Utterly Shocked
The phone nearly fell from Leslie’s hand as the Detective spoke.
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. After 17 years, they finally found her husband.
Unfortunately, the reunion wasn’t as happy as she thought it would be. Her husband came back for a reason, and it had everything to do with what she had become.
So Many Years Later
Leslie sank down on her couch, unable to say a word.
She was shocked beyond belief and had no idea how to respond.
She had thought that her husband was dead. Yet, she just found out that he was, in fact, alive, and he wanted everything she owned. How could he possibly do such a thing to her and the son they share?
He Was A Curse
Over the past few years, Leslie had always thought of Jacob as a curse. He haunted her life even though he was nowhere to be found.
However, now that she knew the truth, she knew how accurate that statement was.
The man would be her downfall if she didn’t stop him. But did she have the courage to do so?
All He Wanted
Seventeen years ago, he abandoned his wife and his son.
And now all he wanted was the money her hard work earned her.
He wanted the house, the car, alimony… But what frustrated her the most was that he wanted full custody of their son. Those were things Leslie wasn’t willing to give up for anything.
Not A Chance
There was no way Leslie was going to give her life to a man who abandoned her.
After everything he had put her through, she wasn’t going to bend to his needs.
If he wanted any of the things she owned, he would have to fight her for it because she wasn’t just going to back down. But how did it all begin?
In The Beginning
Leslie and Jacob Peters were high school sweethearts.
They adored each other and thought they would spend the rest of their lives together.
So when they got married in 2001, Leslie had no doubts. She thought their lives could only get better. But she was incredibly wrong. Sadly, it would take her 20 years to discover the truth.
Everything Was Fine
For the first few years of their marriage, everything was fine. Their dreams were slowly falling into place.
They had been married for five years. Leslie was expecting their first child, and they were looking into buying their first house as a family.
There was no reason for her to worry about anything. Or so she thought.
No Indications
The couple hardly argued. They had well-paying jobs, and they spent all of their spare time together.
So as far as Leslie was concerned, their lives were perfect.
And things only became better when they welcomed their son into the world. But it wasn’t long before things took a turn for the worst, and Leslie’s life started falling apart.
Happy Little Family
When their son was a year old, it seemed like they would finally achieve everything they wanted.
The last step in their process was buying their own home.
But suddenly, their lives changed. Jacob started having severe pains in his back, and for the first time in their relationship, he insisted on going to have it checked. That was when the problems began.
Just An Appointment
Even though Leslie found it strange, she took her husband to the doctor.
In her mind, it was just a regular appointment. But it was an appointment that would change her life forever.
That day, Leslie dropped her husband off at the doctor’s office and told him that she would be back to pick him up in 2 hours.
Two Hours Later
Exactly two hours later, Leslie pulled up in front of the doctor’s office.
And she was surprised to find that her husband was nowhere in sight.
Leslie thought that the appointment might’ve run overtime, so she decided to wait. Half an hour after she arrived, she sent him a text. But she never got a reply.
Endless Wait
The hours crawled by, and there was no sign of Jacob being anywhere in the area.
Leslie walked up and down the street, thinking he might’ve taken a stroll, but she couldn’t find anything.
So she went to the doctor to find out what was happening. But they said Jacob never arrived for his appointment.
Getting Concerned
At this point, Leslie was getting incredibly concerned.
Has something happened to her husband? Should she have gone in with him?
Leslie would usually escort Jacob to his appointments, but on that day, she had a very important meeting to attend. And she couldn’t afford to lose another minute. Was it a mistake on her side?
Phoning The Police
When the sun started to set, Leslie knew something was incredibly wrong.
Something had happened to her husband, and she would be a fool if she didn’t act on her instincts.
She pulled out her phone and called the police. They asked her to wait for their arrival, and within a few minutes, they were parked right next to her car.
A Case Was Opened
Leslie gave her statement to the police officers on the scene and explained everything that had happened that day.
When they understood that the situation was dire, they opened a case.
The second thing the police officers did was speak to the people in the doctor’s office. They had seen the camera next to the door, and they hoped it would provide them with a lead.
No Leads
The officers reviewed the footage and were surprised to find that there were no leads on it.
