A man who had been married and divorced three times before found himself in hot water by mocking his fourth wife during her maternity leave.

What he didn’t expect was the eye-opening encounter she would have with his former spouses, which led to an ultimatum that would teach him a valuable lesson.

An Unexpected Test

Steve had tied the knot with Margaret about a year ago, making her his fourth wife. For Margaret, this was her first marriage and her first experience as a mother. Understandably, she found herself overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caring for their newborn.

Instead of support, Steve’s mother, Alice, would often grumble, “Why is she always just holding the baby? She hasn’t even cooked anything!” Steve would join in, “Even robots do more work than you! Who’s going to polish my shoes?”

Margaret, a consultant at a private firm, had taken maternity leave to be there for their baby. Little did she know that her leave would be seen as an opportunity for Steve and Alice to make her do more chores around the house.

“Margaret, why haven’t you pressed my suit yet?” Steve shouted from the bedroom. This was a regular occurrence.

Never-Ending Chores and Criticisms

With her baby in one arm, Margaret would rush to meet their endless demands. Even when she needed to feed the baby, Steve and Alice seemed to forget that she was a new mother who was still adjusting.

Alice would corner Margaret with comments about her weight and encourage her to run errands, “You should walk to the store to lose some of the weight you gained.” Margaret was criticized not only for her household management but even personal appearance.

With tears in her eyes, Margaret tried to ignore their harsh words. Steve swiftly followed Alice’s lead, laughing along with his mother at Margaret’s expense, “She looks like a sack of potatoes.”

Alice hosted a tea party for her friends and instructed Margaret to prepare and clean up without appreciating her efforts. One day, feeling sick and exhausted, Margaret voiced her struggles, only to be dismissed by both Steve and Alice as lazy and incompetent.

For the final straw, at the party, guests unwittingly added to her torment by laughing at Alice’s jokes. Margaret retreated to her room, heartbroken.

Over the weeks, nothing improved. The constant taunts wore Margaret down, but she continued to endure for her child’s sake, until a day at the park changed everything.

The Turning Point at the Park

Steve suggested a walk in the park one day, ostensibly for a change of pace. But Margaret quickly realized something was off. Steve started fumbling with his phone and avoided eye contact with a group of women approaching them with children.

“Is this your fourth wife, Steve?” one of the women teased, clearly knowing him well. Margaret looked confused until one of the women handed her a business card and told her to call if she ever needed support.

Later, Margaret discovered the women were Steve’s ex-wives. That evening, out of curiosity, she called one of them and learned about Steve’s history of demanding behavior and his mother’s harsh treatment during maternity periods.

From that moment, Margaret found solace and camaraderie among Steve’s ex-wives. They encouraged her to stand up for herself and leave if necessary. While hesitant, Margaret decided she would give Steve one final chance.

The Final Ultimatum

Unaware of Margaret’s new friendships and resolve, Steve and Alice’s taunts continued. Alice berated Margaret again one evening for not fixing dinner, labeling her a “lazy sloth.” Margaret looked at Steve expectantly.

Instead of defending his wife, Steve echoed his mother’s sentiments. That was the breaking point for Margaret.

“Oh, no, you won’t call me that again,” she snapped. “Get ready to sign the divorce papers, you MAMA’S BOY!”

Margaret’s outburst left Steve and Alice stunned. Believing they always controlled the narrative, they were shocked when Margaret decided to leave. The divorce was swift, and Margaret moved out with her son.

In her new home, Margaret grew even closer to the ex-wives, forming strong friendships and support networks. Meanwhile, Steve watched his relationships with his children become distant, realizing too late the toll his actions had taken.

The story teaches us the importance of respecting our partners and recognizing their efforts, especially during challenging times like maternity leave.