Kirill barely looked up from his phone when he announced, “Your career can wait. My mom is coming, and you’re staying home with her. This isn’t up for discussion.”
I stood frozen in the kitchen, stunned by his arrogance. I was head of marketing at a major company, yet he expected me to quit everything without even asking my opinion. He had already bought his mother’s ticket and planned everything behind my back.
His mother had only a minor leg fracture, but Kirill insisted she needed constant care—and that it was “a woman’s job.” My career, income, and years of hard work meant nothing to him.
So I agreed. Sweetly. Completely.
At work, I secretly arranged two months of unpaid leave while letting him believe I had resigned. If he wanted a devoted caregiver, I would become one—excessively.
When his mother arrived, I treated her like a fragile hospital patient: strict diets, endless supplements, medical equipment, early-morning exercises, and constant monitoring. I filled the apartment with rehabilitation schedules and expensive supplies, draining Kirill’s savings in the process.
Within two weeks, both mother and son were exhausted. Finally, she declared, “Enough! I’m going home.”
After she left, Kirill admitted he’d been wrong—he had dismissed my career and treated me unfairly. That’s when I revealed the truth: I never quit. It had all been a lesson.
He apologized sincerely and promised to respect my work from then on. The next day, I returned to my job—victorious.
Sometimes, the best way to teach respect is to give someone exactly what they demand—until they realize how unreasonable it really is.