“You’re Just a Broke Housewife”—My Son Chose His Cheating Father Over Me, Not Knowing I’d Won $300 Million
The Ultimate Betrayal
There are two things I regret most in life: marrying Daniel, and giving birth to my son Robert. Not long ago, Daniel cheated on his wife and demanded a divorce. I wasn’t going to fight it—my heart was already broken—but I was devastated for my children.
I had just hired a lawyer and was preparing to fight for custody of both kids when Robert stepped forward on his own.
I was shocked at how cold and calculating he was. I had poured my heart and soul into this boy. Robert was born premature and had been sickly since birth. I quit my high-paying job to take care of him full-time for fifteen years.
He didn’t like cafeteria food, so I woke up at five every morning to make homemade breakfast. I bought the freshest ingredients, prepared balanced lunches, and personally delivered them to his school every day. And now, all that effort, love, and sacrifice had been reduced to a single disdainful sentence: You’re just a housewife. I don’t want to be poor with you.
Robert took my silence as hesitation. He grew anxious. “Mom, don’t be selfish. If you really cared about me, you’d let me go.”
I let out a cold laugh. “Fine, go.”
But looking at that ungrateful brat, he wasn’t worth it.
My mother-in-law Susan immediately smiled with glee when she realized I’d made my decision. “Good. Take Olivia and move as far away as possible.”
I turned to look at Robert, lounging on the sofa watching television. His own grandmother was openly insulting his mother and sister, yet he didn’t react—not a word, not a glance. In that moment, I completely gave up on him.
“I’m still married to Daniel, you know,” I said with a cold laugh.
Susan didn’t care. “I’ll call Daniel right now and tell him to take the day off to finalize the divorce. You can move out today. Melanie will move in tomorrow.”
Melanie—the woman Daniel had been cheating with. The moment Robert heard her name, he jumped up excitedly. “Grandma, is Melanie finally moving in?”
Susan patted his head. “She’s about to be your new mom. Are you happy?”
Robert nodded eagerly. “Yes.”
The Cold Truth
Even Olivia, who’d been desperately trying to keep our family together, was shocked by her brother’s shamelessness.
“You are unbelievable,” Olivia snapped. “Mom has taken care of you for more than ten years, and you call the woman who ruined her marriage ‘Mom’? You’re a joke.”
Robert didn’t flinch. He shrugged. “It’s not my fault. Melanie is amazing. She has a PhD and teaches at the university.” Then he looked at me with casual disdain. “But Mom’s just a housewife. Whenever my classmates ask what my mom does, I’m embarrassed to say she’s just a housewife. Dad choosing Melanie makes perfect sense.”
I always knew Robert looked down on me because Susan had been poisoning him for years, constantly reminding him that I was useless, that the family depended on Daniel’s income. I’d believed that one day he’d grow up and understand my sacrifices. I was wrong.
This boy was selfish to the core. For money and status, he was willing to abandon his own mother. When he looked at me, there was no love, no attachment—only disgust, as if I were garbage.
I didn’t feel anything for him anymore. I lowered my gaze to Olivia, who was clutching my hand tightly—warm and firm, the only warmth I had left. At least my daughter still loved me. From now on, Olivia was my only child. Robert could go to hell.
The Divorce Battle
It wasn’t long before Daniel and Melanie rushed in. Melanie was in her forties but looked younger, curving her lips into a sweet yet triumphant smile.
“Mary, I’m so glad you’ve finally come to your senses. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Daniel and your son Robert.”
She spoke as if she were already the lady of the house. Daniel shoved a divorce agreement at me.
“Sign it now. As long as you don’t make a scene and don’t tell anyone about my affair, I’ll give you and Olivia $3,000 a month in child support.” His voice became sharp. “But if you don’t cooperate, you won’t get a single penny.”
Daniel’s face darkened as he read: house split 50%, compensation $1 million, plus $3,000 monthly child support for Olivia.
Susan gasped dramatically. “Mary, you’ve gone crazy. Daniel paid for everything. You owe us money, not the other way around!”
I smiled smugly. Melanie’s expression was strained—she’d gone after Daniel for his money, and now half was slipping away.
“The down payment—we paid it together. The mortgage—we split that too. Why shouldn’t I get half?” I glanced at Melanie, then Daniel. “Before I became a housewife, my monthly salary was $20,000. I sacrificed years of income for this marriage. One million barely compensates what I lost.”
I let that sink in before delivering the final blow. “Daniel, you’re running for vice president at your company. And Melanie, you’re up for promotion at the university. This is a critical time. You really don’t want a scandal, do you?”
Melanie’s face flushed. She grabbed Daniel’s sleeve like a victim. “Daniel, I’m scared.”
Daniel gritted his teeth. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”
Just then the doorbell rang. I smiled. “Perfect timing.” I opened the package and pulled out two banners: “University Professor Melanie is in love with my husband. As his wife, I’m happy to step aside” and “Daniel, VP candidate, heartless man who abandoned his wife.”
