My wife was heading back to her hometown to see family, and I realized she’d forgotten the specialty teas I’d bought for her mother. I rushed over to bring them to her, only to see her stepping out of a car in a full-length wedding gown. Waiting for her, beaming, was Liam, the guy she’d grown up with. They took each other’s hands, smiling into each other’s eyes like a pair of blissful newlyweds. It wasn’t until she spotted me standing a dozen yards away that Olivia finally, frantically, dropped his hand. “His mother is critically ill,” she explained, her voice tight. “Her only wish was to see him get married. I’m just doing a good deed, Ethan.” I managed a faint smile. I walked over and gently guided her back toward Liam, then joined the small crowd that was starting to form, clapping along with them. “So, when’s the baby due?” I called out, my voice booming unnaturally. “I want to make sure I get a gift!” 1 My enthusiastic cheer seemed to break the tension, and the small gathering of onlookers laughed and grew larger. Liam ushered the cheering guests into a nearby house before finally walking back to me. “Don’t be angry, Ethan,” he said, his expression a performance of sincerity. “Olivia and I are just putting on a show.” “If you’re really this uncomfortable with it, I can go explain it to everyone right now,” he offered. I nodded, gesturing for him to go ahead and clear things up. But Liam just stood there, frozen. Olivia shoved him behind her, glaring at me. “It’s just a favor, that’s all. Do you have any compassion, Ethan? Are you ever going to stop being so damn jealous?” I smiled again, a wider, emptier smile this time. “Well then, congratulations to the happy couple. I wish you a long and happy marriage.” Olivia’s face turned pale. She grabbed my arm and dragged me into a corner, away from the others. “Ethan, what the hell is your problem?” I didn’t say anything. Yesterday was my birthday. I had planned a whole evening for the two of us, a quiet celebration. But she had called me in a panic, telling me her mother had had a medical emergency and she had to go home immediately. I’d offered to take time off work to go with her, but she refused, saying she didn’t want me to jeopardize my job. And what was the result? The “mom” she was so worried about was Liam’s mother. While I was sick with worry for her, she was here, playing bride with her childhood best friend. Looking at the wedding dress she was wearing, how perfectly it fit, I realized this wasn't a spontaneous act of kindness. This wedding must have been planned for a long, long time. A bitter, acidic feeling began to spread through my chest. She, however, thought I was just throwing a tantrum. “I already told you, I’m just helping Liam out. You don’t have to be so petty.” I shook my head. “You’ve got it all wrong.” “After the reception’s over, the three of us should go down to the courthouse together,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “We’ll get our divorce certificate, you two can get your marriage license. It’ll save everyone a lot of time and effort.” The word “divorce” made her freeze, her mouth falling slightly open. Just then, Liam walked over, supporting a frail-looking older woman by the arm. “Olivia, honey, Mom was worried when you didn’t come back inside. She wanted to see you.” The woman, who I assumed was Liam’s mother, was stooped over, coughing into her fist. She looked up at Olivia with a gaze full of adoration. “You’re such a good girl, Olivia. Liam, you better treat her right from now on. Oh,” she said, her eyes landing on me. “Is this a friend of yours?” As Liam’s mother looked me over with curiosity, Olivia rushed to explain. “He’s nobody, Mom. Just a stranger who stopped to ask for directions. It’s windy out here, you should go back inside before you catch a chill.” I heard the easy, familiar way she called the woman “Mom,” and a humorless laugh escaped my lips. I turned and started walking away. Olivia looked like she was about to follow me. But then Liam’s voice cut through the air. “It’s almost time for the ceremony to start. Let’s get inside, all our friends and family are waiting.” A moment later, the sound of cheering and car horns erupted behind me. Olivia didn’t follow. Of course she didn’t. No matter the situation, her choice was never going to be me. 2 After leaving Olivia’s hometown, I drove straight to my mom’s place. Olivia never liked the idea of living with my mother, so right after we got married, my mom volunteered to move back to the quiet town where she grew up. I’d bought her a nice little townhouse in the best development in the area, thinking that after all her years of hard work, it was time for her to relax and enjoy her life. Olivia had thrown a fit about the expense, giving me the silent treatment for three solid months. The only thing that ended the cold war was my mom offering to put the townhouse in both of our names, mine and Olivia’s. Now, as I opened her front door, the sight that greeted me made my heart clench. My mother was sitting at her small kitchen table, eating canned soup and saltine crackers. “Mom,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “I’ve been sending you money every month. Why are you eating this stuff? It has no nutritional value.” She hadn’t expected me, and her face lit up with pure joy. “Ethan! What a surprise! Why are you here? Where’s Olivia?” I looked at the gray streaks in her hair, the lines around her eyes, and