Spellbound Empire: Reincarnated in Balance

It started off as another torturous family gathering. The aunties were back, of course, with their obnoxious kids in tow. This time, though, Mom was home. She had taken the day off to "bond with the family," which, in Mom-code, meant "keep me from losing my mind."

Now, let me tell you about my mom. She's the coolest person I know. Patient, kind, strong and classy- basically everything my aunts aren't. So naturally, she was their favorite target.

"So, I heard you've been working a lot lately," Aunt Cassandra began, sipping her tea with that fake sweetness that made me want to hurl my own cup at her.

"Yes," Mom replied politely, flashing that smile of hers that made you think everything was okay. "It's been busy, but I enjoy my work"

"That's so brave of you," Cassandra said, her voice dripping with condescension. "You know, some women prefer to stay home and focus on their families. But I guess everyone has different priorities~"

Brave? Did she just call my mom "brave" like working a job was some kind of reckless life choice? I felt my fists clench under the table, the anger boiling beneath the surface.

"Oh, I agree," Aunt Vesperithia chimed in, not one to miss a chance to stir the pot. "And you know, Laziel's always been so... free-spirited. Maybe if you were around more, he'd be a bit more... disciplined?"

Disciplined. Ayo- they be saying it like I was some feral dog that needed taming..!!

"Mom's great," I said sharply, my voice cutting through their smug tones like a knife.

"Oh, of course, darling," Vesperithia said, waving me off like I was some annoying child. "It's just that children thrive best when their mothers are more... present"

"Enough," Mom said quietly, her smile tight now, her patience clearly wearing thin. She was too classy to snap, but I could see it in her eyes. She was done.

But me? I was just getting started.

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Here's where I talk to you readers directly, because let's be real, we've all met these types of relatives, right? The ones who insult you or your family in the nicest way possible, so you can't even call them out without looking like the bad guy. It's like they've been trained by a master manipulator. And the worst part? They do it all with a smile. A smile!

Anyway, let's focus on my so-called-family here.

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I could feel my blood pressure rising as Aunt Cassandra leaned in for her grand finale.

"Don't take it personally," she said to Mom with that sugar-coated tone of hers. "We're just saying it because we care. After all, family has to hold each other accountable."

That's it. That's the final straw.

I stood up so fast that my chair scraped loudly against the floor. "You know what? Maybe instead of criticizing people who actually work hard, you should take a good look at yourselves-"

And then I swung. I didn't even think about it. My fist connected with Vesperithia's smug face, and the room went dead silent.

Or so I thought.

"Laziel!" Mom's voice snapped me back to reality.

I blinked, my fist frozen mid-air, inches from Vesperithia's face. Mom had grabbed my arm, her grip like iron, stopping me from going any further.

"Let go, Mom," I muttered under my breath. "Just one punch. That's all I need."

"No," she said firmly, pulling me back to my seat.

Vesperithia looked horrified, clutching her pearls like I'd already knocked her into next week. "Did you see that? He was going to hit me!"

"Only in my imagination," I muttered under my breath, sitting back down as Mom gave me a warning glare that could've fried an egg.

But I couldn't let it slide. Not completely.

"You know," I said, leaning back in my chair, crossing my arms, "it's funny how the people who preach about family the loudest are usually the ones who make it the hardest to love them."

Cassandra's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I said, my voice sharp. "You sit here, acting all high and mighty, like you're the perfect examples of family. But what have you actually done for us? Criticized us? Judged us? Made Mom feel bad for being awesome?"

Zyron, who had been silently watching the whole thing unfold, finally spoke up. "Yeah, and let's not forget all the times you guys made us feel like garbage. If that's what family is, maybe we're better off without it."

Mom put a hand on my shoulder, her touch gentle but firm. "That's enough, boys," she said softly. "We're not going to stoop to their level."

And that's why she's the best. Because even when she's being attacked, she still takes the high road. She doesn't let them get to her. It's a skill I wish I had.

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Later that night, after the aunties had stormed out in a huff, leaving us with a tense silence that felt like it could crush the room, I sat on the couch next to Zyron. We didn't need words. We were both still processing the explosion that had just happened.

"You almost punched Aunt Vesperithia," Zyron said, a smirk playing on his face.

"Almost," I said, staring up at the ceiling, still riding the high of having stood up to them, even if it didn't end as dramatically as I'd imagined. "And you know what? It would've been worth it."

"Totally," Zyron agreed, nodding like he was proud of me.

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Here's the takeaway, folks. Toxic relatives are everywhere. They disguise their insults as "advice," their judgments as "concern," and their gaslighting as "love." But you don't have to take it. Stand up for yourself. Call them out- respectfully, if you can. And if you can't? Well... that's what imagination is for. Picture them getting a taste of their own medicine. It works wonders.

"Stay strong out there my dear readers, vacation with toxic relatives are like living inside a rabbit hole full of snakes" I said looking at the invisible camera and turned back around to find my brother looking at me.

"Big brother... You have lost it..."

"No- wait Nooo~"

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_To Be Continue_