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<\/p>\nMy husband cheated, forced a divorce, and my son didn\u2019t hesitate to choose him. \u201cYou\u2019re just a broke housewife,\u201d Robert sneered. \u201cNo way I\u2019m living with you. Do you have any idea how expensive my sneakers are? Don\u2019t ruin my life.\u201d I clutched the lottery ticket in my hand. He had no idea. I had just won $300 million. It\u2019s fine. Let him go live his supposedly good life with his father. I\u2019ll take my precious daughter Olivia and enjoy life to the fullest.<\/p>\n
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There are two things I regret most in life. One, marrying my husband, Daniel. Two, giving birth to my son, Robert. Not long ago, Daniel cheated on his wife and then demanded a divorce. I wasn\u2019t going to fight the divorce, but it broke my heart for my kids. I had just hired a lawyer and was preparing to fight for custody of both children. That\u2019s when Robert stepped forward on his own.<\/p>\n
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\u201cMom, you\u2019re just a broke housewife. No way I\u2019m living with you. Do you know how expensive my sneakers are? Don\u2019t ruin my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia was furious. \u201cRobert, how can you say that to Mom? She\u2019s done everything for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert rolled his eyes. \u201cShe used Dad\u2019s money to do it. Without Dad\u2019s alimony, how is she going to take care of us? Olivia, if you want to live like a poor loser, go ahead, but I\u2019m not going with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I was shocked at how cold and calculating he was. I had poured my heart and soul into this boy. Robert was born premature and had been sickly since birth. I quit my high-paying job just to take care of him full-time for fifteen years. He didn\u2019t like cafeteria food, so I woke up at five in the morning every day to make him a homemade breakfast. I bought the freshest ingredients, prepared balanced lunches, and personally delivered them to his school every day. And now, all that effort, love, and sacrifice had been reduced to a single disdainful sentence: You\u2019re just a housewife. I don\u2019t want to be poor with you.<\/p>\n
In that moment, I swear I felt the blood in my veins run cold. Robert took my silence as hesitation. He grew anxious.<\/p>\n
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\u201cMom, don\u2019t be selfish. If you really cared about me, you\u2019d let me go.\u201d<\/p>\n
I let out a cold laugh. \u201cFine, go.\u201d<\/p>\n
What he didn\u2019t know was that just a few days ago, my mother had bought me a lottery ticket and I had won the grand prize\u2014$300 million. Technically, I was still married. Any lottery winnings would be legally split with Daniel. So I planned to claim the prize under my mother\u2019s name, keeping it a secret. Once I won custody of my children and finalized the divorce, I was going to take my kids and live the life we deserved. But now I looked at that ungrateful brat. He wasn\u2019t worth it.<\/p>\n
The moment my mother-in-law, Susan, realized I had made a decision, she smiled with glee. \u201cGood. Take Olivia and move as far away as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
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I turned to look at Robert, who was lounging on the sofa watching television. His own grandmother was openly insulting his mother and sister, yet he didn\u2019t even react. Not a word, not a glance. In that moment, I completely gave up on him. I let out a cold laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still married to Daniel, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Susan didn\u2019t care. \u201cI\u2019ll call Daniel right now and tell him to take the day off to finalize the divorce. You can move out today. Melanie will move in tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melanie, the woman Daniel had been cheating with. The moment Robert heard Melanie\u2019s name, he jumped up from the sofa with excitement.<\/p>\n
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\u201cGrandma, is Melanie finally moving in?\u201d<\/p>\n
Susan patted his head. \u201cShe\u2019s about to be your new mom. Are you happy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert nodded eagerly. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even Olivia, who had been desperately trying to keep the family together, was shocked by her little brother\u2019s shamelessness.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are unbelievable,\u201d Olivia snapped. \u201cMom has taken care of you for more than ten years, and instead of being grateful, you call the woman who ruined her marriage \u2018Mom\u2019? You are a joke.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert didn\u2019t even flinch. He shrugged nonchalantly. \u201cIt\u2019s not my fault. Melanie is amazing. She has a PhD and teaches at the university.\u201d Then he looked at me, his own mother, with a casual expression of disdain. \u201cBut Mom, she\u2019s just a housewife. She spends her day cooking and cleaning. What does she know? Whenever my classmates ask what my mom does, I\u2019m embarrassed to say she\u2019s just a housewife. Dad choosing Melanie over her makes perfect sense to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
I always knew Robert looked down on me because his grandmother had been lying to him for years. She constantly reminded him that I was useless, that the whole family depended on Daniel\u2019s income, and that only by staying with his father could he have a good life. I had always believed that one day he would grow up, that he would understand the sacrifices I made for him. But I was wrong. This boy was selfish to the core. For money and status, he was willing to abandon his own mother. Today, when he looked at me, there was no love, no attachment, only disgust, as if I were garbage. I didn\u2019t feel anything for him anymore.<\/p>\n
I lowered my gaze and looked at Olivia. She was clutching my hand tightly, her grip warm and firm\u2014the only warmth I had left. At least my daughter still loved me. From now on, Olivia was my only child. And Robert, he could go to hell.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t long before Daniel and Melanie rushed in. Melanie was in her forties, but she had taken good care of herself and looked more like someone in her thirties. She curved her lips into a sweet yet triumphant smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cMary, I\u2019m so glad you\u2019ve finally come to your senses. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll take good care of Daniel and your son, Robert.\u201d<\/p>\n
