After giving birth to my first children, I thought my husband would start choosing us more over his mother, but that wasn’t the case. This time, he’d chosen her side over me for the last time, so I exposed her for the bully and liar she was.
You’d think bringing home your newborn twins would be one of the happiest moments of your life. For me, it started like that, but it soon turned into an absolute nightmare!
An upset mother with her newborn babies | Source: Midjourney
After three days in the hospital, recovering from a grueling delivery, I was finally discharged and ready to head home with my beautiful twin daughters, Ella and Sophie. I’d imagined this moment for months: Derek, my husband, picking us up at the hospital with flowers, tears of joy in his eyes as he took one of the girls into his arms.
But instead, at the last minute, I got a hurried phone call that changed everything…
An upset woman on a call | Source: Midjourney
“Hey, baby,” my husband said, his voice clipped. “I am so sorry, but I can’t come pick you guys up as planned.”
“What?” I asked, adjusting the swaddle around Sophie. “Derek, I just had twins. What’s so important that you can’t—”
“It’s my mom,” he interrupted. “She’s in bad shape. Hectic chest pains. I need to pick her up and take her to that hospital close to her.”
His words hit me like a bucket of cold water. “What? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Derek, I need you here.”
“I know,” he said, exasperated. “But this happened suddenly, and it’s serious. I’ll come to you as soon as I can.”
An anxious man on a call | Source: Midjourney
I gritted my teeth, fighting the urge to scream because of how disappointed and frustrated I felt, but I replied, “Fine. I’ll just get a taxi.”
“Thank you,” he mumbled before hanging up.
My husband’s mother lived in a different city, so the chances of him getting back that same day to get me and the babies were unrealistic. Knowing how obsessed Derek was with his mother, he wasn’t going to leave her by herself, hence the taxi.
An upset woman on a call | Source: Midjourney
As the line went dead, my heart sank. I wanted to believe Derek wasn’t being callous, just overwhelmed and a mama’s boy. Still, the disappointment stung. The same mother-in-law (MIL) who insisted we make a separate set of keys to our house so she could help me with the babies was now suddenly unwell.
I tried shaking it off as I bundled the girls into their car seats that their father had dropped off the previous day and got us into a cab.
A woman in a cab with her children | Source: Midjourney
When we pulled into the driveway, I froze. My suitcases, diaper bags, and even the crib mattress were scattered across the front lawn and by the doorstep! A knot formed in my stomach. I paid the driver and stepped out with the twins, glancing around nervously. Something was obviously very wrong…
A messy front yard | Source: Midjourney
I approached the front door, fumbling with my keys while absentmindedly calling out my husband’s name, even though I knew he couldn’t be home yet. The key wouldn’t turn. Confused, I tried again. Nothing. Then I saw it, a folded piece of paper taped to a suitcase.
Get out of here with your little moochers! I know everything. Derek.
My breath caught, and my heart stopped. My hands trembled as I read the note again and again, trying to make sense of it while hoping it was a hallucination. This couldn’t be happening. Not Derek…
A shocked woman reading a note | Source: Midjourney
Not the man who held my hand through every doctor’s appointment, who cried when we heard our daughters’ heartbeats for the first time. Then the worst part of that day began…
Wanting answers, I called him immediately. Straight to voicemail. Again. Voicemail. Panic set in as Sophie’s cries joined Ella’s. I rocked their car seats, forcing myself to think.
A stressed woman holding a phone | Source: Midjourney
“Mom,” I whispered. My hands shook as I dialed her number.
“Jenna?” Mom answered on the first ring. “What’s wrong? Are the twins okay?”
I choked out the words, barely able to hold it together. I hadn’t wanted to involve my mother due to her ailing condition, but I believed this was one of those dire moments.
“Derek… He changed the locks. He threw my stuff outside. Mom, he left this awful note.”
“WHAT?!” Her voice shot up. “Stay there. I’m coming.”
An upset older woman | Source: Midjourney
Minutes felt like hours before she arrived. Mom took one look at the mess and narrowed her eyes, fuming.