Their faces turned gray. Daniel had no choice but to agree to my terms, signing reluctantly for the sake of their careers.
The New Life
After finalizing the divorce, Olivia and I walked out of the courthouse, separating from Daniel’s family forever. Susan sneered: “Mary, don’t celebrate so soon. Daniel will earn back every penny in two years. You’ll regret this.”
I found her words laughable. If they knew I’d won $300 million, they’d probably cry themselves to death.
Daniel’s smug smile returned. “Mom, didn’t you say our house was too small? Now that Mary and I are splitting the sale profit, I’ll buy you a villa.”
Robert jumped up excitedly. “Melanie should decorate it! It’ll look amazing.”
Melanie smiled sweetly. “Of course. Robert, shouldn’t you stop calling me Melanie? You should call me Mom now.”
Robert didn’t hesitate. “Mom,” he said cheerfully.
I felt nothing—no anger, no pain. Robert had ceased to exist in my world. But Olivia squeezed my hand, worried I might be hurt.
“Mom, let’s go,” she whispered.
I smiled. “It’s fine.”
Dave looked hesitant after their comments. Robert frowned: “Mom, I’m disappointed. I thought you were just useless, but now I see you’re a liar too.”
My father was fed up. “Watch your mouth, boy. Your father cheated and threw your mother out, and you’re defending him?” His voice carried through the showroom. “Look at them—a future VP and university professor. Do they even deserve those positions?”
People began whispering, staring at Daniel and Melanie. My father turned to Robert and slapped him hard. The sound echoed. Robert staggered, a tooth falling out with blood.
“Grandpa, why did you hit me?”
“Because you’re ungrateful. Your mother sacrificed everything, and this is how you repay her.”
Robert clutched his bleeding lip. “But Dad didn’t do anything wrong. Mom’s just a housewife. She should be grateful he didn’t leave her sooner.”
The crowd was outraged. “What an ungrateful child. His mother gave him everything.” “He’ll regret this someday.”
Robert’s face burned with shame as he looked around, then ran away with Susan chasing after him.
The Revelation
Daniel tried to clear his name by claiming I was lying about affording the house. “If you can afford this villa, I’ll eat dirt,” he sneered.
“Don’t regret saying that,” I replied calmly.
When the real estate company verified my funds, it took two hours. The crowd grew larger, people whispering excitedly. Daniel smiled smugly: “Her account must be empty.”
Unable to bear the humiliation, Daniel and Melanie fled without buying anything.
A month later, we moved into our new home. Olivia had a spacious, beautifully decorated bedroom and an expansive study filled with books. She was thrilled.
“Mom, I love you so much.”
“I love you too. By the way, you want to study art and design in the UK? I’ve hired the best tutors and I’m preparing to send you abroad.”
“That’s amazing, Mom!” Olivia hugged me, giving me a sweet kiss.
Daughters truly are the best. A little kindness from me, and she responded with pure, genuine love.
Facing the Past
One day, we happened to see Daniel’s family moving into the house behind ours. Susan spotted us and swelled with pride.
“Mary, look at our new house. Gorgeous, right? So jealous?”
I glanced at their smaller house. “It’s okay, I guess.”
Susan sneered: “Anyone hearing you would think you live in a mansion.”
Melanie chimed in: “Mary, you were married to Daniel so long and never lived in a villa, but I’ve only been with him a few months. It’s fate.”
My father chuckled: “We live in the house across the street. Much better view, much bigger.”
Daniel scoffed: “You think we’ll believe that lie?”
Susan crossed her arms: “Fine, let’s see who gets embarrassed.”
When we reached our door, my father placed his finger on the scanner. Beep—it unlocked. Susan was stunned. “You really bought a villa?”
Daniel suspected we were just employees: “You’re maids, right?”
When Olivia’s art tutor arrived, Susan rushed over, assuming she was the owner, ready to badmouth us. The tutor looked bewildered: “They ARE the owners. I’m here to teach Olivia art history.”
Susan’s jaw dropped. Daniel groaned in regret: “I let a rich woman slip away.”
With their heads bowed, they shuffled back to their smaller house, their arrogance completely vanished.
Robert’s Call
That evening, Robert called, his voice hesitant: “Mom, how have you been?”
Kids are realistic—sometimes more than adults. When I was divorcing his father, he chose Daniel without thought. Now that he knew I had money, he called immediately.
“Since leaving Daniel and his family, I feel great. If you hadn’t called, I’d feel even better.”
“Mom, you know I’m still your dear son, right?”
Once upon a time he was, but that love had been completely drained.
“Olivia’s studying art history, preparing to study abroad. I want to study overseas too. The UK costs about $150,000 a year. You already bought a villa, so this is nothing, right?”
Where did Robert get the confidence to think that after treating me with such coldness, I’d still do anything for him?
“Robert, did you forget you chose your father? We have nothing to do with each other.”
