I Walked Out on My Wife at a Restaurant During Our 10th Anniversary – Her Mother Advised Me to Seek a Divorce After Learning the Reason

“Everything okay?” I asked as we sat down.

Fiona glanced up, startled. “Oh, yeah. Just checking something quick.”

I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment. This was supposed to be our special night, but she seemed a million miles away.

The waiter appeared with menus. “Can I interest you in our anniversary special? A bottle of champagne to start?”

“That sounds perfect,” I said, smiling at Fiona. “What do you think, honey?”

She was staring at her phone again. “Hm? Oh, sure. Whatever you want.”

I sighed and ordered the champagne. As the waiter walked away, I reached across the table and gently touched Fiona’s hand.

“Hey, can we maybe put the phones away? It’s our anniversary.”

Fiona looked guilty. “You’re right, I’m sorry. It’s just this new video series I found —”

I tried to keep the irritation out of my voice. “Another prank channel?”

“They’re hilarious, Aidan! You should see some of these —”

I tuned out as she launched into a description of the latest viral prank. My mind wandered back to the past few weeks, and I felt my stomach tighten.

It had started innocently enough, Fiona showing me funny videos on her phone, and both of us laughing. But then she’d started trying to recreate them at home.

There was the time she jumped out from behind the shower curtain, nearly giving me a heart attack. The fake spider in Nora’s lunchbox that made our daughter cry. The “broken” glass prank that left Callum afraid to touch anything in the kitchen for days.

Each time, Fiona would laugh it off. “It’s just a joke!” she’d say. “Don’t be so serious!”

But I’d seen the fear in our kids’ eyes, felt the constant tension in my own shoulders. It wasn’t funny anymore. It was exhausting.

I snapped back to the present as the waiter returned with our champagne. Fiona was still talking, gesturing animatedly about some YouTuber’s latest stunt.

Fiona stood up abruptly. “I need to use the restroom. Be right back.”

I watched her walk away, a sense of unease growing in my stomach. Something felt off.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted behind me. I turned to see Fiona stumbling between tables, clutching her throat.

“I can’t breathe!” she gasped, falling to her knees. “Help me!”

The restaurant erupted in chaos. People rushed to her side, calling for help. I sat frozen, unable to process what was happening.

Then Fiona started laughing. “Just kidding!” she announced, getting to her feet. “It was a prank!”

The silence that followed was deafening. I felt the eyes of every patron boring into me. Fiona grinned, oblivious to the horror on everyone’s faces.

“Ma’am, that was extremely inappropriate,” the manager said, approaching our table. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

I stood up, grabbing my coat. “I’m leaving,” I said, my voice tight with anger. “Without my wife. You can get an Uber home on your own,” I informed her.

Fiona’s smile faltered. “Aw, come on. It was just a joke!”

I didn’t even respond. I couldn’t even look at her. I rushed out to the car and made off before she had time to respond — besides, she needed to settle the bill anyway.

As soon as I got home, I headed for the kids’ rooms. “Pack a bag,” I told Nora and Callum. “We’re going to Uncle Declan’s for a bit.”

An hour later, I was knocking on my brother’s door, two sleepy kids in tow. Declan took one look at my face and ushered us inside without a word.

“Guest room’s all yours,” he said, helping me with the bags. “Want to talk about it?”

I shook my head. “Not tonight. Thanks, bro.”

My phone buzzed incessantly with messages from Fiona. I ignored them all and tried to sleep.

The next morning, I woke to find 37 missed calls and twice as many texts. I scrolled through them, my anger reigniting.

“You’re overreacting.”

“It was just a joke!”

“How could you embarrass me like that?”

“You owe me an apology.”

I tossed the phone aside, disgusted. How could she not see how wrong she was?

As if on cue, my phone rang again. This time, it was Greta, Fiona’s mom. I hesitated before answering.

“Aidan! What’s this I hear about you abandoning my daughter at a restaurant?” Greta’s voice was shrill with indignation.

I took a deep breath. “Hi, Greta. It’s not what you think.”

“Oh? Then explain it to me, young man. Because from where I’m standing, you left your wife alone on your anniversary. That’s pretty low.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on. “Fiona pulled a prank, Greta. A bad one. She pretended to choke in the middle of a crowded restaurant.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “She did what?”

I recounted the events of the previous night, including Fiona’s recent obsession with pranks and how it was affecting our family.