She spoke as if she were already the lady of the house. Daniel, on the other hand, shoved a divorce agreement at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cSign it now. As long as you don\u2019t make a scene and don\u2019t tell anyone the details of my affair, I\u2019ll give you and Olivia $3,000 a month in child support.\u201d His voice became sharp. \u201cBut if you don\u2019t cooperate, you won\u2019t get a single penny. Hurry up. Melanie and I took the day off for this. As soon as we\u2019re done here, we have a date.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed. I laughed heartily. He had thought everything out carefully\u2014how to secure his new life with Melanie, how to cut me off completely. But he hadn\u2019t spared a single thought for me and Olivia. I had given up my youth, my career, and what did I get in return? A paltry $3,000 a month for my daughter.<\/p>\n
I pulled out a different divorce agreement, the one my lawyer had prepared. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you take a look at this?\u201d<\/p>\n
I watched Daniel\u2019s face darken as he quickly read through it. The house was split 50%, the compensation was $1 million, and he\u2019d still pay Olivia $3,000 a month in child support.<\/p>\n
Susan let out a dramatic gasp. \u201cMary, you\u2019ve gone crazy. Daniel paid for everything in this house. If anything, you owe us. How dare you ask for so much?\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled smugly. Melanie\u2019s expression was subtly strained. Of course she wasn\u2019t thrilled. After all, she had gone after Daniel for his money. Now that half of it was slipping away, she had every reason to be nervous. I remained calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe down payment for this house\u2014we paid it together. And the mortgage\u2014we split that, too. Why shouldn\u2019t I be entitled to half?\u201d I glanced at Melanie and then back at Daniel. \u201cAs for the compensation, before I became a housewife, my monthly salary was $20,000. I sacrificed years of income for this marriage. One million dollars barely makes up for what I lost. And Olivia takes riding lessons. $3,000 a month barely covers her expenses.\u201d<\/p>\n
I let the words sink in before delivering the final blow. \u201cIf I recall correctly, Daniel, you\u2019re currently in the running for vice president at the company.\u201d I turned to Melanie, whose face was already tight with unease. \u201cAnd you, Melanie, are a candidate for a major promotion at your university. This is a critical time for both of you. You really don\u2019t want a scandal to ruin everything, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Melanie\u2019s face flushed red. She grabbed Daniel\u2019s sleeve like a delicate victim. \u201cDaniel, I\u2019m scared.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel gritted his teeth. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll handle it.\u201d Then he turned and glared at me. \u201cAre you threatening us?\u201d<\/p>\n
I gave him a scoffing laugh. \u201cThreatening? Oh no, Daniel. I\u2019m just giving you a friendly reminder.\u201d I looked at my watch. \u201cYou have one hour to think it over.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel\u2019s jaw tightened. \u201cAnd if I refuse?\u201d<\/p>\n
Just then the doorbell rang. I smiled. \u201cPerfect timing.\u201d I opened the door and took the package from the delivery driver.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, good. Just what I was waiting for.\u201d<\/p>\n
I ripped open the box and pulled out two banners. The first read, \u201cUniversity Professor Melanie is in love with my husband. As his wife, I\u2019m happy to step aside.\u201d The second, \u201cDaniel, Sunset Corporation\u2019s VP candidate, a heartless man who abandoned his wife.\u201d<\/p>\n
I watched as Daniel\u2019s and Melanie\u2019s faces turned an ugly shade of gray. In the end, Daniel had no choice but to agree to my divorce terms. For the sake of his career and Melanie\u2019s promotion, he signed reluctantly. His face was as dark as coal. Melanie\u2019s was no better. She had married Daniel for his money, and now half of it was gone before she had a chance to enjoy it. As for Susan, she probably wanted to tear me apart. But for the sake of her precious son\u2019s future, she had no choice but to bear it.<\/p>\n
After finalizing the divorce, Olivia and I walked out of the courthouse, separating from Daniel\u2019s family forever. Before we could leave, Susan sneered.<\/p>\n
\u201cMary, don\u2019t celebrate so soon. With my son\u2019s ability, he\u2019ll earn back every penny he gave you in just two years. You\u2019ll regret divorcing him so easily.\u201d<\/p>\n
I arched an eyebrow, finding her words laughable. Ignorance is truly a blessing. If Daniel and his family knew I\u2019d won $300 million, they would probably cry themselves to death.<\/p>\n
Daniel\u2019s smug smile returned as he turned to his mother. \u201cMom, didn\u2019t you say our house was too small? Now that Mary and I are splitting the profit from the sale, I\u2019ll add a little more and buy you a villa.\u201d<\/p>\n
Susan beamed. \u201cThat\u2019s my good boy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert, my traitorous son, jumped up in excitement. \u201cMelanie has incredible taste in art. She should decorate the new house. It will look amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melanie smiled sweetly. \u201cOf course. And how about I design a game room for you, too?\u201d Then she looked at me, her voice dripping with condescension. \u201cOh, and by the way, Robert, shouldn\u2019t you stop calling me Melanie? From now on, you should call me Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert didn\u2019t even hesitate. \u201cMom,\u201d he said cheerfully.<\/p>\n
I felt nothing. No anger, no pain. Robert had already ceased to exist in my world. But Olivia, my sweet, sensitive daughter, squeezed my hand gently, worried that I might be hurt.<\/p>\n
She whispered, \u201cMom, let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/ins><\/ins><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n I smiled at them. \u201cIt\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n I hailed a taxi, but before we could get in, Olivia gently tugged at my sleeve. \u201cMom, maybe we should take the bus. It\u2019s cheaper and still practical.\u201d<\/p>\n My heart clenched. She had heard Susan\u2019s words and was already worried about saving money for me. This child was so considerate, it broke my heart.<\/p>\n I winked and gave her a smile. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, sweetie. I have money.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan let out a mocking laugh. \u201cMoney? Mary? You don\u2019t even have a house, a car, or a job. You have no skills, no career. You\u2019ll be lucky to get work cleaning. You\u2019re just spending the little money you have left. Enjoy it while you can. Soon, you and Olivia will be living on the streets, homeless.