“My husband and I have been together for 12 years, married for eight. We have a [seven-year-old] daughter that is the light of both of our lives,” Saira told Reddit.
“I love my little family more than anything in the world. My husband is a great partner and father… unfortunately, a year-and-a-half ago our daughter was diagnosed with cancer. The news put us under a great emotional and financial strain.”
Struggling to survive financially, when her husband spoke of a possible promotion at work, they saw the opportunity as a beacon of light in dire times.
“I was really hoping my husband would be able to get it,” said Saira, who went with her husband to a work event.
“I mentioned how our daughter needed so much medical attention and we were struggling to make ends meet [to his boss],” Saira revealed.
“And I mentioned how my husband worked so hard for this company, and how this promotion would really change our lives right now.”
Saira continued: “His boss seemed very sympathetic of the situation and told me he would definitely take that into consideration when making a decision.
“He asked me for my number to check up on our daughter, and I honestly didn’t think anything of it so I gave it to him.
“The following Monday I received a call from my husband’s boss, I thought it was odd and asked if everything was ok with my husband.
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“His boss said he could not stop thinking about our situation and would like to discuss things with me over lunch.
“He said he didn’t want to make my husband feel like this promotion was a pity party for him if he did end up getting in and that’s why he wanted to talk to me alone.”
Agreeing to meet for lunch, the conversation soon turned from the enormous benefits of the promotion to how Saira could play a part in securing her husband that promotion.
“I did not know how to react to this and simply said I felt uncomfortable and attempted to leave, to which he stopped me and said he would give me time to think,” Saira shared.
“He said it would just be one time in exchange for a better life, and that he had to make a decision on the promotion by Friday, so I had till then,” she claimed.
Looking over their impossible finances later that evening, out of desperation, Saira told her husband’s boss that she would consider the proposition.
“When the day came, I thought and reassured myself this was the right decision for my family,” said Saira. “I cried the whole time through it and tried my hardest to disassociate from what was happening,” shared Saira.
“Once it was over, he told me, ‘Make sure you’re ready to celebrate tomorrow, your husband just landed a huge promotion’.”
Disgusted with herself, her husband landed the promotion, but then his boss called up a few months later, asking for a rendezvous.
“He said if I didn’t meet up with him he would not only fire my husband, but also tell him about what had happened… it’s been going on for a little under a year now,” Saira revealed.
“I cry for hours after every time. I feel so disgusted with myself. I feel so trapped… I hate myself so much.”
*Names have been changed.
