My ex called and casually asked to pause child support for six months. “My wife needs a new car. You don’t really need the money,” he said. I let him think I agreed. A week later, when I dropped off our son, I handed him an envelope. Calmly, I explained it contained an appraisal of the house he kept and a request to revisit asset division based on his increased income. His face drained of color.
He protested immediately, insisting everything had been settled years ago. I reminded him that the settlement was based on an income that had since doubled and a house that had tripled in value. Then I walked away. The truth was, I didn’t have a lawyer, and the appraisal came from online estimates. But child support wasn’t extra—it paid for tutoring and essential medication. I needed him to take this seriously.
