For many people, their wedding day is singlehandedly the most important one in their life. We can see why. This is a celebration of the love between two people. There are not many opportunities to gather your friends and family together. Sadly, it is not all rainbows and butterflies. It can be a source of many headaches as well. Lauren Wall is not your regular bridezilla, however. She did not have a problem with the caterer or the venue. As a matter of fact, she went through something much worse than that.
It Was A Whirlwind Romance For Them
When Lauren Wall was 19 years old, she met Paul Smith at a pub. He was an airport worker, and she was immediately taken with the young woman. When he asked her number, she was more than willing to give it to him. Things progressed right away for the two. Soon enough, they went out on a first date.
It Was A Whirlwind Romance For Them
Things Happened Quickly For The Couple
Things got serious between the two of them right away. Only a few months after they started going out, she was expecting a child. This was when Paul proposed to her. At that point in time, it looked like things were going well for the two of them. Lauren said yes, thrilled to spend her life with the right man.
Things Happened Quickly For The Couple
Her Mom Was Kind Enough To Front The Bill
Her mother approved of Paul as well. We really doubt that she would have spent $19,000 on their wedding if that was not the case. This allowed Laura to make her dream wedding a reality. They truly appreciated the kind gesture. In fact, they wondered how they could pay her back for what she did.
Her Mom Was Kind Enough To Front The Bill
They Were Very Grateful For It
After taking some time to think it through, Paul and Lauren decided that they could show her their gratitude by taking her with them on their honeymoon. Fair enough, you do not often see newlyweds with their parent on this trip. However, they were eager to show their appreciation for what she did.
They Were Very Grateful For It
She Thought That Everything Was Going Well
The wedding day of the lovebirds went smoothly. From the look of things, the honeymoon was going to be the same way. Lauren was glad that her two loved ones were getting along. What more could she possibly ask for? Paul and her mother were having a fun time on the trip, which made her feel relieved.
She Thought That Everything Was Going Well
Her Failure To Pick Up On The Signs
Lauren had no reason to think that something was up. As a matter of fact, she was happy to see the two people she loved the most get along. It turns out that she should have paid more attention at the time. After all, she was taken by surprise when she found out just how well they were really getting on.
Her Failure To Pick Up On The Signs
He Began To Act Weird Out Of The Blue
After the trip, it was time for Lauren and Paul to start a new chapter in life. She was more than ready to become his wife! All of a sudden, however, she realized that he was behaving weirdly. She was confused. What was wrong? She had no idea why he would change like that in the blink of an eye.
He Began To Act Weird Out Of The Blue
At A Loss For What To Do Next
For her part, Lauren attempted to be normal even though he was acting strangely. She did whatever she could think of that might return some semblance of normalcy to their relationship. Mind you, it was hard on her too. Can you imagine getting married, only for your relationship to sour all of a sudden?
At A Loss For What To Do Next
Trying To Understand What Was Going On
After some time, she figured out what the problem must be. Lauren was not at all delighted with the thought, but there was no other explanation for his behavior. She was devasted. On the bright side, she realized that the problem was not her. Still, this did not make it easier for her to swallow it.
Trying To Understand What Was Going On
She Needed To Look For Evidence
For weeks, Paul acted out of character. Once she approached him when he was on his phone, it was even more apparent. When Lauren asked him what he was doing, he simply dismissed it and changed the subject. There must be a reason he was so jumpy. It was not like him at all to behave like that.
She Needed To Look For Evidence
The Only Explanation That Made Sense To Her
As you can imagine, Lauren immediately assumed that he was seeing someone else. What other reason did he have to be so jumpy all of a sudden? Normally, it would not even occur to her to snoop through his things. However, she could not take it anymore. It was clear that something fishy was going on.
The Only Explanation That Made Sense To Her
They Needed To See If It Was True
In the end, she got some help from her sister. Apparently, their mother had been texting with Paul! They were both confused by this, but it at least offered some light on the mystery. It took Lauren by complete surprise. She refused to believe it. When she asked her mom, the older woman denied these claims.
