I used to think Jake and I had the perfect relationship. After three years together, he proposed, and I was over the moon. We had a quiet, happy life in a cozy apartment with our cat, Cami, and dreams of a future filled with love and possibility. Then my grandmother passed away, and my world changed.

She had been my rock, practically raising me after my parents died. Losing her was devastating. But even in death, she took care of me. She left me $500,000 in her will. I wasn’t expecting anything, let alone that kind of money. I was still trying to process her loss when Jake’s family found out about the inheritance. That’s when things took an ugly turn. A week after Jake told them, we went to his parents’ house for Sunday dinner. His mom, Denise, pulled me aside, her usual saccharine smile in place, and handed me an envelope. I thought it might be a heartfelt letter, maybe something comforting about my grandmother. Instead, it was a list. A list of expensive gifts I was “expected” to buy before I could be “accepted” into their family. My stomach churned as I read each outrageous demand: a $10,000 Cartier bracelet for Denise, a brand-new car for Jake’s sister Elena, a $20,000 loan for kitchen renovations, a Rolex for his dad, a family vacation with first-class flights for ten people, and a $2,000 monthly “contribution” to prove my commitment to their well-being. I felt sick. As Denise cut into the pecan pie, I asked if this was a joke. She tilted her head and said sweetly, “Oh honey, this is just what’s expected of you. You’re lucky to have this opportunity.” Lucky? My grandmother had just died.

This wasn’t luck; it was grief. Then she added, “If you really love my son, you’ll do this.” I didn’t argue. I smiled and said I understood, even throwing in a joke about buying Jake gold cufflinks. Denise’s eyes sparkled with greed as she handed me a slice of pie. That night, I sat across from Jake at our apartment, the envelope between us like a bomb ready to go off. I told him I agreed to the list. He just blinked and said, “That’s good, right?” Good? His mother was exploiting my grief, and he thought it was fine. He said it was just a gesture, that his mom was old-fashioned, that his family was struggling.

I snapped. They weren’t struggling. And I would have gladly helped if they had treated me like family. But they didn’t. They saw me as an ATM. Jake didn’t get it. So, I made a plan. The next Sunday, I returned to Denise’s house with gifts. She was giddy. I handed out boxes one by one. Denise got a Cartier box—with a plastic bracelet inside. Elena got a toy car. Jake’s dad got a fake watch. Their family vacation? A pamphlet for a city bus tour. The $20,000 loan? A Monopoly bank loan card. Denise’s smile vanished. “What is this?” she hissed. I smiled sweetly. “I thought I’d start with symbolic gifts. Just a gesture.” Her face turned red. Jake sighed, telling me I was overreacting again. But I was done. I took off my engagement ring and slid it across the table. “Consider us canceled,” I said. The room gasped. Jake stammered, but I stood up and walked out. Back at our apartment, I packed his things. When he came home and saw the boxes, he panicked. I told him he could stay with his mom. And Cami was staying with me. Jake blew up my phone for weeks. Denise smeared me online, calling me a gold digger. I didn’t care. I used my inheritance to buy a beautiful home where no one could take advantage of me again. And it was the best decision I ever made.