Tom had been married three times before, and each of his divorces had left him bitter. When he married his fourth wife, Olivia, he was sure it would be different. She was young, beautiful, and eager to start a family—something Tom had always wanted. But he quickly grew frustrated when Olivia took maternity leave after giving birth to their first child.
“All you’re doing is lying around the house,” Tom would joke cruelly. “I thought we agreed you’d be different from the others.”
Olivia, though tired and overwhelmed by motherhood, tried to shrug off his remarks. But the pressure built up, and the playful teasing turned into mocking. It seemed that every time she asked for help or needed a break, Tom would roll his eyes and remind her of the “successful” women he’d married before—his ex-wives.
One afternoon, after another argument about her taking time off, Olivia made an unexpected decision. She invited Tom’s ex-wives to dinner. He was shocked when they all agreed to come and share their stories.
As they sat down together, each ex-wife revealed how Tom had mistreated them during their marriages, belittling them for not meeting his high expectations. The women spoke candidly about the emotional toll of living with someone who never appreciated their hard work, especially as mothers.
Olivia listened carefully, realizing that the problem wasn’t her—it was Tom’s inability to understand the sacrifices women make. When the dinner ended, Tom was speechless. For the first time, he saw the depth of his flaws.
The following days were filled with long conversations between Olivia and Tom. He apologized, truly for the first time, and promised to change. Whether or not their marriage survived, Olivia now knew her worth, and she wouldn’t let anyone, not even her husband, undermine it again.
