A minted father who is unwilling to spend money to raise his newborn twins asks his wife to give up one baby for adoption. He kicks her out with the babies when she refuses and knocks on her door for help five years later.
It was a cold, rainy night, and Angie cradled her newborn babies at the bus stop. “Where will we go? Jesus, please help us. Shelter us as we wait out this rough night,” she cried, wiping warm tear droplets off her babies’ faces. Angie had nowhere to go, and her parents had died long back.
Suddenly, she sensed something creeping behind her and was terrified. Angie mustered the courage to protect her babies from whatever it was. “It’s a dog!” she sighed.
Angie never imagined her life would turn topsy-turvy overnight. She never thought her husband Jake, who she trusted and loved throughout their marriage, would kick her out with their babies just a week after their birth…
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay
“How I wish my mom were with me today…Sorry, mama, I should’ve listened to you and not rushed with my marriage with Jake,” sobbed Angie, thinking about her late mom.
“You can stay in this house as long as you agree to keep just one baby or leave if you want to keep both. Decide wisely, dear.”
Angie met Jake after graduation five years ago. He was a young, handsome man, and she thought he was the one. They fell for each other in what would turn into a fairytale love story, but with one exception—there was no ‘happily ever after’ in Angie’s case.
Problems sparked in the fourth year of their marriage when she told Jake she was pregnant.
“But darling, you know I’ve just started my business. We have postponed baby planning all these years, and I am not ready to be a father yet,” Jake was upset when Angie showed him the two pink lines on her pregnancy test kit.
Jake’s reluctance to be a father showed he was unprepared for responsibilities. Poor Angie was torn between his disapproval of having children and her desire to have as many as possible. But was Jake prepared to know Angie was pregnant with twins?
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“I am okay with having a baby…you get it? I mean, one baby is enough,” said Jake as Angie walked into the ward for scanning. “I pray that you don’t come out and tell me we are having twins,” he joked, his mouth curved into an ironic smile. Moments later, fate joked back at him.
Angie came out, distressed and worried. She was pale while she was supposed to be blushing and smiling.
“What is it?” he asked her, impatient for her reply. “What did the doctor say?”
Angie swallowed her fear and spoke out, partly guessing Jake’s reaction. “Our babies are fine,” she said.
“Alright…wait, what…babies?” he exclaimed.
The scan Angie took minutes ago gave her a glimpse at two tiny lives growing inside her. She was pregnant with twins, and Jake was not happy about that.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Jake stormed to his car as Angie read his mind and pictured his frustrations. She was nervous and thought he had joked about having only one baby. But his reactions proved otherwise.
Jake grew distant from Angie day by day and focused only on making more money. She knew he was upset about having twins and assumed he would cool down with time. But it only worsened during her third trimester.
Angie was in the hospital, waiting for Jake to see their newborn twin baby girls. But he never showed up. He sent his maid and driver three days later to bring Angie and their babies home.
Jake did not want to get involved with his babies. He didn’t even welcome them home or hold them. He was unhappy and unprepared to be their father.
Angie returned home with her newborns that evening, knowing little about Jake’s condition. “We keep only one child and give the other up for adoption. If you are okay with it, we are a family. If not, you can leave the house with them,” he told Angie.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
At first, Angie thought Jake was kidding. He dragged her suitcase to the living room and placed it in front of her, indicating he was serious.
“I’m not ready to raise two children and burn a hole in my pocket. My business is fetching a lot of profits, and I need to focus on making more money…I don’t want to waste my time and wealth on raising two babies when I can easily raise just one,” he explained.
Angie was devastated. “They are our babies, Jake. How could you ask a mother to give up her baby? Are you out of your mind? Both my babies are our symbol of love,” she cried. But Jake was stubborn.
“My business has just started to flourish, and I don’t have the time to focus on family. I don’t want to waste my hard-earned money on two babies. You can stay in this house as long as you agree to keep just one baby or leave if you want to keep both. Decide wisely, dear,” he said, despite knowing Angie had nowhere to go.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
The poor mother’s choice was obvious. She took her suitcase and left the house with the babies. Jake’s greed for his newfound riches blinded his devotion to family. He failed as a husband and a father. But it didn’t matter to him.
Angie snapped to her present and found herself still deserted at the bus stop, cradling her babies. “Where will I go? Please help me, Jesus,” she cried and was disrupted by an intense beam of light rays.
“Hello there, are you alright? It’s raining heavily. Would you like a ride, my dear?” an older woman called out to her from a taxi. Angie looked up and saw a nun. She wrapped her babies in her jacket and approached the car.
“Oh my, how adorable your babies are!” exclaimed the nun. “Get in. I’ll drop you. Where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know, Sister,” said Angie. “My path is dark, and I am lost. I don’t know which way to go. My babies and I were abandoned by someone dear to us.”
