The Seed of Betrayal\n\n\n\n\n
It began quietly. Keith started arriving home later, saying that he had a lot of work to catch up on at the office. I trusted him; why wouldn\u2019t I? I was balancing my own job while also taking care of the kids. We hardly ever found the time to really connect\u2014he was worn out, I was worn out, and we\u2019d just end up collapsing into bed. On the weekends, he would disappear with his friends, sometimes leaving me to manage the house or take the kids to soccer practices on my own. I held on to the belief that we were creating a life together, thinking he was simply overwhelmed by work or facing a tough time.\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n But eventually, the illusion broke apart. On a brisk autumn evening, Mia fell ill with a fever. I searched through Keith\u2019s dresser, looking for the kids\u2019 thermometer and some extra children\u2019s medicine that we occasionally kept hidden there. I discovered his phone in that drawer. A single banner notification popped up on the screen: \u201cI love you, babes!\u201d\u201d with heart emojis. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. The name of the sender was unfamiliar to me: \u201cDaniella.\u201d My hands trembled as I unlocked the phone\u2014an action I had never felt the urge to take before.\n\n\n\n Hidden among them were messages shared at all times: playful teasing, pictures, and plans for meet-ups. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, tears stinging my eyes as I faced him that night. It was around two in the morning, and the kids were fast asleep. \u201cKeith,\u201d I started, my voice shaking, \u201cwho is Daniella?\u201d\u201d\n\n\n\n He didn\u2019t even try to deny it. He let out a yawn, as if my discovery had failed to capture his interest. \u201cLet\u2019s not make a big deal out of this,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s all in good fun.\u201d People engage in flirtation. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean anything serious.\u201d He clicked his tongue in frustration, as if I was the one stirring up trouble.\n\n\n\n Just some lighthearted enjoyment. That was his reason for turning against me, putting our family\u2019s stability on the line. The betrayal hit me hard, but with kids in the picture, I kept telling myself that perhaps we could mend what was broken. Everyone makes mistakes, don\u2019t they? I was so naive. When I found lipstick on his shirt collar for the second time\u2014a bright fuchsia hue I would never choose\u2014I couldn\u2019t hold back my anger and confronted him. Once more, he dismissed it with a sigh, saying, \u201cYou\u2019re being so dramatic.\u201d Take a deep breath and unwind.\n\n\n\n In that instant, it hit me that this man was never going to change. He had no issue walking out on me. I told him it was time to pack his bags. The following day, I went ahead and filed for divorce.\n\n\n\n The Unpleasant Divorce\n\n\n\n\n The divorce turned out to be quite chaotic, just as expected. We all got ourselves lawyers. Mia, who\u2019s eight, and Sean, our five-year-old, found themselves in the middle of a whirlwind of half-truths, tension in the air, and some really tough questions that broke our hearts. Keith attempted to lay claim to my late grandmother\u2019s house, the place I had called home for the last six years, but it was solely in my name, passed down from her. He was hoping to get half its value, but legally, he didn\u2019t have a leg to stand on. The house will still belong to me. That really hurt him.\n\n\n\n He also attempted to advocate for an equal division of nearly everything else\u2014every little item from kitchen tools to groceries. I kind of thought he might actually count how many bananas were still there. However, the true pain hit us when we started talking about child custody. Keith, who used to proudly talk about his love for being a dad, just shrugged and remarked, \u201cI don\u2019t want full custody.\u201d You\u2019ve got this. \u201cYou\u2019re better with that stuff anyway.\u201d The kids felt a wave of disappointment wash over them as their father dismissed them so nonchalantly. I was furious, but maybe it turned out to be a hidden blessing, since at least the kids wouldn\u2019t have to endure too much time with a father who saw them as a burden.