บททั้งหมดของ Gaslit By My Mom: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

When I was a kid, I had no power to fight back. All I could do was swallow my frustration. Now I did have that power, and I didn't want to tolerate her any longer.The car sped down the road before pulling into the grocery store parking lot.Mom shoved the car door open and snapped, "I told you to buy things earlier and you wouldn't. Now we have to make another trip. Do you think gas is free?"I ignored her completely and headed straight into the store."Salmon isn't safe to eat! They're dumping nuclear wastewater into the ocean. Don't you know that? Put it back!"I pushed the cart into the seafood section and grabbed five huge packs of salmon in one go. Salmon had always been one of my favorite foods. This time, I was going to eat as much as I wanted.Mom reached over to take them out, but I didn't give her the chance. I pushed the cart forward and practically sprinted away.The rotisserie chickens were sold out, but there were still roasted drumsticks left. I tossed two boxes

After I got my first paycheck out of college, I started looking for an apartment so I could finally move out, but Mom refused no matter what I said.One night, she sat beside my bed while wiping away tears. She cried about how lonely she would be living alone.Seeing her like that, I couldn't bring myself to leave, so I stayed home."Move out? Where would you move to? I can't believe how stubborn you've become. I thought I raised a good daughter. You ungrateful child!" After being stunned for a few seconds, she immediately started pointing at me and yelling.I didn't even bother arguing with her. After putting my things away, I grabbed a few snacks I wanted to eat and sat at the dining table. I began indulging myself.Once I was full, my mood improved a lot. I got my phone back, repaid Melinda, and scrolled on my phone in bed. I eventually fell asleep.Early next morning, I woke up to loud voices all around me. The second I opened my eyes, I nearly had a heart attack.A group of

Back then, every time she brought up my dad, I would immediately soften.When I was in sixth grade, my father died in a car accident. According to Mom, he had gone out driving late at night while exhausted and crashed.A few years later, some relatives and family friends felt sorry for her living alone and tried introducing her to new men. She turned all of them down.Her reason was always the same. "I still have a daughter to raise. I'm happy as long as I can raise her."At first, hearing those words moved me deeply. But the second we got home, she would start sighing dramatically."It's all because of you. People introduced me to rich men with luxury cars, and I turned them all down. If it weren't for you, I would've been living a good life by now."Hearing that as a child shook me to my core. I was terrified. The guilt nearly crushed me. All I could do was study hard and hope that one day I could give Mom a better life.Now that I think about it, those words were just another

For once, Mom wasn't making a scene, and my mood improved quite a bit. I took the glass of milk from her and drank it in one go. That night, I slept incredibly well.At some point, something started to feel wrong in my sleep. I could hear my alarm blaring nonstop next to me, but my eyelids felt glued shut. I just couldn't open my eyes.This business trip was very important to me. I had to get up.Through sheer willpower, I finally managed to open my eyes. I glanced at my phone and saw the time. I actually woke up thirty minutes later than I had planned.There was no time for breakfast anymore. I had to leave for the airport immediately.But the second I got out of bed, my entire body felt weak. It was as if I might collapse at any moment.Trying to wake myself up, I quickly made a cup of coffee, but it didn't help at all.With no time to think about it, I grabbed my suitcase and headed for the door, only for Mom to block the entrance."Look how exhausted you are. Where do you t

Mom's attending physician found me and asked whether we wanted to proceed with surgery. If we did, we'd need to prepare at least 15 grand.Mom's condition could also be managed conservatively. It depended on what the family chose.Something this serious wasn't my decision to make.I told the doctor to ask Mom directly."Why are you even asking? Of course I want the surgery!" Mom exclaimed without even thinking about it."There are risks to surgery. I think the conservative treatment is better. Honestly, this illness was probably caused by all those supplements you kept taking. If you'd stopped taking them, you'd probably have been fine," I said."Didn't you hear what the doctor said? I can have a full recovery with the surgery! If I don't do it, it'll relapse!" The moment her own life was involved, she refused to back down even an inch."But surgery has risks too. What if you hemorrhage and die on the operating table? Conservative treatment sounds safer to me."And who told you