When I married my husband, I truly believed we had left our past chapters behind. I respected that he had a history before me — everyone does. But slowly, small things began to unsettle me. His ex would message him often, and he would rush to help her without hesitation. I tried to stay calm, trusting his intentions, until the pattern became impossible to ignore.
I gently told him how uneasy it made me feel. He smiled, brushed my concern aside, and said, “She has no one else to rely on. I’m just being kind.” I wanted to be supportive, but kindness felt one-sided when he left our anniversary dinner early to fix her sink. It wasn’t jealousy — it was feeling like I always came second. I wondered why my feelings weren’t receiving the same empathy he offered her.
