At my son’s party, he grabbed the microphone to declare that his father-in-law paid for everything and his mother didn’t even buy a wedding cake, and while everyone laughed, I smiled, walked away, canceled the wedding fund I had secretly set aside, handed over my company to the person he hated most, and woke up to find 76 missed calls…
The August sea breeze from the Atlantic swept through the perfectly manicured gardens of The Sterling Estate in East Hampton. Today was the engagement party of my son, Liam, and his fiancée, Tiffany.
I, Eleanor Vance, stood at the edge of the crowd, champagne in hand but not drinking. I wore an elegant navy blue evening gown, but I felt invisible at the party I had paid for myself.
Liam, 26, was in the center of attention. He wore an ivory tuxedo, beaming beside Tiffany and his future in-laws – Mr. and Mrs. Harrison. Mr. Harrison was a boastful real estate investor who constantly talked about his “million-dollar” projects but was actually deeply in debt. I knew this because I had secretly guaranteed his bank loan to save his in-laws’ reputation.
I had spent $200,000 on this party. From the orchids imported from Thailand, the symphony orchestra, to the five-tiered gold leaf cake in the center of the hall, I did it all for Liam, my only son, whom I single-handedly raised and built the business I left him after my husband’s death.
The clinking of glasses echoed. Liam took the microphone and stepped onto the small stage. Spotlight shone on him.
“Hello everyone,” Liam said, his voice resonant and confident. “Isn’t tonight wonderful?”
Applause erupted. I smiled, waiting for a thank you. A small recognition for the mother who stayed up all night reviewing the menu.
“I want to give a special thank you to the person who made this dream a reality,” Liam said, his gaze directed towards the VIP table.
My heart raced. I took a step forward.
But Liam’s gaze swept over me as if I were air. It stopped at Mr. Harrison.
“Dad Robert,” Liam said, his voice trembling with feigned emotion. “Thank you, Dad. Robert Harrison, for your generosity in paying for everything today. From the wine, the band, to this amazing venue.”
I was speechless. The glass in my hand trembled. Mr. Harrison stood up, waved to the crowd, and received the applause he didn’t deserve.
But Liam wasn’t finished. He wanted to impress his wife’s family by stepping on me.
“And my mother,” Liam pointed at me with a mocking smirk. “She’s over there. My mother… well, she’s here mainly for the food and drink. She couldn’t even afford a cake. But that’s okay, we still love her because she knows how to piggyback on the Harrisons’ luxury, right?”
The whole room burst into laughter. Tiffany giggled, covering her mouth. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison looked at me with a look of contempt, pitying my poor (in their eyes) mother.
Humiliation burned on my face. I looked at my beloved son. He knew perfectly well who was paying. He knew I was the CEO of Vance Global, a multi-million dollar logistics corporation. But he chose to go along with his wife’s family’s arrogance, turning me into a freeloading old woman to elevate himself.
Everyone waited for my reaction. Waited for me to cry, or run away in shame, or scream my case.
But I didn’t.
I looked Liam straight in the eyes. And I smiled.
A gentle, calm smile, yet one that held the icy coldness of a floating iceberg. I raised my glass in a toast, drained it in one gulp, then set the empty glass down on the table of a passing waiter.
I turned my back and walked straight out the gate, without saying a word.
Chapter 2: The Midnight Call
I got into my Bentley and signaled the driver to drive back to Manhattan.
In the quiet of the car, I pulled out my phone. I wasn’t calling Liam. I was calling the corporation’s Chief Legal Officer, Arthur Blackwood.
“Hello, Mrs. Vance,” Arthur answered immediately, even though it was 10 p.m. “Is it urgent?”
“Arthur,” I said, my voice surprisingly calm. “Activate the Omega Protocol.”
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. Arthur knew what that protocol was. It was the nuclear option I’d drafted two years ago, in case Liam wasn’t capable or ethical enough to inherit.
“Are you sure, Eleanor? Once activated, it’s irreversible.”
“I’m sure. Do it now. And Arthur, cancel the $5 million Wedding Trust Fund that I was planning to announce tomorrow. Transfer all of that money to an animal welfare charity.”
“Understood. And what about the successor CEO?”
“Cancel Liam’s nomination. And transfer the interim management and 51% of the voting shares to…” I hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “…to Maya Chen.”
Maya was the daughter of the former housekeeper. She grew up with Liam, intelligent, sharp, and loyal. Liam always hated Maya because she was better at academics than him, and because I always praised her. He called Maya “the maid.”
