The Price She Paid When Sleeping with

Maria met David at a wedding when she was 25. He was charming, brought her flowers every day, and called her constantly. Her friends said it was too fast, but she thought it was romantic. They married after four months.

The changes started small. David suggested her dress was too revealing. She changed it. He said her friend Marcus made him uncomfortable. She stopped calling Marcus. One by one, he had opinions about all her friends. By their first anniversary, she barely saw anyone.

“That friend doesn’t really care about you,” he’d say. Or, “She’s a bad influence.” Maria wanted to be a good wife, so she listened.

David started calling her at work multiple times a day. If she didn’t answer, he got upset. “Why weren’t you available? Who were you talking to?” She began keeping her phone in her hand constantly.

David convinced Maria to quit her job. “It’s too stressful for you,” he said. “I make enough money.” Without work, she had no reason to leave the house. No coworkers to talk to. No schedule except his.

He controlled all the money. He gave her an allowance for groceries and demanded receipts. If she spent $3 extra, he reduced next week’s allowance “to teach her responsibility.”

Her family lived in another state. David would agree to visit them, then cancel at the last minute. “Work emergency,” or “We can’t afford it right now,” or “Your mother doesn’t understand our relationship.” When her parents called, David hovered nearby or interrupted with urgent needs.

Maria started walking on eggshells. She monitored everything—what she said, what she wore, what she cooked. A certain look from David could ruin her whole day. She learned to read his moods and adjust accordingly.

The criticism became constant. Her cooking was wrong. Her cleaning wasn’t good enough. She was too sensitive. She misremembered things. She was ungrateful.