“This doesn’t make sense! Derek wouldn’t do this; he loves you and the girls!”
“That’s what I thought,” I said, rocking Ella to calm her cries. “But he’s not answering. And what does ‘I know everything’ even mean?” I asked showing her the offensive note.
“I am so sorry, my darling,” she said while hugging me close. “Let’s go to my place until we can get a hold of your husband, okay?”
An older woman hugging a younger one | Source: Midjourney
She helped me load the bags into her car and whisked us back to her place. After my mother and I dissected what had happened and repeatedly called Derek with no answer, my anxiety spiked. That night, I barely slept.
The next morning, I decided I needed answers. Leaving the twins with Mom, I drove back in her car to the house. The yard was empty, my belongings gone. I knocked on the door. No response. I walked around to the back, peering through the windows, and froze.
A shocked woman peaking through a window | Source: Midjourney
Derek’s mother, Lorraine, sat at the dining table, sipping tea! I banged on the door, and she looked up, startled, almost spilling her tea before she saw me and smirked.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, banging on the door.
Lorraine rose leisurely and opened it just a crack. “Jenna. You’re not welcome here, didn’t you see the note?”
“Where’s Derek?” I snapped. “Why did he—”
“He’s at the hospital in my city,” she said smoothly. “Taking care of his sick mother.”
A nonchalant older woman standing by a door | Source: Midjourney
I stared at her, disbelief washing over me. “Sick? You’re standing right here!”
She shrugged, her lips curling into a malicious smile. “Maybe I’m feeling better. Miracles happen.”
“You lied to him, didn’t you? You faked being sick!”
Her smile widened. “And?”
My hands balled into fists. “Why? Why would you do this?”
She crossed her arms, her smugness growing.
A smug older woman | Source: Midjourney
“I told Derek from the start that our family needs a boy to carry on the name. But you? You gave us two girls. Useless,” she confessed unapologetically, finally speaking her truth after all these years I’ve been with her son.
Her words knocked the air out of me. I was too stunned to speak, and she took my silence as permission to keep going.
“I knew you’d ruin my son’s life, so I took matters into my own hands. The note was a bit much, but I needed you to believe he wanted you gone. I even ensured he couldn’t call you by taking his phone right out of his pocket when he wasn’t looking. You were supposed to take your things and get out of our lives, but here you are…”
An angry older woman | Source: Midjourney
I couldn’t breathe. This woman had orchestrated everything, lied to her son, and got him to take her to the hospital under false pretenses before sneaking away, locked me out of my home, and stole his phone all because she disapproved of my daughters!
“You threw us out over that?”
“Of course,” she said, unbothered. “I even bribed a nurse at the hospital to keep him there. And it worked, didn’t it?”
I felt sick. “You’re deranged!”
“Call me what you want,” she sneered. “I call it protecting my family. Besides, my Derek always takes my side and will see things my way as usual.”
An arrogant older woman | Source: Midjourney
Her words echoed in my mind as I drove to the hospital where my husband was still waiting. With every mile, my anger grew. How could she justify such cruelty? My hands gripped the wheel tightly, knuckles white with fury.
I knew my MIL was mean, but I didn’t think she was evil! She never approved of my relationship or marriage to her son, always believing Derek deserved someone wealthier and fancier, unlike me.
An upset woman driving | Source: Midjourney
When I reached the hospital, I found my husband pacing in the waiting room, his eyes shadowed with worry.
“Jenna!” he said, rushing toward me. “Where have you been? I don’t have my phone or know your number by heart, so I couldn’t call you!”
“Your mother took your phone,” I cut him off. “She faked her illness and locked me out of the house!”
He froze, confusion and anger flashing across his face. “What? That doesn’t make any sense.”
A man at a hospital | Source: Midjourney
“She set me up, wrote a fake note from you sending me away, and bribed a nurse to lie to you,” I said, my voice trembling. “Lorraine’s at our house, sipping tea like she’s the queen of the world!”
“Wait. What? Why would she…”
“Because our daughters aren’t boys,” I said bitterly.
