"Grant, congratulations on landing a government job! After two years of hard work, you finally got what you wished for!"
Grant Statham was my boyfriend. After two long years of studying and preparing, he had finally passed the Federal Civil Service Examination.
I was genuinely thrilled for him, so I suggested we go out to celebrate, and of course, his mother, Keira, joined us.
"Megan, now that Grant's in the government, his status has changed. You better step up your game to be worthy of him," Keira remarked, a hint of condescension in her voice.
Grant came from a single-parent family and had always lived with his mother, Keira Statham. He was usually very respectful towards her and rarely contradicted her.
Today was a special occasion, so even though Keira's words stung, I tried to let it slide with a forced smile.
But Keira wasn't done.
It felt like she was determined to make me admit that I was lucky to be with Grant.
"This civil service job is a solid gig, a real stepping stone for a future in politics. And you? You're just someone who paints nails—essentially a service worker. Your income isn't stable.
"Your education isn't impressive either, just an ordinary bachelor's degree. And your family background isn't great. You're not even from around here, and you don't own a house or a car. How do you plan to make it in a big city?"
I wanted to defend myself, but speaking up would only seem disrespectful. So, I turned to Grant, hoping he'd come to my rescue.
But he was lost in his own joy, completely oblivious to the tension between me and his mother.
Disappointment washed over me.
For the first time, I felt like our four-year relationship wasn't as precious as I had thought.
After failing the exam last time, Grant had been in a slump for a while. I was the one who stood by him during those tough times. He was determined to try again but felt embarrassed asking his family for money, so he turned to me for help.
I had opened a nail salon after graduation, and my income was decent.
I believed Grant was the one I would spend my life with, so I set aside a chunk of my earnings each month to cover his living expenses and many of his classes.
I thought I was investing in my future husband, and it felt worth it at the time.
But sitting at this celebration dinner, watching him and Keira, I felt a growing sense of alienation.
He was so absorbed in his own success that he didn't notice the awkwardness I was enduring at the table.
Perhaps my silence made the atmosphere tense.
Finally, Grant spoke up, "Mom, that's enough. Let's just enjoy the evening; you don't need to worry about this."
His sudden defense caught Keira off guard, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Grant, I raised you all by myself! And now that you have a girlfriend, you're talking back to your mother? How could you do this to me?"
Grant hurried to comfort her while Keira continued to recount the hardships she faced raising him alone.
I felt like an outsider at the table, stuck in a situation where I couldn't speak up or eat comfortably.
At least Grant had my back when it mattered, which was a small comfort.
But I still overestimated our relationship and my importance in his life.
After dinner, Grant drove Keira home while I returned to our rented apartment.
This was my place, conveniently located near my nail salon. I didn't spend much time at home, so Grant had moved in for a quieter study environment.
The apartment was filled with his belongings—his slippers carelessly tossed around, socks strewn across the couch, and dishes piled in the sink from the day before.
In the past, I had thought he was just overwhelmed with exam stress and that once it was over, he would change his ways. But I realized now that this was simply who he was. As a child, Keira had picked up after him; now, that role had fallen to me.
A wave of fatigue washed over me, and I couldn't help but envision what life would be like after we got married.
Will I become just another mother figure to him?
Is this really the life I wanted?
Chapter 2 His BetrayalGrant had been celebrating his new job with friends for days as if he had already reached the pinnacle of success.
That night, he got completely wasted, and a few buddies dropped him off at my place.
He stumbled onto the couch, reeking of alcohol, mumbling to himself.
Just as I was about to whip up something to help him sober up, his phone lit up.
A text popped up: [My parents were pretty pleased with you the last time we met. Let's see where this goes.]
My heart sank like a lead balloon.
Grant's phone password was his birthday, so I quickly unlocked it and dove into the chat history.
It turned out they had connected the day after he received his acceptance letter.
From the looks of it, this was a setup arranged by their parents—a blind date of sorts.
So, after getting a government job, he is eager to kick me to the curb?
Grant, is this your grand plan? You let me foot the bill while you studied for this job, only to turn around and play house with someone else? You've got some nerve!
I felt a wave of anger wash over me.
But then Grant let out a low groan, pulling me back to reality. I gently adjusted him to lie on his side and grabbed his phone, heading into the kitchen.
I pulled out my own phone and started recording a video.
First, I clicked on Grant's profile to confirm it was really his WhatsApp account; then, I captured every single message between him and this other girl. I made sure not to expose her identity but did snap a shot of her WhatsApp ID.
Don't think you can just ditch me and have a smooth ride, Grant. I'm going to make sure you regret this.
I didn't beat around the bush; I went straight to the point. My phone sat on the coffee table, capturing everything.
"I know you're seeing someone else. We don't have to keep pretending anymore. Let's break up."