“Maya Chen?” Arthur exclaimed in surprise. “Liam will go crazy.”
“That’s exactly what I want. Do it. Send the announcement to the entire Board of Directors and the press by 6 a.m. tomorrow.”
I hung up. I turned off my phone. I went home, soaked in a hot bath, and slept soundly.
The best breakfast in 26 years.
Chapter 3: 76 Missed Calls
The next morning.
I woke up at 9 a.m., later than usual. The bright New York sunlight streamed through the window. I leisurely brewed a cup of coffee and enjoyed breakfast.
Then I turned on my phone.
It vibrated incessantly like it was having an epileptic seizure. Messages, notifications, and missed calls flooded the screen.
76 missed calls.
50 calls from Liam.
15 calls from Tiffany.
10 calls from Mr. Harrison.
1 call from the wedding venue manager.
I scrolled through the messages.
Liam (7:00 AM): “Mom, are you kidding me? What the hell is Maya? Why is she sitting in my office?”
Liam (7:15 AM): “Mom, my credit card was declined. The hotel is demanding payment for last night’s dinner. Robert doesn’t have any money! Did you pay?”
Tiffany (7:30 AM): “Aunt Eleanor, there’s a misunderstanding! Liam was just joking! Please take the call!”
Liam (8:00 AM): “Mom! The newspapers are reporting that I’m being disinherited! Please stop! We’re being held at the hotel because we can’t pay! They’re threatening to call the police!”
I took a sip of coffee and smiled.
It turned out that the “generous” Mr. Harrison hadn’t paid a dime. He thought I would quietly pay as usual. And when the hotel swiped Liam’s card this morning for check-out, it was blocked – because it was my secondary card.
The doorbell rang incessantly.
I looked through the camera feed. Liam was standing there, his hair disheveled, his clothes messy, his eyes red. Tiffany stood behind him, sobbing.
I opened the door.
“Mom!” Liam rushed in, trying to hug me, but I recoiled. “What are you doing? You’ve ruined my life!”
“I thought your life was all about your father Robert?” I asked, my voice cold. “Yesterday you told him to pay for everything, didn’t you? Why didn’t you tell him to pay for the hotel?”
“That was just… I just wanted to please them!” Liam yelled. “I’m your son! You can’t give the company to Maya! She’s just a servant!”
“Maya is the new CEO of Vance Global,” I corrected. “And she has an MBA from Harvard, something you dropped out of to go have fun. She deserves it more than you.”
“And the wedding money? The $5 million you promised me?” Tiffany chimed in, tears streaming down her face.
“Oh, that money,” I looked at Tiffany. “I gave it to the dog and cat shelter. I thought dogs would wag their tails in thanks when they’re fed, but you guys don’t.”
Liam collapsed to the floor. “Mom… I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please change your mind. I’ll do it again.”
I looked at my son kneeling at my feet. The heartache was still there, but my reason was stronger than ever. I had spoiled him for too long, turning him into an ungrateful and weakling.
“Liam,” I said. “I haven’t changed my mind. I gave you everything, and you threw it in my face in public. Now you’re grown up, you have a wonderful ‘family on your wife’s side’ to back you up. Let them take care of you.”
I went to my desk and took out an envelope.
“Here’s the bill for last night’s dinner party. Mom hasn’t paid it yet. It’s $200,000. The hotel is threatening to sue you. Take this to your great Mr. Harrison. Tell him to pay.”
“He doesn’t have the money!” Liam yelled desperately. “He’s bankrupt! He owes Mom bail!”
“I know,” I smiled. “And this morning I withdrew the bank bail. The bank is proceeding with the foreclosure of his house. Maybe you and Tiffany should find a cheap apartment to rent soon.”
Chapter End: A Costly Lesson
Liam and Tiffany were escorted out by the building security. Their cries echoed through the hallway.
I stood by the window, looking down at the bustling Manhattan streets.
My phone rang again. This time it was Maya.
“Mrs. Vance,” Maya’s voice trembled but was resolute. “I’ve taken over. Thank you for your trust. I won’t let you down.”
“I know, Maya,” I said gently. “Do a good job. And remember to cancel Liam’s company access card.”
I hung up.
I lost a son to vanity, but I saved my life’s legacy and gave it to someone worthy.
Liam may have snatched the microphone to humiliate me, but he forgot one thing: The person holding the microphone may speak the loudest, but the person signing the check is the one who decides when the party ends.
And for Liam, the party was long over.
