Maya anticipates a warm welcome, laughter, and perhaps even love during the birthday dinner that her husband is hosting. A single statement, on the other hand, shatters the illusion of her marriage, leaving her with a choice: either she must remain quiet or she must reclaim the life that she had never intended to give up.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lucas on a blustery October evening, the type of night that caused your cheeks to tingle from the cold. On the beach, a bonfire was burning, and its flames were jumping into the smoky air because of the salt. The way the light caught in his eyes, flashing as if he had eaten a portion of that fire, is something that I will never forget. The warmth, ease, and disarming quality of his chuckle carried over the crackling of the wood that was burning.

Because of his presence, you felt compelled to lean in closer to him, as if he were trying to reveal a secret to you. Even if you were to say anything that was awkward or ridiculous, he would interpret it as if it were music to his ears.

Lucas observed things that others failed to see right from the beginning. He committed to memory the manner in which I had my coffee, which was non-sweet and light, as well as the fact that I microwaved my chocolate chip muffins for precisely eight seconds, causing the chocolate to melt. Not long ago, while I was suffering from the illness, he unexpectedly arrived to my house with a bowl of homemade chicken soup and remained there until I fell asleep.

It never had anything to do with great gestures. And it was in those seemingly little actions, his attentiveness, and the way he paid attention. These are the aspects that swayed my opinion completely.

We tied the knot after a period of two years. By the time I was thirty, I was doing quite well in my marketing profession. Similarly, Lucas, who worked as a software developer, achieved success. We spent a lot of time discussing the process of starting a family, including things like baby names, sleep rituals, and how we would go about doing it “the right way.”

I was sitting at the kitchen table when Lucas sat me down one evening, not too long after we had tied the knot.

The first thing he said was, “Maya,” and he started by whispering my name. “If we are serious about children, why wait?” It is possible for me to take care of us while you concentrate on beginning our family. Permit me to maintain the status quo.

I was hesitant. I had a passion for my profession. My employment was more than simply a job; it was an integral part of who I am. On the other hand, love has a way of making you do crazy things, and I had the misconception that this was what it meant to create a life together: to trust, to sacrifice, and to walk into a shared goal.

As a result, I gave up.

And with that, Lucas underwent a transformation.

There was no longer any coffee waiting for me on my nightstand in the morning. Silence, which seemed like a door that was sealed between us, took the place of the gentle goodnights that had been heard. For me, “ours” became “mine.” I began to refer to my home as “his house,” and my life as “his rules.”

Soon after, lists of things to do, such as grocery shopping, housework, and dinner preparation, started to emerge on the refrigerator every morning. Instead of being expressed as requests, they were written as commands:

Cook the lamb.

Extra potatoes that are crunchy

Move the terrace.

After then, it was no longer a partnership. It was a kind of slavery. In my own life, I had ended up being the unpaid staff member.

Lucas hardly glanced up from his laptop when I suggested that he would be interested in taking on some freelancing work, something that would be something little, creative, and mine.

He waved his hand dismissively and replied, “There is no need.” “You are presently at your residence. We reached a consensus.”

We had not done so. No, not really. It had been his recommendation, as if it were an edict, that had been made. I had consented to it since I had feelings for him. mostly due to the fact that I believed that sacrifices were a component of the narrative.

Regardless, I decided to engage in freelance work covertly.

But the thing that I had originally referred to as sacrifice now seemed more like elimination. Who should I have married?

I simply told myself that it was a tough place on the road. and that we were adapting to it. That the guy who had previously cooked me soup and conversed with me in the shadows was still there in some part of my life. But at this point, all I could see was a specter of him.

As time went on, he reached the age of thirty-five.

We had a large gathering of relatives and friends at our home. Laughter and the sound of glasses being clinked reverberated off the walls. On the music playlist, his cousins got into a heated argument. While calmly taking in all that was going on, my folks stood by the window. It seemed to be a really happy occasion.

I had spent the whole day in the kitchen preparing a spread that required careful preparation, meticulous execution, and a lot of time spent standing. I had made spinach puffs, crab-stuffed mushrooms, and caprese skewers, among other things. Even as I emerged from the kitchen carrying the appetizer plate and maintaining my cheerful demeanor, Lucas’s words pierced through the din of the environment like a razor.

