"Julian, how can you be so ungrateful?" she snapped. "I'm doing this for your sake, yet you twist it into an insult against my mom. What kind of son-in-law are you?"
"You won't sign the agreement? Fine. But don't expect a penny if this goes to court!"
Snatching the document from the table, she stormed out of the restaurant.
I watched her retreating figure until she disappeared outside.
The truth was written at that moment, clear as day.
I almost laughed, but what came out instead was the taste of despair.
Yes, my mother didn't work anymore. But that was only because she and my father had both spent over twenty years in state-owned jobs until the economic downturn forced their early retirement. Even so, their pensions never failed them.
I urged them to travel, to finally enjoy life, but they refused. Instead, they saved every cent to support me and Abigail.
She had no father, and my parents took it upon themselves to help her mother as well. Since marrying into our family, Abigail had never once known hardship. She always did as she pleased, never suffered the slightest grievance.