He Begged For My House, I Revealed My Wealth

"What are you talking about, Harvey? That's your mom." The girl beside my son, Tara Mason, his girlfriend, nudged him playfully. Her makeup was flawless, and her sweet voice carried a hint of teasing affection. Harvey Gray's face darkened with annoyance. He lowered his voice, but every word broke my heart. "Tara, you don't get it. My mom's always been like this. She's got that poor-person mentality, and she's never gonna change." He pointed at the shattered thermos lying on the ground. "Honestly, bringing her to a place like this is embarrassing enough. Then she shows up carrying that beat-up thermos like she's terrified people won't know she crawled out of a dumpster." My chest tightened. A dumpster? I lowered my head with a bitter smile. Wearing an old coat that had faded from years of washing, the cuffs worn smooth from time, I looked painfully out of place standing outside this luxurious Michelin-starred restaurant. Years of living frugally had made me forget who I really was. Tara wrapped her arm around Harvey's and spoke in a sugary voice. "Come on, don't be mad. Your mom's just used to saving money. Let's go inside, my friends have been waiting forever." Harvey snorted. Without even looking at me, he wrapped an arm around Tara and walked into the restaurant. I crouched down and silently picked up the broken pieces of the thermos. I wrapped them carefully in a napkin and tucked them into the old cloth bag I'd been using for nearly ten years. That thermos... I bought it when Harvey started college. Back then, I saved every penny from collecting bottles just to buy it for his father. His father passed away early, and the thermos was all I had left of him. Before I knew it, so many years had gone by. I followed them into the restaurant. Crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead. Everyone was dressed in expensive clothes. Inside a private dining room sat several young people around Harvey's age. The moment they saw him, they greeted him enthusiastically. "Harvey! Finally! We've been waiting forever!" "Whoa, is this your girlfriend? She's gorgeous!" Harvey instantly put on a huge smile. It was a smile I'd never seen directed at me before. Warm, eager, almost flattering. He proudly introduced her. "Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Tara Mason." Then he pointed toward a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses. "Tara, this is Mr. Jacob Shaw, my boss." Tara immediately smiled sweetly. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Shaw." Jacob's eyes swept over her figure before he chuckled knowingly. "Harvey, you're one lucky guy." The entire room burst into laughter. No one even noticed me standing at the door. I felt like a ghost. Too awkward to leave, too uncomfortable to stay. Finally, one of Harvey's friends reminded him I was there. Only then did he reluctantly wave me over. "What are you standing there for? Come sit down." His tone sounded less like he was talking to his mother and more like he was ordering a servant around. I walked over stiffly and took the seat closest to the door. "Harvey, who's this?" a blond-haired guy asked curiously. Harvey's smile froze for a second. Then he casually replied, "Oh, she's a distant relative from my hometown. She happened to come visit around my birthday, so I brought her along for dinner." A distant relative? The son I had worked so hard to raise for over twenty years was introducing me to others as a distant relative. My heart sank. A cold feeling settled in my chest. I had planned to give him a grand surprise tonight as a birthday present. But now, I wasn't so sure... Tara immediately stepped in to smooth things over. "Oh, come on. It's Mrs. Gray's first time in a place like this. She's a little nervous. Don't take it to heart, everyone." Her words sounded kind. The contempt in her eyes wasn't hidden at all. Jacob adjusted his glasses and smiled. "It's fine. A guest is a guest. Mrs. Gray, order whatever you'd like. Harvey's treating tonight." The menu was placed in front of me. I could read the words, but I couldn't understand most of the dishes. Then I saw the prices. My heart nearly stopped. Even a simple salad cost $198. I hurriedly pushed the menu back. "I... I'm not hungry. You all go ahead." Harvey's face immediately darkened. "What are you pretending for? Trying to save money again?" He snatched the menu from my hands. Flipping to the cheapest page, he pointed at a dish. "Get her the French escargot." Then Harvey leaned close enough that only I could hear him. His voice dripped with mockery. "I never should've brought you here. You don't even know how to order food. All you do is embarrass me."