Reddit Stories - Former spouse DEPARTED from me and our two OFFSPRING for her wealthy ROMANTIC

Episode Date: November 20, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #relationships #divorce #family #betrayal #heartbreakSummary: Former spouse departed from me and our two offspring for her wealthy romantic partner, causing immense pain and betrayal. The impact of this unexpected betrayal on our family dynamic and emotional well-being has been devastating.Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, relationships, divorce, family, betrayal, heartbreak, former spouse, departed, offspring, wealthy, romantic, partner, pain, impact, unexpected, devastatingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Former spouse departed from me and our two offspring for her wealthy romantic partner, then later attempted to regain their affection with lavish presence, when she desired their presence at her nuptials. But my kids saw a right through her and refused to have anything to do with her. When we first got married, it felt like we were building something solid. My ex-wife and I had met during college. We bonded over common interests and decided to tackle

life together. I thought we were on the same page about raising a family and growing old side by side, so I thought our two kids, Carter and Charlotte, would grow up happy. At first, it was little things, more nights out with work friends, phone calls taken in another room, and a growing distance I couldn't put my finger on. I chalked it up to stress or maybe just a routine of life catching up with us. But then I found out the truth. She wasn't just catching up with anyone, she had been having an affair with some flashy businessmen, someone who, according to her, could provide a better future and understood her better than I ever could. The day she confessed, she tried to make it sound like a clean slate for her, a way to finally be happy. But all I saw

was destruction. Carter was 14 then, old enough to overhear our argument, and he stormed out of the house the moment he figured it out. Charlotte, only 11, clung to me and cried, asking why my mommy didn't love us anymore. What could I say to that? After the divorce, she moved out, leaving the kids with me. At first, I expected she'd try to make amends. I thought she'd fight for them, for us, in some way. But no, she packed her bags and jumped straight into her new life with Mr. Moneybags, as Carter bitterly called him. It wasn't just that she left, it was how she left. She said she wanted a fresh start, free from the baggage of a mediocre life, her words, not mine. She claimed the kids would understand one day and that I should stop being bitter.

Bitter, I wasn't bitter, I was heartbroken. The kids didn't need any coaxing to take a stand. They refused her calls, ignored her texts, and even went as far as to block her on social media. Carter, being the more vocal one, said that any mother who could abandon her. and her family for a shiny new man wasn't much of a mother to begin with. Charlotte didn't say much, she just quietly clung to me, her trust shattered in a way I didn't know how to fix. Months went by. We adjusted to our new life, just the three of us. It wasn't easy, yes, we had money, but emotions were high, and I was juggling work and parenting

alone. But we made it work because we had no other choice. Then came the announcement. Out of the blue, my ex-wife sent a message to Carter and Charlotte saying she had something important to share and hoped they'd listen. Neither of them cared, but out of curiosity, I skinned through the email she sent me. She was engaged to the man she left us four, and the wedding was set for spring. She said she hoped we could be civil and that the kids would be part of her big day. Carter laughed, a sharp, bitter sound that didn't belong to a boy his age. He said there was no way he'd attend, even if she bribed him with a new car. Charlotte didn't even look at the message.

She said she had nothing to say to a woman who only remembered them when it suited her. A few weeks later, she started showing up, acting like she'd never been gone. She made a big show of bringing gifts, designer clothes, expensive gadgets, tickets to amusement parks. She said she wanted to rebuild her relationship with the kids now that her love. life was stable. Carter called her out immediately, saying it was funny how her idea of rebuilding only started after she found a man to bankroll her. The kids weren't having any of it. They barely acknowledged her when she came around, and every attempt she made to connect was met with cold indifference. I won't lie, I didn't quite mind how the kids were acting. They were smart.

She had expected the kids to fall at her feet the moment she waived her credit card, but they saw through it all. She came to me after another one of her failed attempts, frustrated and blaming me. She said I must have poisoned the kids against her, filling their heads with lies and turning them into little soldiers for my vendetta. I told her the truth, plain and simple, I didn't need to say a word, which was true. Her actions spoke louder than I ever could. By the time her wedding rolled around, she gave up asking the kids to attend. Instead, she threw her into the lavish event, posting every detail online as if to prove to the world that she was living her best life. Carter and Charlotte barely noticed, they were too busy with their own

activities. But I could tell her absence still weighed on them. Carter channeled his anger into sarcasm and avoidance, while Charlotte grew quieter, more reserved. I tried to be enough for them, but I knew I couldn't completely fill the void she left. And then, just when things seemed to settle, she tried to buy their love again. Only this time, she went bigger, a family vacation to Europe, brand new phones, shopping sprees. She said it was all because she loved them and wanted to make up for lost time. But Carter, now 15 and sharp as ever, asked the one question she couldn't answer, why did it take her so long? Why did she only care now that she had everything she wanted? And why did she think money could replace the nights she wasn't there

