Thinking that my mother-in-law had 2 million pesos in savings, I immediately took her home to take care of her for the past 4 years, serving her meals and water… but when she was near death, I realized that I had been bitterly deceived

Hearing that my mother-in-law in Cebu had 2 million pesos in savings in the bank, I was secretly happy. Thinking of her old and weak self, I immediately tactfully discussed with my husband – Tomas – to bring her home to Quezon City to take care of her.

Everyone praised me for being filial, calling me “asawang mabait, manugang na huwaran”, but in my heart, I simply thought:

“If you take care of her, she will definitely leave some for me.”

So for 4 years, I worked hard. From serving meals, doing laundry, massaging, staying up all night to look after the sick… I did everything without hesitation. One day when she coughed all night, I also made ginger tea and boiled medicine. A sentence always echoed in my head:

“Hold on a little longer, the other 2 million pesos are still there.”

The harsh truth in her dying moments

However, on the day she was near death, when I bent down and whispered in her ear:
– “Nanay, don’t worry, I will take care of you in place of Tomas…”

She suddenly opened her eyes, held my hand tightly, and whispered with a trembling voice:
– “Anak… forgive me… I don’t have any money… Those 2 million… were just made up by my cousin sister-in-law to test you guys…”

I was stunned. My whole body was cold. It turned out that all these years I had been “spectacularly deceived”.

She continued weakly, her voice broken:
– “Seeing that only you and Tomas were willing to take me home, I knew that in this life there was still a place to rely on… But I don’t have any wealth, only a little… love, my child…”

Having said that, she closed her eyes and passed away.

The shock at the funeral

The whole room was filled with the cries of my husband and relatives. As for me, my heart ached… not because I lost her, but because 4 years of caring for her, all my sacrifices and patience… suddenly became meaningless.

It was even more painful, right at the funeral at the small church in Mandaluyong, a relative whispered in my ear:

– “You are so naive! In the past, Nanay lost all her money because she trusted the wrong person, from then on she never had any property left. Whoever sincerely cared for her would stay, whoever was calculating would sooner or later reveal themselves…”

At that moment, I could only freeze, tears streaming down my face. I did not expect that I had nurtured greed for 4 years, only to receive the most bitter deception of my life.

Part 2: After the Trick, I Understand the True Value of Family

Nanay Lourdes’ funeral took place on a drizzly day in Mandaluyong. Amidst the sad chanting, I sat staring blankly at her portrait. On her gaunt face, her kind eyes still seemed to be watching us.

So many thoughts rushed through my head: I had taken care of her for the past four years, but my thoughts were not necessarily love, but calculation. I wanted to be “rewarded” with money, with the 2 million pesos that people rumored. And when the truth was revealed, that greed made me feel humiliated and lost.

But then, in the midst of my crying, I suddenly remembered the small moments:

That evening, Nanay gently held my hand and whispered “Salamat, anak” when I brought a bowl of porridge to bed.

Her eyes lit up when I told her about my work, then she smiled gently when she saw Tomas – her son – taking care of me.

There were times when she was so weak that she could only smile, but she still called me affectionately “daughter-in-law”.

Those things… were probably the true legacy she left me.

Awakening

After the funeral, I sat silently for hours. I realized that, over the past 4 years, I had learned a great lesson:

Money can be lost, but love remains forever.

Filial piety is not to exchange for wealth, but to feel at peace.

Family does not need calculations, but sincerity.

I turned to Tomas, holding my husband’s hand tightly. He looked at me, his eyes red from sleepless nights, and said:
“I know you have struggled for the past four years… Thank you for being with me and Nanay. Even though she didn’t leave us any money, I believe she left us blessings and love.”

For the first time, I found myself crying not because of regret, but because I was freed from greed.

A real change

Since then, I no longer cared about my husband’s family’s assets and money. I started to spend more time on the little things: visiting relatives with my husband, burning incense with my children for Nanay on holidays, and most importantly – I learned to love without asking for anything in return.

Perhaps, that year’s deception was Nanay’s last gift to me: a slap to wake me up, to help me learn to live a true life with the two words family.

Conclusion

Now, whenever I think of Nanay Lourdes, I no longer think of that illusory “2 million pesos”. I only remember her gentle smile, remember what she said in her last breath:

“I have nothing left, only a little love, my child…”

And I understand, that love is the most precious asset that she left for me and my family.