Welcome to the CRS podcast where we dive deep into stories of resilience, relationships,
and the revelations that change lives.
In today's episode is a roller coaster of betrayal, self-discovery, and ultimately justice.
If you've ever wondered how far someone will go to twist the truth and how you can fight
back, this episode is for you.
Stay tuned because this story will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew
about trust.
So let's get into the episode.
So there I was, sitting in court, trying to stay calm while my ex-wife's lawyer painted
me as the worst husband and father imaginable.
They went on and on about how I was a serial cheater who destroyed our family and how my
ex-wife deserved full custody of our kids because of it.
She was sitting there with fake tears streaming down her face, nodding along like she was
the victim of some tragic betrayal.
Meanwhile, I was holding a USB drive that I knew was about to flip the entire situation
upside down.
But let me back up and explain how we got to this point.
My ex-wife and I were married for eight years and honestly the first few years were good.
We had two kids together and I really thought we were building a life.
But around year six, things started to change.
She became distant, always glued to her phone or finding excuses to be out of the house.
We argued more and connected less.
I chalked it up to stress or a rough patch.
But deep down, I started to feel like something wasn't right.
When came the day I found the proof.
She accidentally left her Apple Watch at home one morning and while I wasn't trying
to snoop, it started buzzing non-stop with messages.
At first, I thought it might be work stuff, but then I saw the preview of one message.
Can't wait to see you tonight.
My heart dropped.
I scrolled through the messages and there was evidence of her affair.
She'd been seeing some guy from her gym for months.
They were talking about meetups, sneaking around and even joking about me being clueless.
I was furious, but instead of confronting her right away, I decided to play it smart.
I knew if this went to court and I had a gut feeling it would.
I need more than just a text message to prove what was going on.
She's the type of person who's great at flipping the script and making herself look like the
victim.
So, I installed a couple of cameras in the house, one in the living room and another
by the driveway.
Nothing invasive, just enough to get a clear picture of what was going on.
Sure enough, within a week, I had all the proof I needed.
There were multiple videos of this guy pulling into our driveway while I was at work or letting
him in and the two of them getting way too cozy on our couch.
I even caught audio of her laughing and telling him, don't worry, he's too stupid to figure
it out.
That one stung, but it also made me even more determined to handle this the right way.
When I finally confronted her, she completely lost it.
Instead of owning up to what she'd done, she turned it around on me, yelling about how
I was spying on her and violating her privacy.
She packed a bag and stormed out with the kids, saying she needed space to figure things
out.
A week later, I was served with divorce papers.
Here's where it gets even crazier.
She was going for full custody of our kids and claimed that I was the cheater.
Her lawyer filed court documents accusing me of having multiple affairs during our marriage,
being emotionally unavailable and creating a toxic environment for our kids.
She even listed specific dates when I supposedly brought women into our home while she and
the kids were out of town.
None of it was true, but she was throwing everything she could at me, hoping something
would stick.
I'll admit, it shook me.
I knew I wasn't perfect.
I'd worked long hours and maybe wasn't as present as I should have been, but I was
a good dad and I'd never cheated.
I couldn't believe she was willing to drag my name through the mud like this, all while
pretending to be the victim.
When the court date finally came, her lawyer came out swinging.
They painted this picture of me as some sleazy, neglectful husband who didn't care about
his family.
The neck sat there, nodding and dabbing at her eyes with a tissue like she was in a lifetime
movie.
For a moment, I could tell the judge was starting to lean toward her side.
That's when I pulled out the USB drive.
I calmly handed it over to my lawyer, who asked the judge for permission to present
new evidence.
As the first video started playing, the room went silent.
There was her lover's car pulling into our driveway.
There was her opening the door and letting him in.
And there they were, cuddled up on the couch, completely oblivious to the camera.
The best part?
The video included audio of her saying, don't worry, he's too stupid to figure it out.
I couldn't have scripted a better moment.
Her lawyer tried to object.
Claiming the footage was an invasion of privacy, but the judge wasn't having it.
They allowed the videos to be entered as evidence and gave my ex a long, hard stare.
You could feel the energy in the room shift.
Suddenly, her whole story fell apart.
The judge ended up dismissing all her accusations against me, calling her out for trying to
manipulate the court and weaponize the kids.
Not only did I get joint custody, but the judge also ordered her to pay part of my legal
fees, citing her malicious and unfounded claims.
After court, she actually had the nerve to try to apologize.
She said she was just hurt and scared and didn't mean for things to get so ugly.
I told her it was too late for apologies.
The damage was done and all I cared about now was being there for our kids.
It's been a few months since the dust settled and things are starting to feel normal again.
The kids are doing well and I'm doing everything I can to be the best that I can be.
My ex, on the other hand, has been keeping a much lower profile.
I guess she realized that playing the victim only works until the truth comes out.
The whole experience was a nightmare, but if there's one thing I've learned, it's
this.
Always.
Protect yourself.
Be unpredictable, especially when emotions and custody battles are involved.
I'm just glad I trusted my gut and had the foresight to gather proof when I did.
Moral of the story?
Don't let anyone rewrite the truth about who you are, especially when your kids are
on the line.