Chapter 1
"I Came Home Three Hours Early and Found My Sick Mother Cooking with My Son Strapped to Her Back While My Husband and Mother-in-Law Watched TV—So I Took Her to the Mansion Across the Street
“Your mother is used to serving people. She can finish cooking before she sits down.”
Those were the first words I heard when I walked into my Phoenix home three hours earlier than anyone expected.
My flight from Guadalajara had landed early, and all I wanted was to surprise my four-year-old son, Donovan, and my mother, Alexis.
Mom had severe arthritis, and before I left, I specifically told my husband, Caden, she needed to rest.
Instead, I found Caden and his mother, Bonnie, stretched across the couch under blasting air conditioning.
Bonnie was eating grapes.
Caden was playing games on his tablet with a beer beside him.
Then I heard Donovan crying from the kitchen.
I walked in and nearly dropped my suitcase.
My mother was standing over a steaming stove with Donovan strapped to her back in a shawl.
Her face was pale, her blouse was soaked with sweat, and both hands were trembling.
“Mom, what are you doing?”
She turned toward me, and the fear in her eyes told me everything before she spoke.
“Emily, you’re home early.”
I rushed over and lifted Donovan from her back.
My mother immediately grabbed the counter because her knees almost gave out.
“What happened to you?”
Before she could answer, Bonnie appeared in the doorway.
“Don’t make this dramatic.”
I stared at her.
“She can barely stand.”
Bonnie shrugged.
“She offered to help.”
My mother quietly shook her head.
“No, I didn’t.”
Caden finally walked into the kitchen and sighed like I was inconveniencing him.
“Emily, Mom only asked her to make dinner and clean up.”
“Only?”
I pointed at the pile of dishes, laundry, and food covering the counters.
Then Donovan wrapped his arms around my neck and whispered, “Grandma fell down before.”
My stomach dropped.
“How many times?”
Mom looked away.
Bonnie snapped, “Children exaggerate.”
That was when I noticed the swollen bruise around my mother’s knee.
I didn’t scream.
I didn’t argue.
I walked to the breaker panel and shut off the power.
Then I turned off the main water valve.
Caden stared at me.
“What the hell are you doing?”
I picked up my mother’s bag and took Donovan’s hand.
“If you wanted a servant, you should have hired one.”
Bonnie laughed as we walked outside.
“And where exactly are you going?”
I pointed across the street at the enormous gated mansion they had spent months gossiping about.
Caden smirked.
“You don’t even know those people.”
I pressed a button on my phone.
The mansion gates slowly opened.
May you like
Then the security guard stepped outside, looked directly at me, and said, “Welcome home, Ms. Carter.”
Caden’s beer slipped from his hand.