a wave of guilt washed over me. For years, I’d been so focused on making money, on pleasing Olivia, that I had completely neglected the woman who raised me. I made a decision right then and there: as soon as the divorce was final, I was moving my mom in with me so I could take care of her. “I haven’t eaten yet either, Mom,” I said, forcing a smile. “Let me take you out for a nice lunch.” She immediately waved her hands in protest. “Oh, no, that’s such a waste of money. You just wait here, I’ll cook something for you.” She bustled toward the kitchen. But when she opened the refrigerator, there was nothing inside but a few condiments and some wilted vegetables. “Mom, we’re going out,” I said, my voice firm. This time, I didn’t give her a chance to argue. I just took her by the arm and led her out the door. After a nice meal, I took her to the supermarket and we stocked her kitchen with fresh groceries. But as we walked up to her front door, we saw it was standing wide open. My mom, thinking they’d been robbed, hurried inside to see what was going on. A moment later, Olivia’s voice, sharp and imperious, echoed from inside the house. “Where have you been, wandering around outside? I have family coming over. You’ll need to pack a bag and find somewhere else to stay for a few days.” A surge of hot anger rose in my throat, and I stormed in after my mother. “Olivia,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “Who are you telling to move out?” She jumped when she saw me, clearly startled. “Ethan! What are you doing here?” I let out a cold, sharp laugh. “This is my mother’s house. Where else would I be?” She pursed her lips, completely unfazed. “Liam needs to borrow the house for a few days, and I already told him it was fine. Since you’re here, you can just take your mom and get a hotel for the weekend.” She said it with such casual entitlement, as if it were the most reasonable request in the world. In her mind, this was her house, and she was the one in charge. Liam, who had been standing off to the side, quickly chimed in. “Hey, Ethan. We just wanted to borrow the place for a bit, that’s all.” “If you’re really not okay with it,” he added with a smug little smile, “I can even pay you rent.” I shot him a look of pure disgust. Before I could even respond, Olivia scoffed. “Why would we give him money? You work hard for your money, Liam. Besides, this house is way too big for one old woman. It’s a waste. It’s better if your relatives get to enjoy it.” “And I’m a legal owner of this property,” she declared, puffing out her chest slightly. “He has no right to kick you out.” Her words sent a fresh wave of fury through me. But before I could unleash the tirade building inside me, the front door burst open again, and the house was filled with the loud, chaotic sounds of a crowd of people arriving. 3 Liam’s mother, Mrs. Davison, swept into the room, leading a boisterous group of people behind her. Her face was flushed with excitement, and she looked nothing like the frail, sick woman from the day before. “This is the beautiful home my daughter-in-law bought for me!” she announced to the crowd, her voice dripping with pride. “Isn’t it magnificent? My son is so clever, finding a wonderful wife like Olivia.” “You all just make yourselves at home for the wedding festivities,” she continued. “I’ve taken care of everything.” Her victory tour came to a halt when she noticed my mother, standing awkwardly by the doorway. Mrs. Davison’s brow furrowed, and her expression soured into one of undisguised contempt. “And who are you?” she demanded. “What are you doing in my house?” She turned her head, shouting toward the front door. “What is wrong with the security in this neighborhood? They’re letting beggars just wander in off the street!” Her eyes snapped back to my mother. “Oh, I see. You must be the maid my daughter-in-law hired.” “Well, don’t just stand there gawking! Can’t you see we have guests? Go and make some tea, or I’ll have you fired.” My mother, completely bewildered by the situation, looked to me for an explanation. Before she could even speak, Mrs. Davison lunged forward and slapped her, hard, across the face. “Are you deaf? Did you not hear me talking to you?” she shrieked. “Look at you, dressed in rags. You should be grateful we’re giving you a job. How dare you ignore an order from the owner of the house!” “Now go make that tea, or I’ll fire you!” She had put all of her strength into the blow. My mother’s right cheek immediately turned a blotchy, angry red. “Mom!” I rushed to her side, steadying her as she stumbled back. Then, I scanned the room, my eyes landing on Mrs. Davison and the pack of relatives standing behind her. My voice was a low growl. “I’m giving you one minute to get out of this house,” I seethed. “If you’re not gone by then, don’t blame me for calling the police.” Mrs. Davison showed no fear. She just planted her hands on her hips and laughed. “And who do you think you are, giving me orders?” she sneered. “This house was a gift to me from my daughter-in-law. If the police come, the only ones they’ll be arresting are you two for trespassing.” My chest heaved with rage. I turned my furious gaze on Olivia. “So,” I said, my voice dangerously quiet. “Is there anything you’d like to say?” Olivia’s face was a mask of discomfort. She walked over to me, and for a split second, I thought she was finally going to come to her senses. Instead, she shoved my arm. “Shut up,” she