The shock turned to rage on his face. Without saying a word, he grabbed his keys and stormed out, with me following close behind. When we got home, Lorraine was exactly where I’d left her, looking utterly unbothered.
An older woman having tea | Source: Midjourney
But her smugness vanished when she saw the determined look on Derek’s face.
“Mom,” he said, his voice cold and sharp. “What did you do? I thought you were in the hospital?”
She opened her mouth, likely to lie, but Derek cut her off. “Save it. I know everything.”
“Derek, I was just trying to—”
“You’ve done enough,” he snapped. “You made me abandon my wife and children for a fake emergency! Then you locked my wife, who just gave birth, and our newborn babies out of our home! On top of that, you cut our ability to communicate during such a crucial time by stealing my phone!”
An angry man shouting | Source: Midjourney
“Derek, darling… I just wanted to keep you safe. This isn’t how this was supposed to go,” my MIL replied pleadingly.
“Keep me safe from my wife and children? Who told you I wanted boys? What makes you think my girls aren’t good enough for me just because of their gender? That’s a problem you have, not me, and if you want sons, I suggest you go make them yourself!”
I stood with my mouth agape, having never seen Derek this angry! I won’t lie, a part of me was proud that he was proving himself worthy of me by defending my and the children’s honor. At that moment, I loved him more than ever before!
A happy woman | Source: Midjourney
“Pack your things and leave,” he demanded.
She gaped at him, tears forming. “You can’t mean that. I’m your mother!”
“And Jenna is my WIFE! Those are my daughters! If you can’t respect them, you’re not part of our lives!”
For once, Lorraine was speechless. She stormed upstairs to pack, slamming doors as she went. Derek turned to me, his eyes full of remorse.
“I’m so sorry, my love. I didn’t know.”
I let out a shaky breath, the tension easing just a little. “I just want us to move forward.”
A happy woman with her man | Source: Midjourney
Lorraine left that night. My husband apologized repeatedly, vowing to make things right. And he did. He changed the locks, blocked his mother’s number, and even reported the nurse who had taken the bribe!
It wasn’t easy, but for months we worked on rebuilding our life. One evening, as I rocked Ella and Sophie to sleep, I realized Lorraine had tried to destroy us but only managed to bring us closer together.
A happy couple with their twins | Source: Midjourney
Sadly, Jenna isn’t the only daughter-in-law who has had to face a difficult MIL. In the following story, Michelle’s MIL surprises her and her husband with a DNA test for their son thinking it would finally break them up. But things didn’t play out in her favor, the way she imagined.
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.
My Parents Demanded That I Get Married to Keep the Family Business, So I Chose a ‘Fresh-off-the-Farm’ Girl to Spite Them
My wealthy parents demanded I marry to inherit the family business, so I chose a “country girl” to spite them. But soon, I discovered she was hiding a powerful secret.
I’ll admit it. I’m not proud of how I started all this. I wasn’t looking for love, not even close. I just wanted to get back at my parents.
You see, I’ve always lived the way I wanted, with no strings. Parties, fast cars, expensive vacations. And why not? My family was wealthy, and I knew I’d inherit my father’s business one day.
A serious young man | Source: Pexels
But then my parents sat me down for “the talk.”
“Listen, Alex,” my father said, leaning forward like he was discussing a business deal. “Your mother and I feel it’s time you settle down.”
“Settle down?” I scoffed, leaning back with a smirk. “You mean get married?”
“Precisely,” he said with a nod, not breaking eye contact. “You’re almost 30. If you want the company, we need to see some commitment. That means a wife, a family. You can’t run a business like this alone.”
A serious man talking to his son | Source: Midjourney
My mother chimed in, shaking her head. “Your father worked his entire life for this, Alex. We can’t trust the future of the business to someone who treats life like a party.”
I was fuming. They wanted a marriage, so I’d give them one. If they thought they could push me around, I’d prove them wrong. I’d find someone who’d make them question their own demands.
And that’s when I met Mary.
