My New Wife Demanded I Use My Late Wife’s Money Left for Our Kids on Her Daughters — My Lesson Was Strict

I knew things would change when I remarried, but I never expected my new wife to go after my late wife’s money. It was meant for our daughters’ future, not hers. She thought she could pressure me into it. What came next would teach her a lesson she’d never forget.

A tear escaped my eye as I clutched a photo of my late wife and our daughters at the beach. “I miss you, Ed,” I whispered, my fingers caressing Edith’s face in the picture. “The girls… they’re growing up so fast. I wish you could see them now.” Her radiant smile gazed up at me from the photo, her eyes sparkling with a life that cancer had stolen far too soon…

A man holding a framed photo of his wife and kids | Source: Midjourney

A man holding a framed photo of his wife and kids | Source: Midjourney

A soft knock interrupted my reminiscing. My mother poked her head in, her eyes full of concern.

“Charlie, honey, you can’t keep living in the past. It’s been three years. You need to move on. Those girls need a mother figure.”

I sighed, setting the photo frame down. “Mom, we’re doing fine. The girls are—”

“Getting older!” She cut me off, settling beside me on the couch. “I know you’re trying, but you’re not getting any younger. What about that nice woman from your office? Gabriela?”

A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney

I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. “Gaby? Mom, she’s just a coworker.”

“And a single mother, just like you’re a single father. Think about it, Charlie. For the girls’ sake.”

As she left, her words echoed in my mind. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time to move forward.

One year later, I stood in our backyard, watching Gaby interact with my daughters. She’d swooped into our lives like a whirlwind, and before I knew it, we were married.

It wasn’t the same as with Edith, but it was… nice.

A happy couple | Source: Midjourney

A happy couple | Source: Midjourney

“Dad! Watch this!” my youngest called out, attempting a cartwheel.

I clapped, forcing a smile. “Great job, sweetie!”

Gaby sidled up to me, linking her arm through mine. “They’re wonderful girls, Charlie. You’ve done an amazing job.”

I nodded, pushing down the pang of guilt that always surfaced when she complimented my parenting. “Thanks, Gaby. I’m trying my best.”

“You’re such a stellar parent. Your kids must be so lucky.”

Side shot of a woman staring at someone | Source: Midjourney

Side shot of a woman staring at someone | Source: Midjourney

As we headed inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with the way Gaby had said it. But I pushed it aside, determined to make this new family work.

That’s when Gaby cornered me in the kitchen, her eyes gleaming with a look I’d never seen before.

“Charlie, we need to talk about the girls’ trust fund,” she said, her voice syrupy sweet.

I froze, my coffee mug halfway to my lips. “What trust fund?”

Side shot of a startled man | Source: Midjourney

Side shot of a startled man | Source: Midjourney

Gaby rolled her eyes, dropping the act. “Don’t play dumb. I heard you on the phone with your financial advisor. Edith left quite a nest egg for the girls, didn’t she?”

My stomach churned. I’d never mentioned the fund to her. Never thought I’d need to.

“That’s for their future, Gaby. College, starting out in life—”

“Exactly!” she cut in. “And what about my girls? Don’t they deserve the same opportunities?”

A woman looking at a man | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking at a man | Source: Midjourney

I set my mug down, trying to keep my voice level. “Of course they do, but that money… it’s Edith’s legacy to her children.”

Gaby’s eyes narrowed. “Her children? We’re supposed to be one family now, Charlie. Or was that all just talk?”

“That’s not fair,” I protested. “I’ve treated your daughters like my own since day one.”

“Treated them like your own? Please. If that were true, you wouldn’t be hoarding that money for just your biological kids.”

The room felt like a pressure cooker ready to burst as I stared at Gaby, her words still ringing in my ears.

A man looking up | Source: Midjourney

A man looking up | Source: Midjourney

I took a deep breath, fighting to stay calm. “Gaby, that fund is not ours to touch. It’s for my daughters’ future.”

“So that’s it? Your dead wife’s wishes matter more than your living family?”

“Don’t you dare speak about Edith that way. This discussion ends now. That money is not up for debate. Period.”

Gaby’s face flushed with anger. “You’re impossible! How can you be so stubborn?”

