My husband has helped raise my daughter, now 14, for the past decade. His 40th birthday was supposed to be a large celebration at his parents’ home. That morning, I overheard voices coming from my daughter’s room, and everything felt like it shattered.
I realized my husband was talking to her quietly so no one else would hear. He urged her to stay away from his parents’ party and asked her to lie, saying she didn’t want to attend. He even promised to take her shopping if she agreed. Although she had been excited about the party for weeks, my daughter hesitantly went along with it.
I understand why he wanted this, but it still fills me with anger. My mother-in-law resents my daughter and believes her son “wasted” his time and money raising her. To keep his mother happy, my husband made my daughter feel excluded and embarrassed.
I didn’t go to the party either, pretending I had a migraine and staying home. Two days later, I’m still trying to come to terms with the sense of betrayal. His actions disgust me, as though I’ve discovered a side of him I never knew existed. I’m now thinking about leaving him. What do you think?