Chapter 4

Out of the blue, Gary handed me five thousand in cash.

Normally, if I needed anything, I had to use his credit card. He'd never given me actual cash before.

"My mom's sick. Go stay with her for a few days."

"I've got stuff to do." I said no. I only had a few days left, and there were still things I needed to do.

"What could a housewife like you possibly be so busy with?" Gary scoffed.

I looked up at Gary. No wonder Harley talked the way he did- he was just echoing his father.

"You're part of this family. If you don't go back to check on her, what will people think of us?"

"Aren't you going back?"

"You think I don't want to? I'm swamped with work. I don't have the luxury of lounging around all day like you," Gary shouted.

Harley jumped in, piling on, "If you treat Grandma like that, I'll treat you the same way. When you're old, I won't take care of you either."

Anger rushed to my head, and a cold emptiness settled in my chest.

Right after I gave birth, Gary asked his mother to come help out. She refused- until I offered to pay her.

She didn't want to help with Harley, and when I offered to cook, she deliberately undercooked meals, knowing I was recovering. I struggled to keep up my strength, and she still mocked me- said I was useless.

Harley kept getting sick, probably from the lack of proper care. Gary was always away on business trips, and I had to take Harley to the ER alone, often in the middle of the night. His mother ignored everything and constantly criticized me.

Eventually, I confronted Gary about it. He finally sent her away, and only then did the house feel peaceful again.

I stopped arguing with Gary and returned to my room.

To my surprise, Gary followed me in. "I didn't mean to snap at you. But my mom raised me on her own- it wasn't easy for her. She's been living alone all these years, and we haven't really been there for her. I just don't want the extended family gossiping. You should also think about Harley- you want to set a good example for him, right?"

Then, on top of that, he handed me another wad of cash.

It was rare for him to be so generous.

Seeing the urgency on his face, I agreed- almost without thinking.

...

I was standing in the hospital hallway, listening to my mother-in-law's endless complaints, when the private investigator's photos came through.

"My daughter-in-law? She doesn't lift a finger around the house. Just lazes around all day living off my son. Back in my day, women didn't have it this easy."

From the moment I arrived, she nitpicked everything- the food, the room, even claimed she was in pain and expected me to wait on her.

I didn't argue. I scheduled a full checkup, moved her into a private suite, and paid for everything with Gary's card.

The moment she realized it was Gary footing the bill, she stopped complaining.

I stared at the photos- Gary and Zoey wrapped in each other's arms, with Harley snapping photos nearby.

Something twisted inside me. I couldn't even name the feeling.

The PI said they'd been away together for three days. The timeline felt off, so I checked the footage from our front door camera.

A while back, there had been some break-ins, and the neighbors suggested installing a door camera. We split the cost. It felt safer, so I agreed.

I'd mentioned it to Gary, but he brushed it off.

I pulled up the footage from the day I left. Less than an hour after I walked out, Gary and Harley rolled their suitcases out the door.

They had planned this all along.

"My son's such a good boy- sends me money every month, even when I tell him not to.

He could've married anyone, and he went for the most useless one- came from some working-class background."

Listening to her brag from her hospital bed, I nearly burst out laughing.

Her own son ditched her to go on a trip with his ex, leaving me- the daughter-in-law they loved to look down on- to take care of everything.

If she knew the truth, would she still be bragging like that?