I had just finished cleaning my crippled mother-in-law when my husband—Ricardo—returned from three years of work abroad.

I had just finished cleaning my crippled mother-in-law when my husband—Ricardo—returned from three years of work abroad.

As soon as he entered the door, he began to give out greetings.

“Mom, Dad, you are an old man. Here are some of the best supplements and supplements to help you stay healthy.”

The look of joy on my mother-in-law’s face was indescribable.

My sister-in-law, Liza, came up, grabbed the most expensive handbag, and shouted:

“The best ka talaga, Kuya!”

I was just standing on the sidelines, my apron still undone, my palms soaked with sweat.

For three years, all the work in this house—from caring for two adults to raising our child—I did it on my own.

Not a single one of them was sent to us.

When he finally looked at me, his steps suddenly stopped.

Nervous and excited, I was about to hold the best gift box on the table.

“Don’t touch it with your dirty hands, it’s for my secretary candy!”

I stunned where I stood, my arm dangling in the air. A voice called out to me:

“Eh… Where is mine?”

He seemed to be stunned for a moment, rummaged through his suitcase, and finally pulled out a tangled keychain and just threw it at me:

“This is what I have prepared for you, take care of it.”

A plastic keychain hit the back of my hand. It hurts.

Looking at the accuracy of the expensive items on the table, I looked at the back of the keychain label:

[Free gift with purchase, Made in Ch/ina.]

My mother-in-law clapped her hands and laughed: “My son is really very kind, knows how to look at gratitude!”

Liza hugged her new, limited-edition bag, at the same time:

“Your father has been trying to get you out of here, but you don’t have to worry about it. Take it!”

I looked at them, my face slowly hardening. I showed the label to Ricardo:

“Are you going to give me a keychain that is just a bag freebie after you fool me?”

Ricardo’s face darkened:

“Dianne, yes naman kung freebie lang?

You look like a lot of money, you know?”

“Your secretary, expensive perfume; Your brother is a luxury bag. Why do you think I’m just a jerk?”

“Dahil hindi mo deserve!”

“I don’t… deserve?” Suddenly, my voice rose, as if my heart was about to explode with pain. I couldn’t hold back my tears from falling to the floor.

“I’ve been a servant in this house for three years!”

“I bathe and clean your Mom every day because I’m scared she’s going to get a back injury!

I’m trying to get him some food!”