He Was Gone
There was no wind in Laura's sails after she was knocked down. However, what happened next took the cake.
He was gone for good, and he wouldn't return. In spite of all the irony, she cried. She dialed her attorneys as he had just left with her newfound fortune. She had to move quickly.
College Sweethearts
Laura thought she was married to the perfect man – Jack. But after nearly a decade, their marriage started falling apart.
The two met in college and they then got to know each other. Laura was top of her class while Jack was the popular cool guy. But soon, the cracks in the relationship started to show.
Raise The Alarm
It seems Jack and Laura were an unlikely couple from the beginning. They didn’t have a special connection at the start, but studying together at the library brought them closer to each other.
After some time together, Jack proposed and Laura said, “Yes!” But her family was not really sold on the idea of Jack, though.
Laura’s Parents Didn’t Approve
According to Laura’s parents, they were worried about the happiness of their daughter. He lacked ambition, just worked in bars, and never really pursued a profession. Laura on the other hand was driven and they worried that he would just tag along beside her.
They could see that Laura was head over heels in love with Jack, but there was something they just did not trust about him.
Happy Marriage
At first, Laura never knew that she’d end up with him. They came from different backgrounds, after all. But she was happy about it all the same.
For seven years, their marriage was nothing but happy – or so she thought. Ten years later they were still married and Laura was still very happy. But things would change soon after.
Hard Times
Their marriage definitely wasn’t perfect, but whose was? Jack had dropped out of college early and could never keep a job. Laura had to wait tables to support them both in their small apartment.
Laura definitely didn’t foresee this future for herself, but Jack still made her happy. She was hopeful that things would get better. And they did, but they also got worse.
Financial Troubles
With Laura being the main provider and Jack only working some odd jobs here and there, money had always been tight for the couple.
Even though Laura’s parents were wealthy, they would not step in to help them out as they feared Jack would just squander all the money. That’s why Laura had been playing the lotto every week in the hopes of making their lives a little better.
Lotto Winner
It was just like any other day when Laura found out that she won the lottery. She was taking a break from a late-night shift at work when she remembered to check the lottery drawings online.
Her heart pounded as she matched her numbers to the screen. She wanted nothing more than to scream, jump and shout but instead, she decided to play it cool.
Resignation
She calmly finished her food and walked over to her manager to announce her resignation and that this would be the last day she was working there.
Laura decided to quit her job as she figured it would make sense for them. She wasn’t really herself, she only wanted to spend valuable time with Jack.
Secret Surprises
This was it. This was their lucky break. It was what she had been hoping for them.
She went home that night with a plan. She wanted to surprise Jack with her news on their date this weekend, so she had to keep it a secret until then. Little did she know, Jack had planned his own secret surprise waiting for her.
Missing Husband
Laura came home in what could only be described as one of the happiest moods of her life! All of the strains and struggles of the relationship could finally disappear. She couldn’t contain her excitement.
But when she got home, Jack was nowhere to be found. On the table lay a note addressed to Laura.
The Letter
“Dear Wife,” the letter said. She continued to read the letter curiously. But it wasn’t long before that curiosity turned into complete and utter shock.
Jack wrote that he had been a good man and husband to Laura for seven years but had “nothing to show for it”. Laura’s palms grew sweaty as her heart began to pound. She kept reading.
Feeling Neglected
Jack wrote that he had been feeling neglected for a while now and that she didn’t even notice when he got a haircut and was wearing a new pair of silk boxers last week.
He accused her of seeing someone else or at the very least, not loving him anymore. He mentioned that she never ate dinner with him anymore and would always leave to watch TV before he was done. But he had yet to deliver the final blow.
Tearful Smirk
Laura’s stomach twisted and churned as she soaked up every unimaginable word. But what was yet to come left her gasping for air.
Jack declared that he wasn’t coming back. He didn’t love her anymore and wanted nothing more to do with her. Through her tears, she smirked. If only he knew, he just left a millionaire.
The Real Truth Revealed
Laura found out that Jack had not only fallen out of love with her, but he had fallen in love with someone else. After everything she had sacrificed for him, working long hours to provide for them, this is how he thanked her.
Laura believed that their marriage was okay, it wasn’t perfect, she was always working but they seemed to be okay. Laura would soon realize that the woman Jack was seeing was someone she knew all of her life.
Jack’s Last Words
In the letter Jack had left for her, Laura found out that Jack was pursuing a love affair with her sister. He wanted no contact with her from then on.
