In today’s story, a woman struggles with a strong dis:like for her husband’s coworker, only to encounter his dismissive response. As tensions increase and the situation unfolds, we are invited to investigate the intricacies of marital communication, personal limits, and the delicate balance between intuition and overreaction.
She explained what’s happening.
My husband and I have been married for three years, but we were dating four years prior. He was just promoted in his company and transferred to a different department. In this department, he recently began interacting with a colleague. I’ve disliked her from the start.
Every time I visit, she refers to him as her work husband. Alternatively, she will do little things like prepare him meals or give him extra close hugs. But my breaking point came last week when he brought home the food I had prepared for him.
When I asked him why his lunch bag was still full of what I had made him in the morning, he said that she had made him food, and he didn’t want to appear rude by wasting it. So I ignored it until he threw away the food I prepared for him. I awoke at 6 a.m. solely to prepare his favorite meal.
However, this has occurred on a daily basis since then. It’s gotten bothersome. Until today, I chose not to make him lunch.
He came downstairs in the morning as I was making breakfast and inquired where his lunch was. I explained that I didn’t make him one because it would go to waste anyway. He started claiming that I was being petty over a little issue. But I tried to talk about how I felt, and he went over it.
People got on her side.
People 1: “Who is hugging their coworker in front of their significant other (or at all) in the first place? I believe you should sit down and have a true, honest chat with your husband. Because if the situation were reversed, he would not approve of you doing any of this.” LowkeyHobi / Reddit
People 2: “I believe, in layman’s terms, you should inform your husband that you do not want him to interact with her unless necessary for business purposes. Her behavior, from routinely cooking for him to calling him her work husband and giving him tight hugs, is completely improper.
He should not be more concerned with hurting a coworker’s feelings than with disrespecting his wife. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings by not eating her meal, but he doesn’t mind tossing his own wife’s food away in front of you?
His coworker’s behavior poses a direct threat to his marriage, and it is his responsibility to establish and maintain boundaries to protect that marriage.” Subby Succubi / Reddit
People 3: “Your husband is an idiot who will face criticism if he has any form of seniority and makes preferential judgments for this pal. It doesn’t take much to convince folks around them that they’re having an affair through office gossip.” notAugustbutordinary / Reddit
People 4: “Your husband is involved in an emotional affair with this woman. And it will soon become physical, judging by how firmly she is embracing him at work.” Tarkov_Has_Bad_Devs / Reddit
People 5: “Your husband is an imbecile. He is ignoring his wife while focusing his attention on a young female coworker. You are unique in today’s world.
My wife has cooked my lunches for the past 26 years, not out of obligation or force, but out of affection. I would be lost if I were concerned about another person’s sentiments, let alone a female, at the expense of my wife. It’s not about the cuisine; it’s a labour of love.” False_Exercise_9323 | Reddit
People 6: “He receives prepared lunches from you as a gift and privilege, not an entitlement. He tossing away food you worked so hard for and worrying about hurting her feelings but not yours is really inconsiderate.” Big_Zucchini_9800, Reddit
The narrative serves as a reminder that open communication and mutual respect are essential for conflict resolution, ultimately strengthening partners’ bonds and establishing a deeper connection.