hissed. “What’s the maid’s son yelling about?” “You’re both fired,” she announced, her voice ringing with finality. “Now get the hell out of here.” Mrs. Davison quickly added, “And let me check your things before you leave. Someone who looks as poor as you is probably a thief. You’re probably planning on stealing something on your way out.” That was the final straw for my mother. She had never been subjected to such humiliation in her life. She stood up straight and declared, her voice shaking but firm, “This is my house! You are the ones who need to leave!” Mrs. Davison’s face contorted with rage. “You’re still trying to squat in my house? I’ll teach you a lesson!” Before anyone could react, she lunged forward and kicked my mother squarely in the stomach. My mom’s head snapped back and hit the hard tile floor with a sickening crack. Then, she crumpled to the ground, unconscious. 4 At the sight of my mother’s limp body on the floor, all the color drained from Olivia’s face. She clearly hadn’t expected things to escalate to physical violence. “Mom! Mom, please don’t scare me!” I yelled, scrambling to her side. I didn’t have time to deal with Mrs. Davison. I fumbled for my phone and dialed 911. But Liam’s mother was still ranting, completely unrepentant. “Don’t you try to fool me, you old hag! Lying on the floor pretending to be unconscious won’t work. If you’re trying to set me up for a lawsuit, you can forget it!” “This is my house! If you’re going to die, do it outside! Don’t bring your bad luck into my home on such a joyous occasion.” Hearing this, some of the relatives she’d brought with her started to move forward, as if they were actually going to drag my unconscious mother out of the house. I shoved the first person back, my voice a roar. “If any of you touch her, I swear to God!” My expression must have been terrifying, because they all froze in their tracks. It was only then that Liam, who had been watching the entire spectacle unfold from the sidelines, finally decided to intervene with some phony words of peace. “Mom, it’s a happy day, what’s all this about?” he said smoothly. “Olivia, why don’t you take my mom on a tour of the rest of the house?” He glanced dismissively at my mother’s still form. “As for the maid you hired, her son is right here taking care of her. I’m sure it’s nothing serious.” He called her “the maid” on purpose. It was a deliberate jab, meant to humiliate and provoke me. But right now, my entire world had narrowed to my mother, lying unconscious on the floor. I didn’t have the energy to spare for his petty, pathetic games. “Are you even human, Olivia?” I choked out, my voice thick with disbelief. “My mother treated you like her own daughter. She loved you. And this is how you repay her?” “She is lying here, and we don’t even know if she’s going to be okay, and you’re about to go give her attacker a tour of the house?” Olivia glanced from my furious face to my mother’s body on the floor, and for a fleeting moment, a flicker of hesitation crossed her face. “I…” Before she could finish, Mrs. Davison cut her off. “You watch what you say, young man! Who are you calling an attacker?” she screeched. “It was your mother who was shameless, refusing to leave my house! Daughter-in-law, get these two out of here right now!” Olivia remained frozen for a second, looking as though she was afraid of things getting any worse. Sensing her wavering, Mrs. Davison suddenly clutched her own chest, letting out a dramatic gasp. That was all it took. The hesitation in Olivia’s eyes vanished, replaced by alarm. “Mom, are you okay?” she cried, rushing to Mrs. Davison’s side. She turned back to me, her face hard as stone. “Ethan, take your mother and get out. Now.” In that instant, the towering rage I had felt just moments before evaporated, leaving behind only a cold, hollow space filled with disgust and a profound sense of loss. The paramedics arrived quickly, and they saved my mother’s life. Later, standing by her hospital bed, looking at the tubes and wires connected to her frail body, I balled up my fist and punched the wall, a wave of self-loathing washing over me. The woman I had cherished, the woman I had placed on a pedestal for five years, had nearly gotten my mother killed. I wanted to ask Olivia why she had married me if she never loved me. But I knew, even as the question formed in my mind, that there was no point. The answer didn't matter anymore. I stepped out of the room and called her. It wasn't her voice that answered, but Liam's, dripping with smug contempt. “Ethan, my man. Olivia’s in the shower right now. You might have to wait a bit.” He paused, letting the implication hang in the air. “By the way, this house of yours is incredibly comfortable. I don’t think I’ll ever want to leave.” I didn’t say a word. I just ended the call. Half an hour later, my phone rang again. This time, it was Olivia. “Ethan, how’s your mom? It’s probably nothing serious, right?” she said, her tone breezy and dismissive. “This business with Liam will be over by tomorrow. When I get back, I’ll make it up to you. We can have a do-over for your birthday, and I…” “Don’t bother,” I said, cutting her off. “The divorce papers have already been sent to you.” “And one more thing,” I added, my voice as cold as ice. “I’m not letting this go. I’ve already downloaded the footage from the security cameras in the house. I’ll see you in court.”
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