I work as a public servant, with a stable but low income. This was one of the reasons my ex-wife left me to search for a brighter future elsewhere.

We are from the same hometown, and I met her through local events. She had studied at a college in the city but couldn’t find a job, so she stayed home helping her mother with a small convenience store. I fell for her first, but she didn’t feel the same. I won her over by befriending her parents and having them encourage the relationship, which eventually led to us getting together and marrying.

The first few years of our marriage were peaceful. My job wasn’t very demanding, and since I only worked during office hours, I had plenty of time for family. After work, I always came home right away to help with housework or take her out for leisure activities.

However, I often had to settle for modest outings, as I couldn’t afford the more luxurious experiences she longed for. I could sense her disappointment at times, but I reassured her that when we were more financially stable, I’d take her to those places.

A year after our wedding, she gave birth to our son, and we were overjoyed. But as the child grew, my wife’s temperament became more difficult. Despite my best efforts to take care of her and our son, she became increasingly irritable and complained for no reason. There were days when she let our son cry for a long time without comforting him, using exhaustion as an excuse for neglecting him, forcing me to step in.

I thought it was just a post-pregnancy change in her character, and I never got angry or yelled at her. But over time, her behavior became intolerable. There were days when she’d leave the house to shop for hours on end, and I would have to take care of the child alone. I tolerated it, but it started to weigh heavily on me.

Eventually, the pressure became too much. She constantly demanded things, and when I didn’t have the money to fulfill her requests, she took matters into her own hands, ordering things online and having them sent to my office, forcing me to pay.

At my breaking point, I seriously told her to be more careful with our spending. I explained that our finances were tight and we needed to save for the future. Instead of understanding, she exploded, accusing me of being weak and making her miserable. She said she was tired of living a poor life.

Our marriage became increasingly strained and eventually unbearable. A year later, she filed for divorce, and I agreed to sign the papers.

In court, she didn’t even try to fight for custody of our son. She left him with me and moved to the city to pursue the life she’d always dreamed of. Our son was just three years old at the time. I took on the role of both father and mother, which was incredibly hard, but I didn’t remarry because of my love for him.

Four years have passed since then. My son is now in elementary school, and he understands more. He often asks about his mother, and he longs to live with her like some of his friends. I can’t help but feel heartbroken when I see the sadness in his eyes when he watches other kids being picked up by their mothers.

Recently, I received a message from my ex-wife, asking how I was and expressing an interest in reconciling. At first, I was confused, but part of me also hoped that she had truly changed. Though she hadn’t been involved in our son’s life for all these years, maybe she had a sincere desire to make things right. I considered the possibility for our child’s sake.

She invited me to meet at a café. When I saw her, I could tell she was well-off, dressed stylishly, and appeared more attractive than before. She explained that after several years of struggling in the city, she’d found a good job and was now earning well. She had met a few men, but none were serious about her. Recently, she’d met someone who spoiled her and even helped her open a fashion store. However, when she found out he was already married, he told her he’d never leave his wife. Disappointed and disillusioned, she remembered our past and regretted leaving, wanting to start over with me.

I was torn. My son missed his mother and longed for her, but I wasn’t sure if reconciling would work. Would we fall back into the same patterns?

Before I could respond, my ex-wife pulled out a thick stack of 500,000 VND bills and said, more firmly than before, “If you agree, from now on I’ll take full responsibility for supporting the family. You won’t have to worry about money anymore.”

Her offer didn’t persuade me. Instead, it made my decision clearer. Even though she had money now, when she didn’t earn anything, she had belittled me for being poor, abandoned our son, and let our marriage fall apart. Now that she had money and a career, I had no reason to believe she wouldn’t repeat the same behavior.

I slowly shook my head and said, “Once the water is spilled, it can’t be scooped up again. The love we had is gone, and no amount of money can bring it back. I know you’re successful now, but we’ve each chosen different paths, and I’m content with where I am. If I were to remarry, it wouldn’t be with you.”

Her face drained of color, but she didn’t give up. She tried to use our son to get me to reconsider. I stood firm, telling her she could visit our son but that there was no chance of us getting back together. If she ever used him or hurt him in any way, I wouldn’t let it slide.