The night Flynn asked for a divorce, I knew he was hiding something. But nothing could have prepared me for what I discovered when I decided to follow him.
The evening light filtered softly into our apartment, casting golden hues across the walls. I stared at a photo of Flynn and me on our wedding day. He had his arm around me, his eyes bright with that deep affection I thought would last forever. He’d always been my rock, the steady presence in my life who was endlessly patient, warm, and caring.
A grayscale photo of a bride and groom hugging | Source: Pexels
Over nearly five years of marriage, Flynn and I had built a life that looked perfect to everyone who knew us. He worked long hours as a lawyer, but we always made time for each other.
Our weekends were sacred, filled with little adventures, late-night conversations, and lazy Sundays watching reruns of shows we both knew by heart. I’d always felt secure with him, knowing that whatever challenges came our way, we’d face them together.
A silhouette of a loving couple hugging on a seashore at sunset | Source: Pexels
But recently, something changed. Flynn started coming home later, and his warmth turned cold, his patience thinning with each passing day. He’d brush me off, citing “long hours” or “catching up with friends,” but his explanations felt hollow. One night, as we lay in bed in silence, the tension grew unbearable.
“Flynn, is something going on? You’re… different,” I said softly, searching his face.
He sighed, not meeting my gaze. “Work’s just been rough, Nova. Can we not do this right now?”
A man sitting in bed | Source: Midjourney
“But you’ve been distant for weeks,” I pressed gently. “I just want to understand… to help, if I can.”
He turned away, pulling the blanket up around his shoulders. “There’s nothing to talk about,” he muttered, his voice low, final.
I reached out, trying to touch his arm, to bridge the growing distance between us. But he turned his back, pulling the blanket up as if to shut me out.
That night, I lay awake, questions swirling in my mind. Had I done something wrong? Was it just stress? Or was there something he wasn’t telling me?
A worried woman in bed | Source: Midjourney
A small, gnawing suspicion took root in my heart—a fear that Flynn was hiding something, a truth I might not be ready to face.
In the following weeks, the tension only grew. Flynn seemed to snap over the smallest things.
“Can you not leave your books everywhere?” he muttered one evening, eyeing the coffee table with irritation.
I blinked, caught off guard. “It’s just one book, Flynn. I can move it.”
But the next night, it was something else.
“Why is the laundry basket still in the hallway?” he asked sharply, his tone making me wince.
An angry man screaming | Source: Midjourney
I took a breath, trying to keep my frustration in check. “Flynn, what’s going on here? You’re on edge all the time. Just… talk to me.”
He sighed, looking away, refusing to meet my eyes. I felt the weight of his frustration hanging in the air, my anxiety mounting each night as I waited, hoping he’d finally say something—anything—to explain it all.
One Friday night, I couldn’t hold back anymore. As he walked through the door, I took a deep breath, summoning the courage to confront him.
A woman standing with her arms crossed | Source: Midjourney
“Flynn, I feel like you’re pushing me away. If there’s something I need to know, just tell me,” I said, my voice barely steady.
He turned to me, exasperation flashing in his eyes. “Nova, I can’t keep doing this. Every day, it’s the same thing! Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to feel constantly judged and questioned?”
A tired and angry man | Source: Midjourney
“Judged?” I echoed, hurt flooding my voice. “I’m not judging you. I’m just trying to understand what’s happening! You’re not the same.”
He ran a hand through his hair, his gaze cold and distant. “I can’t do this anymore, Nova. I don’t have the energy to keep up with you or this marriage. I’m just… tired.”
His words sent a chill through me. “What are you saying, Flynn?”
A startled woman | Source: Midjourney
He looked down, a sigh escaping his lips as if he were already giving up. “I think I want a divorce.”
The word hit me like a punch to the gut.
Divorce.
I stared at him, rooted to the spot, my heart shattering as he walked past me, out of the room, leaving me alone with a marriage that had suddenly unraveled. The silence was deafening, and I felt as if my entire world had just collapsed, the love I thought was forever reduced to a single, devastating word.