\u201d<\/p>\n Olivia\u2019s fists clenched. She glared at Susan angrily. \u201cWe don\u2019t need you to worry. When I grow up, I\u2019ll take care of my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan snorted. \u201cA daughter taking care of her mother? Please. Daughters are nothing but a waste of money. You\u2019ll abandon her the moment you get married.\u201d<\/p>\n Melanie chimed in, smiling. \u201cMary, if you ever struggle, you can count on me. Our university is always hiring cleaning staff. I\u2019d be happy to recommend you.\u201d<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t say a word. I simply flipped Melanie off. Then I took Olivia\u2019s hand, got into the taxi, and never looked back.<\/p>\n At the real estate center, the sales agent, Dave, was all smiles as he presented the properties to us. \u201cThis villa is in the East District, a prime location. It\u2019s surrounded by parks, offers stunning views, and is very close to your daughter\u2019s private school. Plus, it\u2019s fully furnished and ready to move in.\u201d<\/p>\n My parents were tempted. \u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty million.\u201d<\/p>\n Twenty million was nothing to someone who had just won a hundred times that amount. I didn\u2019t hesitate for a second. \u201cWe\u2019ll take it. Full payment.\u201d<\/p>\n Dave\u2019s eyes lit up. It was rare to find a client as straightforward and decisive as me. His tone became even more respectful. \u201cPlease take a seat in our VIP lounge while I prepare the contract.\u201d<\/p>\n Before I could reply, a scoff came from behind. It really was a small world. Daniel and his family were there, too.<\/p>\n Susan spoke first. \u201cMary, what are you doing here? Daniel only gave you $500,000 in the divorce. That money wouldn\u2019t even buy you a bathroom in a villa.\u201d<\/p>\n Melanie nodded. \u201cMary, I get it. You still hold a grudge against Daniel, so you found out we were house hunting and decided to put on a show, but let\u2019s be real. This is wildly embarrassing.\u201d<\/p>\n Dave, who had been enthusiastic moments ago, suddenly looked hesitant.<\/p>\n Robert frowned. \u201cMom, I\u2019m so disappointed in you. I thought you were useless, but now I see you\u2019re a liar, too.\u201d<\/p>\n My father was already fed up. \u201cWatch what you say, boy. Your father cheated on your mother and forced her out with nothing, and you\u2019re standing here defending him.\u201d He turned to Daniel and Melanie, his voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. \u201cLook at them. One is about to become a vice president, the other a university professor\u2014with their morals. Do they even deserve those jobs?\u201d<\/p>\n The people around us began to whisper, their eyes turning toward Daniel and Melanie, their smiles hardened. Clearly, they didn\u2019t expect to be reprimanded in public. But my father wasn\u2019t done yet. He turned to Robert and slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed through the showroom. Robert staggered back, a tooth dropping out along with a mouthful of blood.<\/p>\n He looked at my father in shock. \u201cGrandpa, you hit me. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n But my father didn\u2019t let him play the victim. \u201cWhy? Because you\u2019re an ungrateful child. Your mother sacrificed everything for you, and this is how you repay her. She never punished you, but I will.\u201d<\/p>\n Robert clutched his bleeding lip, still in disbelief. \u201cBut Grandpa, Dad didn\u2019t do anything wrong. Mom is just a housewife. She did nothing but spend Dad\u2019s money. She should be grateful he didn\u2019t leave her sooner. It was Dad\u2019s money that raised me, not Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n I should have been furious, but instead, I thought, at least my dad hit both sides equally. Seeing Robert\u2019s swollen face was strangely satisfying. Susan rushed forward in distress.<\/p>\n \u201cHow dare you hit my grandson? Mary was useless, so don\u2019t blame the child for facing reality.\u201d<\/p>\n But it was too late. By now the people around us had caught on.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat an ungrateful child. His mother gave him everything, and he treats her like this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs he crying? His mom didn\u2019t even cry. Why is he crying? He\u2019ll regret this someday.\u201d<\/p>\n Robert had never been humiliated like this before. His face burned with shame as he looked around at the judging eyes. Then without another word, he turned and ran. Susan immediately ran after Robert, leaving only Daniel and Melanie at the scene. Feeling the critical stares directed at her, Melanie forced a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cMarriage is complicated. Mary\u2019s and Daniel\u2019s relationship had problems long before I came along. Their divorce has nothing to do with me.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel quickly took her hand. \u201cExactly. I\u2019ve wanted to divorce Mary for a long time. Melanie had nothing to do with it.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother scoffed. \u201cNothing to do with it? And how is it that as soon as my daughter finalized the divorce, Melanie moved in and immediately applied for a marriage license? I\u2019d say the biggest problem in their marriage was Daniel\u2019s affair with Melanie.\u201d<\/p>\n Onlookers were outraged. \u201cThey really are a perfect pair\u2014shameless to the core. How disgusting. Just looking at them makes me sick. And they had the nerve to mock this lady for not being able to afford a house.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel\u2019s face turned a horrible shade of red. Melanie, feeling humiliated, tried to lower her head and sneak away, but Daniel grabbed her hand.<\/p>\n \u201cSweetheart, don\u2019t worry. I won\u2019t let you suffer for anything,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n Melanie\u2019s expression softened slightly. \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen have I ever lied to you?\u201d<\/p>\n Then Daniel looked at me. \u201cDo you know why I divorced her? Because she\u2019s a liar. She not only lies to her family, but she lies to herself. I was afraid she would be a bad influence on the children. So I left. Think about it. She was a housewife for fifteen years. She comes from an ordinary family. Where would she get the money to buy a villa?\u201d<\/p>\n The stares from the onlookers turned toward me, now with a hint of doubt. I laughed. This was the man I had loved for almost twenty years. To clear his name, he was not only denying everything I had done for our family, but now he was openly slandering me. Too bad for him. His plan was about to backfire.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if I do have the money to buy it?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel sneered. \u201cIf you can afford this house, I\u2019ll eat dirt.\u201d<\/p>\n I smiled. \u201cDon\u2019t regret saying that.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel glared. \u201cStop wasting everyone\u2019s time. If you\u2019re rich, buy the house.