Indian tech couple divorce after wife refuses to quit high-paying job to care for mother-in-law
A post shared on social media platform X has sparked a debate on gender roles, workplace equality and marriage after it detailed how an Indian tech professional’s refusal to quit her job allegedly led to emotional abuse and divorce.
From school romance to tech power couple
In the now-viral post, an X user detailed the story of her childhood friend who fell in love with a boy in high school. After school, they both pursued BTech and found jobs at Tech Mahindra together.
Over the next few years, they changed jobs, climbed the corporate ladder, got married and bought a house. Today, they have two children together.
“A childhood friend fell in love with this guy when we were in +2. They continued that relationship in BTech joined in Tech Mahindra together, changed companies, got married, have two kids. Bought a home with their own money, living a life that is a dream for most of us,” the X user wrote.
Career breaks
The post highlighted the woman’s career progression, particularly after motherhood. After her second pregnancy, she reportedly changed companies, learned new technology, and switched fields — eventually earning more than her husband.
“Except for post pregnancy 6 months, she never took break. She went to office till 9th month. She is really really hardworking. She feels really happy working for her kids and husband,” the woman’s childhood friend said in her X post.
Pressure to quit job
Trouble started brewing in the marriage when the husband’s mother fell sick. She reportedly started demanding that the wife quit her job to take care of her.
“Now, the guy’s mother fell sick, and he asked her to quit working,” the post claimed. (Also read: ₹6 crore job after wife asks for ₹15 lakh monthly maintenance, court steps in”>Man resigns from ₹6 crore job after wife asks for ₹15 lakh monthly maintenance, court steps in)
The woman was unwilling to give up her career, pointing out that she already took breaks because of pregnancies. Instead, she offered to take financial responsibility of the household while her husband took a career break.
“I will take care of finances… now you take a break, I want to continue working,” she reportedly said, adding that she would “help out as much as I can with home also”.
“She even offered to ask her mother to come over to look after the kids,” the X post stated.
Family opposition and alleged abuse
However, the suggestion was rejected. The post claimed the mother-in-law was “not comfortable having the girl’s mom at home as it is her son’s home”, despite the couple jointly owning the property.
The husband also allegedly refused to take a break from work. The post accused him and his mother of believing “it is the girl’s responsibility to quit when situation comes”.
“When things didn’t go their way, they started emotionally abusing her in various ways,” the post alleged.
Marriage ends in divorce
Eventually, fed up with the demands and the emotional abuse, the woman moved out of her marital home with their children. After moving back in with her parents, she told her husband that if his mother wanted, she could come live with her and her parents.
In response, the husband allegedly sent her a legal notice threatening divorce. “Finally she filed divorce,” the post said.
Internet weighs in
The post concluded with a broader critique of societal expectations placed on women, stating: “In a misogynistic system, no matter how hard a woman works, how much she earns, or how much she loves and how much she sacrifices, she is treated as worthless the moment she refuses to give up her autonomy.”
Internet users largely agreed with this viewpoint, saying that women should not give up their financial freedom after marriage.
“Have seen some lives destroyed due to selfishness of parents and the son not being able to stand up for his wife,” wrote one X user.
“Never leave career for inlaws. They find ways to abuse you and then you are not financially independent as well. I always say it’s the daughters or daughter in laws taking care of sick parents and not sons,” another said.
“That gifted girl should go through with the divorce, take 100% custody of the kids and erase the buffoon from her life,” a user said.
