Forced into Loveless Marriage with my Controlling Husband

I am a 26-year-old woman, soon turning 27, and I got married 3 years ago. I married my cousin (my aunt’s son) in an arranged marriage. At that time, I had just completed my undergraduate studies and had gone through a failed relationship. My husband was pursuing his post-graduation (he is a medical student). Both our parents convinced us to get married soon for various reasons.

I told them that I was not ready and that this would affect his studies too, but they wouldn’t listen because I am a woman and because of my past relationship. So, we got married in November 2021. On our first night, he told me that his mother wanted a baby and that we shouldn’t delay the process. At first, I didn’t realize he was a “mommy’s boy.” He wanted to have sex with me but then said he wasn’t ready. I really didn’t understand what he meant. Then he told me that since he had spent his school and college years in a hostel, his sperm quality wasn’t good due to an unhealthy lifestyle.

He started touching me but suddenly stopped and turned to the other side to sleep. I was confused. Ten days after our wedding, he left for Bangalore for his studies. His parents wouldn’t allow me to go with him. My home and my in-laws’ home are in the same compound, so after he left, I stayed with my mother. We lived in the same compound, but my husband stayed away for his studies.

Every two months, he would visit after my periods, and his mother would ask us to be physically involved. I hated this. When I tried to have emotional conversations with him, he would say, “Don’t talk to me like that; otherwise, I can’t concentrate on my studies.” But he only wanted to have sex because his mother wanted a baby. Two years passed like this, and I didn’t get pregnant.

After completing his studies, he returned in August 2023. He told me the same thing-that his lifestyle wasn’t good and he needed to be healthy. I agreed, but we barely spoke to each other. We went to the hospital for tests because my family thought I was the reason I couldn’t conceive. My results were normal, and I was perfectly capable of having a baby. Then the doctor tested him and found that his sperm motility was not good, but it wasn’t a major issue. The doctors advised us to eat healthy.

We prepared ourselves for a baby, and in January 2024, I got pregnant. The same month, my father passed away. However, he had not been in our lives-he had married another woman and lived happily with them until his death.

During my third-month scan, we received devastating news. My baby’s growth was not good, and the doctor advised us to terminate the pregnancy. We followed the doctor’s advice and aborted the child. One month later, my husband and I had a huge fight, and I stayed at my mom’s house. Then I went back to my in-laws’ house and resumed my usual routine.

One morning, while I was cooking breakfast and lunch for my husband, his younger brother misbehaved with me. I shouted, and everyone came, but no one believed me. Since I married my cousin, his younger brother is also my cousin-two years younger than me. We grew up together, and I always treated him like my own brother, but he had ill intentions toward me. I had noticed something was wrong even before my husband returned from Bangalore. I had told my mom and my brothers, and they advised me never to be alone with him. So after finishing my household chores, I would go back to my mom’s place.

After the incident, two months passed, and I stayed at my mom’s home. My parents told me not to talk about it anymore and to move on with my life. But my husband didn’t believe me. He supported his brother because his family told him about my past relationship. He judged me as unworthy and assumed I falsely accused his brother.

However, they still wanted a baby from me, so my husband only wanted to be physically involved with me. He firmly believed his brother was innocent and that I was the one making false accusations. What should I do? I am already broken because of my father’s death. My mother is innocent and doesn’t understand the situation clearly. My husband is like this, and my brothers don’t support me.

I clearly want to end this relationship, but no one supports me. I want love, which I never received from my parents. Am I wrong? Should people judge someone because of their past?

Question: Should I end this relationship?

Option 1: Yes

Option 2: No