Husband receives photo from his wife, then immediately wants a divorce
A picture is worth more than a thousand words. Photos are an important part of our lives. Holiday memories, how cute your pet is, the beauty of your partner: it can all be captured in a photo. Still, sometimes it’s better not to Iook too much into the details, because who knows, you might come across something that you previously overlooked.
Something that has enormous consequences…John Baker also experienced this: he saw something in a photo of his wife that made him want to divorce her immediately. It’s difficult to see, but when you take a close look, you’ll be abIe to see it. Why she sent the photo to him and what has he seen? You will hear about it below. Have you noticed it in the photo above? If not, read on quickly.
John and Chloe
John and Baker Chloe had been married for five years and lived in San Francisco. The American couple had a special reIationship. John traveled the world for work and was sometimes away from home for weeks, while Chloe spent her time volunteering at various charities in the city. Because Chloe was home alone so often, she was in charge of the household. When John was home for a week, he had to obey his wife’s house rules. This had caused tensions at first, but eventually John had resigned himself to it. He had long been happy to have such a beautiful wife to come home to.
John Baker
The husband, John, had a good job as a sales representative for a technology company. This company had customers and partners all over the world, so John was often away from home for work for weeks. He always flew first class and slept in the most beautiful hoteI rooms. His life consisted of luxury. Still, John loved being home with the love of his life, Chloe.
When John was on a business trip, the couple often spoke on the phone. Chloe had said early in their relationship that she didn’t like video calling, so the couple didn’t see each other for weeks. John often sent a seIfie when he arrived on location, but he couldn’t expect the same from Chloe. He was used to this. John wanted to see his wife more often. Be careful what you wish for…
Chloe Baker
Chloe was a stunning, popular woman with a huge circle of acquaintances. Because of her large network, she was a welcome guest at fundraisers and other events. Because John had such a good job, Chloe didn’t have to work herself. She spent her time supporting charities. Thus she filled her days with something that was good for the world. In addition, Chloe also took good care of herself.
She loved going out, good food and shopping, which she preferred to do with friends. Chloe was known as a very sociable person and liked to strike up a conversation with everyone. Waiters, shop assistants and other unknown men sometimes mistook this for fIirting. Chloe’s single friends were very happy about this because Chloe always referred these men to them. That used to be different…
Playmate
In the past, Chloe had earned her money as a model. She had even made it to Playboy as a playmate. During this time, Chloe had been single and thoroughly enjoyed all the male attention that this job entailed. Chloe had met her future husband John while working. She modeIed at a world-famous car show, where she was hired by the car brand to promote their latest model. Thousands of men were walking, but her eye fell on John as soon as he entered the room. It was love at first sight for her. For John it was different…
At the car show
That day, John was looking for a new car with his then-girlfriend, Heather. The couple had driven the same sedan for years, but now that John had started earning more money, there was room to purchase a new car. The day had turned out completely differently than the couple had expected. The car show was very busy. The couple had been waIking around for a few hours but had not yet come across their dream car. John had just been promoted at work and was very happy.
He’d just gone to the bathroom and was walking back to Heather when he saw something that seemed to freeze the world around him. Heather turned out not to be who he thought she was…
The other man
Right in front of him, a strange man in a suit approached Heather and kissed her. Heather was clearly shocked, but she seemed to know the man. A heated argument erupted as Heather struggled to keep whispering. John approached the two. Heather was shocked when John confronted them about the situation. The other man seemed just as surprised and outraged as John. “Who the hell are you?” he asked John. “I can ask the same of you!” John responded. Heather couId have sunk through the ground. Everything became clear quickly…
Cheated
It turned out Heather had been in a relationship with the man she met at this fair for a year. The other man hadn’t known about John any more than he had about the man: they had both been fooled. Neither of the men knew that their girlfriend was in a relationship with someone else. This was quite a downer for John. He had a bright future ahead of him and was deepIy in love with Heather. The unknown man stomped out of the room and John never saw him again. John angrily demanded that Heather leave. She did this, leaving John alone in the room.
The meeting
John had sat down in a chair with his head between his hands. Chloe had watched the whole scenario from a distance and decided to walk over to him. “That looked intense,” she said. “Is everything alright?”. John tried to brush off the unknown woman with a few reassuring words. This did not go well for him, because he burst into tears. ChIoe got John a drink and the two started talking. After a few hours of talking about Heather, John’s new job, and today’s bizarre event, the show had come to an end without them realizing it. Chloe was worried about John. John promised to call her that evening to confirm he had arrived home safely.
The phone conversation
Once home, John decided to dial Chloe’s number. Before he knew it, another 3 hours had flown by. This time they had talked about Chloe’s career, her dreams, aspirations, and her wishes. John found that he could talk to her very well, but in his head, there was only room for Heather. Heather came to collect her things the next day. John had less trouble with it than he had expected. He was especially looking forward to calling Chloe again. He did this right after she left the house. Again the hours flew by: the two couldn’t stop talking.
