The Evil Family Covets My Property

Riley flew into a rage. "I'm only doing this for your good. A man like you has no skills, yet you can fight for what's rightfully yours. If you don't push for it now, you'll end up with nothing!"

She then turned her sharp gaze to me. "Kenya, let me make this clear. You have a son and a grandson. If you decide to give away your property to Gracie, don't blame us for not recognizing you as part of the family anymore."

Before she could finish her tirade, I threw the whole family out the door.

As if I'd be scared of not being called Mom? I just didn't even care.

Riley, however, was not ready to give up.

A few days later, she came by again. This time, she did not mention anything about the house.

As soon as she entered, she busied herself around the house. I sat on the couch, watching her flit around, feeling more awkward by the minute.

Once she finished, she sat beside me and started chatting.

She expressed sympathy for how hard I had worked all these years, how much I had overexerted myself, and how it pained her to see me like this.

All I could do was offer half-hearted responses.

Then, she suddenly changed the subject and asked if, over the years, I had found an elderly gentleman I liked.

Her words sent a rush of blood straight to my head, but I held my temper in check.

I replied, "I'm old now, and I don't have the heart for that anymore."

Riley teased me, saying I had high standards and that the men her mother had introduced to me did not stand a chance.

"Well, you're too good for just anyone, Kenya. You've got to be choosy to find someone who's truly suitable."

She prattled on, saying that as my family members, they completely supported and understood me.

She said it would be nice to have someone to grow old with, someone to care for each other in later years.

My face grew darker, but she seemed oblivious.

Finally, Riley got to her real point.

She said that if I were to remarry, they would fully support it. However, before that, I should transfer my assets to the younger generation so that the property would not become shared marital property after the marriage, benefiting some outsiders.

Well, so she had come to give me a lesson.

I figured it was better to make my stance clear today, to avoid any more of their future tricks.

I told her that I was old and had no interest in such things.

This matter was off the table, and I warned her that bringing it up again would be an act of disrespect.

Then, I kicked her out before she could say anything else.

After Riley left, I immediately called Hassan and scolded him harshly. I demanded to know whether it was his idea or his wife's to suggest that I get remarried and transfer all my assets to them.

Hassan explained that Riley was just looking out for me and told me not to hold a grudge against her. As for the property, although it was unpleasant to talk about, Riley's words made sense. And regarding whether or not I wanted to find a partner, that was entirely up to me. No one would force me.

I was so furious that I hung up the phone on him right away.

Riley's scheming left me in a foul mood for several days. I wanted to go out with my best friend, have some fun, and clear my head.

My husband had passed away many years ago due to illness.

For years, I had been both mother and father, raising the two kids on my own. I had worked hard to see them establish their own families and careers.

For over a decade, I had been so busy that I never had the chance to go out and see the world.

Now that I was retired, I finally had a chance to relax, but I never expected to be caught up in such frustrating matters.

When Hassan wanted to marry Riley back then, I was initially against it.

It wasn't that I disliked Riley; it was her complicated family background that concerned me.

Her parents were notorious troublemakers in the local area, and her brother had been a delinquent since childhood, running with a bad crowd and achieving nothing in life.

And didn't even get me started on Riley's mother. Just thinking about her made my blood boil.

In the past couple of years, who knew what had gotten into her? She had been making all sorts of suggestions, subtly and openly, about introducing me to potential couples.

Every time, I refused firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.

Seeing my unyielding stance, she had no choice but to drop the subject.

The land from the demolition had been left to me by my father.

When I was younger and just starting to work, I didn't have much money, so I built a small house on the land and fenced in the yard.

A few years later, after saving up some money, my husband and I bought a commercial apartment and moved out.

The property sat abandoned for many years, and back then, I never thought it would turn out to be so valuable.