When my husband came home with another woman and announced he wanted her to be his second wife, I thought it was a joke. But when I realized he was serious, I told him I’d agree on one condition. That condition was something he wasn’t expecting.
I never thought I’d find myself in this situation, but here I am, ready to share what happened a week ago.
It all started a couple of months ago when Jack, my husband of eight years, began acting strangely.
A man standing in his bedroom | Source: Midjourney
We weren’t newlyweds anymore, but our marriage was stable. Or at least, that’s what I thought.
Jack’s mood shifts were subtle at first.
He’d always been full of ideas, but suddenly, he was talking about “alternative lifestyles” as if he’d discovered a new way of life.
“You know,” he said one evening while scrolling on his phone, “some people are really embracing unconventional ways of living. Makes you think about what works and what doesn’t.”
“Like what?” I asked.
A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said vaguely. “Just… ways to make life easier.”
I assumed he meant something harmless, like minimalism or one of those eco-friendly lifestyles.
The thing is, Jack was always diving headfirst into fads. There was that time he became obsessed with woodworking and another when he swore he’d open a food truck.
It always fizzled out eventually. I thought this time would be no different.
A woman looking at her husband | Source: Midjourney
Then came the comments.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if we had some extra help around here?” he asked one night as I folded laundry.
“What do you mean?” I replied, glancing at him.
“Oh, nothing,” he said with a shrug. “You’re always so busy. Don’t you think it’d be great if you had someone to share the load?”
“You mean a cleaning service?” I joked.
He chuckled but didn’t answer. His tone was weirdly serious, and for the first time, I felt uneasy.
A man with a serious look | Source: Midjourney
Around this time, I noticed he’d started spending a lot more time on his phone. He’d take it everywhere. Literally everywhere. The kitchen, the bathroom, and even to bed.
He’d sit there scrolling and chuckling to himself. When I asked what was so funny, he’d say, “Just some reels on Instagram.”
At first, I brushed it off. But then something about his weird habit started bothering me.I mean, who spends so much time on their phone? And that too all of a sudden?
That’s when I knew I had to confront him.
A man using his phone | Source: Pexels
One night, as he came out of the bathroom with his phone in hand, I finally asked, “Jack, is everything okay?”
He paused mid-step.
“Of course,” he said with a smile. “I’m just thinking about how to make life better for us, that’s all. Don’t worry about it.”
His words were meant to reassure me, but they had the opposite effect. “Make life better for us” sounded like code for something I wasn’t ready to unpack.
A man looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
A few days later, Jack asked me something that sent a shiver down my spine.
“Do you think I’m honest with you?” he said casually.
“Honest?” I repeated. “Umm, yeah. Why?”
“No reason,” he replied quickly. “I just think honesty is the most important thing in a marriage. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Of course,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “But what’s this about? Where is this coming from?”
“Oh, nothing,” he chuckled. “I just think it’s time we talked about the future. You know, ways to make things better for both of us.”
A man talking to his wife | Source: Midjourney
“Uh, okay,” I said, thinking of a way to change the topic. “I have to go grab some things from the store today. Mind coming along?”
“Sure,” he said.
I hoped he’d drop whatever weird topic he was trying to bring up that day. But in hindsight, that conversation was just the beginning of the storm.
Fast forward to last week. Jack came home from work looking unusually chipper. I was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner when the door swung open.
A woman chopping vegetables | Source: Pexels
I glanced up, expecting his usual halfhearted “Hey, babe.” Instead, he walked in with a young woman trailing behind him.
“Amelia,” he said in a cheerful tone, “this is Claire.”
I set the knife down, confused.
Who was this woman? Was this a friend? I’d never heard her name before.
“Hi, Claire,” I said. “Can I, uh, help you with something?”
Instead of replying, she just stared at Jack, waiting for him to answer.
“What’s going on, Jack?” I asked impatiently.
I knew something was not right.
A woman standing in the kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“Amelia…” he began. “Claire is going to be my second wife.”
Second wife? I thought he was joking.
“Good one, Jack,” I laughed. “You got me. Where’s the hidden camera?”
But his expression didn’t change. He was serious. Dead serious.
“You’re joking,” I said. “This isn’t true, right?”
My gaze shifted from him to Claire, who stared back at me like I was the one being unreasonable.
A woman standing in her boyfriend’s house | Source: Midjourney
“No,” Jack replied. “Listen, Amelia, this is going to sound unconventional, but it’s practical. Claire is a hardworking woman. She can help with the cooking, cleaning, and other household tasks. This way, everything runs smoothly. And it’s better than sneaking around and having a mistress, right? At least I’m being honest.”
I stared at him, trying to process his words.
He was trying to fit another woman into our lives as if it was no big deal. And he wanted me to appreciate his honesty? Seriously Jack?