A man yelling at a woman | Source: Midjourney

A man yelling at a woman | Source: Midjourney

My jaw tightened, muscles twitching as I fought to maintain control. I barely recognized the woman standing before me, so different from the one I thought I’d married.

A plan formed in my mind.

“Fine! You’re right. I’ll sort this out tomorrow, okay?”

Gaby’s eyes lit up, clearly thinking she’d won. “Really? You mean it?”

I nodded.

A man looking at a woman | Source: Midjourney

A man looking at a woman | Source: Midjourney

Gaby’s lips curled into a smug smile. “Good. It’s about time you saw reason.”

She turned on her heel, marching out of the room. The slam of the door echoed through the house, a punctuation mark to her tantrum.

I sank into a chair, running my hands over my face. Gaby had shown her true colors, and now it was time for a hard lesson in respect and the dangers of entitlement.

Portrait of a man sitting on the couch | Source: Midjourney

Portrait of a man sitting on the couch | Source: Midjourney

The next morning, I made a show of calling my financial advisor, making sure Gaby could overhear.

“Yes, I’d like to set up a new account,” I said loudly. “It’s for my stepdaughters. We’ll fund it from our joint income going forward.”

I heard a sharp intake of breath behind me and turned to see Gaby standing in the doorway, her face twisted with surprise and anger.

“What are you doing?” she barked as I hung up.

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney

“Creating a fund for your daughters, like you wanted. We’ll contribute to it together, from what we earn.”

Her eyes narrowed. “And Edith’s money?”

“Remains untouched. That’s non-negotiable.”

“You think this solves anything? This is a slap in the face!”

“No, Gaby. This is me setting boundaries. We build our family’s future together, not by taking what isn’t ours to take.”

She jabbed a finger at my chest. “You’re choosing your daughters over us. Admit it!”

“I’m choosing to honor Edith’s wishes. And if you can’t respect that, then we have a serious problem.”

A frustrated woman | Source: Midjourney

A frustrated woman | Source: Midjourney

Gaby’s eyes filled with tears, but I couldn’t tell if they were genuine or manipulative. “I thought we were partners, Charlie. I thought what was yours was mine.”

“We are partners, Gaby. But that doesn’t mean erasing the past or disregarding Edith’s legacy.”

She turned away, her shoulders shaking. “You’re being so unfair.”

As she left the room, I called after her, “Unfair or not. But know this: my decision stands.”

A woman walking away | Source: Pexels

A woman walking away | Source: Pexels

The following weeks were filled with icy silences and clipped conversations. Gaby alternated between trying to guilt-trip me and giving me the cold shoulder. But I stood firm, refusing to budge.

One evening, as I tucked my daughters into bed, my oldest asked, “Daddy, is everything okay with you and Gaby?”

I paused, choosing my words carefully. “We’re working through some grown-up stuff, sweetheart. But don’t worry, okay?”

She nodded, but her eyes were worried. “We don’t want you to be sad again, Daddy.”

A sad little girl hugging a teddy bear in bed | Source: Midjourney

A sad little girl hugging a teddy bear in bed | Source: Midjourney

My heart clenched. I pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. “I’m not sad, honey. I promise. Your happiness is what matters most to me.”

As I left their room, I found Gaby waiting in the hallway, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

“They’re good kids, Charlie. But my girls deserve just as much.”

I sighed, realizing her stance hadn’t changed. “They are good kids. All of them. And they all deserve our support.”

Rear view of a woman standing in the living room | Source: Midjourney

Rear view of a woman standing in the living room | Source: Midjourney

She scoffed, shaking her head. “Support? That trust fund would’ve been a REAL support. But you just had to play the hero for your precious Edith, didn’t you?”

“This isn’t about playing hero. It’s about respect. Respect for Edith’s wishes and for our daughters’ future.”

“And what about my daughters’ future? Or does that not matter to you?”

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “We’ve set up a fund for them too. We’re building it together, remember? That’s how we move forward.”

A woman staring at a man | Source: Midjourney

A woman staring at a man | Source: Midjourney

She laughed bitterly. “Oh, please. That’s just your way of placating me. It’s not the same and you know it.”

Our eyes met, and I saw the storm brewing in hers, just as I knew she saw mine. I realized this battle was far from over. But I also knew I’d never back down.

Months passed, and while the arguments became less frequent, the underlying resentment remained. One evening, as I watched all four girls playing in the backyard, Gaby approached me.

