Rebecca continued her rants: [My in-law has been a widow for so many years. Who knows if she’s lonely and wants to drive the RV out to meet up with some random guy? Is she not afraid of not being good at driving such a big car? She might crash into the car and die!]

The subsequent obscenities were simply unbearable to watch. But Rebecca didn’t know that my mother was also in the group chat.

Rebecca saw my face turn pale and her eyes evasive, but she remained unyielding. “I wasn’t wrong... Elise is already old and she’s still taking road trips like young people. Who knows if she’s keeping a gigolo…”

My mother was completely furious when she heard this and exclaimed, “Bullshit! My daughter earns her own money, so she can spend it however she wants! Who are you to tell her what she should do? You’re even cursing me to death! What are you up to? Why are you so keen on going back to your hometown? If you have the guts, leave now. If you don’t step out of this door today, I’ll drag you out myself!”

Rebecca, completely defeated by my mother’s scolding, sank back onto the sofa and started wailing again. “Oh, my life is so miserable! My son’s not home and my daughter-in-law and in-law team up to bully an old woman like me…”

My temples were throbbing. On one side was Rebecca, wailing pitifully and on the other was Elise, trembling with anger.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. I was the younger one, so I had to calm down the argument first.

I walked over to Rebecca and tried to persuade her gently, “Mom, please don’t cry. If I’ve done something wrong, please tell me and I’ll be more careful in the future. There’s no need to ruin the family harmony over such a small matter.”

I continued, “Sebastian hasn’t returned from his business trip yet. If you go back to your hometown without saying anything, I won’t be able to explain to him. Can you please forgive me and wait until Sebastian comes back and then we can talk about it?”

Rebecca’s crying quieted down a bit after I said that and it seemed like she was trying to use my offer to save her temper.

Unexpectedly, my mother was so angry that she couldn’t stand it. “Hannah, why are you on her side? Yes, you give her 2,800 dollars every month, but you also opened a 14,000-dollar interim payment for her. She spends it all every month! There are already nannies at home. What does she do besides square dancing and rummy? What’s there to be sorry about? A son-in-law who was only married into the family? I don’t know how a person who did something horrible can have the nerve to cry like this…”

I wanted to quickly interrupt my mother, but it was too late. Rebecca’s defenses completely shattered when she heard the words “son-in-law.” She suddenly jumped up from the sofa, beating her chest and stamping her feet in tears like a child.

“I’m going to die! My son, Sebastian, only an unfilial son! What kind of wife did you marry to put your mother through such humiliation? They just look down on our Bailey Family…”

Looking at the chaotic scene before me, the fatigue and irritation accumulated from working overtime instantly washed over me.

I rubbed my temples, my last bit of patience gone. I pulled out my phone and called the driver, Bentley. “Bentley, come home and take my mother-in-law back to her hometown.”

The crying stopped abruptly. Rebecca looked at me in disbelief. “Hannah? Are you kicking me out?”

I sighed, feeling somewhat helpless and replied, “Didn’t you say you were going back home? It’s late and it’s unsafe to take a taxi. I’ll have the driver take you.”

She froze in her tracks and stared at me for a long moment, making sure I wasn’t joking. Her expression shifted from shock to shame and indignation. She suddenly grabbed her suitcase and stormed out.

“Okay! I’m leaving! Let’s see what you’ll say when Sebastian gets back!”

***

Two days later, Sebastian returned from his business trip. As soon as he entered the house, before he’d even put down his luggage, his phone rang.

From a distance, I could hear Rebecca’s wailing, accusations on the other end. “Sebastian, wahhh, help me!”

Sebastian listened for a long time with furrowed brows, his expression growing increasingly grim. Finally, he reluctantly hung up.

Feeling a little guilty, my mom poked her head out of the kitchen and asked tentatively, “Sebastian, is your mom okay? What did she say?”

Sebastian sighed and replied, “Mom said we should treat everyone equally. Since we bought Mother-in-law a car worth over 140,000 dollars, we should buy her something decent. She doesn’t ask for much; a large apartment in my hometown for around 280,000 dollars will do. She said she’s worked hard all her life and deserves to enjoy life. If we don’t agree, she won’t come back.”

My mother immediately exploded and complained, “Is she crazy? A 280,000-dollar apartment? Why doesn’t she just let it go?! Forget about coming back; the family will survive without her.”

I quickly winked at my mom, urging her to be quiet. However, my mom, already furious, didn’t want to cooperate and added, “Sebastian, Hannah, you need to think this through carefully. No one’s money comes out of nowhere. If you’re spending 280,000 dollars on a house every time you have an argument, she might as well ask for a villa next time.”

I was so distraught and quickly found an excuse to get my mother out of the way. Then, I pulled Sebastian to sit down and said, “Honey, wasn’t the two-story house in our hometown just renovated? Why are you suddenly looking for a large flat?”

Sebastian was silent for a moment before speaking vaguely, “It’s for my brother. He’s dating a girlfriend. Her family is well off and she specifically wants a large flat in the city center with a river view, or she won’t get married…”

I instantly understood what was going on. It seemed Rebecca was finding ways to buy a house for my younger brother-in-law, Derick.

Two years ago, Rebecca said my younger brother-in-law needed a nice car for his business, otherwise he’d be looked down upon, so she took 84,000 dollars from me.

Last year, Rebecca said she was not feeling well and needed a comprehensive checkup and she asked me for another 28,000 dollars.

Every time I hesitated, she’d bring up the same excuse: “Hannah, a sister-in-law is like a mother. Isn’t it your duty to support Derick? When he’s successful and makes a fortune, I’ll definitely pay you back!”

