Fed up With My Husband’s Disrespect, I Left but My Car Broke Down, Forcing Me Into a Motel That Changed Everything — Story of the Day
“Well, he doesn’t hit you, he doesn’t cheat, he doesn’t drink. What are you complaining about?” I had heard this phrase so many times that I could recite it in my sleep.
My friends, my parents, even my colleagues—everyone repeated it as if it were some universal truth.
I had spent my whole life struggling against this unfairness, questioning it silently.
But in the end, I had followed the rules anyway. Because that was what I was taught.
Now, with the kids grown and out of the house, it was just me and Tony. And suddenly, the truth was impossible to ignore.
“You don’t clean well enough.” “You never learned to cook like my mother.” “You should do more.”
The words cut deep, not because they were new, but because they never stopped.
I worked just as much as he did. I earned more than him. And yet, after a long day, I scrubbed floors, washed dishes, and folded laundry while he sat on the couch, watching TV, acting as if I owed him something.
One evening, Tony sprawled out in front of the television again. “Carmen!” his voice boomed from the living room.
I sighed. My hands were covered in flour from kneading dough. I wiped them on my apron and kept working. “What?” I called back.
“Come here! Right now!” he barked.
I clenched my jaw and walked into the living room. Tony sprawled on the couch, he didn’t even look at me.
“What do you want?” I asked, crossing my arms.
He pointed at the television. “Why is there dust on the TV?”
I let out a short laugh. “If you don’t like it, clean it yourself.”
Tony scoffed. “Who’s the woman in this house? Me or you?” He shook his head. “I’m tired from work.”
“So am I,” I said. “I did the laundry. I’m making dinner. You’re sitting there doing nothing.”
He waved a hand. “Stop making excuses. That’s your duty! Sarah from work has a job too, but she still does everything at home. And she looks amazing, while you—” He gestured at me. “You’ve let yourself go.”
The words hit hard. They weren’t new, but this time, something in me snapped. I ripped off my apron and threw it onto the floor.
