I thought we were broke. My husband, Steve, always said we had to “cut back,” which somehow only applied to me — no gifts, no date nights, not even flowers. So imagine my shock when I found a $10,000 receipt for a luxury beach trip. Not for us. Not for his birthday. But for his mom… and his ex. Yes — that ex. The one with the too-perfect smile. I asked him about it, and all he said was: “Mom’s turning seventy. She deserves it.”

But apparently, I didn’t. Later that day, while checking for scholarship news for my underprivileged students, I stumbled upon a Facebook story: his ex and his mom on the beach. Labeled a “girls’ trip” — with a “thank you Steve ” caption. I was gutted. Then furious. Then clear. That night, I checked his messages. His mom had texted: “How long are you going to keep pretending with that woman?” “You deserve more.” And he’d replied:

“My two favorite girls. I’ll be there soon.” So I did what I had to. I didn’t yell. I didn’t beg. I made a choice.One week later… I used that same $10K — not for revenge, but for joy. I booked a summer camp trip for all 22 of my students, not just the 3 the school could afford to sponsor. Every child went. I paid for it all — even the T-shirts. And Steve?

He came home to find the locks changed, his things packed, and a note on the door: “Dear Steve, Enjoy life with your favorite girls. Don’t forget sunscreen — wouldn’t want you to burn before the hearing. See you in court. XOXO.” As my students screamed with joy at the sight of the lake and zip line, I smiled. I wasn’t the one left behind this time.