They Chose the Nanny, I Chose to Stop Funding Them Chapter 07
There were even text messages from Julia.
“Ms. Peterson, please don’t argue with your parents. Don’t let things get ugly between you both. They’re old and can’t keep getting angry like this.”
I read the messages and felt both disgusted and nauseated. So, without hesitation, I blocked all three of them from all of my social media accounts and text messaging apps. Then, I turned off the phone, tossed it in a corner, and decided I wanted nothing to do with them anymore.
I turned to look out the window at the bustling night view of Berrington, where the neon lights flashed, the traffic flowed, and the evening breeze blew in through my window with a slight chill.
I let out a long sigh, feeling as though a huge rock had been lifted from my shoulders. My whole body just felt so much lighter afterward.
For years, I had been living under the constraints and moral blackmail from my own family. I tried desperately to please them, but I never received a single word of affirmation or recognition from them. And now that I’d completely cut them off, I felt a sense of liberation.
I threw myself into work as soon as I got to the office the next morning, forgetting all of the troubles from my family.
One of the major projects I’d been working on for over six months had finally paid off, and it brought huge profits to the company.
My supervisor praised me publicly at the company-wide meeting, announcing that I had been promoted to Head of Department. I would also be getting a salary increase far exceeding my expectations and a handsome bonus on top of everything.
My colleagues came up to me and congratulated me. Some of them jokingly called me “lucky”, while others said that I truly deserved it.
After work, they dragged me out to celebrate. We went to a steakhouse I’d been wanting to try, and we spent the night drinking, chatting, and laughing. My eyes were shining with a sense of ease and joy that I’d never felt before.
All my years of hard work finally paid off. I could finally rely on myself and live the life I wanted.
Over the weekend, I met up with a few friends who shared my interests, and we went to an art exhibition. My mood improved considerably as I admired the vibrant and beautiful paintings on the walls.
In the afternoon, we checked out a newly-opened cafe and sat by the window, basking in the sun while chatting and enjoying our leisurely time together.
At night, I went back to my rented apartment, snuggled on the soft couch under a light blanket, and watched my favorite movie with a warm glass of milk by my side.
Life had never been so peaceful and comfortable.
I could finally be myself and express myself freely without the pressure and moral blackmail from my family, the arguments, or the careful need to appease them. I didn’t have to compromise myself for anyone, and this was the life that I’d always been longing for.
Meanwhile, my parents were starting to feel the pinch without my financial support back home.
They still lived together as a family of three with Julia, spending money lavishly as they used to, unaware that a huge storm was brewing.
When Julia saw that I wasn’t paying her salary anymore, her kind and gentle facade began to fade. Her eyes turned sly.
She knew better than anyone that flattery wasn’t going to get her anywhere with the elderly couple. She would only truly benefit if she could get them to transfer the house in her name.
So, she began plotting against them, thinking up ways to get my parents to willingly transfer the property to her
name.
Just half a month later, Mom and Dad’s retirement funds began to fall short of their expenditures. It wasn’t enough to support the three of them.
They had never worried about money their entire lives. They had their pensions and 401k withdrawals to live on after retirement, on top of the living expenses that I wired to them every month.
They lived a very comfortable life and never had to worry about being frugal.