\n\n\n\n It was an incredibly difficult time in my life. I did my best to maintain a calm front for Mia and Sean, tucking them in at night, reading them stories, and gently explaining that Daddy and Mommy just couldn\u2019t live together anymore. They wept, I wept, and together we all shared in the sorrow. Yet, Keith strolled away as though nothing had happened. I had no idea that the worst was yet to unfold.\n\n\n\n The Great Wallpaper Heist\n\n\n\n\n Once the court wrapped up the divorce proceedings, Keith requested a week to collect his things from the house. To avoid any more conflict, I decided to take the kids to my mom\u2019s house. That way, he could get everything ready without the kids being there, and I wouldn\u2019t have to run into him. When we came back after a few days, we were met with a surprising sight: the wallpaper had vanished. Everything. Peeling away from the walls, it left behind jagged edges, bare drywall, and unsightly glue marks.\n\n\n\n This wallpaper wasn\u2019t just any design\u2014I picked it out with care, a beautiful floral pattern that captured my heart during the renovation process. The house felt warm and exuded a delightful old-world charm. Now it lay in ruins, and the rooms appeared devastated.\n\n\n\n I stood there, completely taken aback. Keith remained in the living room, tearing off another strip. My son Sean whimpered behind me, looking lost and bewildered. Mia\u2019s eyes brimmed with tears. \u201cMom, what\u2019s going on?\u201d\u201cShe whispered.\u201d\n\n\n\n I moved ahead. \u201cWhat on earth are you up to, Keith?\u201d\u201cI demanded, my voice trembling with anger.\u201d\n\n\n\n He turned, clutching a handful of torn paper. A self-satisfied smile crept onto his face. \u201cI bought this wallpaper,\u201d he said with a casual shrug. \u201cThis belongs to me.\u201d I\u2019ve decided to go for it. Or at least, stopping you from enjoying it without any cost. Didn\u2019t you mention that the house belongs to you completely? Alright. Embrace it with empty walls. I stared in disbelief, struggling to comprehend just how small-minded he was. It was heartbreaking to watch Sean begin to cry. \u201cThat\u2019s enough,\u201d I said firmly. Yet he pressed on, tearing down more sheets in big, sweeping motions. He even grabbed the toaster, the coffee maker, some random pillows from the couch\u2014anything he thought belonged to him. The children watched in shock.\n\n\n\n In the end, he drove away, cramming his car full of various stolen items. I looked at the ripped walls, a mix of anger and sadness washing over me. After he left, I let out a shaky breath, knelt down next to the kids, and assured them that we\u2019d find new wallpaper\u2014something even better. They shouldn\u2019t have had to witness their father tear our home apart out of spite.\n\n\n\n That night, I kept going over his sneer in my head. He attempted to wound me in a way that would leave a lasting mark. For a brief moment, it actually worked\u2014I felt a wave of humiliation wash over me from his last act of sabotage. But I promised myself I would gather everything back together, piece by piece. I would repair the walls and bring in a new vibe. I quietly wished that life would teach him a lesson he would always remember.\n\n\n\n Restoring the Home\n\n\n\n\n In the coming months, the kids and I put in the effort to turn the house into our own special space. Mia and Sean helped us pick out some amazing murals and designs to replace the wallpaper. Mia dreamed of a whimsical forest scene to brighten up the living room, while Sean was set on having dinosaurs in his bedroom. It turned out to be vibrant, fun, and unique\u2014so much more intimate than the classy floral wallpaper we had previously. In an unexpected twist, Keith\u2019s reckless action provided us with a fresh opportunity to begin anew.\n\n\n\n In the meantime, I focused all my energy on the kids, making sure they felt secure and cherished even with the divorce happening. They appeared to adapt more easily than I expected. Sean\u2019s nightmares have faded away. Mia began to shine in her art class. I came to the ironic conclusion that Keith not being around was actually better for them than having his toxic influence in their lives. Of course, there were moments when they missed him, but they also flourished in the more peaceful and nurturing atmosphere I aimed to create.