Melissa and Peter had two sons: Jack, the eldest, and Mark, the youngest. From childhood, Jack felt his mother treated them differently. Mark was spoiled with praise and freedom, while Jack’s efforts were dismissed. When Jack excelled in school, Melissa barely noticed—yet even Mark’s smallest achievements were celebrated.
By the time they reached adulthood, the favoritism was undeniable. For Mark’s 18th birthday, Melissa threw a huge party. For Jack’s, he got a simple cake. She brushed it off, saying, “You’re not the type for parties anyway.”
At 27, Jack’s world shifted when his father Peter passed away. He handled the funeral, paperwork, and supported his grieving family. But soon after, Melissa revealed how she planned to split the life insurance. She gave the entire payout to Mark, leaving Jack with nothing.
Jack confronted her, devastated. “Mom, why? I’ve always been here, and yet you reward him for doing nothing.” But Melissa insisted she loved them equally, claiming Mark “needed it more.”
Hurt and betrayed, Jack stepped back. Years later, when Mark wasted the money and turned against their mother, Melissa realized too late who had truly been by her side. Jack, the son she had overlooked, was the one who had always carried the weight of the family.
