I hadn't slept a full night in three months. Not since Olivia arrived and turned our world upside down with her tiny fists and powerful lungs.

A crying baby | Source: Pexels

Don't get me wrong: I loved my daughter more than anything, but the exhaustion was real. Maternity leave was much more work than being in the office.

That afternoon, I was bouncing Olivia in my arms, trying to quiet her fussing while simultaneously folding laundry with my free hand.

My hair hadn't been washed in four days, and I was wearing the same spit-up-stained T-shirt for the second day in a row.

An exhausted woman holding a baby | Source: Midjourney

David arrived home and walked into the living room looking fresh and crisp in his button-down and slacks. Not a hair out of place.

"How was your day?" he asked.

I forced a smile. "The usual. Olivia was fussy most of the afternoon."

David flopped down on the couch and stretched out his legs.

A man stretching out his legs | Source: Pexels

"Man, work was brutal today," he said, kicking off his shoes. "Three back-to-back meetings. I'm wiped out."

I bit my tongue. "Dinner's in the oven. Should be ready in about twenty minutes."

"Great," David said, grabbing the remote. "I'm starving."

Olivia started crying again. I bounced her more vigorously, patting her back and making shushing noises.

A woman holding a crying baby | Source: Pexels

David leaned back and sighed. "It must be nice to stay home all day with Olivia. It's like a permanent vacation."

A laugh escaped my lips, harsh and brittle. "A vacation? You think this is a vacation?"

David shrugged. "You know what I mean. You're not working right now, so you don't get tired like I do."

A man on a sofa | Source: Midjourney

I stared at him, wondering if he'd always been this clueless or if it was a recent development. Before I could respond, the timer on the oven buzzed. Olivia wailed louder.

"Dinner's ready," I said flatly, handing him the baby. "Your turn."

David took Olivia awkwardly, holding her like she might explode. "But I just got home. I need to relax."

A man frowning slightly | Source: Midjourney

"And I need to get dinner on the table," I replied, walking to the kitchen. "Unless you'd prefer to do that instead?"

He frowned but didn't argue. Small victories.

A week later, David came home with a grin so wide I thought his face might split in two.

"Guess what?" he said, dropping his briefcase by the door.

A briefcase on the floor in an entrance hall | Source: Pexels

I was in the living room, bouncing a fussy Olivia on my hip. "What?"

"Mom and Dad are going to a resort next week, and they invited me to come along." His eyes gleamed with excitement. "I'm going next week."

I froze mid-bounce. "Wait... what?"

A woman staring in disbelief | Source: Midjourney

"Yeah, it's this amazing place in Cancun. All-inclusive. Five days of sun, sand, and relaxation." He sighed happily. "I need a break."

A strange sound bubbled up from my chest. It took me a moment to realize I was laughing — not from humor, but from pure, undiluted disbelief.

"And me?" I finally managed.

A woman speaking to someone | Source: Midjourney

David waved his hand dismissively. "Babe, you don't work, so you don't need a vacation. You're basically on one already."

I blinked slowly, the rage building inside me so intense I could feel it heating my blood.

But instead of launching the baby bottle in my hand at his thick skull, I smiled sweetly.

A woman holding a baby bottle | Source: Gemini

"Of course, darling. You're the only breadwinner. Go have fun."

David didn't notice the dangerous glint in my eye. He just grinned, kissed my cheek, and bounded up the stairs, probably to pack his swim trunks.

Big mistake.

A furious woman | Source: Midjourney

While David prepared for his "well-earned" break, I made plans of my own. Secret plans that involved teaching my husband a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

The morning of his departure, I kissed him goodbye with a smile so genuine it surprised even me. But then, I was about to get my own kind of satisfaction.

"Have fun," I said cheerfully. "Don't worry about us."

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

"I won't," David replied, completely missing the point. "See you in five days."

As soon as his car disappeared down the street, I sprang into action.

First, I emptied the refrigerator. After all, he clearly thought groceries appeared out of thin air since I did nothing all day.

