When we get married, we never think our spouse will stop loving us. We believe our love is forever, and our bond is strong. But today’s story is different. A man found out he stopped loving his wife, not because she cheated or did something bad. She took a break from her kids to travel, and when she came back, her husband felt nothing for her.
It all started with a 7-week vacation the man’s wife took.
A man named Peter, 32, wrote a letter to us asking for advice about his family. He explained, “I’ve been married to my wife Helen, 30, for 4 years, and we’ve been together for 9 years. She is a stay-at-home mom, and we have twins who are 1.5 years old. This has been very exhausting for my wife.
One day, Helen said she needed a solo vacation for a few weeks. She wanted to travel, visit friends, go to shows, and have fun by herself.”
Peter understood and agreed that his wife needed a break. He wrote, “Helen asked if I was okay with it. I agreed, but I asked if she could shorten it a bit because 7 weeks alone with our kids sounded really hard for me, especially since I had a lot of work to do. I work remotely, so that helped.”
Helen left and Peter was managing the kids on his own.
Peter continues his story: “Helen and I talked about her trip for a few days. In the end, I agreed she deserved a 7-week break after all she had been through.”
Taking care of the kids alone was no fun for Peter. He admitted, “The first week was really hard. I felt like I was losing my mind, but I made it through. I asked my older sister to help from the second week on. She was a lifesaver. When she video called me at the end of the first week, I broke down in tears. That was her sign that I needed help, and she came to the rescue.”
Peter had mixed feelings. He said, “My sister staying over made things easier. I could focus on my work and meet my deadlines. To be brutally honest, I didn’t miss Helen at all. I felt emotionally and mentally relaxed. I had a lot of fun with my babies and my sister. I felt betrayed that my wife left me alone for 7 weeks. I was slowly falling out of love with her.”
Helen came back to find Peter indifferent. “Helen called many times during her trip, giving me advice about the kids. But it felt wrong, especially when I saw her happy selfies at parties and concerts. The contrast was striking.”
When Helen returned, Peter felt nothing. “She came back refreshed and happy, but I was exhausted and indifferent. She tried to hug and kiss me, but I wasn’t feeling it. This indifference continued in our daily life, and she probably noticed but said nothing.”
Things escalated. “Two weeks later, Helen asked why I was acting this way. I told her I didn’t love her anymore. She apologized for the vacation and asked if there was anything she could do to fix it. I said no. We went through a tough couple of weeks, and I finally decided I wanted a divorce.”
Peter added, “Helen was devastated when I mentioned divorce. She suggested couples’ therapy, but I was already looking for a divorce lawyer. I didn’t believe anything could save our marriage.”
He concluded, “Money was not the issue. I have a high-paying but stressful job. The problem was being overwhelmed with the kids and work. By the end of the first week, I lost my sanity and broke down in tears. Helen knew my mental state but didn’t think to come back. That’s what really hurt.”
