When our vacuum broke, my husband said I should just sweep because I’m “home all day anyway.” So I grabbed our newborn and a broken broom and showed up at his office to remind him exactly what that really looks like.
I’m 30. I just had my first baby, a sweet little girl named Lila. She’s 9 weeks old, and yeah—she’s perfect. But also? She’s chaos. She screams like she’s in a horror movie. Hates naps. Hates being put down. Basically lives in my arms.
A fussy baby in his mother’s arms | Source: Pexels
I’m on unpaid maternity leave, which sounds relaxing until you realize it means I’m working a 24/7 shift with no help, no breaks, and no paycheck.
I’m also handling the house. And the laundry. And the meals. And the litter boxes. We have two cats, both of whom shed like it’s their full-time job.
A tired woman sitting on a couch | Source: Pexels
My husband Mason is 34. He works in finance. Used to be sweet. When I was pregnant, he made me tea and rubbed my feet. Now? I’m not sure he sees me. I’m the woman who hands him the baby so he can say “she’s fussy” and give her back five seconds later.
Last week, the vacuum died. Which, in a house with two cats and beige carpet, is like losing oxygen.
A woman vacuuming | Source: Pexels
“Hey,” I told Mason while he was playing Xbox. “The vacuum finally kicked it. I found a decent one on sale. Can you grab it this week?”
He didn’t even look up. Just paused his game and said, “Why? Just use a broom.”
I blinked. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “Yeah. My mom didn’t have a vacuum when we were kids. She raised five of us with a broom. You’ve got one. And you’re home all day.”
A man lounging on the couch | Source: Pexels
I stared at him.
“You’re not joking,” I said.
“Nope.” He smirked. “She didn’t complain.”
I let out this weird laugh. Half choking, half dying inside.
“Did your mom also carry a screaming baby around while sweeping with one arm?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Probably. She got it done. Women were tougher back then.”
A man arguing with his wife | Source: Pexels
I took a breath. Tried to keep calm. “You do know the baby’s crawling soon, right? She’s going to have her face in this carpet.”
Another shrug. “The place isn’t that bad.”
I looked around. There were literal cat tumbleweeds in the corner.
“And anyway,” he added, “I don’t have spare money right now. I’m saving for the yacht trip next month. With the guys.”
“You’re saving for what?”
A man turning away from his wife | Source: Pexels
“The boat weekend. I told you. I need the break. I’m the one bringing in income right now. It’s exhausting.”
That’s when I stopped talking. Because what was I going to say?
“You haven’t changed a diaper in days?” “You nap while I pump milk at 3 a.m.?” “You think scrubbing spit-up off a onesie is relaxing?”
I didn’t say any of it. I just nodded.
A sad woman sitting on the couch | Source: Pexels
Apparently, child-rearing is a spa retreat now, and the woman doing it doesn’t deserve a working vacuum. That night, after Lila finally fell asleep on my chest, I didn’t cry. I didn’t yell.
I just sat in the hallway. The light was off, but the dim glow from the nightlight hit the baby monitor just right. It was quiet. Too quiet.
I looked at the broken vacuum. Then I looked at the broom.
A crying woman | Source: Pexels
I got up. Took the broom in both hands. Snapped it clean in half.
The next morning, while Mason was at work, I texted him.
“Busy day at the office?”
“Yeah. Back-to-backs. Why?”
“Oh. No reason. I’m just on my way.”
A woman talking on her phone at home | Source: Pexels
I packed Lila into the car, still red-faced from her morning meltdown. I tossed the broken broom in the back.
And I drove.
I pulled into the parking lot of Mason’s office with Lila screaming in the back like I’d strapped her into a rocket seat instead of a car seat. She’d just blown out her diaper on the drive, and she wasn’t shy about letting me know how she felt about it.
A baby crying | Source: Pexels
Perfect.
I wiped spit-up off my shirt, threw a burp cloth over my shoulder, hoisted the broken broom, and unbuckled the baby.
“Alright, Lila,” I muttered. “Let’s go say hi to Daddy.”
His office building was all glass and steel and fake smiles. I walked in with a red-faced baby in one arm and a jagged broom handle in the other.
A woman holding a baby | Source: Pexels
The receptionist blinked twice when she saw us.
“Can I help—?”
“I’m Mason Carter’s wife,” I said, smiling widely. “He left something important at home.”
“Oh. Um. Sure. He’s in a meeting, but you can go back.”
I walked past her desk like I owned the place.