when they needed her the most. Charlotte, who had always been gentler, simply said she didn't trust her. She said she couldn't accept gifts from someone who couldn't even keep her promises. Watching them stand their ground, I felt proud but also sad. They were so young, yet they carried so much hurt. It wasn't fair, but it was their reality. All I could do was keep standing with them, no matter how many times she tried to worm her way back in. update one little did i know her attempts were only just beginning and this time she wasn't going

to take no for an answer i knew they were grieving in their own way carter had started spending more time in his room headphones on music blasting loud enough that i could hear the bass reverberating through the walls charlotte too was a little more vocal about her anger which was a surprise She would ask questions like why Mom had chosen someone else over us. I didn't have answers, only the reassurance that we'd get through it together and I loved them a lot. Carter ignored most of her messages outright, while Charlotte would just hand me the phone with a look of disdain. I tried not to interfere, letting them process their feelings naturally. I wasn't about to dictate how they should feel about someone who would let them down so profoundly.

It wasn't long before the new marriage took center stage in her life. Charlotte asked me how their mother could move on so quickly. I told her the truth, that some people cope with their mistakes by rushing into distractions rather than facing the consequences. Her attempts to involve the kids in her new life became more aggressive. She sent pictures of lavish outings with her fiancée and his kids, complete with captions about how much fun they'd have if Carter and Charlotte joined them. The underlying message was clear, money could smooth over the betrayal and by their forgiveness.

When she started calling more frequently, it wasn't because she wanted to repair the damage, it was because she needed the kids to participate in her façade. Her new fiancé knew she was married while they were having an affair, but he had no idea about the real reasons behind our divorce, and she wanted the kids to play along with the story of an amicable split. I found this out when Carter showed me a message from her asking him to be polite, and not make things awkward during an upcoming dinner she'd planned. Carter's fury was boiling over.

He told me he wasn't going to sit at a table and pretend that everything was fine just because she wanted to impress someone. Charlotte, on the other hand, was quieter. She said it made her sad that their mom was more concerned about what her fiancé thought than how they felt. I reached out to my ex-wife, trying to mediate. I told her that pushing the kids to accept a false narrative would only drive them further away. She dismissed my concerns, accusing me of turning them against her.

According to her, I was the one who had failed to encourage the kids to maintain a relationship with her, as if her betrayal could be swept under the rug with enough force. The dinner was the tipping point. Against their wishes, she arranged for Carter and Charlotte to attend, promising them a good time and then ambushing them with a group photo to show off her perfect family. Carter walked out halfway through the meal, leaving the photo half taken, and Charlotte broke down during the dinner. She was crying in the car when I picked them up. After that, the kids refused to see her.

Carter blocked her number, and Charlotte told me that she didn't want to visit her mom anymore, not even for the holidays. I told them I'd support whatever decision they made, but I knew their choice wasn't something that arrived at lightly. They were done with her games, and so was I. She didn't take their rejection well. At first, she doubled down on the gifts and promises. When that didn't work, she resorted to guilt trips, sending long texts about how much she missed

them and how they were punishing her unfairly. It was manipulative and exhausting. In her frustration, she started spreading stories about how I was turning the kids against her. Friends and even some family members asked me why I wasn't encouraging reconciliation, as if her actions had never happened. I told them that the kids were old enough to make their own choices. I wasn't going to undermine their feelings to suit her convenience. I told them to keep their noses out of our business, as their wives or husbands weren't the ones who had cheated.

The final blow came when she tried to involve her fiancé in her attempts to win them over. She sent him to talk to Carter after school one day, claiming he could help mend their relationship. Carter came home angrier than I'd ever seen him, ranting about how he did. didn't need a stranger telling him how to forgive his own mother. It was clear that she still didn't understand. Forgiveness isn't something you can force or buy. It's earned through genuine effort and accountability, neither of which she had shown. She had hurt them deeply, and instead of taking responsibility, she had only made things worse by prioritizing her new life over the family, over the children she left behind. The kids didn't need me to defend their

decisions, they were perfectly capable of doing that themselves. But as their father, I wasn't going to let anyone, not even their mother, undermine their right to feel hurt and betrayed. They deserved better, and I'd make sure they never doubted that. Update 2. I won't lie, it made me furious at her all over again. But I kept my focus on the kids. They needed stability, not a father consumed with resentment. One weekend, my ex-wife showed up unannounced at our house, an expensive handbag dangling from her arm and a forced smile plastered on her face. She wanted to take the kids out for the day.

