MY HUSBAND SECRETLY SPENT THE BONUS I RECEIVED AT WORK ON A NEW PHONE FOR HIS MOM
Three years into our marriage—and Aaron had already changed. He quit his job because he felt “undervalued,” and he shifted all our expenses onto me. At first, I didn’t object; I even told him where I kept my emergency savings.
Last month, my boss rewarded me for my hard work with a generous $2,500 bonus. I shared the good news with Aaron. His reaction? A kiss and a sweet, “You deserve it, darling.” It was immediately clear that he was scheming.
Then, last Friday, during dinner with my perpetually dissatisfied mother-in-law, Ruth, I noticed a sparkling iPhone 16 Pro Max next to her.
“Oh, wow, a brand-new phone? Who’s being so generous?” I asked, trying to keep a neutral expression.
Ruth beamed. “Aaron bought it for me! He knows how to take care of his mommy!”
I felt as if everything inside me just broke apart.
I quickly apologized and rushed to check my emergency stash—only to find it empty. Not a cent remained.
But I didn’t start a scene. Taking a deep breath, I calmly returned to the kitchen, flashed Aaron a sweet smile, and played along.
Because if he thought he could steal from me to pamper his mommy—and get away with it—he was gravely mistaken.
And two days later, the perfect moment for my counterstrike arrived.
When Aaron brought up again that he wanted a top-of-the-line gaming laptop, I was ready.
“You’re right, darling,” I said with a smile. “I’ve already ordered you the best one on the market!”
His face lit up. “When will it arrive?”
I paused. “Oh, it’s already here. I sent it to your mom—let her play Candy Crush!”
The color drained from his face immediately. “You sent my laptop to my mom?!”
I crossed my arms. “Oh, so you don’t like that? But you did the same thing!”
His mouth opened in shock, but no words came out. “You’ll return my money. And you’ll never have access to my finances again.”
Two weeks later, Aaron suddenly found a job. It’s amazing how quickly motivation shows up when the financial safety net disappears.
What’s next? Maybe marriage counseling… if he agrees to work on himself.
But one thing is clear: he will never, ever touch my money again.
