She Called Me Demented，So I Sold the House I Bought Her

On the drive to my son's place, I mentioned I'd like to stay one night at his house and leave the next morning.

The moment he heard that, his expression shifted. Mom, the house is a mess. You should really just stay at a hotel.

I frowned. Your own mother can't stay one night?

My wife doesn't allow anyone else to sleep over.

"I'll call her and explain."

When the call connected, Maxine Henson's tone was clearly unhappy, but she agreed in the end.

I knew she was upset, so the second time I visited, I made a point of buying a gold bracelet as a gift for her.

But the moment I arrived at the front door, I saw a piece of paper taped to it.

It read: No demented old hags or dogs allowed!

My whole body trembled. The color drained from my face.

My son, Terence James, rushed to explain. "Mom, don't be upset. She didn't mean anything by it. Just don't stay overnight and everything will be fine."

I was so furious I laughed. "It's fine. I'm not upset."

"I paid for this house and I can't even stay one night."

"Then neither of you should be living here either."

I turned around and called a real estate agent to sell the house at a discount.

...

I stood in the doorway, staring at the note taped to the front door.

I couldn't stop shaking.

No wonder, on the drive over, when I'd tried to call Maxine to tell her I'd bought her a gold bracelet specifically to smooth things over.

After all, the last time I'd stayed here overnight, I could tell. Maxine hadn't made a scene to my face, but her eyes, her reactionsthe displeasure had been impossible to miss.

I didn't want the two of them fighting over me. I didn't want my son caught in the middle, torn between his wife and his mother.

So I figured I'd buy a bracelet to win her over.

But she never picked up.

I even suspected that after my last visit, she'd blocked my number.

Terence noticed the look on my face.

He quickly pushed the door open. "Mom, come in. Sit down."

I walked inside without a word.

The second I sat down, he brought me a glass of water. "Mom, have you booked your hotel for tonight?"

"I have," I said flatly.

I noticed the visible relief that washed over him when he heard my answer. His smile widened. "Good. I was worried you wouldn't have time to arrange it on such short notice."

A little while later, Maxine came home from work.

The moment she walked in and saw me, something flickered across her face.

But perhaps because I was still her mother-in-law, she hesitated for a beat, then forced a thin smile. "Mom, what brings you here again?"

"I"

I was about to answer when Terence hurried out of the kitchen and cut me off. "Babe, Mom's planning a trip up north, so she stopped by to see us."

"She'll leave right after dinner."

The tension in Maxine's brow finally eased when she heard that last part.

"Fine. I'll help you in the kitchen."

"Thanks, babe."

The two of them disappeared into the kitchen, and it couldn't have been more than a minute beforewhether Maxine couldn't hold it in or whether she wanted me to hearher voice cut through the walls, sharp and cold.

"Terence, this is the last time. Your mother's too senile to remember, but did you forget too?"

Hearing Maxine call me senile.

The glass of water trembled in my hands.

Ever since my son married her, I'd done everything I could to give them their space as a couple.

I'd bought them this very house they were living in.

Two point seven million dollars. Paid in full.

I'd even thrown in a BMW.

As for me?

I was the one who'd become a homeless old woman.

Drifting from place to place, day after day.

People envied me, thought I was lucky to be traveling year-round. But how could they possibly know the truth? What I really wanted was so simple: to live with my family. To help look after my grandchildren someday, cook meals, do a little housework, and enjoy the warmth of having loved ones under one roof.

But Maxine refused to live with her in-laws.

That was the one condition she'd set before the wedding.

My son told me about it, and for the sake of his happiness, I agreed.

What I never expected was just how fiercely she'd resist my presence. I only stayed over once in a while, a single night here and there, and even that was too much for her.

"Babe, I didn't forget."

"You say you didn't forget?"

"I really didn't."

"Then tell me. What did you promise me before we got married?"

"I promised you that I'd never let my mom live under the same roof as us."

"And now? Have you kept that promise?"

"Babe, Mom only stayed one night last time. She's been away for so long, and she finally came back for a visit. She said she missed her son. Is one night really that unreasonable?"

"Missed her son?"

A sharp scoff.

"She just can't stand that her precious baby boy listens to another woman now. Your father passed away young. It was just the two of you, leaning on each other all those years. She got used to having you by her side. We've barely been married. And she's already traveling all this way to stay the night? She's doing it on purpose. Treating everything I said like it meant nothing. Putting me in my place."

"Babe, Mom isn't like that!"

"Terence, whose side are you on?"

"Yours, of course. Always yours."

"Then stop making excuses for her."

"But"

"I'm furious right now. One more word in her defense, and you're sleeping in the bathroom tonight."

The conversation ended there.

My son didn't dare say another word.

A few minutes later, the two of them came out carrying dishes.

Maxine smiled sweetly and poured me half a glass of wine.

