After nearly an hour of chatting, we stood up to leave. Hằng saw us off at the door. Just as I stepped outside, the door of the opposite room swung open. A woman emerged, carrying a bag of vegetables, and looked up, only to freeze in place. I, too, stood still, my heart skipping a beat. The person before me was none other than my ex-mother-in-law.
It had been three years since the divorce, and I hadn’t seen her since. The once impeccably groomed woman now had nearly all-gray hair, wore faded clothes, and looked frail, her face etched with fatigue.
She stared at me for a few seconds before quickly lowering her head and stepping back into her room. Noticing my shock, Hằng gently asked:
“Do you know her?”
I nodded, and she sighed:
“Her family just moved here a few months ago. I heard they lost their business, sold their house to pay off debts, and now they’re renting here.”
I was stunned.
Last week, I visited a colleague who had just given birth. (Illustrative image)
That evening, I called an old acquaintance who lived near my ex-husband’s former home. After catching up, she shared the whole story with me. The more I listened, the more disbelief I felt.
And then, the memories I’d tried to bury for years came flooding back.
My ex-husband and I married for love. The first two years were peaceful, though not affluent. I gave birth to two daughters, believing that as long as we stood together, we could overcome any hardship.
But after he switched to a new company, he changed completely. He often came home late, kept his phone locked, and rarely spent time with us. When I discovered he was seeing someone else, I still tried to hold on for our children’s sake.
The other woman was older and wealthier. Every time she visited, she brought expensive gifts and gave my in-laws money. Soon, she became a regular guest, while I felt like an outsider in my own home.
What hurt me most was that my in-laws never urged their son to return to his family. Instead, they constantly hinted that I should divorce him. They believed my family’s lack of wealth and my modest income made me unworthy of being their daughter-in-law.
At first, I endured it all, not out of love for my ex-husband, but for the sake of our children. Yet, my patience only earned me a divorce paper, and he refused to support our kids.
So, I took our two daughters and moved into a small rented room, working day and night to provide for them. There were times I felt so exhausted I wanted to give up, but seeing my children sleep peacefully, I reminded myself to keep going.
That evening, I called an old acquaintance who lived near my ex-husband’s former home. (Illustrative image)
Three years passed, and our lives stabilized. I stopped thinking about my ex-husband’s family, as they never visited or supported our children. Until that unexpected encounter at the boarding house…
According to my acquaintance, after I left, my ex-husband quickly moved the other woman into the house. She promised to start a business with him and convinced his family to sell their home for investment capital.
Trusting her completely, my in-laws sold the house and gave her all their savings. But soon after, she disappeared with the money.
My ex-husband borrowed heavily to recover, only to sink deeper into debt. Eventually, the family sold their remaining assets and moved into a low-income boarding house.
Hearing this, I was speechless for a long time. I once thought I’d feel triumphant if they faced consequences, but instead, I felt only bitterness.
If they hadn’t prioritized money over their son’s happiness and hadn’t cruelly pushed us out, perhaps things wouldn’t have ended this way.
A few days later, I returned to visit my colleague. As I parked my bike, I saw my ex-mother-in-law sweeping the yard. Spotting me, she approached, her eyes red and voice trembling:
“I know how badly we treated you back then. For years, I’ve wanted to apologize.”
I looked at the woman who had once caused me so much pain. Time had stripped her of her pride, leaving only a remorseful mother before me. I nodded gently:
“The past is behind us. I only wish for peace for everyone now.”
She burst into tears, and I turned to leave, feeling lighter than ever. It turns out, the most valuable thing after a broken marriage isn’t seeing those who hurt you suffer, but finding the strength to let go of the past and build a peaceful life for yourself and your children.
“The Day My Young Wife Announced Her Pregnancy, Her Parents Threw a Grand Family Celebration, While I Quietly Drafted Divorce Papers”
You’re a talented performer, but unfortunately, I saw through your act early on.
“After Spending the Night at My Divorced Female Colleague’s House, I Woke Up to Find a Stranger Beside Me—So I Proposed on the Spot”
Initially, I declined, but her persistence led me to step inside. We sat and talked for hours, two souls burdened by loss, and in a moment of vulnerability, we crossed the boundaries of friendship.
“Escorting a Drunk Female Colleague to a Hotel, I Fled Upon Seeing Someone Emerging from the Elevator”
I thought I was simply helping a colleague, with no ulterior motives whatsoever. Yet, as I escorted her into the hotel lobby, my life took an unexpected turn that still feels surreal to this moment.
“Newly Divorced Female Boss Calls Me to Her House at Midnight, Leaving Me Shocked Upon Entering the Living Room”
Upon hearing my boss’s call, I didn’t hesitate for a moment—I jumped on my bike and rushed over immediately.
“Ecstatic to Invite Ex-Wife for an Overnight Stay, Both Shocked Upon Getting into Bed”
As I gently guided her to the edge of the bed, a sudden jolt startled us both, shattering the moment. In that instant, I couldn’t help but wonder if tonight would truly mark the beginning of something new.
