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.