After my boyfriend, Jonathan Jenson, gets laid off from his work, I let him stay at my home out of the kindness of my heart.

But he thinks he's the actual owner of my home now. Not only does he spend my money, but he also moves his family into my residence.

The entire Jenson family spends my money nilly-willy, and yet they have the nerve to demand that I scrimp up every penny when it comes to my own needs and wants.

Jonathan's mother even has the gall to slap me on the spot just because I bought myself a milkshake.

"This is my son's money! What makes you think you have the right to spend it all?"

I retaliate by freezing their bank cards and throwing their luggage out of my home.

"What's with the ego, huh? You're leeching off me, yet you have the guts to trample all over me like that? In that case, get the hell out of my sight!"

"You materialistic woman, who gave you permission to buy a milkshake? There's free plain water to drink, yet you insist on getting a milkshake? What a waste of money!"

Leah Doherty was the mother of my boyfriend, Jonathan Jenson. Upon seeing the milkshake in my hand, she was absolutely furious with me and went off the rails.

I was utterly dumbfounded at her sudden outburst.

What did I do? It was just a milkshake.

Besides, I had been working the entire day and was exhausted. Was there any issue with me rewarding myself with a delicious beverage?

Before I could say anything, Leah snatched the drink from my hand and dumped it in the trash bin.

"All you know is to waste money on such drinks. You're not the least bit frugal or good at running a household. In fact, you're nothing like a proper, virtuous woman!"

I was so enraged by her action that a harsh laugh escaped my lips.

"I bought this milkshake with my own money. What, can't I even have the freedom to do that? Besides, are you implying that you're virtuous and frugal? In that case, what's with the branded bags you carried around every day? If you really wanted to manage the household finances well, you could always just use a plain canvas bag!"

My words caused Leah to freeze momentarily before she replied, "As if I'm the same as you! I'm spending my son's money!"

I couldn't help but find her words hilarious.

"The money your son spends is also my money."

"What do you mean, yours? You're dating my son, which makes all that money his! What right do you have to spend that money without asking for our permission first?"

She slammed a hand on the table in fury, subconsciously raising her voice.

At that, I turned to look at Jonathan, who was playing a game on the couch, in hopes that he would make her see reason.

"Jonathan, could you talk to her?"

I was sure he would speak up on my behalf. After all, we'd been dating for over a decade, and he had always been very good to me.

Back in high school, I was ostracized and picked on by the other students because of my poor background. Someone even framed me for stealing money, and after that, everyone treated me coldly. Jonathan was the only one who believed I was innocent.

Not only had he stepped forward in my defence to clear my name, but he had even comforted me with a milkshake. After that, he would often bring breakfast for me or give me snacks.

After we got together, we agreed to go to the same university. Every time I had a conflict with someone else, Jonathan would stand on my side without any hesitation.

He was like a ray of light, constantly by my side as he illuminated the dark moments of my life.

That was why, when he lost his job, I offered for him to move in with me.

Knowing he'd be feeling down, I showered him with good food and drink, even gave him my money to spend. All in all, I treated him almost like a deity.

It wasn't long after that that Jonathan brought his mother over to live with us, without even asking me first. We got into an argument because of it, but he explained that she simply wanted to take better care of us. Eventually, the issue faded into obscurity.

Leah knew nothing about taking care of others, and I kept getting this feeling that she was inexplicably hostile toward me. Still, she was Jonathan's mother, so I decided it might be better for him to talk sense into her.

However, what came out of Jonathan's mouth next had me so shocked that I stood rooted to the spot in astonishment.

"Cassie, my mom is right. Since you're my girlfriend, naturally, that money belongs to me."

I was stunned that Jonathan would side with his mother when she was clearly the one out of line.

Was this still the same young man I remembered? The one who was warm, gentle, and understanding?

In the past, he had always been biased toward me and would spoil me unconditionally.

"What sort of twisted logic is that? Why should the money belong to you just because we're together?" I snapped somewhat unhappily, frowning.

Jonathan continued speaking as though he hadn't noticed my dark expression. "Hasn't it always been like that since ancient times? A woman listens to her father before marriage, and once she's married, that authority goes to her husband. Isn't it only normal for a woman to be virtuous, proper, and manage a household well?

"If you ask me, you've been watching too much brainrot on the internet! That's why you've now become so materialistic and vain."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

Did Jonathan seriously think he could control me just because he once saved me?

It seemed I had spoiled him too much, to the point he was letting it get to his head and making him think he could order me around.

Materialistic? Vain? Me? Did he even hear himself?

For other people, being materialistic meant wanting luxury cars and expensive houses, yet when it came to me, wanting to drink a five-dollar milkshake somehow counted as being materialistic.

What was even more ridiculous was that I had bought it with my own money. I hadn't spent a single cent of his money. On the contrary, he was spending mine.

Ever since Jonathan and Leah moved into my place, all their expenses had come out of my pocket. Oftentimes, they would even spend an exorbitant amount while I wasn't paying attention. Jonathan would top up his game credits using my card to buy skins, while Leah would splurge on all sorts of branded clothing and bags.

Nonetheless, since Jonathan was unemployed and had no income, plus I genuinely wanted our relationship to progress further into marriage someday, I had never made too much of a fuss.

Now, however, they were actually accusing me of being materialistic, just because I spent some of my own money on myself? So only they had the right to spend my hard-earned money, was that it? Such double-standards!

Fury blazed through me, and I scoffed, "Jonathan Jenson, you truly are ridiculous! You spend my money so frivolously, yet you expect me to be frugal? You know better than anyone just how much of my money you and your mother have spent behind my back!

