When single mum Caroline Lacey, 46, met landscaper Michael Hardy, 45, through a lonely-hearts ad, it was love at first sight.
A year later, in 2014, the pair were married in a beautiful ceremony.
Caroline, a cervical cancer survivor, thought all her dreams had come true.
‘I felt like the luckiest woman in the world,’ Caroline told The Mirror newspaper tearfully.
But soon cracks started to show in their picture-perfect marriage.
Michael started staying at work late, sometimes not coming home at all.
Then, he called Caroline and told her he’d had a breakdown and was in a psychiatric facility.
Full of concern for her husband, Caroline cherished the three days a week when he was allowed to return home.
‘Looking back, I was an idiot,’ admitted Caroline. ‘He was clearly with his other woman.’
That other woman was Joanne White, who Michael had met online in August 2016.
He’d told her he was a widowed fireman.
Meanwhile, during his home visits, Caroline began noticing the same address appearing on the satellite navigation system in Michael’s van.
Deciding to investigate, Caroline walked the short distance to the address to find Michael and Joanne sitting in his van.
When Caroline confronted Michael, Joanne was confused.
‘I’m his wife!’ she protested.’We got married two weeks ago!’
‘That’s funny,’ replied Caroline. ‘Because we’ve been married for two years.’
In February this year, Michael Hardy plead guilty to bigamy before a Walsall magistrate and received a six-month suspended sentence and was ordered to carry out 120 hours community service.
Joanne has reportedly vowed to stand by her man, but Caroline is moving on with her life.
‘He’s a lying, cheating conman. I can’t believe he had the brass neck to marry someone else!’ she said.
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