Many couples have friends of the opposite gender, but for one woman, her husband’s female friend living with them has become a big problem. This act of kindness has hurt her and her husband’s relationship and put their marriage at risk. She shared her story and asked for advice.
Andrea’s Story;
Andrea, a 35-year-old woman, shared her experience. She usually gives advice to others but now needs help with her own unusual family situation.
Andrea wrote, “I need opinions and advice from people about my serious problem. My husband, Paul, is 43. I love him very much, and we have a stable and happy relationship. Paul has a female friend, Miranda, who he’s been close to for over 15 years. I’ve never felt insecure about their friendship because it has always been platonic. Miranda is a successful businesswoman, but her personal life recently fell apart. This is when my family’s problems began.”
She continued, “Two months ago, Miranda went through a painful and scandalous divorce after nine years of marriage. Her husband cheated on her multiple times and was very toxic. She suffered for the past three years before finally deciding to leave him. During the divorce, she discovered more shocking things about her ex, making it even more heartbreaking. Paul and I couldn’t ignore her pain, so we invited her to stay with us until she felt better and got her life back on track. She agreed and seemed very grateful. But once she settled in, problems started.”
Andrea added, “From day one, she began criticizing me for everything. She said she couldn’t eat the meals I cooked, reacting like they were rotten. I’m not the best cook, but my culinary skills are decent, and Paul and his friends usually praise my cooking. I thought Miranda’s behavior was due to her stress, but it got worse when she started cleaning our house and saying it was dirty and disgusting. This hurt me because I’m not an untidy person. Paul asked me to be patient with her, which I tried, but it couldn’t last forever.”
Andrea shared, “Recently, Miranda caused a huge problem between me and Paul. One day, I visited my parents and was gone for almost half a day. Miranda and Paul were home together. When I came back, I saw something shocking that made me feel sick. Miranda was cooking in our kitchen, wearing revealing lingerie. Paul was sitting there, talking to her as if nothing was wrong, and he was staring at her. I could feel a spark between them, and it was disgusting.”
“I asked what was going on, and Paul said they were just chatting. Miranda looked at me and said if I didn’t like her outfit, I didn’t understand what being feminine means. She said I should spend more time on myself because I ‘look like a neglected housewife.’ That was the last straw, so I told her to pack her things and leave immediately. But my husband’s reaction hurt me the most. He said I should listen to Miranda because she wanted the best for me and that her advice would help me fight my insecurities and be a better person. I was shocked and argued with him like never before in our marriage.”
Andrea is frustrated but has made a decision she will stand by.
She shared, “I was desperate that my husband didn’t protect me from Miranda’s nasty behavior. I believe he should have put his family first, not his friendship. I was hurt, but I didn’t let the situation break me. I decided to take a small revenge on my husband and his awful friend.”
“So, I’m going to invite one of my best friends to live with us for a month. He is a male friend and will help me with my plan. He will act just like Miranda did. I want to show Paul how horrible his indifference was and how wrong it was to ignore Miranda’s attempts to humiliate me in my own house. I want to teach him a lesson and make him taste his own medicine. But I’m not sure if I should do this because I’m afraid our marriage will fall apart. But I can’t leave things as they are, and I feel very hurt. What should I do?”
