For seven years, I believed I had married the man who would stand by me for the rest of my life. On our wedding day, I thought he was my soulmate, my partner, my anchor. But as the years passed, reality proved me wrong. The cracks in our relationship began to show when he started coming home late, locking his phone with passwords, and spending more time with his so-called “best friend.”

This “best friend” wasn’t just anyone—she was my best friend, someone I had known since our university days. She was beautiful, intelligent, and outgoing, admired by everyone who met her. But something about her relationship with my husband made me uneasy. My intuition told me their connection wasn’t as innocent as they claimed. I tried to confront him about it several times, but he always denied it, brushing off my concerns with anger and frustration.

Then, one day, he told me he had to leave for a 15-day business trip to a distant island. I didn’t suspect anything at first; I simply asked him to take care of his health while he was away. But fate had other plans. The very next day, I accidentally saw a message on his phone that revealed the truth: the trip wasn’t for business—it was a vacation he had been planning for months with my best friend.

I was stunned. My world shattered in an instant. But instead of confronting him or creating a scene, I chose to stay silent. I wanted to see how far he would go with his lies and betrayal.

Those 15 days were the longest of my life. During the day, I struggled to care for our daughter, and at night, I endured the unbearable pain of betrayal. My daughter would ask me, “Mom, why does Dad have to go away for so long on his business trip?” Her innocent questions broke my heart, and all I could do was cry silently.

When he returned, he arrived with a tan, a cheerful smile, and arms full of gifts. He even pretended to care, saying, “I missed you so much, so much.” But I felt nothing. My heart had grown cold. As he sat down, I looked him directly in the eyes and asked him a single question:

“Do you know what illness she has?”

The question hit him like a lightning bolt. His smile vanished, his face turned pale, and he froze.

“What… what are you talking about?” he stammered.

I pressed my lips together, holding back the storm of emotions inside me. What he didn’t know was that I had discovered a secret he could never have imagined: my best friend had been battling a serious contagious illness. I learned this by chance through a mutual friend who worked at a hospital. She had undergone treatment multiple times but had kept it hidden from everyone. Despite her condition, she recklessly pursued relationships, and my husband—foolishly—fell into her trap.

“I’ll ask you one last time,” I said coldly. “Did you know about her illness?”

He didn’t respond. His eyes were filled with confusion and regret, and his body began to tremble.

Weeks later, the truth came crashing down. His health began to deteriorate, and he finally went to the doctor. The test results confirmed that he had contracted the same illness as my friend. I wasn’t surprised. I felt no pity—only bitterness. The man I once loved had destroyed his own life and shattered our family.

Thankfully, I had already decided to separate from him months earlier, realizing our marriage was beyond repair. We were no longer close as a couple, and I knew it was time to protect myself and my daughter. By the time his diagnosis came, my daughter and I were safe, spared from the consequences of his actions. Perhaps it was God’s way of shielding us from further harm.

When he received the results, he came to me, kneeling with tears streaming down his face.

“Forgive me… I was wrong… please, don’t leave me…”

I looked at him, and for the first time, I felt no remorse. The man who had betrayed my trust and stolen the happiness of our family was now facing the consequences of his choices.

“The one who deserves your apology is our daughter, not me,” I said quietly before turning away.

From that day forward, he no longer mattered to me. My focus shifted entirely to my daughter, who regained her peace and joy. She grew up happy, free from fear and pain. As for him, he continued to live—but it was a life filled with regret and sadness.

The question, “Do you know what illness she has?” marked the beginning of the end. It was the moment the truth was revealed and the final chapter of a marriage that had once seemed strong. I learned that sometimes, revenge isn’t necessary for betrayal. Life itself delivers the harshest punishment to those who hurt others.