I Came Home to My Husband and His Ex Digging My Garden – What They Hid Years Ago Made Me Pale

Margaret never expected to come home to find her husband, Martin, frantically digging up their beautiful garden alongside his ex-wife. Their hushed whispers and dirt-stained hands hinted at long-buried secrets. Upon confrontation, Margaret realized Martin wasn’t as perfect as she thought.

I’ve heard of men cheating on their wives with their colleagues, friends, and even exes, but I never thought I’d be forced to think like that about my husband, Martin. I always thought he was the perfect man I could’ve asked for.

A man smiling | Source: Midjourney

A man smiling | Source: Midjourney

We met through a mutual friend two years ago, right after I’d broken up with my ex-boyfriend of five years. I was at my lowest… heartbroken, insecure, and questioning everything about myself.

That’s when Martin came into my life, like a breath of fresh air.

From the moment we met, he was nothing but kind and attentive. He’d listen to me ramble about my day for hours, never once checking his phone or looking bored.

A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney

What really won my heart was how he showed up at my doorstep with homemade chicken soup and my favorite rom-com movies downloaded on his laptop.

“Everyone needs a little TLC when they’re sick,” he said with a warm smile.

This is it, I thought. This is the man I’ve been waiting for all my life.

One of the things that endeared Martin to me was his cute little quirk. He’d stammer when he got nervous or stressed, and I found it absolutely adorable.

A man talking to his girlfriend at home | Source: Midjourney

A man talking to his girlfriend at home | Source: Midjourney

There was this one time, about a month into our relationship, when he was taking me out to this fancy Italian restaurant for our “monthiversary” (yes, we celebrated those back then).

Martin was all dressed up, telling me about this new accounting software his firm was implementing, getting all excited and animated.

“It’s going to revolutionize how we handle client data,” he said, waving his fork around for emphasis. Suddenly, the fork slipped from his fingers, clattering to the floor and splattering tomato sauce all over his shirt.

His face turned red in an instant.

A man feeling embarrassed | Source: Midjourney

A man feeling embarrassed | Source: Midjourney

“I-I-I’m so s-sorry,” he stammered, looking mortified. “I d-didn’t m-mean to… Oh g-god, what a m-mess.”

I couldn’t help but find his flustered state endearing. I reached across the table and took his hand.

“Hey, it’s okay,” I said softly. “These things happen. Besides, red is totally your color.”

That got a chuckle out of him, and soon we were laughing about it. Later, over tiramisu, he admitted that he tended to stammer when stressed or embarrassed.

A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her boyfriend | Source: Midjourney

As our relationship progressed, Martin opened up more about his past, particularly about his ex-wife, Janet.

“She was always after more,” he’d say, shaking his head. “More money, more things, more status. Nothing was ever enough.”

According to Martin, their marriage had crumbled under the weight of Janet’s insatiable greed. He told me stories of maxed-out credit cards, arguments over designer clothes, and tantrums thrown when they couldn’t afford lavish vacations.

A man recalling his past | Source: Midjourney

A man recalling his past | Source: Midjourney

“That’s why we broke up,” he explained one night as we cuddled on the couch. “I just couldn’t keep up with her demands anymore. It was like I was drowning, and she kept pushing my head underwater.”

How could anyone treat such a wonderful man so poorly? I thought.

That day, I vowed that I would never be like that. I would appreciate Martin for who he was, not what he could give me.

A man hugging his girlfriend | Source: Midjourney

A man hugging his girlfriend | Source: Midjourney

When Martin proposed a year into our relationship, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Our wedding was small but beautiful, and it was the best day of my life.

Fast forward to last Tuesday. I had just spent the weekend at my mother’s place and was looking forward to getting home. I decided to surprise Martin with his favorite lasagna for dinner.

However, as I pulled into our driveway, I saw something that made me slam on the brakes too hard.

Front view of a car | Source: Pexels

Front view of a car | Source: Pexels

There, in our front yard, were two people digging up my beloved garden. And not just any two people. It was Martin and a woman I recognized from photos as Janet, his ex-wife.

I sat in the car for a moment, blinking rapidly, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me. But no, they were there, digging up all the flowers I had worked so hard to grow.

What was Janet doing here? Why was she with Martin? And why on earth were they destroying my garden?

A woman in her car, looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

A woman in her car, looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

At that point, I got out of the car and marched over to them.

“What’s going on here?” I demanded, my voice trembling with anger.

Martin’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock. “M-M-Margaret!” he exclaimed, dropping the shovel with a clang. “Y-you’re h-home e-early.”

He’s stammering, I thought.

