Woman Is Sure Her Husband Died until She Comes across His New Tinder Profile – Story of the Day

Maria's life as a widow takes an unexpected turn when she discovers her presumed-dead husband's profile on Tinder. Her mind races with questions as she looks at his profile picture. Has he been alive all this time? And if so, why would he let her mourn while he lived a new life in secret?

It was a regular day for Maria as she sipped her chamomile tea while watching TV. The gentle aroma transported her back to a Christmas vacation years ago.

Her husband, Steven, had surprised her with a trip to a cozy cabin in the mountains. Lola, just a baby then, giggled as snowflakes kissed her chubby cheeks.

"Oh, Steven," Maria whispered. "I miss you so much."

Two years had passed since he vanished without a trace. Maria had done everything to find him and had even involved the authorities, but nothing worked. The official report said he was "missing, presumed dead."

But for Maria, the lack of closure was a constant ache.

Suddenly, her ringtone pulled her out of her thoughts. As she picked up her phone, a smile spread across her face. It was her daughter, Lola.

"Hey, sweetie," Maria answered, forcing cheer into her voice.

"Mom! How are you doing?" Lola's energy burst through the speaker.

"I'm okay, honey. How's college?"

"Great! But Mom, I've been thinking. It's time for you to get back out there."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, start living again," Lola said before she paused for a few seconds. "My friend's dad found someone on Tinder. Maybe you could try that?"

Maria laughed.

"Tinder? At my age?" she asked. "C'mon, Lola."

"Why not? Promise me you'll think about it?"

"Okay, okay. I'll think about it."

After hanging up, Maria sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about what her daughter just said. She glanced at her phone and then at Steven's photo on the table.

"I guess Lola's right," she said, picking up her phone.

Then she opened the App Store and downloaded the app.

***

The next morning, Maria stood at her kitchen counter, inhaling the rich scent of freshly brewed coffee. She smiled as she remembered creating her Tinder profile the night before.

It felt like a tiny spark of hope after years of darkness.

Then, she quickly fired off a text to her best friend, Sierra.

Coffee at Rosie's in 30? Got something to show you.

Sierra replied instantly.

Woah! Sounds like something exciting. I'll be there.

At the café, Maria slid into a booth across from Sierra, whose eyes twinkled with curiosity.

"Okay, spill," Sierra demanded. "What's this big secret?"

"I, uh," Maria began. "I made a Tinder profile."

"A what?" Sierra looked at her with wide eyes. "A Tinder profile? No way, Maria! This is huge!"

Maria handed her phone to her best friend, who scrolled through the profile.

"You look gorgeous in these photos," Sierra said, smiling at Maria. "I'm so proud of you for taking this step."

"Thanks," Maria said, warmth spreading through her chest. "I'm nervous, but it feels good to try something new."

Sierra handed the phone back.

"Let's see who's out there for you!" she winked.

They huddled together, giggling like teenagers as they swiped through profiles. Everything was fine until Maria's hand froze mid-swipe.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Maria?" Sierra asked. "What's wrong?"

Maria couldn't speak. Her eyes were fixed on the screen, where a familiar face smiled back at her.

The hair was grayer, and new lines creased the corners of his eyes, but there was no mistaking him.

It was Steven. Her missing, presumed-dead husband.

"It can't be," Sierra whispered, peering at the screen. "Maybe it's an old profile? Or some creep using his photos?"

"No, it's him," Maria shook her head slowly. "I'd know that smile anywhere."

Suddenly, the café felt too small and too crowded. Maria felt like she couldn't breathe anymore.

"I-I need to go," she stammered, gathering her things. "I can't stay here."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Sierra asked, reaching for her hand.

"No, I... I need to process this alone. I'll call you later."

The walk home passed in a blur. Maria's mind raced with questions, each more painful than the last. How could Steven be alive? Why had he left them? What should she do now?

Maria couldn't sleep that night. She tossed and turned as her mind replayed memories of the best moments she'd spent with Steven.

As dawn broke, Maria made a decision.

She reopened Tinder and edited her profile. She replaced her current profile picture with an old photo where her hair was dyed auburn and changed her name to "Rosa."