When I finished, Greta was quiet for a long moment. Then she sighed heavily. “Oh, Aidan. I had no idea it had gotten this bad.”

“Yeah, well. Now you know.”

“I… I don’t know what to say. If things are really this bad, I… I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted a divorce.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Divorce? Is that where we were headed?

“I don’t know, Greta,” I said honestly. “I just need some time to think.”

After we hung up, I sat on the edge of the bed, my head in my hands. Was this really the end of our marriage?

I spent the day in a daze, mechanically going through the motions of caring for the kids. By evening, I’d made a decision.

I called Fiona. “Meet me at the restaurant tomorrow at 7 p.m. We need to talk.

She agreed immediately, sounding relieved. I hung up before she could say more.

The next night, I arrived at the restaurant early. My palms were sweaty as I clutched the envelope containing the divorce papers I’d had drawn up that afternoon.

Fiona walked in, looking smaller and more vulnerable than I’d ever seen her. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her hair disheveled.

“Hi,” she said softly, as she took a seat alongside me.

“Hi,” I replied, my throat tight.

We sat in awkward silence for a moment. Then Fiona burst out, “Aidan, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you or the kids. I just got carried away with the pranks and —”

I held up a hand to stop her. Without a word, I slid the envelope across the table.

Fiona’s hands shook as she opened it. Her eyes widened as she realized what she was looking at.

“No,” she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Please, Aidan, no. We can work this out. I’ll stop the pranks, I promise. Please don’t leave me.”

I let her cry for a moment, my own eyes stinging. Then I took a deep breath.

“It’s a prank,” I said quietly.

Fiona’s head snapped up. “What?”

“The divorce papers. They’re not real. It’s a prank.”

Her mouth opened and closed, no sound coming out. I leaned forward, my voice intense.

“This is what it feels like, Fiona. This is how your pranks make us feel. Scared, hurt, betrayed. Is this what you want for our family?”

Fiona’s face crumpled. “No,” she sobbed. “God, no. I’m so sorry, Aidan. I never realized…”

I reached across the table and took her hand. “I love you, Fiona. But this has to stop. No more pranks. Ever. Can you promise me that?”

She nodded vigorously, squeezing my hand. “I promise. No more pranks. I’ll delete all those stupid videos. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

I exhaled slowly, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “Okay,” I said. “Then let’s go home.”

As we stood to leave, Fiona hesitated. “Aidan? Thank you for not giving up on us.”

I pulled her into a hug, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair. “We’re in this together,” I murmured. “For better or worse, remember?”

She laughed softly, a sound I realized I’d missed. “I remember. Let’s aim for ‘better’ from now on, okay?”

I nodded, feeling cautiously optimistic for the first time in weeks. As we walked out of the restaurant hand in hand, I knew we had a long way to go. But at least now, we were on the same page.

And there wasn’t a prank in sight.

What would you have done?

During the Divorce My Husband Gave My Fur Baby to an Animal Shelter, Unaware It Would Leave Him Penniless

When my husband dumped my golden retriever, Bailey, at a shelter during our divorce, I was devastated. Little did he know, that cruel act would cost him dearly and unravel his carefully-hidden secrets.

Bailey wasn’t just a dog. She was my family, my lifeline through the storm of my marriage’s collapse. And when Adam tried to take her from me, he unleashed a chain of events he could never have seen coming.

A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney

Marriage is supposed to be a partnership, a bond where both people lift each other up. But with Adam, it felt like I was carrying the weight of two people. And his greed made it heavier every day.

When we first met, Adam was everything I thought I wanted. He was charming, thoughtful, and attentive. He even acted like he loved my dog, Bailey.

But once we were married, the cracks began to show.

A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

At first, they were small things like refusing to pitch in for groceries, brushing off household chores, and grumbling about expenses for Bailey’s vet bills. But as time went on, his true nature revealed itself.

He was more interested in hoarding money than building a life together.

“Adam, Bailey needs her vaccinations,” I said one evening, holding a bill from the vet.

“Do we really need to spend so much on a dog?” he replied, barely looking up from his laptop.

“She’s not just a dog,” I shot back. “She’s family.”

A close-up shot of a dog | Source: Pexels

A close-up shot of a dog | Source: Pexels

“She’s your dog, Eliza,” he shrugged. “Not mine!”

That was Adam. Generous with words when he wanted something, but stingy with anything that required real effort.