It was with a tone that was oozing with disdain that he said out loud, “Well, go on then, Maya.” “Have you spent a significant amount of my money on all of this?”

There was complete silence in the room. Quickly, a few uneasy laughs were extinguished. Around the tray, my hands were ice cold.

He proceeded by saying, “You’re living off of me, eating for free, and you didn’t even get me a gift before you did that.” You’re not even pregnant, are you? It’s almost as if you don’t even want or need a child.

The weight of the tray was comparable to that of a hundred pounds. My cheeks were on fire. A mixture of surprise, sympathy, and discomfort could be seen in people’s eyes.

After that, I heard my father give a throat clearing out.

Lucas, you are absolutely correct, he said.

The pit of my stomach sank. My dad was not the kind of person to get into arguments. However, he spoke in a way that was composed and purposeful, with each syllable striking with surgical accuracy.

“Maya made the decision to go with someone like you even though she could have kept her work and found a partner who valued her. As a result, she is now living off of you, which is precisely what you planned to happen.

A sneer appeared on Lucas’s face.

I could hear my mother’s voice like a sword as she leaned forward. The whole home was meticulously cleaned by her, and she prepared all of this cuisine. Is it possible that someone did that? It wasn’t elves either.”

In response, Lucas said, “It’s her job.” All day long, she is at home. These are the tasks that she is required to do.

It was then that my mother screamed, “Then pay her for it.” If it is a job, then it is deserving of a salary.

He shifted in an undignified manner. She is my wife, I say.

With a calm demeanor, my mother said, “Yes, but not in the way that you think.” Instead of being your maid, she is your partner. The celebration would be held in a restaurant, and you would be required to pay thousands of dollars for it if she were not there. So, which is it – do you want a wife or a full-time employee who does not get payment?

There is no sound. His defense was not offered by anybody.

First, I put the tray down. There was a rupture that occurred inside me.

“Every single thing?” I inquired about it. “Do you believe that I should be responsible for everything, Lucas?”

He chose not to respond.

As I spoke, I maintained a steady tone and added, “Well, here’s something you didn’t know.” As a designer, I have been working remotely for a number of different technology businesses, including two that are located in other countries. And I have not spent a single penny.”

His expression became limp.

I went on to say, “And yes, I did purchase a present for you.” A vacation to the Maldives for two travellers. Everything, including flights and the resort, was paid for. However, I believe that I will like it more if I do it by myself. During the time that I am away, you are free to review the divorce paperwork.

It seemed as if the room was filled with gasps. Taking my coat in my hands, I made my way to the entrance. Nobody was able to stop me.

During the night, the air was icy and piercing to my lungs. I made my way down the street to a quaint little café.

I informed the waitress that I wanted a cappuccino.

“Stay for as long as you like,” she offered with a kind tone. “Let me bring you some cake,” she said.

The realization came to me as I sat by the window, holding the warm cup, and realized that this was the first time in years that I had been completely guilt-free.

After some time had passed, I departed for my parents’ place and returned back to get a suitcase. Taking a sulky stance, Lucas was seated on the bed.

He said, “You have completely ruined my birthday.” “Are you seriously not going to take me?”

Unruffled, I said, “No, Lucas.” “You were the one who did it. Only I will be going. And when I go back, I’ll continue to bring in money.”

In the next two days, I boarded an aircraft to go to the Maldives.

There was not a heavy quiet in that place. It had plenty of room. During the course of four days, I went swimming at dawn, strolled barefoot on the beach, let the sun warm my skin, and read three novels straight through. As each wave passed, I got the sensation that it was removing the version of myself that had been living in Lucas’s shadow.

After I had returned, my father presented me with the divorce papers that had been completed.

It was later that I learned that Lucas’s mother had been really angry with him. According to what she had said, she had said, “She cooked, she cleaned, she threw you a party, and you h.u.m.1liated her!”

I was informed by a relative that Lucas had spent the night running outside after me, whirling around on the sidewalk as if he had lost all sense of the world around him.

Now as I look back, I do not feel any anger. To clarify things.

I grieve the loss of the guy I believed Lucas to be. I express my gratitude to the lady I transformed into for departing before I totally vanished. Also, I am quite thankful that we did not have any children.

mostly due to the fact that parenting is already a challenging endeavor.

In addition to raising your spouse, you shouldn’t have to do it.