Carter refused outright, saying he had homework to do. Charlotte looked at me silently, asking if she had to go. I told her it was up to her, and she hesitated before shaking her head. The rejection hit my ex-wife heart. I don't know why, she should be used to it by now. She sputtered about how the kids were being unreasonable and how I was encouraging this hostility. I didn't lose my temper, but I didn't sugarcoat it either.

I told her it would take more than showing up with a flashy car and weekend plans. She didn't take it well, accusing me of the same old things. I couldn't help but be sarcastic. I asked her if she really believed she could walk away from our family by cheating and marrying the same affair partner and waltz back in like nothing had happened. She stormed off, screaming about how ungrateful the kids were and how I was brainwashing them. I shouted back lazily, telling her that they don't really care enough to be grateful for a cheating mother. She almost tripped when she heard that. The breaking point came during

a parent-teacher conference at Charlotte's School. My ex-wife and I had both been invited, and it was the first time we'd been in the same room since her imprompt to visit to the house. She looked polished as ever, but her smile faltered when neither Carter nor Charlotte acknowledged her. After the meeting, she cornered me in the hallway. She said she couldn't believe I was allowing the kids to treat her like a stranger. She insisted that I had turned them against her and that I was feeding them a narrative where she was the villain. I didn't hold back. I told her that the kids didn't need my help to see the truth.

they had lived it. They remembered the nights she was out with her lover while I was trying to explain to them why mom wasn't home for dinner. She prioritized her happiness over their stability. She snapped back, saying that it wasn't betrayal, just a choice she made for her happiness. She believed Carter and Charlotte were too young to grasp the complexities of adult relationships. Her tone implied that the complexities should excuse everything. Her affair, the lies, and the the upheaval she caused. I told her she was fooling herself as she thought they didn't understand. Kids may not catch every detail, but they see enough to know when someone is no longer invested in them. Carter remembered the time she missed his soccer games even before the divorce, with flimsy excuses about work. Charlotte remembered when her mother forgot about her school play while out on a weekend getaway with her new boyfriend. I made it clear that I didn't have to say a word to turn them against her. Hi, I'm Darren Marler. Host of the Weird Darkness podcast, I want to talk about the most important tool in my podcast belt.

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part, Spreaker grows with you. Whether you're just starting out or running a full-blown podcast network, Spreker's powerful tools scale effortlessly as your show grows. So if you're ready to podcast like a pro and get paid while doing it, check out spreeker.com. That's S-P-R-E-K-E-R.com. her action spoke volumes. But my ex-wife refused to hear it. She called me cruel, accused me of keeping the kids from her to punish her. I laughed bitterly at that. If anything, I had bent over backward to give her chances to repair the relationship. I reminded her of the multiple times I'd encouraged the kids to visit her or to hear her out, only for her to cancel plans or show up late, prioritizing her new boyfriend over them in the

beginning. Her voice grew quieter but sharper. She claimed she was willing to do whatever it took to mend things now. She wanted me to intervene, to reason with them, and to remind them that she was still their mother. I refused outright. I told her that relationships couldn't be bought, not with fancy gifts or forced apologies. If she wanted their forgiveness, she needed to start by owning her mistakes and showing consistent effort rather than just saying she did it for happiness. That set her off. She accused me of being holier than thou, of pretending to be perfect while using the kids to punish her.

She demanded to know what kind of father I was, letting my children carry so much anger and bitterness. I told her I was the kind of father who stayed, the kind of father who showed up every single day through the chaos and heartbreak she left behind. In the end, I threw her words back at her. I told her that the children are prioritizing their happiness over her, and that she just doesn't understand the complexities of being a child. She turned pale at that. It was exhausting to rehash the same arguments.

Carter and Charlotte had every right to feel the way they did, and I wasn't going to let her guilt trip me into pretending otherwise. Also, I needed to say thank you to all of you for your immense support. It is true what they say about strangers being more supportive than your own family. Update 3. The kids had been quiet for a while. Carter, always the more outspoken one, had been throwing himself into his studies in sports, while Charlotte busied herself with her sketchpad, creating intricate drawings she rarely shared with anyone. One evening, as we sat together in the living room, me on the couch with a cup of coffee, Carter sprawled across the

