I Found Out about the Birth of My Son from a Facebook Post – Is the Lesson I Taught My Wife Justified?
I discovered my son’s birth through a Facebook post. What came next shattered my world and forced me to teach my wife a lesson she would never forget.
A man looking stressed | Source: Pixabay
It’s hard to believe this is my reality. But here I am. My wife, Julia, and I had wanted kids for years. So, when she finally got pregnant last year, we were thrilled.
I wanted to be the best husband and future father I could. Her father had never been involved in her life, and my brother isn’t the most involved dad.
A couple gazing at each other | Source: Pixabay
I saw too many problems up close when husbands were absent, and I was determined not to make the same mistakes. However, just a few weeks into her pregnancy, everything started going downhill.
A pregnant couple | Source: Pixabay
Julia stopped wanting sex. “I just don’t feel like it, Mason. It’s too much right now,” she would say. I understood it was due to hormones and stress, so I respected her wishes. But then she didn’t want any physical interaction. No cuddling, no kissing. On top of that, she became increasingly distant.
A pregnant woman and her husband looking at each other in bedroom | Source: Pexels
Her eating habits constantly changed. One evening, Julia demanded, “Mason, I need pickles and ice cream right now.”
“Sure thing, honey,” I replied, hurrying to the store. When I returned, she snapped, “I don’t want this! I want sushi!”
“Julia, you asked for this just an hour ago,” I said, confused.
“I don’t care! Just get me sushi,” she screamed. I attributed this to hormonal issues and dealt with it.
A pregnant woman touching her belly while looking at husband | Source: Pexels
She never let me go to any appointments or groups she attended. “It’s just easier if I go alone,” she insisted. “I don’t want you hovering over me.”
“But I want to be involved, Julia,” I protested.
“I said no, Mason!” she snapped. She spent more time away from home, became cold and bitter, and was constantly angry at me. This went on for months.
An angry man sitting by the table while looking at a woman | Source: Pexels
One night, I came home exhausted. “Julia, I made dinner,” I called out.
“I’m not eating that,” she said, eyeing the food with disdain.
“But I spent hours making it,” I said, frustrated.
“Do you ever think about what I want?” she shouted. “You never listen!” Then, she slapped me. I was stunned to the point of silence.
A couple arguing | Source: Pexels
She stopped doing anything around the house about a month into the pregnancy. Sure, moving around is hard when pregnant, but she wouldn’t even help out with laundry. By the fifth week, I was doing everything. My work was also our primary source of income. I was barely sleeping, and running on fumes.
A young man in sleepwear | Source: Pexels
She made me sleep in the guest room and always tried to pick fights. “Why don’t you just leave if you can’t handle this?” she would taunt. I never even raised my voice.
I constantly reminded myself this wasn’t her and it would all be worth it. She didn’t want me to make any decisions regarding the baby. No name choices, no work on the nursery, nothing.
A tired man looking in mirror in the bathroom | Source: Pexels
One month before she delivered, Julia yelled at me about how useless I was. “I’m going to stay with my mother. Don’t bother calling,” she declared. She refused to let me get her anything, threatened to divorce me, and even threatened a restraining order if I called her.
A woman shouting at a man | Source: Pexels
A couple of weeks ago, I found out about the birth of my son, Jason, from a Facebook post. Julia posted it with her mother and some family. It broke me. When I tried to visit them at the hospital, security kicked me out.
A smartphone showing a Facebook application | Source: Pexels
After finding out about Jason’s birth, I started doubting if Jason was mine. I wanted a paternity test, but Julia didn’t answer my calls. I was heartbroken. Two weeks later, Julia’s brother picked up the phone.
A man on a phone call | Source: Pexels
“Mason, you need to know the truth,” he said. “Julia had an affair with a coworker. She believed the baby was his.”
I was stunned. “What? How could she do this to me?”
“She didn’t know how to tell you. Her coworker promised to be with her, but he left when he found out the baby wasn’t his,” her brother explained. “I thought you should know.”
A pensive man talking on the phone while on the street | Source: Pexels
When I found out about Julia’s betrayal, I was furious. With the help of my lawyer, I demanded a paternity test. When it was confirmed that I was indeed the father, I was finally able to hold my son for the first time when he was almost a month old.