"I've never made an issue out of it, yet you two have the nerve to lecture me now? Saying I'm wasting money, all over a milkshake?"

Leah was instantly annoyed at how I was lashing out at Jonathan. Heaving her massive body to her feet, she stepped toward Jonathan and spread her arms wide in a protective gesture.

"Cassie Yowley, Jon is your future husband! How dare you talk back to him? Besides, how are your situations possibly the same? Jon is a man and was born for great things! What's wrong with him spending a little money?

"As a woman, all you need to do is focus on managing the household and serving your husband well. What do you need to spend money for? And you even got yourself a milkshake! If that isn't wasting the family's money, I don't know what is!"

What sort of ridiculous, backwards thinking was that? Only men were allowed to spend money, while women had no right? I had honestly never met anyone with such old-fashioned thinking in this day and age.

"You—"

Before I could say anything more, Leah swiftly cut me off.

"What? You'd better hurry up and hand me your payroll card. I'll look after and manage it for you. Otherwise, you're bound to waste all the money there one day!

"Oh, and you can forget about dinner. The only thing you'll be getting in your tummy is air as you stand outside and reflect on yourself! Ha! A milkshake? Seriously? It seems you don't know your place, do you?"

Anyone who didn't know the truth would've thought I had blown through millions of their money.

Expression cold, I turned to look at Jonathan, wanting to see what he would do. To my disappointment, he once again defended his mother.

"Just listen to Mom. It's not like she means to harm you. All she's doing is simply for your own good!"

His words added fuel to the fire, and I exploded. Fishing out my phone, I froze their bank card right then and there as they watched.

"I have to be frugal, do I? Then I'll listen to your advice and freeze your card. That way, I can save quite a lot of money, you know!"

From the shock in their eyes, Jonathan and Leah clearly didn't think I would do this. Their faces flushed red before paling, while their chests heaved violently.

"Cassie Yowley, what the hell are you doing?"

Furious, Leah smacked me hard across the face before launching into a tirade, her spittle flying everywhere.

"Who told you to freeze our card? What are Jon and I supposed to do if we can't access that account? More importantly, did you even think to ask for our permission before you froze our card?"

Leah hadn't held back with her slap, and it wasn't long before a bright red handprint bloomed across my cheek.

"Hmph, serves you right! That's what you get for pissing off my mom!"

Jonathan's first reaction wasn't to express concern over my injury, but to stand beside his mother with a sneer as he kicked me while I was down.

How had I never realized what an off-putting mama's boy Jonathan was?

In an instant, I felt both aggrieved and angry. Tears slipped down my face before I could stop them, though I wasn't sure if it was from the pain of my stinging cheek or my broken heart.

From childhood till now, not even my parents had ever hit me.

Never would I have ever imagined that I would be slapped by Jonathan's mother, all because I refused to be a pushover and allow them to spend my money.

How could such shameless people exist? They were the ones staying in my house and spending my money, yet they still had the audacity to treat me so harshly. Not only did they scold me, but they even slapped me.

Fine. I must have been blind and stupid to have treated this shameless mother-son duo with utmost sincerity in the past.

Seeing that I had gone quiet, Leah shook her hand before saying in a smug tone, "That was just to teach you a small lesson. If you've realized the error of your ways, then hurry up and unfreeze our card."

Unfreeze their card? To hell with that!

Wiping the tears from my face, I charged straight to their room and stuffed all their belongings into two ratty sacks. Then, I tossed the sacks out of the house, right before their eyes.

"Think I'm a doormat, do you? How dare you two still be so arrogant when you're the ones sucking me dry? I'm not only going to cancel your card, but I'm kicking you out! This is my home, and neither of you has any right to stay here! Get the hell out of my house!"

Jonathan and Leah widened their eyes in shock as they stared at me in disbelief.

I wasn't surprised at their reaction. After all, I was usually sweet-natured and docile toward them. This was the first time I had ever raged against them in such a manner.

"Cass, could you stop with the tantrum?" Though the words were still meant to lecture me, Jonathan's tone had noticeably softened. "Mom just said a few harsh words to you. Is there really a need to be so petty?"

"I'm not throwing a tantrum! I'm being dead serious. I want you and your mother out of my house right this instant!"

I'd been blind to how ungrateful they were before, but now that I saw things clearly, I certainly wouldn't allow them to step all over me again.

At last, Leah snapped back to her senses. Upon realizing that she had indeed been cowed by my earlier words, she raised her voice again, shrilling several octaves higher, "Cassie, you dare speak to Jon and I in that tone? Are you rebelling now?"

Turning to Jonathan, she went on, "Jon, I told you long ago that you had to keep a tighter leash on Cassie! Look at how bold she's gotten! Not only does she dare to shout at us, but she's even chasing us out of the house!

"What terrible luck for us to end up with a troublemaker! If she's already like this before she marries into the family, I can't imagine what she'll be like once she does!"

I coldly interrupted Leah's theatrics. "This is my house, so why wouldn't I dare? You two, on the other hand, truly are beyond shameless! You're living under my roof, yet you still think you can yell at me! Hurry up and leave! Or I'll call the cops and have you two dragged out!"

My threat immediately silenced Leah, while Jonathan decided to take the softer approach.

In a cajoling tone, he said, "Alright, alright. Cass, don't be mad. Mom and I will leave, but could you give us a few days? You know I'm unemployed and have no income, so even if we wanted to move out right away, we can't.

"How about you let us stay for several more days? Then, once I find a house, we'll move out immediately. Cass, I'm begging you. Please?"