I told my son I lost my job he kicked me out. But he didn’t know I had just received $8M. So I…

But before I could speak, the curly-haired woman jumped up and shouted. She’s a scammer, officer. Arrest her right now.

The officer’s smile faded. He turned serious. Ma’am, do you have any proof of this accusation? Proof, she snapped.

Of course not. I’m just providing a tip. You should investigate her yourselves.

I mean, come on, how could a housemaid afford villas and grand pianos? Does that sound normal to you? The officer sighed, spreading his hands. Maybe she won the lottery. It happens.

Susan immediately jumped in, her tone sharp. Her? Winning the lottery? Don’t be ridiculous. She’s never had a lucky day in her life.

Grew up without parents, failed marriage, low-class jobs. People like her don’t get lucky, they get desperate. She has no education, no career path.

What else could she have done besides some shady business to get that kind of money? The officer’s expression hardened. Ma’am, I advise you to watch your words. Accusations without evidence fall under defamation and personal attacks.

We can open a case if needed. Susan’s face paled. She clammed up instantly.

A swirl of emotions stirred inside me, frustration, pain, anger. But mostly clarity. Life hadn’t been easy.

I’d grown up alone. After the divorce, I bent over backwards to support a son who never appreciated a thing I did. And now, the very people who’d once enjoyed my sacrifices were using my lowest points as ammunition to attack me.

If I had a nemesis in life, it was Susan, her daughter Nicole. And Ethan. They weren’t just ungrateful.

They were the real curses in my story. But now, I finally saw them for who they truly were. I pulled out my phone, opened my banking app, and without a word, turned the screen towards Susan, holding it up so she, and everyone else, could see.

You don’t want to see me happy? Tough luck. Looks like heaven had other plans. See this? Over 8 million.

All legal. All mine. No dirty secrets, no tricks.

Just blessings you’ll never understand. If that makes you sick, well, I hope it ruins your appetite. You want to accuse me of sleeping my way to the top? Go ahead.

Sue me. I’ll be waiting. Susan’s water cup slipped from her hand and crashed to the floor with a loud clang.

I could almost hear the crack of her pride shattering. 8 million. How the hell do you have that kind of money? Her voice shook, panic breaking through her disbelief.

Then her expression twisted, almost like something had just clicked. Oh, now I get it. That’s why you cut ties with your son.

You got rich and dumped him like trash. How heartless, Margaret. You’re unbelievable.

I turned to her, my tone sharp, unwavering. Don’t twist the story, Susan. I was ready to leave every cent to your daughter and my son.

That was my plan. But then you too decided I was a burden the minute I quit my job. You pushed me out of the house like garbage.

You think I forgot? That house you’re living in? Every dollar that bought it came from me. And not only did you kick me out, you wanted me to scrub floors at a second-rate nursing home just to keep earning for your family. You even suggested I go work for some old rich man as his live-in servant.

God knows what kind of services you had in mind. Tell me, Susan. Do you even have a shred of decency left in you? I could have given your whole family a life of luxury.

But no. Not a chance. You ruined it yourselves.

I turned to the growing crowd of onlookers. Tell me, doesn’t this pack of ingrates deserve everything they’ve lost? The crowd’s energy shifted. Their eyes, once filled with gossip, now brimmed with judgment, aimed squarely at Susan and her friends.

Susan’s face burned red like a con artist caught mid-scheme. You, you’re lying. We never said you should go work for some old man.

Oh. I said calmly. Should I play the recording for everyone here? Let them hear your exact words.

Her face went pale and for a second I saw real fear in her eyes. That recording is probably edited. I’m not listening to that garbage.

Her voice cracked as she turned away, retreating toward the exit. Margaret, you’re cruel to the core. You’ll get what’s coming to you someday.

And with that, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her. I finally exhaled. It was over for now.

But I knew better than to think it was truly finished. With that much money on the line, people like Susan and Ethan never stay quiet for long. What I didn’t expect was how quickly Ethan would crawl back into the picture.

The very next morning, the concierge delivered a massive bouquet of flowers, claiming someone had left it at the gate for me. I frowned, dragged the flowers inside and sifted through them. Right in the center was a card.

Wishing you a lovely weekend. Love, your son Ethan. I nearly burst out laughing, disgusted to the core.

It was so shameless it was almost comical. Without hesitation I picked up the bouquet and tossed it straight into the kitchen trash can. Then I snapped a photo, crushed petals, bent stems and the crumpled card all in one frame and sent it to the gatehouse.

From now on refuse anything sent by this person. Also, kindly forward him this picture. I didn’t just want him rejected, I wanted him humiliated.

Sure enough I never received another bouquet from him again. But he didn’t give up. He just escalated.

He began waiting outside the gated community every single day. Rain or shine, workday or weekend, he’d be there lurking, desperate. Every time I came or went he’d put on another pitiful act, like some character in a cheap tragedy.

One day he even dropped to his knees on the sidewalk, crying hysterically. Mom, please don’t be angry anymore. Come home, I was wrong.

Mom, no matter what, I’m still your son. How can you be this cold to me? I didn’t even bother looking at him. His theatrics only made my skin crawl.

Eventually I got so sick of the scene that I hired a full-time driver. Every day I sat in the back with the windows up, gliding past the front gate straight into my villa’s garage. No eye contact, no conversation, no chance for him to reach me.

Ethan kept it up for two full weeks. But once it was clear I wasn’t budging he finally gave up. At least I thought he did.

Instead he changed tactics. He went digging through and somehow managed to contact my ex-husband, Richard who was once Ethan’s father too. That’s when things truly began to spiral in a way I hadn’t anticipated…