy, my work was reduced. However, I was not happy about that; instead, I felt somewhat sad. Moreover, the team leader who cared for me gave his notice to quit. My husband was happy about that. I didn’t let it on, but I felt sorry to see him go.

Soon, a new female team leader was transferred to our department. My husband was glad to see her, as he had met her during his interview. The team leader was happy to see my husband too, saying that she remembered him. Perhaps due to my hormonal changes, I did not feel very good about it. Regardless, we had our wedding soon after and we started our newlywed life in a small apartment.

After my pregnancy was stabilized, my stomach became more pronounced, and I started to wear maternity clothes to work. I thought people’s looks were not that kind toward me. I started to feel self-conscious, even though I was not treated differently just because of my pregnancy. Whatever the reason, I started to lose interest in my work, and my self-confidence was not like before.

My husband asked me if I should either take a pregnancy leave of absence or quit work. Because I didn’t want to waste my hard work, I decided to take the pregnancy leave of absence. When I finally decided on the leave of absence, all kinds of thoughts flashed in my head. Among them, I had worries about my husband, who was not very motivated and whether he would be promoted and stay in his position.

Then, one workday, I met my mom when I was working. I could never dream of meeting with her. I discussed my concerns with my mother, and knowing my greed for work, she told me, “You can help him until the baby is born. You know his work, so why don’t you lead him? So why do you worry about it? Who knows, because of your help, he might get promoted and root himself well with the company. Then, won’t he be very grateful to you? Don’t you think so?”

After listening to my mother, I became passionate about the idea.

When I thought about realizing my plans through my husband at work, many ideas popped up. I became excited, like when I first started to work. After that day, I asked my husband in detail what happened at work when he came home. Then, through my husband, I learned that the team leader, who had a strong foothold in the company, was planning a new business.

Then I began thinking about the new business. While shopping in the grocery store, I began market research and went through many newspaper articles, blogs, and internet cafes to come up with a new business item. “Honey, this is a new idea for the new business. Why don’t you suggest this to the team leader?”

My husband objected to receiving my help, but since I worked hard to prepare them, I told him it would be a shameful waste and pushed him to submit them. Fortunately, with that plan, when the team leader liked it, my husband started to take a stronghold at his work. When his team leader started to back my husband, other seniors could not dump their hard work on my husband any longer.

Thanks to that, when my husband came home from work, we would immediately start making a report or make a briefing presentation. He became recognized as a very capable employee. However, as my husband strengthened his position at work, his hours at work became later and later. On top of that, he even had to work over the weekend unlike before. So, my days staying alone at home started to increase.

I tried to be understanding, as my husband was busy. Because I was the culprit for putting him in that situation, I had entered the 30th week of pregnancy. Strangely, my stomach kept getting painful spasms more often after the 30th week, and I just thought it was common to have pain during that period and did not think too seriously about it. I thought if I didn’t overfatigue myself, I would be okay.

Then, on a regular checkup day, I headed to my obstetrician. The doctor’s office was located at a hospital that had both pediatrics and labor sections. It was a quite large hospital in that area. After registering at the hospital, all the seats were occupied, so I sat on a chair in the corridor that connected the obstetrics with the pediatrics. There, I witnessed something I couldn’t believe with my own eyes.

My husband, who went to his work in the morning, was playing with a little girl I saw for the first time in the back of the pediatrics area. At first, I just turned away, thinking it was someone who looked similar. But just in case, I started to walk toward the pediatrics. There, I faced a team leader who was approaching my husband with a prescription in her hand.

I was wondering about what was happening and looked at my husband, who seemed very flustered when he saw me. Then, the little girl who was playing with my husband said, “Daddy, you are really taking me to the kids’ cafe tomorrow, right? You promised.” At those words, my legs gave in to me. However, I couldn’t collapse like that.

“Honey, what are you doing here?” I glared at my husband as if I was ready to kill him. At that moment, other people looked at us, and a few kids started to cry. “Linda, don’t misunderstand this. Talk with me,” the team leader tried to escape from the onlookers and took me to a hallway. I shouted at my husband, who stood like a stiff tree, to follow after me immediately.