A kind woman holding a baby | Source: Pexels
Lila started wailing again just as I turned the corner into the conference room. There he was. Mason. Sitting at a long glass table with four coworkers, laughing about something on a spreadsheet like he didn’t have a wife slowly unraveling at home.
He looked up. His face went white.
“Babe—what are you doing here?” he said, standing up fast.
I walked straight in and laid the two snapped broom pieces gently on the table in front of him.
A shocked man | Source: Pexels
“Honey,” I said, shifting Lila on my hip, “I tried using the broom like your mom did with her five kids. But it broke. Again.”
The room went silent. Someone coughed. One guy just stared at his laptop like it was suddenly the most interesting thing he’d ever seen.
I looked around the room and kept going.
A woman cuddling a sleeping baby | Source: Pexels
“So,” I said calmly, “should I keep sweeping the carpet with my hands while holding your daughter? Or are you going to buy a new vacuum?”
Mason looked like he might actually faint. His eyes darted between me, the broom, and his coworkers. His jaw opened and closed like he couldn’t decide which disaster to address first.
“Can we talk outside?” he said, his voice sharp and low, already standing.
“Of course,” I said with a smile.
A tired man looking at the camera | Source: Pexels
He yanked the door closed behind us hard enough that the glass shook.
“What the hell was that?” he hissed. His face was bright red now, all his calm corporate charm gone.
“That was me being resourceful,” I said. “Like your mom.”
“You embarrassed me!” he snapped, glancing over his shoulder toward the conference room. “That was a client pitch. My boss was in there.”
An angry businessman | Source: Pexels
“Oh, sorry,” I said, cocking my head. “I thought you said this was all part of the job. Housewife stuff. What’s the issue? I’m just doing what you said.”
He ran a hand over his face, frustrated. “I get it, okay? I messed up. I’ll get the vacuum today.”
“No need,” I said. “I already ordered one. With your card.”
I turned and walked out, Lila still crying, broom handle still under my arm.
A baby crying in their mother’s arms | Source: Pexels
Mason got home that night quieter than usual. He didn’t toss his shoes in the hallway. Didn’t drop his keys on the counter like usual. Didn’t even glance at the Xbox.
I was on the couch feeding Lila. The living room was dim except for the glow from a floor lamp and the soft hum of the white noise machine in the corner. He sat down across from me, hands folded like he was waiting to be called into the principal’s office.
A serious man sitting down | Source: Pexels
“I talked to HR today,” he said.
I looked up slowly. “HR?”
He nodded, staring at the carpet like it had answers. “Yeah. About our… situation. I said we were going through an adjustment. Stress at home. Lack of sleep. You know.”
I blinked at him. “You mean, you told your job your wife embarrassed you because she’s tired and doesn’t have a vacuum?”
A woman talking to an annoyed man | Source: Pexels
He rubbed his neck. “That’s not what I said. I just… I didn’t mean to be dismissive, okay? I’ve got a lot going on too.”
I let a beat pass. Lila made a soft grunt in her sleep.
I didn’t yell. Didn’t even raise my voice. I just looked at him and said, calm as ever, “Mason, you’re either a husband and a father, or you’re a roommate with a guilt complex. You decide.”
A woman talking to her husband | Source: Pexels
He opened his mouth like he might argue. Then he closed it. Just nodded slowly, lips pressed together like he was swallowing something bitter.
The next morning, the yacht trip got canceled. He said the guys were “rescheduling,” but I didn’t ask questions. Pretty sure “the guys” didn’t even know it was happening.
A man talking on his phone | Source: Pexels
That week, he vacuumed every rug in the house—twice. He looked like he was fighting a war with the dust bunnies. Didn’t say a word about it.
He changed three diapers without being asked. Took the 3 a.m. bottle shift two nights in a row, even when Lila screamed in his face like she knew he was new at it. He paced the hallway with her until she passed out on his shoulder.
A man on his laptop while holding a baby | Source: Pexels
He even took her for a walk Sunday morning so I could nap. Left a sticky note on the bathroom mirror that said, “Sleep. I’ve got her.”
I didn’t gloat. Didn’t say “told you so.” Didn’t bring up the office.
But the broken broom? Still sitting in the hallway, right where I left it. Just in case he forgets.
A wooden broom | Source: Pexels
I Tried to Warn My Ex Husband About His Gold Digger Fiancée but He Ignored Me, So I Took Action — Story of the Day
My ex-husband was ready to start a new chapter, but something about his engagement didn’t sit right with me. A casual conversation at work turned into a revelation I couldn’t ignore. He refused to believe me, so I had to show him the truth—no matter how much it would hurt.
