Eleanor Whitmore lives alone and constantly complains to her neighbours about her ungrateful daughter and granddaughter, who left her behind.
“I gave them my whole life, and in return, the people closest to me—the cruelest and most heartless—abandoned me to fate.”
Eleanor is still a sturdy elderly woman, grumbling about her family but never mentioning that her daughter, Emily, sends her money every month, or that her granddaughter, Lucy, has tried many times to make peace with her. But the old woman always sets one condition: Lucy must divorce her husband first. Every time, Lucy sighs deeply and walks away.
Lucy has her own family now—she married Matthew. Both graduated from university and found good jobs. They live with his mother but plan to buy a flat with a mortgage, especially as they’re expecting a baby.
How she ended up with Matthew is a whole story. The things she endured from Eleanor, her grandmother.
One evening, Lucy rushed home, bursting with excitement.
“Mum, Grandma, Matthew and I are getting married!” She was nineteen, her whole life ahead of her, overflowing with joy as she laughed.
Eleanor slowly lifted her gaze, as if she hadn’t heard right, while Emily just lowered her head and stayed silent. Lucy didn’t understand why they weren’t happy for her.
“Mum, Gran, didn’t you hear me? I’m getting married!”
“Absolutely not,” Eleanor snapped instantly. Lucy’s smile vanished.
“What do you mean? Gran, what’s wrong? Mum?” She hesitated. “I thought you’d be happy for me.”
“Are you pregnant?” Eleanor demanded sharply.
“No! Why would you think that? Just because I want to marry him?”
Emily stayed quiet, refusing to look at her daughter.
“Good,” Eleanor huffed. “Then forget this nonsense until you finish university. Sit down for dinner.”
“I’m not hungry. Matthew and I had pizza.” Lucy was confused, hurt by their reaction.
Strange—Emily said nothing. Lucy had rushed home, eager to share her news, expecting support.
“Mum, why aren’t you saying anything?”
Emily finally stirred, frowning at her daughter before glancing nervously at Eleanor.
“Darling, Gran’s right,” she said with a forced smile. “You’re too young. Finish your degree. Besides, who marries at nineteen these days?”
“Mum, I don’t care about trends! Matthew and I love each other. We’ll graduate—stop worrying. I *am* marrying him.”
Eleanor hissed at Emily, her voice bitter:
“Well? You’ve got what you wished for. Like mother, like daughter. She’s marrying a penniless boy, just like you almost did. Lucky I stopped you in time…”
Lucy was stunned. She’d never known her father—never met him. She stared at Emily, who kept her head bowed.
“Gran… Did Mum almost marry my father? And you stopped her?”
Eleanor scoffed.
“Who’d want that broke student? Yes, I forbade it.”
“He wasn’t broke—he owns a business now,” Emily muttered.
Eleanor’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve been speaking to him?”
“Yes. He found me online. But he lives in another city.”
Lucy was reeling.
“Mum, you always told me he left when he found out about me! But you were going to marry him? What stopped you?”
Emily and Eleanor exchanged looks. Emily’s voice was barely a whisper.
“I did,” Eleanor cut in. “I forbade it—for her own good. My own marriage failed. I wanted her to marry properly, not some no-hoper with three younger brothers and no prospects.”
Lucy couldn’t believe it. They’d lied to her all these years.
“Mum, why didn’t you fight for him?”
Emily shrunk under her daughter’s gaze.
“Fight who?” Eleanor sneered. “Me? I gave her a choice—him or me.”
Lucy stared, horrified.
“You made her choose? And you went along with it?”
Emily sighed. “What could I do? We had no money. His parents couldn’t help. I’d have had to drop out.”
“Did you even *try*? Or did you just give up?”
Eleanor snorted. “Oh, he kept loitering outside. Until I threatened to call the police.”
Lucy turned on her.
“You know what, Gran? I don’t care about your rules. I’ll work, I’ll do whatever—but I’m marrying Matthew. You won’t stop me.”
Then Emily straightened, her voice firm.
“Lucy… marry him. Be happy. If it’s right, it’ll work. If not, you’ll find your way. But *you* choose—not her. Don’t make my mistake.”
Eleanor exploded.
“You’re encouraging this? After everything?”
“This isn’t *your* life. You ruined mine—I won’t let you ruin hers too.”
For the first time, Eleanor was speechless.
The wedding was beautiful. Eleanor refused to attend, but Lucy didn’t care.
“Good. She’d have ruined it,” she told Matthew.
Emily was overjoyed. *At least Lucy stood up to her. I never could.* Then she whispered to Lucy:
“Your father proposed. He wants me to move in with him. He divorced years ago… He has a house now.”
“Mum, go! You deserve this. I want to meet him properly.”
Emily left, remarried, and finally knew true happiness.
Lucy’s father met her with tears. Later, he helped with their mortgage.
Eleanor stayed alone, left to ponder her choices.
After twenty years, life had finally set things right.