\u201d<\/p>\n Melanie added, \u201cShe\u2019s just bluffing. Daniel is about to be promoted to vice president, and even he can only afford a townhouse with a loan. How could you, a housewife, pay for a villa in full? She\u2019s just trying to save face.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo need to drag this out. Just verify my funds.\u201d<\/p>\n It took the real estate company almost two hours to complete the verification. The crowd, instead of dwindling, only grew larger. People were whispering excitedly.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, what\u2019s the result?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel smiled smugly. \u201cDo I even need to ask? Her account must be empty. I told you she\u2019s a scammer.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at him, waiting for reality to slap him across the face. My silence to him was proof of my guilt.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? Where is that arrogance from before?\u201d<\/p>\n Dave, the sales agent, looked at Daniel as if he were an idiot. He cleared his throat and spoke. \u201cExcuse me, may I say something?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel was confident. \u201cGo ahead. Don\u2019t hold back.\u201d<\/p>\n Melanie chimed in. \u201cYes, expose her so no one else falls for her lies.\u201d<\/p>\n Dave took a deep breath. \u201cMs. Mary has $30 million in liquid assets. Purchasing this villa is well within her means.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel\u2019s eyes widened. \u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n Dave repeated himself. I smiled. \u201cAnd what about that promise you just made?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel glared at me, still in disbelief. \u201cIt\u2019s impossible for you to have that much money. Impossible. You must have bribed Dave to cover for you. You have at most $500,000, nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel had no idea that the account I used for verification was the one with the least amount of money.<\/p>\n \u201cMs. Mary provided a valid account with verifiable funds. Whether you believe it or not is your problem,\u201d Dave said politely. \u201cMs. Mary, would you like to rest in our VIP lounge while we finalize the paperwork?\u201d<\/p>\n I followed my parents to the VIP lounge. Behind us, the crowd was swarming Daniel.<\/p>\n \u201cIdiot. The wife you tossed aside turned out to be a multi-millionaire. You must be regretting this so much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you hadn\u2019t divorced her, you wouldn\u2019t have to spend the next twenty years paying a house mortgage. You could have lived in her mansion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s what a jerk like him deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel\u2019s face turned tomato red. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand. Mary must be scamming everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, please, keep making excuses. He simply doesn\u2019t want to eat dirt. What kind of man makes a bet and then refuses to acknowledge it?\u201d<\/p>\n Unable to bear the public humiliation, Daniel and Melanie fled in disgrace without even buying a house.<\/p>\n A month later, my family and I officially moved into our new home. Olivia now had a spacious, beautifully decorated bedroom designed to her taste. Since she loved reading, there was also an expansive study next to her room filled with books she adored. She was thrilled with the new house.<\/p>\n \u201cMom, I love you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Seeing my thoughtful daughter smile so radiantly, I gave her a loving pat on the head. \u201cMom loves you, too.\u201d Then I added, \u201cBy the way, didn\u2019t you say you wanted to study art and design at university? The United Kingdom has some of the best programs for that. You\u2019re an excellent student, so your grades won\u2019t be a problem. I\u2019ve already hired the best tutors for you, and I\u2019m preparing to send you abroad to study.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s amazing, Mom.\u201d Olivia hugged me and gave me a soft, sweet kiss.<\/p>\n I sighed inwardly. Daughters truly are the best. A little bit of kindness from me, and she responded with the purest, most genuine love. Moving into our new house wasn\u2019t just exciting for Olivia; it was exciting for me, too. I had finally begun a new chapter in my life. I no longer had to sleep in the same bed as Daniel, endure his snoring, wake up at five in the morning to cook breakfast for Robert, or tolerate Susan\u2019s constant criticisms. Since the divorce, even my parents commented that I looked noticeably healthier and more radiant.<\/p>\n One day, as my parents and I were returning home, we happened to see Daniel and his family moving into the house right behind ours. Susan spotted us and immediately swelled with pride.<\/p>\n \u201cMary, look at this. Our new house. Isn\u2019t it gorgeous? So jealous, right?\u201d<\/p>\n I glanced at the house. It was fine. But compared to mine, it was much smaller. I shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s okay, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan sneered. \u201cOkay? Anyone hearing you would think you live in a grand mansion. The truth is you\u2019re still stuck in some old run-down place.\u201d<\/p>\n Melanie chimed in with a saccharine tone. \u201cMary, I know you must feel awful. You were married to Daniel for so long and never got to live in a villa, but I\u2019ve only been with him for a few months, and here I am. It\u2019s fate. You can\u2019t blame anyone else for that.\u201d<\/p>\n My mom scoffed. \u201cWe don\u2019t need it, and we don\u2019t care.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan put her hands on her hips. \u201cThen why are you standing there watching us move in? Clearly, you\u2019re here out of jealousy.\u201d<\/p>\n My mom rolled her eyes. \u201cWe were just passing by.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan smiled smugly. \u201cPassing by? You live in the South Central and this is the West District. What kind of route is that?\u201d<\/p>\n My dad chuckled. \u201cWell, truth be told, we actually live in the house across the street. It has a much better view and is much bigger. Frankly, we wouldn\u2019t even consider a house as small as yours.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel scoffed. \u201cThe more you lie, the more you believe it. With your financial situation, you think you can afford a house in this neighborhood? You can fool the real estate agents, but not us.\u201d<\/p>\n Robert, standing next to him, added, \u201cGrandpa, Grandma, you should stop. You\u2019re just going to embarrass yourselves later.\u201d<\/p>\n My father narrowed his eyes. \u201cYou don\u2019t believe us? Then come check if we\u2019re the real owners of this.