Grant was clearly caught off guard. He didn't know how I found out, but he immediately shifted the blame to his mother.
"Megan, don't blame me. My mom is making me do this. She says your family isn't good enough for me. Now that I'm having a government job, she wants me to find someone who can help with my career."
Oh, sure, you're just a victim in all this, right? Forced into a blind date, pressured to impress her parents, and soon enough, you'll be pressured to marry her too, won't you? What a grand story you've got.
"None of that matters now. Let's just part ways peacefully. I won't stand in the way of your bright future."
Grant seemed touched by my apparent generosity, his expression shifting to one of guilt.
Hold on there, buddy; I've got something important to say.
"But you need to pay me back for all the living expenses and classes I covered while you were studying for the exam."
His face fell at my request.
How could he possibly come up with that money? If he had any, he wouldn't be living off me.
Grant, ever the chameleon, switched tactics and tried to play the sympathy card.
"Megan, I love you! I really don't want to marry someone else. We've been through so much together; how could I just throw that away?"
Suddenly, he dropped to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes, looking genuinely pitiful.
I said, "I only spent that money on you because I thought you were my future husband, but now you're making me feel like you've betrayed me. Even if this goes to court, I'm in the right here. You're cozying up to a wealthy family, yet you can't pay me back? Don't push me to make this a public spectacle; it won't end well for either of us."
"Megan, have you no shame?"
Just then, the door swung open, and Keira stormed in, ready to unleash a tirade on me.
Chapter 3 Find HerKeira wasted no time jumping into the fray.
Her mouth was like a runaway train, spewing out insults and accusations.
"After all these years of playing house with my son, now that he finally has a shot at a real future, you want to break up and even demand your money back?" she spat. "Let me make this clear: I pushed Grant into this blind date because you two are on different levels now. You're not going to share the same path anymore.
"Let's not kid ourselves; you only supported Grant financially because you were terrified he'd run off and you wouldn't find anyone better. You thought throwing money at him would keep him around!"
Her words dripped with condescension, making it painfully clear she believed I wasn't worthy of her son.
"Honestly, it's pathetic. You've been pouring money into him like he's some kind of investment, and now you want him to pay you back?"
Grant, for once, seemed to be fed up with his mother's barrage. "Mom, just stop! I genuinely don't want to lose Megan. Please don't push me into this!"
Keira shot him a look that could freeze fire.
She clearly wasn't thrilled about her son kneeling on the ground, sobbing like a child, especially when he dared to oppose her.
"Megan, give me a little time to think this over. I really love you and don't want to break up. Just one chance, okay?"
What kind of chance are you talking about?
A chance to keep playing both sides?
Do you think I'm some kind of fool who will let you and your mother manipulate me?
Just as I was about to shoot him down, Keira's mouth flapped open again.
"Here's an idea: since you've been with Grant for so long and he doesn't want to break up, let's make it interesting. Whoever has a son first with their blind date gets to marry him."
This was too much. I couldn't help but laugh, a bitter chuckle escaping my lips.
What does she think her son is? Just because he's landed a government job doesn't mean he's suddenly worth his weight in gold.
But now wasn't the time to get into a shouting match; I had more pressing matters to address.
"I've said everything I need to say. I'm breaking up with you, and I want my money back. You two can figure out how to handle that.
"Grant, I've packed your things.
"Take your bags and your mother.
"Get out of my house.
"Honestly, I feel sick just being around you."
Keira, enraged by my sudden backbone, hurled insults at me, calling me all sorts of names and threatening that once her son became a department head, I'd be the first one she'd deal with.
Grant, likely embarrassed by the scene his mother was causing, finally decided to take action. He grabbed her arm and led her out, leaving me in peace at last.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
With a smirk, I opened my laptop and navigated to the local government website, finding the posting about Grant's position. I took my time, methodically clicking through the numbers.
"Hi, I'd like to report a candidate currently in the public announcement period, Grant. He has issues with his personal conduct. I kindly request an investigation."
Seriously, a guy who just ditched a four-year relationship right after landing a government job? Does the state really want someone like that on their team?
That wasn't nearly enough to cover my bases. I opened WhatsApp and sent a friend request to Grant's blind date.
[Hi, I'm Grant's ex-girlfriend. I'd like to chat about him.]
It didn't take long for her to accept.
She replied, curious but cautious: [What do you want to discuss?]
I quickly grabbed a few screenshots of our conversations, along with some photos from our trips over the years, and sent them her way.
I just wanted to prove that I had a legitimate four-year relationship with Grant and that it was still ongoing while she was getting set up with him.
After what felt like ages, she finally replied: [Grant's mom told me he was single, which is why I agreed to the blind date. I didn't mean to get in the middle of anything.]
I said: [I'm not blaming you; you're a victim in this, too. I'm here to help you.]
[Help me?]