Valerie Jason Brenda NovelMy Boyfriend’s Scheme

For my mom's birthday, I bought her a sports car.
That night, I overheard the housekeeper complaining to my boyfriend.
It's my birthday today, too, but she only gets a gift for her mom, not me. When you two are married, you can't let her keep funneling money to her family like that!
The driver chimed in, "Exactly! What's an old broad like her need a car like that for? She should've given it to me! Son, you should just get her pregnant sooner rather than later!"
But I remembered my boyfriend telling me he was an orphan, that he would love and cherish my mother as his own.
The next day, I watched on the security camera as he swapped my daily vitamins for folic acid.

01
My mom has a thing for fast cars, so for her birthday, I got her a custom sports car.
Before I could even say anything, our housekeeper, Brenda, jumped in, her eyes wide with disapproval. "Valerie, why would you buy a car like this! It's all flash, completely impractical. You should return it before it's even been driven. Don't waste your money!"
The celebratory mood instantly evaporated. Everyone else went quiet.
But Brenda didn't seem to notice. She snatched my phone off the table and shoved it into my hand. "Well, what are you waiting for? Call them! What if they won't take it back later? You young people just know how to spend, you have no idea how to be frugal!"
My expression soured. Anyone would be furious if a housekeeper overstepped her bounds and trashed a gift youd carefully chosen for your mother.
But it was a special day, and I didn't want to upset my mom. I simply slipped my phone into my purse.
"Mom, here are the keys. Go ahead, take it for a spin. See if you like it."
My mom, bless her, played along and got into the car. Only then did I turn to face Brenda's face, which was as dark as thunder.
I was about to lay into her when Rick, our driver, staggered over, reeking of alcohol, his face flushed red. I glanced at the table and saw that the bottle of expensive wine Id bought specifically for the celebration was already open, more than half of it gone.
Rick waved his hand dismissively, acting more like the lord of the manor than I did.
"Valerie, Brenda didn't mean it like that. She only says these things because she sees you as family. But she's got a point. A big purchase like a car, that's something a man should have the final say on. Did you even discuss it with Jason?"
Jason was my boyfriend. But it was my money that paid for the car, and my name, Valerie Hayes, on the paychecks that paid their salaries.
I don't pay people to walk all over me.
"That's enough!" I cut him off, my brow furrowed. "It's my money, and I'll spend it how I please. Brenda, you should stick to your duties as a housekeeper and not cross the line. And Rick, you're a driver. Should you be drinking on the job? And for that matter, that was my bottle of wine. Did you have permission to open it? If this happens again, you'll be paying for it in full!"
I lowered my voice, but my tone was steel. "Today is my mother's birthday. If anyone else forgets their place, they can leave immediately."
I've always been generous, paying top-tier salaries with excellent benefits.
At my words, the rest of the staff nodded in agreement. Only Brenda and Rick stood frozen, their faces burning with humiliation. I knew I'd wounded their pride, but if I didn't put my foot down now, they'd inspire the others to act the same way.
Just then, my mom returned from her test drive, beaming.
"Thank you, sweetie. I absolutely love it! Let's go inside and eat, I'm starving."
She gently took my arm, completely ignoring the two statues standing by the car. My mom is sharp; she knew exactly what I was doing, but she always respected my decisions, whether at home or in the office.
After that incident, Brenda served the dinner quietly, a stark contrast to her usual chatty self. The expensive wine was replaced with a bottle from our own cellar. The only sounds were the soft clinking of silverware and the murmur of conversation between my mom and me.
"Valerie, Mrs. Hayes, sorry I'm late." My boyfriend, Jason, arrived, presenting my mom with a gift and a bouquet of flowers before sliding into the seat next to me.