Chapter 4
Eric suddenly handed me $5,000 in cash.
In the past, if I wanted to buy anything, I could only use his credit card. This was the first time he had ever given me cash.
“My mom’s not feeling well. Go take care of her for a few days,” he said.
“I have things to do,” I replied, refusing him. I had only a few days left and things I still needed to finish.
“What kind of things could a housewife possibly have to do?” Eric retorted, his dissatisfaction clear.
I looked up at him. It was exactly this kind of dismissive talk that had made Jason mimic
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his attitude.
“You’re the daughter–in–law in this family. If you don’t go back and take care of her, what will the neighbors think of us?”
“Why don’t you go yourself?” I asked.
“Do you think I don’t want to? I’m swamped with work–unlike you, who does nothing all day,’‘ Eric shouted.
Jason chimed in from the side, making the situation worse. “If you’re so awful to Grandma, I’ll treat you the same way. When you’re old, I won’t care about you either.”
I was so angry that I felt dizzy, and even more, I felt a chill in my heart.
Back when I was recovering from childbirth, Eric had asked his mother to come and
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help. She refused outright. It wasn’t until I suggested paying her that she reluctantly agreed to come.
She refused to help take care of Jason, and though I tried to pitch in with the cooking, she deliberately made half–cooked meals for me, causing my milk supply to dwindle. Then, she mocked me for being useless.
Jason, too, suffered from malnutrition and was often sick. During those times, Eric was frequently away on business and couldn’t take care of our family. I often found myself alone in the middle of the night, taking Jason to the hospital. My mother–in–law completely turned a blind eye and constantly picked fights.
Eventually, I fought with her in front of Eric, and he finally sent her back to her hometown, where things became peaceful
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again.
I didn’t argue with Eric anymore. I simply went back to our room.
But Eric followed me in, trying to comfort me. “I didn’t mean to snap at you, but my mom raised me–she’s been through a lot. All these years, she’s lived alone in the old house, and we haven’t really taken care of her. We can’t let the relatives talk behind our backs. Think about Jason, too. You need to set a good example for him.”
Not only that, but he handed me another $3,000.
It was rare for him to be so generous.
Seeing the urgency on his face, I suddenly found myself agreeing.
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When I received the private investigator’s photos, I was in the hospital corridor, listening to my mother–in–law complain.
“My daughter–in–law is so lazy, doesn’t lift a finger. She’s completely dependent on my son for everything. We never had it this easy back in the day.”
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