The Day I Realised Id Been Living with a Monster
For eleven years, I thought I had a family. A wife, two children, a homea life that, from the outside, looked utterly ordinary. We ate dinner together, handled daily chores, attended the childrens school events. A perfect 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, lovers, or even enemies. Just two strangers sharing a house, bound only by duty. We never argued, but we no longer spoke. Our conversations became mechanicalbills, groceries, the childrens schedules.
And I grew used to it. Because it was easy.
Until I met her.
A different woman. Warm, alive, brimming with 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.
But the fire inside me wouldnt die.
Soon, she became my refuge, my escape from a life that suffocated me. We stole moments in secret, hidden away. And for the first time in years, I felt alive.
But secrets dont stay buried. One evening, after wed made love, she looked into my eyes and said:
*I wont be hidden forever. Either were together properly, or this ends now.*
Her words echoed in my mind for days. I couldnt delay the inevitable any longer.
The Conversation That Shattered My Life
That night, after the children were asleep, I walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. My wife was there, scrolling through 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. I havent for a long time. I want a new life. But Ill always be there for the children.*
I expected shouting, tears, accusations.
What came was far worse.
She said nothing. Slowly, she stood up, walked to the hall cupboard, and pulled out two large suitcases.
Then she dropped them at my feet.
*Take them,* she said, her voice cold.
I blinked, confused.
*I dont need that much. A rucksack will do.*
Then she smiled. Not sadly, not angrilybut with a strange, calculated satisfaction I didnt understand.
*You said youd take care of the children, 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, watching me as if 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 let out a sharp laugh.
*Did you think I didnt know? That I hadnt noticed you coming home late? That you stopped looking at me? I always knew. I was just waiting for the right moment.*
She pulled out her phone, typed a quick message, and smiled againbut not at me.
In that moment, I understood.
I thought I was the one making decisions. But she had already decided for both of us. I was playing chess, and she had already moved the queen, leaving me with no way out.
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 here, in a house thats no longer mine, with the woman who just showed me her darkest face?
I dont know the right answer.
Maybe there isnt one.
But one thing I know for certain.
For eleven years, I thought I knew my wife.
Tonight, I realised Id been living with a monster.
