“Grace, we all were waiting for you, come in quickly!” Kelly happily greeted Grace and her son at the door. “I’ve missed you so much. If you hadn’t gone abroad and had married my brother back then, we’d be a family now!”
My mother-in-law walked past me and grabbed Grace’s hand, smiling broadly. “Exactly! If you hadn’t moved away, you and Jason would have married long ago, and Noah would be my real grandson. Come on, come in. ”
“Oh, come here, my big grandson,” My father called her son, Noah, opening his arms.
The whole family gathered around Grace and Noah and showed no hesitation in expressing their fondness for them.
At that moment, I felt utterly disheartened. I covered my daughter’s ears, trying to protect her from the hurt.
Although Grace and Jason had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, she left Jason after his business failed and married someone else abroad.
I was the one who stayed by Jason’s side and helped him pay off the debt of five million.
Kelly and Jason were twins. When we got married, she was still in college. After I joined the family, my in-laws stopped working and stayed at home, citing health problems. As a result, I also took on the responsibility of paying Kelly’s school tuition and living expenses.
I had helped her pay off her student loans.
By relation, I was her sister-in-law, but in reality, I was more like her mother!
On top of that, I gave my in-laws a monthly allowance of 20,000 and took care of all their meals and needs.
I wasn’t just a daughter-in-law, but an ATM and a full-time maid!
I had put so much into this family, yet now, I was being overshadowed by a woman who had abandoned Jason when he needed her the most.
Seeing the cold look on my face, Grace smiled smugly and came over to me feigning humility. “
“Sorry, Emma, if it weren’t for me and Noah suddenly coming back, Ava wouldn’t have to stay in the basement. I was thinking of renting a place, but Jason said it’s unsafe for a mother and child to live alone. So he came up with this solution. I didn’t expect it would come at the cost of Ava’s comfort. I even agreed to stay in the basement, but Jason said Noah’s health is poor, and he needs to stay in a sunny room.”
Kelly spoiled Noah, pouring him a glass of juice.
“But he is right!” Kelly butted in while pouring Noah a glass of juice. “Noah is weak. How can he stay in such a place. It is dark and damp, with so many sewage pipes and loud noises. Ava is healthy. It doesn’t matter where she sleeps!”
“Auntie, I want more,” Noah’s sweet voice brought laughter and joy to everyone except me.
Jason, noticing my sour face, came beside me and wrapped his arm around me. “Alright, I know it’s unfair to Ava, but we have no other choice. Okay, look. Remember, that barbie doll Ava wanted? I’ll buy it for her. I promise.”
I grabbed Ava’s hand and held it up in front of him. “Pay up, 36,000.”
“That’s outrageous! I have agreed to buy it, don’t expect me to pay for it.
“If you’re not paying,why did you even agree?”
I rolled my eyes at him and then gave a mocking smile. “Oh, I forgot, your monthly salary is only 2,500. Even your yearly salary wouldn’t cover it.”