They Needed To See If It Was True
Neither Of Them Fessed Up About It
Lauren had no idea what to do about the mess that she found herself in. They had evidence, but her mom still denied that there was anything going on between her and Paul. Perhaps they needed to look for a different source. It was time for Lauren to bring it up with her husband. Was he going to fess up?
Neither Of Them Fessed Up About It
He Denied The Allegations As Well
Paul ended up denying the accusations against him as well. Lauren was relieved at first, but she was bothered to realize that he was acting even more oddly. This does not sound like something that an innocent man would do. Can you imagine what Lauren must have felt at the time? We feel bad for her.
He Denied The Allegations As Well
The Betrayal Cut Her To The Core
No matter what happens, it is only a matter of time before the truth gets out. Can you believe that Paul walked out on Lauren? He did not care that they had a baby on the way and just got married. A week after that, he came back to return the ring to her and pack his stuff. Poor Lauren.
The Betrayal Cut Her To The Core
She Did Not See This Coming At All
It did not take long before the word spread. Lauren was heartbroken when she heard that Paul had moved in with her own mom. That must have been such a painful ordeal for her. She shared, “Paul may have been a gutless groom but she’s my mum. She’s meant to love and protect me above all others.”
She Did Not See This Coming At All
It Took Her By Complete And Total Surprise
The possibility of such a thing happening did not even occur to her back then. How could you even predict that your mom will run off with your husband? “Paul always got on really well with mum. I never thought it strange though, as she was his mum-in-law and he was just being friendly,” Lauren said.
It Took Her By Complete And Total Surprise
They Used To Have Such A Great Bond
“They’d laugh a lot together. I didn’t think to be worried at all. Who would? I couldn’t wait to settle into marriage but the ink was barely dry on our certificate when Paul changed,” she said. We can’t imagine what it must be like to be in her shoes at the time. Her whole life collapsed right underneath her feet.
They Used To Have Such A Great Bond
Her Mother Said That It Was Her Fault
Lauren did not plan to take this lying down, so she confronted her mom about it. The older woman still denied the affair no matter what. It was difficult for Lauren to think that she would hear lies like that. The denial eventually turned to rage when her mom said that Lauren had no one to blame but herself.
Her Mother Said That It Was Her Fault
No One But Her To Blame
Sadly, her mom had been convincing. Lauren even started to think that she was going mad! Maybe Paul left her for a different woman. How could she even think that her own mom would do such a thing? The rumor might be nothing more than a rumor. As you can see, she was still in denial of what was going on.
No One But Her To Blame
It Was The Worst Kind Of Betrayal
What made it so hard for her to accept was that Lauren and her mom had been close. It did not seem like this was even possible. The betrayal cut her to the core. There must be some kind of mistake or another explanation for what was happening. Her mom told her that the rumor was pure hogwash.
It Was The Worst Kind Of Betrayal
She Planned To Forgive Her Own Mom
In the end, Lauren decided that she was going to forgive her mom. The least she could do was move on with her life. She learned something that made her see it all in a different light. She wanted to apologize to her mom, but her plan fell through. You see, she saw something that made the truth dawn on her.
She Planned To Forgive Her Own Mom
Her Mother Was Also Pregnant
Paul had just moved out of their house recently when it happened. Lauren was shocked when she bumped into her mom on the street. Still, the most surprising thing was the size of the older woman’s belly! Her eyes went wide when she realized that her mom was pregnant. It was impossible to deny this.
Her Mother Was Also Pregnant
She Had An Excuse For It Too
When Lauren brought it up, her mother simply shrugged off her concerns. As a matter of fact, the older lady simply told her that it was just a cyst. This did not sound likely at all. The truth is that Lauren instantly assumed that her own mom was pregnant with the baby of her own husband.
She Had An Excuse For It Too
It Was Too Much For Her
“When I saw her in the street and noticed she had a bump, my mind raced. She clutched her stomach and told me, ‘It’s a cyst’. I felt so sick, I went home and destroyed all the photos of our wedding,” Lauren explained. Thinking about it made her feel sick with fury. She had to take matters into her own hands.