A woman looking at her husband | Source: Midjourney
Meanwhile, Claire stood behind him, trying to avoid my gaze. I could tell that she wanted to be anywhere but there.
As I stood there, Jack kept rambling about how this was the “best solution” for everyone. That’s when a wicked idea popped into my head.
I folded my arms and waited for him to finish. When he finally stopped talking, I smiled sweetly.
“Alright,” I said. “You can have a second wife. But I’ll set one rule.”
His face lit up. “Of course! Anything! What’s the rule?”
A man smiling while talking to his wife | Source: Midjourney
“She can’t approach my second husband,” I announced. “Deal?”
Jack stared at me like I’d just said the most unusual thing he’d ever heard.
“S-second husband?” he stammered. “Wh-what does that mean?”
“Well, if you’re allowed to have a second spouse, why shouldn’t I? Think about it, Jack. Two incomes. Someone to take me out when you’re busy or don’t feel like it. A man who actually buys me flowers. It’s only fair, right?”
A woman talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney
“That’s… that’s not how it works!” he spluttered. “You’re being ridiculous, Amelia!”
“Oh, I’m the ridiculous one?” I shot back, raising an eyebrow. “You walk in here with a stranger and expect me to welcome her with open arms, but the idea of me having the same freedom is absurd? Interesting logic, Jack.”
Claire stood frozen, her gaze darting between us like she’d accidentally wandered into the wrong room. If she was nervous before, she now looked like she was seconds away from bolting out the door.
A woman looking at her boyfriend talk to his wife | Source: Midjourney
Jack’s face turned red as he tried to justify his idea.
“This is different,” he said. “A man having two wives… it’s acceptable in some cultures. But a woman having two husbands? No one has ever heard of that.”
I snorted. “Oh, so now you’re an expert on culture? Funny, I don’t remember you suddenly adopting any other traditions. Why only THIS SPECIFIC tradition, huh?”
“Amelia, be serious,” he said, his voice rising. “You can’t have a second husband. That’s not how things work!”
A man arguing with his wife | Source: Midjourney
“Well, Jack, if you want to live in a ‘traditional’ way, then I guess I’ll embrace some traditions of my own,” I said with a shrug. “But let me be clear. You can’t have a second wife unless I get a second husband. That’s my rule. Take it or leave it.”
He stared at me with eyes wide open. I knew he wanted to scream at me, but even he knew he was the one being unreasonable.
Then, without another word, he turned to Claire. “Go home. We’ll figure this out later.”
Claire didn’t argue. She grabbed her purse and practically ran out the door without even saying goodbye to the man she thought would marry her.
A close-up shot of a doorknob | Source: Pexels
That night, Jack tried everything to convince me I was being unreasonable. “You don’t mean this,” he said, pacing the living room. “You’re just trying to prove a point. Let’s talk about this like adults.”
“We are talking,” I said coolly. “I’ve made my position clear. If you want Claire, I want another husband. Fair’s fair, Jack.”
By morning, his tune had changed. He entered the kitchen with his gaze lowered.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said sheepishly. “Maybe this whole second-wife thing wasn’t such a great idea.”
A man talking to his wife in the morning | Source: Midjourney
“Maybe?” I replied, arching an eyebrow.
“Fine. It was a terrible idea. Let’s just forget this ever happened, okay?”
Forget this ever happened? Haha! Nice try, Jack.
“It’s too late to forget everything,” I told him. “Last night, I’d set up a dating app profile, and I’ve already received dozens of messages from men who seem way more interested in being my second husband than I ever expected.”
“What do you mean?” he asked in a trembling voice.
“I’m done, Jack. It’s over,” I said.
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
The next day, I packed my bags and moved to a friend’s house.
Jack kept calling me, but I didn’t respond. He even sent texts, begging me for forgiveness.
Soon, I filed for divorce, and from what I’ve heard, even Claire stopped answering Jack’s calls.
Guess he should’ve thought twice before pitching such a “practical” solution.
Poor Nurse Takes Care of 4 Elderly Sisters, Learns Their Will after They All Die – Story of the Day
A poor nurse decided to care for her four elderly neighbors after realizing they only had one another to rely on for household chores. After the last neighbor’s death, the nurse discovers the will they left behind.
Cassandra Myers was a poor nurse who worked at a local hospital. Although nurses are generally paid well in America, most of Cassandra’s salary went to paying off the loans of her late parents, leaving her with just enough to get by.
Cassandra lived in her ancestral home, which was situated in a quiet neighborhood. Her next-door neighbors were four elderly siblings who were in their 80s.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Time after time, Cassandra would see the siblings struggle with their everyday chores. In their old age, they had to carry their groceries, clean their house and yard, take out the trash, and cook for themselves every day.
Realizing they needed help, Cassandra offered to help them every time she got home from her hospital shifts. The four sisters appreciated this and genuinely enjoyed Cassandra’s company.
