When Obedience Becomes Enslavement

my white dress, looking at my new husband, Mark Johnson. He was a tech entrepreneur, charming and handsome, and I, a succes

apers in her hand, he

said, her voice leaving no room for argument, "

renuptial agreement. I felt a knot form i

e insane. It wasn' t a normal prenup about assets. This do

ditional obedience to his mother, Eleanor Joh

ive with Eleanor, so she could "g

was to be transferred to Eleanor' s bank account for he

her must always, under all circumstance

ng. This wasn't a prenuptial agreeme

I said, trying to keep my voi

gh it off, to tear the papers up and t

e, looking from me to his mother,

" I pr

bit much?" he mumbl

voice sharp. "This is to protect our family. To make sure you don't forget w

ame on the last page. He didn't even look at me. He just signed away our marriage, our future, our independence, r

eek. I tried to talk to Mark about the

he'd say. "It's to make my mom happy.

he wa

ed up to our new house, a beautiful modern home I had designed myself, a house for

leanor stood there, beaming. Behind her, in the fo

the master bedroom, of course. It has the best

room, my bedroom, the one with the balcony

asked, my voice

manicured finger on an imaginary paper. "Shared living. It's

husband. "Mark!

talked about this. I thought you wer

am the head of this household. I decide the arrangements. Now,

where Eleanor criticized my table manners, I co

. "This is my house. I'm paying the m

u don't understand. The agreement... I have to listen to

ve common sense? Mark

, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Pleas

direct deposit notification on his phone. An hour later, I was talking to him when his phone buz

money to your mother?" I ask

me. "It's in the agreement. S

? The mortgage on this house is due next

etty little head about money, Sarah. I will give you two an allowance. I've de

monthly mortgage paymen

my patience, my hope,

Eleanor. "You will not control my life. You will not contr

front door, grabbed m

g out," I

ommanded. "You will stay

look that was pure ice. "You do

I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I couldn't stay in that ho