Dana, one of our readers, sent us a letter sharing her story that stirred up strong emotions. She wanted us to publish her story to hear opinions and advice from our readers. Dana is considering divorcing her husband because he stole from her. She is deeply hurt and disappointed by his actions and feels unable to forgive him.
Dana had a very valuable thing that she treasured a lot.
Dana started her letter by saying, “My husband Derek and I have been happily married for over 17 years. We have two kids, and our life together has been mostly happy, until something happened that has hurt our relationship and trust.”
She explained, “When I was 5 years old, my dear Nana gave me her tea set. It was passed down to her from her mother. Since she didn’t have any daughters of her own, she gave it to me. It’s a simple but meaningful full bone china set. I’m not sure if it’s worth much money, but its sentimental value to me is priceless. I cherished it because it was a precious heirloom from Nana. I kept it safe and used it for many years. I even hoped to pass it down to my own daughter or granddaughter one day. Derek knew how much it meant to me.”
The tea set was used in the family and became a part of special traditions.
Dana shared, “When Derek’s sister and her family stayed with us for a week, I hosted a tea party with my special tea set for her daughters. It’s a tradition from my Nana, who made tea parties special for me. So, my sister-in-law, her daughters, and I had a lovely afternoon tea.”
She continued, “A couple of weeks later, my friend and her daughters came over for another tea party. I spent the morning baking and preparing sandwiches, but when I went to get my tea set from its usual spot in the kitchen cabinet, it was gone. I searched everywhere in the house, but couldn’t find it. My friend left, and I was still upset and couldn’t enjoy the party.”
Dana revealed, “I spent days and weeks tearing the house apart looking for my precious tea set. Derek helped me search and sympathized with me, suggesting maybe it was misplaced. But deep down, he knew where it was. He even bought a cheap replacement set, which only made me more upset because it couldn’t replace my Nana’s set.”
She confessed, “A few days later, I overheard Derek on the phone, telling someone not to mention ‘something’ when they visit, referring to my tea set. I confronted him, calling him a thief. He looked shocked and tried to explain, but I was furious and demanded he get my set back.
Dana recounted, “I called Derek’s sister and accused her of stealing my tea set. I demanded its return or I’d involve the police. Derek argued that his niece loved the set and suggested leaving it with her, saying I was too old for ‘kids’ toys and should grow up. His words hurt because the set meant a lot to me, but he dismissed its value.”
She wrote, “The next day, I reported the theft to the police and asked my brother to retrieve my tea set from Derek’s sister. Derek was angry and insulted me for days. Now he’s apologizing and wants to reconcile, but I want a divorce. I can’t trust him anymore after what he did, and the pain is too much for me to bear.”
