Mia has been through a lot in her life—after her parents died when she was sixteen, she became the sole caregiver for her younger brother, Jared. But what about money? To survive, Mia had to become a housekeeper while continuing her studies. Then, she met Martin. A man who was her Prince Charming—but is he ashamed of her? Does he want to use her? Read on and find out.
When I think about my life, I like to think of myself as a success story in the best possible way. I’m the oldest sibling—a big sister to a little brother. And when our parents died in an accident, I knew I had to step up.
A car accident | Source: Unsplash
“Mia, how are we going to survive?” my twelve-year-old brother, Jared, asked me, crying.
“We’ll figure it out,” I promised him.
We had our parents’ savings, and I sold everything we could. Our landlords—an elderly couple who had loved and treated my mother like their own daughter—allowed us to live in their smallest apartment, rent-free.
A small apartment | Source: Unsplash
“But I can’t accept this, Vera,” I said to the older woman. “My father would hate for you to be taken advantage of like this.”
The elderly woman smiled and continued her knitting.
“Then you can clean for us in return,” she said. “Twice a week, maybe?”
I nodded. I can do this. After school and homework, there were still enough hours left in the day.
A person cleaning | Source: Unsplash
Eventually, being a cleaner became my part-time job – between after-school hours and weekends, it was something that brought in money.
“But you’re always tired,” Jared told me one morning as he served us bowls of cereal.
“I know,” I replied. “But this way we have an income. So we don’t have to stress too much.”
“I’ll help you,” he said. “I’ll help with whatever you need. But don’t make me do bathrooms.”
A bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee | Source: Unsplash
For the rest of my schooling, I worked as a housekeeper, with Jared helping me vacuum on weekends. When I graduated high school, I continued cleaning. Now that I had more time and a respectable list of clients, it was easier to get into wealthy neighborhoods, where I was paid double.
“We’re so proud of you, Mia,” Vera said one evening when Jared and I joined her and Charles for dinner.
“But you have to start thinking about what’s next,” she continued. “You can’t be a cleaner all your life.”
A table with food | Source: Unsplash
Eventually, I decided to take a psychology course at community college—just to further my education.
That’s where I met Martin three years ago. He was a breath of fresh air, taking charge of my life and reassuring me that it would only get better from there.
A row of psychology textbooks | Source: Unsplash
“I’m proud of you,” he said to me when we went for coffee one evening, as I told him how my life had been sustained by my role as a cleaner.
After a few years, Martin proposed to me, and I felt like the worries and struggles of my life were over. With Martin, there was financial security. With Martin, Jared and I were adopted by his parents—who constantly pampered us, which made me feel like I’d won the jackpot in terms of in-laws.
A couple standing at a cafe counter | Source: Unsplash
“They’re pretty awesome, Mia,” Jared agreed as we sat in our apartment going over everything I needed to pack when I moved out.
“They will take care of you,” he added. “And I will see you as often as possible.”
As I settled into my married life – Martin didn’t expect me to work.
“You’ve worked all your life,” he told me. “Take some time for yourself. Rest. And when you’re ready, maybe you can consider college or a job.”
A woman sitting and looking out the window | Source: Unsplash
At first, I thought my husband was being sincere. And in many ways, he was. I took over the role of devoted homemaker—making sure the house was spotless and dinner was waiting for him when he came home.
My in-laws were wonderful. Brenda, Martin’s mother, spent a lot of time with me—teaching me old family recipes and asking me questions about the strange things I’d encountered during my years as a housekeeper.
“What’s the worst thing you’ve seen, Mia?” she asked me as she walked away.
Baking ingredients in a bowl with a whisk | Source: Unsplash
“There was once a lady who kept a cookie jar full of old candy. I’m talking really, really old candy. The wrappers were discoloring.”
“Why did she keep them?” Brenda asked.
“No idea. But there was also a man who wanted me to keep his wife’s hair. I had to pull it from the drain, rinse it, and put it in a box.”
“That’s disgusting!” Brenda giggled.
Candy pieces | Source: Unsplash
That’s when Martin came in.
“What are you two laughing at?” he asked, digging into the bowl of grapes on the counter.
“Mia’s old life,” Brenda said. “She saw some strange things.”
“That’s enough,” Martin said firmly. “It’s over. I’m going to take a shower.”
This was the first time my husband had brushed the conversation aside. My alarm bells went off. Was it possible that despite everything Martin had told me, deep down, he was embarrassed by me?
A bowl of grapes | Source: Unsplash
However, I ignored it. There was no need to dwell on something that could have been a simple miscommunication.
But then came the dinner that changed everything – Martin’s birthday dinner.
The air was filled with the buzz of conversation and the clinking of glasses as we gathered to celebrate my husband. I had always known Martin’s friends were diverse, but the presence of his friend Antonio always made me cringe.
Despite this, I put a smile on my face, determined to make the most of the evening.
