A Son's Last Lesson

Brenda didn't get mad as I expected her to, though. She just hung up without another word.

In that instant, the five years we'd shared together came crumbling down. I laughed self-deprecatingly at the thought of the marriage I'd tried so hard to keep together. It was now the most fragile thing in the world, shattering upon impact as glass would.

Since she had given up on our marriage, I didn't see any need to go easy on her. My first step would be to take back the house that belonged to me.

The moment I entered the house, I saw woven bags filled with plastic bottles stacked by the shoe cabinet. Cardboard boxes also littered the ground.

I knew my mother-in-law, Linda Beech, loved picking up trash. She would collect anything that was worth something, and the new house I'd bought had turned into her store room for trash.

The more I saw, the angrier I got. I kicked the bags aside, and toys fell out.

"Why did you touch my stuff? Do your eyes grow on the back of your head, or have you gone blind?" Linda screeched, as obnoxious as always.

She never missed the chance to grab even the smallest benefit. Before Brenda and I had gotten married, Linda had greedily demanded I pay 500 thousand dollars in wedding gifts, along with providing property and a car. She even insisted that I pay for them in full and put them under her name.

It was a shame that I'd been so blinded by Brenda's sweet-talk at the time to practise any logical thinking. I'd agreed to all of Linda's demands without hesitation.

Fortunately, I'd had the foresight to protect myself. Despite transferring the house to Linda's name, I'd had everything legally notarized as mine. If I wanted to take it back, no one would be able to keep it from me.

"Why did you take Timmy's toys? Who allowed you to do that?" I couldn't believe she'd turned a lovely home into a junkyard.

Linda flew off the handle when she heard my displeased tone. "They're just a few toys—they wouldn't even fetch anything at the junkyard! And how dare you lose your temper at me? I knew Brenda's spoiled you. I should never have let her marry you!"

"You think your daughter would listen to you when she's nothing but a cheater who sides with outsiders? She doesn't even want her own kid! Timmy is in a coma, yet she wants nothing more than to be with her lover! I was blind to have married her!" I said.

With that, I turned to head to my room to get the property deed and notarization documents.

Linda stood in my way, her spit landing on my face as she screeched, "This is my house now! Get the hell out of here!"

I flung her aside at the thought of her and Brenda's horrible behavior. I wanted to charge straight to the bedroom.

Just then, Brenda came in and saw me push Linda away. She ran over to me and slapped me hard across the face.

She snapped, "How could you hit my mother, Harry? Are you a rabid dog or something? How dare you come here and stir up trouble?"