I was floored when my husband, Jeff, brought in a maid to “teach” me how to cook and clean like the ideal wife. Rather than push back, I played along. What Jeff didn’t see coming was the lesson I had in store for him — one that would turn his perfect plan topsy-turvy.
I’m Leighton, 32, juggling a full-time job, a chaotic household, and a 34-year-old husband who’s lately become an expert on what a “perfect wife” should be.
Jeff and I both work demanding jobs: he’s in finance, constantly stressed about quarterly reports, while I’m in marketing, which means my brain is fried by the time I get home. You’d think we’d cut each other some slack, but lately, Jeff’s expectations have been through the roof.
It all started after that infamous dinner at his boss Tom’s place. Tom’s wife, Susan, greeted us with this warm smile, wearing a perfectly pressed dress that probably cost more than my rent in college. Her house? Spotless. Not a speck of dust, not a misplaced throw pillow.
And don’t get me started on the five-course meal she whipped up as if she’d been born holding a spatula. Jeff couldn’t stop gawking.
“You see how Susan keeps everything in order? Dinner’s ready the minute Tom gets home,” Jeff had said on the drive back, his voice dripping with admiration. “You could take a few pointers.”
I bit my tongue, staring out the window to avoid rolling my eyes but Tom wasn’t done yet. “Why don’t you try a little harder? I mean, how difficult can it be to keep things clean when you get home before me?”
The comparisons didn’t stop. Every day was a new critique. “Susan keeps her house spotless. Susan has time to make fresh pasta from scratch. Susan always looks put together.”
He’d say this while tossing his dirty clothes two feet from the laundry basket or leaving his dishes right where he finished eating.
One evening, he came home and immediately started inspecting the house like some kind of drill sergeant. He ran his finger along the windowsill and frowned. “You missed a spot. Are you even trying?”
I glanced up from my laptop, barely containing my frustration. “Seriously, Jeff?”
He shrugged. “I’m just saying, maybe you could put in a little more effort. It’s not like you don’t have time.”
That was his new favorite line. Not like you don’t have time. As if my workday and commute weren’t as draining as his. But the final straw came one Friday night.
I walked in, dreaming of a hot shower and some rest, but instead, I found a young woman in our kitchen. She was holding a mop and wearing an apron, her eyes darting nervously around like she’d accidentally wandered into the wrong house.
Jeff stood beside her, arms crossed, with a self-satisfied grin. “Leighton, meet Marianne. She’s here to teach you how to clean and cook properly.”
I blinked, trying to process what I was hearing. “I’m sorry… teach me?”
Jeff sighed like he was talking to a stubborn child. “Yeah, honey. I’ve tried being patient, but clearly, you’re not getting it. Susan suggested I get someone to help you get up to speed. So, here we are.”
Marianne glanced at me, then at Jeff, and back at me. “I usually just… you know, clean houses,” she said softly, almost apologetic. “He offered me double if I’d show you how.”
I turned to Jeff, barely keeping my voice steady. “So, you’re paying her to teach me to clean and cook?”
He nodded, still oblivious. “Yeah. This way, you can get the hang of it properly. Marianne, don’t hold back.”
I wanted to scream. This man, who never lifted a finger, had the audacity to hire someone to teach me how to clean? I could see Marianne’s discomfort too, like she was dragged into some weird reality TV show.
I forced a smile, seething inside. “I’m sure I’ve got a lot to learn, Jeff. Thanks for looking out for me.”
Jeff left, pleased with himself, while Marianne looked like she was ready to bolt. I leaned in, lowering my voice. “Listen, I don’t need lessons. But I do have a little idea that could use some help. Are you game?”
Marianne’s face lit up, intrigued. “What do you have in mind?”
I smiled, already plotting. “Let’s just say Jeff’s about to learn a lesson of his own.”
Over the next few weeks, I gave Jeff exactly what he’d been asking for: the perfect housewife. Every day, I woke up early, made his breakfast, cleaned the house until it sparkled, and cooked elaborate dinners that looked straight out of a cooking show.
I even dressed up every evening, greeting him at the door with a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.
But I was cold as ice. I didn’t nag or complain, but I also didn’t engage. No conversations about my day, no affectionate touches, not even a casual laugh. I became the picture of domestic perfection, but I was just going through the motions. It didn’t take long for Jeff to notice something was off.
“Hey, babe,” he said one evening, hovering at the kitchen door while I prepared a three-course meal. “You’ve been quiet lately. Is everything okay?”
I barely looked up, keeping my tone polite but distant. “I’m fine, Jeff. Just busy with the house, like you wanted.”
His brow furrowed. “You don’t have to be… this dedicated. I mean, it’s great, but it’s like you’re here, but you’re not.”
I shrugged, setting the table with precision. “I’m just focusing on what you asked me to do, Jeff.”
