My mom’s sudden passing left me with her inheritance. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to ensure my future and bring me a sense of security.
I still wasn’t sure what to spend the money on, but it seemed like my husband, Ethan, had plenty of ideas on his mind.
“Babe, what about renovating the house with your mom’s money?” he would say. “Or maybe get a new car, what do you say?”
I found this rather strange, because it was my money that my mom left to me, so I try not to think about Ethan’s words much.
But then, New Year Eve’s came, and things got heated between us.
His mom and dad called and invited us out. To my surprise, they chose the fanciest restaurant in town.
“Claire, you are going to love it,” my mother-in-law, Karen, gushed over the phone.
And yes, I did love the place. The moment we entered, I was stunned by the lights that sparkled like diamonds and the live music, which was soft but lovely.
I knew the prices were outrageous, but it was New Year’s Eve, and it was just one day of the year, so I thought I would deal with whatever came later.
When the waiter brought the menu, I was shocked by how expensive everything was. And then, cocktails, appetizers, entrees, and desserts kept coming.
No matter how much I tried to push aside my worries over the prices, I simply couldn’t.
The evening was a delightful one. My father-in-law, Tom, was sharing stories about his games of golf, and Karen talked about some local gossips. Somehow, I felt like I finally fit in.
But then, the bill came, and things got the wrong turn.
The waiter placed it in the middle of the table, and no one reached for it. I was looking at Ethan, but he was ignoring me because of some reason. And then, Karen took it and leaned towards me, saying, “Claire, darling, since you’ve inherited money recently, I believe this should be on you. It would be nice if you treat your family dinner.”
I froze. Ethan didn’t say anything. It was as though he agreed with his mother.
“It’s not a big deal,” Karen said, “you should share your blessing with your family.”
Tom turned to me and added, “Karen’s right, Claire. It’s not about the money, it’s about bringing us closer.”
But I didn’t agree with them. My mom’s inheritance wasn’t theirs to spend.
Finally, Ethan turned to me and said, “It’s just one dinner, don’t make a big deal out of it.”
Flabbergasted, I reached for my wallet, but then I changed my mind. “Actually, no. I’m not paying for everyone’s dinner.”
They all looked at me as though I committed a crime. But somehow, I didn’t care.
Ever since I got my mom’s inheritance, Ethan pretended it was his. He made plans on how to spend it, and now he involved his parents as well. It was something I wasn’t willing to accept.
They called me selfish, but I didn’t say anything, I just left.
Shortly after, Ethan called me on the phone. Instead of an apology, he accused me of embarrassing him in front of his parents.
But it wasn’t about the bill that I could easily covered, it was about the lack of respect my husband and my in-laws had for me.
“I think we need some space,” Ethan said over the phone. Surprisingly, I felt a strange sense of relief. “I think you are right,” I said. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I belonged to that kind of marriage.
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