I was in the kitchen, cutting vegetables for dinner, when the doorbell rang. It was late, and I wasn’t expecting any visitors. Our house was always quiet in the evening: the children had already gone to bed, and my husband was working late in his office. We rarely had visitors at this time. I glanced at the clock—it was 20:45. Who could it be?
Turning toward the door, I tried to calm myself: it must be just the neighbor. Sometimes she would come over to borrow something for the household. But this time something was different. A strange feeling of anxiety flashed through my mind, though I couldn’t explain where it came from. Approaching the door, I opened it. A woman was standing on the threshold. She was pale, her dark hair disheveled, and her face bore confusion and fatigue. For a moment, I thought I knew her, though my memory refused to give me a name.
«Hello, Tanya,» her voice was familiar. My head spun with surprise. It was Olga—the first wife of my husband.
I froze, not knowing how to react. Olga had disappeared from our lives several years ago, after her marriage with Igor fell apart, and he met me. We had never met, and I only knew about her from Igor’s stories. He seldom mentioned her, and I thought their past was long buried. But now she was standing at the threshold of the house where she once lived with Igor.
«Olga?» I said, trying to hide my shock.
She nodded and, with a sigh, said:
«We need to talk. It’s about Igor.»
We sat in the kitchen, and I tried to cope with the sudden anxiety. Olga was in no hurry to start the conversation, nervously fidgeting with the cup of tea I had offered. A tense silence hung in the air.
«I know you might be surprised to see me here,» she finally spoke, her voice was quiet, but firm. «But this is not personal. I came because you need to know the truth.»
I clenched the cup in my hands, feeling nervousness wash over me in waves.
«What are you talking about?» I asked, trying to understand where she was leading.
Olga paused for a moment, then sighed heavily and said:
«Igor didn’t tell you everything. When we divorced, it wasn’t just because we drifted apart. He did something that you need to know about.»
These words pierced me like an icy wind. What could this mean? I knew Igor as an honest and decent man, who always tried to be fair and respectful. What could he be hiding?
«Olga,» I tried not to raise my voice, though everything inside was boiling, «tell me straight, what do you mean?»
She looked at me, her eyes full of sadness and some deep fatigue.
«He cheated on me,» she finally said. «For a long time. And it wasn’t just a one-time thing. I found out too late, when everything had already fallen apart. And I thought… I thought you should know, in case it happens again.»
I was frozen, unable to believe what I had heard. Igor? Cheated? That was impossible. We had been together for five years, and I never felt anything like that. How could this be?
«You’re mistaken,» I said, feeling a wave of anger and protective instinct rising in my chest. «Igor isn’t like that. He’s never given me any reason to think he could do something like that.»
Olga didn’t look away from me; her face remained serious.
«I thought the same,» she quietly said. «But it happened. And I don’t want you to end up in the same situation as me.»
When Olga left, I was left alone with my thoughts. Her words kept swirling in my head. What if she was right? What if Igor really was hiding something from me?
When Igor came home, I couldn’t wait any longer. I didn’t know how to start this conversation, but I knew I couldn’t keep silent.
«Did you talk to Olga?» I asked as soon as he entered the house.
He stopped in the doorway, his face momentarily twisted in surprise.
«Olga?» he repeated, taking off his jacket. «No, we haven’t talked for years. What happened?»
«She came by today,» my words were short, sharp. «She said you cheated on her, and that I needed to know about it.»
Igor froze. A shadow passed over his face. That was enough for me to know it was true.
«You… Are you serious?» I continued, trying to maintain my composure. «Did you really cheat on her?»
He sighed heavily and sat down on a chair, lowering his head.
«Tanya, that was many years ago,» he began quietly. «I was different. Our relationship with Olga was already cracking at the seams. And I… yes, I made a mistake. I’m not proud of it. But it ended, and I’ve never done anything like that since.»
«Why didn’t you tell me about this?» My voice trembled, but I tried to contain my emotions. «You never even mentioned that there was something like that.»
«Because it’s in the past, Tanya. I didn’t want it to affect us. I’ve changed. I’m not that person anymore.»
These words made me pause. Of course, people can change. But how could I be sure that what happened with Olga wouldn’t happen again?
Days passed since I learned the truth about Igor. We didn’t discuss it again, but an invisible wall had risen between us. I could no longer look at him the way I used to. Thoughts swirled in my mind about what else he might be hiding. Doubts ate away at me from inside.
But one evening, as we sat in the kitchen, Igor started the conversation himself.
«I understand that you no longer trust me,» he said quietly, not looking up. «But I want to make it right. I’m ready to do everything to regain your trust.»
These words sounded sincere, and something inside me trembled. I didn’t know if I could ever completely forget his betrayal. But I realized one thing: if we wanted to save our marriage, we needed to work on it together.
Months passed. Our relationship with Igor wasn’t the same, but we began to rebuild trust. We went to family counseling and gradually regained the closeness that once bound us. I couldn’t forget his mistakes, but I understood that everyone deserves a second chance. And I decided to give it to Igor.
Now I know that relationships are not only about love and support but also about forgiveness. Yes, the past can’t be changed, but you can build a new future.