A country woman | Source: Pexels
Mary wasn’t from the usual places where I met women. I found her volunteering at a quiet charity event. She looked modest, maybe even shy, with a simple dress and her hair tied back. Nothing flashy, no designer clothes, just calm and… real.
When I introduced myself, she just nodded and said, “Nice to meet you, Alex.” She barely looked at me, like she wasn’t impressed at all.
A couple meeting for the first time | Source: Midjourney
“So, uh, where are you from, Mary?” I asked, trying to gauge her story.
“Oh, I’m just from a small town,” she replied with a polite smile. “Nothing fancy.” Her voice was soft, and her eyes seemed guarded.
Perfect. Just perfect.
“So, Mary,” I began, cutting right to the chase. “How do you feel about marriage?”
She raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. “Excuse me?”
“I know it sounds strange,” I said, forcing a confident smile. “But I’m looking for someone to marry. I… have my reasons. But you will need to pass several ‘tests’ first.”
A black and white photo of a serious man | Source: Pexels
Mary looked at me, expression unreadable. Then she laughed, surprising me. “Well, isn’t that funny,” she said, her eyes gleaming with something I couldn’t place. “I was just thinking I could use a little ‘marriage’ myself.”
“Really?” I said, surprised. “So, is it a deal?”
Mary studied me, then shrugged. “Alright, Alex. But you have to promise one thing.”
A young woman talking to a man at a charitable event | Source: Midjourney
“What’s that?”
“No questions about my past, and I’ll keep it simple. Just a girl from a small town, that’s all they need to know. You good with that?”
I grinned, hardly believing my luck. “Perfect.”
When I introduced Mary to my parents, they were horrified. My mother’s eyebrows shot up as she took in Mary’s plain dress and quiet demeanor.
A shocked middle-aged woman | Source: Pexels
“Oh… Mary, is it?” Mom said, trying to mask her disapproval with a tight smile.
Dad’s frown deepened. “Alex, this… this isn’t exactly what we had in mind.”
“Well, you wanted me to settle down,” I replied, unable to hide my grin. “And Mary’s perfect for me. She’s calm, humble, and doesn’t care about all this fancy stuff.”
A smiling relaxed man | Source: Pexels
Mary was pulling it off. Every time she answered politely, every time she acted uncertain around our “society talk,” I knew my parents were dying inside.
But then… something about her stayed a mystery. She was perfect for my plan, yet every so often, I’d catch a look in her eye, something almost… amused.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Alex?” she’d asked me once after dinner with my parents.
A concerned woman talking to a man at a dinner party | Source: Midjourney
“More than ever,” I said, laughing. “They’re horrified, Mary. This is working.”
“Well,” she said, her voice soft, almost too soft. “Glad I could help.”
I was so busy watching my parents’ reactions that I didn’t look too closely at Mary’s. Not yet, anyway.
An arrogant young man at a dinner table | Source: Midjourney
The night of the charity ball finally arrived. My parents had spared no expense: a grand hall glittered with chandeliers, tables lined with white silk cloths, and silverware that could feed a small country.
Mary walked in beside me, her simple dress and quiet elegance making her look out of place among the sequins and high heels around her. Exactly what I’d wanted.
A woman in a simple dress | Source: Pexels
“Just remember,” I whispered, leaning close to her. “Tonight’s the final test.”
She looked up at me, her expression unreadable. “I know the drill.”
As the night went on, I stayed close to her, watching as she spoke softly, smiled politely, and never called attention to herself. My parents threw her a few concerned glances now and then, but I could tell they were hoping she’d just blend into the background.
People at a charity event | Source: Freepik
Then, out of nowhere, the mayor himself approached us, his face breaking into a broad smile.
“Mary! I’m delighted to see you here!” he exclaimed, reaching out to shake her hand.
My parents’ jaws nearly hit the floor. I blinked, trying to make sense of it. The mayor knew Mary?
Mary’s smile was polite, but I noticed her discomfort. “Good to see you too, Mayor,” she replied, a little stiffly.
