After nearly three decades of marriage, my world shattered when, at the age of 50, my husband dropped a bombshell: he had fallen in love with a younger woman and was leaving me.

I got married at a young age to escape a tumultuous family situation and spent nearly three decades with my husband. However, at the age of 50, he became involved with a coworker named Larisa, who was a decade younger than me. As he left me for her, he nostalgically reminisced about the early days of our romance, insinuating that our relationship had lost its spark because of me. This was a devastating blow, especially as I feared losing not only my husband but also our home and everything we had built together.

In a desperate attempt to salvage our marriage, I pleaded with him to reconsider, but my efforts were in vain. He returned two weeks later, offering to reconcile and start afresh. Despite my pain and resentment, I forgave him and took him back. However, the atmosphere between us was strained, with his absence keenly felt, and my inquiries into his feelings and motives went unanswered. Gradually, I came to the realization that my initial despair was more about holding onto my familiar surroundings than preserving our love.

My husband’s admission that he only valued me for my household contributions deepened my despair. It became clear to me that Larisa possessed a strength I lacked and wouldn’t tolerate being unappreciated by a partner. At my lowest point, I made the difficult decision to initiate divorce proceedings, despite the potential judgment from society. I firmly believe that it’s never too late to make a change for the better in one’s life.