To those around her, it might have seemed like just another rough patch in a marriage—but for her, the breaking point was painfully clear. After one of their usual arguments, he threw out a threat to seek full custody of their son, despite rarely lifting a finger to care for him unless she pleaded. That alone left a bitter taste, but it wasn’t until she found herself violently sick with food poisoning, pregnant with their second child, that everything truly shifted.
As she lay helpless, trying to get through each wave of sickness, he chose that moment to remind her—again—that she was the reason he wasn’t making any money. That she was forcing him to take care of their toddler, as if being a present father was a punishment. The words stung. The timing stung even more.
But what hit hardest was realizing the tension had seeped into their children’s world. They could feel the heaviness. And that was enough.
Leaving was still terrifying—especially as a stay-at-home mom with no clear next steps, facing emotional abuse and financial uncertainty. But staying? That would mean showing her kids that this version of love was acceptable