According to sharing in the program, Ms. D got married very early, when she was only 18 years old. Her first marriage quickly became a tragedy due to domestic violence, forcing her to carry her child back to rely on her biological mother.
Carrying hurt and the burden of making a living, at the age of 25, she went to Ho Chi Minh City to work as a worker with the desire to change her life. It was during this period that she met an older man, who introduced himself as separated and raising three children.
Trusting the stories, Ms. D gradually relied on and became attached to that man. Only when the truth was exposed did she realize that she had entered an extramarital relationship. The consequence was months of living in fear: fierce jealousy from her legal wife, times of being assaulted, threatened, and even having to work with the police. "Sometimes I just wanted to disappear because I couldn't stand the pressure," she recounted.
What makes the story special is the way the man in the relationship behaves. He does not deny, does not evade but stands out to protect Ms. D. for many years. He provides financial support, buys a house, raises children together and even publicly introduces her to his family. It is this "responsibility" and "full of bravery", according to Ms. D, that makes her, even though she knows she is wrong, not brave enough to leave. "I know I am at fault with the law, with my wife and with society. But I have lived on that man for a long time," she admitted.
Analyzing the story, director Le Hoang does not avoid hidden corners. He believes that men are the ones who have the biggest fault in maintaining two relationships in parallel for many years. However, he also frankly pointed out that women, although pitiful, still make mistakes when accepting the role of "third party". From there, the male director raises a thorny social reality: not all "triangles" come from ambition or calculation, but some people fall into that situation because of weakness, loneliness and lack of choice.
At the age of over 70, the man who used to be Ms. D's support still continues to have an affair with others. Faced with that harsh reality, Ms. D said she is no longer delusional, only considering life stories as a costly lesson.
Through the program, she sends a message to people who are or are about to fall into similar situations: "If you can withdraw, withdraw. Being a third person is very wrong. Don't go down my path". She also said that she always teaches her daughter not to repeat her mother's mistakes.