A woman talking to the Mayor of the city | Source: Midjourney
“You know, everyone’s still talking about that children’s hospital project you funded,” the mayor continued. “Your family’s contributions are still making a difference.”
Mary nodded. “I’m glad to hear that. We just want to help where we can.”
The mayor finally moved on, leaving us in stunned silence. My mother was the first to break it, looking at me with wide eyes. “Alex… what was that about?”
A skeptical woman at an event | Source: Midjourney
Before I could respond, Jack, an old family friend, walked over with an astonished expression. “Mary! It’s been ages since I last saw you. I didn’t know you were back in town.”
Mary forced a small laugh. “I, uh, didn’t exactly announce it. I came back for my… wedding,” she said.
Jack turned to me, his face half-amused, half-incredulous. “Alex, you’re marrying Mary the Charity Princess? Her family’s one of the largest philanthropists in the state!”
An amused man at a charity event | Source: Midjourney
My mouth went dry. Charity Princess. I’d heard the name, of course. Everyone had. But I had never bothered to meet her or even look her up.
The moment we could slip away from my parents’ glares, I pulled Mary aside to a quiet corner. “So… Charity Princess?” I asked, crossing my arms.
She sighed, glancing away. “Yes. My family owns the biggest charity fund. They run in these circles, but I don’t. I’ve been avoiding all this for years.”
An awkward woman talking to a man | Source: Midjourney
I ran a hand through my hair, still trying to wrap my head around it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because,” she said slowly, “it’s the same reason you didn’t tell me you wanted a ‘fake’ marriage to spite your parents. I have my own reasons, Alex.”
“You knew this was fake all along?” I asked, trying to sound calm, but my voice gave me away.
A shocked man in a suit | Source: Freepik
She took a deep breath. “I got sick of my parents pushing me to marry someone for status. I wanted my own life, without all the expectations. When you came along, I figured I could help you and solve my own problem at the same time.”
“Let me get this straight,” I said, still amazed. “You agreed to this whole thing because you’re trying to escape your family’s expectations, just like I am?”
Mary nodded. “Guess that’s one thing we have in common.”
A young man talking to a woman at an event | Source: Midjourney
I stared at her, realizing for the first time how much I didn’t know about her. This wasn’t some naive “country girl” here to make my parents uncomfortable. She was intelligent, strong, and just as independent as I was. Maybe more.
My original plan suddenly felt childish. While I’d been playing games to annoy my parents, Mary had been quietly navigating a world she didn’t want to be part of, giving up her family’s wealth and influence to stand on her own two feet. She’d agreed to my ridiculous scheme just to win her freedom. I couldn’t help but respect her for that.
One evening, as we were going over some plans for the charity events my mother insisted we attend, I caught myself watching her. She looked up, catching my gaze. “What?”
A couple in love | Source: Midjourney
“I just… I guess I didn’t realize how strong you were,” I admitted, feeling surprisingly nervous. “You put up with all this, and you never once complained. You’ve done more than I would’ve in your position.”
Mary smiled, a little softer than I’d ever seen. “I’m not doing it for them,” she replied. “I’m doing it for me.”
a smiling young woman writing in her journal | Source: Midjourney
And in that moment, I realized my feelings had shifted. What started as a plan to shock my parents had become something else entirely. I respected and admired her, and, yes, I wanted to be with her for real.
“Mary,” I said slowly, “maybe it’s time we told them the truth.”
A couple holding hands | Source: Pexels
She nodded, understanding exactly what I meant. We weren’t just playing a game anymore.
The next day, we asked our parents to sit down with us. As we prepared to reveal everything, I felt a strange calm. I wasn’t worried about what they’d say. I just knew that, for once, I was ready to do things honestly and with Mary by my side.
A happy couple | Source: Pexels
Liked this story? Consider checking out this one: When a wealthy, emotionally distant man offers shelter to Lexi, a homeless woman, he’s drawn to her resilience. Their unlikely bond begins to grow — until the day he walks into his garage unannounced and discovers something disturbing. Who is Lexi really, and what is she hiding?
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.
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