A heartbroken woman sitting alone and looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
Flynn left the next morning, hastily packing a bag and offering me nothing but vague explanations that only deepened my confusion. I drifted through the empty apartment like a ghost, replaying every moment we’d shared, searching for some hint, some sign that would explain why he’d left so suddenly.
One night, sitting in the silence of our apartment, I noticed his old laptop on the shelf. He’d forgotten it in his rush, and though I knew it was wrong, desperation pushed me forward.
A semi-opened laptop lying on a plain surface | Source: Pexels
I opened it and started scrolling through his messages, hoping for anything that would shed light on what had happened. That’s when I found them: a string of messages with someone he’d saved under the name “Love.”
My heart raced as I read their exchange, each line filling me with a sickening realization. The messages were intimate, affectionate, and filled with inside jokes and plans.
Flynn hadn’t been working late or simply catching up with friends; he’d been confiding in someone else, someone who wasn’t me.
A closeup shot of a shocked woman looking at her laptop screen | Source: Midjourney
My hands shook as I kept scrolling, piecing together a picture of betrayal. Flynn had left me for another woman. There was no explanation for what I saw, there couldn’t be.
My stomach twisted with anger and heartbreak. I read one message that mentioned a meet-up at a quiet café across town—the same place Flynn and I used to go to every Friday. “Can’t wait to see you tomorrow evening. 7 p.m. Same place. Don’t keep me waiting, Love.”
Rage mixed with sorrow as I grabbed my keys.
Car keys lying on a black surface | Source: Pexels
I had to know who this “Love” was, who he’d chosen over me. I was determined to find out, to confront them both, no matter how much it hurt.
I parked across from the café, watching the door with a mixture of dread and anticipation. My heart pounded as I saw Flynn enter, his familiar figure now feeling foreign to me.
He looked around, a glint of anticipation in his eyes that I hadn’t seen in months. My hands clenched around the steering wheel as I waited, holding my breath.
A woman sitting in a car with her hands clenched around the steering wheel | Source: Midjourney
Then, another figure walked in. My heart caught in my throat as I realized who it was that my husband had decided to leave me for.
But it wasn’t a woman. To my utter dismay, It was Benji, Flynn’s best friend.
My world tilted as I watched them. Flynn’s face lit up as Benji approached, and they embraced in a way that went beyond friendship. Flynn looked at Benji with an expression I hadn’t seen in months; an expression filled with warmth and happiness.
A closeup shot of a gay couple embracing | Source: Pexels
I sat frozen, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. This wasn’t just friendship; it was something deeper. Flynn was in love—with Benji.
All those late nights, the distance, the anger—everything made sense now. My chest tightened with a mix of betrayal and a strange sense of understanding.
For days, I moved through life in a haze, trying to process the reality of our relationship. Part of me wanted to confront him, to demand answers, but I realized that I already had them.
A thoughtful woman sitting in her room alone at night | Source: Midjourney
Flynn’s actions made sense now, painful as they were. He’d been running from himself, and in the process, he’d run from me too.
As I tried to make sense of it all, I began to understand that this wasn’t about me. Flynn had been living a life that felt like a lie, hiding a part of himself out of fear. I felt a strange sense of sadness and relief, knowing that the man I’d loved wasn’t leaving because of something I’d done, but because he needed to find himself.
A man with bruised knuckles covering his face with his hands | Source: Pexels
Then, one evening, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Flynn. “Nova, can we meet? I think I owe you an explanation.”
His message startled me. Had he seen me outside the café?
Maybe he hadn’t.
But if he really hadn’t, then why bother reaching out to me all of a sudden? The last we saw each other, he wanted nothing to do with me. So why text me out of nowhere after everything that had happened?
A closeup shot of a woman using her phone | Source: Pexels
“Breathe, Nova. Breathe!” I told myself.
I knew there was only one way to find out all the answers and calm my inner turmoil. I agreed to see Flynn.
We met the next day at a small park near our apartment, the same place we used to take walks and share quiet conversations.
Flynn approached slowly, his face filled with regret and sadness. He looked older and wearier as if the weight of his secrets had finally caught up with him.
