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NON-FICTION

Two Years After I Left My Husband, I’m Still Uncovering His Lies

No deception was off-limits

Claire Franky

A woman sitting on the floor, burying her face into her arms and resting on a table.
Photo by Mahdi Bafande on Unsplash

I blinked hard as she studied my face.

“Why did you think he had an ACL tear (ligament injury)?” The veterinarian asked as she fed my dog, Sammy a small bone-shaped treat.

I paused.

“Erm… His vet in the States told us he had one,” I replied quietly, questioning my own words.

“That’s strange,” the vet replied. “Nothing is showing up on the x-ray and he doesn’t have any symptoms. Maybe you got it confused…” she suggested.

I nodded as the hairs on the back of my neck pricked up. My body knew something my mind hadn’t yet discovered.

Clearing my throat, I forced a smile. “Yes, I must have.”

“Well, let’s get him some allergy medication,” the vet smiled as she reached for the door.

“Thank you,” I called as she disappeared.

The box slid along the wooden floor as I tugged it from the bottom of the closet. Sammy stretched out on the bed behind me while I wrestled with the lid. I paused briefly at the mound of paperwork inside, before grabbing a handful of papers and sifting through them.

Responses (220)

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He said money was more important to me than family.

Gaslighting asshole.

Keep writing it all out, Claire. When we write stuff out loud, it has less of a hold. Sending healing vibes, A🙏💚

That guy was one committed addict and liar. Wow.
I understand that broken brain and then looking back, try to figure just WTF happened to the properly function, pre-relationship person you were going in.
Glad you're away, out, and well.