\n\n\n\n I concentrated on my healing journey. I\u2019ve been going to therapy sessions, reaching out to friends for support, and picking up old hobbies that I had set aside. I wouldn\u2019t allow Keith\u2019s betrayal to shape who I am. On weekends, we would visit the park or check out a museum. Mia and Sean got to choose a puppy from a rescue shelter. We decided to call her Clover, and she brought a lively energy that filled our home. With every little step, we created a life away from Keith\u2019s shadow.\n\n\n\n A Chance Meeting\n\n\n\n\n Then, karma stepped in. One afternoon, roughly six months post-divorce, I found myself wandering through downtown, taking care of some errands. The sun was shining, and the weather was just right. I felt cheerful, even hopeful about what lies ahead. That\u2019s when I saw Keith on the other side of the street\u2014my ex-husband, walking hand in hand with a woman I knew: Cynthia, from my old library club. My stomach twisted in knots. Cynthia had once made a remark about my wallpaper at a library fundraiser, and it was quite ironic. We had exchanged friendly words, but we weren\u2019t really close friends. So, she\u2019s dating Keith now, huh?\n\n\n\n I was just about to cross the street to steer clear of them when Cynthia glanced up, spotted me, and smiled, waving me over. Keith\u2019s body tightened, his eyes flitting around as if he wished he could just disappear. But I wouldn\u2019t let him see that he got to me. With a courteous smile in place, I made my way over.\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, Alana!\u201d\u201dCynthia exclaimed cheerfully.\u201d She had a dazzling engagement ring on her finger. \u201cHey, you remember me from the library event, don\u2019t you?\u201d It\u2019s great to see you! \u201cHey, everyone! This is my fianc\u00e9, Keith.\u201d\n\n\n\n My heart raced. Are you engaged? Wow, that was fast! \u201cFianc\u00e9?\u201d\u201cI said again, my eyes wandering over to Keith\u2019s face.\u201d He seemed uneasy, his jaw tight. \u201cAh, I understand.\u201d Well, congratulations, I suppose.\n\n\n\n Cynthia looked back and forth between us, her smile slowly disappearing as she picked up on the tension in the air. \u201cHold on, do you both know each other?\u201d\u201cWhat did she ask?\u201d She stared in surprise. \u201cHave you known each other for a long time?\u201d\u201c\n\n\n\n I took a deep breath, meeting Keith\u2019s gaze. His face was etched with desperation, silently pleading with me not to make this worse. But I just couldn\u2019t let it go by. \u201cYes,\u201d I replied, my voice calm and steady. \u201cWe were once\u2026 married.\u201d He\u2019s my former husband. The dad of my children.\n\n\n\n Cynthia\u2019s jaw dropped in surprise. She glanced at Keith, then at me, a mix of confusion and alarm crossing her face. \u201cFormer husband?\u201d \u201cKeith, you never brought it up\u2014I mean, I knew you were divorced, but\u2014\u201d\n\n\n\n Her voice faded as she became aware of the awkwardness. Once more, she looked at me. \u201cHold on\u2026 Are you the person with the wallpaper story?\u201d\u201cShe spoke with a tone of disbelief.\u201d She must have gotten a partial story from Keith.\n\n\n\n I nodded with a hint of irony. \u201cYep, that\u2019s me.\u201d The person whose wallpaper was torn from the walls. <text\u201dThe mother of his children, who was cast aside.\u201d My chest tightened, yet I pushed through with a calmness that didn\u2019t truly exist within me\n\n\n\n Cynthia spun to face Keith, her eyes blazing with anger. \u201cYou never shared the details with me.\u201d You mentioned that your ex was controlling and ended up kicking you out, and that you took some of your furniture with you. But wallpaper? Ripping it off just so your kids had to look at exposed drywall? Wow, Keith, that\u2019s some serious pettiness!\u201d\n\n\n\n He fumbled to come up with an excuse. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t as terrible as she describes it\u2014just a little bit of leftover\u2014\u201d\n\n\n\n Cynthia interrupted him, her eyes blazing with intensity. \u201cYou actually ripped the wallpaper off your own kids\u2019 house?\u201d So you presented it to me as if it were just a little disagreement?She yanked her hand away from his hold, shooting him a fierce glare. \u201cIf you can treat the mother of your children like that, how would you treat me during a disagreement?