—This is absolutely outrageous! She’s always posting pictures of her daughter on social media with all these sugary captions, yet she hasn’t spared a thought for the girl in four years! What disgusting hypocrisy!—Olivia’s voice trembled with anger as she poured her heart out to her friend over coffee in Manchester.
Seated in a small café, Olivia spoke bitterly about her sister-in-law, who had been working abroad for years, completely neglecting her daughter.
—Fine, there was a pandemic, she couldn’t visit. But even before that, she couldn’t care less about her own child! All she does is post photos to make people think she’s some kind of doting mother. How can anyone abandon their daughter for money?—Olivia gripped her cup so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Her husband’s niece, 14-year-old Charlotte, might as well have been an orphan. Her grandmother, well into her seventies, struggled to keep up with a teenager.
—My sister-in-law’s a master at crafting illusions,—Olivia went on.—But when I look at Charlotte, it breaks my heart. This girl’s growing up without a mother, and all she gets are money transfers, as if that fixes everything!
Olivia and her sister-in-law, Rebecca, were the same age. Olivia had two children, a mortgage, and despite the challenges, a happy family. She and her husband, James, did their best, but the shadow of Rebecca—James’s sister—loomed over their lives.
—Rebecca’s parents always spoiled her,—Olivia explained.—When she was widowed nine years ago, they did everything for her: looked after Charlotte, gave her money. Then, a couple of years later, she met some German bloke, married him, and moved to Berlin.
Rebecca never intended to bring Charlotte with her. She claimed she needed to settle first, then she’d come back for her daughter. But years passed, and she never returned. In Germany, Rebecca worked as a photographer for a high-end agency, earning well. Her husband was wealthy, so she could’ve lived luxuriously without lifting a finger.
—She tells everyone it’s not the norm in Europe to drag children from a past marriage into a new one,—Olivia said bitterly.—Says Charlotte would be bored there, that no one would pay her any attention. What rubbish! She just doesn’t want the responsibility!
Charlotte waited for years, believing her mother would come back for her—until she stopped hoping altogether. Rebecca insisted Charlotte needed to finish school in England first, or else she’d struggle without the language. Olivia saw right through the excuses.
—It’s easier for her to send money and play mother from afar,—she sighed.—She’s dumped all the real problems on us.
James, Olivia’s husband, bore the weight of Rebecca’s responsibilities—his parents, Charlotte, their crumbling house. The pipes burst, his father needed surgery, the roof caved in. James and Olivia juggled their own lives while Rebecca just wired money, as if that absolved her.
A month ago, Rebecca suddenly flew to Manchester. She clung to Charlotte, snapping photos for social media, showering her with gifts. The girl held her breath, waiting for her mother to finally take her away. But it never happened. When Rebecca boarded her flight alone, Charlotte sobbed in her room. Olivia tried to comfort her—but what could she say?
—James’s parents are getting older, struggling with a teenager,—Olivia told her friend, her voice shaking.—Charlotte’s a difficult girl; she needs constant attention. And Rebecca? She just throws money at it. Says, ‘I’ll cover the bills, you sort it out.’ But Charlotte’s hurt! James and I go to parents’ evenings, help her with homework—where’s her mother?
Once, Olivia lost her patience and messaged Rebecca, trying to explain how her indifference was breaking Charlotte’s heart. But her sister-in-law snapped back:
—Stay out of my family! It’s none of your business!
—Not my family?—Olivia seethed.—Then why am I carrying her burdens? Of course, James’s mother defends her—what mother wouldn’t? Rebecca chose the easy way out: no elderly parents, no moody teenager. But on social media? Oh, she’s the perfect mum! Her feed’s full of smiling photos, while in real life, there’s nothing but emptiness. The hypocrisy!
Olivia stared out the café window, where rain traced patterns on the glass. She thought of Charlotte, checking her phone every night for a text that never came. She thought of her in-laws, worn down by a responsibility that wasn’t theirs. And she thought of herself and James, their lives an endless sprint between their own struggles and someone else’s.
Meanwhile, Rebecca carried on with her carefree life, posting new photos captioned, ‘My darling girl.’ But Olivia knew the truth—behind those glossy images was a broken-hearted teenager and a family Rebecca had abandoned for the illusion of freedom.
What would you make of a situation like this?
