Forgot to Take 20 Cents of Change, My Own Son Exposed Me Online for Stealing

My son opened a small factory and asked me for help to work there as a cook, paying me 250 dollars a month.

One day, we ran out of oyster sauce. My daughter-in-law gave me 3 dollars in cash and asked me to buy some at the supermarket. It cost 2.8 dollars, so I didn’t bother taking the small candy change.

That evening, when I was about to leave work, I overheard her complaining in the office.

“Baby, don’t you think your dad is actually a thief? The oyster sauce was two dollars and eighty cents, but he kept the twenty-cent change.”

My son gave an awkward smile. “That’s just how he is. It’s only twenty cents, just forget it.”

Then my daughter-in-law’s mother, Martha, joined in with a sharp voice. “No way, you can’t just ignore it. Today he takes twenty cents, but what if he starts taking more tomorrow? What if he starts taking grocery money too?”

My daughter-in-law, Wanda Wilson, frowned. “You’re right. The meals have been getting worse lately anyway. I haven’t eaten shrimp in days.”

“Sweetheart, maybe my mom should handle the grocery shopping from now on. I trust her more.”

My son hesitated. “That’s not a good idea. My dad’s not just stingy, but he also cares too much about pride. How am I supposed to tell him that?”

I pushed the door open and walked in. “No need to discuss it anymore.”

“Ma’am, from now on, you can handle the cooking and grocery shopping. I’ll go back to my hometown tomorrow. I quit.”

——

I stood at the door, watching their expressions change.

My son, Daniel Sanders, avoided my eyes, yet his face filled with annoyance and embarrassment.

Wanda frowned deeply. “Dad, that’s really rude. How could you stand outside and eavesdrop on us?”

Her mother, Martha, the woman who always wore heavy makeup, quickly added, “Oh no, I can’t do that job. I’ve got my morning and evening dance classes every day. I don’t have time to cook at the factory.”

I said coldly, “If you don’t have time, then just hire a chef. Either way, I’m done.”

Wanda immediately objected. “No way! Hiring a chef costs seven to eight hundred dollars. Our small factory can’t afford that!”

Then she gave Daniel a look, signaling him to say something.

He finally spoke. “Dad, come on, don’t make a scene here. You’re retired and have nothing to do all day. I just wanted to give you something to keep you busy.”

“I even pay you a salary. I’m doing this for your own good. What are you getting angry about?”

Hearing that, I felt a sharp pain in my chest and a cold chill ran from my feet all the way to my head. “Daniel, do you really think these 250 bucks are some kinds of charity to your own father?”

He tried to say something, but nothing came out, yet his expression already told me his answer.

My heart instantly sank.

I had spent my whole life teaching, finally reached retirement and had even signed up for a nationwide travel group.

Then my son called, saying his business was struggling and he needed my help.

I felt sorry for him, so I canceled the trip and didn’t even care about losing the deposit. Without a second thought, I packed a few clothes and came right away.

Every day I woke up at five in the morning to buy groceries and cooked for nearly a hundred people by myself. The smoke made me cough all the time.

After cooking, I had to wash the dishes and mop the floor. No one ever helped me.

By the time I finished everything, it was almost nine at night and my back hurt so badly I could barely stand.

These old bones were more tired here than when I was teaching in school. I worked myself to exhaustion to help him, but in his eyes, it was nothing but pity money.

Wanda suddenly laughed coldly, glancing at me with disdain.

“Dad, I don’t mean to sound harsh, but you're so petty, you know that? I was just being honest here. Do you really have to quit over something so small?”