A woman looking outside | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking outside | Source: Midjourney

“They look happy,” she said.

I nodded, not taking my eyes off the children. “They do.”

She turned to me, her expression hard. “But it could’ve been better for all of them if you’d just listened to me.”

I met her gaze steadily. “No, Gaby. It wouldn’t have been better. It would’ve been unfair and disrespectful.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but I held up a hand. “This discussion is over. It has been for months.”

A woman furrowing her brows | Source: Midjourney

A woman furrowing her brows | Source: Midjourney

As she stormed off, a surge of sadness and relief engulfed me. Gaby had shown her true colors, and while it pained me to see our marriage strained, I knew I’d done the right thing.

She’d learned quickly that I wasn’t a pushover. If she thought she could waltz into our lives and rewrite the rules for her benefit, she had another thing coming.

This was the wake-up call she needed, harsh as it might be.

A woman standing in a room | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in a room | Source: Midjourney

I’d made my stance crystal clear: Edith’s legacy for our children was untouchable. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

And seeing Gaby come to terms with the fact that she couldn’t manipulate or bully me into submission? It was worth every second!

As I watched my daughters laugh and play, my heart swelled with a determination to be the best father I could be. I’d protected what mattered most: their future and the memory of their mother. Whatever challenges lay ahead with Gaby, I knew I’d face them head-on, just as I’d done from the start.

Four girls playing in the backyard | Source: Midjourney

Four girls playing in the backyard | Source: Midjourney

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

Woman Demands Husband to Get His Stuff Out after Supporting Him for 23 Years — Story of the Day

A woman goes through a rude awakening in a cafe and decides to do something about it — the first thing to go was her husband, but did he deserve it?

Debra Skye was a 52-year-old woman who was very much young at heart. Although she was in her 50s, she did not recognize herself as an old woman — not that she had a lot of time to dwell on the subject, since she had to work three jobs to support her family.

Her husband, Austin Skye, had slowly become a financial burden after he lost his job more than two decades ago.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

At first, he spent all his time looking for a new job without luck, but after some time, he stopped searching. Austin slowly grew accustomed to life as a dependent without any responsibilities, and gradually, his hobby became lying on the couch in front of the TV, drinking beer, and eating chips.

His body was the first thing to change, followed by everything else. He was well-fed and clothed even though he was no longer working.

It was a dream come true for a man who was always lazy at heart. Everything was enough for him, thanks to Debra working different jobs, but he did not seem to notice how hard she was trying.

They had married when they were barely adults; Debra was 19 while he was 20, and they had been completely in love with one another.

That love was what Debra thought about as she continued to hope that Austin would once again start putting himself out there for work. She even remained his staunch supporter at times when their relatives ganged up to ridicule him.

They got married so early in their lives because she had gotten pregnant with their daughter, Kayla. Of course, there would have been consequences if they had not wed, but their love had made it a simple, even natural, decision.

Their daughter, like them, also got married early and gave birth to a child who would grow up without his father because the man divorced Kayla.

Left to fend for her child while not being able to go to work because of the minor child in her care, Kayla needed help, and Debra was who she asked for it.

A dependable mother, Debra chose to pitch in financially, giving Kayla a steady allowance to care for herself and her child.

Never once did the steady supply of money waver, and it made Kayla complacent with finding her own source of income. She stopped trying to search for a suitable workplace and started depending solely on the allowance she was receiving.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

It continued that way for a long time until one day, Debra was jolted to a painful realization. That day had been just like any other; the woman left her home early and stopped at Starbucks for her coffee.

Once in the cafe, she joined a line three people long and patiently stood waiting for her turn while keeping an eye on her watch.

“Gordon will eat me alive if I arrive late today,” she thought to herself.

Her boss knew how many jobs she worked and usually cut her some slack, but Debra knew she had been pushing her luck in recent days. As she impatiently tapped her feet, several teenagers brazenly walked into the cafe and cut in line just when it was her turn.

The cashier, a young man with a bored look on his face, said nothing and simply started serving them. Debra couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Excuse me?” she said through gritted teeth. “Don’t you see me standing here? It was my turn!”

“I’m sorry ma’am, kids will be kids right?” the man behind the counter said, offering an awkward smile.