\u201d\u201d\n\n\n\n Keith\u2019s cheeks flushed with color. \u201cQuit overreacting,\u201d he said under his breath. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a big deal.\u201d It\u2019s common for people to engage in petty behavior during divorces. \u201cDon\u2019t make it a bigger deal than it is.\u201d\n\n\n\n Cynthia looked at him in shock, her hand shaking as the ring sparkled in the sunlight. \u201cYou always act like it\u2019s \u2018no big deal.\u2019 That\u2019s exactly what you said about your last relationship, about the mess with your new job\u2026\u201d She looked at me, her eyes glistening with tears. \u201cAlana, I truly apologize.\u201d I really had no clue. \u201cHe claimed you took the house from him and turned the kids against him\u2014\u201d\n\n\n\n I shrugged, a dark sense of satisfaction washing over me. \u201cHe deceived me about many things, as well.\u201d It seems like that\u2019s just how he operates.\n\n\n\n Cynthia\u2019s expression shifted, revealing a fierce determination. She pulled off her ring and shoved it into Keith\u2019s hand. \u201cIt\u2019s over.\u201d I refuse to marry a man who takes pride in humiliating his ex and causing trauma to his children.\n\n\n\n Keith\u2019s expression contorted. \u201cHold on, don\u2019t act too quickly.\u201d Allow me to clarify!But Cynthia spun around, tears streaming down her face, and strode off. Keith lunged to follow, but she shot back, \u201cBack off.\u201d \u201cWe\u2019re done.\u201d\n\n\n\n I stood there, watching the chaos unfold, feeling a strange sense of calm settle in my chest. For the first time, I saw Keith\u2019s facade fall apart in a very public way. As people walked by, they shot curious looks in our direction. He shot me a look that made it seem like I was to blame for all of this. \u201cGreat job,\u201d he said with a sneer. \u201cYou\u2019ve completely messed up my engagement.\u201d I just shrugged. \u201cYou brought this on yourself, Keith, the instant you chose cruelty as your way of doing things.\u201d You\u2019re getting the results of your own actions.\n\n\n\n He attempted to come up with a comeback, but nothing came to mind. In the end, he marched away, heading where Cynthia had gone, likely trying to salvage whatever he could. I wasn\u2019t sure he would make it. As I stood there on the sidewalk, a surprising feeling of vindication washed over me. Karma had truly made an entrance.\n\n\n\n A Fresh Take on Triumph\n\n\n\n\n That evening, while I prepared dinner for Mia and Sean\u2014just some straightforward spaghetti with my own sauce\u2014I found myself reflecting on the day\u2019s happenings. The kids were curious about why I looked so cheerful. I mentioned that I\u2019d had a good day, then quickly shifted the topic, not wanting to dive into details they didn\u2019t really need to know. After dinner, we snuggled up on the couch, enjoyed a lighthearted movie, and I couldn\u2019t help but reflect on how much we\u2019ve grown since that day when Keith ripped the wallpaper. Our home was filled with love, new wallpaper, and fresh memories\u2014there was no sign of the darkness he had left behind. As I tucked Mia and Sean into bed, a wave of gratitude washed over me. The true win wasn\u2019t just watching Keith get dumped in front of everyone. The true triumph was the life I created for myself and my kids: a secure space where they could flourish, shielded from the resentment of a man who chose not to mature. I remembered how heartbroken Mia felt when she caught Keith tearing down the floral wallpaper. Now she had her own enchanting mural\u2014moonlit forests filled with hidden animals\u2014to admire each night. Sean looked at the dinosaur prints and couldn\u2019t help but smile. In our spacious living room, I swapped out the worn walls for a vibrant, contemporary design adorned with abstract shapes. All around, vibrant colors and imaginative designs took the place of the previous dreariness.\n\n\n\n Absolutely, I was still a single mom, balancing two kids and a job. Yet, I discovered a deep resilience within myself, driven by the love of my kids and the steadfast encouragement of a handful of dear friends. I realized that I didn\u2019t need someone who put me down or dismissed his infidelities as \u201cjust harmless fun.