After my ex and I broke up, he seemed especially anxious while packing up his things. He kept asking about his “blue work planner” and made me promise that if I found it, I should call him directly and not look inside. Months later, I stumbled across it—and curiosity got the better of me.
The moment I opened it, I felt my stomach drop. It wasn’t a work planner at all. For nearly nine years, he had been meticulously tracking my menstrual cycle, writing down specific dates, times, and detailed notes. I felt nauseous, horrified, and deeply disturbed. I still can’t comprehend why he did it—it exposed a side of him I never knew existed. To this day, I don’t know if I should confront him, or if I’d rather never bring it up.
Another story: When I was pregnant, my husband passed away in a tragic workplace accident. When his belongings were returned to me, I listened to his answering machine messages—people thanking him for his kindness and generosity. It filled me with pride to know he was such a good man.
But later, when I went through his computer, I discovered emails and texts from several women, thanking him for dinners and other outings. The shock hit me like a wave, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with anger at him, even though he was gone. People told me, “You can’t be mad at someone who has passed away.” But emotions don’t follow rules—it left me with a storm of grief, pride, and betrayal all at once.