The Husband’s Other Family
«Mum, don’t shout like that! The neighbours will hear!» Oliver tried to calm Evelyn, but she waved her arms as if swatting invisible flies.
«Do you think I care about the neighbours?» Her voice trembled with fury. «Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Any idea at all?»
«Mum, let’s just talk calmly—»
«Calmly?» Evelyn clutched her chest. «I’ve been a widow for thirty-five years, raised you and your sister single-handedly, worked my fingers to the bone! And what do you do? You tear your family apart!»
Charlotte stood by the kitchen window, listening, each word from her mother-in-law stinging like salt in a wound. Oliver had brought his mother over to announce his decision, but instead of a civil conversation, it had erupted into chaos.
«Mum, I can’t keep living a lie,» Oliver said through gritted teeth. «Emma’s pregnant. I’m going to have another child.»
«Another one!» Evelyn threw her hands up. «Have you forgotten about Sophie? Your own daughter?»
Charlotte turned from the window. The mention of her child forced her into the fray.
«Where is Sophie now?» she asked quietly.
«Staying at a friend’s,» Oliver muttered, avoiding her eyes. «I’ll fetch her tomorrow.»
«Fetch her?» Charlotte repeated. «Fetch her where?»
«To my place. Mine and Emma’s.»
Evelyn sank onto a chair as if struck.
«Good Lord, what is happening… Oliver, wake up! You have a wife, a home, a real family! And this… this woman—who is she?»
«That woman is the mother of my child,» Oliver said firmly. «And I love her.»
Charlotte felt something inside her snap. She’d known about the affair for six months, hoping it was just a fling, that he’d come to his senses. But the pregnancy changed everything.
«Charlotte, I’m sorry,» Oliver finally looked at her. «I never wanted it to turn out like this.»
«You never wanted to?» She let out a bitter laugh. «What did you want, then? To juggle two families?»
«I tried to tell you sooner, but I didn’t know how—»
«How to say you fell for someone else? That after fifteen years of marriage, your wife bored you?»
Oliver stood and approached her.
«You didn’t bore me. It’s just… it’s different with Emma. She’s young, full of life—»
«And I’m old and dull, is that it?» Charlotte stepped back. «At forty, I’m suddenly worthless?»
«It’s not about age—»
«Then what? Explain it to me, Oliver. What did I do wrong all these years?»
Evelyn stood between them.
«Enough!» she snapped. «Oliver, have you lost your mind? You have a twelve-year-old daughter! Do you want to take her father from her?»
«I’m not taking anything. Sophie will live with me.»
«With *me*,» Charlotte corrected. «Our daughter stays with me.»
«We’ll see about that,» Oliver frowned. «I can provide for her better.»
«Provide?» Charlotte couldn’t believe her ears. «You mean money? When we’re talking about our child?»
«That’s exactly what I mean. Emma doesn’t work, the baby’s due soon. I’ll need help with Sophie.»
«I see,» Charlotte nodded. «So our daughter is just free childcare for your newborn. Convenient.»
«Don’t twist my words!»
«How else am I supposed to take them? First, you leave your wife. Then you try to snatch our child so your mistress won’t be inconvenienced—»
Oliver whirled on her.
«Don’t you dare talk about Emma like that! She’s a wonderful woman!»
«Wonderful,» Charlotte agreed. «So wonderful she stole another woman’s husband.»
«Nobody stole anyone! We met, we fell in love—»
«Where did you meet?» Evelyn cut in sharply. «Where did you find this *beauty*?»
Oliver hesitated.
«At work. She… she was interviewing to be my secretary.»
«Your secretary,» Evelyn repeated flatly. «The department head’s secretary. Right. And how old is she, may I ask?»
«Twenty-six.»
«Twenty-six,» Evelyn shook her head. «You’re forty-three, Oliver. She could be your daughter.»
«Age doesn’t matter when you’re in love!»
«Love?» Charlotte laughed. «You think she loves you? Or your salary and job title?»
«Stop it!» Oliver exploded. «You’re just jealous I’m happy with someone else!»