It Was Too Much For Her
She Has Had Enough Of Their Lies
Lauren was fed up with all the lies that they told her. She could not believe that her own mom was this dishonest. She was furious when she saw that her mom was pregnant and filed for divorce from Paul as soon as she could. Obviously, she was not happy with the turn of events. Sadly, it had to be done.
She Has Had Enough Of Their Lies
The Father Of The Child
After a little while, her mom gave birth to her youngest child. Despite this, she refused to admit that the father was Paul. In fact, she claimed that it was the child of her ex! Lauren could not believe that she would still lie even though it was so obvious. It was devastating that her mom would do this to her.
The Father Of The Child
It Was A Lot To Go Through
There was nothing to do but to move on with her life. Still, Lauren was traumatized by what took place between her ex and her mom. How on earth could they just live their usual lives after this? It caused her to fall depressed. No one deserves to go through the same things that she did.
It Was A Lot To Go Through
This Was Not Yet The End Of The Story
Mind you, this is not the end of this story. There is more! In June 2009, Lauren received a phone call that ruined her day. Things were already awful enough as they were, but this only made it worse. There was a familiar voice at the other end of the line. Right away, she knew that this would not be good.
This Was Not Yet The End Of The Story
She Got A Call She Did Not Expect
The caller was none other than her mother. She had news to share with Lauren. “She rang me up and invited me. It was awkward. I got married on the 14th of August 2004, they married on the 15th of, August 2009,” the younger woman shared. It must unbelievable that she would still invite Lauren to go.
She Got A Call She Did Not Expect
It Was A Big Decision
Lauren herself was surprised to receive an invitation to the wedding. She could not help but be furious with her mom. Why on earth would she do such a thing after what they put her through? The audacity was unbelievable. Lauren decided to go, a decision that shocked them. She wanted to do it for her kid.
It Was A Big Decision
Even Though It Was Not Easy For Her
Lauren was among the guests when Paul and her mother got married. She could not believe that she was watching her ex-husband tie the knot with the woman who gave birth to her. No one can blame her if she did not smile during the event. She simply stayed silent and watched them celebrate their union.
Even Though It Was Not Easy For Her
The Consequences Of Her Actions
Julie, the mother, could not stand the idea that her daughter was mad at her. A few weeks after she tied the knot with Paul, she called Lauren over and over. In the end, the younger woman went to her house to see what she wanted. Her brother was there with her. Whatever it was, she was ready to hear it.
The Consequences Of Her Actions
This Was Not What She Expected
The two women went to Lauren’s car to talk. Julie was hysterical as soon as she sat down in the seat. It was clear that Lauren was not delighted to be with her. She was crying when she told her daughter, “I’m sorry.” This apology took Lauren by surprise. But what did she have to say to her mother in return?
This Was Not What She Expected
It Was Time To Move On From It
Lauren decided that she would try to forgive her mom. It was the least she could do. It did not seem possible to return to their previous bond, however. She could not just ignore all the hurt and pain that she went through. The young woman explained, “Just because we spoke after doesn’t mean I’m over it.”
It Was Time To Move On From It
What Made It Even Harder To Let Go
In case you were wondering, Paul himself has yet to apologize to Lauren. “Time is a great healer, and mum and I have tried to have a normal relationship. But we will never be as close as we were – and I’ll never fully trust her again,” she said. At any rate, she handled this with more grace than we could have.
What Made It Even Harder To Let Go
He Would Not Even Acknowledge What He Did
Paul and Lauren married each other in 2004. He betrayed her in a way that she did not foresee at all. It is shocking to hear that he pretends that nothing happened. “I speak to him as he’s married to my mum. I’ve asked him before to explain to our daughter and he just says it’s forgotten about now,” she said.
He Would Not Even Acknowledge What He Did
Life Has Been Looking Up For Her
Who can blame Lauren if she does not fully heal from this? She said that it is possible that she will suffer from trust issues all her life. Despite this, we are glad to report that she has found love once more. She now has a total of four kids! It is a good thing that she has discovered happiness with someone else.
