The Day I Realised I’d Lived with a Monster
For eleven years, I thought I had a family. A wife, two children, a house, a life thatfrom the outsidelooked perfectly normal. We had dinner together, handled daily chores, attended the kids events. A flawless routine.
But deep down, I knew something was wrong.
Somewhere along the way, my wife and I had stopped being a couple. We werent partners, we werent in love. Not even enemies. Just two strangers sharing the same house, bound only by daily responsibilities. We didnt argue, but we didnt talk either. Our conversations had become mechanicalbills, groceries, the childrens schedules.
I grew used to it. Because it was comfortable.
Until I met *her*.
A different woman. Warm, alive, full of energy. A woman who looked at me as if I were the only man in the world. I tried to lie to myself, to call it a passing fancy, a whim.
But the fire inside me wouldnt die.
Soon, she became my refuge, my escape from a life that suffocated me. We hid, stealing moments together. And for the first time in years, I felt alive.
But secrets dont stay hidden forever. One evening, after we made love, she looked me in the eye and said:
*”I wont stay a secret forever. Either were truly together, or I walk away now.”*
Her words echoed in my mind for days. I knew I couldnt delay the inevitable.
*The Conversation That Ruined My Life*
That night, after the children were asleep, I walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. My wife was there, scrolling on her phone, barely noticing me.
I cleared my throat. *”We need to talk.”*
She sighed and glanced up, bored.
*”I cant live like this anymore,”* I said. *”I dont love you. Havent for a long time. I want a new life. But Ill always be there for the kids.”*
I expected shouting. Tears. Recriminations.
What she did was far worse.
She said nothing. Slowly, she stood, walked to the hall closet, and pulled out two large suitcases.
Then she dropped them at my feet.
*”Take them,”* she said, her voice icy.
I blinked, confused. *”I dont need that much. A rucksack will do.”*
Then she smiled. Not a sad smile, not an angry one. A strange, calculated grin, full of satisfaction I didnt understand.
*”You said youd take care of the kids, didnt you?”* she whispered. *”Then Ill pack their things too. From now on, youre the family.”*
My breath caught.
*”What what are you saying?”*
She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, studying me like she was waiting for me to crumble.
*”Im done with this life. Ive been a good wife. Ive sacrificed enough. Now its my turn. Ill find someone else. And without children, itll be much easier.”*
I froze.
*”Youre joking,”* I said slowly.
She gave a short laugh.
*”Did you think I didnt know? That I hadnt noticed you coming home late? That you never looked at me anymore? I knew. I always knew. I was just waiting for the right moment.”*
She picked up her phone, typed a quick message, and smiled again. But not at me.
In that moment, I understood.
I thought I was making the choices. But shed already made them for us both. I was playing chessshed moved the queen and left me with no moves.
*Trapped in a Nightmare I Cant Wake From*
And now here I am.
One woman is asking me to choose. Another has already chosen for me.
Do I take my children and knock on my lovers door, praying she wont turn me away? Or do I stay in this house thats no longer mine, with the woman who just showed me her darkest side?
I dont know the right answer.
Maybe there isnt one.
But one things certain.
For eleven years, I thought I knew my wife.
Tonight, I realised Id been living with a monster.
