The aroma of sizzling spices hung in the air as Megan set the table with a cocktail, chicken roast, and every delicacy David loved. "Perfect!" she sighed with a smile.

"David, you're back!" Megan exclaimed.

"What the hell are you even wearing? You look fat in this!" David mocked.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"Oh, why? Don't you like this dress, honey? It's our fifth anniversary today," Megan whispered, her voice barely audible like a plea lost in the wind. "Did you forget?"

"Of course not," he clenched his jaws.

A flicker of hope sparkled in Megan's eyes. She thought those were tickets to Paris. She'd told David she wanted to holiday in Paris during Christmas.

"I have something for you," he said. He pulled out an envelope from his pocket.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

Blinded by tears, she stumbled forward. "I thought these were the tickets to Paris...what is this?"

The unforgiving and cruel word—DIVORCE—stabbed her eyes. "Tell me it's a joke..." Megan whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

David's laugh echoed in the room like a monstrous bark. "I don't have the time to joke around with you. Because...I hate you."

"Why?" Megan forced a whisper out of her mouth.

"Why?" David scowled. "Just look at yourself in the mirror...you will know why."

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"We can fix this," she pleaded, her voice cracking.

"Just packing and leaving today. I'm done with you," he frowned.

"David, please...we can visit a therapist together. Maybe sort things out. I love you..." Megan ran after David, trying to stop him from loading his clothes and essentials into his bag.

"Therapist?" he jeered. "Let me remind you—you're the one who's sick, not me!"

David turned his back and stormed across the hallway with his bag. "I don't owe you explanations. This marriage is over. And I'm finally free," he said, reaching for the door.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"Please, David. Don't leave me," Megan cried.

"No time for your stupid games, alright?" David, his face etched with a cruel indifference, brushed past Megan. "Besides, someone is waiting for me in the car," he continued, his eyes glinting with a strange spark of joy.

Megan choked, her voice barely audible through the fog of tears. "David, who is it? Why are you doing this to me?"

"Look at yourself, Megan," David mocked. "You've lost all that beauty I once adored. Layers of fat have taken over your hourglass figure. Oh, don't get me started now..."

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"Jessica!" David continued. "My secretary, remember? Always fit, polished, and sexy!"

"You were... cheating on me?" Megan stammered, tears tracing hot tracks down her pale cheeks. "With your secretary, Jessica?"

"Bingo!" David snapped, his eyes gleaming with sickening joy. "Two tickets, one for me, one for the future I deserve." He grabbed his suitcase and swung the door open.

"And don't forget to sign the divorce papers!" David's voice echoed as he slammed the door shut and left Megan with a suffocating silence.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

This isn't the end, Megan whispered after waking up with a start. As the day wore on, Megan gathered her wedding photos and trinkets in an iron bucket. With a trembling hand, she doused them in gasoline and set them ablaze.

Suddenly, a sharp knock startled her. It was her best friend, Veronica. "What's wrong with you, Meg?" she barked. "I've been calling you all week."

"He's gone," Megan choked, the words tumbling out like broken glass. "Left me for another woman."

"David? Well, not surprised, Meg," Veronica said. "He's a jerk! I warned you, didn't I?"

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"You may be right," Megan said. "But how do I move on?"

"Honey," Veronica said, sounding concerned, "...you look like hell. You need a doctor. You need help. Stop thinking about that cheater."

"It's not that easy, Veronica. I loved him," uttered Megan while putting her head on Veronica's shoulder. "What do I do now?"

"You pick up the pieces, sweetheart," Veronica smiled, "...and find happiness...the kind that doesn't depend on someone else's validation."

"How am I gonna do that?" uttered a heartbroken Megan.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

Veronica snatched Megan's phone, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "High time you stopped mourning the Titanic and boarded a new ship, girl!" With a flurry of taps, she installed a dating app and created a profile that made Megan's breath hitch.

"You deserve to be happy...not whine over some damn guy who deserted you," Veronica winked, pressing the phone into Megan's hand.

That night, sprawled on the couch, Megan clicked on the app, a nervous flutter in her chest.

"Hi, you look gorgeous!" a message suddenly popped up, sending Megan into a tailspin. She was just out of the shower, with only a towel covering her body and under eye patches.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

With a panicked swipe, Megan shut down the app, flinging the phone onto the couch.

"Did I scare you off?" a stranger still waiting for her asked in a low rumble as soon as Megan's face appeared on the screen.

"It's…okay," she replied. "I'm just not used to this."

"Neither am I," he laughed. "But hey, who knows, maybe we can get used to it together?"

The man on the other side introduced himself as Robert. "Call me Rob!" he said, holding out his hand.

"Megan," she replied. "Friends call me Meg!"

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"Nice to meet you, Meg!" Robert continued as Megan felt herself floating in the air in a fantasy world where butterflies and dandelions were the size of mammoths. "You have such a beautiful smile," he added.

"First timer here…accidentally clicked a button. Next thing I know, I'm streaming live!" Megan laughed, her cheeks hot with embarrassment.

"How about I make it up to you?" he asked, his eyes sparkling. "Dinner tonight?"

"Yes," Megan breathed, her heart skipping a beat.

Robert's smile widened before he winked. "See you at eight, then, at La Café Bean."

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

A hot shower later, the scent of English roses and shea butter lotion clung to her skin as Megan stood before her closet. A touch of mascara, a hint of blush, and a whisper of her sweetest perfume, paired with minimal jewelry, let her natural beauty take center stage.

