Keep Your Heart Free From Men

My son, Harris, was throwing a massive tantrum in the middle of the store, demanding a $50 box of organic luxury strawberries. There were only twenty in the box.

I bit the bullet and bought them. But as soon as we got home, he sneaked off to feed them to our dog. He didnt even let me taste a single one.

With a smug look on his face, he scoffed, "Youre spending my dads money anyway. How dare you try to eat my food?"

I tried to reason with him, but he just rolled his eyes.

"My last name is Schmidt. All the money in this house belongs to the Schmidts. You have no right to lecture me."

When my husband, Daniel Schmidt, came home, he didn't even bother to correct Harris. Instead, he took the boy's side immediately.

"Harris is so unlucky to have such a petty, calculating mother like you!"

Looking at the father-and-son duo ganging up on me, I let out a cold laugh.

Yeah. A trash husband only breeds trash kids.

So, I walked out.

Lets see how their perfect "loving family" holds up without me.

Over the weekend, I was strolling through Target with Harris when I saw a $30 tote bag.

I thought it was spacious enough to carry all of Harris's extra clothes and snacks for school.

But the moment I pulled out my wallet to pay, Harris snatched it from my hand. He glared at me and yelled, "Stop wasting money! You dont even work. You dont know how hard it is to make a dollar!"

His loud voice drew snickers from the people around us. "What a cute little boy, already knowing how to budget. So responsible!" someone whispered.

I didn't think too much of it at first. But when I reached for my purse again, Harris kicked my shin hard. "I told you, stop wasting my money!"

I decided it was better to go home and have a proper talk with him, so I dropped the bag and dragged him out of the store.

But on the way home, he saw those luxury strawberries and screamed until I bought them for $50.

A few blocks later, he spotted a $200 high-end toy in a storefront window and literally threw himself onto the pavement, rolling around to force me to buy it.

"I want it! Chloe has this exact toy at school. I need it too!"

Chloe?

I thought about it. Chloe was his classmate at preschoola sweet little girl whose family owned a major jewelry chain.

Chloes family was filthy rich. They owned several mansions across the city.

They only bought a luxury three-bedroom apartment near the preschool just to make her commute easier.

Chloes parents had achieved financial freedom ages ago. Sending Chloe to this regular preschool was just for her to "experience social life."

For a family like that, buying a $200 toy was like buying a pack of gum. They could build a whole private playground for their kid if they wanted to.

But Daniel and I were just average corporate workers living paycheck to paycheck.

To save money, I walked two miles to the discount grocery store just to clip coupons. A $200 toy was a luxury we simply couldn't afford.

Without hesitation, I refused Harriss ridiculous demand.

"No, Harris. Mommy and Daddys salaries cant cover this kind of luxury."

"You just got a new toy yesterday. Lets go home and eat the strawberries!"

"How about this? When Mommy and Daddy make more money in the future, well get it for you, okay?"

Harris lay flat on the sidewalk, tears streaming down his face as he wailed.

"No! I want it now! Chloe has it, so I should have it too!"

"Why does she get everything and I get nothing? I hate you! I want it..."

I absolutely despised this side of himthrowing tantrums and refusing to stop until he got his way. My blood started to boil.

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my temper in check.

Daniel didn't have a college degree. He worked at a tech startup, making barely enough to cover rent.

And my former 9-to-8 corporate job had made it impossible for me to take care of a toddler.

For years, my parents, Marcus and Sarah, had been supporting us financially and helping me babysit Harris.

But a year ago, Harris had said something that broke my parents' hearts. He said, "Mommy's parents aren't my real family."

Even though I corrected him immediately, he had covered his face and stubbornly yelled, "Daddy said so! Daddy said Mommys parents are losers compared to Daddy's parents!"

After that, my parents packed their bags and went back to their hometown, completely washed their hands of helping us.

To take care of Harris, I had to quit my stable job and take on low-paying freelance gigs just to make ends meet.

I walked him to school every single day, rain or shine. And what did I get in return?

Now, I just stood there, quietly watching Harris roll on the ground. He was secretly peeking at me to see if I would give in.

After ten minutes of his screaming, I got bored. I turned around and walked away. Sure enough, Harris got up and quietly followed me home.