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan crossed her arms. \u201cFine, this will be fun. Let\u2019s see who ends up embarrassed.\u201d<\/p>\n With the mindset of witnessing a joke, Susan and the others followed us to our house. When we reached the door, she snickered.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, don\u2019t just stand there. Open it. Or are you going to use the classic excuse that you forgot your keys?\u201d<\/p>\n Before she could finish her sentence, my father casually placed his finger on the fingerprint scanner. With a beep, the door unlocked. He smirked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat century are you living in? Who uses keys anymore? Everything\u2019s fingerprint now.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan was stunned. \u201cYou really bought a house? A villa?\u201d<\/p>\n My mom smiled proudly. \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere did you get the money?\u201d Susan asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s none of your business,\u201d my mom replied smugly. \u201cYou just need to know that Mary is living much better without you.\u201d<\/p>\n We were about to walk in when Daniel suddenly spoke suspiciously. \u201cThis villa isn\u2019t yours. You\u2019re just the maids, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Susan\u2019s eyes suddenly lit up as if she had just realized something. \u201cDaniel, how clever of you. I was wondering how they could afford a villa, but now it all makes sense.\u201d She narrowed her eyes and added maliciously, \u201cJust wait. I\u2019ll tell the real owner about your bad deeds and make sure you all lose even this job.\u201d<\/p>\n How despicable. Daniel was the one who broke our marriage, yet Susan continued to do everything she could to make things difficult for my family. My parents, however, laughed cheerfully.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll be waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n A few moments later, Olivia\u2019s art history tutor arrived. Susan glanced at the well-dressed, elegant woman and immediately assumed she was the villa\u2019s owner. She rushed over and grabbed her arm, ready to start badmouthing us.<\/p>\n \u201cMadam, you must be the owner of this villa. I\u2019m telling you, the people you hired\u2014Mary and her family\u2014are not good employees. They\u2019re very nosy, you know. They cannot be trusted.\u201d<\/p>\n The tutor looked at Susan, completely bewildered. \u201cWhat are you talking about? They are the owners of this villa. I\u2019m just here to teach Olivia art history.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Susan\u2019s jaw nearly dropped to the floor.<\/p>\n Daniel, equally frustrated, snapped, \u201cI thought so, too. I guess Mary was hiding her true wealth from me all this time.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan groaned in regret. \u201cSo you let a rich woman slip away?\u201d<\/p>\n Melanie\u2019s face visibly darkened at those words. Daniel noticed and quickly tried to smooth things over.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/ins><\/ins><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cMom, stop talking. Melanie is right here.\u201d He turned to Melanie, all affection. \u201cSweetheart, don\u2019t take what she said to heart. What I feel for you has nothing to do with money.\u201d<\/p>\n Melanie\u2019s expression softened slightly, but she still didn\u2019t say a word. With their heads bowed, the three of them shuffled back to their house. Their former arrogance had completely vanished, and any joy about moving into their new home was utterly crushed.<\/p>\n When we got home, my parents began to regret how smug they had been earlier. \u201cMary, should we have kept a low profile? But seeing that Susan and her family only respect the rich and trample on the poor, we wanted them to know you\u2019re doing well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t mind,\u201d I said. \u201cIt\u2019s okay. We live in the same neighborhood now. We\u2019ll surely run into each other sooner or later. They\u2019ll find out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExactly,\u201d Olivia chimed in. \u201cGrandpa, Grandma, your clapback was amazing. It felt so good hearing you put them in their place.\u201d<\/p>\n Hearing this, my parents relaxed a little and their expressions softened.<\/p>\n That very evening, Robert called. His voice sounded hesitant. \u201cMom, how have you been lately?\u201d<\/p>\n Who says kids aren\u2019t realistic? Sometimes they\u2019re even more pragmatic than adults. When I was about to divorce his father, he chose Daniel without a second thought, refusing to acknowledge a housewife mother like me. Now that he knew I had money, the first thing he did was call me.<\/p>\n I smiled smugly. \u201cSince leaving Daniel and his family, I feel great. If you hadn\u2019t called, I\u2019d feel even better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMom, I know you\u2019re saying that because you\u2019re upset. I\u2019m still your dear son, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Once upon a time he was, but the love I felt for him had been completely drained by his actions. I looked at Olivia, who was quietly reading a book not far away. The only person I cherished now was my daughter.<\/p>\n Robert continued, \u201cMom, I\u2019ve wanted to call you for a long time, but I was afraid Dad and Melanie wouldn\u2019t be happy. That\u2019s the only reason I waited.\u201d<\/p>\n Oh, how considerate of you.<\/p>\n \u201cOlivia told me she\u2019s studying art history. She\u2019s preparing to study abroad, right? Mom, you know my grades aren\u2019t great, but I want to study abroad, too. Say the United Kingdom. It\u2019s only about $150,000 a year. You already bought a villa, so this is nothing to you, right?\u201d<\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t help but smile. Where did Robert get the confidence to think that after treating me with such indifference, I would still do anything for him?<\/p>\n Hearing my silence, he grew impatient. \u201cMom, you love me so much. You\u2019ll definitely help me, right?\u201d<\/p>\n I reminded him, \u201cRobert, did you forget you chose your father? You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n My parents added, \u201cRobert, do us a favor and stay out of our lives. Just hearing your voice puts us in a bad mood.\u201d<\/p>\n Robert, now embarrassed and angry, finally revealed the real reason for his call. \u201cYou got lucky with money. Who cares? Tell me honestly, where did you get the money to buy that house? My grandma and dad said you must have hidden money during the divorce. If we can prove you used marital assets to buy that house, then half of that money legally belongs to my father. Once he gets his share, studying abroad will be a piece of cake for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d I scoffed. \u201cSo now you\u2019re openly declaring your intentions, and you still expect me to tell you anything useful?