The family gathering had been a nightmare. You watched as your husband Mark Blake, the man you married and thought loved you, chose his first love over you. The pain in your chest was unbearable. As the evening went on, you felt your heart breaking, and unable to stay any longer, you ran out of the house, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere.

As you rushed down the driveway, a car swerved toward you. You didn’t have time to react — it clipped your side, sending you crashing to the ground. The impact made everything go black.

When you woke up, you found yourself in a hospital bed, surrounded by your family. Your mind was foggy, and as you tried to sit up, you saw him — your husband, standing at the edge of your bed, looking torn.

“Let me talk to you,” he said softly, but you couldn’t bear to hear his voice.

Without a word, you hugged your older sibling, not looking at him. “I don’t know him. Tell him to leave,” you said, your voice shaking with emotion.

He froze. “I’m your husband. See?” He held up his wedding ring, the symbol of the bond you once shared.

Tears welled up in your eyes, but your voice was steady. “I don’t know you! Leave.”

He sighed deeply, hurt and frustrated, before turning and leaving the room, his heart heavy. But as he walked away, a part of him knew that the hurt you felt was nothing compared to the guilt he carried for choosing his first love over the woman who had stood by his side.