After giving birth, my wife suffered from severe depression.
Every night, she had to sleep curled up inside the closet. Even after more than six months, she still refused to sleep in bed with me.
One night, I gently carried her out of the closet while she was asleep and laid her back in bed.
She woke up crying uncontrollably. The next day, she had a depressive episode and had to be hospitalized.
From then on, I became even more cautious. I didn’t dare touch her again. So, every night, I simply let her sleep in the closet.
Until our son’s first birthday—she stepped out of the closet, stretching as usual.
I looked at her rosy, fuller face… and filed for divorce.
Everyone in the room stared at me in disbelief.
My father-in-law’s face darkened. “You want a divorce just because my daughter slept in the closet?”
She gave you a child. She’s been suffering ever since. She can’t even rest in a real bed. She’s endured so much… and you still want to leave her?” My mother-in-law’s eyes brimmed with tears.
I stayed silent, but I didn’t change my mind.
My wife, Yessenia Stroud, looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “Jackson… I carried your son for nine months. Of course I ended up with postpartum depression.
“You don’t understand me—fine. But now you’re divorcing me just because I slept in the closet? Is that really it?”
I met her gaze, expressionless and pointed at the closet. “If that’s what you call home, then go live in it.
——
I’ll see you at the courthouse tomorrow. Ten a.m.”
I turned my wheelchair and started to leave the party. However, my brother-in-law, Yestin, stepped in and grabbed me by the collar.
“Jackson, explain yourself!” he snapped.
His grip tightened. I could barely breathe. “We’re both men, I know what this is really about.”
He clenched his jaw, eyes blazing. “It’s about that one little thing in bed, isn’t it? Yessenia nearly died giving birth to your child. Have you even looked at her body lately?
“That belly you used to love, now it’s covered in stretch marks. She gained thirty pounds carrying your son. Her body changed and now you’re disgusted? Where were you when she needed you?”
Yestin’s words were harsh and unfiltered. Everyone in the room turned to me with sharp, disapproving eyes.
To them, I was nothing more than a heartless husband filing for divorce because his wife’s body had changed after childbirth.
My reputation had been ruined since this moment. Anyone who mentioned my name would curse me.
Just as I was about to speak in my defense, my father-in-law slammed his wine glass down on the table. “Jackson, a man who truly loves his wife will only thrive with her by his side.
Every woman goes through changes during childbirth. If this is really why you're divorcing my daughter, then I have no respect for you.”
My mother-in-law scoffed. “Men… always thinking with what's in their pants! It’s been over a year since my daughter gave birth and she still hasn’t fully recovered.
“Can’t you show some compassion? She’s your wife, not some concubine from the past and definitely not a tool for you to take out your frustrations on!”
I said nothing.
Yessenia broke down in tears. “Jackson… you heartless man. Is this really the reason you want a divorce? Because I spent a year sleeping in the closet… and not in your bed?”
