I laughed, but something inside me cracked a little that day.
The cruelty didn’t stop there. In fact, it got worse.
I remember one particular night.
Derek’s company was having its annual party, and I’d gone all out. I bought a new dress, did my hair and makeup. I walked downstairs feeling pretty good about myself, and Derek looked me up and down.
“Maybe a little more makeup,” he said finally. “You don’t want people thinking I’m dating my mother.”
I stood there in the hallway, holding my bag, and felt something inside me crumble.
That night, at the party, I excused myself and went to the bathroom.
I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself.
At that moment, I realized that I hadn’t felt beautiful for months because the only person who was supposed to make me feel confident had spent all that time making me feel insecure.
When we got home that night, I suggested that maybe we should go to a couples therapist to fix things between us before it was too late.