I was sitting at work, though working as a restaurant administrator didn’t leave much time for sitting.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
This was one of those rare moments when the dining area was quiet—no guests asking for special requests, no complaints from the kitchen, no servers rushing over with last-minute problems.
I took a deep breath, savoring the short-lived peace, knowing it wouldn’t last.
My phone buzzed on the counter. I glanced at the screen—Aaron. My ex-husband. Curious, I picked it up and tapped the message.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
A photo loaded. It was David, our son, grinning from ear to ear, holding a giant stuffed animal. The bright lights of an amusement park sparkled behind him.
A warmth spread through me. I was glad Aaron and David were having fun.
Nearby, two waitresses chatted, their voices light and excited. Lindsey held out her hand, her fingers stretched to display a massive diamond ring.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Claire grabbed Lindsey’s hand, her eyes wide. “That stone is huge! Probably visible from space.”
Lindsey laughed, tilting her hand to catch the light. “I know, right? I got so lucky.”
Claire raised an eyebrow. “Is he rich or something?”
Lindsey smirked. “He’s not a millionaire, but he has money. Enough to buy this, at least.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I frowned. Lindsey had been dating Leo, one of our kitchen staff, for over a year. “Aren’t you with Leo?” I asked.
“I am,” Lindsey said, still admiring the ring.
I stared at her. “Since when was Leo rich?”
Lindsey finally looked at me. “Leo isn’t. But my fiancé is. That was Leo’s idea, actually.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I blinked. “What?”
“The plan was simple,” Lindsey said. “Find a rich guy, marry him, divorce him in a few months, take the money. Then Leo and I live the good life.” She twirled the ring on her finger. “Halfway there.”
My stomach twisted. “Don’t you think that’s… cruel?”
Lindsey shrugged. “I don’t love my fiancé, so no.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“But he might love you,” I said. “He proposed, didn’t he?”
Lindsey waved me off. “That’s his problem. He fell for the fact that I’m younger.”
I stared at her, unable to believe what I was hearing.
I had married young and for love. Back then, Aaron and I believed love was enough.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
But as the years passed, we realized we were too different. We wanted different things, handled problems in opposite ways, and saw the world through separate lenses.
Letting go had been painful, but we knew it was the right decision. Even now, I had no regrets.
Aaron was still a good friend, and most importantly, he was a wonderful father to David.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
That evening, when I got home, Aaron was already at the door with David. My son bounced inside, his face glowing with excitement.
“Mom! We went on the biggest roller coaster! I wasn’t even scared!” he said, barely pausing for breath.
I smiled, ruffling his hair. “Sounds amazing.”
Aaron, however, stood stiffly behind him. His expression was tense.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“We need to talk,” he said. “Privately.”
I nodded and led him to the kitchen.
We sat down at the table. Aaron ran a hand through his hair, his fingers drumming lightly against the table.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Something was off. His shoulders were tense, his gaze shifting, like he wasn’t sure how to start.
I leaned forward. “Aaron, you’re scaring me. Did something happen?”
He exhaled sharply. “No, nothing bad. Actually… it’s serious. But in a good way.”
I frowned. “Serious in a good way? What do you mean?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Aaron hesitated. Then, in one breath, he said, “I’m getting married again.”
I blinked. “What? That’s great!” I smiled, trying to reassure him. “I don’t see why you were so worried.”
Aaron shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I thought you’d be upset.”
“Upset? Aaron, I’m really happy for you. You deserve to be happy.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Relief softened his face. He nodded. “Thanks. I’ll tell David later. I wanted you to know first.”
“Of course. I’m sure he’ll be happy for you too,” I said.
Aaron smiled, more relaxed now.
“So… who is she?” I asked. “Are you going to show me a picture? How did you two meet?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Aaron chuckled. “I knew you’d ask.” He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “I came prepared.”
He turned the screen toward me. My stomach dropped. I couldn’t hide my shock.
“That’s Lindsey,” I said, my voice flat. “One of my waitresses.”
Aaron shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah. That’s why I was worried about your reaction.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I looked back at the picture, my mind racing. “How did this even happen?”
Aaron scratched the back of his neck. “I met her when I picked up David from the restaurant. Later, I saw her on a dating app. We started talking… and here we are.”
I swallowed hard. My hands clenched under the table. I couldn’t keep this to myself.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Aaron, I need to tell you something,” I said carefully. “And it’s not good.”
