My ex had been dating all kinds of women over the years, but never wanted to marry. He was life-of-the-party, an entertainer, had a million friends. He was often too busy to see the children on weekends, had a million excuses, but he was so charismatic that he got by with it. They just said oh, that's the way Dad is. On a vacation to Hawaii, he met his wife-to-be, who was living on the island with her sister. She was 12 years younger than he.
My ex always wore expensive jewelry, had a flamboyant personality, was given to B.S., and traveled with people with money. Although she was also a strong personality, she was practically destitute, a divorcee without a job living with others and raising a teenage girl. When he got home she immediately suggested coming to L.A. and moving in with him. This was fine with him, he'd had other women living with him from time to time, and so she came, leaving her daughter, a senior in high school, in the care of relatives.
My adult son, age 25, was living with him at the time, and she found fault with this arrangement not long after she settled in. Especially when her daughter graduated from high school a few months later, and she wanted to bring her to L.A. That's when my husband began complaining to me about my son....he leaves the door open, he doesn't turn off the light, he forgot to wash the pot. I advised my son to be more careful and he denied this was the problem. He said his father was building a case against him because they wanted him out. They wanted his room for her daughter. I didn't think my ex would ever do a thing like that, but sure enough a week or so later the girl arrived and my son got kicked out.
The new girlfriend was also very jealous of me. I was still living in the lovely home we had owned together, and had a great job. She was penniless, living miles from her home on the good graces of a man she'd recently met, so she could have a home for herself and her daughter.
They eventually married, but their relationship was very up and down. Things had gone downhill, my ex was having money problems, they were fighting constantly, they would have mutual knock-down drag-outs, once he ended up in jail for hitting her. She told my daughter she had enhanced the bruise with blue eyeshadow! Things were so bad he even called my mother to borrow money to pay his rent. At this point, Bob bought out my ex's share of the house.
Now they had enough money to relocate and buy a business, which is what they did. They made a success of it. Years went by and they were happy being known in their community as successful business people.
There was a seemingly pleasant relationship between his wife and the children, although due to distance they only saw each other once every couple of years. When he died, though, she made sure to actively delay, then lie about the will, effectively stealing the children's inheritance. I guess it's true, leopards don't change their spots.