He nodded, but I could tell he was confused. This was what he wanted, wasn’t it? A perfect house, perfect meals, perfect wife. But I wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of my usual warmth, and it was starting to bother him.
As the days went on, I kept up my act. Every task was done flawlessly, but our relationship? It was as cold and mechanical as a well-rehearsed performance. I knew Jeff could feel the distance between us, but he didn’t know how to fix it. And I wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
Then came the day I’d been planning for weeks. After a perfectly silent dinner, I cleared the plates and turned to him with a cheerful smile. “Jeff, we need to talk.”
He glanced up, a nervous smile twitching on his lips. “What’s up?”
I sat across from him, placing a neatly folded piece of paper on the table. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this whole ‘perfect housewife’ thing. Marianne really opened my eyes to how much work it takes to run a household like this. It’s a full-time job, honestly.”
Jeff frowned, not sure where I was going. “Uh, okay?”
“So, I’ve decided,” I continued brightly. “I’m going to quit my job and focus on this full-time.”
His jaw dropped. “You’re quitting your job?”
I nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! You wanted the house to be spotless, meals cooked from scratch, and everything just right. To do that, I need to dedicate all my time to it. But here’s the catch — I can’t do it for free.”
He blinked, baffled. “Wait, what do you mean ‘can’t do it for free?’”
I slid the paper toward him. It was a contract I’d typed up, outlining my new terms.
“If I’m giving up my career, I should be compensated. Susan doesn’t work, and Tom supports her. So, I’ll need you to pay me a salary. This is what I think is fair.”
He stared at me, his face turning from confused to outraged. “You want me to pay you? Leighton, this is absurd!”
I kept my tone sweet, but my words were laced with ice. “Oh, but it makes perfect sense. You wanted me to be a perfect wife, and I’ve been delivering. But perfection isn’t free, Jeff. If you expect me to maintain the household to your standards, I deserve compensation. And if you’re not willing to pay, that’s fine. I’ll just stop doing it.”
He gaped at me, the color draining from his face. “I never asked you to quit your job! I never wanted this.”
I leaned back, arms crossed, savoring every second. “Oh, but you did, Jeff. You wanted a house that looked like Susan’s, meals like hers, and a wife who dedicated herself entirely to domestic duties. I’m just doing exactly what you asked for. But I have my standards too, and if you want this level of dedication, it comes at a price.”
There was a long, tense silence. Jeff held the contract, his eyes fixated on the exorbitant salary. I could see the gears turning as he realized he’d dug himself into a hole he couldn’t easily climb out of.
Finally, he sputtered, “This isn’t what I meant! I work hard all day. I don’t have time to do everything around here!”
I stood up, keeping my voice calm but firm. “Exactly. And now you know what it feels like. If you’re not willing to pay me, maybe it’s time you start contributing more around the house. Or you could always hire Marianne full-time. She’s great, after all.”
I left him sitting there, flustered and speechless.
From that day on, Jeff’s attitude changed. He never agreed to pay me, of course, but he also stopped complaining. And suddenly, chores were no longer just my responsibility.
Jeff started picking up after himself, doing the laundry, and even cooking dinner a few nights a week. He never brought up Susan again, and I never saw him running a finger along the shelves in search of dust.
Turns out, when you give someone exactly what they think they want, they realize pretty quickly that the fantasy isn’t nearly as sweet as the reality. Jeff learned that the hard way, and I got the one thing I’d wanted all along: respect.
In the end, Jeff didn’t need a perfect wife; he needed a partner. And if it took hiring a maid and drawing up a fake contract to get there. Well, that was a lesson worth teaching.
What do you think?
Every Day Little Girl Cries before Getting on School Bus until Her Stepdad Follows Her Inside – Story of the Day
A dad gets worried about his stepdaughter crying every day before getting on her school bus, so he bursts into it one day to figure out what’s happening. The reason behind it enrages him, and he immediately takes action against the bus driver.
Candace was still in her mother Lily’s womb when her father abandoned them, claiming he had nothing to do with them. After that, Candace had Lily as her only companion, but things changed when Lily met Derek.
Derek fell in love with Lily and Candace and embraced them. He became a devoted husband and father and loved Candance so much that nobody believed he was the little girl’s stepfather and not her biological dad.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Both Lily and Derek were working parents, so they sent Candace to school by bus every day. Lily left for work early as her office was a little far from their house, and it was Derek’s duty to drop Candace off at her bus stop before heading to work.
One day, Derek was dropping off Candace at her bus stop and noticed she seemed upset. “Honey, are you all right?” he inquired, concerned. “Would you like to discuss something with Daddy?”
Candace remained silent, but her eyes welled up. Derek noticed that and wondered what was wrong. “If there’s anything that’s bothering you, honey,” he continued, “remember that daddy is always here to listen, okay?”
Candace nodded lightly then grabbed her backpack and alighted the bus as it arrived. Derek hoped she would be alright, but she wasn’t.
