After finding out that her husband’s ex-girlfriend had been diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer, a woman was feeling awful about her reluctance to allow her husband to fulfil the dying woman’s last wish.
She posted her worries and concerns to the subreddit “r/TrueOffMyChest,” a place where people could go and talk about their situations without worrying about judgment or unsolicited advice.
Her husband decided that he would leave his wife to go be with his ex-girlfriend.
For the purpose of the story, she calls her husband Seb and his ex-girlfriend Tanya, and gives some context behind their relationship.
“My husband, let’s call him Seb, and his ex Tanya became best friends after their break up a couple of years ago due to her infidelity,” she wrote. “They were together for 5 years. Needless to say, they remain in contact even before he met me.”
She claims that, although it makes her uncomfortable sometimes, Seb has repeatedly told her that he holds no feelings for Tanya and only sees her as family.
However, Tanya is the complete opposite and is still openly and admittedly in love with Seb.
“Two weeks ago, my husband received a call from Tanya to tell him about the sad news,” she explained. “My husband cried with her and told her everything is going to be okay.”
Seb and Tanya been in contact every day since, and although it bothers her, she hasn’t said anything about it.
“Seb told me he’s going back to Canada. Which is a shock. He then told me that her last wish is to be with him. I didn’t say anything except ‘what about me?’” she continued, adding that they had just moved to Australia.
“He said if I can’t leave my job, then he’s going to ‘visit’ me whenever he gets the chance. I walked out without saying anything.”
She has been avoiding him ever since and admits that she feels like she’s being abandoned by her husband but also doubts her convictions because she thinks she’s just being selfish.
There’s no explanation for what exactly “being with him” means, but she doesn’t seem to believe that Seb would be unfaithful to her.
“Seb considered Tanya and her family like his own as he doesn’t have one,” she explained. “She’s probably like a sister to him now.”
She’s thinking about divorcing him but through all of her frustration, can’t truly think straight.
Redditors in the comments were empathetic and critical of Seb and Tanya.
“How kind of him to say he will visit his wife when he gets a chance,” one user wrote sarcastically.
Some people were confused by the wording and the request, wondering if Tanya means she wants to be physical or romantic with him or just share in his company.
“I think husband showed his true feelings here with his choice,” wrote another.
Many people went as far as to question the validity of Tanya’s diagnosis.
“I hate to be that person, but does she even really have cancer?” one user pondered.
Others flocked to the comment and asked the same question, theorizing that Tanya could be pulling a con just to win back Seb’s heart knowing full well that this could end their marriage.
“I’m sorry that happens to you. Tbh, he’s shown you who his priority is now,” one of the top comments read.
“I understand that Tanya is dying, but deciding that he will leave and come visit you, his wife, while taking care of his cheating ex-girlfriend in a [different] country?”
If Tanya truly is sick, then this is an awful request, but Seb’s in the wrong for leaving his wife in the first place.