A Reddit user recently shared a life-changing experience that he had endured. After surviving a life-threatening disease, he never thought that he would face the harsh reality of losing the one constant thing in his life: his wife.

This married man battled a severe degenerative disease which completely changed his life. Despite losing many of his abilities, he was grateful to still have his wife by his side. However, he found himself facing one of his biggest fears.

In a heartfelt post on the “Off My Chest” sub, the Redditor bravely opened up about his feelings and unleashed his emotional baggage. He admitted that he may come across as the villain in his story after discovering how his wife truly felt for him behind his back.

The Original Poster (OP) had lost almost a decade of his life fighting this disease. Throughout this difficult journey, he lost not only his career, house, and pride, but also his ability to do the things that brought him joy. Instead, his days were filled with pain, surgeries, medications, and the confinement of a wheelchair.

Walking no more than 20 feet and unable to carry anything heavier than a few pounds, he felt the weight of his struggles. However, throughout these challenges, the one thing he believed he had never lost was love.

His wife had always gone above and beyond to support him. Although he appreciated her efforts, he often told her to let him know if she ever felt overwhelmed. But she never brought up any issues, leading him to assume that she had no problems at all.

One day, while he was in the hallway trying to put on his shoes, he overheard his wife talking to her friend. Unbeknownst to her, he hadn’t left yet to pick up their son from his Airsoft practice. It was in that moment that he heard something that shattered his heart into a million pieces.

His wife expressed her exhaustion of feeling like his babysitter and vented about how drained she was from helping him due to his limitations. But what truly devastated him was when she confessed that she longed to be with a “real man” again, but refrained from pursuing it because she didn’t want to be blamed for leaving her sick husband. He couldn’t help but question his own identity in that painful moment.

Suddenly, all the frustrations and annoyances that he knew his wife had towards him seemed to pale in comparison to the low opinion she held of him. Devastated and hurt beyond words, he walked into the kitchen and deliberately dropped his tumbler to let her know he was home.

As she rushed to check on him, he lied about returning for his water bottle and chose to battle his darkest emotions alone. He realized that in order to make it easier for his wife, he needed to become the bad guy. He planned to tell her about a fictitious affair with another woman, so she would find the happiness she craved.

However, after sharing his story, people advised him not to rush into any hasty decisions. They reminded him that his wife’s venting might not necessarily reflect her true feelings. Everyone has moments of frustration and unpleasant thoughts when upset or overwhelmed, as one Reddit user explained.

Another commenter shared a personal story of their mother venting about their terminally ill father, saying similar things to what OP’s wife had said. In the end, it was just a way for her to let off steam. The person reassured OP that despite these frustrations, love still remained.

Ultimately, OP’s main goal was to see his wife happy and give her everything he felt he couldn’t provide. He understood that revealing his fictional affair would hurt her, but he believed it would also free her from judgment by others. He painfully accepted that his wife deserved to be free, even if it meant being free from him.

In this heart-wrenching story of love, frustration, and sacrifice, the Redditor’s desire to set his wife free speaks to the deep love he holds for her. It reminds us that even in the darkest moments, there is always room for understanding, forgiveness, and true compassion.