Pen pals who got married after Zoom divorce after 3 months

The first-ever Zoom bride has now become the first-ever Zoom divorcee.

British housekeeper Ayse Reeves, 26, has revealed she split from her American husband Darrin Martin, 24, three months after getting married via webcam – and they still haven’t met in person .

“I tried again to make things work because I didn’t want to be 26 with a divorce, but I couldn’t trust him,” Reeves revealed to The Sun on Tuesday, accusing her estranged husband of having an affair. . “It wasn’t the fairy tale ending I was hoping for.”

Reeves and Martin — a Detroit-based factory worker — first went online in July 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The couple met through a Facebook group connecting digital pen pals around the world and they quickly transitioned from messaging to video chatting. In November 2020, Martin officially asked Reeves to be his girlfriend.

Due to travel restrictions imposed amid the pandemic, the couple were unable to travel to meet in person.

However, their love for each other has only grown stronger, with Martin getting down on his knees via video chat in July 2021 to propose to a delighted Reeves.

With the blessing of their families, they took advantage of a new law in Utah legalizing international virtual wedding ceremonies and they got married via Zoom on August 19 last year.

However, Reeves’ joy was short-lived, with the newlywed becoming suspicious of her hubby just weeks after their virtual nuptials.

“I felt like something was wrong, and every time I asked him he denied anything was going on,” Reeves told The Sun. “[But] I then got to know an ex-girlfriend he had called Liz. And, after I got in touch with her, she messaged me on Facebook saying, “Yes, I’m sleeping with your husband, and we’re together.”

Reeves claims that Martin then tried to fix things, but the trust between them was lost. The Briton has now filed an annulment ‘citing non-consummation’ as the reason for the marriage ending.

“I don’t want to make him a horrible person,” Reeves said. “I know I wasn’t perfect. We had normal relationship fights and ups and downs, but I think what hurt the most was that we overcame so many obstacles to be able to get married.

Martin also spoke with The Sun, refusing to reveal whether he had cheated on his UK-based fiancée – but admitting he was already in a new relationship after the breakup.

“I’m sad to see it end, but with the distance it was just too hard and it got expensive,” he said. “I reconnected with my first love and rekindled things, so I thought it would be easier for both of us that way.”

Meanwhile, Reeves says the split has had a profound effect on her mental health – despite the fact that she’s still never met her soon-to-be ex-husband.

“I was obviously heartbroken,” she confessed with emotion. “I had planned out my life and had invested so much in marriage and making it work, so I felt like my whole world had been pulled from below me and I didn’t really know what to do. by myself.”

“I have a tattoo on my forearm of his poetry and plan to have it covered up,” the abandoned bride continued. “When it’s done and the paperwork is done, I’ll feel like I can have a fresh start.”

Reeves’ pals are even planning a “divorce party” for the cleaner when the paperwork is finally finalized.

And although she’s not currently in the headspace to start a new relationship, the Briton says her next love is sure to be a local.

“I know I will meet someone who suits me, but this time they will definitely be in the UK,” she promised. “I will not date anyone online again.”