“You are heaven sent, Cassandra,” Marie, the eldest of the sisters, once told her. “Will you at least allow us to pay you for your help?” she asked.
Cassandra shook her head. “Oh, no, Marie. I will not allow you to pay me! I do this because I care for you, not because I want any money in return. Really, don’t worry about it,” she replied.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Every day, Cassandra helped them by cooking their meals and washing the dishes after they ate. She also helped them individually, arranging their maintenance medicines and helping them dress up.
One day, while they were having dinner together, Cassandra asked them, “Why didn’t you ever go to a nursing home? Surely, they can take better care of you compared to me.”
Clara, another sister said they did not trust nursing homes. “We wanted to spend the remainder of our lives together. If we were put in a nursing home, we wouldn’t be able to sleep in the same room, and we’ll have to deal with so many other people,” she explained.
“We would rather spend the rest of our days surrounded by genuine love and care. We never know what other people’s intentions are,” Mindy, the youngest of the sisters, added.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Cassandra nodded, understanding where the sisters were coming from. “Well,” she told them. “You don’t have to worry. As long as I am able, you can count on me for help,” she smiled. “That’s what neighbors are for!”
“You are the best neighbor anyone could ask for,” Lisa, the second-eldest sibling, told her, reaching out to touch her hand.
No matter how tired Cassandra was every time she got home from the hospital, she made sure to visit the siblings. They ate a meal together, and she would take care of everything they needed before returning home to sleep.
Unfortunately, as time passed, the inevitable began to happen. One by one, the siblings passed away, leaving Cassandra to organize their funerals and mourning their loss.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
When the last of the sisters died, she cleaned their home and attended the final funeral, where there were no visitors aside from a lawyer who introduced herself as Attorney Abigail Smith.
“You must be Cassandra,” Abigail told her. “Thank you for taking care of the sisters all these years. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Cassandra gave her a tearful smile. “They were a delight to be with. I will miss all of them dearly.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
The lawyer revealed that Cassandra needed to visit her office that same week because there was something she had to discuss with her. Although Cassandra was confused, she promised to visit the lawyer’s office the following day.
When she got there, the lawyer handed her a document. “Lisa, Clara, Mindy, and Marie each had children. I know you’ve never met them because they didn’t bother attending any of the funerals, but they live in nearby states. When the sisters realized their kids didn’t care much about them, they decided to change their will,” she explained.
“They left everything to you,” Attorney Abigail revealed. “In the document, you will see everything you will inherit from them, including money, jewelry, and the house they lived in.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Cassandra’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe that her neighbors had left their entire estate with her despite having children. “It can’t be! I don’t deserve all of these,” she said, shocked.
Attorney Abigail shrugged. “You do, Cassandra. You were a daughter to them more than their own children. They saw you as the rightful heir to their fortune,” she assured her.
Cassandra didn’t know what to think. She was shaking when she saw the document that clearly stated she was to receive the fortune the four sisters left behind. She didn’t know what to do with the money but immediately realized that it was more than enough to pay off the remaining debts of her late parents.
A couple of days after the meeting, the four sisters’ children started calling Attorney Abigail for the will reading. When she revealed that the will did not involve them, they all wanted to contest the will in court.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
However, before they could do that, Attorney Abigail said that each child would receive a letter in the mail from their mothers. Each letter contained the same message:
“My dear child,
You might be wondering why I left you with nothing. You know that I love you dearly and that I am happy that you were able to start a new life without me in a different state. I am proud of all your success, but I always wished you would take time off your busy schedule to visit me and spend the last of my days with me.
I was deeply hurt and offended by the fact that you never paid attention to me after you moved. I had wished you’d come each holiday, but you never did. So I decided to leave my fortune to someone who was there for me all the years you weren’t.
I hope you accept and understand this decision. I know you are capable of living life without my estate, the same way you have been living without me all these years. Love, mom.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
The children received the letters on the same day. They messaged one another through a group chat and decided to withdraw the lawsuit. They realized how terrible they had been to their moms and how they did not deserve to receive anything from them.
Cassandra never met any of the sisters’ children, but on each of the women’s death anniversaries, she’d see beautiful fresh flowers on their graves. This made Cassandra smile, knowing that the sisters’ children finally decided to pay attention to their mothers in the only way they could.
What can we learn from this story?
- When you’re in the position to help someone, do it. Cassandra helped her elderly neighbors without expecting anything in return. In the end, her neighbors believed she was the rightful heir of their estate after realizing she cared for them more than their own children did.
- Spend time with your loved ones before it’s too late. When the sisters died, their children realized how much time they wasted neglecting their mothers. They regretted not spending time with them when they were alive and were left leaving bouquets on their graves every year because it was too late to rewrite the past.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
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