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. My dad is smart. He\u2019ll figure out where you got the money.\u201d<\/p>\n I hung up the phone calmly. Let them figure it out all they want. The lottery ticket was bought in my mother\u2019s name. The winnings were collected in her name. Even the house was bought with her bank account. My mother\u2019s money had nothing to do with me. And it had even less to do with Daniel and his family.<\/p>\n I never expected Daniel\u2019s family to be so shameless. That morning, I was still sleeping when I was awakened by a loud commotion downstairs. When I went down, I saw Daniel\u2019s family had broken into my house and were arguing with my parents.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on here?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n My parents looked upset. \u201cWe just went out to take out the trash, and they instantly forced their way in, demanding money.\u201d<\/p>\n I arched an eyebrow. \u201cDaniel, how much do I owe you?\u201d<\/p>\n Susan raged. \u201cWhat the heck? Your parents have money. How dare you demand so much from Daniel?\u201d<\/p>\n I replied coldly, \u201cMy parents\u2019 wealth has nothing to do with the compensation I was owed. The sacrifices I made for that home were real. I contributed to the down payment and helped pay the mortgage. If you\u2019re not satisfied, you can take it to court.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother nodded. \u201cThat\u2019s right. And I heard you recently hired a housekeeper for $3,000 a month. If we were to put a price on all the work my daughter did in that house, it would be worth much more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan rolled her eyes. \u201cThat\u2019s only because Melanie is useless with housework. I thought she was a good catch\u2014educated, successful, and much better than Mary. But it turns out she\u2019s nothing but a money-sucking mess. She can\u2019t do anything right and is just wasting Daniel\u2019s hard-earned money.\u201d<\/p>\n Melanie\u2019s face darkened. \u201cMom, what are you saying?\u201d<\/p>\n Susan practically pointed her finger at her nose. \u201cAm I wrong? Since you married into the family, have you contributed a single penny? You even caused Robert\u2019s allergy attack and sent him to the hospital. You did it on purpose, right?\u201d<\/p>\n I crossed my arms and watched the show unfold. I never imagined that before they could finish attacking me, they would turn on each other. I had a strong hunch that this little family wouldn\u2019t last much longer. Even if they didn\u2019t split, their life together was guaranteed to be a constant disaster.<\/p>\n Tears welled up in Melanie\u2019s eyes. \u201cDaniel, aren\u2019t you going to say anything?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel put his arm around her. \u201cSweetheart, my mom doesn\u2019t know what she\u2019s saying. Don\u2019t worry.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan, her voice louder than ever, shoved Daniel. \u201cAnd what do you mean by that, Daniel? Did you forget how much it cost me to raise you all these years?\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel\u2019s chest heaved with frustration. He took a deep breath. \u201cEnough, Mom. Stop talking. We didn\u2019t come here to make a scene in front of Mary\u2019s family. Don\u2019t forget why we\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, yes. I almost forgot.\u201d Susan finally calmed down. And then they revealed their true purpose for coming. It was all about money. They spelled it out clearly: since I was clearly not struggling financially, I should give back the $500,000 in compensation. Plus, I should give them an additional $10 million in cash. This money was for Robert\u2019s future. They\u2019d heard I was sending Olivia abroad to study, so Robert should have the same opportunity. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, we\u2019re not unreasonable. If you want to see Robert, we won\u2019t stop you.\u201d They assumed I would cave for my son.<\/p>\n But they forgot one thing. I had long lost all affection for Robert. I wasn\u2019t going to spend another cent on him. And with their scheming nature, who knew how much of that $10 million would actually go into Robert\u2019s hands?<\/p>\n Smiling, I asked, \u201cAre you all daydreaming? I\u2019m not giving you a dime.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan gasped. \u201cMary, how can you be so heartless? Robert is your son. If you don\u2019t take care of him, who will?\u201d<\/p>\n I gently stroked Olivia\u2019s head. \u201cHave any of you ever worried about Olivia?\u201d<\/p>\n Robert scoffed. \u201cGrandma says Olivia is useless, that she\u2019ll never amount to anything, so you should focus on me.\u201d<\/p>\n I laughed mockingly. \u201cWhen your father cheated on me and asked for a divorce, your first reaction wasn\u2019t to defend me, but to make sure you didn\u2019t choose me so you wouldn\u2019t be dragged down. You insulted me for being a housewife and praised your stepmother, and you expect me to invest in you?\u201d<\/p>\n Robert looked away. \u201cWell, that\u2019s because you didn\u2019t have money at the time. If you could have given me a good life, I would have definitely chosen you.\u201d<\/p>\n I replied coldly, \u201cRobert, you still don\u2019t understand where you went wrong. I could accept you choosing to live with your father for a better life. But what I can\u2019t accept is your betrayal. For all these years, I stepped away from my career. I became an ordinary housewife just so I could take better care of you. You might not know this, but I worked at the same company as your father, and I was promoted even faster than he was. If it wasn\u2019t for you, I would have been much more successful than your father. Of course, I didn\u2019t do all this expecting anything in return. But at the very least, you should have been grateful. You weren\u2019t. You belittled and dismissed everything I did. You betrayed me without hesitation and enthusiastically called Daniel and Melanie \u2018Mom\u2019 and \u2018Dad.\u2019 They were the ones who hurt me, and yet you joined them to hurt me and your sister who has always been good to you. Do you really think you still deserve to be my son? Do you think you deserve my kindness?\u201d<\/p>\n For the first time, I saw a flicker of guilt on Robert\u2019s face. Susan sneered.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough with the speeches. Do you think I don\u2019t understand what you\u2019re saying? You simply don\u2019t want to give us money.\u201d<\/p>\n Robert suddenly looked enlightened. \u201cYes, for a second I almost got carried away by her words, but after all, I\u2019m still her son. Shouldn\u2019t she be good to me no matter what?\u201d<\/p>\n I shook my head. Robert was beyond saving. Talking to him was a complete waste of breath.