"Mom, Terence tells me you're leaving tonight." She tilted her head, her expression the picture of regret. "What a shame. I was really hoping to spend a few more days with you. I had no idea you'd be in such a rush. I'm not much of a drinker, but let me have a little with you."

I looked at that hollow smile on my daughter-in-law's face.

I didn't call her out on it.

I just smiled and nodded.

After dinner, the two of them went to the kitchen to wash up. Maxine's voice carried through the doorway again: "Are you going to make your mother leave, or do I have to?"

Hearing those words, my resolve hardened.

Before, I'd thought Maxine simply had a bit of a princess complex. A few quirks. But as long as she stayed faithful to my son, as long as the two of them built a good life together, I could make sacrifices. It didn't matter. After all, my boy had grown up without a father. The hurt he'd carried was far more than I'd ever seen. Once he'd grown up and started a family of his own, all I wanted was for him to be happy.

But this woman was far more vicious than I'd imagined. Unreasonable. And the worst part was that honeyed facade, all warmth and sweetness to your face while the knife twisted behind your back.

It sent a chill straight through me.

They'd only just gotten married. Given enough time, I couldn't bring myself to believe my son would ever find happiness with a woman like her.

Soon, the two of them finished the dishes and came out of the kitchen.

My son hemmed and hawed for a long time.

Finally, he forced the words out.

"Mom... when are you leaving?"

Seeing the confusion on my face, my son immediately explained, "Mom, I'm not trying to make you leave. It's just that it'll be hard for you to catch a cab later. If you're heading out, I can give you a ride."

Beside him, Maxine shot him a glare.

"Your mother just finished eating and you're already rushing her out the door." She crossed her arms. "People who don't know better would think I'm the one kicking her out. You want your mother to think I'm some terrible daughter-in-law? Is that what you want?"

Looking at my son's pained, helpless expression, I stood up. "I'll go now."

"Mom, let me drive you."

The relief that washed over his face was impossible to miss.

Disappointment settled deep in my chest. He was this afraid of his wife. What kind of life was he going to have?

At the door, Maxine seemed to remember something. She suddenly held out her hand toward me. "Mom, didn't you buy me a gift?"

My fingers closed around the gold bracelet in my pocket.

She was right. I had bought her a gift. I'd planned to smooth things over, ease the tension a little.

But after everything she'd just pulled, I had written her off completely.

She wanted the gold bracelet? In her dreams.

"There's no gift." I pulled the door open. "Don't bother seeing me out."

Under their stunned stares, I shut the door behind me.

I was about to walk away when Maxine's furious voice erupted from inside.

"Terence, why did you lie to me?"

"You told me your mother bought me a gold bracelet!"

"She did! She told me herself!"

"Then why did she just say there's no gift?"

"I... I don't know."

"So you've learned how to lie to me now, is that it?" A beat of silence. "You're sleeping in the bathroom tonight."

I let out a long breath and walked away, my heart heavy with disappointment.

Back at the hotel, I showered and was about to go to bed when my phone buzzed.

I picked it up. A message from my son.

"Mom, are you asleep?"

"No."

"Great."

"What is it?"

"Could you lend me some money? It doesn't have to be a lot. $600,000 would be enough."

I frowned.

"What do you need that kind of money for?"

"Well, here's the thing..."

He explained. Maxine's father had collapsed that evening. Just ten minutes ago, he'd been diagnosed with cancer. He needed surgery immediately.

Before I could respond, Maxine called.

She was sobbing on the other end, saying her father was sick. I asked which hospital, got dressed, and headed straight there.

When I arrived, Maxine's eyes were red and swollen from crying. Terence stood beside her, rubbing her back, murmuring reassurances. The moment they saw me, their faces flooded with relief, like I was their last hope.

Maxine rushed forward and grabbed my hands.

"How is he?" I asked.

"Mom, the doctor said my dad's condition is serious. He needs surgery soon, but the cost is hundreds of thousands of dollars." Her voice cracked, and tears spilled down her cheeks again.

Terence pulled her close, an arm around her shoulders. "Babe, don't worry about the money. My mom's here now. She'll help us figure it out."

Teresa Henson walked up to me. She started to lower herself to her knees.

I caught her by the arms before she could. "Mrs. Henson, please don't do that."

She wept, begging me for help between broken sobs.

I nodded slowly. "I'll see what I can do."

Then I excused myself, saying I needed the restroom.

I didn't go back to the hotel.

Instead, I left the city overnight.

My son and daughter-in-law called nonstop.

I turned my phone off.

I didn't power it back on until the next day.

The agent called first. The house had sold, fifteen percent below market value. Since I'd given the agency and my lawyer full authority to handle the sale, I didn't need to be there in person.

A short while later, the deposit notification hit my bank account.

Before I could turn the phone off again, a text from my son came through.

"Mom, where did you go?"

"Why was your phone off?"

"Why did you sell the house?"

I thought about it for a moment, then replied.

"I bought that house, and I wasn't even allowed to sleep in it."

"So neither can you."