Chapter 3: Mother-in-Law From Hell

Until one morning, a call woke me up. A middle-aged woman’s angry voice screeched through the phone:

"Savannah Carter, look what you’ve done! Evan said you wouldn’t let him in after his business trip? He had no choice but to come home, and now our whole family’s sick!"

I checked the caller ID—Evan’s mother, Patricia Parker. I hadn’t interacted with her much. The one time I met his parents, it was a disaster, so I avoided her after that.

I’d brought expensive gifts, thinking it was only right to show respect the first time. But her attitude was bizarre. She looked at the gifts, face expressionless:

"Why bring such expensive things? It’s all for show. You spent Evan’s money anyway—no need next time. Just save your money to support me in old age."

I was stunned. What kind of passive-aggressive nonsense was that?

Evan defended me:

"Mom, Savannah picked those herself, with her own money. It’s her way of showing respect."

That just made his mom’s face darken. She gave a fake apology, then made me cook for the whole family, treated me coldly, and ordered me to wash dishes after. She even said:

"Savannah, back in our hometown, a future daughter-in-law isn’t allowed to eat at the table."

What was I, the help?

Evan tried to appease me:

"Sorry, Savannah, please bear with it for me. My mom’s not targeting you—it’s just her hometown custom… For me, can you put up with it?"

Yeah, right.

Customs my ass.

I walked out and never saw his family again.

Patricia always thought her son was some big-shot entrepreneur, that I was lucky to be with him. She always talked down to me, like she was doing me a favor.

Now, on the phone, she was still ranting:

"Savannah Carter, because of you, our whole family is sick! Come cook for us."

I almost laughed out loud:

"Mrs. Parker, your son and I broke up. Didn’t you know?"

I used to call her 'Aunt Patty.' But this time, I called her 'Mrs. Parker.' It stunned her.

She was speechless for a few seconds, then exploded:

"What? Broke up? My son’s been running a company for three years and hasn’t given me a penny! He must’ve spent it all on you! You think you can just break up and walk away? You should have a conscience! If my son hadn’t supported you, a lowly real estate salesgirl, you’d be starving! You ungrateful brat!"

She started coughing so hard she could barely finish.

When she calmed down, I replied sarcastically:

"Mrs. Parker, maybe your son never gave you money because his company’s been losing money all along."

She blew up:

"Nonsense! You’re cursing him! He was blind to fall for you! You spent all his money and want to break up? No way! Either come take care of us, or pay back every cent Evan spent on you! Or I’ll never let you off!"

I couldn’t be bothered. I sent her photos of Evan and Emily together:

"See for yourself. That woman is Evan’s side chick—Emily Reed. She’s waiting to be your daughter-in-law. If you want someone to take care of you, call her."

And hung up.

Evan supported me? What a joke.

Looking back, I paid for almost everything the past three years. It wasn’t just the hundred grand—his belts, watches, clothes, all added up to tens of thousands.

He’d always sigh:

"Savannah, starting a business is so hard. I run a company, but I don’t even have a decent suit."

That was our first year, still in the honeymoon phase. Since he asked, I just waved it off:

"No big deal, I’ll buy it."

So—

His watch became a Rolex Submariner. His suits went from cheap knockoffs to Italian bespoke. To me, it was just a month’s allowance, but to him, it was a fortune. He took everything I bought, dressed himself up as a young CEO.

Still, he probed:

"Savannah, aren’t these brands expensive? Where’d you get so much money?"

He thought I was just a junior employee hustling to sell apartments. I had to keep up the act—to protect his fragile ego. Plus, my parents always told me to stay low-key until marriage. That way, you see people’s true nature.

So I lied:

"I’ve got good sales numbers, won a quarterly bonus, plus some savings."

He bought it. He hugged me, guilty:

"Savannah, I know it’s not easy for you. I swear, I’ll pay you back double someday."

Now?

Looking at his cold face on the screen, picturing him and Emily in hotel rooms across the country, I felt sick.

His promises were all lies. I was done swallowing his empty words.