I got cancer, and my daughter-in-law, Kathy, bought a cremation box cost 1.5 dollars on an online platform and said to me, "Mom, you are worth this price."

I told my son, Jame, about this, but he supported his wife and said, "You don't have many years left anyway, so there is no need to spend so much money on a cremation box."

Thinking back over the years, I had served my family tirelessly and had never lived for myself.

So, I decided to completely do nothing in the future.

This time, I wanted to live for myself.

01

My name was Melissa, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 66.

Kathy ordered a cremation box online cost 1.5 dollars and said that the price of cremation boxes had recently dropped, so she wanted to prepare it in advance for me.

Kathy thought that since I had scrimped and saved for my children all my life, I would definitely save on funeral expenses in the end.

I argued with Kathy, but she said, "You are worth this price."

Jame also advised me generously. "You don't have many years left, there is no need to be extravagant and wasteful"

But Jame and Kathy forgot that it was me who saved up 50,000‬ dollars and paid off the down payment for the house before they settled in the big city.

During dinner time, the whole family gathered together.

My husband, Marcus Swan, glanced at the food on the table and immediately scolded me. "How do you cook? There is no meat at all, not even wine. Why do we ate grass every day!"

Marcus only cared about himself of eating meat and drinking wine, without considering his wife, me, who is a cancer patient.

If it were in the past, I might choose to endure for the sake of this family. But now that I had cancer, I did not need to worry about anything.

So, I said expressionlessly. "If you want to eat meat and drink wine, buy it yourself. Why show off here?"

Marcus didn't expect that I, who had been obedient for so many years, would suddenly confront him.

He felt embarrassed in front of the younger generation, so he threw down his chopsticks, and raised his hand to hit me.

Jame hurriedly stopped him and said, "Dad, why do you argue with mom? After all, this family is surnamed Swan. She has been married to you for so many years, when did she ever argue with you for real!"

After speaking, Jame turned to me and said, "Mom, apologize to dad and let this matter pass."

It was clearly Marcus who started the trouble, but my son asked me to apologize.

I sneered and said, "I didn't do anything wrong, why should I apologize?"

Upon hearing my words, Marcus's face turned red with anger and he shouted at me, "Melissa, how dare you defy me all these years? In this family, you have to listen to me!"

Jame said, "Mom, apologize quickly and don't make dad angry."

Kathy chimed in, "Mom, just listen to Jame and apologize to Marcus. Why cause trouble in this family? We should be enjoying our good days."

My six-year-old grandson, Kimi, kicked over a nearby stool and imitated his grandfather, calling me by my name and saying, "Grandpa is right, I want to eat meat! Melissa is a big villain, she won't make meat for me to eat! Melissa, apologize to grandpa quickly!"

When others criticized me, I didn't feel so bad.

But when I saw my own grandson, Kimi, whom I had raised, come over and criticize me, my heart suddenly ached.

When Kimi was just born, Kathy didn't have breast milk, so I held the baby in my arms and fed him little by little with a bottle.

When my grandson was three years old and had a fever, I got up in the middle of the night and took him to the hospital. I stayed up for two nights in front of his bed, afraid that he would fall or get hurt.

Later, when Kimi went to kindergarten, Jame and Kathy were busy with work, so I took on the task of picking him up and dropping him off.

Every day before dawn, I got up to make breakfast for the family, and then hurriedly take my grandson to school. After returning home, I continue to cook, do laundry, and do housework. Marcus never took care of these things.

I had spent almost all the money I saved when I was young on my son and daughter-in-law's family, and I had never spent a penny on myself.

I had worked hard for this family my whole life, from a young girl to an old woman. What had I really gained?

So, I also threw the chopsticks on the table.

The chopsticks hit the edge of the table and made a crisp sound.

Jame and Kathy were startled for a moment and became quiet.

I looked around and finally looked at Jame, and said, "Jame, do you still remember that I have cancer and cannot eat greasy and meaty food?"

Jame stuttered and couldn't say a word.

"Kathy, do you remember that I am allergic to alcohol and feels uncomfortable when I smell it?"

Kathy looked embarrassed.

"Marcus, do you remember when we just got married, you were penniless. You knelt down the ground to beg my family to lend you some money to start a business?"

Marcus was touched on a sore spot, and his cheeks turned red.

"Oh, right, you forgot. After all, when you were young, you were ignorant and took that money to gamble, and ended up losing it all."

I added.

"You...you're talking nonsense!" Marcus, seeing me expose his secret, became furious and quickly denied it.

"Dad? What's going on?" Jame turned his head and asked, "Didn't you say that the money was always saved and ready to be used to pay off the mortgage for me?"

Kathy also came over. "Dad, this is not fair! You promised to help Jame pay off the mortgage, but in the end, you gambled away all the money! Besides, this money belongs to mom's side!"

