She left with our baby. I sat in an empty room, staring at the AC…

Me and my wife knew each other since college (2015). We fell in love, and after a lot of resistance and struggle, I convinced my parents to let me marry her in 2021.

At that time, I was jobless, in my last semester of university, but she supported me. She never demanded anything I couldn’t provide.

Then I got a job for 25K PKR (~$90) a month while living in a flat with friends in Islamabad (capital of Pakistan). She was at my parents’ house. Around the same time, she also got a job in Islamabad and moved into a hostel near her office because we couldn’t afford rent and expenses for a place of our own yet.

After two months, we took a leap and moved into our first flat together. Both our jobs weren’t enough to make ends meet, but we somehow managed.

After a year, I left my job (they offered me 75K PKR (~$270) to stay, but I didn’t) and started freelancing. It backfired, and I was barely earning anything.

But GOD had other plans. I randomly bid on a job on Upwork and landed a full-time role at a U.S.-based marketing agency.

Everything changed. I started earning multiple six figures. I asked my wife to leave her job because of her back pain, and she did.

Life was going well until I got too focused on work. I wanted to be the best in the company. I worked 12-14 hours straight every day.

Everything we had dreamed of was becoming reality as I grew in my career.

I had a joke when we had nothing: “Bs itna kamana chahta hun k full-time AC chalayen aur bill ka darr na ho.”
(“I just want to earn enough so we can run the AC all the time without worrying about the electricity bill.”)

But little did I know what was coming for us.

She started complaining that I was always working, that I wasn’t giving her enough attention. I loved her, I cared about her, and I tried to balance things, but it never worked out.

In the middle of all this, we decided to have a baby. In mid-2024, we got the good news. We were so happy.

But then it started again—“You don’t give me time and attention.” And I kept thinking, I’m literally working in our bedroom—how am I not present?

Somehow, she was right. I was too focused and did take things for granted, though I never meant to. Who doesn’t want rest and good family time? But I worked under immense pressure—12+ hours daily—and every time she complained, I lost my patience.

The 9 months were harsh for her. She felt alone. I didn’t do it on purpose, but I had to do what every husband and father has to do. Still, those months created a distance between us.

Then, in November 2024, my grandmother passed away. I was close to my grandparents since I had lived with them for a while. It was hard. But I kept pushing forward.

Our baby’s expected delivery was mid-February 2025. Around that time, my grandfather fell critically ill. He was on a ventilator. Then, I got the call—he had passed away.

I rushed to my father’s home for the funeral. But while I was there, I got another call—my wife had gone into labor.

I made it back just in time, and she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.

And that’s when things really went crazy.

I was under immense stress—work, losing both my grandparents, and now adjusting to life with a newborn.

I ordered an iPhone 16 Pro Max as a push present for my wife, but the guy scammed me, and I lost a lot of money. I never told her, but it gave me even more stress.

I don’t know what hit me, but I started feeling depressed. She was obviously going through postpartum and it wasn’t easy for her either.

She was struggling with the baby, and I tried to help, but something just wasn’t working. She started blaming me again—“You’re not doing enough.”

And that hurt.

Because when a man works himself to the bone for his family, and all he hears is that he’s not enough, it breaks him.

But this time, I was already at my limit. The stress, the pressure—it all got to me. I started losing my temper. The baby cried all the time, and she was exhausted, so every argument started with me. I know I should have been more supportive, that I should have ignored the arguments because of what she was going through. But I was struggling too.

At the start of this month, we had a fight again but it was different. I didn’t argue and went to other room.

She left.

She took my baby and our cat and went to her mother’s house.

And I was all alone.

“Bs itna kamana hai k full-time AC chalayen aur bill ka darr na ho.”
(“I just want to earn enough so we can run the AC all the time without worrying about the bill.”)

I sat there, looking at the AC. And I cried.

I didn’t sleep. I didn’t eat. I didn’t talk to anyone. I felt like I was drowning.

Everything was over. I had no hope that she’d come back.

But maybe GOD had other plans. Maybe all of this happened after our child was born so that we couldn’t part ways even if we wanted to.

I decided I wouldn’t let my family fall apart.

I picked up the broken pieces of myself. I bought clothes and gifts for her. I went to meet her at her mother’s house. I explained everything to her.

Thankfully, she didn’t take long to agree to come back. Because deep down, she loves me a lot.

I’m so happy she’s back. But the fear of this happening again is greater than the happiness. Because if it happens again, there will be no coming back.

I don’t know why I’m posting this here, but I guess I just wanted to share the weight of it. And to genuinely ask—was I totally wrong? What can I do to make sure this never happens again?

I love her and my baby so much. I can’t lose them.

And for the bros planning to marry soon—just know, before marriage, it’s all rainbows and unicorns (carefree and romantic). But after some time, it’s different. And that’s the beauty of it.

Never give up on your family. No matter how much you feel disrespected or unappreciated, it’s YOU who is responsible for making things right.

Keep hustling. Keep grinding. You may not always be appreciated for your efforts, but keep going.

Sorry for the long post, but I had to share this.