Chapter 5 – Humiliation

Daisy had survived lonely nights. But now the pain came in another form. It was the pain of being humiliated again and again. Not in silence this time, but in front of others.

One evening they were invited to a family dinner. Daisy dressed simply and helped serve the food. Her hands were tired but she smiled, hoping the evening would go well. She passed a bowl of rice, but the spoon slipped from her hand. It was only a small mistake, but George laughed loudly. “See? Even after all these years she cannot serve properly.”

The room went quiet. Some people looked down. Daisy’s face turned red. She wanted to disappear. She whispered to herself, “Why does he shame me in front of everyone? Why can’t he protect me instead?” That night she cried silently in her bed.

It was not just once. George made it a habit. At another gathering, Daisy forgot the name of a distant cousin. She smiled and asked politely, “I’m sorry, can you remind me of your name?” Before the person could answer, George cut in, “She forgets everything these days. She never pays attention.” People laughed awkwardly. Daisy lowered her eyes. She thought, “Why does my husband make me small in front of others? Am I only a joke to him?”

Even at home with guests, George spoke sharply. One neighbor came by and Daisy offered tea. The tea was not sweet enough. George said in front of the neighbor, “She never gets it right. She has been making tea for forty years and still doesn’t know.” The neighbor smiled nervously. Daisy forced a smile too, but inside she was breaking. She thought, “Why can’t he say this later? Why does he have to insult me in front of others?”

The humiliation also came when George compared her with other women. At parties, he looked at them with admiration. He said things like, “She knows how to dress well. She knows how to speak politely.” But when Daisy tried to look nice, he mocked her. “Don’t try to act young. Stay simple.” Daisy’s heart sank each time. She whispered, “Why am I never enough for him? Why does he see beauty in others but not in me?”

Daisy’s children noticed too. Once Anna was visiting and saw her father laughing with another woman at a family function while ignoring Daisy. Later Anna asked, “Mom, doesn’t that bother you?” Daisy smiled faintly and said, “It’s nothing.” Inside she thought, “It is everything. But how can I tell my daughter that her father makes me feel invisible?”

The worst humiliation came one Sunday when relatives came over. Daisy served food carefully. George took a bite and said loudly, “Too much salt. She never learns.” Everyone froze. Daisy’s eyes filled with tears, but she kept serving. Later her son Michael whispered, “Mom, don’t worry about it.” Daisy only nodded, but her heart cried, “Why should I live like this? Why should my own husband treat me like a servant with no respect?”

These moments piled up like stones on her chest. She thought, “Marriage is not only about living under one roof. Marriage is about honor. Marriage is about dignity. But he takes my dignity away every day.”

At night Daisy sat in the dark and remembered his words. She whispered, “I am not a fool. I am not useless. I am Daisy. I raised children. I built this home. Why am I treated as nothing?” Her tears fell without stopping.

The humiliation became one of the strongest reasons for her pain. She could handle loneliness, she could handle silence. But being shamed in front of others cut her soul. She thought, “A woman can live without wealth. She can live with simple food. But no woman can live without respect. Without respect, love dies. Without respect, marriage dies.”

That truth grew inside her every day. She knew something had to change. She could not carry this humiliation forever.