Woman Leaves Husband For Another Man, Is Shocked When He Stops Paying Spousal Support

Till death do us part… or at least until one spouse moves in with someone else? This made one man turn to the internet for some clarity and advice. This juicy Reddit post has us all scratching our heads and giggling at the same time, as the OP (original poster) finds himself in the middle of a weird legal dispute with his soon-to-be ex-wife.

If you’ve been craving some relationship drama, you’re not the only one! So, grab your popcorn, because this one’s a rollercoaster!

More info: Reddit

Our Reddit friend finds himself in the middle of a serious marital crisis as his wife drops a bombshell - she’s unhappy and wants out. Ouch! If that was not painful enough, the situation gets even spicier when the OP finds out that wifey dearest had been cozying up to another man at the movies, while our guy was off working overseas.

But, before he could say “spousal support,” she packed her bags and moved in with Mr. Mystery Movie Date, claiming they’re “just friends”. Now that’s what we call a Hollywood-worthy plot twist.

Here’s where things get legally tangled. The OP consults his lawyer, who advises him to stop giving wifey any money since, under state law, cheaters aren’t eligible for spousal support. This raises our OP’s dilemma: is he overreacting by cutting off the financial lifeline to his soon-to-be ex-wife? After all, she’s the one who called it quits and didn’t bother to look back. Is it fair for him to keep funding her Netflix and chill sessions with the new dude?

However, while she’s singing the “just friends” tune, “she claims she has every right to see or sleep with other people once we are separated,” the OP recalls. I don’t know about you, but we’re hearing the full-blown orchestra of betrayal in the background of this digital soap opera.

The question that arises here: why did the wife decide to skip a few steps by directly moving out, rather than opting for the conventional route of a trial separation? It's a move that definitely raises some eyebrows. According to an article published by The Gottman Institute, “A trial separation is an informal agreement between two spouses to live apart and there are no legal agreements, judges, or lawyers involved. This is time spent living apart and agreeing to evaluate their feelings toward each other and intentions at the end of the time period.”

While the OP is trying to deal with the emotional outcome of the situation, he's left questioning the sincerity of his wife’s claims about the nature of her relationship with this mysterious roommate. Is it just a case of two friends finding comfort in each other's company, or is there a deeper connection involved? If they are, in fact, just friends, why is it that the wife hadn’t mentioned anything about being unhappy? If she had, maybe a trial separation could have avoided all this drama. “For some couples, a trial separation makes sense because they can use the time to honestly evaluate the relationship, work on themselves, and work on the relationship,” the article states.

This shocked husband finds himself caught between feelings of betrayal and a sense of confusion, unsure of where to turn next in this real-life drama that seems straight out of a scripted series. “I can’t just destroy my ex financially without good cause.”

Here’s where our protagonist has turned to the internet for some good ol’ fashioned moral support and a reality check. And boy, did he get it! Our virtual cheerleading squad has spoken loud and clear–the OP should take his lawyer’s advice and stop paying spousal support to his wife.

According to the people in the comments, our OP did the right thing by talking to a lawyer before taking any action. While he’s cutting the financial cord, he’s not out for blood. It’s all about having some dignity and not stooping to his ex-wife’s level, even if she’d already booked her one-way ticket to Cheatersville.

So, what’s your verdict in this case? Is our Reddit buddy overreacting, or is he the patron saint of exes everywhere? Share your thoughts in the comments below.