Life Has Been Looking Up For Her
It Was Too Big Of A Betrayal
It is amazing to hear just how well Lauren has been doing for herself. She managed to open up her heart and accept love once more even though her first marriage had been awful. Sadly, she and her mother have lost the special bond that they used to have. Can you believe that this happened due to a man? We sure hope that they move past it in the future. This next story is one of betrayal as well. Laura was surprised when she could not find her husband anywhere in the house. To her surprise, she found a note that told her exactly what he had in mind. Her day started out so great, but it ended on a grim note. When she learned the truth, she was surprised. This was not at all what she expected to hear.
It Was Too Big Of A Betrayal
From The Outside It Looked Perfect
Laura and Jack looked like a happily married couple from the outside. It was all going well for the two of them. She was happy in the marriage until she learned that he ran off with her own sister. They only told her this through a note. When she returned home, she saw the letter that he wrote for her.
From The Outside It Looked Perfect
He Left Her A Cruel And Harsh Note
It was not a nice note, which is an understatement. Jack was fed up and decided to write what he had been thinking all this time. The truth was that he had been disastrously unhappy the entire time. This came as a surprise to Laura, who thought the exact opposite of that. What did he have to say to her?
He Left Her A Cruel And Harsh Note
His Note Came As A Total Surprise To Her
Laura read the note and realized that it was already too late. There was nothing that she could do to get him to stay as he had already made his decision. The note came with a sense of finality, spelling the end of their seven years together. Luckily, her friends remained by her side as she processed the situation.
His Note Came As A Total Surprise To Her
This Was The End Of The Road For Them
Laura could not believe that Jack would not even talk to her about this in person. It was hurtful that he would only tell her about it in a note. She was also hurt when she saw that he addressed her as his wife at the start of the letter. Sadly, he went on to spell out that he was no longer in love with her.
This Was The End Of The Road For Them
The Marriage Has Seen Its Course
Not once did it occur to her that he was not happy in the relationship. As a matter of fact, it took her by complete surprise. She blamed herself for the way things turned out. Were they really both so bad at talking to each other that it reached this point? She did not catch any clues that he felt this way.
The Marriage Has Seen Its Course
She Came Home With Good News
Before she got that letter, Laura had actually been in a really good place. She got the most amazing news ever earlier that day. In fact, she was excited to share it with Jack until she got home and found the note. All of a sudden, her good mood vanished and had been replaced with hurt and surprise.
She Came Home With Good News
This Did Not Seem Like A Possibility
Confessions are typically flattering. Sadly, the note was not a love letter. As a matter of fact, it was the opposite of that. Once Laura returned home, she saw a piece of paper lying on the kitchen table. She might have been happy when she entered the house, but her mood shifted upon seeing what it said.
This Did Not Seem Like A Possibility
The Betrayal Of Her Sister Cut Deep
In the note, Jack said that he had “nothing to show for it” even though they had been husband and wife for seven years already. Aside from that, he said that he was a good husband but decided to leave her for her own sister. This surprised Laura the most. After all, it meant that her sister also betrayed her.
The Betrayal Of Her Sister Cut Deep
What Made Him Finally Decide
According to Jack, the last straw for him was the call that he got that day. It turns out that her boss informed him that Laura had just quit. He also said that he had been going through a terrible time the last two weeks. This was when he realized that the marriage was not working for him.
What Made Him Finally Decide
He Was In Need Of Attention
In the note, Jack took the chance to mention a few things that he found annoying. He said that she did not even notice his new silk boxers or new haircut. It was upsetting to see that she did not pay much attention to him. It made him feel unappreciated and unloved, so he looked elsewhere for appreciation.
He Was In Need Of Attention
They Did Not Have The Same Old Spark
Jack clearly had a bone to pick with his wife. In the note, he told Laura that he did not like it when she ate her dinner right away, watch her TV shows, and go to bed once she returned home from work. He also complained that she did not tell him she loved him anymore. Obviously, he was truly unhappy with the state of their marriage. These were the reasons he did not want to be married to her any longer.
They Did Not Have The Same Old Spark
He Had Already Decided It Was Over
All in all, his tone was accusatory. Jack also told her that he had two theories about what was going on. She either did not love him or was cheating on him with a different man. Still, he did not care which one it was. He already decided that he was leaving her. Jack signed off the note with, “Your EX husband.”