At that moment, all my worst fears came rushing in. Martin only stammered when he was truly stressed or nervous. But why? What was he hiding?

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

My mind raced with possibilities. Was he cheating on me with Janet? Had they never really broken up? Or was it something even more sinister? Why else would they be digging up our yard in secret?

“W-we were just…” he started, but Janet cut him off.

“Oh, you didn’t tell her?” she began. “Love, she DESERVES to know that 10 years ago we buried a time capsule.”

“A time capsule?” I repeated numbly.

A woman talking to her husband's ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her husband’s ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

“Yes, we buried one when we were still together. When we lived here,” she revealed, gesturing to a muddy metal box near her feet. “We always planned to dig it up someday.”

Martin nodded, looking sheepish. “Y-yeah. We, uh, we thought it would be fun to look back on our memories.”

“Your memories,” I echoed. “So, you decided to destroy my garden for your little trip down memory lane?”

“I-I’m sorry,” Martin stammered. “I d-didn’t think—”

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

“No, you didn’t think,” I snapped before storming into the house.

Inside, I paced the living room, trying to process what had just happened. How could Martin do this? How could he keep this secret from me? And how dare he prioritize his past with Janet over our life together?

I heard the front door open and close, followed by hushed voices in the hallway. Then Martin called out, “Margaret? Can we talk?”

A woman standing in her living room | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in her living room | Source: Midjourney

I took a deep breath and stepped into the hallway. Martin and Janet were standing there with the muddy time capsule between them.

“What’s there to talk about?” I asked coldly.

“Please, let us explain,” Martin pleaded. “It’s not what you think.”

Janet nodded. “We just wanted to reminisce a bit. There’s nothing —”

I held up a hand, cutting her off.

“You know what? Fine. Go ahead. Reminisce. Dig up your past. I’ll be outside.”

A woman talking to her husband's ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her husband’s ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

I brushed past them and went outside. As I looked at the mess they had made of my garden, an idea formed in my mind.

So, I started gathering wood for a bonfire. By the time I had a good blaze going on, the sun had almost set. I could hear Martin and Janet in the kitchen, laughing over something they’d found in the time capsule.

“Hey,” I called out. “Why don’t you guys bring that stuff out here? We could have a nice little bonfire.”

A bonfire in the garden | Source: Pexels

A bonfire in the garden | Source: Pexels

A few minutes later, they joined me outside, and Martin put the time capsule on the ground.

“This is nice,” he smiled.

I nodded and reached into the box to grab a handful of its contents. I had a few old photos and letters in my hand.

“Margaret, what are you —” Martin started, but his words died in his throat as I tossed everything into the fire.

“What are you doing?” Janet demanded.

A woman standing with her mouth open | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing with her mouth open | Source: Midjourney

“Burnt bridges should stay burnt, don’t you think?” I said firmly. “It’s time to focus less on the past and more on the future we’re supposed to be building together, Martin.”

I watched as the flames consumed their memories, thinking this wasn’t how I imagined our life together. However, it also gave me hope that maybe we could build something new from here. Something honest and real.

Looking at Martin, I also realized he wasn’t the perfect man I thought I’d married. He was just as flawed as the rest of us.

A man standing near a bonfire | Source: Midjourney

A man standing near a bonfire | Source: Midjourney

Suddenly, Janet broke the silence.

“I think I should go,” she said, backing away from the fire. Neither Martin nor I tried to stop her as she hurried out of the yard.

Once we were alone, Martin turned to me with tears in his eyes.

“Margaret, I’m so sorry,” he said. “I never meant to hurt you. I just… I didn’t know how to tell you about the time capsule.”

I took a deep breath, “Did you think I wouldn’t understand?”

A woman talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

“I was afraid,” he admitted. “Afraid you’d think I still had feelings for Janet, afraid you’d be upset about the garden. I thought if I could just dig it up quickly while you were away, it would be over and done with. But I guess I was wrong. I messed up, big time. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I don’t know, Martin,” I said honestly, staring at the fire. “You’ve broken my trust. That’s not something that can be fixed overnight.”

A woman looking away while talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking away while talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney

“We have a lot to talk about, and a lot to work through,” I continued. “But not tonight. Tonight, I need some space.”

“Of course,” Martin nodded. “I’ll… I’ll sleep on the couch.”

As he returned to the house, I remained by the fire, watching it slowly die down.

The garden needs to be replanted, I thought. New seeds, new soil, new life. Maybe our relationship could be the same way.

Only time would tell which path we’d choose. But one thing was certain, my thoughts regarding Martin would never be the same again.

