Introducing Mark to my grandma was supposed to be a milestone in our relationship. But when she exposed his true intentions, I realized I had been blind to the real danger all along.
I’ve never been someone who rushes into things. I take my time, especially when it comes to relationships. I’m Jane, by the way — raised by my grandma, Grams after my parents passed away when I was ten. Grams and I, we’ve been through a lot together. She’s my world. In some ways, she’s my whole family.
A woman pictured with her grandma | Source: Midjourney
So, when Mark came into my life, I didn’t introduce him to her right away. I mean, why rush it? But after a few months, when it felt like things were serious, it seemed like the right time.
Mark was perfect. Or, at least, that’s what I thought. He was charming in a way that made you forget all the reasons you should be cautious.
You know that easy smile, the one that makes you believe someone is good, genuine? That was Mark. We’d spend hours together — talking about everything and nothing at the same time.
A loving couple | Source: Midjourney
Mostly, though, he’d ask me about my life. He seemed so interested. We’d talk about my job, my dreams, my childhood.
“Tell me more about your grandma,” he’d say, his eyes bright with curiosity. “She sounds like an amazing woman.”
I smiled every time. “She is. I wouldn’t be half the person I am without her.”
“Sounds like I should meet her soon,” he’d add with that confident grin. And every time, my heart would flutter just a little.
A man grinning | Source: Midjourney
After a few months, I finally agreed. It wasn’t just that Grams was the only family I had left. She was also the best judge of character I’d ever known. She always saw through people: like, right down to their soul.
She hasn’t spoken in nearly ten years since losing her voice, but we communicate just fine through sign language. Honestly, learning sign language together brought us even closer.
I was excited, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous too. “What if she doesn’t like him?” I often asked myself. But then I’d brush it off.
A thoughtful woman looking out the window | Source: Midjourney
Mark was great. He’d been nothing but wonderful so far. Still, I knew that Grams wouldn’t hold back. She wouldn’t need to say a word: her face would tell me everything.
The night of the dinner, I went all out. I cooked her favorite roast chicken, set the table just the way she liked, and even bought flowers. I kept pacing around the house, making sure everything was perfect. Mark noticed.
“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” he teased as I adjusted the napkins for the third time.
“A little,” I admitted. “It’s just… she means everything to me.”
A photo showing silverware and napkins lying on a dinner table | Source: Pexels
He walked over and took my hand, his thumb gently stroking my palm. “Hey, it’ll be fine. I promise I’ll charm her just like I did you.”
I smiled, though my stomach was still in knots. This was it: the moment where everything would either come together or fall apart.
Grams arrived right on time, like she always did, her familiar soft smile putting me at ease, if only for a moment.
An elderly woman smiling softly | Source: Midjourney
“Grams, this is Mark,” I said, my voice filled with a mixture of hope and nerves as I introduced them. I could only pray she’d see what I saw in him.
Mark stepped forward with that same confidence, offering his hand. “It’s so great to finally meet you. Jane talks about you all the time.”
Grams shook his hand, her expression neutral, polite. But as she looked at him, really looked, I could feel something shift. I brushed it off, telling myself she was probably just taking him in. She was curious, like anyone would be meeting someone new.
An elderly woman’s eyes are fixated on someone | Source: Midjourney
We sat down at the table, and for the first few minutes, everything seemed fine. Mark started talking about his job, cracking a few jokes. I tried to laugh along, but something felt off.
“Need anything else?” I asked, hoping the small talk would keep the mood light. Mark kept up his usual charm, smiling and laughing. For a moment, I thought maybe I was just being paranoid.
But then I froze. My heart skipped a beat — I had forgotten the food in the oven.
“Be right back!” I called, rushing into the kitchen, trying not to panic.
A woman taking out food from an oven | Source: Pexels
It only took a couple of minutes to pull everything together, but when I returned, something had changed. Grams’ face, usually warm and open, was now tight. Her eyes, the kind that always made me feel safe, were fixed on Mark with a sharpness that made my stomach twist.
“We’ll kick him out soon, but first, let’s have some fun. I want to teach him a little lesson.”
“What did I miss?” I asked, trying to laugh, though my voice cracked just a bit.
Grams didn’t answer right away. Instead, she started signing, her hands moving fast, almost urgently.
An elderly woman is signing | Source: Midjourney
“He thinks I’m deaf, not just mute,” she signed, her expression unchanging. “Keep smiling, and let me tell you what I heard.”
I tried to keep my face neutral, but inside, my heart sank. My eyes flicked to Mark, who was now scrolling through his phone, completely unaware of what Grandma had just signed to me.
A man scrolling through his phone | Source: Midjourney
“He got a call while you were in the kitchen,” she continued signing, her face calm but her hands moving quickly. “He said, ‘Yeah, I’m at their place now. This oldie? Nah, she won’t be living long, so this house will be ours soon. Jane is crazy in love with me; she’ll do whatever I tell her.'”
