After they took me in, they even started to ask me to pay for their children's school tuition.
I thought to myself—they're my own grandchildren after all. How could I stand by and do nothing? So I gritted my teeth and gave them the money.
Since my pension was not enough to cover the household expenses, I had to collect cardboard around the neighborhood and sell it at the recycling station.
Frank and Ivy thought I embarrassed them, so they made me collect them in the middle of the night.
But the night wind was bitterly cold, so even though my body was strong all my life, I began to have a fever.
And now, just because I was using the air conditioner for a few hours, I was suddenly dragging them down?
How heartless they are!
I took a deep breath and told them, “I won’t argue with you anymore. I’m packing my things and going home.”
My son stopped me, frowning. “Mom, can you stop making a fuss? Ivy is only being diligent and good at managing the household. What's wrong with that?”
“Can’t you be a little more understanding? Don’t blow this out of proportion.”
Ivy covered her face and sobbed. "I know, you just want to set rules for me. You used whatever excuses to teach me a lesson, so you can be the boss of this house.”
“I shouldn't be too kind-hearted by taking you in to take care of you in your old age.”
“Fine, you're the elder. From now on, whatever you say goes, okay?”
My son sighed repeatedly and shifted weight uneasily. “Mom, look at what you've done. You were the one who turned on the AC in the first place. Now you're using this as an excuse to say you won't sell the house.”
“This family was doing fine, but now you're making up all this conflict.”
“Anyway, I think you should apologize to Ivy.”
I stared straight at him. “Are you sure you think I should apologize to her?”
Seeing my stern expression, Frank lost his courage.
But then, he gritted his teeth and said, “Mom, right is right, wrong is wrong. I'm judging the situation, not the person. I'll stand by what's right, not just family ties. So, I think you should apologize."
I raised my arm and slapped him hard across the face.
Stunned, he clutched his face and stammered, “M-mom, why did you hit me?”
Meanwhile, Ivy was crying and making a ruckus. She then lunged at me, ready to claw me.
Without paying any attention to them, I opened the door and left. I refused to stay here any longer.
Sitting alone on a bench at the train station, tears silently streamed down my face.
Did Frank and Ivy really take me in to care for me in my old age?
Clearly, they just want me to be their free servant.
Every day, I cooked three meals, took my grandson to and from school and still went out at night to collect cardboard. But in their eyes, I was just a jobless woman who lived off them.
Were they really frugal and hardworking people?
Well, they went shopping every few days. Once, when I wanted to buy a pair of pants, they refused to take me, saying I was too old and shopping would tire me out.
Every weekend, they went out for lavish dinners. But Frank had never invited me. Not only that, he said my diet was too bland and eating oily food would be bad for my health.
However, weren't Frank's computer games, Ivy's cosmetics and Tom Wright, my grandson's tutoring classes, all paid by me?
And now, just because I turned on the air conditioner for a few hours, I had turned into the family’s biggest burden.
The more I thought about it, the more wronged and heartbroken I felt. Unable to hold back, I buried my face in my hands and started to sob.
Then I felt a pair of small, warm arms wrap around me.
I heard my grandson Tom's voice. “Grandma, Grandma, don't go. I don't want you to leave.”
When I looked up, I saw Tom cling to me. He sobbed so hard that he could barely catch his breath.
Meanwhile, Frank and Ivy stood awkwardly on the side.