A woman standing in the garden, thinking | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in the garden, thinking | Source: Midjourney

What would you have done if you were in my place?

Mom of 3 Kids Crying of Hunger Learns She Can’t Pay for Burgers, ‘No Worries,’ Low Voice Assures — Story of the Day

A mom and her three children took the wrong bus and ended up lost. She realized she couldn’t buy her children food until a low voice startled her, offering much-needed assistance.

Julia had no choice but to raise her three growing children alone after her husband left her. He had been cheating on her with her best friend, and once she found out about their love triangle, he left her and stopped supporting their children.

At the time, Julia was devastated. She thought her life was ruined. She suffered from major trust issues after being betrayed not just by her husband but also her best friend.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“You have to pull yourself together, Julia. You have three children you need to raise. You can’t be sulking at home because of what they did to you. Use it as motivation to do better,” her mom said after seeing Julia crying in the bathroom.

Julia looked at her children and knew that her mom was right. She had to look after her kids and make sure they lived comfortable lives, even if it meant working two jobs to earn enough money.

Julia’s mom, Lisa, happily volunteered to care for the three kids while she was at work. She had two jobs, working a total of 14 hours a day.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Every day, she would start working at six in the evening, working as a waiter. Then from one in the morning until eight, she would work as a housekeeper at an inn.

By the time she got home, she had about three hours until her children woke up. She’d use this time to sleep before waking up alongside her kids to play with them and clean the house.

Julia’s work schedule exhausted her, especially because she didn’t get enough sleep every day. This lack of sleep often caused her to be scatter-brained, unable to remember the simplest things.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

One weekend morning, Julia had to take her kids to the hospital for their vaccinations. On their way home, Julia accidentally mixed up the bus routes, and they ended up in a place in town they’d never been.

Unfortunately, it would take another hour before another bus came around. She bought tickets at the bus stop and they quietly sat there until her kids began to cry, yelling that they were hungry.

Julia walked to a nearby burger stand, where she ordered four burgers. When she was about to pay, she frantically searched for her wallet inside her bag, only to look up at the sky, defeated.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“My wallet was right here,” she cried. “I just purchased our bus tickets!” She looked through her bag again.

“I’m sorry to hear that, ma’am,” the man who took her order said. “This part of town is notorious for pick-pockets.”

Julia looked at her kids, ashamed that she couldn’t buy them food. She apologized to them and told them they’d have to wait an hour before they could eat, only for them to cry even louder. “Mom, I haven’t eaten the whole day!” her daughter whined. “I’m so hungry!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

At that moment, Julia was at her breaking point. Her eyes started to fill with tears. Suddenly, she heard a low voice say, “No worries.”

She looked up and saw the man from the burger stand taking out his wallet. He paid for the burgers, packed a bag for Julia, and handed it to her.

“Please, take this. It’s on the house,” he told her.

Julia looked at the man in shock. Tears started to stream down her face, and she thanked the man numerous times. “Thank you so much; you have no idea how much this means to me,” she told him. “Can I please ask for your number? I want to pay you back once I can get some money.”

The man shook his head. “It’s no big deal, and it’s a simple act of kindness I’d like to do for you.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Ever since that day, Julia always made sure to help someone out whenever she had the chance. After working two jobs for a few more years, she earned enough money to start her own business. She created a mobile app that allowed users to book different services, from housekeepers to nail technicians, laundry shops, car cleaners, and more.

One day, while in a business meeting, Julia came across the man who helped her several years back.

“You’re the guy from the burger stand,” she said. He smiled, recognizing her as well.

“You’re the mom with three crying children,” he recalled. “How have you been?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

That conversation ended up being life-changing for both of them. Julia insisted on treating the man, who introduced himself as Jacob, to dinner. It was her way of paying him back.

She discovered Jacob was looking for a job and she decided to hire him as her executive secretary. He went with her to all her meetings and helped her grow her business.

Eventually, after spending so much time together and getting to know each other more, they fell in love. They married, and Jacob adopted Julia’s three children, loving them as his own.

What can we learn from this story?

  • If you’re in the position to help someone, do it. The man felt terrible that Julia couldn’t feed her children when they were hungry, so he stepped in to help her. When you’re capable of helping someone in need, do it without expecting anything in return, as it could save that person from reaching their breaking point.
  • What goes around comes around. After receiving an act of kindness, Julia paid it forward. Eventually, she came across the man who helped her again, this time in the position to help. This led to a beautiful working and personal relationship between them.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a beggar who gave half of his pizza to a hungry rich man, only for the man to give half his business to the beggar later on.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

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