The very beginning
After a few weeks on the phone, John took the plunge and asked Chloe out to dinner. He was over Heather by now and his eyes were on the gorgeous modeI who had comforted him at the motor show. She said yes. He took her to one of the most luxurious restaurants in town, where they talked and laughed until the late hours over an expensive bottle of wine. Afterwards, they took a taxi to John’s apartment, where they continued their evening. One date became two, two became more. Chloe, unlike John’s ex, seemed trustworthy.
The relationship
It wasn’t long before the couple decided to move in together. They had been together for a year now and the future smiled upon them. It was a rare occurrence for them to sleep in their own house at this point, so a logical next step was to officially move in together. There was just something that gnawed at John.
Something wasn’t quite right for him. Living together was quite a big thing for him, because it had ended in such a bad way last time. He wanted to make sure this didn’t happen again. That’s why there was one condition he wanted to pIace on Chloe. The condition really scared her…
The condition
One evening, after they went to the movies together, John decided to make his condition known to Chloe. He only hoped she would take it the right way, because he didn’t mean any wrong with it. He certainly trusted her, but something wasn’t quite right for him. It would be very good for his peace of mind if she accepted his condition. “I want to ask you something”, John began. “I would like to make a request, before we choose to Iive together”. Chloe had no idea what John would ask her, but she was willing to do anything to make him happy. She was looking forward to moving in with her love.
My Stepmom Gifted Me a Funerary Urn for My 17th Birthday
As Lila was ready to celebrate her 17th birthday, she received an unexpected and creepy gift from her stepmother: a pink funerary urn. Like the type you keep ashes in? Yes, that’s the one. But that’s not all! Lila learns that her college fund was given to Monica to open her salon. What will Lila do?
Let me tell you, I’ve been sitting on this one for a few days, just trying to make sense of what went down.
I always thought my stepmom, Monica, was the worst, though not Disney villain evil. She was the kind of person who talks over you, forgets your birthday, and calls you “kiddo” when you’re practically an adult.
A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
But, what she pulled on my 17th birthday? It shattered whatever shaky truce we had.
At least, that’s what I thought. Turns out, things weren’t exactly what they seemed.
Here’s how it all went down.
My mom, Sarah, died when I was ten, and after that, it was just Dad and me. We were a solid team. The type of team that has pizza for dinner half the week, late-night movies, and this unspoken agreement that we’d always have each other’s backs.
Two boxes of pizza on a coffee table | Source: Midjourney
Then came Monica, about three years ago.
At first, she wasn’t horrible; she was just… there. Like a stray cat that never leaves, so you have no choice but to adopt it. Monica moved into our house, took over the bathroom with her fifty bottles of face serums and creams, and slowly pushed her way into my dad’s world.
Monica had big dreams of opening a hair salon, which was fine. I wasn’t against people having dreams. I had my own dreams waiting for me, but she treated me like I was just this annoying piece of furniture that came with the house.
A woman’s vanity | Source: Midjourney
Honestly, I was counting down the days until I could escape to college.
Dad had promised me since middle school that there was a college fund waiting for me.
“Don’t worry, sweet girl,” he told me. “Your mom and I put together the fund when you were five. There’s more than enough, and every year on your birthday and Christmas, I add more.”
A smiling little girl | Source: Midjourney
“Thank you, Dad,” I said. “I just want to study and make something of myself, like Mom said.”
“You only have to worry about your grades, Lila,” he said. “I’ll handle the rest.”
Naturally, I worked my butt off in school, knowing that in a few years, I’d be out of here.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
College was my golden ticket, and no one — not even Monica — would stand in my way.
At least, that’s what I thought.
On the morning of my 17th birthday, I came downstairs expecting the usual lukewarm effort. By lukewarm, I mean a sad card, some pancakes, and Monica forgetting my favorite syrup. Dad was at work, so it was just Mon and I.
A plate of pancakes and a card on a table | Source: Midjourney
She handed me a gift bag, which was already weird because Monica wasn’t exactly the thoughtful or sentimental type.
“Happy Birthday, kiddo,” she said, flashing one of her tight-lipped smiles.
I wasn’t expecting much, but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting this.
I reached inside the bag and pulled out… an urn.
A shocked teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
A funerary urn.
You know, the kind that people store ashes in. Cold, heavy, and, well, pink. It was pink.
I just stared at it, my brain short-circuiting.
“What the hell is this?” I asked, holding the urn like it was cursed.
A pink funerary urn | Source: Midjourney
Monica leaned against the kitchen counter, smug as ever.
“It’s symbolic,” she said as if that explained anything.
“Symbolic of what?”
Monica’s grin widened.
A smiling woman in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“It’s time to bury your dreams of college, kiddo. Your dad and I talked about this, and we decided to put the college fund to better use.”
“Better use?” I asked, a cold shiver running through me.
“Yep. We’re investing it in my hair salon. College is a gamble, Lila. A business? That’s something real, sweetie.”
A hair salon being renovated | Source: Midjourney
She sipped her coffee like she’d just said the most reasonable thing in the world.
I was frozen in place, trying to make sense of what I’d just heard. Had they really taken my future, everything I’d worked for, and sunk it into Monica’s salon dream?
“How could you do this?” I whispered.
Monica just smiled, a little too pleased with herself.