They saw Leslie pulling up and saw that Jacob got out of the car before she pulled off.
But he left the frame almost instantly, and they couldn’t see him since. Was that done on purpose? Or was it merely a coincidence?
Years Passed By
For a few years, the case remained open, but it wasn’t long before it ran cold.
With no evidence to point the officers in the right direction, they had nothing to go on.
They couldn’t even tell if foul play was involved or not. All they could say was that Leslie had nothing to do with it, as they saw her leaving and coming back a couple of hours later.
Improving Her Life
In the 17 years that followed, Leslie tried to rebuild her life.
She worked hard to take care of her son and to ensure that he had everything he wanted.
But deep within her heart, she longed for the love and support she received from her husband. Even though she knew she had to let him go, she always hoped he would come back home someday.
Opportunities Came Knocking
Leslie’s life turned out to be more than she ever could’ve asked for.
Her career blossomed, and before long, she was the owner of her own company.
She had bought the house of her dreams, and putting her son through college was a breeze. But there was one thing that kept holding her back throughout those years.
Bound By The Man
Leslie’s attachment to her long-lost husband became a curse.
She was bound to a man that could’ve been long gone. And she was holding herself back because of it.
Even though Jacob was no longer around, he still controlled her life, and Leslie couldn’t live like that anymore. It was time for her to cut the ties, no matter how hard that would be.
Needing Freedom
Leslie hadn’t been in a relationship for 17 years. She hadn’t gone out, and she hadn’t made any friends.
All she did was sit by the door with the hope that her husband would run into her waiting arms.
But she couldn’t do it anymore. She needed her freedom, and she knew she would never have it if she kept holding on to the ghosts of her past.
Filing For A Divorce
With that thought in mind, Leslie went to a lawyer and requested a divorce.
The lawyer found the situation rather odd, as couples usually came together to show the divorce was consensual from both sides.
But Leslie explained her situation to the man and stated that she had no idea whether her husband was alive or not.
Strange Circumstances
The lawyer agreed that the situation was a strange one.
But since there was a case with the police, and she had been alone for 17 years, they could proceed.
However, there was one thing that Leslie needed to be certain of since she and Jacob were married in community of property. Would he get anything if he ever decided to show up again?
Valid Reasons
Once again, the lawyer understood where she was coming from.
And he informed her that since that was the case, it would be up to the judge that did the preceding.
However, he wasn’t concerned about anything like that happening during the trial, as he was certain Jacob wouldn’t make an appearance. If only he knew how wrong he was.
Unexpected Phone Call
Leslie proceeded to file the paperwork and was waiting to hear back from the lawyer.
But one night, she got a phone call that would shatter her heart.
Just as Leslie was getting settled on the couch, she got a call from an unknown number. Her heart was beating in her throat as she answered. Who was on the other end of the line?
A New Detective
The man introduced himself as Detective Robert Grover.
He had recently joined the New York Police Department, and he was looking into Leslie’s case.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t why he called her. The reason for his call was to inform Leslie that the 17-year-old case had finally been solved. And it was all thanks to the man who was sitting right in front of him.
Unforeseen Visit
As it turned out, Jacob had heard about his wife’s fortune and about the fact that she was filing for divorce.
So he returned to New York.
Since he had no idea where his wife and son were, he decided to go to the local police station, thinking that they might still have him on file. But his intentions weren’t as innocent as they seemed.
Crazy Demands
Jacob agreed to the divorce, but he had demands, and they were insane.
He wanted the house Leslie had bought for her and her son. He wanted half of her company. And he wanted half of the money she had.
Plus, he wanted alimony and full custody of their son even though he was already 18. Leslie was furious.
No Way
She told Jacob that if he wanted any of those things, he would have to demand them in court.
She had already spoken to her lawyer about that, and she knew she would be able to put up a fight.
And that was exactly what she planned on doing. If Jacob wanted any of those things, he would have to prove that he earned them.
Heading To Court
Within a matter of weeks, the couple was in court. Jacob gave his side of the story, and Leslie gave hers. They were both in it to win it, but only one of them would come out on top.
Jacob was lying through his teeth, stating that he had left because Leslie’s family had threatened him. He even went so far as to say that he contributed to her household. But the judge wasn’t buying any of it.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.