Silence fell over the kitchen. Charlotte stared at him like a stranger. Was this really the same Oliver she’d spent fifteen years with? The one who swore eternal love, promised to stand by her forever?
«Fine,» she said quietly. «If you’re happy, then go. But leave Sophie out of it.»
«Sophie is *my* daughter!»
«Your daughter stays with her mother. You can see her on weekends.»
«I’ll take you to court!»
«Do it,» Charlotte shrugged. «Let’s see what the judge thinks of a man who abandoned his family for a young secretary.»
Oliver clenched his jaw and said nothing. Evelyn took Charlotte’s hands.
«Luv, forgive this fool,» she pleaded. «He’ll come to his senses. This is just a passing madness.»
«No, Mum,» Charlotte pulled away. «He won’t. And I don’t want him to.»
«How can you say that? You’re family!»
«We *were* family. Now he’s starting a new one.»
Oliver grabbed his jacket from the hook.
«I’ll come for my things tomorrow,» he said.
«Fine. I’ll leave them in bags by the door.»
«Charlotte…»
«What?»
«I’m sorry it turned out like this.»
«So am I. Sorry for all the wasted years.»
The door slammed behind him. Evelyn and Charlotte stood alone in the kitchen.
«I can’t believe my son did this,» the older woman muttered. «I’m so ashamed I could sink through the floor.»
Charlotte put the kettle on. Her hands shook, but she forced herself to stay composed.
«Mum, don’t upset yourself. What’s done is done.»
«How can I not? I love you like my own daughter! And Sophie… what do I tell her?»
«The truth. That Daddy fell for someone else and lives with her now.»
«But she’s just a child…»
«A child who deserves honesty. No more lies in this family.»
Evelyn sighed and sat at the table.
«What will you do now? It’s hard raising a child alone.»
«I’ll manage. I’m hardly the first single mother in the world.»
«Maybe don’t rush the divorce? Maybe he’ll change his mind?»
Charlotte set a cup of tea in front of her.
«Mum, he said he loves her. She’s pregnant. What is there to think about?»
«Men are fools, luv. They fall for young things and regret it forever.»
«Maybe. But that’s his problem, not mine.»
«You’re so strong… I’d be beside myself in your place.»
«I don’t have a choice. Sophie’s watching me. I can’t fall apart in front of her.»
They drank tea in silence. Evelyn kept shaking her head, while Charlotte wondered how to explain to Sophie why Daddy didn’t live with them anymore.
«Luv, have you seen her? This Emma?»
«Yes. Pretty, young. Long hair, slim figure…»
«Of course. The oldest story in the book.»
«Exactly. Midlife crisis, young mistress. Textbook stuff.»
«How long has it been going on?»
«Six months, maybe more. I noticed changes last spring—late nights at work, hiding his phone.»
«And you said nothing?»
«What was there to say? I hoped it would blow over. Thought it was just a fling.»
«Oh, luv… You should’ve confronted him sooner.»
«Would it have mattered? If a man’s in love, no amount of talking helps.»
Evelyn finished her tea and stood.
«I should go home. Don’t fret too much, alright? I’ll help however I can.»
«Thanks, Mum. His choices aren’t your fault.»
«It is my fault. I raised him wrong, I suppose. No father around, just me. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t understand responsibility.»
Charlotte walked her to the door.
«Mum, don’t blame yourself. Oliver’s a grown man. He answers for his own actions.»
«Alright. Goodnight, dear. Don’t dwell on the worst.»
Evelyn left. Charlotte locked the door and leaned against it. Only now, alone, did she let herself cry.
Fifteen years of marriage. Fifteen years of plans, dreams, hopes—all shattered in one evening.
She went to the bedroom and opened the wardrobe. Half of Oliver’s clothes were already gone—he’d been quietly moving themThe next morning, Charlotte woke to the sound of Sophie’s laughter drifting in from the kitchen, a fragile but stubborn light piercing through the heavy fog of yesterday’s sorrow, reminding her that even broken hearts keep beating.