In the end, the money went out without a single sound. Suppressing my anger, I discussed it with my husband, “My mom was a bit harsh, but it’s the truth. Our family doesn’t need these millions, but there has to be a limit to everything. Your mom keeps doing this over and over again. Isn’t this a bottomless pit?”

Sebastian nodded and replied, “I know. My mom went too far this time. I’ll go back and talk her down.”

In the end, although we didn’t buy the large apartment, we did transfer 140,000 dollars and Rebecca reluctantly returned. But after returning, she had a sullen face, as if I owed her millions.

I heard that she gave in and returned because during her two days back home, my brother-in-law and future sister-in-law thought she was in the way and gave her the cold shoulder every day.

But for some reason, after Rebecca returned, Sebastian’s face became even gloomier. He frowned all day and after getting off work, he’d rather smoke in the garage than go upstairs early to face his mother.

Rebecca also ignored Sebastian. But it was Sebastian who had wanted to bring her home to live happily ever after out of concern for his mother. Why had this mother and son become so estranged now?

But this was ultimately their own matter and I couldn’t interfere. I just wanted a little peace. Alas, the storm was coming. One day, I was in a meeting when Nancy called anxiously. “Hannah! It’s terrible! Your mother’s been beaten! She’s in the emergency room at the Akso Hospital! Come quickly!”

My mind went blank. I grabbed my bag and rushed out, driving as fast as I could to the hospital.

In the emergency room, my mother lay on the bed, the gauze on her forehead still oozing blood and the sterilization tray beside her was filled with blood-stained cotton balls.

I was trembling and crying. “Mom?”

Meanwhile, Rebecca stood aside, averting her eyes. My mother burst into tears when she saw me. She opened her mouth to speak, but gasped because of the pain at the corner of her mouth.

I was shaking with anger and shouted, “Nancy! Who did this?”

Nancy shuddered with fear. She looked at me, then at Rebecca and finally spoke hesitantly.

“It was your mother in-law, Madam. She stole the spare key to the RV. Your mother found out and they started arguing… Your mother in-law refused to return the key and cursed at you. Your mother was so angry that she threatened to call the police, so your mother in-law pushed her…”

Before Nancy could finish her sentences, Rebecca frantically defended herself. “I didn’t mean to do it! Besides, the RV was bought with joint property! What’s wrong with me giving it to my youngest son to drive?”

I was completely furious when I heard her explanation. My mother herself was reluctant to take the RV on a long trip right away, saying she needed to get used to it first.

The spare key was in the safe in my study and only my mother and I knew the combination! Being able to get the keys without setting off the alarm means they’d been keeping an eye on them for a long time. This was clearly theft!

I hugged my trembling mother, unable to contain myself any longer and said, “Nancy, call the police! This is a theft worth over 140,000 dollars. It’s enough to file a case!”

After saying that, I pulled out my phone and called Sebastian. “Come to the hospital right now and take your mother away, or we’ll be divorced!”

Upon hearing this, Rebecca rushed over like crazy and tried to snatch my phone. “Hannah! Are you crazy? You’re divorcing my son over an old woman?! I’m Randolph’s grandmother!”

I shoved her away and gritted my teeth in anger. “Don’t compare my mom to yourself, you crazy woman! Stop threatening me with the child! I’m my mom’s daughter first and your grandson’s mother second! Bullying Mom in front of me is a slap in my face! Not to mention my son, even God wouldn’t be able to stop me!”

Nancy couldn’t help but grumble, “That’s right! Don’t you even realize who’s in charge in this family? You really think you’re the one…”

Rebecca raised her hand and slapped Nancy. “You’re just a servant! How dare you criticize me!”

Nancy staggered, covering her face in shock and grief, but she didn’t dare to talk back.

I raised my hand and slapped Rebecca back. She was completely stunned and stared at me in disbelief. “Hannah, you hit me for a servant?”

I sneered and talked back. “Nancy has taken care of me for over a decade. She’s my family. Hitting her is hitting me!”

Rebecca was stunned for a few seconds before bursting into tears and calling for help.

Unexpectedly, before Sebastian arrived, my father-in-law and brother-in-law rushed into the emergency room.

As soon as my father-in-law saw Rebecca crying on the ground, he pointed at me and cursed, “This is outrageous! How dare you hit your mother-in-law?! My wife has a miserable life! She’s been a slave to you, taking care of you after the confinement period and raising our grandchildren and she’s become so sick from exhaustion! Now that she’s used up, you’re hitting her? Is there any justice in the world?”

Rebecca also cried out, “Honey, she’s trying to drive me to death…”

The area was surrounded by the patients’ family members, who were watching the scene.

“She looks pretty, but how could she be so vicious?”

“That’s right, if a mother-in-law is crying like that, she must have been wronged so badly!”

“A daughter-in-law like that will get her comeuppance sooner or later!”

I sneered when I heard their curses. She was trying to throw dirt at me and play a propaganda game? Okay, since I’d been scolded, I wouldn’t take the blame for nothing.

I grabbed Rebecca by the collar and, as she stared in shock, raised my hand and slapped her twice!

“Aren’t you trying to play the victim? Okay, let me help you!”

My father-in-law and brother-in-law reacted and tried to pull me up. But thanks to my years of boxing training, I dodged them with a simple dodge, sending them stumbling instead. Just as the scene was in chaos, Sebastian finally arrived.

Rebecca, as if she had seen a savior, scrambled over to him and cried, “Sebastian! You have to help me! Hannah’s gone crazy! She wants to beat me to death!”

Then, suddenly, she threatened hysterically, “Sebastian! If you don’t help me today! I’ll reveal all your secrets! Neither of us will be safe!”

Sebastian, who had been looking anxious, froze at these words. My heart sank hearing her words. Could Sebastian be hiding something from me?