We have been married for 17 years and share two teenage children. I married fresh out of college at 23, fortunate enough to have already secured a stable job, while my husband owned a home purchased by his parents; coming from a less affluent background, my family could not contribute anything toward the property. Yet once our children were born, my parents stepped in completely, helping raise and care for them so that both of us could focus on our careers with peace of mind.

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My husband still harbors a bitter grudge over my family’s lack of financial contribution to our home, constantly using it as leverage to demand that I dedicate myself to his relatives while forbidding me from supporting or caring for my own parents. As a result, we clash constantly over both sides of the family, locked in recurring arguments every few weeks or months.

Today, I have a stable career with a monthly income of around VND80 million (US$3,200), and together we own three houses. Still, I am deeply conflicted: should I stay with a husband like this so our children have an intact two-parent home during their schooling and developmental years, or should I walk away from this marriage so they no longer have to grow up in a combative, toxic environment?