A shocked teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
“Life’s full of disappointments, kiddo. Better get used to it now,” she said.
Wow.
That was it. I was done. I ran upstairs, slamming the door behind me so hard that the walls shook.
I cried so hard it hurt. What else could I do? Everything I had been holding onto was gone, and the only person I thought I could count on, Dad, had let this happen.
An upset teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
My mom wanted me to get out and make something of myself. And now? It was all over.
The next few days were a blur. I didn’t speak to Monica or my dad unless I absolutely had to. Every time I looked at that stupid urn sitting on my desk, my stomach twisted.
I couldn’t even bring myself to throw it out. It felt like some kind of morbid evidence. Like proof of the betrayal I didn’t see coming.
A pink funerary urn on a desk | Source: Midjourney
At school, my friends tried to cheer me up.
“Maybe she thought it was funny, Lila,” my friend Kira said. “Like, who really knows what Monica is thinking?”
“And anyway, there’s nothing stopping you from throwing it out! Just do it! Don’t overthink it,” Mel said.
Three teenage girls | Source: Midjourney
But still, I couldn’t focus on anything other than the fact that Monica was prancing around, acting like she was the queen of the house, while I sat there with no future.
Then, a few days later, something strange happened.
When I got home from school, there was a note on my desk. Not in an envelope, just folded, with my name written in Monica’s messy handwriting.
A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
Meet me at the salon at 6 P.M. tonight. No questions. Just trust me. -M.
I almost laughed out loud. Trust her? Yeah, right.
But something about the note gnawed at me. Maybe it was the fact that I wanted to confront her one last time, tell her exactly what I thought of her.
Against my better judgment, I decided to go.
A note on a table | Source: Midjourney
When I got to the salon, the lights were off, and the front door was unlocked.
I hesitated for a second, wondering if this was some elaborate prank. But curiosity got the best of me.
I stepped inside, and there they were. Monica and my dad, standing side by side, both grinning widely.
“Surprise!” Monica shouted, throwing her arms up like this was the happiest moment of her life.
The entrance to a salon | Source: Midjourney
I just stared at them, completely lost.
“What is this?”
Monica stepped aside, and that’s when I saw it — a shiny, brand-new sign mounted on the wall.
Dream Cuts: A Scholarship Fund in Honor of Sarah
I blinked, feeling like the room was tilting on its axis.
A hair salon | Source: Midjourney
“What… what is this?”
Monica smiled, but it wasn’t her usual smug grin. This one was softer, almost real.
“We didn’t use your college fund, kiddo. It’s all still there. The salon? It’s not just for me. It’s for you, too. For other kids like you, too.”
I couldn’t breathe.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
“But then, why would you make me think otherwise?” I asked.
Monica winced, putting her hand on her head.
“Yeah, so, the urn thing… That was not my best idea. I thought it’d be motivational, like, bury the past and embrace the future. You know? But it turns out that it was just creepy.”
A woman with her hand on her head | Source: Midjourney
I stared at her, speechless.
My dad stepped forward, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
“We’ve been planning this for months, Lila,” he said. “Your mom always wanted to help kids get to college. This salon is going to fund scholarships. For you and for others in her name.”
“The salon has been my dream, Lila,” Monica said. “But it was never going to come at your expense. This way, a great portion of all our profits in the future will go to the fund.”
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
I didn’t know what to say.
Or what to think.
Just that I felt a warm haze take over me.
Monica laughed softly.
“I’m not a monster, darling,” she said. “I just didn’t want you to think that I was trying to take over your mom’s role.”
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
For the first time in a long time, I smiled.
It wasn’t perfect, but things with Monica probably never would be. But, at that moment, standing in the middle of a salon named for my mom’s dream, I realized that she wasn’t trying to ruin my life.
She was trying to build something bigger than any of us.
A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney
And somehow, against all odds, it felt like a new beginning.
And yeah, I kept the urn. But I planted white peace lilies in it, thinking it would be symbolic after all. And who knows, maybe I’ll take the urn to college.
What would you have done?
Peace lilies planted into a pink funerary urn | Source: Midjourney
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
I Transferred $24K to My Daughter for Her College Tuition, Only to Discover She Never Enrolled — What She Spent It On Made Me Pale
Caroline had been saving for her daughter’s college fund since Angela was born. But after a classmate of Angela’s reveals that Angela is not actually enrolled in college, Caroline must uncover what her daughter is doing and what she used the money for.
Children are always going to break your heart. This was something that I learned the hard way after trusting my daughter, Angela, completely.
A close-up of a smiling girl | Source: Midjourney
Since Angela was born, I have been saving for college. I needed to know that irrespective of what life threw my way, I would be able to educate my child.
“I think you can wait until she’s a little older,” my husband, Holden, said. “We can do it together.”
“You can add to her college fund later,” I said, looking at my baby girl. “But I’m going to start from next month. I wasn’t able to study, Holden. And it was because we didn’t have the opportunity to do so. Angela is going to get that opportunity.”
A smiling baby girl | Source: Midjourney
“Okay, Caroline,” my husband said. “You start it now, and I’ll add to it in a year. The house will be paid off, and I’ll be able to put that money into the fund.”
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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