“What’s your deal anyway?” one of the teenagers said.

“Yeah, got somewhere you have to be?” another said in a mocking voice.

“I don’t think pensioners have anywhere they need to hurry to,” the third teenager said.

“You can stand in the queue all day if you want,” they chorused as they moved to the other end to collect their orders. Debra had never encountered such unruly children before, and it shocked her but not as much as what they said.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

When she returned to her car, she took a long time staring at herself in the mirror. The woman she saw looked very tired. Many wrinkles had become evident on her face, and her dark hair was slowly giving way to grey. Debra couldn’t remember when the gray strands first appeared, and it reminded her of how much she had been neglecting herself.

“I can’t even recall the last time I was in a hair salon,” she thought in despair.

The thought made her wonder what she had been doing all that time, and an answer immediately emerged — slaving away.

It made her very upset and realize that all her life, all she had been doing was trying to please her family, at the expense of her own well-being. “This has to end,” she told herself.

The first thing Debra did was call her daughter to inform her of her decision.

“Hello Mama, I was just going to call you,” Kayla said as soon as she picked up the call. “I was hoping you could send me my allowance earlier than Friday?”

“No Kayla, I will not do that,” Debra said, annoyed that her daughter had not even let her speak.

“What? Mama, why?” Kayla complained.

“Because you’ve grown too complacent with your lot in life. It’s time for you to wake up.”

“What are you saying, Mama?”

“I’m saying effective immediately your allowance is terminated and you’ll no longer be receiving it. If you want money, get out there and work for it.”

With that, Debra hung up and went in search of a beauty salon, where she had her hair dyed before getting a beautiful haircut, manicure, and many other procedures.

She turned her phone off to enjoy what had become a novel experience, and after that, she headed to a mall and got herself several beautiful dresses, one of which she decided to go home in. Her old clothes did not leave the mall with her.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Upon arriving home, her husband, who had picked up a call from her boss redirected to their landline, asked where she had been.

“Two of your bosses said you didn’t turn up for your shifts,” Austin said from his position on the couch. When he turned around to look at Debra, he coughed up the bite of chips he had just swallowed.

“Debs, is that you?” he asked wide-eyed.

“Yes, it is,” she replied stiffly.

“You went clothes shopping and all when you were supposed to be working?” he asked her angrily.

She gave him a vague answer but he started scolding her about how much money she wasted treating herself to all those nice things.

They were in the middle of that heated conversation when Kayla walked into the house with all the confidence of a righteous person done wrong. “Why would you cut my allowance off?” she asked without pausing to read the room.

After a moment, she took in her mom’s new look and pointed out how comfortable she was spending so much on herself while refusing to help her.

Debra had to take a moment to calm herself down before responding by explaining what had happened to her daughter. The girl was still trying to contain her shock when her mother turned to her father and revealed her desire to get divorced.

“I’m done cleaning up after you Austin,” she said. The man was shocked. He could not understand why she suddenly turned upon them, but Debra did not back down.

“For the past two decades, I have shouldered this family’s financial burdens. But now I’m tired and would like to focus that energy on myself,” Debra said tearfully. It was like admitting defeat, but what choice did she have? Those she was fighting for had given up a long time ago.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“I want you to leave,” she said.

“What? You can’t mean that,” Austin said.

“I do,” she said, then went past him to get to their room. After that night, Austin’s bruised pride caused him to move out of their home without trying to beg for forgiveness, and Kayla stopped asking Debra for money.

A month later, Debra quit her hard and disliked jobs and settled with one that really brought her passion. She lived her life, traveled the world, and when she could, helped her daughter to look after her grandson.

Debra never regretted her decision to divorce her husband even though he begged her to return after he found a job. “I will keep your offer in mind,” she’d told him, and he had not stopped trying to deserve her ever since.

What can we gain from this story?

  • Self-love is non-negotiable. Debra sacrificed for her family without thinking about herself until the rude kids pointed out just how much it was affecting her. Her awakening brought about change, and she was able to start living for herself once more.
  • Never stop trying. Kayla and Austin gave up so easily because they were getting all they needed through Debra, who never complained. They forgot that the only way to move forward was by trying, but luckily Debra was there to remind them.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who kicks his daughter out of the house only to meet her years later as a helpless, homeless beggar.

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