“Save it. Both of you,” I said.
My mom spoke first, despite my words, her face was ghostly pale.
“Darling, I did it for you!” she said quietly. “I didn’t want you to be alone.
After your father cheated on me when you were a child, I’ve had to live with being alone. It’s difficult and lonely. And you’re… sickly, Claire.
I did it for you, honey.”
“You didn’t do it for me!” I shot back, my voice trembling with anger. “You did it because you think I’m not good enough to find someone on my own. Isn’t that right?
It’s because you wanted control, isn’t it? Well, congratulations, Mom. You bought me a husband.
And you’ve both lost me.”
James tried to interject, but I turned on him, fire in my veins.
“And as for you,” I said, “my goodness. I hope the money was worth it. Because you’re not getting anything from me.
Not another cent. My mother can continue being your bank for all I care. But this marriage is definitely over.”
With that, I grabbed my coat and walked out, leaving them to choke on the ruins of their lies.
It’s been a few months since that night.
I filed for divorce early in the new year because it had been a nightmare to get any lawyers to work on it as soon as possible.
James didn’t contest it. He probably knew fighting it would expose the payments, or bribes, or whatever you’d call it.
I’ve barely spoken to my mom. She’s tried to apologize, sending tearful texts and emails, but I’m not ready to forgive her.
Maybe I never will.
Healing has been slow, especially because the stress of the situation had led me to eat things I wasn’t supposed to, causing my blood sugar levels to skyrocket, sending me straight to the hospital for a week.
But since then, I’ve been going to therapy, which has helped me unpack the hurt and rebuild my self-esteem.
I’ve also reconnected with old friends who’ve reminded me of my worth.
I may not know what the future holds, but for the first time in years, I feel free. And that’s worth more than all the money in the world.
What would you have done?
Source: amomama
