When I married Jake, I believed we were building a future together. He worked from home, often behind closed doors, saying he was busy creating something for us. He told me he had contracts and clients lined up, promising that money would start coming soon. Meanwhile, I balanced our two kids, a part-time job, and the household chores—trusting his sacrifices for the family.
Jake said his work was demanding and unpredictable, which is why he couldn’t share many details. He showed me emails from supposed clients and even fake invoices to make it look real. He claimed payments were delayed but assured me the checks would come through soon. I wanted to believe him because his story sounded convincing, and I hoped for a better life.
For three years, I put my own comfort aside so he could focus on his “work.” I stayed up late managing everything at home while he stayed locked in his office. But the truth was different—Jake wasn’t working at all. Instead, he spent hours online playing games and chatting with strangers, creating a fantasy world far from our reality.
Everything fell apart one afternoon when I caught him in a lie. He left the house to meet someone from his online world, only to come back humiliated, admitting it was all a scam. That was the moment I realized I couldn’t keep living in his shadow. I made the decision to move on for my kids and myself, starting a new, honest chapter of our lives.