Dear GhanaWeb: My husband's side chick broke his heart

Dear GhanaWeb,

I am a 32-year-old woman married for over six years. My husband works in the corporate sector and I run my own business. We have two daughters.

Over time his attention drifted. At first I attributed his distance to work pressure because he remained financially responsible. He started coming home late and no longer ate the meals I prepared. He offered excuses whenever I questioned him. When I suggested intimacy, he frequently said he was tired or not in the mood. I did not suspect infidelity at the time.

The children noticed his absence, and I often covered for him. This went on for nearly two years and escalated when he began sleeping elsewhere. When I confronted him, his explanations were flimsy.

Two days ago he left for work in the morning and did not return until midnight. He came home drunk and reeking. I helped him into the house and asked him to shower. I waited so we could go to bed together. The next morning I prepared breakfast; he seemed moody and emotional and refused to discuss what was wrong, even saying he would not go to work.

A few hours later, while I was in the hall watching a movie, he joined me. His eyes looked as if he had been crying. I jokingly asked whose “bastard” had been messing with him.

To my shock he replied, “My love, can you imagine? The girl I've been dating and taking care of has been cheating on me. She brought another man into the house I rented for her. She had the guts to cheat on me after everything.”

At first I thought he was ranting to someone else. Then he realised he was speaking to his wife. He knelt and pleaded, saying he did not know what led him to cheat and promising it would never happen again. I pushed him away and left.

Yesterday I decided to leave with our daughters. He wept and begged me to stay; he even called my mother. I told my mother I was packing my things and asked her not to stop me.

I am at a loss. I feel disgusted and betrayed. It took his mistress breaking his heart for him to see he was destroying our home. I am so angry that I have had dark thoughts about harming him. I have said before that I could forgive almost anything in this marriage — but not infidelity — and yet he cheated. I don't know what to do next. Please provide your suggestions.

FG/MA

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