A group of men sitting together | Source: Unsplash
You just have to get to the cake , I told myself.
As we settled into our seats, the laughter and chatter around us seemed to intensify. I hated that my brother couldn’t join us for dinner because he was away for an internship.
I was halfway through a conversation with Brenda, munching on the breadsticks I’d made, when Antonio’s voice cut through the din.
“Gosh, Martin! Your house is amazing. Such a perfect place.”
A chic dinner party | Source: Unsplash
Antonio’s eyes scanned the room before settling on Martin with a smirk.
“You’re in luck, Martin. All that and a woman to keep things tidy. Hey, maybe Mia could come clean my place for a birthday. It’s a complete disaster area without a woman’s touch.”
Everyone burst out laughing—no one laughing louder than Martin and his father. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.
My eyes turned to Martin, hoping for some form of defense from my husband.
But what happened next left me shocked.
Martin, leaning back in his chair, a glass in his hand, chuckled.
A glass of alcohol | Source: Unsplash
“Well, how much are you willing to pay?” he asked Antonio.
“I think $5 should be enough,” Antonio replied, shaking himself.
More laughter followed. It might have been just a joke, but I felt like it was directed at me.
Amid the chaos, I caught my mother-in-law’s eye. Her expression was stern, her disappointment palpable. She subtly gestured for me to join her in the kitchen.
A stack of dollars | Source: Unsplash
“And with that,” she said, pushing back her chair. “I think it’s time to make the cake.”
I excused myself to follow Brenda into the kitchen.
“I can’t believe them,” she hissed, her voice shaking with anger. “Especially Martin. My husband and I didn’t raise him to disrespect women, let alone his own wife.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, while I took a sip of water, feeling dizzy.
“What Antonio said was unacceptable, Mia. And Martin’s reaction was even worse.”
I nodded, my own anger mirroring his.
An angry woman | Source: Pexels
“I didn’t expect Martin to just laugh it off.”
I wasn’t embarrassed by my past. I had to find a way to survive—for Jared and for myself. There’s nothing wrong with having a modest job. That’s something Martin had told me early in our relationship.
But it seemed that the more we were together, the more his true colors revealed themselves.
Brenda put a hand on my shoulder.
“We’re going to teach them a lesson. Pack your bags tonight. We’re going on vacation. Just the two of us. Let’s see how they manage without us.”
A woman speaking | Source: Pexels
I was stunned, but I found myself agreeing. The thought of leaving, of showing them the error of their ways, was too irresistible for me to resist.
“Martin will regret laughing at that joke,” Brenda spat.
“Where’s the cake?” Antonio called from the dining room.
I sighed.
“Let’s get through this,” I said to my mother-in-law as she lit the candles on Martin’s birthday cake.
A birthday cake with candles | Source: Unsplash
The next morning, Martin and his father were passed out in our living room – the effects of alcohol rendering them unconscious.
We left them a note on the kitchen counter:
See you in two weeks. That should be enough time to keep the house clean.
Brenda added $5 to the bill, and we left.
A few hours later, our phones were bombarded with calls and messages from them, but we ignored them all. I drove with the wind in my hair and Brenda happily eating a fruit and vegetable medley next to me.
A woman driving | Source: Unsplash
When we finally arrived at our destination, we unpacked our bags and I called Martin.
“I’m so sorry,” he told me. “Mia, I really am. I didn’t realize how hurtful I was. My dad too. We’re so sorry.”
My husband’s voice cracked on the phone.
“We’ll talk about it again when we get back,” I said, in the serene setting of the beach.
When we returned, the sight that greeted us was what we expected – total chaos.
A house on the beach | Source: Unsplash
But in the midst of this chaos were Martin and his father, bouquets of flowers in their hands and remorse in their eyes.
The apologies that followed were sincere and the lessons learned were evident in their changed behavior.
I started to do the dishes, which had piled up while we were away.
“I spoke to Jared,” Martin said behind me.
“Oh yeah?” I asked.
I knew he would have called my brother to see if I was with him, but I also knew he would have to explain what had happened.
A person washing dishes | Source: Unsplash
“He said I still have a chance to make things right with you, or he’ll come looking for you himself.”
“That seems perfectly fair to me,” I replied.
Even though I was happy to be home, there was something different about Martin in my eyes. He was no longer the Prince Charming I had imagined. Instead, he was just an ordinary man with stupid jokes.
A man capable of hurting me.
And even though I had Brenda and my brother on my side, I knew it was going to take some work for Martin and me to get back to the way things were.
The first step in the right direction was Martin cutting ties with Antonio – a gesture that spoke volumes.
A woman with her hands on her face | Source: Unsplash
What would you have done?
Here’s another story for you: Have you ever had an unwanted guest overstay their welcome? I had to deal with my father-in-law, who constantly belittled me and my career. Eventually, I had to take drastic action.
Để lại một phản hồi