An emotional man standing in a park | Source: Midjourney
“Nova,” he started softly, his voice filled with sorrow, “I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I know what you saw… and I should have told you.”
I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. “Flynn, I would have tried to understand. I could have been there for you.”
He looked down, his voice a whisper. “I didn’t even understand it myself until recently. I thought… I thought I could get past everything, you know. And just be the husband you deserve.”
His voice broke, and he looked away, struggling to contain his emotions.
A man looking away while sitting on a bench in a park | Source: Midjourney
I blinked back tears, my voice barely a whisper. “Flynn, you spent so long hiding this part of yourself. You didn’t have to.”
He nodded, wiping his eyes. “I didn’t want to hurt you, Nova. You were my best friend. But hiding who I am… it was hurting both of us. Benji helped me realize that I couldn’t keep pretending.”
We sat in silence, both grieving the life we’d shared and the love we’d once had.
“I just wish you’d trusted me enough to tell me,” I finally whispered, my heart aching with the truth that had been hidden between us.
A woman looking a bit concerned and emotional while sitting on a bench in a park | Source: Midjourney
“Nova, I didn’t know how to tell you.” Flynn paused to take a breath, struggling to find the right words. “I didn’t know if you’d understand. It was much easier to blame you than face the truth. And I’m sorry for putting you through hell.”
“What you did to us hurt really bad. But if I’d known the reason, if you’d trusted me enough with everything, we wouldn’t be here having this difficult conversation.”
I watched Flynn shift beside me as I said those words. My response had made him uneasy, but I had to get it all out of my system.
A sad man sitting on a bench in a park | Source: Midjourney
In the weeks that followed, I found a strange sense of peace settling over me. I cleared out the apartment, taking down our photos and packing away memories that no longer felt like they belonged to me. Each day, I found myself letting go a little more, the weight of betrayal fading as acceptance took its place.
Flynn and I spoke occasionally, both of us healing in our own ways, finding comfort in the closure that had come with his honesty. One afternoon, as we finalized the last details of our separation, he looked at me, his eyes filled with gratitude.
A man looking at someone with gratitude and warmth | Source: Midjourney
“Thank you, Nova,” he said softly. “For everything. You helped me more than you’ll ever know.”
I managed a smile, feeling a strange warmth amid the sadness. “Despite everything that happened, I hope you find happiness, Flynn. I really do.”
“I wish the same for you, Nova. I hope you find someone who can love you for who you are and always hold your hand. You deserve nothing but the best.” And with those words, Flynn smiled my favorite smile, the one I had always loved, and wrapped his arms around me.
A man and woman sharing an emotional hug | Source: Midjourney
For some reason, his embrace felt different, like being close to a person who had once beenyour whole world but was even more distant than a stranger now.
“So, I guess it’s goodbye then?” I asked, dreading the moment those words came out of my mouth.
I knew that after today, I won’t see Flynn again. He and Benji planned to leave town and start a new life, a detail Flynn had accidentally mentioned while talking on the phone with him one day, not realizing I was around, listening.
A red car on a road | Source: Unsplash
“Yes, it is, Nova. But we can stay in touch. You take care of yourself!”
As he walked away, I felt a lightness I hadn’t known in months. Moving forward felt possible now, and as I began piecing my life back together, I realized I’d gained something unexpected: a quiet strength, a resilience that would carry me through.
With each passing day, I grew stronger, slowly finding peace in the new life unfolding before me. Flynn had left, but in doing so, he had set us both free. And for the first time in months, I knew I would be okay.
A smiling woman standing on her front porch | Source: Midjourney
Тhis Вridе Finishеd Knitting Неr Wеdding Drеss 4 Dаys Веfоrе Тhе Wеdding, Dосumеntеd Тhе Еntirе Рrосеss Аnd Shаrеd It Оnlinе
Weddings are some of the most beautiful celebrations one can experience in their life (usually). The deep connection between two lovers taking physical form in a ceremonious act for all to see is one that a lot of couples look forward to.
However, it also comes with months upon months of planning, stress, and even more planning. The one thing that a bride cannot go without—the special dress. Whether it be white, maroon, black, fluffy, frilly, or form-fitting, it must make the wearer feel likе the most beautiful woman in the whole entire world.
