A man found himself sharing personal experiences on Reddit that turned his world upside down.

After overcoming a serious illness, he didn’t anticipate the possibility of losing something he cherished deeply in his life.

This married gentleman, who navigated through a tough, life-altering illness, remained thankful for his wife’s presence even as he lost many personal capabilities. Yet, he feared the unimaginable.

Taking to the “Off My Chest” forum on Reddit, he expressed his emotions, boldly declaring, “I’m going to make myself the villain.” He had just discovered his wife’s honest feelings when she thought he wasn’t listening.

For nearly ten years, the Markus fought against a severe degenerative disease.

His career, home, pride, and all that once brought him joy were swapped for pain, surgeries, and a life reliant on a wheelchair.

Markus mentioned that he could only walk about 20 feet and struggled to lift anything weighing much at all. For a decade, most activities he once enjoyed were memories. Yet, amidst the challenges, Markus believed he never lost love.

His wife continuously extended support. Markus truly valued her efforts and often asked her to convey if any of his needs became too burdensome. As she never mentioned any grievances, Markus assumed everything was alright.

Everything changed one day when Markus was struggling to put on shoes in the hallway and overheard a conversation.

His wife, believing he was already on his way to pick up their son from Airsoft practice, spoke freely with her friend.

He heard her say she was weary of being his caregiver and that his limitations drained her energy. Markus, taken aback, listened further, only to have his heart break on hearing a deeper confession from her.

She revealed, “I’d give anything to be able to have sex with a real man again,” but refrained, fearing blame for leaving her ailing spouse. Her words were a crushing blow to Markus. “A real man? What does that make me?” he pondered in distress.

Though he sensed his wife’s irritation and unhappiness, Markus hadn’t grasped the depth of her feelings. Deeply hurt, he dropped a tumbler in the kitchen to make her aware of his presence.

Realizing he was home, his wife immediately checked on him. Markus, masking his feelings, pretended to come back for a water bottle, choosing instead to grapple with his emotions alone.

He contemplated a selfless decision to ease his wife’s burden.

Hoping to spare her any blame, he decided to play the villain himself. The plan was to fabricate a story about having an affair, allowing her to find happiness unburdened by guilt.

Responding to his post, people urged caution, suggesting his wife might have merely been expressing frustration. “It doesn’t necessarily mean those are her ‘true’ feelings,” one commenter noted, emphasizing the common nature of such thoughts when people are upset.

Another Redditor compared their situation, noting how their mother often vented similar frustrations about their incurably ill father. But they assured, “She loves my father dearly. We all vent, but we still love them.”

Despite the painful situation, Markus remained resolved to see his wife content, offering everything he couldn’t provide. Though his fabricated affair might wound her, he believed it would release her from societal judgment. “She’ll be free from guilt…She will be free…from me,” he concluded, sorrowfully, yet determinedly.