When I filed for divorce, I thought I’d finally be free of his manipulative ways. But Adam wasn’t done being vindictive.

During the proceedings, he kicked me out of the house. The same place I’d helped maintain for years. And he even refused to let me take Bailey.

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney

“PLEASE, GIVE ME BACK MY DOG!” I pleaded. “SHE’S MINE! SHE’S MY FAMILY!”

“I don’t care,” he said.

“You can’t keep her,” I cried. “She’s been with me since before we got married! This isn’t fair!”

“Too bad,” he said coldly. “She’s on my property now.”

I begged him to reconsider, but his heart was as cold as stone.

I couldn’t believe this was the same man who’d helped me take Bailey to the vet when I found her on the street. I remember everything about that night very well.

The night that changed my life and introduced me to Adam.

View from inside a car on a rainy night | Source: Pexels

View from inside a car on a rainy night | Source: Pexels

The rain poured in sheets, soaking everything in sight as I hurried through the park on my way home. Then I heard it: a faint whimper.

I stopped, squinting through the downpour, and saw a small, trembling figure under a bench.

“Oh my God,” I whispered, crouching down.

A tiny golden retriever puppy, drenched and shivering, stared up at me with pleading eyes.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I murmured, gently scooping her up.

Her body was cold and frail, and my heart broke for her. I didn’t know what to do. I stood there in the rain with no idea how to help her.

That’s when Adam appeared.

A man standing in the rain | Source: Midjourney

A man standing in the rain | Source: Midjourney

“Need some help?” a voice called out, startling me.

I turned to see a man jogging toward me, holding an umbrella. His hair was plastered to his forehead from the rain, but he smiled warmly, his gaze flicking to the puppy in my arms.

“She’s freezing,” I said, my voice shaky. “I don’t know where to take her.”

Adam didn’t hesitate. “Come on, let’s get her to a vet. My car’s just over there.”

I hesitated for a moment, but the urgency of the situation and his kind demeanor convinced me.

“Okay,” I whispered. “Thank you.”

A woman standing in the rain | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in the rain | Source: Midjourney

He held the umbrella over us as we ran to his car, where I carefully settled the puppy on my lap.

During the drive, Adam chatted to calm my nerves, asking about the puppy and where I’d found her.

At the vet clinic, we worked together to get Bailey the care she needed. The vet examined her and gave her some warm blankets.

“She’s malnourished, but nothing a bit of love and care won’t fix,” the vet reassured us.

A puppy | Source: Pexels

A puppy | Source: Pexels

Adam turned to me with a grin. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a new friend.”

I smiled back, relieved. “I think you’re right.”

After the visit, Adam drove me home. As we pulled up to my apartment, he turned to me and said, “If you need anything for her like supplies, advice, or anything else… just give me a call, okay?”

He handed me his number, and I thanked him for his help.

Over the next few weeks, Adam and I stayed in touch.

A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels

A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels

He checked in on Bailey, offering tips on puppy care and even stopping by to drop off supplies. It didn’t take long for our friendship to grow into something more.

When we started dating, he made it clear he adored Bailey. Or at least that’s what I thought.

He played fetch with her, snapped photos, and even talked about how much fun it would be to have a family someday. I was smitten, both with him and the idea of building a life together.

We got married the following year.

A couple holding hands on their big day | Source: Pexels

A couple holding hands on their big day | Source: Pexels

I moved into his house with Bailey, thinking I’d found my happily ever after. At first, everything seemed perfect. But as the months passed, I started noticing cracks in Adam’s charming facade.

With time, I realized he was not the man he’d pretended to be.

It’s not like I didn’t try to save our marriage. I did. I confronted him so many times, and he’d make empty promises to change, but nothing ever improved.

By the time I filed for divorce, I was emotionally drained. Leaving felt like my only option.

A woman standing with her hand on her head | Source: Pexels

A woman standing with her hand on her head | Source: Pexels

And then he kicked me out, refusing to give Bailey back to me. What I didn’t know was that he’d already decided to get rid of her.

He took Bailey to a shelter and dropped her there. I couldn’t believe it when he told me that.

“How could you do this?” I yelled at him over the phone. “Are you being for real, Adam?”

He just laughed and hung up, unaware of how he’d soon regret his decision.

