10 Years of Husband’s Affair, Wife Dies in Resentment, Mistress Moves In—But 5 Months Later She Pays a Heavy Price…

The three-story house of Mr. Thành and Mrs. Mai used to be an ideal model in the eyes of the neighbors. Everyone admired the kind, hardworking woman who ran a small street stall to support her husband’s education, saving every penny so he could have capital to start his business. Thanks to her careful management, Mr. Thành was able to build the grand home they had today.

Yet, the more successful he became, the more distant he grew from his wife. Endless business trips, late-night phone calls, the faint scent of strange perfume on his shirts… each one felt like a knife to Mrs. Mai’s heart. She knew he had a mistress—a young employee named Diễm.

For ten years, Mrs. Mai silently endured. It wasn’t that she lacked the courage to leave, but she loved their two young children. She feared that breaking the home would steal away their peaceful childhood. She buried her humiliation deep inside, praying day and night that her husband would one day wake up to reality.

But that hope never came true.

Family meals gradually went without Mr. Thành. Mrs. Mai found herself alone in the vast house, accompanied only by the ticking of the clock. The growing depression, compounded by a congenital heart condition, gradually weakened her health.

One late winter night, she was rushed to the hospital. Holding her son’s hand, she choked out:
— “I’m sorry… I can’t stay with you any longer. Love each other, and never betray someone who has sacrificed for you.”

Then she closed her eyes and passed away, taking with her a lifetime of resentment.

Before the funeral rites had even cooled, Diễm brazenly moved into the house. The woman who had once hidden behind Mr. Thành now boldly took Mrs. Mai’s place. Neighbors shook their heads in sorrow, while the two children, outraged, left—refusing to live with their unfaithful father.

Blinded by infatuation, Mr. Thành regarded Diễm as his “new wife.” He believed that after years of secrecy, he was finally living with his “true love.” But life was not that simple.

Only five months later, the dark truth began to surface.

Diễm was nothing like Mrs. Mai, who had been patient and diligent. She was used to indulgence and spent extravagantly. From luxury cars, designer goods, and vacations, she then demanded that Mr. Thành sell part of his company shares to fund her lifestyle. Business relationships began to fracture as Diễm interfered too deeply, even insulting partners.

The breaking point came one morning when the bank sent a notice: multiple company and personal accounts had been emptied. Mr. Thành was stunned to discover that Diễm had secretly transferred the money overseas.

He rushed home and, upon opening the bedroom door, heard Diễm speaking on the phone:
— “Did you think I was sincere with him? I only wanted the money. Now that he’s old and broke, why keep him around?”

Mr. Thành was speechless. Years of betrayal, years of deluded hope, all ended with a devastating slap in the face. He stormed in, but Diễm showed no remorse. She grabbed her bag and left, her gaze filled with disdain.

Thinking she could escape, Diễm was immediately detained at the airport. The embezzled funds were tied to the company’s shared accounts, and the evidence was clear. From a “replacement wife,” she became a defendant facing the law.

As for Mr. Thành, he lost both love and money, his reputation destroyed. He was left empty-handed and alone in the vast house. Every night, he would sit before his wife’s altar, light incense, and cry:
— “Mai, I was wrong… If I had the chance, I would never let you suffer.”

But it was all too late. The kind-hearted wife was gone forever, leaving two children motherless and a painful lesson behind:

Infidelity never brings happiness. Betrayal may bring a few moments of sweetness, but the price is a lifetime of bitterness.