\u201d I could create my own journey, filled with integrity and love, and it seems that karma was on my side.\n\n\n\n Months later, I learned from some mutual friends that Keith was having a tough time finding stable relationships. Women realized his small-mindedness and how he would shift blame onto others. He never acknowledged any mistakes, nor did he ever say he was sorry. It seemed like he hadn\u2019t picked up any lessons from losing Cynthia. I even heard a rumor that he tried to make amends with Jessica, that mistress from before, but it seems she\u2019s moved on as well. In the meantime, things started looking up for me: I received a promotion at work and took the kids on a little beach getaway. We shared so many laughs, rarely dwelling on the tumultuous end of my marriage. Complete Cycle\n\n\n\n\n On a Sunday morning, Mia found herself going through an old photo album filled with memories from our life before the divorce. She frowned as she examined a picture of the living room adorned with that vintage floral wallpaper. \u201cMom, do you ever miss it?\u201d What about the flowers on the walls?\u201cShe asked, glancing up.\u201d \u201cI had a fondness for them, but I really prefer what we have now.\u201d\n\n\n\n I offered a faint smile. \u201cI liked them too, sweetie, but you\u2019re right\u2014what we have now works better for us.\u201d It serves as a reminder that we have the ability to rebuild after something falls apart.\n\n\n\n Sean chimed in, \u201cDad ripped them off.\u201d That was really unkind. But we have some really awesome things!He flashed a proud smile. The kids appeared to have moved on from the memory, no longer showing signs of hurt. They viewed it as a story highlighting Dad\u2019s foolishness, which was eclipsed by the fresh creativity we brought in. Later that day, I caught myself thinking about karma once more. I didn\u2019t take pleasure in Keith\u2019s embarrassments. Yet, it felt like a twist of fate to witness him fail so spectacularly in his effort to begin a new engagement built on deception. Regardless of the stories he wove, the reality eventually surfaced. Ironically, by stripping my house bare, he actually provided me with a blank canvas to craft something new and profoundly personal for myself and my children.\n\n\n\n Epilogue\n\n\n\n\n Many believe that karma is a powerful force that guarantees everyone ultimately receives what they are owed, whether it\u2019s good or bad. I\u2019m still uncertain whether it\u2019s some kind of cosmic law at play or simply the random ironies of life. I saw a man who casually referred to his cheating as \u201charmless fun\u201d end up losing not only his marriage but also a second engagement, and it all happened in the most public and humiliating way possible. If that doesn\u2019t illustrate cosmic justice perfectly, I don\u2019t know what does.\n\n\n\n My kids and I are doing well in the home that Keith worked so hard to make special for us. The walls burst with vibrant patterns that showcase our unique personalities, a true reflection of our resilience. Every now and then, I notice the little section of unpainted drywall I intentionally left under the stairs\u2014a small reminder of the day Keith took everything apart. I hold onto it as a reminder that from the ashes of betrayal, you can create something stronger and more beautiful. Every time I spot that patch, I silently express my gratitude to karma for reminding me that while justice may not come quickly, it does find its way in the end. At the very least, it gives you the clarity and strength to move ahead, free from the weight of the past. In that way, perhaps the greatest form of revenge is just to live your life to the fullest\u2014and let karma take care of the rest.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I once believed that karma was just a story\u2014something people made up to feel better when life dealt them a tough hand. \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d they\u2019d […]\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7532"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7532"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7535,"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7532\/revisions\/7535"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciencesandnatures.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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