She has completely suppressed her expectations because they were never met. She gave him time, chances, and love. She tried to understand his pain, nurture his inner child, and even love the trauma he carried. Yet, he took advantage of her compassion, betraying her in the worst ways possible, leaving her with a moral wound — the deep pain caused when someone exploits your empathy.
The world sees her silence but doesn’t understand what turned her into this bitter version of herself. She has accepted a grim new normal, living with a partner who feels more like a detached roommate than a loving husband.
Every attempt she made to bond with him was met with resistance, manipulation, or betrayal. So, she gave up. Her reactivity now stems from survival. What else can you do when the person you live with is nothing short of a predator?
The unacceptable reality is that her silence is misinterpreted as agreement by the narcissist. He assumes, She’s okay with my abuse; I can walk all over her. I can puppeteer her, and no one will say a thing because they believe me.
When she finally reacts — perhaps in public — he uses her outburst as proof that she’s “crazy.” He manipulates others into believing she’s the problem while he continues to gaslight and control her. She becomes isolated, guilt-ridden, and obligated to fix the unfixable.
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