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. Mark had been playing me, and I never saw it coming. My perfect boyfriend, the one I had been so sure of, was just using me. I could barely believe it.
A woman is in disbelief and looks hurt | Source: Midjourney
But Grams, as always, stayed cool. Her expression didn’t shift as she kept signing.
“We’ll kick him out soon, but first, let’s have some fun. I want to teach him a little lesson.”
She signed that last part with a sly smile. I didn’t know what she had in mind, but I trusted her completely. I nodded, playing along.
I turned to Mark, forcing a cheerful smile. “Hey, Mark, my grandma wants to teach you some sign language. How about it?”
A woman forces a cheerful smile | Source: Midjourney
He looked up from his phone, grinning like an idiot, completely unaware. “Yeah? That’d be awesome! I’ve always wanted to learn.”
I almost laughed at how clueless he was. If only he knew what was coming. Grams started slowly, teaching him basic signs like “hello” and “thank you.”
Mark was so proud of himself, repeating the signs as if he’d unlocked some secret code. I watched, biting my lip to keep from laughing as Grams gave him the simplest signs, nodding approvingly when he got them right.
An elderly woman smiles while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
After about half an hour of this, Grams glanced at me, giving me a quick nod. This was it.
She started signing something longer, something more complex. I kept my face serious as I translated for him.
“She’s going to show you a phrase now. You say it out loud while she signs it.”
Mark, always the eager student, sat up straight and nodded. “Alright, I’m ready.”
Grams’ hands moved gracefully, and I watched as Mark’s face twisted in concentration, trying to keep up.
A man is trying to concentrate while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
“I’m… a mute… person,” he said slowly, his brow furrowed as he tried to follow the signs. “Not… deaf. You…” He trailed off, looking at me. “What’s the last word?”
I couldn’t hold back my grin anymore. “The word you’re missing is ‘jerk.'”
Mark blinked, confused for a second, then said the whole sentence out loud, slowly piecing it together, “I’m a mute person, not deaf… you jerk.”
There was a moment of pure silence. Then, his eyes widened as the realization slammed into him.
A shocked man | Source: Midjourney
His face turned ghostly white, and he jerked back in his chair, staring at Grams like she’d just grown another head.
“Wait. You’re not deaf?!” he spluttered, looking between us in panic. “Oh my god—”
Grams remained perfectly still, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. She started signing again, slower this time, making sure he caught every word.
“Not deaf. Heard everything. Now, get out.”
I stood up, crossing my arms over my chest, staring him down. “You heard her. Get out.”
A woman standing with her arms crossed | Source: Midjourney
Mark’s face twisted as he tried to come up with an excuse. His mouth opened and closed, like a fish gasping for air. “Jane, babe, please. I didn’t mean any of that. You know how much I love you, right? It was just a… a joke!”
“A joke?” I scoffed, feeling my chest tighten with anger. “You were planning your future with my house, Mark. How’s that funny?”
He stammered, reaching for his jacket as he backed toward the door. “Look, it was just talk, okay? I wasn’t serious! I—I didn’t mean it like that. You’re overreacting—”
A closeup shot of a man holding his leather jacket | Source: Unsplash
“No, I’m not.” I took a step closer, my voice ice cold. “I trusted you. And the whole time, you were lying to my face, planning to take everything. So, get out.”
Mark froze for a second, his eyes pleading. But I wasn’t going to fall for it. Not anymore. Without another word, he grabbed his coat, muttering something under his breath that I didn’t care to catch, and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
The second the door clicked shut, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
A sad woman | Source: Midjourney
I turned to Grams, who was watching me, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She started signing again, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
“Good riddance.”
I couldn’t help it and burst out laughing, the tension breaking all at once. Grams joined in, her whole body shaking with mirth. I dropped down into the chair beside her, still laughing, my heart lighter than it had been in weeks.
“Thank you,” I signed to her, once we’d both calmed down. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
A woman smiles while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
Grams gave me one of her gentle smiles, the kind that always made me feel like everything was going to be okay. “You deserve better. And now, you’ll find it.”
I nodded, knowing she was right. Mark was gone, but so was the weight of everything he’d been hiding from me. Grams had seen through him, like she always did, and in the end, she’d saved me from a mistake I didn’t even know I was making.
A smiling elderly woman | Source: Midjourney
And honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better revenge.
Enjoyed this story? Here’s another one that you might like even more: After Richard’s granddaughter, Emily, elopes and squanders his life savings on a lavish honeymoon, his heart is shattered. Determined to teach her the true meaning of family and responsibility, Richard takes a drastic step. Can their bond survive this test, or will it tear them apart forever?
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This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.