15/10/2025
My husband mocked me, asking, "Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror?" as I juggled our three kids — he missed the storm that would follow.
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I'm 35F, and truly thought Dorian, my husband, was predictable. I was mistaken.
At 28, we married. He had wit, was attentive, made me feel loved. Our first home was small, with our golden retriever Whiskey.
Then, three children under seven, with Finn, the newborn, now a month old.
Life was a cycle: feeding, changing, fighting, meals when possible.
Showers, makeup, and hair care vanished. I functioned on energy drinks and baby wipes. Dorian, meanwhile, criticized and kept his distance.
He declared: "HAVE YOU EVEN LOOKED AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR?! LOOK AT YOURSELF! YOU'RE LIKE A SCARECROW!"
The next day, a message at work:
"I WISH YOU'D DRESS MORE LIKE MY EX MELINDA! She always looked good. Tight dresses, heels, hair done, makeup on point. YOU ALWAYS LOOK LIKE YOU JUST ROLLED OUT OF BED! I miss being with a woman who actually tried."
Messy-haired, spit-up covered, toddler grasping my leg.
The weeks trudged by. Then, his laptop was left open. A notification sent my heart plummeting.
At his birthday dinner, he waited for roast duck.
I set down an ENVELOPE instead.
He opened it, color draining from his cheeks. I stated, "Happy Birthday. Consider IT your gift. I HOPE YOU FINALLY HAD YOUR FILL!" ⬇️⬇️⬇️