An open fridge | Source: Pexels

Next, I gathered every piece of dirty laundry in the house and piled it in front of the washing machine.

I logged into our joint account and canceled all the automatic payments: electricity, water, internet, and streaming services. Everything.

Then I packed up Olivia's entire nursery. Crib, changing table, diapers, wipes, clothes — all of it went into the car.

Close up shot of a crib mobile | Source: Pexels

Finally, I wrote a note and left it on the kitchen counter:

"Olivia and I are on vacation too. Don't wait up."

I turned off my phone, strapped Olivia into her car seat, and drove to my mom's house.

Freedom never felt so good.

A car driving into the sunset | Source: Pexels

David had promised to call every evening, so I knew it wouldn't take long for him to notice something was wrong, even if he was being incredibly dense about how much work I put into our home.

Two days later, I turned my phone back on.

His frantic texts started rolling in almost immediately.

A cell phone on a table | Source: Pexels

"Emily, why aren't you answering your phone? I'm worried. I'm coming home early and will be home tonight."

"Emily, where ARE you?? Where's Olivia? What do you mean, you're on vacation?"

"The fridge is EMPTY. I had to eat takeout!"

"WHY is the electricity bill overdue? They're threatening to shut it off!"

"Where are my WORK CLOTHES? I have a meeting TOMORROW!"

A woman smirking faintly | Source: Midjourney

I let him stew for another full day before responding with a simple text:

"Relax, babe! Since I don't work, I figured you wouldn't mind handling things while I took a break, too."

His response was immediate and desperate:

"I GET IT, OKAY? I was wrong. Please, just come back!"

A woman using her cell phone | Source: Pexels

I smiled at my phone. Message received.

Two days later, I walked through our front door with Olivia on my hip, surveying the damage.

There were dishes piled high in the sink and takeout containers scattered across the counter. The laundry situation had gotten worse.

And in the middle of it all stood David, unshaven and wild-eyed, looking like he hadn't slept since he got back.

A disheveled man standing in a living room | Source: Midjourney

"You're back," he said, his voice cracking with relief.

"Looks like you had a relaxing break," I replied, taking in his disheveled appearance.

David ran a hand through his hair. "Emily, I am so sorry. I was an idiot."

"Go on," I prompted, adjusting Olivia in my arms.

A woman smiling victoriously while holding a baby | Source: Midjourney

"I didn't realize how much you actually do around here. All day, every day." He gestured helplessly at the chaos surrounding us. "I couldn't even keep things going for a week."

"And?"

"And I was selfish and wrong to suggest that staying home with Olivia isn't work. It's more work than I do at the office. I should have seen that." He stepped closer, his eyes pleading. "I'm sorry."

An apologetic-looking man | Source: Midjourney

I nodded slowly, letting him stew a bit longer.

"I missed you both so much," he continued. "The house felt empty without you."

"The house IS empty," I pointed out. "I took everything important."

A small smile cracked through his misery. "Yeah, I noticed that too."

A smiling man in a living room | Source: Midjourney

I reached into my purse and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Here."

David took it, frowning. "What's this?"

"It's a chore list," I explained. "From now on, we're splitting all the chores."

His face went pale. "Everything...?"

A frowning man holding a paper page | Source: Midjourney

"That's right," I said, patting his shoulder. "Since I don't 'work' and all, I assume you'll have no issue doing half of these while I take some much-needed breaks of my own."

David glanced down at the list, swallowed hard, and nodded. "That's fair."

"I'm glad you think so," I said, finally feeling a real smile form. "Because I've booked myself a spa day for Saturday, and you're on Olivia duty."

A woman smiling smugly | Source: Midjourney

David reached for our daughter. "Hey, princess," he whispered, holding her close. "Daddy missed you."

Olivia gurgled happily, completely unaware of the power shift that had just occurred in our household.

"I'll do better," David promised, looking at me over Olivia's head. "I swear."

A man