For about a year, my son had been living with Kate, but we’d never met her parents—and that struck me as odd, so I decided to look into it I’ve always tried to raise my son to respect women above all—his grandmother, his mother, his wife, his daughter. In my view, that’s the best trait a man can have: respect for women. My husband and I gave our son an excellent upbringing and education, equipping him with everything he needs to navigate life with ease. We didn’t want to give him too many handouts, but we did buy him a two-bedroom flat. He worked to support himself, but affording his own place was out of reach. We didn’t hand over the flat right away—in fact, we didn’t even tell him about the purchase. Why? Our son had moved in with his girlfriend. For about a year, he had been living with Kate, but we had never met her parents, which I found peculiar. Later, I discovered that Kate’s mother was a former neighbour of a friend of mine, who told me something that made me uneasy. Apparently, Kate’s mother had thrown her husband out when he started earning less, and the absurdity only escalated from there. She began seeing a married but wealthy man. Kate’s grandmother, just like her daughter, had also had a relationship with a married man. She even used to force both her daughter and granddaughter to help out at his country cottage. That’s why my son had already found himself tangled in more than one affair with his future mother-in-law. But what worries me most in this story is how both Kate’s mother and grandmother are turning her against her father. The girl clearly loves her father, but because of these two women, their relationship is at risk. And to top it all off, Kate has decided to drop out of university because she believes a man should provide for the family. I do agree with that philosophy, and I’ve prepared my son for it, but heaven forbid they ever go through hard times. Where is the safety net? How will she support her husband if disaster strikes? By the way, I’ve re-registered the flat in my own name, because as the saying goes, I know I’ve raised a “deer”—a soft-hearted chap. Yes, anything acquired before marriage isn’t split after a divorce, but Kate is a clever woman and could easily see my “gentleman” out the door with only his socks.

It must be nearly a decade past now, but I still recall the uneasiness I felt when my son was living with Emily for well on a year, yet we’d never met her parents. That situation struck me as peculiar, so I took it upon myself to look into the matter more closely.

My endeavour as a father had always been to teach my son to treat women with utmost respecthis grandmother, his mother, his wife, and his daughter, should he have one. I have always believed that respecting women is the finest trait a man can possess. My wife and I worked hard to see our son well brought up and properly educated, giving him all the opportunities hed need for a comfortable life in England. We didnt wish to spoil him unduly, but we did purchase a two-bedroom flat for him. Though he had his own job, his wages were not quite sufficient for a home of his own.

We never gifted him the flat outright, nor did we even mention that it belonged to us. Why? Well, our son was living with his girlfriend, Emily. As I said, theyd been cohabiting for about a year, but I found it strange we had yet to meet her family.

Later, by sheer chance, I learnt from an old friend that Emilys mother had once been their neighbour. She told me some things that made me quite uneasy. Apparently, after Emilys fathers income waned, her mother threw him out of the housea move I found quite unbecoming. Stranger still, the woman soon began seeing a married but affluent gentleman. It would seem that this sort of behaviour ran in the family, as Emilys grandmother also carried on with a married man. Rather scandalously, she would even take both her daughter and granddaughter to his estate in the country, ostensibly to help with odd jobs about his farm.

Because of these circumstances, my son had already been mixed up in several awkward situations with Emilys future mother-in-law. What troubled me most was how Emilys mother and grandmother constantly poisoned her mind against her own father.

It was clear the girl loved her father dearly, yet thanks to those women, their bond was hanging by a thread. If that wasnt enough, the final straw came when Emily chose to abandon her studies, convinced that a man alone ought to provide for his family. While I do agree a man should look after his own, I shudder to think what might become of them if adversity strikes. What security could there be if anything were to go awry? For that reason, I had the title of the flat transferred back into my own name, for as the old English saying goes, I knew I was raising a gentle soulperhaps too gentle. True, anything acquired before marriage isnt subject to division upon divorce under English law, yet I wouldnt put it past Emily, being as crafty as she is, to see my son off with nothing more than his socks.

Such memories linger, and I reflect on them now as a caution to others, for we never quite know the true nature of those our children bring into their lives.