They were a couple who lived more than 5,500 miles apart and only able to communicate via message or video call, but their romance got very serious, very quickly.
William Hargrove lived in Albany, Oregon, while Anna Repkina was in Moscow, Russia. They’d never met in person but a few months after connecting online, William and Anna were talking about taking a leap of faith at Christmas and starting a future together.
After splitting from her boyfriend of seven years, caring Anna had been looking for love when she met William on a Russian social networking site. They seemed to have lots in common, including a love of music and live gigs, and William loved her affectionate nature and sense of humour. Anna worked hard in her office job, but she also dreamed of settling down, getting married and having a family. William seemed to be offering her everything she had ever wanted.
It was 2016, and William, then 26, a bouncer and mechanic, convinced Anna, 27, to fly to the US with talk about magical days they could spend together in the snow, snuggling up in front of roaring fires and enjoying a magical Christmas. They could find out whether their feelings were real.
Anna fell for it hook, line and sinker. She agreed to travel to the US to spend the festive season with him, bravely booking flights and taking a chance on love. Anna was looking forward to finding out more about her new boyfriend – not knowing he was hiding a pretty huge secret. William was already in a relationship with someone else.
Michelle Chavez was married with two kids when she met William, but her marriage was on the rocks. She started an affair with William and, bizarrely, let him move into the family home by renting him the spare room.
Denne historien er fra January 04, 2021-utgaven av New UK.
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Denne historien er fra January 04, 2021-utgaven av New UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CAN LINDA SINK ANY FURTHER?
EastEnders' troubled Linda Carter hits the bottle again and faces some tough love when friends fear she has reached rock bottom
STAKING THEIR REPUTATION
Pals Stephen Mulhern and Holly Willoughby have teamed up to bring Saturday night TV classic You Bet! back to our screens
SOOTHE YOUR WINTER SKIN
From dry flaky skin to chapped lips, the colder weather brings with it a host of issues for your skin. Here's what can help
WE FEEL SO GRATEFUL
Emma Eyre, 39, says her nine-yearold daughter Eden is excited about Christmas this year, thanks to the team at Great Ormond Street Hospital who helped her after she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer
'Sickness didn't stop the season of goodwill'
Christmas is for spending time with loved ones, but some families have to navigate hospital stays while trying to keep the festive magic alive
Time to say no to phones for kids?
Brianna Ghey's mum speaks out about her daughter's murder as she shares her fears over children using smartphones
'I hope I will find true love again'
Two years after splitting from her fiancé, broadcaster Vanessa Feltz tells new about her wishes for Christmas and the future
I finally feel like I've figured myself out
The X Factor's Janet Devlin on her mental health struggles and new country album
Coleen 'won't forgive Becky'
As Rebekah Vardy appears to offer an olive branch to her nemesis, a source tells new that Coleen Rooney will never get over their dispute
´All I want is a beautiful baby with Jordan'
Sophie Kasaei chats about the obstacles that have got in the way of her plans to have a baby with Jordan Brook
