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718words2026-01-26 09:08

The first time I met my boyfriend's parents,his mom didn't like me but fell in love with my bracelet at first sight.
She demanded that I give it to her.
I explained politely that I had had it on me since I was a child and that it was too tight to remove.

She didn't listen,grabbing my wrist.
"You won't even offer this small thing to me, and you still think you're good enough for my son?"
In the struggle,the bracelet shattered,and my hand was a bloody mess.
But my boyfriend,Ryan Carter,didn't care.He took her side:
"It's just a cheap bracelet.Mom liked it,and you wouldn't give it up—you deserved this!"
Heartbroken,I walked out without looking back.

He forgot that bracelet wasn't just a priceless antique—it was my mom's heirloom, the only thing I had to remember her.
Days later,he came crawling back, begging for us to be together again:
"Emma,if you kneel down and apologize to my mom,I'll give you another chance."
I slapped a lawyer’s letter in his face:

"What nonsense are you spouting?So impatient to go to jail?"
We'd been together three years,and Ryan always called himself a"self-made man", “an ugly duckling”.
His family was poor,but he was the first in his village to go to college.
Before meeting his parents,he drilled me:
"Pick expensive,high-end gifts for my folks—they're picky.If it doesn't match my status in the village,they'll be too embarrassed to accept."
"And even though my family's modest,they're regular folks after all.Don't act prissy or complain—it'll hurt their pride."
Meeting my boyfriend’s parents was a big deal,so I took it seriously.
I bought top-class vitamin pills for his mom and top-shelf whiskey and cigars for his dad.
But at their place,I learned the truth.
His"social status in the village"was a lie.
Their house was a crumbling shack.
And his parents?They were insufferable snobs.
In their dilapidated,they sat on a bench,eyeing me like royalty sizing up a servant.
His mom,Linda Carter,didn't hide her disgust:
"Waist so tiny,hips too narrow,frail-looking—you can't work or bear strong sons.How will you perform your duties as a wife?"
"You?Good enough for our college boy?"
His dad,Tom,stared at me creepily before saying:
"Young girls shouldn't show your arms and legs. Just advertising that anyone can sleep with you for free,huh?"
"You're Ryan's now—stop dressing like you're a whore!"
I thought I looked fine in a simple T-shirt and shorts.
Why should I take their insults?
A wave of nausea hit me.
I almost left right then.
But Ryan,seeing my discomfort,grabbed my hand.
"My parents likved in the countryside all their lives—old-fashioned views are normal.Just bear with it...for me,okay?"
I wavered.
Three years together, my feelings for him arer genuine,and we were so close to getting married.
Fine.Since I was already here.
Forcing a smile,I handed over the gifts.
Their attitudes softened.
Tom,thrilled with the whiskey and cigars,grinned:
"You're Emma,right?A bit indecent,but you're thoughtful enough.I hope you'll shape up."
Ryan smiled along.
I couldn't.
Indecent?His whole family was indecent.
I wanted to slap him in the face.
But I restrained myself.
Linda however, didn't.
Rifling through my gifts,she snapped:
"This is all you brought to fool me?Where's your respect?"
Confused,I explained patiently,"These are vitamin pills, very popular now, and the best you could find—great for health and beauty."
"Stop yapping—I don't get it!"she cut me off,red-faced."Your family's rich,right?Why not bring real gold or cash to show me some respect?"
Ryan had told her about my family's wealth,so she acted entitled.
But I'm not doing charity here!
Those gifts were already showed my sincerity.
Anger flared,and I blurted,"Why should I buy you those things?"
She crossed her arms,shameless."I raised a successful son like Ryan.Meeting him is the greatest thing that could ever happen to you.If you don't respect me,you're not worthy of him!"
Her gall and warped logic made me laugh.
Before I could curse,Ryan cut in,glaring at me:
"My mom's old—can't you leave her be?"
Then,sweetly to her:
"Mom,Emma's new here, she doesn’t know the rules.Next time,I'll make her bring the best to make up for it,okay?"
Bravo to his act.
I decided then:back home,I'd find a way to dump him before his family could exploit me any further.
Linda nodded coldly.
The tension eased—until she spotted my jade bracelet,her eyes gleaming with greed.
"Forget next time.Give me that bracelet now.I'm not picky!"