There was a time when my wife and I had nothing, but she stayed by my side. Yet, when I finally achieved success, she wanted to leave, and I was baffled. Initially, I thought she had someone else, but after days of surveillance, I realized she was alone.
When I asked her directly about the reason for the divorce, she said:
– The current life is not what I desire. I don’t care about wealth or a high-ranking husband who earns a lot of money. What I need is a husband who spends time with me, listens to my sharing, and shares the household chores with me.
But you couldn’t do that. I had to do everything around the house, from cleaning and cooking to more strenuous tasks like fixing water pipes and electrical wires. For more than half of the month, out of 30 days, I ate alone. This house doesn’t feel like a warm home, and I don’t want to live like this anymore. So, let’s get a divorce.
No matter what I said, she was determined to go through with the divorce. In my anger, I signed the papers. I wanted to see how she would fare without me by her side.
Despite my protests, she was adamant about getting a divorce. (Illustrative image)
And so, after five years of marriage, my wife became my ex-wife. I was no longer penniless, but the woman who once loved me was no longer by my side.
After the divorce, I didn’t seek a new relationship, even though many women approached me. I knew they were only after my money. Moreover, after one breakdown, I hadn’t regained my interest in romance.
Three years after the divorce, one evening while driving home, I unexpectedly saw a woman standing by the road, rummaging through a trash can to scavenge for recyclables. This sight was not uncommon, but what shocked me was that the woman was my ex-wife.
In that moment, a flurry of thoughts ran through my mind: Should I go and mock her? Why has she fallen into such circumstances? I sat in my car, watched her for a while, and then drove away.
I was shocked to see my ex-wife scavenging for recyclables from the trash. (Illustrative image)
When I returned home, I inquired with friends and learned that she had remarried over a year ago. Unfortunately, her husband had encountered a serious accident at work. To have time to take care of him, she had to quit her administrative job. During the day, she stayed home to care for her husband and worked online, and at night, she went out to collect recyclables to earn extra money, trying to save up for his treatment.
I never imagined that the woman I once loved would be going through such hardship. After careful consideration, I decided to send my ex-wife 200 million VND to help her, but without revealing my identity.
Due to my busy work schedule, I forgot about it, until recently when my ex-wife found me. Seeing her again, I was taken aback by her frail and pale appearance. She frankly mentioned the money I had sent half a year ago, informing me that her husband had passed away and that the money had been spent on his treatment. This time, she had come to return the money and gave me an IOU, which I refused to accept.
– When we divorced, I left with nothing. It was your fault. I should have received a settlement then. So, consider the 200 million VND as compensation, and I won’t return it.
This was the first time we had spoken since the divorce. Before leaving, my ex-wife initiated a hug, surprising me once again. As I watched her walk away, I silently wished her a swift recovery, a better life, and happiness in the future.