A man holding his phone | Source: Pexels

A man holding his phone | Source: Pexels

Over the next few days, I couldn’t stop picturing her curled up in a corner, wondering why I wasn’t there. I made it my mission to find my little girl, no matter what I had to go through.

I scoured every animal shelter within a hundred miles, calling, emailing, and visiting in person, armed with pictures of her sweet golden face.

Each day without her felt like another layer of heartbreak, but I refused to give up. When it became clear that the search was beyond my reach, I hired a private investigator, John.

A man taking notes | Source: Pexels

A man taking notes | Source: Pexels

“Lost pets aren’t my usual line of work,” he said when we first met. “But I’ve got a soft spot for dogs. I’ll find her for you.”

Weeks stretched into what felt like an eternity. I tried to stay hopeful, but each passing day without news felt heavier than the last. Then, one day, my phone rang.

“Ma’am,” John said, “I found your dog!”

My breath caught. “You… you found her? Where is she?”

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

“She’s safe, but that’s not all,” he continued. “There are some facts that will help you win this divorce and leave your husband with nothing. Listen to me carefully.”

I gripped the phone tightly, my heart racing.

He outlined his plan to help me get Bailey back and hinted at something much bigger brewing beneath the surface. But for now, his focus was on reuniting me with my fur baby.

A dog sitting near water | Source: Pexels

A dog sitting near water | Source: Pexels

“The shelter’s an hour away,” he said. “They have her on record, but she’s been adopted. You’ll need to talk to them to get the details on the new owners.”

I didn’t waste a second. Grabbing my keys, I drove straight to the shelter, hope and anxiety swirling inside me.

When I arrived, the woman at the front desk handed me a file. Inside was a photo of Bailey, her soulful eyes staring back at me.

A woman looking at a photo | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking at a photo | Source: Midjourney

“She was adopted last week by a couple,” the woman explained. “We can’t give you their address, but we can pass along a message if you’d like.”

“Please,” I said, my voice trembling. “Tell them I’d like to meet and explain everything.”

A few days later, I got a call from the couple. They agreed to meet me at a coffee shop, and when I arrived, my nerves were in overdrive.

A cup of coffee on a table | Source: Pexels

A cup of coffee on a table | Source: Pexels

Sitting across from them, I poured out my story, my voice breaking as I recounted how Bailey had come into my life and how much she meant to me.

“She’s not just a dog,” I said, tears pooling in my eyes. “She’s my family.”

The couple listened intently, glancing at each other with knowing looks. Finally, the woman reached across the table and touched my hand.

“We can see how much you love her,” she said softly. “And as much as we’ve grown attached to her, we know she belongs with you.”

A woman talking to another woman in a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to another woman in a coffee shop | Source: Midjourney

I was speechless. Gratitude and relief washed over me as they handed over Bailey’s leash and paperwork.

When I reunited with Bailey, her tail wagged furiously, and she barked as if to say, “What took you so long?”

I hugged her tightly, promising her that she’d never feel abandoned again.

But the surprises didn’t stop there.

During my phone call with John, he told me he’d uncovered a gold mine of deceit after digging into Adam’s finances.

A stack of coins | Source: Pexels

A stack of coins | Source: Pexels

Turns out, Adam had been hiding assets during the divorce, including a luxury home he’d purchased under his mother’s name to keep it off the marital records.

I hired an accountant to review his financials, and the findings were damning. The down payment for the house came from our joint marital account, and the mortgage was being paid from our marital funds.

When we submitted all the documents and facts to the court, my husband called. “JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! Let me live my life!” he spat. But I didn’t listen to him. I just told him that I had turned on the voice recorder on my phone and he hung up.

A woman standing in a court | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in a court | Source: Midjourney

The judge didn’t take kindly to his attempts at deception. He was penalized heavily, and I was awarded a significant portion of the house’s value.

Guess what did I do with the settlement? I bought a cozy little house with a big yard for Bailey.

She now spends her days chasing squirrels and rolling in the grass, while I just look at her with pride and gratitude.

Every night, as she curls up beside me, her steady breathing reminds me of what truly matters. Even when life unravels, love and a little resilience can stitch it back together stronger than before.

A woman with her dog | Source: Midjourney

A woman with her dog | Source: Midjourney

If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: When Claire’s husband of eight years accidentally sends her a screenshot exposing his affair, her world shatters. But instead of crumbling, she teams up with an unlikely ally, his mistress, Mia. Together, they orchestrate the ultimate revenge…

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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