<\/p>\n Daniel, being the most calculating, tried a different approach. \u201cMary, no matter what, Robert is still your son. You\u2019ve devoted so much time and energy to him. You can\u2019t just abandon him. He\u2019s still young. He doesn\u2019t understand now. But one day he\u2019ll grow up and realize everything you did was for him.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother had heard enough. She spat on the floor in disgust. \u201cRobert was given to you in the divorce. He\u2019s your responsibility now. We won\u2019t be dealing with him anymore. We\u2019ll only take care of our good granddaughter. Besides, Robert is already sixteen years old. He\u2019s not a child anymore. You need to get out of our house and stay far, far away from us.\u201d<\/p>\n But Susan and the rest refused to leave and kept shouting, \u201cRobert is your son. One day you\u2019ll regret losing him.\u201d<\/p>\n She really thought too highly of herself. I had my wonderful daughter and more money than I could ever spend. I would live a much better life than any of them. If anything, Susan should worry about herself. In the end, I had to call the police to finally have them kicked out of my house. But even after that, Daniel\u2019s family refused to leave us alone. They kept showing up, sometimes trying to guilt us, sometimes throwing insults when we didn\u2019t respond. We were more than fed up with it.<\/p>\n Fortunately, summer vacation arrived, so I took my family to France for a long, luxurious vacation. I was lounging on a beach chair, enjoying the sun. A handsome young man was massaging my back with essential oil when I suddenly received a call from Daniel. His voice was filled with rage.<\/p>\n \u201cMary, how cruel you are. We had a deal. You weren\u2019t supposed to reveal what happened between Melanie and me. And now, thanks to you, both Melanie and I have lost our jobs. You broke the agreement. The $50,000 I gave you as compensation\u2014you have to give it back.\u201d<\/p>\n I was completely confused. What the heck did I do? I was on vacation, far away from them. With stunning views, delicious food, and handsome men all around me, I couldn\u2019t care less about their pathetic problems.<\/p>\n Daniel didn\u2019t reply. Instead, he sent me a video. I clicked on it. Someone had secretly recorded the entire confrontation we had at the real estate center where they mocked me for not being able to buy a house, only to be spectacularly silenced. In the video, my family\u2019s faces were considerably blurred, but Daniel\u2019s and Melanie\u2019s were completely visible. Whoever uploaded it even gave it a dramatic title: \u201cMan leaves his wife, then discovers she\u2019s a multi-millionaire. Now he regrets everything.\u201d The comments were brutal. Some jokingly asked if I needed a rich woman\u2019s companion. Others outright called Daniel a scumbag who deserved this downfall. And of course, some had already dug up Daniel\u2019s and Melanie\u2019s identities. As a result, they both lost their jobs.<\/p>\n I rolled my eyes. \u201cAnd what does that have to do with me? I wasn\u2019t the one who recorded the video, nor was I the one who uploaded it. I honestly couldn\u2019t care less about the two of you. If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n My voice turned cold. \u201cYou were the ones acting like fools in public, so don\u2019t be surprised that someone recorded it.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel fell silent. Just when I was about to hang up, his tone suddenly changed, becoming sickeningly sweet.<\/p>\n \u201cMary, I still have feelings for you. I was a little confused when I got involved with Melanie, but now that I\u2019m with her, I finally realized that the person I truly love is you. Let\u2019s do it. I\u2019ll divorce Melanie tomorrow. Can we get back together? Okay? You have my word. From now on, I\u2019ll only love you and will never do anything to upset you again.\u201d<\/p>\n I almost choked. Where did he get the confidence to think I would ever take him back? I would have to be crazy to go back to an unfaithful man who had ruined so many of my opportunities. The man massaging me\u2014George\u2014was a romantic Frenchman. Noticing my frown, he asked in a concerned voice, \u201cAm I pressing too hard? Does it hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n I smiled at him. \u201cNo, it\u2019s perfect. I feel wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel, on the other end of the line, heard our conversation and instantly lost his mind. \u201cMary, what the heck are you doing?\u201d His tone was accusatory, as if I were the one who had cheated. How ridiculous. He had betrayed our marriage. We were divorced, and yet he still had the audacity to act as if I owed him loyalty.<\/p>\n I chuckled. \u201cObviously, I\u2019m doing things that make me happy. Now, stop bothering me. Let\u2019s be real. You\u2019re a middle-aged, balding, sloppy, unhygienic, and snoring cheater. I wouldn\u2019t get back together with you even if you were the last man on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n With that, I hung up before he could call again\u2014which he did, numerous times. I turned to George, who was still massaging me. Looking at a handsome man really improves the mood.<\/p>\n We spent two months abroad, but that didn\u2019t mean we were completely disconnected from what was happening back home. My mother had made quite a few friends in our neighborhood and was in a group chat dedicated to discussing the latest gossip. Daniel\u2019s family had become internet-famous, and naturally the neighborhood was buzzing with discussions about them. After losing their jobs, Susan began to blame Melanie, calling her a walking disaster. She ranted about how ever since Melanie married into the family, they hadn\u2019t had a single day of peace. First, she made Daniel lose his rich ex-wife. Then, she was responsible for Robert ending up in the emergency room. And finally she brought Daniel down with her, costing him his job. Furthermore, Melanie didn\u2019t lift a finger at home and was utterly useless.<\/p>\n As Susan continued, she began to reminisce about how much better things had been when I was around. Melanie, of course, wasn\u2019t one to suffer in silence. She fought back, and soon the two were constantly butting heads. At first, Daniel tried to mediate, but after a while, he gave up and resorted to drinking himself into a stupor. As for Robert, his grades had never been great, and with all the chaos at home, they only dropped further. Eventually, their drama faded from the neighborhood conversations. Daniel had no job and couldn\u2019t afford the expensive mortgage, so he defaulted on payments and was forced to move out.<\/p>\n When my parents heard about it, their only comment was, \u201cThey deserve it.\u201d Then they added, \u201cMary, we need to be careful. Daniel\u2019s family has no shame. Now that they know we\u2019re rich, they\u2019ll surely try to seize our money.