He Left Me Because I Didn’t Give Him a Son — Years Later, I Barely Recognized Him

When Anne married Matthew, she truly believed they would have a long and happy marriage. He was affectionate, supportive, and always told her how much he loved her. They had two beautiful daughters, and Anne felt their family was growing in the best way. But Matthew had one major expectation — he wanted a son.

They tried again… and again. In total, they had five daughters. After the birth of the fifth, Matthew completely changed.

He became cold, distant, and bitter. Not long after, he filed for divorce — but continued to live in the same house, acting like a bachelor. He ignored their daughters, contributed nothing to the household, and treated Anne as if she didn’t exist. The final straw came when he brought another woman into their shared home.

That was when Anne had enough.

She packed her things, took her daughters, and called Harry — an old friend from school who had always been kind to her. They started talking more often, and with his help, Anne moved out with the girls.

Over the following months, Anne’s life began to change. With Harry’s support, she fought for full custody of her daughters and the house. The court sided with her, citing Matthew’s reckless lifestyle, and granted her everything she asked for — including full custody.

Over time, Anne and Harry fell in love. They got married and, a year later, welcomed a baby boy named Alan. He was adored by his five older sisters, and Anne felt her life was finally full and peaceful.

Years passed.

One day, Anne picked Alan up from preschool and stopped by the mall to buy him new shoes. As they walked, she saw a man handing out pretzel samples in a small food stand. When Alan ran over to him, Anne froze.

It was Matthew.

He looked nothing like the successful man he used to be. Dressed in a basic uniform, he appeared tired and defeated.

— Anne? — he said, stunned.

— Matthew? What are you doing here?

— I’m working. I lost everything because of the life I chose. Is that your son?

— Yes. This is Alan. He’s Harry’s son.

Matthew looked down, clearly ashamed.

— I didn’t want to ask this like this, but… I’m desperate. I was wondering if you’d consider selling our old house. I need money.

Anne paused.

— It’s currently being rented, but… I’ll think about it. We have to go now. I’ll call you.

She walked away, calm and composed, leaving behind the man who had once thrown his family away. Even though she could legally keep the full value of the house, Anne decided to sell it and give Matthew half. Not for his sake — but because she wanted to do what was right.

Eventually, Matthew tried to reconnect with the girls, but none of them were interested. The twins, now teenagers, deeply resented him. The others followed their example. After a while, he stopped calling.

They never saw him again.

To Anne and her children, he was no longer family.