carpet, and Charlotte perched on an armchair. They finally broke the silence. It started with a casual question from Carter about his mom's life now. Did she live in a big house? Was her husband really as rich as people said? I answered calmly, explaining that yes, her new life was comfortable, but money didn't always mean happiness. I told them that while I couldn't speak for her, what mattered to me was that they felt secure and loved here. Carter frowned and asked why she left if she had everything she needed before. His tone wasn't angry, just puzzled, as though he was trying to solve a math problem with no clear solution. Charlotte, quiet until now, looked up from her sketchbook and said it was because she didn't

love us enough. The words hit me harder than I let on, but I quickly reassured her that her mother's choices had nothing to do with how much she loved them. Charlotte didn't look convinced. Carter stayed quiet for a while before finally asking the question I hadn't seen coming, how did I feel when their mom cheated on me? The room seemed to shrink as the way of his words filled the air. I took a deep breath, searching for the right balance between honesty and gentleness. I told them that at first, it hurt more than I could describe. When you love someone and trust them with your life, finding out they've broken that trust feels like a punch to the gut. It wasn't just about losing a partner, it was about

realizing the life you built wasn't as solid as you thought. I explained that over time, though, the pain faded, replaced by determination. I focused on making sure they had what they needed and never felt like they were caught in the middle of adult problems. I told them that even though their mother hurt me, it didn't mean she couldn't change or try to be better, but it was okay to feel angry or confused. Carter asked if I still loved her. I paused before answering, wanting to be as truthful as possible.

I told them that love doesn't just disappear overnight, but it changes. I didn't love her the same way anymore because love and trust go ahead. hand in hand. Once the trust was gone, the love faded into something else, maybe respect for the years we shared, or maybe just a wish for her to find her own happiness far away from us. Carter hesitated before asking the question I knew was coming. He wanted to know if it was wrong to feel so angry at their mom. His voice wavered as if he feared my answer might confirm his worst fears about himself. I told him that anger was a normal feeling, especially when someone you love and trust lets you down. It didn't make him a bad person to feel hurt or betrayed. What

mattered, I explained, was how you handled those feelings. It was okay to be angry, but it wasn't okay to let that anger consume you or dictate your actions. Charlotte chimed in next, her voice smaller than usual. She asked if it made them bad people to hate her. That question hit me hard because it wasn't the kind of thing a child should have to wrestle with. I had to choose my words carefully. I told them that hate was a powerful word and not something to be taken lightly. I said it was okay not to feel love or warmth towards their mom right now, but hating her wasn't something I wanted for them. Hate could become a weight they'd carry around, and it would only make them feel heavier over time. I explained that they didn't have

to forgive her immediately or at all, but they also didn't have to let her actions define how they lived their lives. Charlotte nodded thoughtfully, but Carter looked skeptical. She asked if I still hated their mom. That one caught me off guard. I looked at both of them and admitted that I had been very angry with her for a long time. I told them that I wouldn't lie and say I had fully forgiven her, but I had learned to let go of the anger because it wasn't doing me any good. Then, as if they'd planned it, they both hit me with a question I wasn't expecting. They wanted to know if I would ever remarry. I blinked, feeling my brain stall for a moment. Marriage wasn't something I'd even considered since the divorce, but clearly it was something they had been thinking about.

Carter pressed me, asking if I'd ever want to find someone else to spend my life with. Before I could answer, Charlotte cut in, asking if I would act like their mom if I did remarry. That one nearly knocked the wind out of me. She looked at me with wide, searching eyes, waiting for reassurance. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I gathered my thoughts. I told them honestly I didn't know if I would ever remarry, but if I did, they could trust that my love and loyalty to them would never change. I told Charlotte that nothing in the world could make me abandon them or put someone else before them. Charlotte seemed to relax a little, but Carter still looked pensive. He asked how I could be so sure, and I told him that

being their dad was the most important role in my life. No matter what, that would never change. I reminded them that actions speak louder than words, and I hoped they'd seen enough for me to believe that I'd always have their backs. Charlotte asked if I ever regretted marrying their mom. That question made my chest tighten, but I told her that without that marriage, I wouldn't have them, and they were the best thing that ever happened to me. Eventually, the question slowed, and the tension in the room began to ease. I could see the wheels turning in their minds as they processed everything we talked about. I reminded them that it was okay to have complicated feelings about their mom and that they didn't have to figure it all out right away.

I told them that if they ever wanted to talk about it again, I'd always be there to listen. Carter nodded slowly, as though processing my words. Charlotte didn't say anything, but she climbed onto the couch beside me and leaned her head on my shoulder. That small gesture felt like a victory. After this conversation, they needed to know that their feelings were valid and that they weren't alone in navigating this messy, painful situation. I didn't have all the answers, but I had them, and that was enough. Update 4.

