My husband found a pair of boxer shorts among the laundry kept on the sofa. He lifted it up with a finger and asked who it was for. I was confused. It wasn’t anything I’d seen before, so I answered, “How would I know? I haven’t seen it before.” He asked calmly, “You haven’t seen it before? So why is it here?”

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP CHANNEL TO RECEIVE ALL STORIES IN YOUR INBOX

For several minutes, it was a back-and-forth argument between the two of us. He suggested I brought men home when he traveled. I found his claim outrageous, so I fought back. He screamed, “Then explain what another man’s boxers are doing in my room!”

We live in a compound house where we all share a clothesline, so the only explanation I could come up with was, “Maybe it belongs to one of the men in the house. I might have picked it up while taking my clothes off the line.”

It was late in the evening, but my husband followed me as we knocked on the doors of all the men in the house, showing them the boxer shorts and asking if they belonged to them. One after the other, they all shook their heads. We came back to our room. He exhaled loudly: “Tell me the truth. Who came here?”

We’ve been married for seven years and live in a house where everybody sees everybody. We have two kids, six and four years old. Not once in my life have I ever thought of cheating on my husband. I thought he would believe me on this, but no—we had to go through that embarrassment so everyone would know what was going on between us.

“Who came here? You mean if I were cheating, I would bring the man into this house? What do you take me for?”

Another round of argument ensued. We went to bed but didn’t sleep. He was hurting, thinking I’d cheated on him. I was gravely disappointed by the embarrassment he’d caused me.

The next morning, one of the lady tenants came knocking on our door. He was the one who opened it for her. She said, “I heard yesterday you went around with a pair of boxer shorts? Please, it’s mine. I washed them for my boyfriend, but that one didn’t make it back to him.”

He called me and asked me to give the boxers to the lady. I thought I’d been vindicated, but he said, “You asked her to come and claim ownership, right? You think I’m a child.”

Now we live in a house with no connection. He wakes up at dawn to go through my phone. When I caught him checking my phone, I told him, “Go through wherever you want, but can you also give me your phone so I can do the same?”

He called me a cheat and told me to pray for forgiveness instead of seeking equal treatment.

A Man Who Haggles Over The Price Of An Item Is A Red Flag

God knows I didn’t do what he accused me of, but the fact that he still walks around thinking I did it makes me feel he’ll never trust me again. That makes me want to leave this house and go elsewhere. I’ve become the talk of the house. They say things jokingly to my face, but it hurts deeply.

I don’t know what to do, but I know I don’t want to be in this house anymore.

—B.B

This story you just read was sent to us by someone just like you. We know you have a story too. Email it to us at [email protected]. You can also drop your number and we will call you so you tell us your story.

******