\u201d<\/p>\n I had to admit, my parents were incredibly insightful. It wasn\u2019t long before Daniel\u2019s family made their move. What I didn\u2019t expect was how pathetic and ridiculous their plan would be\u2014so ridiculous I wasn\u2019t sure if they were insulting my intelligence or their own.<\/p>\n That day I was sightseeing when my mother received a frantic call from Susan. \u201cOh my God. Robert has been kidnapped. The kidnappers are demanding a $30 million ransom in three days. If we don\u2019t pay, they said they\u2019ll kill him.\u201d Her voice trembled with fake sobs. \u201cWe don\u2019t have that kind of money. Where are we going to get $30 million?\u201d<\/p>\n Hearing it was a life-or-death situation, my mother panicked. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, we\u2019ll figure something out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, but whatever you do, don\u2019t call the police. The kidnappers said if we involve the police, they\u2019ll kill Robert,\u201d Susan emphasized.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, we won\u2019t call the police.\u201d<\/p>\n After hanging up, my mom turned to me, flustered. \u201cMary, I know you\u2019re still angry at Robert, but it\u2019s a life at stake. We can\u2019t just stand by.\u201d<\/p>\n My dad chimed in. \u201cShe\u2019s right. We\u2019ll help him this one time, and then we won\u2019t deal with him anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n I ran my fingers over my phone, deep in thought. Then I looked up and said, \u201cMom, Dad, don\u2019t you think this supposed kidnapping is a little suspicious?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDaniel and Melanie lost their jobs. They couldn\u2019t even afford the mortgage and had to move into a rental apartment. They\u2019re completely broke. What kind of kidnappers would target Robert of all people?\u201d I paused and let the thought sink in. \u201cRobert? The kidnappers are clearly targeting us.\u201d<\/p>\n My mom\u2019s eyes widened as she put the pieces together. \u201cAre you saying this kidnapping was staged by Daniel\u2019s family?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s highly possible. And who else would be so desperate as to try and extort us?\u201d<\/p>\n My father hesitated. \u201cBut what if it\u2019s real? What if Robert really is kidnapped? We can\u2019t risk anyone\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n I remained calm. \u201cWe\u2019ll pay the ransom, but when Robert returns, we\u2019ll call the police and let them thoroughly investigate Daniel\u2019s family.\u201d<\/p>\n My dad nodded. \u201cOkay, we\u2019ll do it your way.\u201d<\/p>\n We transferred the ransom money to the account designated by the kidnappers. About three hours later, Daniel called me and said Robert had returned safe and sound. He made sure to emphasize, \u201cMary, don\u2019t call the police. The kidnappers said if we involve the police, they\u2019ll come for our entire family.\u201d<\/p>\n At that moment, my family and I had just landed from our flight home. Hearing Daniel\u2019s warning only solidified my suspicion that the whole thing was a setup. From the beginning, Daniel\u2019s family obsessively repeated one thing: Don\u2019t call the police. Their tone practically screamed that they were more worried about the kidnappers getting caught than about Robert\u2019s safety. So the moment we landed, I went straight to the police station and reported the incident along with my suspicions.<\/p>\n The police worked quickly. In less than three days, they uncovered the truth. Robert\u2019s kidnapping had been entirely staged by Daniel\u2019s family. It was all a ploy to scam me out of money. They apparently wasted no time spending the ransom. Melanie and Susan used $5 million to repurchase their previous home in full. Then they spent another million on jewelry. Daniel, now plunged into despair over his life failures, had acquired a gambling addiction and lost $3 million at the tables. As for Robert, he had fallen in with the wrong crowd and splurged tens of thousands of dollars on parties. When the authorities stepped in, they could only recover a portion of the stolen money. In the end, Robert, being a minor, was sentenced to three years in prison. The rest received ten years in prison for fraud.<\/p>\n Before the sentencing, I went to see them one last time. They pleaded for mercy, crying that they had simply lost their way, and begged me to forgive them. I refused. These people had no moral grounding. If they were capable of faking Robert\u2019s kidnapping just to extort me, what would stop them from kidnapping Olivia in the future to force my hand? For my family\u2019s safety, the best place for them was behind bars.<\/p>\n On the day of the sentencing, Robert was in the courtroom and looked at Olivia, who was standing next to me. She was radiant, confident, happy, and full of life. Seeing this, he finally broke down. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed uncontrollably.<\/p>\n \u201cMom, I was wrong. Mom, I was truly wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n I felt nothing. I will never forget the cold, detached way he once looked at me. Did Robert truly realize his mistakes? No, he was only regretful because he had made the wrong choice\u2014because he hadn\u2019t chosen me. If he had, he would be living the luxurious life he had always dreamed of. But deep down, he was still the same selfish person he had always been.<\/p>\n A year later, Olivia achieved her dream of getting into one of the top design schools overseas. I personally drove her to the airport to see her off. As we watched her leave, my parents sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cOlivia has grown up,\u201d my dad said. \u201cShe\u2019s leaving on her own now.\u201d<\/p>\n My mom looked at me and added, \u201cMary, you should consider getting married again. It would be nice to have someone by your side so you don\u2019t feel lonely.\u201d<\/p>\n I laughed. \u201cWhy would I bring unnecessary trouble into my life? I feel happier than ever. I have wealth, freedom, and a family that truly loves me. And if I ever feel a little lonely, well, I have the always capable young pool boys to keep me entertained. Not to mention, I could always meet new friends and travel the world. Honestly, life couldn\u2019t get any better.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cGo clean the bathroom\u201d \u2014 my son ordered me, for the third time during family dinner. I looked at him, stayed silent, then went back to my… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":61576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lifenewsus.noithatnhaxinhbacgiang.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EMXN1y8qSQoGdXBsb2FkEg55bGFiLXN0dW50LXNncBova2xpbmcvZG93bmxvYWQvTWprMU1qVTVPRFkxTlRJNE5EUTNNamsyT0RReE5USTE-1024x1024.jpg\")
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