The moment we stepped inside, Harris rushed into Daniels arms, crying about how much he missed his "heroic dad."

Meanwhile, I had to follow behind him, picking up his dirty clothes and toys scattered all over the floor.

No matter how many times I asked, neither this father nor his son would ever put their dirty laundry in the hamper.

Trash on the floor, stains on the table, and constant demands for me to fetch them things...

Their pickiness about food was pushing me to my absolute limit.

In the scorching heat of summer, the two of them lounged on the couch, eating cold watermelon I had sliced for them, enjoying the AC.

While I was sweating bullets in the kitchen, cooking their dinner.

When would this life ever end?

At 5:30 PM, I set the table and called them to eat.

Daniel was glued to his phone, playing mobile games. He glanced at the table and let out a mocking sneer.

"This is what youre feeding us? Are you kidding me?"

I looked at the table, utterly speechless.

I had made pan-seared steak, lobster mac and cheese, and a fresh salmon salad. This was a high-end meal, and he was scoffing at it? Did he even deserve this?

"Kidding you? If you don't like it, cook it yourself next time."

Daniel crossed his legs and slouched in his chair.

"I just made one comment. Why are you acting like a psycho? Are you going through menopause early?"

I ignored him, fixed myself a plate, and started eating. I had been working all day, and my head was pounding.

After Daniel finished his game, he barked an order, and Harris quickly sat down, waiting for me to serve him.

Because of how Harris had behaved earlier today, I purposely ignored him, wanting him to reflect on his actions.

But Daniel immediately went on the attack. "Harris, don't grow up to be like your mother. Shes a useless freeloader who only knows how to stuff her own face."

"Always carrying a resting bitch face. Who are you trying to intimidate?"

"You only care about yourself. Can't you see Harris is too small to reach the plates? Serve him!"

"Always so stingy, counting every penny. You wouldn't even buy him a toy."

"It's good for a kid to have desires. Why do you always have to crush his spirit?"

Harris rested his chin in his tiny hands, looking at his dad with pure adoration.

Daniel went on and on, accusing me as if I were some kind of abusive mother.

I interrupted him coldly. "The toy Harris wanted cost two hundred dollars."

Daniel choked. He clearly hadn't expected a toy to be that expensive. He quickly changed the subject to save face.

"Oh, so now you're throwing money in my face? Are you still looking down on me because I don't have a degree and come from a poor family?"

"Let me tell you something, Aurora. This is your life now."

"You're lucky Harris and I can tolerate a mentally unstable woman like you."

Harris wiggled his arms, looking at Daniel with puppy dog eyes. "Chloe has that toy. Why can't I have it? I'm a boy! It's not fair!"

A boy?

Since when did Harris start believing that being a boy made him superior? Did Daniels mother, Amanda, brainwash him with that garbage?

I realized I needed to have a serious talk with Harris. This mindset was toxic.

Daniel took a sip of his beer. "Its all your grandma Sarahs fault. Shes stingy. If she gave us more money, we wouldn't have this problem."

Harris nodded in agreement. "Yeah! Grandma Sarah is a bad person."

Slap!

I slapped him across the face.

"Sarah is the one who took care of you since you were a baby! Don't you dare enjoy her love and then call her a bad person!"

Harris was stunned. He clutched his cheek, his eyes wide with shock. "Daddy said Grandma Sarah is trash compared to Grandma Amanda! Mommy, you hit me!"

"I don't want you to be my mommy anymore!"

Daniel shoved me back. "Have you lost your mind? Taking your anger out on a kid!"

"Harris is a boy! He's the one carrying the Schmidt legacy! Sarah should be throwing money at him!"

"Do you even know who your real family is? Harris and I are your family!"

"You asshole!" I gasped.

He suddenly looked like a stranger to me. It was that horrifying realization that the person you loved had turned completely rotten.

Seeing the disgust in my eyes, Daniel slammed his hands on the table, flipping it over. Hot oil and food splattered all over my clothes.

"Harris is so unlucky to have a petty bitch like you for a mother."

"Harris is right! Sarah is trash compared to Amanda!"

Harris, completely oblivious to the gravity of the situation, cheered.

"I don't want Mommy anymore!"

