My husband, under the influence of his mother, gave me an ultimatum: either I apologize to my mother-in-law or I go on maternity leave while he works. I chose the latter. And then my husband started keeping all my salary for himself…

From the very beginning, my mother-in-law disliked me because I was from the village, despite my achievements. Despite the fact that I had a good education, a good job and my own apartment, she never saw me as a good daughter-in-law. But her son decided to marry me, and that implies that she should accept me, doesn’t it? My husband lived with his mother before we got married, and then we rented an apartment.

After the wedding, he took paternity leave, and I worked because I earned more. During this period, my mother-in-law practically moved in with us, believing that her son would not be able to take care of the child on his own. This gave her a reason to criticize me, to complain about my inferiority as a wife and mother. One day, she quit her job, saying that she had to help her son with his responsibilities. I made it clear to my mother-in-law that we did not need her constant help. As a result, she vowed to never come to visit again. Then my husband, under her influence, gave an ultimatum:

Either I apologize to his mother, or I go on maternity leave while he works. I chose the latter. However, my husband began to keep the entire salary for himself. He seemed to forget the financial sacrifices I made for our family and that we lived in my apartment. Now, at the age of 40, I’m thinking about whether to get a divorce or try to improve my relationship with my husband. I am torn between wanting my daughter to have a father and standing up for my own happiness.