It was a Sunday morning when I noticed a car pull-up outside. I didn't need to see who was inside to feel the dread settling over me. My ex-wife Danielle was stepping out, and to my dismay, her mother was right behind her. It was like a storm rolling in, loud, invasive, and impossible to ignore. But why on a Sunday? I sighed deeply. Danielle didn't even bother calling ahead to ask if it was okay to visit, let alone bring her mother along. The kids, Carter and Charlotte, were in the living room, busy with their weekend routines.

Charlotte was immersed in her sketchbook, and Carter was mixing some music. I stepped outside before they could knock, hoping to avoid unnecessary drama. Danielle wasted no time demanding to see the kids, claiming she had come to sort things out. Her mother, an equally combative woman with a talent for making everyone uncomfortable, looked around the yard with a sneer, muttering something about how run-down everything seems since Danielle left. What rubbish, I was the one maintaining things even when Danielle was here. It took every ounce of self-control not to snap right there, but I refused to let this turn into a shouting match.

I reluctantly let them in, warning Danielle that this wasn't the time or place for theatrics. Inside, Carter and Charlotte froze when they saw their mother and grandmother standing in the doorway. Charlotte's grip tightened on her pencil, while Carter's expression darkened like a storm cloud. They didn't greet them, they didn't even move from their spots. Danielle tried to brush off their cold reaction, saying she understood they were upset but they needed to grow up and act civil. Her mother, however, wasn't so tactful. She lectured them immediately, launching into a tirade about respect, family values,

and how kids these days didn't understand the sacrifices parents made. Carter was the first to snap. His voice was calm but his eyes cold as he asked his grandmother if she had taught Danielle to cheat on their father. The question cut through the room like a knife, leaving both Danielle and her mother speechless for a moment. It even stunned me. Carter followed up with the same calm yet cutting tone, asking if lying and abandoning your family were lessons passed down through generations. He stared directly at his grandmother, his phone now forgotten on the table. The weight of his words left Danielle and her mother scrambling for a response.

Danielle tried to defend herself, saying she had made mistakes but didn't deserve this level of disrespect. Her mother chimed in, calling Carter and Charlotte ungrateful brats who had no idea what their mother had done for them. That was the wrong thing to say. I immediately told her to shut up. I told her that it was my kid she was talking to and that she could use that language with her daughter's new kids. Carter stood up, his voice rising as he told them they weren't welcome here anymore. He said that since Danielle divorced their dad, she wasn't their mother anymore, and her mother wasn't their grandmother. They were just strangers now, strangers who had no right to lecture them about respect when they couldn't even practice

at themselves. Charlotte added that she didn't need a mother who thought money could replace loyalty or love, and she certainly didn't need a grandmother who enabled such selfish behavior. Her voice cracked slightly, but the anger in her words was unmistakable. I was surprised at Charlotte speaking up. It looked like there wasn't any repairing to do any time soon. Danielle, visibly shaken, tried to lash out by blaming me. She claimed I had poisoned their minds. Carter interrupted her, saying that their anger wasn't about my influence, it was about her actions.

He reminded her that she made her choices, and now she had to live. with the consequences. My mother, now visibly fuming, called Carter a disrespectful little brat and told Charlotte that she was being dramatic. Charlotte's response was fierce this time. She asked Danielle if she even knew what type of mother they needed. She told them both that she and Carter were done trying to explain themselves. They were happy with their father, they didn't need toxic people pretending to care. Danielle tried one last attempt, pleading with them to let her fix things. Carter shut her down firmly, saying they didn't want to be fixed, they wanted her to leave.

The tension in the room was unbearable by this point. Danielle's mother turned to me, accusing me of orchestrating this entire situation. I didn't hold back this time. I told her that if she and Danielle couldn't respect the boundaries my kids had set, then they had no business being here. I told them both to leave. Danielle protested, her voice rising as she tried to argue that this wasn't fair. Her mother backed her up, but I was done listening.

I told them to get out before I called someone to escort them out. Her mother muttered something under her breath, but I didn't care enough to catch it. I shut the door firmly behind them and turned to find Carter and Charlotte standing there, still tense but relieved. They both thanked me for standing up for them, and I told them I would always have their backs, no matter how messy things got. We were in this together. I think this is going to be my last update. Things between us aren't going to be sorted out any time soon, if not ever. Update 5. A lot of you were asking me for an update about what's going on. Honestly, her attempts

to reach out to the kids have dwindled down significantly, and her mother hasn't visited or contacted since the last time she showed up here. The kids are doing well, and I am concerned. 2.