My wife once told me she had stopped initiating intimacy because she wanted to know how long I could go without noticing that something was dying inside our marriage. I laughed when she said it. I thought she was joking. I never imagined the woman who loved me so deeply had been feeling lonely beside me. It started on a Friday night. I had returned from work exhausted, and when she moved closer to me, I told her I wasn't in the mood. She smiled, kissed my cheek, and whispered, “It's okay, my love. Get some rest.” I turned around and fell asleep. I didn't know that small moment would become the beginning of something painful. The following week, she stopped initiating intimacy. I assumed she was tired too. She still cooked my favourite meals, asked about my day, and welcomed me warmly whenever I came home. Two weeks passed. Then a month. She never complained or asked why I no longer reached for her. But slowly, she stopped waiting awake for me when I worked late. She stopped sending those sweet messages during the day. Sometimes, she would sit beside me in complete silence while I played with my phone. I thought she was just changing. I had no idea she was slowly giving up on something she had been trying so hard to save.