A newborn baby held by a happy father | Source: Pexels
I then taught Julia a lesson. We had a prenup, and I owned our marital home. I filed for divorce and was confident that I would win. I also contacted Julia’s job and revealed her relationship with the coworker. Her company had strict rules and fired both Julia and the coworker.
A man and a woman discussing at their workplace | Source: Pexels
I filed for full custody of Jason, claiming Julia wasn’t stable enough to provide for him. Julia begged me to forgive her, but I didn’t. She had no option left but to move in with her mother.
Julia’s life changed drastically after moving in with her mother. The relationship between Julia and her mother became strained. “How could you let this happen, Julia?” her mother would often ask, frustration clear in her voice.
Two women arguing | Source: Pexels
“I made a mistake, Mom. I didn’t know it would turn out like this,” Julia would reply, her eyes welling up with tears.
Her mother sighed, “Losing your job was one thing, but your actions have consequences. Look at where we are now.”
Two women arguing | Source: Pexels
Julia struggled with the reality of her situation. Every day was a reminder of her fall from grace. Without a job, she had no financial independence.
Her mother’s constant lectures didn’t help. “I can’t believe you jeopardized everything for a fling,” her mother said one evening, shaking her head in disbelief.
An unrecognizable woman having argument with an upset female | Source: Pexels
“Mom, I’m trying to make things right,” Julia insisted.
“Trying isn’t enough, Julia. You need to face the reality that you’ve hurt a lot of people,” her mother retorted.
Their conversations were filled with tension and regret. Julia felt trapped and isolated. Her mother’s disappointment weighed heavily on her, making her realize the full impact of her decisions. Every day, she faced the reality of her actions and the life she had lost.
A woman covering her face with her head down | Source: Pexels
After hearing me out in court and learning my story, the judge granted me full custody, especially since Julia didn’t protest. I decided to move on with my life and become the best father I could be. I allowed Julia to see Jason according to the court arrangements.
Was I justified in the lesson I taught my ex-wife?
A man in sitting on a bench near trees | Source: Pexels
Melissa Sue Anderson, star of ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ speaks of her decision to leave Hollywood for Canada
How many times has it happened that you think of an old show you used to love watching and wonder what the actors are doing after so many years? I guess many of you that have seen “Little House on the Prairie” and were eager to see each new adventure of the family living on the farm in Plum Creek near Walnut Grove, Minnesota, would love to know what the actors are up to these days.
Those fans who were fond of the actress playing Mary Ingalls, beautiful Melissa Sue Anderson, were convinced she would continue being part of their life through the small screens, but she had other plans.
Today, she speaks of her decision to leave Hollywood behind and move to Canada.
This actress started her acting career playing guest roles, and had her way into the showbiz when she became one of the central figures of “Little House on the Prairie.” Her acting brought her several nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and her fans knew she deserved it.
Speaking of her experience filming this drama that made her famous, back in 2010, Anderson told Pop Entertainment, “I’m lucky that there even was a character to play, because in the book, there isn’t much of one. Laura [Ingalls, author of the Little House novels upon which the series was based and the story was centered] was a quite older woman when she wrote the books. She was remembering the best of her life. The characters of Ma and Mary didn’t factor in a lot. There was a lot of Laura and Pa and Laura and Jack the dog and Laura and Mr. Edwards, but there wasn’t a lot of Mary. I’m fortunate that they discovered that I could act.”
She tried herself in other minor roles after Mary Ingalls, but then in 1990 she got married to television producer Michael Sloan and moved to Montreal in 2002 with her husband and their two children, daughter Piper and son Griffin.
In 2007, the family became Canadian citizens and with the new life came new commitments, so Anderson decided to let go of the showbiz because she wanted to spend more time with her kids and didn’t want them to feel pressured to pursue acting careers themselves.
In an interview with E-Talk, Anderson said, “I really stepped away for a long time. That was really for the kids so they would have their own sense of who they were as opposed to being with me.”
However, Anderson didn’t step back from acting completely, but took small roles over the recent years. Her life-changing experience of being part in a series like “Little House on the Prairie” encouraged her to write a memoir titled The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House.
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