"I don't want a stingy mommy! I want Chloes mommy to be my mommy!"

Looking at the two monsters standing in front of me, I felt a strange sense of calm.

I looked at the mess on the floor, then looked up at Daniel. "Lets get a divorce."

"Daniel, Im done. Were finished."

Daniel marched over to the drawer, grabbed our marriage certificate, and threw it at my face. "Anyone who backs out is a chicken shit!"

We drove to the city hall immediately. Even when we got the divorce papers finalized, I still couldn't believe how easy it was to cut ties with a toxic person.

Daniel held Harris, sneering at me before driving off without even looking back.

But when I returned to the apartment to pack my things, Daniel was sitting on the couch, rolling his eyes. "Who are you trying to scare?"

"You can't survive a week without me and Harris."

"When you realize how good you had it, maybe Ill let you marry back into the family."

I kept my head down, quietly packing my suitcase. This time, I was playing for keeps.

I wanted to see how long they would survive without their free live-in maid.

Dragging my suitcase, I embarked on my first solo trip in eight years.

No, this wasn't just a trip. This was my rebirth.

I booked a one-way ticket to Bangkok, Thailand, and spent my days surrounded by gorgeous, attentive cabana boys.

In the past, I would have thought, I need to keep my distance from other men. I have to be a loyal, modest wife.

Now? Screw Daniel.

I had a handsome, muscular young man slice my steak and pour my champagne, feeding me directly from his hands.

Looking at their perfectly sculpted abs, I realized my mouth was watering way before my tears could even form.

Back then, Daniel had won me over by delivering cheap breakfast to my dorm every morning.

And yet, he was the one who ended up treating me like garbage.

I opened my phone camera. The woman in the screen was glowing, her eyes bright with a spark that had been dead for years.

This is what money and freedom feel like.

Suddenly, I understood what my older sister, Kristy, had told me years ago: "A woman should never keep a man in her heart."

Back then, I had argued with her, thinking she was some radical feminist. I believed in equal love, in building a nest together.

Kristy had sighed and corrected me. "I want your heart to be free of men, Aurora. That doesn't mean your bed has to be empty."

I had frowned, thinking she was just cold and didn't understand true love. How pathetic, I thought.

But now, I realized she was a genius.

I hit the record button on Snapchat, capturing a video of myself laughing as two handsome guys fed me grapes.

"Im officially free! No Daniel, no Harris. Ive never been happier!"

"I gave everything to that house, and in the end, my own son looked down on me."

"He called me a petty mother. He said I didn't deserve to spend his fathers money."

"If I could go back eight years, I would have run away from him."

"Instead of wasting my youth being a free, unappreciated nanny."

"Now, Daniel is trash to me. And honestly? Screw Harris too."

I posted the video to my public story. At the very end, I showed my divorce papers and the custody agreement where I had waived my parental rights.

To get the divorce quickly, I had agreed to leave with nothing.

We didn't own the apartment anyway, and his beat-up car wasn't worth anything. Signing away custody in exchange for zero child support obligations was the best bargain of my life.

After posting, I called Kristy.

"Kristy, I did it. Im divorced. Im single."

"You always said spending money on men brings bad luck, which is why you never lent me money to support Daniel. I get it now."

Ding.

My phone vibrated. I looked down. Kristy had sent me $50,000 via PayPal.

"Kristy, I gave up custody of Harris too."

Ding.

Another $50,000.

I quickly accepted the transfers, feeling the warmth of my sisters love.

"Let me know if you need more. When youre done partying, come work at my company," Kristy said before hanging up.

Kristy had started her own tech company after college, and it had recently gone public.

Lately, she was preparing to acquire a smaller tech startupthe very startup Daniel worked for.

With a suddenly massive bank account, I felt like a brand new woman.

Had those eight years of being locked up in Daniel's "love" really been worth it?

I got nothing but wrinkles, insults, and a shattered self-esteem.

Maybe Daniel did love me once, but he used that love, my responsibility for Harris, and my moral guilt to keep me under his thumb for eight years.

Without Daniel backing him up, Harris would have never dared to treat me like that.

I promised myself I would never think about those two again.

But they forced their way back into my mind because my casual Snapchat video went viral.