My parents added: “Stay out of our lives. Just hearing your voice puts us in a bad mood.”
Robert grew angry: “Tell me honestly—where did you get money for that house? If you used marital assets, half belongs to Dad.”
I hung up calmly. Let them figure it out. The lottery ticket was bought and claimed under my mother’s name. Her money had nothing to do with me—and even less to do with Daniel’s family.
The Final Confrontation
I never expected Daniel’s family to be so shameless. That morning, I woke to loud commotion downstairs. Daniel’s family had broken in, demanding money.
“What’s going on?”
My parents looked upset: “We went to take out trash, and they forced their way in.”
Susan raged: “Since your parents have money, you should give back the $500,000 compensation. Plus another $10 million for Robert’s future.”
They assumed I’d cave for my son. But I’d lost all affection for Robert long ago.
“Are you daydreaming? I’m not giving you a dime.”
For the first time, I saw guilt flicker across Robert’s face. But Susan sneered: “You simply don’t want to give us money.”
Robert looked enlightened: “Yes, I’m still her son. Shouldn’t she be good to me no matter what?”
I shook my head. Robert was beyond saving.
In the end, I had to call police to have them removed. But they kept returning, harassing us constantly.
Fortunately, summer arrived and I took my family to France for a luxurious vacation. While lounging on the beach with a handsome masseuse, I received Daniel’s furious call:
“Mary, thanks to you, Melanie and I lost our jobs. You broke our agreement.”
I was confused until he sent me a video. Someone had recorded our confrontation at the real estate center and posted it online with the title: “Man leaves wife, discovers she’s a multi-millionaire, regrets everything.” The comments were brutal, and people had identified Daniel and Melanie, costing them their jobs.
“What does that have to do with me? You were the fools acting up in public.”
Daniel’s tone suddenly changed, becoming sickeningly sweet: “Mary, I still have feelings for you. Let’s get back together. I’ll divorce Melanie tomorrow.”
I almost choked. The audacity! George, my French masseuse, asked if I was okay. I smiled at him: “No, it’s perfect.”
Daniel heard our conversation and lost his mind: “Mary, what are you doing?”
“Obviously, things that make me happy. You’re a middle-aged, balding, sloppy, cheating loser. I wouldn’t get back with you if you were the last man on Earth.”
I hung up and turned to George’s handsome face. Life was good.
The Fake Kidnapping
Two months later, while still abroad, my mother received a frantic call from Susan: “Robert’s been kidnapped! They want $30 million ransom in three days or they’ll kill him.”
My panicked mother promised to help, but I found the timing suspicious. “Mom, don’t you think this kidnapping is convenient? Daniel’s family is broke. What kidnappers would target Robert? They’re clearly targeting us.”
My father hesitated: “But what if it’s real?”
“We’ll pay the ransom, but when Robert returns, we’re calling police to investigate.”
We transferred the money. Three hours later, Daniel called saying Robert was safe, emphasizing: “Don’t call police. The kidnappers threatened our whole family.”
His obsession with avoiding police confirmed my suspicions. The moment we landed, I went straight to the police station.
Before sentencing, they begged for mercy, crying they’d lost their way. I refused. These people had no moral foundation. If they’d fake Robert’s kidnapping to extort me, what would stop them from kidnapping Olivia next?
On sentencing day, Robert broke down seeing Olivia—radiant, confident, and happy beside me. “Mom, I was wrong. I was truly wrong.”
I felt nothing. I’d never forget his cold, detached look that day. Robert wasn’t truly remorseful—he just regretted making the wrong choice, not choosing the lottery winner.
A year later, Olivia achieved her dream of attending a top design school overseas. As we watched her leave at the airport, my parents suggested I remarry to avoid loneliness.
I laughed: “Why bring unnecessary trouble into my life? I have wealth, freedom, and family that truly loves me. If I feel lonely, there are capable pool boys to entertain me. I can meet new friends, travel the world. Life couldn’t be better.”
Sometimes children show you exactly who they are when times get tough. Robert chose money over love, status over loyalty, his father’s wealth over his mother’s sacrifices. The lottery didn’t change my character—it just revealed everyone else’s. I learned that being a housewife wasn’t my weakness; it was my strength that I gave freely to those who proved themselves unworthy of it.
Today, Olivia thrives in her design career while I enjoy the freedom I never knew I wanted. Robert learned too late that love isn’t conditional on wealth, but respect and loyalty are conditions for love. Some bridges, once burned by betrayal, can never be rebuilt—no matter how much money you discover was always on the other side.
Adrian Hawthorne is a celebrated author and dedicated archivist who finds inspiration in the hidden stories of the past. Educated at Oxford, he now works at the National Archives, where preserving history fuels his evocative writing. Balancing archival precision with creative storytelling, Adrian founded the Hawthorne Institute of Literary Arts to mentor emerging writers and honor the timeless art of narrative.