Maria sat by the window of her living room, her eyes fixed on the children playing outside. Their laughter rose into the air, pure and full of life. Once, her own home had been filled with that same sound, warmth, joy, and love. But now, silence pressed against her chest like a heavy stone.
Her thoughts drifted back to the day she first met Daniel. It was at a friend's wedding anniversary. Across the crowded hall, he stood tall and calm, his quiet smile catching her attention. He wasn't the most handsome man there, but there was a gentleness in his eyes that pulled her in. From that very moment, Maria knew her life would never be the same again.
Their love grew quickly. They spent hours talking about dreams, laughing about little things, and imagining their future together. Daniel was hardworking, and Maria was full of hope. When they finally got married, it felt like the beginning of a perfect story. The wedding was simple, but love made it shine. Friends and family cheered for them, certain they would last forever.
The early years of marriage were filled with happiness. Maria would wake up to the smell of Daniel's coffee, and he would laugh at how she always stole his socks. They shared meals, made silly jokes, and dreamed of travelling to places they had never seen. Even when money was short, their love gave them strength.
But as time passed, life grew heavier.
Daniel's job became stressful, demanding long hours that left him drained. He often came home too tired to talk, while Maria sat alone, longing for his attention. At first, she told herself it was just a phase. Things would get better. But days turned into months, and the distance between them only grew wider.
Arguments began about bills, about the children, about visiting family. Small disagreements piled up like bricks until they became walls between them.
"I'm tired of you never listening!" Maria snapped one evening.
"And I'm tired of you always complaining!" Daniel shot back.
The love was still there, but pride spoke louder. Neither wanted to bend. Neither wanted to say sorry.
The bills kept piling up. The fridge was not as full as before. Maria felt the heavy weight of running a home that seemed to be falling apart, while Daniel felt like a failure for not being able to provide more. Instead of holding each other close, they pushed each other further away.
Family and friends tried to help. Maria's mother urged her to be patient. Daniel's best friend told him to speak gently and calm his wife with love. But the advice only made them defensive. "You don't understand," Maria would say bitterly. "You don't live here." And Daniel would turn away, unable to admit how broken he felt inside.
The house, once full of warmth, now felt cold. Meals were eaten in silence. Laughter was gone. Even the children noticed. They hid in their rooms whenever their parents argued, covering their ears with pillows. Maria saw their fear but could not bring herself to soften. Daniel saw their sadness but didn't know how to fix it.
One evening, a fight broke out over something so small—dinner. Maria had cooked, but Daniel came home late and didn't touch the food.
"You don't even care that I try!" she shouted.
"I didn't ask you to cook!" Daniel snapped back.
That tiny moment exploded into a storm. Years of stress, anger, and hurt poured out. Every word cut deeper, every shout built another wall between them.
And then, Daniel said words that shattered everything.
"Maybe we should just end this. Maybe we should divorce."
Maria froze. Her heart screamed no, but pride locked her lips. She wanted to tell him she didn't mean her words, that she still loved him. But instead, she whispered, trembling:
"Fine. If that's what you want."
The choice was made in anger, not in love. They thought divorce would bring peace, that leaving would end the pain. But they didn't know it was only the beginning of a deeper kind of suffering.
That night, Maria lay in bed alone, the space beside her unbearable. Tears soaked her pillow as she tried to convince herself she was strong. But her heart felt broken.
Daniel sat in his car outside, his hands gripping the steering wheel. His chest was heavy with regret. He had once loved Maria with everything in him, part of him still did, but he didn't know how to fix what had been destroyed.
Their love hadn't died. It had only been buried under pride, under silence, under mistakes.
The house that was once filled with laughter now stood quiet. The marriage that once gave them joy was turning into a memory. And two people who had once promised forever had stepped into a path of regret they never expected to walk.