He Had Already Decided It Was Over
Where He Was Going And With Whom
As you can imagine, it was a lot for Laura to take in. Jack rubbed salt in the wound by giving her a little more information about his plan. He told her that he would not be alone. Laura was surprised to hear that he and her sister would relocate to West Virginia. He said that she should not look for them there.
Where He Was Going And With Whom
It Was Not Easy For Her To Accept It
Laura could not believe what was happening. She had been in cloud nine literally hours before she got home. Her mood went in the opposite direction as soon as she read the note. The note hurt her and erased all traces of happiness on her face. His infidelity was painful, but so was the betrayal of her sister.
It Was Not Easy For Her To Accept It
No Better Timing Than This
Looking back on it, the letter arrived at the best possible time. After all, Laura could finally see how Jack really felt about the marriage. It meant that she was now free from this unfair marriage as well. By the time he left with her sister, he must have already been thinking about it for a long time.
No Better Timing Than This
Her Good News Made Up For It
But what was the good news that Laura received earlier? Wait until you hear the good fortune that befell her. We are glad that he would no longer get to be a part of it. In the end, the good outweighed the bad even though it was hard to see that at first. Any idea what good news she got that day?
Her Good News Made Up For It
She Had Just Won The Lottery
You see, Laura just found out that she won the lottery! This is the best piece of news that most of us can ask for. Sadly, her good mood disappeared once she read the note that Jack left for her in the kitchen. Once the hurt vanished, she remembered that she was in a good place. It was also why she quit her job!
She Had Just Won The Lottery
Their Romance Bloomed In College
How did Laura and Jack even meet anyway? They were both college students at the time, although it had not been love at first sight. They were friends at first, although they soon fell for each other as they spent more time studying in the library together. Sadly, he eventually decided that academia was not for him. He dropped out so that he could work full-time as a bartender.
Their Romance Bloomed In College
The Two Of Them Saw Many Setbacks
At the beginning of the relationship, the two of them were hopeful that it would work out. This is normal for any new couple, right? The same was true when they got married. It was not an easy journey for them as they dealt with plenty of setbacks. Among other things, their backgrounds are very different.
The Two Of Them Saw Many Setbacks
Her Parents Did Not Approve Of Him
Laura hailed from a wealthy family. Her parents wanted her to focus on school while she was in college. Meanwhile, Jack needed to work as a bartender to pay the bills. He was not a particularly ambitious man either. It is not hard to see why her folks did not approve of the relationship when she introduced him.
Her Parents Did Not Approve Of Him
She Refused To Cut It Off With Him
Despite this, Laura had no plans to break up with Jack. It caused a lot of feuds in the family, although she did not give him up. No matter what her mom and dad had to say, she wanted to be with Jack. They wanted her to find someone who could provide for her, but she was convinced that he was the one.
She Refused To Cut It Off With Him
It Was All Just An Illusion
By then, it was already too late anyway. Laura was in love with Jack and had no plans to give up on their relationship. Her parents initially pressured her into leaving him. It did not work. As a matter of fact, this simply made her push back against them even more! Things started to get more serious after this.
It Was All Just An Illusion
When Everything Has Been Said And Done
Her parents had not been pleased when they found out that Laura and Jack moved in. We bet that after he left her, she thought about these days. Seven years after the incident, her parents were actually right about Jack. In the end, there might be some truth to the old adage that says parents know best.
When Everything Has Been Said And Done
Once She Graduated From College
When Laura earned her college degree, she moved into a one-bedroom apartment with Jack. This was a new step in their relationship. You would think that it was all going well for the pair, but it was not the case. They were not meant to be! By now, you already know that he was the wrong man for her.
Once She Graduated From College
No Matter What
The apartment was dirty and small, but Jack was fond of it. On the other hand, Laura realized that the paint and wallpaper had to be replaced. It felt like everything in the unit was on the verge of falling apart. Aside from that, the heater was always broken. Even though she was not comfortable, she hoped that everything would get better in due time. They say that love conquers all, but she would have been better off if she listened to her instincts. There is nothing to be done about what happened in the past, but we are sure that the future looks bright for her now!
No Matter What