After a bitter divorce and a strained relationship with his children, a man attempts to rebuild his life…only to have his past come knocking once again. As fortunes shift and old wounds are reopened, he must confront the demands of an embittered ex-wife, familial bonds, and the moral conundrums of a sudden windfall.
Divorced Young
OP is a 47-year-old man whose first wife divorced him when he was 29.
He Provided
At that time, he was providing a decent living for them and their two children, but she wanted more.
An Older Wealthy Man
Interestingly, OP’s ex-wife left him for her wealthy boss, who was 47 years old at the time – the same as OP is now.
The older man was able to provide the luxurious lifestyle that the ex wanted.
Child Support and Nothing More
OP was ordered to pay child support as part of the divorce, but he didn’t have to pay spousal support.
He considered that a win.
He Didn’t Get Shared Custody
Since OP had to work to pay his bills and make his child support payments, he didn’t get even shared custody of their children.
She Made Maintaining a Strong Bond Difficult
He did get visitation rights, but his ex-wife made it hard for him to make a strong connection with his kids.
Mainly, OP says, his ex would undermine any plans he made with the children by making even bigger plans.
They’d Always One Up Him
He relates one example where he planned to take his kids to a local resort one summer, only to have his ex and her new husband take them to Disneyland the week before.
Dad’s and His Parents Just Not Worth Their Time
Eventually, the kids decided that their dad just wasn’t worth their time, and they started refusing to even see OP.
The same went for their grandparents – OP’s parents.
A Judge Took Away His Children
OP took his ex to court over the situation, but the judge sided with the woman and OP’s kids, and that essentially ended all contact.
He Married a Younger Woman
In the meantime, OP met his current wife when he was 37 and she was 24.
She had a young son who was about the same age as OP’s own boy was the last time his grandparents saw him.
His Parent’s Accepted His Step-Son As Their Own
OP’s parents accepted the new girlfriend’s son right away, and it wasn’t too long before OP was married again.
A New Start
Together, he and his new wife started a new family, with two kids of their own, who are now 8 and 5 years old.
A Change in His Finances
A few years ago, OP’s dad sold his engineering company, along with some of the patents he had registered over the years.
That allowed the older man to retire and left him with a hefty sum of money.
College Funds For Grandkids They Know
With part of that windfall, the dad paid off OP’s house and then set up college funds for OP’s three school-age children.
But since the older two kids hadn’t seen OP or his parents in years, the grandfather figured they didn’t need his help.
Estranged Children Weren’t Provided For
So he didn’t bother to set aside college money for them.
Her New Hubby Was Jailed
More recently, OP’s ex-wife contacted him.
It seems her new husband had made a good hunk of his money through a series of scams, which eventually landed him in jail.
She Was Destitute, They Were in Debt
That left the ex-wife pretty much on the streets, and she ended up living with her parents.
She wanted OP to help out their kids, who were both deep in debt.
She Smelled Money
OP’s ex had heard through the grapevine about his dad’s retirement and the college funds he set up.
She thought it was unfair for him to favor OP’s new family over his original grandkids.
She Expected All the Kids to Receive the Same
The ex-wife wanted OP to ask his father to help out the older children financially.
No Contact, No Cash
But OP refused, telling his ex that their children hadn’t bothered to contact him or his parents in over a decade.
Very Misguided Expectations
His ex-wife said he was being selfish, but OP stuck to his guns.
He doesn’t think his older kids have any sort of right to expect money from his family.
Mind Your Business!
Reddit commenters mostly support OP’s position and say that the money doesn’t even belong to OP.
They say it’s not his business what his dad does with it.
And it’s for sure none of the ex-wife’s business.
Suspecting There Is More to the Story
Others question how truthful OP is being about the situation and wonder if maybe he is more at fault for the rift with his children than he is letting on.
Why Not Heal the Rift?
A few suggest that this might be a chance for OP to reconcile with his older children.
First-Class Idiot Had to Be Forcibly Removed From a Flight Due to His Fuss Over a G&T – His Cries of Distress Like Music to Fellow-Passengers Ears!
In a recent incident that has gained significant attention, a passenger on an airplane found himself in a situation that epitomized the stereotype of a “Karen.” Caught on video, the passenger attempted to explain his way out of trouble when police officers were called to remove him from the flight after allegedly throwing a fit when he was denied a cocktail before takeoff. First-Class Idiot Had to Be Forcibly Removed From a Flight Due to His Fuss Over a G&T – His Cries of Distress Like Music to Fellow-Passengers Ears!
Walmart Employee Terminated After 16 Years As She Exposed Dark Side of Retail Online
Platforms like TikTok have become a popular outlet for users to share behind-the-scenes revelations about various industries, shedding light on their harsh realities. From Domino’s delivery drivers exposing their meager tips to Instacart shoppers calling out fraudulent refund attempts, these revelations can have unintended consequences when higher-ups take notice. Walmart Employee Terminated After 16 Years As She Exposed Dark Side of Retail Online
Toxic Church Called Him a “Bad Believer” and Were Shocked When He Wasn’t the Only One Abandoning His Faith!
In a story of conflicting beliefs and personal experiences, a Reddit user finds himself at odds with his brother after inadvertently convincing his church mentee to leave the church. Toxic Church Called Him a “Bad Believer” and Were Shocked When He Wasn’t the Only One Abandoning His Faith!
His Boss Insists “You’re All Replaceable!” – Burnt-Out Employee Decided to Put This to the Test at Their Busiest Time of Day!
This Redditor tells the story of how working in the fast food sector really drove him round the bend. His Boss Insists “You’re All Replaceable!” – Burnt-Out Employee Decided to Put This to the Test at Their Busiest Time of Day!
10 Forbidden Topics That Needn’t Be Off-Limits! Are You Brave Enough to Discuss Them?
Can you think of an example of something that has been considered controversial but, in your opinion, shouldn’t be? 10 Forbidden Topics That Needn’t Be Off-Limits! Are You Brave Enough to Discuss Them?
The post His Ex Took His Kids and Ran Off With a Criminal – Guess Who’s Back and What Does She Want? first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / RealPeopleStudio. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit