My son and daughter-in-law suddenly returned home after living abroad for more than a decade.

They spoke with my granddaughter in Datrenan the entire time during dinner.

My granddaughter said, "Dad, Grandma's ugly and dumb. She's embarrassing!"

My son just laughed. "What can we do? Country people are like that."

I didn't understand what they were talking about, so I simply smiled and placed a chicken wing into my granddaughter's bowl, trying to please her.

However, she threw it in my face instead. "Gross! It's all your fault that Grandpa and Kasey can't be here!"

I was stunned. My husband died decades ago, and… who was Kasey?

Back From the Dead

"Faith, don't be rude to your grandmother."

I tried to wipe the sauce off my face, but Faith merely laughed louder and repeated in Datrenan, "What an idiot!"

I burned with humiliation. "Faith, didn't I tell you to use Cathayan at home? I don't understand other languages."

Alas, she just rolled her eyes at me and complained to my son, Noah Chapman, "Dad, Grandma's so dumb. I don't want to sit with her."

Noah and his wife, Zoey Wagner, had their eyes peeled on their phones and had been ignoring Faith's actions. I got angry and smacked the back of Faith's head. "Is this how I taught you? Where are your manners?"

Zoey, who had been silent, looked up immediately and snapped at me, "Nora, Faith is just a child. Why did you do that to her?"

I stared at her in disbelief. "Are you going to ignore the fact that she threw food at me first?"

Zoey shrugged nonchalantly. "She was just being a kid. I'm sure it didn't hurt. Besides, you must've been mistreating her for her to hate you so much."

My chest tightened with fury.

I looked at Noah, who didn't even bother to look up. "Mom, please stop. Why can't you learn from those elderly abroad? Those people have class. No wonder Faith thinks you're embarrassing."

Faith became even bolder upon having his support. "It's all your fault. You're stinky and filthy. Yet, you're still hogging the house. You're the reason why Grandpa and Kasey can't come home!"

I froze. "Your grandpa's been dead for decades. And who is Kasey?"

Faith jumped on the chair and spat on me. "You're the one who should die! Grandpa is alive and well. He's tall and handsome, and even wears an expensive watch. Kasey smells nice. Unlike you. You stink!"

It took me several minutes to process what she had just said. "You've all been hiding something from me? So, Connor isn't dead and has a mistress?"

Zoey frowned. "Nora, what are you saying? They're soulmates. Kindred spirits. How could you call a bond like that cheating?"

I was dizzy with rage. "What is it if not cheating? He ran off with his mistress while I held the family together for over 40 years! I worked myself to the bone to put Noah through school, help him get married, and raise his daughter. Yet, where was he? Who's that Kasey woman?

"You both knew all along, didn't you?"

"Mom!" Noah slammed his phone onto the table.

There wasn't a trace of warmth in his eyes.

Instead, there was nothing but disappointment in his eyes. "Mom, it's been decades, but you're still as vulgar as ever. Look at you now. You're making a mountain out of a molehill. It's no wonder Dad faked his death just to get away from you."

My mind went blank as I stood frozen in place.

…

Moments later, Noah warmly greeted a man and a woman and invited them to sit in the two empty seats.

I looked up. It's been over 30 years, yet Connor Chapman, my husband, didn't have a single strand of gray hair. His hair was still thick and black. His tailored suit was immaculate. He looked every bit the refined intellectual.

The woman beside him barely had any wrinkles. She wore a brown coat, her hair neatly pinned up, and a diamond bracelet resting elegantly on her wrist.

I knew her. She's Kasey Bullock, my old neighbor from decades ago.

Faith threw herself into their arms and called them Grandpa and Grandma, clinging to them affectionately. Connor chuckled happily, and Zoey linked arms with Kasey as they chatted.

Everyone sat down, except me.

Connor glanced at me and said, "If you're not sitting, then ask the waiter to bring two more dishes."

I asked in return, "Don't you have some explaining to do?"

He was annoyed. "About what? Our family finally has a chance to get together for a meal, but you just have to ruin it with that sour look on your face. Stop picking fights. No one is obligated to put up with you."

Faith deliberately dumped a bowl of soup all over my chair and pointed at Kasey. "Why are you still here? See her? She is my real grandma. Not someone like you who only wears ragged clothes."

We're No Family

Zoey looked proudly at Faith. "You have good taste, Faith. Don't turn out like your grandma when you're older. Watch out for hygiene, lest you're covered in fleas."

Faith lifted her chin smugly. "Ha! That old hag isn't my grandmother. I want Kasey to be my grandmother. Kasey's beautiful, dresses nicely, and she's rich. This old woman won't even buy me snacks. She's so cheap!"

Kasey then pulled out a dress. "Faith, dear. This is for you. It's a foreign designer brand."

The entire table burst into laughter.

Noah shot me a look. "Come on, Mom. The family is sharing a meal. Don't ruin the mood."

I looked at the frayed edges of my sleeve, feeling as if someone had ripped my heart apart. "Family? Ruin the mood? We're no family."

I looked up and flipped the table over. Plates went crashing, and shards flew everywhere. Kasey cried out in shock, and Connor instinctively shielded her.

Noah was drenched in grease and shouted, "Mom, what are you doing? Why are you being so difficult? If I had known, I never would've left Faith with you. You've ruined her! You can't even compare to Dad. I don't know why he ever married you!"

I sucked in a deep breath. "You're right. I won't take care of Faith anymore. Let her generous grandparents do it instead!"

I stormed out of the room and pointed at Connor. "He can pay today's bill. It's over 7,000. Let him cover it."

Connor stiffened for a moment before looking away, pretending he didn't hear me.

…

I sat on the bench in the park.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared at the sky.

"Nora, are you alright?" One of the older women from the neighborhood hurried over, shocked to see me crying.

She patted my back gently. "Oh, we're already in our 60s. Tell me. What happened? We'll figure it out together."

I stopped my tears, but where do I even begin?

Connor and I didn't marry out of love.

He was almost 30 and still single. His family pushed him to get married and was setting up blind dates for him.

As for me, I lost my hearing in my left ear after a fever when I was young, so nobody wanted to marry me either.

Our parents decided we would make a good pair because of our mutual faults. And so, we got married.

There wasn't much passion between us, but we treated each other with respect after Noah was born. Life was peaceful enough.

That lasted until Kasey's husband, Scott Bailey, died.

She lived next door to us. Before that, we were barely more than acquaintances. Sometimes, Connor would help her with her groceries when Scott was away.

After Scott died, she had been visiting us much more frequently. One day, she'd say the lightbulb was broken. The next day, there were mice in her kitchen. At one point, she even suddenly cried out that she had sprained her ankle.

Since she was newly widowed, I couldn't exactly curse her out too harshly. So, I chose to ignore it, but she kept pushing the boundaries. I picked Noah up from school one day and saw Connor riding his old bicycle down the street.

There Kasey was, right behind him, with her arms around his waist. Her laughter was as clear as chiming bells.

I lost control and dashed over to slap her. Connor insisted that it was purely platonic. We fought endlessly after that.

I thought of a divorce several times, but Noah's little hands would hug me as he begged me not to leave. So… I gave in. Now, I was finally learning that not all good deeds begot thanks.

Not long after, I realized money was missing from the stash of cash I kept hidden. After some investigating, I realized Connor had taken the money I saved up for Noah's school fees to go on movie dates with Kasey.

This time, I scratched his face bloody, and the village dog barked the whole night.

Connor said he was going to collect some goods the next day, but got into an accident. He never came back.

I blacked out when I first heard the news.

…

By the time I woke up, his relatives told me he'd already been buried.

Kasey moved away a few days after Connor's death.

After that, I had no choice but to struggle on alone with Noah. I drifted from city to city for years, working myself to the bone putting him through school, saving up for his wedding, and helping buy his apartment.

I thought life would finally get easier.

However, right after getting married, Noah sold the apartment, dumped his barely one-year-old daughter on me, took the money, and went overseas to "build his career."

Now, I finally understood. It wasn't for his career. He was well aware that Connor faked his death and wanted to reunite with him abroad.

I let out a long breath.

The old woman was just about to speak when another neighbor rushed over. "Nora, something bad happened! I think someone broke into your house. A bunch of them just showed up with luggage!"

You Forgot To Cook

When I got home, Zoey and Kasey were chatting away happily while Connor was reading on the sofa.

Connor shot me a glare and reprimanded, "Look at the time. You wandered outside for so long that you forgot to cook. This is ridiculous!"

I wanted to slap him so much, but I was hungry. So, I made myself a plate of spaghetti instead.

I went back into the kitchen to grab a fork, but came out to see Connor and Kasey helping themselves to my food.

On the other hand, Noah and Zoey were complaining, "Mom, where's ours? It's so little. How is it enough for all of us? You're so stingy."

Connor commented as he stuffed his mouth full, "She's always been selfish. See how little meat she used. It's so salty. A country woman will always be a country woman. She'll never have any class."

He continued, "When I was abroad, I only ate in high-end‌ restaurants. Even the waitresses were more refined than your mom. People spoke softly and elegantly, unlike her."

He was on a roll when I flipped the plate on his face.

Kasey screamed.

Connor roared while covering his face, "Nora, you lunatic. Where are your manners?"

I laughed from sheer rage. "Lunatic? Manners?"

I picked up his book from the couch about some philosophy nonsense, ripped it apart, and slapped the torn pages against his face one after another.

"Oh, is this the manners you're talking about? You faked your own death and cheated on me with a mistress! Then, you had the gall to run abroad, leaving me behind to slave away for your entire family and only come back after the hard years are over.

"You abandoned your wife, your son, and even your own mother! A man who doesn't give a damn about his own family has no upbringing. Don't make me laugh, you shameless piece of trash!"

I threw the book in Connor's face. "Stop pretending to have class. You're just rotten trash dressed up in expensive clothes. If life abroad was so wonderful, then why come back? Get the hell back there!"

A wave of humiliation flushed through Connor's pale face.

Kasey stepped forward and said softly, "Nora, let me—"

I slapped her across the face before she could finish, and she teared up.

"You get lost too! You call yourself classy? I've never seen a classy woman proudly become a mistress, let alone flirt with a married man right in front of his wife!"

Noah and Zoey couldn't take it anymore and spoke up in their defense. "Mom, you're so old-fashioned. That happened decades ago. Why are you making yourself miserable over something so long ago?"

"Get lost, all of you!" I just threw whatever was within my reach amid their screams. Soon, the entire house descended into chaos, and no one spoke a word.

"Grandma, please stop being mad. I'm scared."

I looked at Faith's fearful eyes, and my heart ached. I raised her for 12 years. I fed her milk, changed her diaper, and taught her how to read and write. I watched her grow up for all 12 years of her life.

I couldn't bear it and walked up to her, wanting to hug her. However, I tripped and smashed against the floor when I approached Faith.

Stars exploded in my vision.

Faith laughed out loud beside me and threw her storybook at me. She gloated, "Serves you right! How dare you bully Grandpa and Kasey!"

The others praised Faith for what she did. Connor then led Kasey into the master bedroom and threw out my belongings. Kasey smiled smugly and stepped on me as she passed by.

Noah shook his head. "Mom, don't blame me for not helping you. You brought this on yourself. Even Faith can't take it."

He then returned to his room with Zoey. Not one of them came to help me up.

Faith looked down on me arrogantly. "Get lost, you country bumpkin. You annoy me."

I didn't move, but she smiled. "Don't you understand me? I don't need a useless grandma!"

I saw the same contempt on her face as Connor's. Faith skipped back into her room as she hummed a song.

I slowly climbed to my feet.

Then, I packed every last thing I owned, grabbed my savings book, and left that night.

Since they didn't need me, I'll just let these "classy" people enjoy their reunion without me.

I moved into an upscale apartment and immediately put the house up for sale online.

I had spent all my savings to buy that home specifically so Faith could attend a good school nearby.

Since I was selling it at a discount, it was sold within two days. I completed the paperwork promptly and received the money.

Needless to say, Noah was stunned when the buyer showed up at the house.