I always thought Jenna and I shared everything. But when she excluded me from her birthday party, I realized I’d been left out of more than just one event. The real blow came when I learned why.

We’d been married for five years, and I thought our differences balanced each other out. I was practical; she loved luxury. I’d spent a year saving for a special gift—a pair of diamond earrings—but it was clear that wasn’t enough. Jenna threw a secret, extravagant birthday party, excluding me because she was embarrassed I couldn’t match her friends’ lavish gifts.

I showed up, gave her the earrings, and watched her light up in front of her friends. But something had broken inside me. I left, returning home to write a letter. In it, I told her the second part of her gift was freedom—for both of us. I filed for divorce, realizing I deserved someone who valued love over appearances. Jenna begged for forgiveness, but I knew it was over. I sent one final text: goodbye.