This ultimately broke her heart. She felt betrayed, not only by her husband but also by her sister. Jack had written in his letter that he would be moving out of their tiny apartment and would be leaving her to go stay in West Virginia with her sister.
Devastated
Laura was devastated by this revelation. Her life had changed twice in a matter of minutes. Not only had she won the lottery, but the man she thought loved her was leaving her.
Worst of all, her sister, who she had loved all her life was doing the unthinkable. Laura went from having a loving husband and sister to having no husband and no sister. She needed to compose herself and think about everything that was happening in her life.
Suspicious Minds
Laura had actually been suspicious about Jack’s behavior for some time. She distinctly recalled the pair of silk boxers he mentioned in his letter that he had purchased “for her”.
She noticed him wearing them because they still had the $49,99 price tag attached to the label. Then she realized her sister had asked her for $50 that same morning. Did her sister purchase the boxers for her husband?
Between The Lines
Immediately, Laura knew what this letter meant. He didn’t say it but she had a woman’s intuition that read between the lines. There was no way she’d let her ex-husband have access to her newfound fortune.
She discussed her situation with her lawyer and showed him the note. Would their divorce give him access to her jackpot?
Rejection
Laura had begun struggling with feelings of betrayal and rejection. She had to deal with these feelings first before she could decide how she should spend her winnings.
She did some research on how much money he would get, seeing as he is her husband. So she called her lawyer and told him everything. He turned out to be very helpful and explained to her how everything would work out.
Divorce
The lawyer assured her that the letter was proof that he’d never see a penny. He had even signed the letter off as “ex-husband”.
Laura really wanted to tell him what he had walked away from, but she also wanted to settle the divorce papers to ensure a smooth process. Once she did, she came up with a plan on how to tell him.
Another Letter
Although Laura was devastated when she first read the letter, she now realized that it has all worked out for the best. Also, it was difficult for her to be sad for too long. After all, she had just won the lotto!
After the divorce papers were signed and sealed, Laura sent her ex-husband a letter. She told him everything.
Not A Good Man
Laura was reeling with all types of feelings. She was overjoyed at winning the lottery but was absolutely shattered that Jack was leaving her. Now, she was eager to break the news to Jack. So she started writing a letter of her own.
It read: “Dear Ex-Husband, nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. You & I have been married for seven years, although a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been,” the letter began…
Letting Go
Her letter continued, “ I watch my soaps to drown out constant whining. I DID notice your haircut last week, the first thing that came to mind was ‘you don't look good!’ Since my mother raised me not to say anything if I can’t say something nice, I didn’t comment.”
“And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must've confused me with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork seven years ago!” Then, Laura revealed something unexpected.
An Unexpected Revelation
Laura wasn’t done with Jack and her sister just yet. She had something else to reveal to her beloved husband. She let Jack in on a little-known family secret.
Her sister’s name is Carla, but that was not always the case. It turns out that Carla had once gone by the name Carl before she underwent her transition. “PS. I don’t know if I ever told you this, but Carla was born Carl, hope it’s not a problem,” she wrote at the bottom of the letter.
Tickets To Hawaii
When Laura eventually hit the jackpot that fateful day, she purchased plane tickets for her and Jack to go on a much-needed vacation to Hawaii.
She was tired of the financial struggle and hard work she endured. She just wanted to be somewhere beautiful and romantic. However, Laura would be going alone to the beautiful tropical island.
Vacation Time
With the tickets she purchased to go to Hawaii, Laura had something to look forward to. She had nothing to worry about and certainly wasn’t going to stick around town to see Jack’s reaction to her becoming rich overnight.
She packed up everything she needed for her island getaway and prepared herself for a life of freedom and bliss.
Starting Over
Being with someone for seven years and having to re-enter the dating world was not something Laura was looking forward to at all. However, she did have some clarity about her expectations.
Her next partner would be someone who she could always be open and honest with. This time, she would always trust her gut if something didn’t feel right about the person.
Laura’s Future
This story may not have started out hopeful for Laura, but her future is now everything she could have wished for and more.
She had money to travel the world, she could start her own business and buy herself a lovely home. With Jack out of the picture, she doesn’t have to worry about looking after him anymore.
Paid In Full
She also made one thing clear; he had never really been a good husband to her. He lived off her, watched her quit her office job to do waitressing to support him when he was out of work, and never once thanked her.
From the very beginning, she selflessly loved him. Now, she saw everything so clearly. What is given will be returned in full. That ticket was her award!
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.