Six months after his wife Megan narrowly survived a devastating car accident, George Morley made the difficult decision to sell their house. Megan had suffered severe spinal injuries, and her medical insurance was nearing its limit.
Just hours after listing the house for sale, George mustered the courage to have a conversation with Megan. He approached her, taking a deep breath before speaking. “Megan,” he began, “over the past ten years, I have been a devoted and faithful husband. However, I believe it’s time for us to separate. I want a divorce.”
Megan, gripping the armrests of her wheelchair, stared at George with wide, frightened eyes. “A divorce? I… I don’t understand,” she whispered.
George remained composed, explaining his reasoning calmly. “It’s quite simple,” he replied. “I am divorcing you and selling the house because, as you may recall, it was excluded from any division in the event of a divorce since it was inherited from my grandparents.”
Tears welled up in Megan’s eyes as she uttered, “But I thought… I thought you loved me.”
George’s tone turned more matter-of-fact as he responded, “I did love you, Megan, but you must comprehend that your recovery will cost an enormous amount of money. I cannot risk losing everything I have worked for.”
Fear creeping into her voice, Megan asked, “Where will I go? What am I supposed to do?”
“Those decisions are entirely up to you,” George replied briskly. “According to the prenuptial agreement you signed, I am relieved of any alimony obligations unless I committed infidelity, which I did not. Therefore, you are on your own. You can remain in the house for another month or so, but then you’ll have to find alternate arrangements. Goodbye, Megan,” George concluded, his tone tinged with a hint of regret. “I genuinely wish you all the best.”
As George walked away, Megan’s tears streamed down her face. For him, it marked the conclusion of a chapter, with anticipated changes on the horizon. But for Megan, it shattered her dreams.
She had wholeheartedly believed in George’s love, just as she had loved him with all her heart. Never did she imagine that he would abandon her during the most challenging period of her life when her own body was betraying her, and he was her only pillar of support.
“What am I supposed to do?” she whispered to the empty house. “How will I carry on?”
To ensure the house remained available for real estate agents showcasing the property to potential buyers, Megan relocated to the cramped servant quarters at the rear of the house. It was a meager space, but she had no other option.
Two months later, the house was sold, and the agent told Megan she had a week to move out. Megan had reached out to every friend, asked for help from associations, but every door was slammed in her face.
All she had was that tiny bedroom at the back of the house that was no longer hers. She asked a neighbor’s gardener to help her move her few belongings out in his van, but he could only do it on Saturday.
“Maybe I can lay low two more days, and the new owners won’t even know I’m here!” Megan thought.
The next day, Megan heard the ruckus as moving vans started arriving and people carried boxes and furniture around in the house. Once in a while, she’d hear a man give orders, but there was no woman’s voice.
Megan was as quiet as a mouse, and no one came near her humble little room. That night she heard someone go into the kitchen and a man humming an old Frank Sinatra song.
“This must be the owner,” Megan thought to herself as she heard someone enjoying a snack in the kitchen. Curiosity piqued, she leaned closer to the door, unintentionally causing her wheelchair to topple over with a loud crash. The kitchen door swung open, revealing a man staring down at her in surprise.
“What?!” he exclaimed, quickly dropping to his knees and gently helping her up from the floor. Cradling her carefully, he carried her inside and settled her onto the sofa in the living room. “Who are you?” he inquired.
Feeling apologetic, Megan replied, “I’m so sorry! I was meant to be gone, but Fernando can only come to assist me and transport my belongings on Saturday…”
The man looked perplexed. “You lived here?” he questioned.
“It used to be my husband’s house,” Megan responded, her voice filled with emotion as tears welled up in her eyes. “He divorced me…” she gestured towards her legs, “after my accident. I have nowhere else to go.”
Curiosity turning into compassion, the man asked, “What’s your name? By the way, I’m Clifford.”
Megan managed a smile through her tears. “I’m Megan, and I apologize for intruding on you like this.”
Clifford smiled warmly. Megan noticed that he was a handsome man in his forties. “Listen, Megan,” he began, “I want you to stay. This house is too big for one person, and I’m not the best cook.”
A sense of relief washed over Megan as she agreed to Clifford’s kind offer. He insisted that she move back into one of the spacious bedrooms in the house. Additionally, Clifford took care of her physiotherapy expenses and ensured that she never even glimpsed her medical bills.
Every evening, Megan and Clifford shared delightful dinners together, often staying up until the early hours of the morning, engrossed in deep conversations that covered a wide range of topics. Unbeknownst to them, their connection grew stronger with each passing day, slowly blossoming into love.
Then, on a beautiful day filled with warmth and joy, Megan achieved a significant milestone: she took her first steps, fully recovered from her injuries. Fearing that their time together might come to an end, Clifford mustered the courage to express his feelings and proposed marriage to Megan.
In a small and intimate ceremony, the couple exchanged vows, their love radiating to the few guests who witnessed their union.
Their shared dream was to build a family, but Megan’s accident presented challenges when it came to conceiving a child. Nevertheless, they embraced the idea of accepting God’s will and remained open to the possibility of adoption.
As their fourth wedding anniversary approached, Megan decided to surprise Clifford with a special dinner outing. She reserved a table at their favorite restaurant and eagerly anticipated their evening together. Megan adorned herself in her most beautiful dress, feeling an inner glow of happiness.
Entering the restaurant, Megan caught sight of Clifford sitting at their designated table. She waved enthusiastically, prepared to walk toward him when a familiar voice called out, “Megan? Is that really you?”
Megan felt a chill run down her spine as the familiar voice reached her ears. She turned around to face none other than George Morley, her ex-husband, the man who had heartlessly abandoned her.
“George,” she uttered coldly. “What do you want?”
“You…you look great!” George mumbled, clearly inebriated. Megan noticed the signs of his decline—his face puffy and bloated, his trembling hands. “And you can walk…”
“You, on the other hand, don’t look so well,” she responded, stating the obvious. His appearance mirrored the consequences of his choices. “What has happened to you?”
“After our divorce… these past six years, luck has deserted me,” George whined. “You were my lucky charm, Meggy…”
“You walked away from me, George,” Megan said with icy detachment. “That was my true stroke of luck. I’ve never been happier!”
George reached out, his clammy hand gripping Megan’s arm. “Please, Megan, I’ve lost everything—the money, you… I can’t even afford to pay for my own dinner…”
Megan met his gaze, a smile curling on her lips. “Oh, my poor George!” she said. Then, turning to the restaurant’s host, she requested, “Please charge Mr. Morley’s dinner to my account and ensure he gets a taxi home.”
With utmost care, she freed herself from George’s sweaty, pudgy grip and walked away. Approaching their table, Clifford rose to greet her, a radiant smile on his face.
“Darling, you look absolutely stunning!” Clifford beamed. “Who was that peculiar man talking to you at the entrance?”
“He’s part of the past, my love,” Megan replied, her voice filled with assurance. “But tonight, let’s focus on the future! I have wonderful news: we are going to have a baby!”