Marcus's face turned purple, stuttered for a while, and finally vented his anger towards me. "You old troublemaker, you have to meddle! You have to make this family restless and break it up, are you satisfied?"

"Well said! I don't want to live peacefully. I want to break up this family!"

I raised my eyebrows and looked at each one of them.

"I want a divorce! I want each of you to pay back what you owe me!"

As soon as I said, they were silent.

After a long silence, Kathy broke it by saying, "Mom, what are you joking about?"

"You and dad have been together for half a lifetime. Is there anything that can't be discussed properly? Is it necessary to go to the point of divorce?"

Jame also persuaded me. "Mom, look at the neighbors, who at your age get divorced? They all stay together for the sake of their children!"

Jame hesitated for a moment and then said, "If you divorce at your age, our relatives laughed at us."

I chuckled lightly.

Since I had cancer and didn't have much time left, why should I be afraid of being laughed at by others?

Besides, I understand the thoughts of Jame and Kathy.

Kathy was now pregnant with her second child. After the second baby was born, she needed someone to take care of her during the confinement period. Moreover, my eldest grandson needed someone to take care of him when he went to kindergarten. Not to mention, there were various household chores that need to be done.

Hiring a top-notch confinement nanny costs at least 1500 dollars per month, and hiring a nanny that would cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Jame was just an ordinary employee in a private company. After Kathy became pregnant and couldn't work, they simply could not afford such heavy expenses.

They thought that taking care of Kathy during her confinement period, taking care of Kimi, doing laundry and cooking were all things that I, as a mother, should do.

Therefore, they strongly opposed my divorce.

This time, I didn't intend to indulge them.

I turned to Jame and sarcastically said, "Do you not want me to divorce because you're afraid of being laughed at, or because you're afraid of losing a maid who will serve you in the future?"

Jame awkwardly coughed and said, "Mom, what are you talking about? As children, we definitely consider your feelings!"

"Oh, is that so?" I raised my mouth and said, "Since you consider my feelings, then first return the 50 thousand dollars down payment for the house that I paid for you."

When it came to money, Jame's expression froze instantly.

"Mom... how can a mother ask her child for money... besides, you volunteered to help us with the money in the past!" Jame lowers his voice.

"I helped you, but I didn't say that you don't have to pay it back, right? Now Kimi has grown up, and you have been living in this house for six or seven years. It's time to pay back the money."

Seeing that my son was not convinced, Kathy hurriedly came over and says to me, "Mom, Jame is not sensible, don't argue with him!"

"But... even if you don't consider your own reputation, you should consider Kimi! You raised Kimi by yourself until he was six years old. Are you really willing to leave him?"

When it comes to my grandson, I sneer.

Seeing me smile, Kathy thinks that I have been persuaded.

"Mom, I knew you couldn't bear to leave Kimi! Just stay at home and don't go anywhere. After a while, I will ask Jame to take you to the hospital for treatment! Kimi still hopes that you will live a long life and take care of you in your old age!"

I looked at the Kimi next to me. He was holding a toy gun and pointing it at me with the muzzle, constantly saying, "Kill you, kill you."

I sneered, "Your words are more beautiful than your behavior, you can't even afford my medical expenses for cancer treatment. You even have to buy a discounted urn for me. I can't rely on you, can I rely on my grandson?"

Kathy was extremely embarrassed and hurriedly tugged at Jame's clothes, signaling him to say something.

With determination, Jame said to me, "It is said that the elderly need the consent of their children to get divorced. Anyway, I strongly disagree with your divorce!"

"Oh," I didn't even lift my eyelids and then said.

Jame still had something to say, but seeing my indifferent attitude, he swallowed his words.

At this moment, Marcus who had been silent for a long time suddenly slammed the table.

"Enough! Do you think this family is not chaotic enough? Sit down!"

I had been married to Marcus for over forty years, so I know him best. Every time after everyone finished arguing, he would come out and pretend to be in charge, to show his authority as the head of the family.

This time, I wouldn't indulge him.

Before Marcus finished speaking, I didn't even give him a glance. I walked straight to my room and started packing.

"Dad! Aren't you going to stop mom? If mom leaves, who will take care of Kathy during her confinement period after giving birth!" Jame's voice came from behind the wall.

Then I heard another voice. "Don't worry, your mother dare not divorce! After so many years, I know her well. She can't live without me..."

Before Marcus finished speaking, I appeared in front of everyone with a suitcase in my hand.

"You! You..." Marcus didn't expect me to decided to leave. He looked at me, who was ready to leave home, and was so angry that his fingers trembled.

Jame and Kathy looked panicked and were at a loss.

I looked at them disdainfully, pushed the suitcase, and left without paying attention to the obstruction of Jame and Kathy.

"Bang!"

The moment the door closed, I felt a sense of joy that I had never experienced in the past sixty-six years.

I did the things that they did not expect.