I sent this photo to my “dear husband” at that time.

One seemingly ordinary day, I sent my husband a photo of me standing next to our neighbor’s horse, Thunder—a large, gentle black horse I had grown fond of while helping out at the stables. I didn’t think much of it at the time.

But everything changed once he saw the photo. He zoomed in and examined it closely before sending me a message: “I want a divorce.”

At first, I thought he was joking. But when he called, his anger was evident. “How long has this been going on?” he demanded.

“What’s going on?” I asked, confused.

“The shadow,” he snapped. “On your back. Don’t lie to me.”

When I looked again, I understood. Thunder’s head and neck had cast a shadow that looked like a man standing behind me, with his hands on my waist.

Despite my explanations, he couldn’t believe me. The shadow had created a false illusion that shattered his trust in an instant. From that moment on, he questioned everything, and no amount of reasoning could undo the damage.