“Justin!” Derek exclaimed emphatically. “What were you trying to prove by yelling at Candace? For Christ’s sake, she’s a child!”
With time, Derek noticed Candace would cry every day, reluctant to take the bus to school and insisting on driving her. He told Lily about it, but all she said was: “You know how much she loves you, Derek! It’s because she wants your attention all the time! Kids do such things sometimes to get their parents’ attention!”
Believing Lily was right, Derek didn’t give it much thought and sometimes gave into Candace’s request and dropped her off at school. But doing so every day was impossible because he’d have to be in his office on time, and Candace’s school was in the opposite direction of his workplace.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
One morning, Candace began crying again, not wanting to take the bus to school. Derek was really late for a meeting, and he yelled at Candace. “Stop being so fussy, Candace! There are a lot of kids who take that bus every day, but you’re the only one who causes problems!”
Candace lowered her head, sniffing, but her tears didn’t stop. She boarded the bus as soon as it arrived, and Derek felt a pang of guilt now that he had cooled down and understood he shouldn’t have been so angry with her.
“Oh, God! Why did I have to be so mad? I’ll apologize to her when she gets home,” he mumbled as he started walking towards his car. But the bus driver’s words stopped him in his tracks.
“You go and sit at the back, you little girl! I don’t want to see your face! And yeah, you better follow my orders or get the hell out of my bus!” he yelled.
Candace pleaded with him, teary-eyed, that she had motion sickness and needed to sit in the front, but the bus driver wouldn’t budge. “You do what I say, or you’re out!” he yelled.
Derek turned around and saw the bus gate was about to close. He stormed into the bus before the door closed and froze in place when he saw the driver’s face. He would never fail to recognize him.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
He composed himself and forced a smile on his face. “I’m sorry for the trouble, sir,” he told the bus driver. “I just thought I’d drop my daughter off at school myself, so I’m here to pick her up…Come on, honey,” he told Candace. “Let’s go!”
Derek scooped Candance in his arms and got off the bus. Then he dropped a text to his boss, saying he wouldn’t be able to make it to the meeting due to an emergency, and dropped Candace off at school.
After Candace entered the campus, Derek spotted the bus she was supposed to be taking and confronted the bus driver. The children on the bus had already left for their classes by then.
“Justin!” Derek exclaimed emphatically. “What were you trying to prove by yelling at Candace? For Christ’s sake, she’s a child! I didn’t want to cause a ruckus in front of the kids, but this has to stop!”
Justin laughed. “Yo, stepdaddy, why don’t you just drop her off at school on your own if you’re worried about her? I’m tired of seeing her nasty face every day! I was right to leave her and Lily! I wish she had never been born! She’s been getting on my nerves since I started working here!”
“And who the hell do you think you are to yell at her?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Why shouldn’t I?” Justin retorted. “She and her mother are such evil omens! After I dated that stupid Lily, my business began to suffer losses! As if that wasn’t enough, she wanted to impose her child on me! I’m here today because of them, so I will continue ridiculing that child and exacting my revenge! Do you get that?”
“You’re impossible, Justin! Are you even human?” Derek was furious and went straight to the school principal to complain about Justin. Luckily, he’d recorded the whole conversation on his phone and submitted it as proof.
He told the principal that Justin was Candace’s biological father and that he was practically tormenting her, blaming his failed career on her and her mother.
It turns out Justin had only been hired a few weeks ago. His business had gone bankrupt, and he struggled to get a job elsewhere.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Miles,” the principal assured Derek. “I appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We do not tolerate such behavior in our school, and you can be assured that we will take firm measures against him…”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
To Derek and Candace’s relief, Justin was fired from his job, and Candace was no longer terrified to take the bus to school. When Derek shared the whole incident with Lily, she was stunned, feeling horrible for dismissing Candace’s behavior as something childish.
“You have to inform me whenever something is wrong, Candace,” Justin explained one day as they walked to the bus stop. “Daddy is always here for you, so never keep anything from me, okay?”
As they arrived at the bus stop and Candace was about to board the bus, she turned around and smiled at Derek. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, daddy. I was just scared … Thank you, and I love you,” she added as she waved goodbye.
Derek waved back at her and whispered an “I love you” to her. Candace sat in one of the seats in the front and happily went to school. She had no idea Justin was her biological father, but Derek and Lily decided to tell her when she is old enough to comprehend everything.
What can we learn from this story?
- Parents love their children and protect them from the bad. Although Candace wasn’t Derek’s blood, he loved her like his own and went above and beyond for her. He was a parent in the real sense. Justin, on the other hand, clearly didn’t deserve to be a parent, although he was Candace’s birth father.
- Children are innocent and pure souls and shouldn’t be dragged into conflicts. Derek was crazy for blaming Candace for his failed job and bullying her. Karma eventually caught up with him, and he was fired.
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