When Oliver handed me $100 and told me to make Christmas “work,” I’d had enough. After years of selfishness, I decided to show him what happens when you treat your wife like an afterthought.
Raising our three kids as a stay-at-home mom was exhausting, but what I needed most was a supportive partner. Oliver, once the perfect husband, changed after our first child, Ellie, was born. He stopped helping with parenting and prioritized his own wants over the family.
One Christmas, Oliver planned to leave for a football match abroad, leaving me with $100 to handle everything for the holidays. “It’s about the spirit of Christmas,” he said. I was furious but agreed to stretch that money as far as it would go.
I bought a small turkey, a few decorations, and some basic gifts, then invited both families to show Oliver what “making it work” looked like. When he returned, proud of his trip, I revealed what he’d left me: a modest spread and frozen pies.
The room was shocked. Oliver’s family scolded him for his thoughtlessness. Then, I pulled out divorce papers. “I can’t do this anymore,” I said. Despite his promises to change, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. I walked away, finally ready to put my kids and myself first.
This Christmas marked the end of one chapter and the start of a new, better life.
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