A Soldier Returns Home Early Only to Catch His Wife Abusing His Elderly Mother
Previously: When Sergeant Arthur Vance returned from active duty to surprise his mother, he never expected to find his wife treating her like an intruder in her own home.
The Mask Slips Completely
The dust from the shattered drywall began to settle, revealing Chloe groaning amidst the plaster debris. Her expensive scarlet gown was covered in white powder, her perfect hair ruined. She scrambled to her feet, her shock quickly morphing into indignant fury.
"Arthur! Are you insane?"
Chloe shrieked, wiping dust from her face.
"You put your hands on me for that senile thief? She was trying to steal my jewelry! I am your wife, and she is just a burden living under my roof!"
Arthur stood up slowly, keeping his body positioned as a shield in front of his weeping mother. His eyes, usually warm and welcoming, were now cold as steel.
"Your roof?"
Arthur’s voice was dangerously quiet.
"I built this house for my mother before I ever met you, Chloe. And I’ve been sending eighty percent of my deployment pay to make sure she was taken care of. Where did that money go?"
Eleanor reached out, her hand still trembling as she held the porcelain bowl.
"Arthur, she... she stopped buying my medicine. She told me I was wasting your money. She made me sleep in the basement, and today she tried to take your grandmother's bowl. It's all I have left of her."
The truth hit Arthur like a physical blow. He looked closely at his mother and realized how thin she had become. Her cardigan was frayed, her cheeks sunken. Meanwhile, Chloe stood before him clad in designer silk, surrounded by expensive new furniture.
Chloe scoffed, trying to regain her composure.
"She’s lying! She’s trying to ruin our marriage! You can’t believe her over me!"
But Arthur didn't need to hear any more. He walked over to the dining table where Chloe's expensive designer handbag lay. He dumped its contents onto the table. Out fell stack after stack of withdrawal receipts from his bank account, alongside legal documents. As Arthur scanned the papers, his blood ran cold. Chloe hadn't just been spending his money; she had forged his signature to transfer the deed of the house into her name.
”Chloe hadn't just been spending his money; she had forged his signature to transfer the deed of the house into her name.