Tonight, she was ready to face the unknown, meet the man on the other side of the screen, and see if the dating app on her phone could paint a picture of a future worth believing in.

Just as Megan reached for the doorknob, she froze. Her joy and excitement evaporated like mist when David swaggered in.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"Moving day, sweetheart," he hissed, his voice laced with a cruel edge. His gaze settled on her, a smirk twisting his lips. "Going somewhere tonight?" he drawled.

"Just...out," Megan stammered, nervously clutching her purse.

"Signed the papers yet?" he barked, his eyes narrowing.

"It's in the other pocket," Megan choked out, her voice trembling.

Megan's heart raced when her phone buzzed. It was a message from Robert, asking her if she wanted him to pick her up. "Are you done here?" she turned to David.

"Moving on already, are we?" his eyes narrowed. "You think I wouldn't notice this...sudden makeover?"

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

The floor seemed to tilt beneath her as David lunged forward. "Get this straight," he snarled. "No matter who you find, they'll leave. You're boring and ugly, and no amount of makeup can hide that."

"You're wrong," she whispered, her voice trembling but firm. "I may be broken, but I'm not ugly."

Megan's newfound audacity irked David. With a rough hand, he snatched the diamond necklace she was wearing, the chain snapping against her skin.

"That was my wedding present," Megan whispered, her voice raw with shock.

"Consider it rent. Sort of like our marriage. Paid for, used, and discarded!" he sneered.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

With a final, piercing stare, David grabbed his bag and slammed the door shut.

Stranded with tears blurring her vision, Megan stumbled towards her phone. The date she was so excited about now felt like a cruel joke. But staying trapped in her tears was the only thing worse. So she picked herself up, stepped out into the moonlit streets, and waved at an approaching taxi.

Not long after, she found herself inside La Café Bean. But the joy in her eyes diminished when she reached the table. It was empty.

Panic clawed at her throat as she approached the waiter, her voice barely a whisper. "Have you seen...my date? Rob? He was sitting here."

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"He just left, miss." The waiter's face creased with confusion.

Just as she battled the storm of emotions within, a figure emerged from behind her. Robert held out a bouquet of lilies with a sheepish grin.

"Megan, I'm so sorry for embarrassing you on the livestream," he mumbled, his eyes apologetic. "But seeing you so natural...it melted my heart the moment I saw you. Sorry, I had to step away to get these for you."

Before she could speak, a sneeze erupted from her, shattering the moment.

"Bless you!" Robert chuckled.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

Megan continued to sneeze, spraying pollen across the table. Rob's brow furrowed with concern. "Hey, you could have told me you're allergic to flowers."

"It's okay. I couldn't turn down such a sweet gesture," responded Megan, smiling warmly.

"So, tell me about yourself. What do you do for a living?" Megan pressed, her voice regaining strength.

"I'm a doctor," Robert's smile widened. "And as a doctor, I can tell you that you're allergic to those lilies."

"Take these beauties away, please," he instructed a waiter.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

A laugh bubbled up in her chest, genuine and unexpected.

Rob's eyes crinkled at the corners. "Why are you laughing?" he asked.

"It's a long story," Megan joyfully admitted. "But I guess I needed to see a doctor after all!"

A moment later, her phone buzzed. A GIF flickered on the screen—a bouquet of vibrant red roses. "Couldn't leave you without any flowers," Robert chuckled, his eyes twinkling.

"Tell me everything about you," he whispered. "Your dreams, your fears, your wildest stories. Everything."

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

Megan took a shaky breath. She spoke of David, the darkness in their marriage, shattered hopes, and a broken heart. She confessed that until meeting Robert, she'd never believed in true love.

As the romantic evening concluded, Megan lay in her bed, admiring Rob's photo on her phone. This happiness was a feeling she'd never known existed.

Several months passed.

After a tumultuous divorce, Megan found herself amid the clatter of cutlery in a luxurious restaurant. She was engrossed in her phone when she heard a familiar voice.

"Megan!"

Megan turned around and saw David—an unsettling sight after months of divorce-forged distance.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

"Hi, David," she said, forcing a smile.

"Megan. You look...great!" he offered a hesitant smile.

"I'm doing well," Megan replied, her voice tight. "And you?"

"Jessica and I... we're separating," David's smile faltered.

"I'm sorry," Megan said, the words hollow and grave.

"Don't be. I deserved this. Leaving you...it was the biggest mistake of my life," whispered David, his eyes filled with remorse.

Megan, unsure of how to navigate this new landscape, sat there, saying nothing.

"Please, Megan," David pleaded, weighing her silence. "I'll do anything to make you happy. Just give me another chance."

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

But a man's voice cut through the tension before Megan could answer. "Excuse me, may I help you?"

David's eyes widened with disbelief, the air crackling with unexpected tension and disappointment.

"Sorry, who are you?" he spat.

"I'm Rob, Megan's fiancé!" Robert replied.

The words hit David like an axe. Megan, her face flushed, placed a hand on Robert's arm. "Actually, David, Rob and I are getting married soon!"

"Ready to go, beautiful?" Robert, his eyes twinkling, turned to Megan.

"Yes, let's go, honey. See you, David!" Megan smiled and rose from her chair.

Megan locked her hand in Robert's and walked away, leaving David stranded with the ghosts of his past, his joy slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube.com/DramatizeMe

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

A man mocks his unemployed wife for being idle and returns home, only to be greeted by silence. He finds a note and learns his wife was taken away in an ambulance and wants to divorce him. Here's the full

story

.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to [email protected].