Before the wedding, he carried me in his arms, but after—it was like he stopped loving me.
When I first met Oliver, I thought I’d hit the jackpot. He was the kind of man you read about in romance novels—attentive, affectionate, caring. He didn’t just show interest in me—he lived for me. Daily calls, multiple times: “How are you feeling?” “Did you wear something warm?” “Have you eaten today?” If the sky darkened and rain started, he’d already be waiting outside my office with an umbrella. Every morning, a fresh bouquet—tulips, roses, daisies—appeared on my desk. My coworkers were jealous, and I could hardly believe my luck.
He wrapped me in warmth. We’d stroll through the streets at night, hand in hand, chatting about nothing like kids. Then he proposed—classic, with a ring, down on one knee at the café where we had our first date. He even traveled to meet my parents in Manchester—that’s how serious he was. Back then, I floated on air, like I wasn’t living my life but watching a film where I was the leading lady.
But the fairy tale ended the moment we left the registry office.
At first, the changes were subtle. The morning texts vanished. His casual “How’s my love?” calls stopped. The flowers disappeared as if they’d never existed. Kisses became routine—something he did out of obligation, not passion. Before, he couldn’t take his eyes off me. Now, it was like he didn’t even see me.
And at home… he just checked out. Where he once jumped at any task, offering to help, now he’d sigh, “Just call a handyman,” or worse, “You wanted it—you deal with it.” He wouldn’t wash a dish, sweep the floor—hammering a nail became a full-blown drama. And yet, before the wedding, he’d bragged he could build a house with his bare hands.
I don’t understand what’s wrong. I haven’t changed. I’m still the same—slim, well-kept, pretty. Men still glance at me in the street. But him? It’s like I’ve lost all meaning to him. Like I’ve become background noise… something he no longer notices.
Mum says, “That’s just how marriage is. The registry office isn’t about romance. What matters is he’s got a job, brings in money. Doesn’t drink, doesn’t stray. Be grateful for what you have.” But I can’t accept that. I refuse to share my life with a man who just *exists* beside me. I want to feel loved—not like some well-kept convenience.
Last night, I tried to catch his eye. He didn’t notice. He was glued to his phone, scrolling, smiling at the screen. And in that moment, something inside me twisted: What if there’s someone else? Maybe that’s the key—his coldness, his indifference, the way he’s pulled away. Could he have betrayed me?
I don’t want to believe it. But what if I’m right?
How do I even bring it up? How do I drag the truth out of him? Because I still love him. Despite everything—I love him. I don’t want to hand him to another woman. But if he’s cheated, I don’t think I could forgive that. Girls who’ve been through this—what do I do when the man before and after the wedding are two entirely different people? How do I break free from feeling like just another piece of furniture in his life? I don’t know what to do… but I can’t stay silent anymore.