Some brides take the plunge of crafting their own dresses, be it for the challenge, for the love of the craft, or both. Today we delve into the story of Veronika Lindberg Heino, or Kika, who knitted her special gown for her big day in 6 weeks. She was kind enough to answer some of Bored Panda’s questions so let’s get into it!
Veronika Lindberg Heino, better known by her nickname Kika, decided to take up the challenge of knitting her own stunning wedding dress
Image credits: kutovakika
If you were given 2.5 kg of yarn and 250 hours, what would you create? Mayhaps a blanket, mayhaps a 3D portrait, or maybe a knitted wedding dress. Seeing as you clicked on this article for a very particular reason, you probably know by now that we’ll be speaking about the last option.
Opening herself to the challenge was Veronika Lindberg Heino, better known by her nickname Kika, who documented the birth of her special white dress, sharing the ups and downs with her followers on Instagram (which she started in 2017) and YouTube.
This project came about when she and her husband-to-be were both moving house and planning an impromptu wedding, making for a very stressful 7 weeks
Image credits: kutovakika
For what was already an intense project, life decided to add an extra bit of *spice*: they were moving house and planning their wedding, happening 7 weeks later, at the same time, so why not add in a project of great significance on top of it all? Unless you’re as skiIIed as Kika, I wouldn’t recommend it!
“I do love a challenge and I’m often a little bit over-ambitious, and the thought felt so wild and inspiring that I just decided to take the risk and do it,” the Finland-based knitter told Good Morning America (GMA). “I ordered 2.5 kg of pure silk yarn and announced my crazy plan on Instagram, and knew right then, there was no turning back anymore.”
She ordered 2.5 kg of pure silk yarn and announced her plans to her followers on Instagram, getting the project officially started with no way to turn back
Image credits: kutovakika
Kika based her design around Dior, Chanel, and Ulla Johnson’s dresses. She then sketched and planned the patterns. After all that, the knitting began!
Image credits: kutovakika
Nothing worth doing ever comes easy. It was a struggle finding time to knit in between moving, planning the wedding, and publishing her first book
Image credits: kutovakika
Instead of throwing Kika off balance, this added project seemed to have the opposite effect: it kept her grounded through the tumultuous time, at least for a while. Nothing worth doing comes easy, and this project was no exception, especially as she’d never knitted a dress before.
“The process was definitely intense, and the biggest struggle was to find enough time for knitting since we were in the process of moving and organizing the wedding at the same time,” said Kika. “Plus I published my first-ever knitting book, so it was definitely hectic. But, I also enjoyed it immensely and loved seeing my vision come to life in the process.”
Image credits: kutovakika
Then a big setback occured—her bodice was far too big, requiring her to rip it all up and start again. Her sleeves then kept slipping off, which took lots of time to fix
Image credits: kutovakika
Glaring issues started appearing about two weeks in when Kika had finished the bodice and tried it on for the first time—it was way too big. Disappointed, but not defeated, the bride-to-be ripped it all up, starting all over again, describing it as “a tough and frustrating moment where some tears were shed.”
One more issue came along with the slippy sleeves that kept on slipping, revealing a tad bit too much, which Kika found hilarious yet time-consuming to fix. “I made sure to film all my mistakes so I could be real and honest with my viewers, rather than only showing them the picture-perfect moments,” she told Insider.
Not having any other option (you typically can’t just go and buy a dress off the rack, as those require alterations, which take a long time), she kept moving forward until it was one week til the wedding. Encouraging messages from her followers kept her spirits up, the promise she’d made to the project at the very beginning providing her with a sense of accountability.
However, “the biggest motivator was definitely seeing for myself if I could pull my idea and vision off, and the thought of having the dress as a memory for life really kept me going, too.”
But all that didn’t deter her! Just 4 days before the big day, the dress was finished and Kika got to have a well-deserved rest
Image credits: kutovakika
Everything was done. She finished her dress on Tuesday, feeling more tired and frustrated than elated, but once she put it on for the ceremony, she couldn’t have been happier with the end result.
