There was one thing that made it all less bright, and it was all about the classic issue: Lilly’s relationship with her mother-in-law (MIL). Lilly wrote, “I have always had a difficult relationship with my MIL because I just didn’t like her personality. She’s always been very authoritative and entitled, sincerely believing that her opinion is the only one that matters in every situation. She loves to interfere with other people’s private lives.”
Despite this, Lilly tried to keep things polite, as they didn’t see each other often. “George and I live in another country, so the chances of her interfering in our life were relatively small. I accepted that my MIL would never be like a second mother to me.”
However, about a year ago, Lilly’s husband George started behaving very disrespectfully. “George began making rude comments about my body odor. There was no apparent reason for it—no change in my health or lifestyle. Every day, at least once, he would tell me that I stank and smelled of body odor.”
Lilly’s hygiene habits hadn’t changed since they met. She showered daily, used deodorant, and brushed her teeth three times a day. Despite this, George’s nasty comments persisted. Lilly became paranoid about her body odor, showering three times a day, applying strong deodorant hourly, using perfume, and brushing her teeth five times a day.
George’s comments severely affected Lilly’s mental state. She wrote, “I felt like I was going crazy. I was sure I didn’t smell bad, but it was obvious to my husband that I did. I’ve always been the type to sneakily smell my own armpits. I even visited a doctor, who said there was nothing medically wrong. It got to the point where I asked friends and family to smell my armpits. They all said I didn’t smell like body odor, with one family member even saying I smelled too clean, like a Lush store.”
One day, Lilly unexpectedly uncovered the truth behind George’s behavior. She had gone out for a walk, leaving George at home. She returned home early because she felt unwell and quietly entered the house. George didn’t hear her come in because he was on a video call with his mother.
Lilly overheard George and his MIL arguing. George was saying he was fed up with the “smelly game” and that their intimacy had stopped because of his remarks. His mother advised him to be patient if he wanted to keep Lilly. She revealed that George’s father used the same technique on her to ensure she would stay devoted, feel too low to cheat, and always be fresh and clean.
Lilly was disgusted and furious that George had used this vile technique on her. She concluded, “George doesn’t know yet that I’m aware of everything. I want a divorce, but I want revenge before I split up with him. Many might not see George’s actions as a serious reason for divorce, but I can’t imagine living the rest of my life with someone who uses the ‘smelly methods’ on a woman who loves him with all her heart.”
