The lingering enigma: What drove the father to forsake his own kin?”

On September 22, 2023, an anonymous female poster took to the highly popular “AITA” subreddit to share her story.

She, 55, had been married to her 60-year-old husband for 20 years before he passed away due to cancer.

He had two kids from a previous marriage, who were in their early teens when he married her.

She, on the other hand, had a seven-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, and the couple didn’t have any more children together.

The stepmother tried her best to treat her stepchildren as her own, but unfortunately, they never truly accepted her.

Instead, they were consistently rude towards her, often accusing her of being a gold digger who had married their father solely for his money.

Why Didn’t the Children Approve of Their Stepmother
What the children didn’t know was that their stepmom had inherited a significant sum of money from her wealthy grandparents, allowing her to live comfortably below her means and willingly stay at home to raise her daughter. She had no financial need for her husband’s money.

It turned out that the father had his reasons for leaving nothing to his kids.

However, the woman deliberately kept this information from her stepchildren and even advised her husband not to disclose it to them, as she didn’t want them to like her just for potential financial gain.

The husband, despite his wife’s financial independence, despised his children’s behavior and their blatant disrespect towards her.

Their behavior was so hurtful that he refused to pay for their college tuition, leaving them to take loans to fund their education since their mother couldn’t afford it.

Due to these circumstances, his children did not maintain a relationship with him. “Even when he got cancer, they refused to come see him,” revealed his wife. He struggled with his treatment for three years, during which time his wife’s daughter visited occasionally when she could.

The only person who offered significant assistance to the couple in this trying time was someone unrelated to their family. A young woman in her late twenties who worked as a waitress at a cafe they frequented took a liking to them.

She was a single mother attending community college at night, working during the day, and raising her two children. She provided invaluable support, spending time with the woman’s husband when she could, staying overnight at the hospital when needed, and essentially becoming the daughter they wished they had.

What Happened after the Husband’s Death?
Tragically, when the woman’s husband passed away, this kind-hearted waitress helped her arrange his funeral. On the day of the funeral, her husband’s children were solely concerned with their inheritance. “His kids came on the day and all they wanted to know was about their inheritance. I felt sick,” recalled the distraught wife.

It turned out that the father had his reasons for leaving nothing to his kids. Upon discovering that her husband had left his estate to her, totaling approximately $25,000 after settling his bills, the wife decided to give it to the young woman who had provided them with immense support. Despite the waitress’ initial refusal, the woman insisted that she accept the money, believing she deserved it more than her ungrateful stepchildren.

Her daughter understood why she did not give the money to her step-siblings but was upset that she did not receive anything either. But the woman explained to her daughter that she was financially secure with a job and would inherit her wealth too.

However, her husband’s ex-wife and children reacted strongly, causing turmoil and expressing their displeasure with her decision. They accused her of being inconsiderate for giving away money they believed they deserved. Thereafter, the woman couldn’t help but question whether she was in the wrong for her actions.

What Do Redditors Think?
Upon reviewing the woman’s story, most individuals concluded that she was not in the wrong (NTA). They offered their insights and suggestions based on their own viewpoints. Let’s take a look at a few comments: What are your thoughts on this story? If you found yourself in the same situation as the woman, how would you respond? Do you believe her decision to give the inheritance to the waitress instead of her husband’s children was justifiable, or should she have shown more compassion towards them?