“Linda, I know this situation can be misinterpreted, but before you get angry, please listen to me first.” I couldn’t control my anger, and I shouted, “Stop it! I will talk!” “Actually, I am seeing the team leader today. Her daughter had flu symptoms, so I followed them to the hospital because I was worried.” My husband declared. When I heard my husband say that, I acted like a crazy woman and beat him with my handbag that I was holding.

“How could you have an affair while your wife was pregnant? Could you betray me when you had no ability? Yet, I helped you to advance by giving you my plans. You betrayed your own baby in my stomach! Yet you followed someone else’s child to the pediatrics! I just could not bring myself to forgive him. I strongly attacked my husband, and when I caused such a commotion, a security guard ran toward me to stop the fight.

Perhaps from the sudden shock, I couldn’t bear the sudden extreme pain in my stomach, and I collapsed on the floor and started to bleed. As I lost consciousness, a doctor rushed toward me, and that’s how I lost my baby. With the shock of my husband’s betrayal and losing my baby, I couldn’t sleep or eat. I needed to be cared for without my baby, and after that day, my husband did not come home at all.

My in-laws blamed me, saying how poorly I must have taken care of my pregnancy. I told them about their son having an affair with his boss at work and, from the shock, I had a miscarriage. But they did not believe me. “We were so shocked by your claim, so we asked Jonathan. He said that he was trying to earn some credits from his boss, so he was working hard like a slave. So, what’s with the preposterous accusation? You stay at home comfortably without working, and don’t you have anything better to do other than accusing your husband with your delusional jealousy?”

When my mother-in-law’s unbelievable accusations continued, I could only laugh. I decided to confront those two and reveal the truth at work. The next day, I went to work. I don’t know how they found out that I was coming, and that team leader came all the way out to the lobby and grabbed me as I was headed to my husband’s desk. Then she made an unbelievable suggestion.

“Linda, I didn’t know you were such a person who has no thoughts. Aren’t you on leave of absence? Aren’t you going to come back to work? Are you planning to divorce with my boyfriend and submit your resignation? I was wondering if you were planning to divorce or not to staff in your department. Aren’t you so arrogant? And is the company yours? How could you bring up a departmental transfer? You’re just a mere team leader.”

“Who do you think you are to tell me to get a divorce? Or not to staff my department? How dare you act like this? Who are you to tell me to get a divorce or not? To transfer me to another department, on what authority? You’re just a mere team leader. And an adulteress who sleeps with staff under you. You’re nothing but an adulteress with a daughter. What you need to do is not be arrogant in front of me, but kneel in front of me and beg for my forgiveness. How dare you come here for a job when you lived a life like that? Why do you want to set up shop like that here also?”

“There is a saying that you will meet an enemy on a one-log bridge. How is it that we meet at this interview? Isn’t this a great fate?” The woman trembled as she got up from her seat and sped behind her head. “You will never get a job in this industry

again!” I said while pointing my finger at her. “That’s what I want to say. Are you planning to make me a walking dead?” I screamed.

When I returned home, I packed all my husband’s belongings and put them in front of the door. I wanted him to disappear forever from my sight. However, my husband was not at home. I had the desire to destroy all the things that belonged to him, but I couldn’t even raise my hand properly. I felt that my world was shattered. After a while, my husband sent me a text message.

“I’m so sorry for everything. I know it’s too late to apologize, and it can’t make up for what I did. I betrayed you and our baby, and I don’t expect you to forgive me. I just want you to know that I deeply regret my actions and the pain I’ve caused you. I’ll give you the divorce you want. I’ll sign whatever papers you need. I hope you find the happiness you deserve.”

I didn’t respond to his message. What could I say? Sorry can’t fix the shattered pieces of my heart. My life was a mess, my dreams were crushed, and the pain was unbearable. I knew I had to find a way to heal, to move forward, but it felt impossible. I wanted to scream, to cry, to disappear. The future I had imagined was gone, and all I had left was the pain of betrayal and loss.