I thought my relationship with Jake was perfect.
Until his mother showed me who she really was.
Jake and I had been together for three years, and when he proposed, I was over the moon. We had a cozy apartment, a love that felt unbreakable, a cat named Cami, and dreams of a beautiful future together. Everything felt right.
Then, my grandmother passed away.
Losing her was like losing a piece of my soul. She had raised me, taught me kindness, strength, and resilience. She always promised she would take care of me, even after she was gone.
“Layla, my child,” she would say, her wrinkled hand brushing my cheek. “Out of all my grandchildren, you are my mini-me. I will always take care of you, even after I leave this world.”
And she did.
She left me $500,000.
I was in shock. I hadn’t expected a single cent, and honestly, I didn’t even know what to do with that kind of money. But when Jake told his family about my inheritance, everything changed.
A week later, we were at Sunday dinner at his parents’ house. His mother, Denise, pulled me aside, wearing her usual sugary-sweet but calculating smile.
“I have something for you, sweetheart,” she said, handing me an envelope. “I know you’ve been grieving, but it’s time to move on. The sun keeps shining, Layla.”
Expecting a heartfelt letter or maybe a small family heirloom, I smiled as I opened it. Instead, my stomach twisted when I saw what was inside.
It was a list.
A demand list.
A list of expensive gifts I was expected to buy before I could be “fully accepted” into their family.
A $10,000 Cartier bracelet for Denise—to show my “love and appreciation.”
A brand-new car for Jake’s younger sister, Elena—because “family supports each other.”
A $20,000 gift (or rather, a loan) for Jake’s parents—to renovate their kitchen before the wedding.
A Rolex for my father-in-law.
A fully paid vacation for ten people, first-class flights included.
A monthly “family contribution” of $2,000—to prove I was “committed to the family.”
I let out a breathy laugh, thinking it was a joke. But Denise tilted her head and smiled, her eyes gleaming with greed.
“Oh, honey. This is just what’s expected of you. You’re lucky to have this opportunity.”
Lucky? My grandmother had died, and they were acting like I had just hit the jackpot.
Then Denise said the words that sealed her fate.
“If you really love my son, you’ll do this.”
I didn’t argue. I didn’t storm out. Instead, I forced the sweetest smile I could muster.
“Oh, Denise,” I gushed. “You’re absolutely right. Family takes care of family. I’d love to do this—for you, for everyone. Maybe I’ll even throw in a pair of gold cufflinks for Jake.”
Her eyes sparkled. “I knew you’d understand, sweetheart! Here, have some pie.”
I took the pie and smiled. The whole time, she babbled about car models for Elena and which Cartier bracelet she preferred.
Later that night, I sat across from Jake in our apartment. The envelope rested between us on the coffee table like a loaded gun.
“I said yes,” I murmured. “And you sat there eating pie.”
Jake blinked. “Oh. Well… that’s good, right?”
“Is it?” My voice was hollow.
“Babe, you know how my mom is. It’s just a gesture.”
A gesture.
“A gesture that totals over a hundred grand,” I said, my hands trembling.
Jake sighed. “She didn’t mean it in a bad way. My parents are struggling, and—”
“They’re not struggling, Jake. Wanting a kitchen remodel isn’t struggling.” I swallowed hard. “If your family had treated me like a daughter, I wouldn’t have hesitated to help. But they didn’t. Your mother came to me with a list.”
Jake ran a hand through his hair. “Babe, you’re overthinking this. She just wants to make sure you’re committed to the family.”
I stared at him, my grief and rage turning into something sharp.
“You know what?” I whispered.
“What?”
“You’re right. I’m overthinking it.”
Jake sighed in relief. “See? It’s not a big deal.”
I nodded. “I’m going to bed. You fill Cami’s bowl.”
In my head, I was already planning.
The following Sunday, I returned to Denise’s house with gifts.
She beamed, clapping like a child on Christmas morning as I handed out boxes.
To her? A Cartier box—with a plastic bracelet from the dollar store.
To Elena? A toy car.
To my father-in-law? A fake Rolex.
For the family vacation? A budget bus tour pamphlet.
For the “loan”? A Monopoly bank card.
Denise’s smile vanished. “What the hell is this?”
I batted my eyelashes innocently. “I thought I’d start with symbolic gifts. You know, just a gesture.”
Her face turned red. “This isn’t funny!”
“No, Denise. What’s not funny is you demanding I buy my way into your family. If you truly saw me as family, you wouldn’t treat me like an ATM.”
Jake finally spoke. “Babe, you’re overreacting.”
“No, Jake. Your mother tried to extort me. And the fact that you didn’t shut it down? That tells me everything I need to know.”
I took a deep breath and dropped the final bomb.
“Oh, and don’t worry about our engagement. Consider it canceled. Consider us canceled. I’m done.”
Gasps filled the room. Denise looked ready to faint. Jake? Stunned.
“Wait, what?!”
I slid my engagement ring onto the table. “Find someone else to fund your family, Jake.”
And with that, I walked out.
I thought I might cry. But I didn’t. I just felt… done.
When Jake came home, he found his things packed neatly into boxes.
“Layla,” he breathed, eyes darting around the apartment.
“You’re back early,” I said. “Denise didn’t want you to stay for dinner?”
“What is this? Are you seriously kicking me out?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s talk about this.”
“We did. And you dismissed me.”
His jaw clenched. “It’s just money. You’re throwing everything away over money?”
I exhaled. “No, Jake. I’m walking away because I loved you. And you let your mother treat me like a transaction.”
“Please, Layla.”
I shoved a box into his arms. “You can crash at your mom’s. And Cami stays with me.”
Jake blew up my phone for weeks. Apologies. Excuses. Pleading.
His final message? “My mom got carried away, but we can move past this. I love you.”
I never replied.
As for Denise? She tried smearing me online, calling me a gold digger.
But I didn’t care.
I used my inheritance to buy myself a beautiful home.
And let me tell you, that was the best investment I ever made.
