Episode 84: The Cost of Separation — When Money Turns Love into a Legal Battle
Series: Broken by Burden: Financial Survival Strategies for the Troubled Mind
Date: 29-Sept-2025
🎭 Love Lost to Circumstances
Characters:
- Rahul Mehra (32): A dedicated software engineer from Pune, carrying the financial weight of a newly purchased flat.
- Aditi Mehra (30): His wife, a creative and independent-minded interior designer whose irregular freelance income adds to her insecurities.
- Kavita Mehra (Rahul’s mother): Traditional, yet caring, often caught between son and daughter-in-law’s tensions.
- Nikita: Aditi’s outspoken friend, whose well-meaning but aggressive advice sometimes worsens situations.
- Mr. Naik (Rahul’s lawyer): An experienced attorney who thrives on prolonging disputes.
- Ms. Karuna (Aditi’s lawyer): Sharp and calculating, more focused on winning than healing.
- Rohan: A mutual friend trying to mediate.
🌸 The Flat That Started It All
Rahul and Aditi were like any young couple — deeply in love, dreaming of a better future. Their dream took shape in the form of a 2BHK flat in Pune, costing ₹42 lakh with a ₹24,000 monthly EMI. Initially, they were proud homeowners.
But then COVID lockdowns and salary cuts hit.
- Rahul’s workload increased, and his company deducted 15% from his pay for 6 months.
- Aditi’s freelance projects dried up, making her feel financially helpless.
What was once a “dream home” started feeling like a financial prison.
⚠️ The Cracks in the Wall
The couple’s conversations turned sour:
Aditi: “Rahul, we’re barely surviving these EMIs. We should rent out the flat and stay somewhere smaller.”
Rahul (frustrated): “And move where? This is our dream house! Why do you want to run from every challenge?”
Aditi: “I’m not running! I’m just scared… Can’t you see I feel trapped?”
Rahul: “So do I, Aditi. But I’m the one paying every rupee.”
Their arguments became routine. The home, once filled with laughter, now echoed with silence.
🗣 Outside Influence
Aditi’s friend Nikita visited frequently:
Nikita: “Aditi, you’re smart and capable. Don’t let him make you feel small just because of money. Be strong — don’t depend on him for everything.”
Aditi: “He doesn’t make me feel small, but… yes, he doesn’t share his worries anymore.”
Meanwhile, Rahul felt his efforts were invisible. He stopped discussing finances, thinking it would “spare Aditi stress,” but in reality, it alienated her.
🍷 The Breaking Point
One Friday night, Rahul came home drunk after a stressful week. He saw Aditi and Nikita talking.
Rahul (angrily): “Oh, so my wife now takes advice on how to live from her friend, not me?”
Aditi (calmly): “You’re drunk, Rahul. Go wash your face.”
Rahul (shouting): “No! You think I don’t see how you complain about me? You talk about me like I’m the problem!”
Aditi (hurt): “I talk because you don’t listen anymore!”
In a moment of frustration, Rahul slapped Aditi — an act he regretted instantly.
Rahul (shaken): “Aditi… I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to—”
Aditi (tears streaming): “Sorry? You broke something that night, Rahul. Maybe we both broke.”
⚖️ The Legal Battle
Aditi moved to her parents’ house for a break. Instead of counseling, both families suggested legal consultations.
- Mr. Naik (to Rahul): “She can take half your property. We need to fight back.”
- Ms. Karuna (to Aditi): “He hit you. You deserve compensation. Don’t give in.”
What could have been resolved through communication turned into a 10-month legal battle, with court hearings and mounting expenses.
💸 The Financial Toll
- Rahul spent ₹2.5 lakh in legal fees, ₹5 lakh in alimony, and continued paying ₹24,000 EMI on the flat.
- Aditi spent ₹2 lakh in legal costs and ₹20,000/month on rent, apart from restarting her career.
- Together, they lost 1.5 years of savings, peace, and trust.
💔 The Last Conversation (Court Corridor)
On the final day of signing papers:
Rahul (softly): “Aditi… do you really want this? I know I made mistakes. That night… I hate myself for it. But was our love really this weak?”
Aditi (teary): “No, Rahul. Our love wasn’t weak… we were just tired. Tired of EMIs, tired of silence. That slap — it wasn’t just about anger. It was every frustration we never spoke out loud.”
Rahul: “We could have fixed this if we had just… talked. Without these lawyers.”
Aditi (nodding, voice trembling): “Maybe. But now it’s too late. We’ve already said things we can’t take back. We’ve turned love into bills and settlements.”
Rahul (quietly): “So this is it?”
Aditi: “This is it.”
They signed the papers, both crying silently — not because they hated each other, but because they still cared, yet couldn’t undo the damage.
🧠 What This Story Teaches Us
- Financial stress is one of the leading triggers for divorce. EMIs and debts can silently erode relationships.
- One act of anger can overshadow years of love. It’s better to talk than let frustrations boil over.
- Lawyers should mediate, not escalate. Legal greed often worsens conflicts that can be resolved amicably.
- The financial cost of divorce is devastating. Combined, Rahul and Aditi lost over ₹10 lakh to the process.
🌱 Where They Are Now
Months later, Rohan (their friend) met Rahul for coffee.
Rohan: “Do you miss her?”
Rahul (looking away): “Every day. But now… she’s not mine to miss.”
Aditi, on the other side of the city, whispered to Nikita one evening:
Aditi: “We weren’t bad for each other. We were just… unprepared for life’s weight.”
Episode 85: The Pension Scam — When an Elderly Man Loses His Life’s Security to a Fake Investment Agent
In the next story, a retired railway employee is lured into a fraudulent scheme promising double returns. The scam wipes out his pension corpus, leaving him battling not just financial loss but also shame and despair.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This narrative is inspired by real-life struggles where financial pressure strains marriages. All names and incidents are fictionalized. If you face similar issues, seek counseling and mediation before taking legal steps.
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