After My Dad Passed Away, My Husband Told Me, ‘We’ll Share The $2 Million Inheritance With My Mom.’

A Cruel Ultimatum

“About the $3 million, I’ve made a decision to divide it between my mom and me.”

This decision came shortly after my father’s funeral. Jack, after perusing the inheritance documents without seeking permission, remarked to me:

“Kelly, don’t be too greedy. Oh, finally I can quit my job. I have to thank that doddering old man.”

“Doddering old man? Are you talking about my dad?” I inadvertently blurted out.

Disregarding my confusion, Jack and my mother-in-law enthusiastically discussed plans to buy a new car and go shopping. Faced with this unexpected turn of events, I could no longer contain my emotions.

I was on the brink of exploding. Burdened with household chores, asked for money, and to top it off, they insulted my father. I didn’t want to live with Jack and my mother-in-law anymore.

Suppressing my anger, I forced a smile and replied:

“Sure, feel free to use the money as you and my mother-in-law please.”

The Beginning of Us

I am Kelly Cohan, a 38-year-old housewife working alongside my husband. My parents were doctors who ran a well-reputed clinic in our hometown. As an only child, I was showered with love.

After graduating from the School of Pharmacy, I secured a job at a major pharmaceutical company. Although my parents were disappointed I didn’t become a doctor, they respected my decision.

Ten years ago, my mother unexpectedly died in an accident, leaving me and my father devastated. During those difficult times, Jack, then my boyfriend, supported me. We met through a mutual friend, and two years after my mother’s passing, Jack proposed.

Jack was an ordinary salaryman in the food and beverage industry. Despite earning significantly more, I believed we could overcome any difficulty and be a happy couple. My father was overjoyed when I told him about our engagement.

“I’ve heard how Jack supported you, Kelly. Thank you so much. Please continue to take care of her,” he said.

Facing my father, Jack stood straight and promised:

“I will make her happy.”

Standing next to Jack, I was enveloped in feelings of happiness.

Meeting the Mother-in-Law

The following week, we went to Jack’s family home to announce our marriage. His mother, with flashy makeup and divorced from Jack’s father, evaluated me rudely.

“Marriage, huh? You’re Jack’s choice, are you? Isn’t she a plain choice? And she’s older, right? Wouldn’t a younger and prettier girl be better for you?”

Jack quickly retorted:

“Mom, you know M Pharmaceuticals, right? Kelly works there. Her father is a doctor and runs his practice.”

I expected Jack to praise my character, but instead, he emphasized the financial advantages. Hearing this, his mother’s expression changed to one of satisfaction.

“Oh, Jack, you should have told me such important things earlier. That changes everything. I happily approve of the marriage. Nice to meet you, Kelly.”

“Thank you.”

Trouble in Paradise

After gaining approval for our marriage from Jack’s mother, Jack was overjoyed. However, I couldn’t shake off a sense of unease. Despite things going smoothly and our decision to get married, when we were about to register our marriage, my father, a doctor and real estate investor, gifted me an apartment in a luxury building in New York City.

I told Jack:

“Dad has given me this apartment as a wedding gift, but it’s our new home. Let’s live here happily and peacefully together.”

Jack smiled happily, and thus our married life began. However, after getting married, I realized something unsettling. Jack, who had lived with his parents until then, was almost incapable of doing household chores.

He couldn’t cook, didn’t know how to use the washing machine, and showed no interest in learning. He would leave his garbage scattered around, not bothering to throw it away. While I wanted to diligently share household responsibilities, Jack’s careless attitude increased my dissatisfaction.

In the first year of marriage, I took on all the household responsibilities despite some complaints, given that we were still in the honeymoon phase. But with the exhaustion from work and struggling to keep up with chores, I reached my limit in our second year, deciding to have a serious talk with Jack about sharing household duties.

I bravely expressed my dissatisfaction. To my dismay, Jack responded without gratitude or reflection, saying:

“I’m tired from work too. You’re much better at chores than I am, right? It’s better if you do them since I’m not good at it.”

Dismissed just like that, Jack hardly helped with the chores, and I continued to bear the brunt of our household responsibilities.

The Demanding Mother-in-Law

But that wasn’t the only problem. After marrying Jack, I discovered his mother also had some peculiar ideas. Jack wasn’t very interested in seasonal events, so I decided to send a quality scarf and carnations to his mother for Mother’s Day.

Despite choosing a nice scarf from a department store, his mother called me, sounding displeased. She criticized the scarf, saying it wasn’t from a famous brand and was absurd to send such a no-name item. I tried to explain its quality, but she wouldn’t listen, insisting she wanted items from a very famous luxury brand.

Stunned, I reported this to Jack when he returned home. But instead of empathizing, he said:

“What? It’s just being… just do as she said.”

Jack didn’t take my side, and from then on, we started giving her cash as she demanded. Moreover, by our fifth year of marriage, she began visiting our home frequently, always finding reasons to ask for money. Jack, without any complaints, would always smile and give money to his mother.

Even though I had a job, Jack’s income was limited and small, making our daily life just barely manageable. Desperation led me to dip into our savings to cut living expenses. Despite my frustrations, I knew Jack cherished his mother, and she was an important person to me having supported me during tough times.

“She’s the mother of someone important to me,” and with that thought, I endured.