Aaron’s face tensed. “If this is about the age difference, I already know. Eleven years. It doesn’t bother us.”
I shook my head. “It’s not that. Just today, Lindsey was talking about her fiancé. I didn’t realize she meant you.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Aaron’s brow furrowed. “What are you saying?”
“She said she’s marrying you just to divorce you and take your money.”
Silence. Then, suddenly, Aaron’s expression darkened. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you!” he shouted. “I can’t believe you’re making this up!”
“Aaron, it’s the truth!” I protested. “Why would I lie?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
His jaw clenched. “Because you’re jealous!”
I gasped. “Jealous? I’m trying to protect you!”
“Right. You just can’t stand that I found someone younger who actually loves me,” Aaron snapped.
“She has a boyfriend! He works in our kitchen!” I shouted.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“You’re lying!” His face was red with anger. “I can’t believe you’d sink this low.”
“It’s the truth!”
“This conversation is over.” He stormed out, slamming the front door behind him.
I couldn’t just let this go. I wouldn’t allow Lindsey to scam Aaron. He didn’t deserve that. No matter how angry he was at me, I had to make him see the truth.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
All night, I kept thinking about it. Aaron wouldn’t believe words alone—he needed proof. Clear, undeniable proof.
The next day, I watched for Leo. He was working in the kitchen, focused on chopping vegetables. I took a deep breath and walked over.
“Hey, Leo,” I said, stepping closer. “You and Lindsey make such a great couple. I was thinking—why not surprise her with a romantic dinner here after closing? She’d love it.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Leo’s face lit up. “You really think so?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “She even mentioned wanting something special like that recently.”
He wiped his hands on his apron, looking excited. “Wow, I had no idea. That sounds perfect.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I nodded. “You could set up a nice table, maybe bring some flowers. She’d love the effort.”
Leo grinned. “That’s a great idea, Melanie. Thanks for suggesting it. Can I do it tonight?”
I smiled. “Of course.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
After that, I sent Aaron a message. My hands hovered over the keyboard for a moment before I typed.
I knew he wouldn’t reply. He was too angry. But he didn’t have to answer—he just needed to read it.
@Me
I know you think I’m lying, but if you want the truth, come to the restaurant after 10 p.m.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I hit send and exhaled. My chest felt tight. Would he come? Would he ignore me? I had no way of knowing. All I could do was wait.
That evening, after putting David to bed, I opened my laptop. My fingers trembled slightly as I logged into the restaurant’s security system.
The cameras flickered to life. I found the right angle—one that showed the table Leo had set up.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Candles flickered in the dim light. A small vase with flowers sat in the center. It looked romantic. Too romantic.
I watched as Leo and Lindsey sat together. They ate, talked, and laughed. Leo’s eyes shone with love.
He was completely devoted to her. Lindsey smiled, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She leaned in, brushing her hand against his arm. Then, finally, she kissed him.
I grimaced and quickly switched cameras. I couldn’t watch that. My stomach twisted.
On the outdoor camera, movement caught my eye. My breath hitched. Aaron was there. He had come. He pushed open the restaurant door and walked inside.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Heart pounding, I switched back to Lindsey and Leo. Just in time.
Aaron stepped into view, his face contorted with rage. Lindsey and Leo broke apart, their expressions shifting from shock to panic.
Leo’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Lindsey’s eyes darted around, searching for an escape.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Aaron’s voice boomed. I couldn’t hear what he said, but his anger was clear. He pointed at Lindsey, then at Leo.
Lindsey crossed her arms, tossing her hair over her shoulder, but Leo looked terrified.
Then, suddenly, Lindsey yanked off her engagement ring and threw it at Aaron.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
It clattered onto the table. Aaron picked it up, his face pale. Without another word, he turned and stormed out.
I switched cameras again. Outside, Aaron stood still, his shoulders shaking.
His head dropped into his hand. Even from behind a screen, I could tell—he was crying.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I swallowed hard. I had done the right thing. He needed to see the truth. But somehow, I still felt guilty.
After a while, the doorbell rang. I hesitated before opening it. Aaron stood there, his face red from crying, his eyes filled with regret.
“You were right,” he said, his voice hoarse.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“This isn’t satisfying for me, just so you know,” I said. “I didn’t want to be right about this.”
Aaron nodded, his shoulders heavy. “I’m sorry for doubting you.” He took a shaky breath. “I should have trusted you.”
He stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. “Thank you.”
I hugged him back, feeling his pain.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
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