Then, she found Steven's profile again and swiped right.

That's the only way to find out the truth, she thought.

Over the next few days, Maria jumped every time her phone buzzed. She thought it would be him, but her hopes faded when it was some other guy trying to get in touch with her.

Finally, it happened one night. Maria was about to sleep when she heard her phone ring. She had received a new message from Steven.

Hey there, Rosa. That's a beautiful name for a beautiful woman.

Maria's hands shook as she typed her reply.

As they exchanged messages, Maria became more certain the person on the other end was indeed Steven. His sense of humor and the way he phrased things was still the same.

After a week of chatting, "Rosa" suggested meeting for dinner. Steven agreed, and they set a date for Friday night at a beachside restaurant.

On Friday evening, Maria immediately got ready after returning home from work. She wore the dress Steven had always loved.

She looked at herself as she applied her favorite red lipstick.

"You can do this," she told her reflection.

A few minutes later, Maria entered the restaurant. She immediately spotted Steven sitting alone at a corner table. Her heart raced as she walked toward him.

"Is this Steven?" she asked upon reaching his table.

Steven looked up with a smile, but it slowly faded as he realized who "Rosa" really was.

"Maria?" he gasped.

She slid into the seat across from him.

"Hello, Steven," she faked a smile. "Or should I say, 'It's nice to meet you'?"

"I... how did you..." Steven stammered, unable to form a sentence.

"I think you owe me an explanation," Maria said sternly, leaning forward. "An explanation detailing everything that happened during the past two years."

Steven's shoulders sagged. He took a long swig of his beer before meeting her eyes.

"I left because I couldn't handle it anymore," he began. "Being a husband, a father... I felt like I was failing at everything."

"So, you decided to let us think you were dead?" Maria's voice cracked.

"Yes," he nodded. "I had it all planned out with Drew. We made it look like an accident, so you'd get the life insurance. I thought... I thought you and Lola would be better off without me."

Maria stared at him in disbelief. She looked around the restaurant before her gaze locked on him again.

"How could you think abandoning your family was the right choice?" she asked. "How could you think we'd be okay without you?"

"I know it sounds crazy now," Steven said, running a hand through his hair. "But at the time, I convinced myself it was the most loving thing I could do. Give you a fresh start, financial security..."

"And what about Lola?" Maria hissed. "Do you have any idea what your 'death' did to her?"

"I never meant to hurt her," Steven said, fidgeting with his phone. "Either of you. I'm sorry, Maria. I truly am. But I stand by my decision. It was better this way."

Maria sat back and folded her arms on her chest. She looked at the man she had once loved more than life itself. Now, he was a stranger whose words didn't make sense to her.

"What do we do now?" she asked, looking straight into his eyes.

"What do you want to do?" Steven asked.

Maria thought of Lola, of the grief they had shared and the healing they had done together. She thought of the small steps she had taken towards rebuilding her life.

"I think I want you to disappear again," she said firmly. "This time for good. Lola can never know about this because it would break her heart all over again."

"I understand," Steven nodded, thinking about his daughter. "I'll leave town and you'll never hear from me again."

They sat in silence for a moment, looking at each other one last time.

"Goodbye, Steven," Maria said, standing up.

Steven remained seated, unable to look at her.

"Goodbye, Maria," he said. "I truly hope you find happiness."

As Maria walked out of the restaurant, she felt so light like she hadn't felt in years. The cool evening breeze caressed her face as tears streamed down her cheeks.

She finally got the closure she'd been looking for since the day Steven went missing. And now, she was all set to start a new chapter of her life.

Later that night, Maria sat on her bed, her laptop open before her. She logged into Tinder and navigated to her profile settings.

With a deep breath, she changed her name back to Maria and uploaded a recent photo.

I guess I can finally start dating now, she thought. No more thinking about Steven. No more wondering where he went.

The truth about Steven was painful, but Maria was glad she found out what he really felt about their relationship. She also felt grateful Lola had called her the other night and asked her to download the dating app.

Thank you, Lola, she thought. Thank you for always guiding your mother to the right path.

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This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided "as is," and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.