My Husband Vanished Weeks after Our Wedding — 17 years Later I Meet Him at Church

My husband, Richard, was the love of my life — loving, tender, reliable, and responsible. We dated for two wonderful years and married at 26, planning a future filled with dreams of children and a home. Then, abruptly, he vanished without a trace. An orphan with no family, his sudden absence shocked everyone. I sought the help of the police, but their investigations led nowhere. Years passed as I waited for him to return.

Though other men showed interest, I couldn’t forget Richie. My friends encouraged me to move on, and Jake, a dear friend, was always supportive. Despite mutual feelings, guilt held me back.

Uninterested in dating, I focused on my engineering career. A work trip recently took me to another part of the country. Seeking solace, I attended a local church service. As it concluded, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned to see Richard. He recognized me too, his eyes wide with shock.

“Honey, are you okay? Are we coming?” asked the woman beside him.

He swallowed hard. “Yeah, you go. I just wanted to say hi to Mr. Jenkins.”

“Okay, waiting for you in the car,” she replied. Richard approached me and whispered, “Not here. See me in an hour at Tom’s Cafe, River Street, 6.”

In a daze, I went to the cafe. When he arrived, he began his explanation. Before meeting me, Richard had a high school sweetheart, the love of his life. After seven years, she abruptly ended their relationship. Broken, he moved on and married me. Our life seemed perfect until she reappeared, confessing her love and seeking forgiveness. He realized he still loved her and left me.

The revelation was devastating. “You know that I didn’t remarry and waited for you all these years?” I choked out.

His eyes widened in disbelief. “What?? No.. You couldn’t.”

“I did.”

The pain was unbearable. I walked out, needing air, and Richard followed, kneeling beside me. “I’m sorry, Anna,” he said, but I walked away without a word.

In the weeks that followed, I found forgiveness for Richard and finally called Jake, inviting him out. Yet, in that moment, I vowed never to live for a man or anyone else but myself.