Kika got married to her husband Jukka Heino on Saturday, September 10, at their new home (which inspired the cottage-themed wedding tone), just 4 days after she’d finished her dress. Although her partner was a bit more skeptical about her last-minute knitting project, “in the end, he was super impressed and proud of me, and thought it looked really good too,” Kika said.
Image credits: kutovakika
Kika told Bored Panda that they’d met back in Spring of 2020, when she moved back home to Finland from London, as the pandemic put the world in lockdown. “Just a few months after moving back I met Juki and for our first date we walked around in Helsinki for hours since all cafés and bars were closed due to the restrictions,” she said.
“I was immediately drawn to his humor and often colorful stories of his adventures which made me laugh, and of course I found him really handsome. I think he was drawn to my enthusiasm, something we both have in common and my positive attitude towards life.”
She married Jukka Heino on Saturday, September 10, at their new home. Everyone loved her dress, praising her for all the effort she’d put into it
Image credits: kutovakika
“Over the course of the day, guests would come up to me and immediately feel the dress and comment on it. It sometimes felt likе they were more interested in the dress than in me, but I love talking about knitting, so I didn’t mind too much,” she told Insider.
The entire process demanded around 45 days, roughly 250 hours, and 1.5 kg of pure silk yarn, costing 300 euros, or around $295, which is a bargain when it comes to wedding dresses, which go for $1,800 on average. Her 149k followers on Instagram absolutely loved the journey, jumping in with suggestions and support any time she needed it.
The entire process demanded around 45 days, roughly 250 hours, and 1.5 kg of pure silk yarn, costing 300 euros, or around $295
Image credits: kutovakika
The 46-minute vlog of the whole journey posted on YouTube has garnered over 3.4M views, quickly becoming the highlight of her channel, which has over 253k subscribers that look forward to her knitting tutorials. “I’m absolutely amazed by all the positive attention the video and my dress has gotten, wow!” said Kika.
“I’ve received messages from people all over the world telling me I’ve inspired them to take up knitting again or to learn it, which makes me so glad. I’m also proud that I’ve maybe been able to push the boundaries and show what is possible using knitting.”
According to Kika, “knitting was actually done primarily by men at some point in history, so the fact that knitting nowadays is associated with something mostly feminine hasn’t always been the case.” Knitting is not just for grandmas, y’all!
The 46-minute vlog of the entire process garnered over 3.4M views on YouTube, inspiring hundreds of people to take up or go back to the craft
Image credits: kutovakika
What began as a bonding activity with her grandma when she was 5 years old has become a lifestyle, bringing together likе-minded people from all over the world. The one lesson she’d always kept was to be playful with the craft, rather than searching for perfection.
“With knitting there are a lot of ‘rules’ or principles that come with the territory which sometimes can make it feel likе you’re not doing things the right way,” she told Bored Panda. “My grandmother always encouraged me to make things without getting hung up on perfection, being creative and playful was more important.”
She hopes her followers and those who jumped on the bandwagon to see the final dress get inspired to embrace creative projects they might feel tempted to try—“even if it might feel a bit ambitious, I say go for it!”
We wish Kika and Jukka all the best for their future together and can’t wait to see what’s coming up for them next!
Image credits: kutovakika
A post-pandemic resurgence of knitting is a very welcome sight for many who are getting into arts and crafts for the first time or returning back to the familiar time-passing activity. Recent research shows that knitting has a measurable effect on calming anxiety, relieving stress, and aiding with chronic pain, as well as helping one build a community of friends. And you end up with a cute hat and mittens in the meantime!
“I think knitting as a craft teaches you a lot about patience and really makes you think about what kind of garments you most likе to wear,” Kika said. “When you’re going to spend 40-60 hours making a sweater, you really want to make sure it’s something that is going to stay in your wardrobe for a long time, which makes knitting a very sustainable practice, too.”
Honestly, what’s not to love!? We wish Kika and Jukka all the best for their future together and hope to see many more exciting knitting projects! Let us know your thoughts on the dress in the comments below, and I shall see you in the next one!
People have absolutely loved this project and the final dress. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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