No love left in the marriage but staying together due to economic reasons and social stigma. Maybe I will be like this auntie when I grow up. Pack up and leave everything behind and go on a solo trip. Eat whatever I want, do whatever I like.

Parents, I am not sure about yours but mine are annoying when it comes into the topic about staying in a marriage.

When I wanted to end my first, my mum nagged at me non-stop and said I don’t respect marriage because how can I “anyhow” end one when things don’t work out less than one year into the it. Instead of empathy and kind words, her words made me more miserable and depressed.

She is the one that is complaining nonstop and telling the whole world how miserable she is in hers but yet STILL MARRIED.

I did not end my first marriage at the first sign of distress. You see, it was very much an old problem brought into a new marriage.

To cut the long story short, I cannot afford his lifestyle. He emptied our joint bank account twice. Once before and once after our marriage.

I had enough of his dishonesty and I felt he was just plain disrespectful because I told him I will leave him if he ever cleared the bank account again and he still went ahead and do it. He was probably gambling and picking up everyone’s tab at night spots.

If I had not made it clear enough, I really don’t enjoy people testing my patience and boundaries. Hence, I booked an appointment with the lawyer, paid, packed my bags and left.

My dad was supportive of me leaving the marriage after assessing the situation. Mum’s nagging miraculously stopped. He said he can accept a drunkard, a smoker or a jobless son in law but the moment gambling is involved, there is no turning back.

This was how I became the first in the family to get a divorce. I thought my dad was cool.

Now, the second one…

My parents called me up and visited two days after knowing about the husband’s infidelity and asked me to meet and talk to them directly. Forgiveness, forget, blah blah blah.

“Luckily it is not someone he is emotionally involved with,” said the mother.

“Everything can be discussed,” said the father.

Both of you… Gambling not ok, infidelity is ok and can be forgiven?!

Who doesn’t know marriage is hard work? Please tell the person that disregarded the holy matrimony. It definitely wasn’t me.

I don’t know why my parents like the current husband so much. Was it because he kneeled and cried and apologised to them for hurting me?

Or was it because my dad saw him broke down and cried when I was in coma after giving birth?

Or maybe it’s because they don’t want their youngest grandchild to grow up in a single parent family ?

I was irritated to the point of disowning them.

“Don’t be stupid. Stay and take all his money. If he finds someone new, you might not even get any alimony. By that time sue also no use,” said the mother.

And I heeded that advice. MONEY.

So this was how I ended up having access to all his money.