Dear Annie: I have been married for more than 35 years, but for most of that time, I have felt unloved and trapped. I came into this marriage desperately wanting children, and when my husband was widowed young with two little ones, I stepped in and raised them as my own. I was the one who got out of bed in the night, went to every school event, and poured my heart into giving them the love and stability they had lost. To them, I was “Mom,” even if I was never allowed to adopt them.

Meanwhile, my husband spent his years drinking, cheating and controlling every part of my life -- when I ate, when I slept, where I went. His family spread lies, calling me the “evil stepmother,” and he never defended me. I stayed for the children’s sake, and later for the grandchildren I adore, even as I live

See Full Page