I Texted “I Miss You” to My Girlfriend But Sent It to My Ex-Wife by Mistake, I Cried When I Read the Reply

Just a minute later, before I could take back the message, my ex-wife texted back.

I used to think that after the divorce, everything would be fine. Grace was my ex-wife. She left quietly in Manila, and I quickly started a new relationship. But ironically, my current girlfriend… is also named Grace.

Although they have the same name, their personalities are completely opposite. My ex-wife was calm, quiet, somewhat tough and independent to the point that I sometimes felt redundant in my old rented house in Quezon City. The current Grace is gentle, youthful, smiling and knows how to make me want to protect her.

We were planning to get married, but unexpectedly an unexpected incident happened that made me confused. That day, I took my girlfriend out to dinner at a small restaurant on Tomas Morato Street and then walked around Timog. After dropping her off at home, I drove back to my apartment in Makati, opened my laptop to finish some work. In the middle of chatting with my partner on Facebook, I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t texted Grace goodnight as usual.

Without thinking much, I quickly typed the familiar message:

– Good night. I miss you.

I pressed send as usual. But a few seconds later, my heart skipped a beat. That message… didn’t go to my girlfriend, but to my ex-wife.

I stared at the screen. Grace’s name (ex-wife) was at the top of the chat list; her profile picture was a gray background, her head tilted slightly, her expression calm. Coincidentally, my girlfriend had just changed her profile picture this morning with a similar color scheme. While my mind was busy with work, I just glanced at the familiar name, didn’t pay attention to the middle name behind, saw a glimpse of the profile picture and pressed send.

The words “seen” appeared. I just wanted to take it all back—not just that message, but also the feeling of awkwardness and confusion that rose in my heart. But just a minute later, before I could take it back, my ex-wife texted back. Her reply was very calm
– I know that message wasn’t for me, because after we got married, you never texted me like that again. But after reading it, my heart still ached.

I was stunned. Not just because I sent it by mistake, but because that very phrase “I miss you”—a seemingly simple, even somewhat cheesy sentence—had never been said or texted to her even once during the four years we lived together in a small room near Katipunan.

I used to blame Grace (my ex-wife) for being too independent, not knowing how to act spoiled or show weakness to need her husband. But now that I think about it, I realize that I also didn’t say many kind words or show my concern. I suddenly understood: she was strong because she couldn’t rely on anyone; independent because she couldn’t rely on a partner like me. It turned out that the indifferent, cold person wasn’t her—it was me.

The phone vibrated again. The second message from my ex-wife appeared:

– I don’t blame you. If time could go back, I would still marry you. In this life, I have never regretted marrying you… because you showed me what love was like.

I read that message over and over again, my heart aching. Not a single word of reproach, not a single sentence of criticism—just a gentleness that hurt. Amidst the brokenness, you still kept a beautiful place for me in your memories. As for me, it was only now that I realized how much of a kind woman I had lost.

After a moment of hesitation, I texted back:

– Thank you for being the most beautiful youth of my life. I’m sorry for sending the wrong message, and I’m also sorry for hurting you. I hope that in the future you will meet a better man than me and live happily.

After that message, Grace did not reply.

I put down the phone and sat quietly in my apartment overlooking the buildings in Legazpi Village. Outside, Manila was lit up; people were probably still busy with appointments and new love stories. As for me, sitting between the present and memories, I realized that there are things that we can only see their full value after they have passed.

I also know that the past cannot be erased, but the present is worth preserving. I once lost someone because of my carelessness and rashness. Now, I wish for nothing more than to learn to cherish the person by my side, so as not to repeat the same mistakes.

And my ex-wife—Grace—will always be a part of my memory, not to regret, but to remind me to live better: for the present, for the person holding my hand, and for a future that this time, I will not let slip away.