The nun understood Angie’s misery and immediately took her to the convent.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Angie and her daughters, Sophie and Marley, found a safe shelter to wait out the rough days of their lives. Angie taught in the school administered by the church. She also worked part-time in a restaurant, and two years later, she saved a good chunk of money to start her café.
Gradually, Angie was able to give her daughters a better life, though it could’ve been much better had their father been involved. Moreover, Angie did not regret her decision not wanting to divorce Jake. Deep in her heart, she hoped he would realize his mistake and come for them someday.
Five years passed, and Angie now had her own house. It was quite small yet comfortable. She spent the best years watching Sophia and Marley grow up.
There were times when Angie used to struggle without enough profits in business, but her faith and determination motivated her. She launched two more coffee shops in town, and gradually, her fortune grew. But in the other part of town, Jake’s business tanked.
He was drowned in debt, and everybody he sought financial help from refused to support him at the last minute. Jake knew how rich Angie was now and thought only she could help him.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay
“Hey, how are you?” Angie answered the door one day when she least expected to see Jake at the doorstep. “Come in!”
Jake vaguely smiled and immediately apologized to Angie. “Darling, I’m so sorry for abandoning you. My greed to earn more money cost me big. I am bankrupt, and it’s the best punishment I deserve for kicking you out with our babies. Please forgive me, and please help me.”
Angie now understood why Jake had come. She had learned about his loss in business but never thought he would visit her and apologize, let alone ask for help.
Jake saw a photo of Angie with their daughters and cried. “I’m sorry, sweethearts. Please forgive your daddy,” he said. Angie’s heart melted, and though she knew Jake had come crawling for help, she was willing to do it because she still loved him.
“But darling, I will not be able to repay such a huge amount of money. I will need time. I was such a cruel husband and a heartless father. Are you sure you want to help me?” he sobbed when Angie gave him a check worth the money he wanted.
“The night you kicked me out, I learned what greed is and how it can ruin relationships. And today, I learned what forgiveness is. What are we going to achieve by holding onto our past grudges? Nothing! Everyone makes mistakes, but as humans, we must learn to forgive one another,” said Angie.
Jake realized his mistake and promised to take Angie and their kids back once he sorted his business issues. He wanted to be a good father to his children and compensate for the heartbreak Angie endured all these years.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
What can we learn from this story?
- Do not walk past the needy. When the nun saw Angie and her newborn babies stranded at the bus stop on a rainy night, she offered them a ride. She took them to the convent and offered shelter after learning of the mother’s misery.
- One of the best attributes of humans is our ability to forgive. Despite being wronged by Jake, Angie forgave him and helped him financially when he came to her and apologized.
My Sassy MIL Took over Our Bed Without Asking for Years—But This Time, I Set a Trap My In-Laws Walked Right Into
Every time my parents-in-law visited, my sassy MIL took over our bedroom, shoving my things aside and lighting her signature candles. One day, I decided enough was enough! I devised a plan that would leave her begging for the guest room.
I watched the clock tick down with dread, knowing that in exactly 17 minutes, Hurricane Monica would make landfall.
A woman staring at something | Source: Midjourney
My mother-in-law wasn’t just visiting — she was invading, and my master bedroom was always her first conquest.
“They’re early,” my husband Jake muttered, peering through the living room blinds.
The familiar silver sedan pulled into our driveway ten minutes ahead of schedule. Of course, they were early. Monica never played by the rules.
A house with a driveway | Source: Pexels
I smoothed my shirt and plastered on what I hoped was a convincing smile.
“Ready for the storm?” I asked.
Jake squeezed my hand. “We’ve weathered worse.”
But had we?
A woman looking out a window | Source: Midjourney
For five years, I’d watched Monica march straight into our bedroom and dump her dirty luggage on our bed.
She shoved our toiletries aside or tossed them into the bathroom cabinet so she could scatter her makeup and perfumes everywhere.
She lit scented candles without asking, and left behind heavy scents and even oily stains from her “relaxing oils.”
Essential oils in a case | Source: Pexels
The memory of last Christmas still stung, when I’d found my jewelry box emptied into a drawer because she “needed the space.”
She also shoved my books under the bed, and always left our room messier than she found it.
The doorbell rang, and Jake opened it with practiced enthusiasm. “Mom! Dad! Great to see you!”
A front door | Source: Pexels
Monica swept in like royalty, air-kissing both of Jake’s cheeks before giving me a once-over that somehow made me feel both invisible and scrutinized.
Her husband Frank trailed behind, carrying their luggage and looking as passive as ever.
“Always lovely to see you both,” she remarked airily. “Won’t you brew some coffee while we get settled? Traveling is so tiring.”
A woman speaking to someone | Source: Midjourney
Before I could respond, she was already halfway down the hall. I shot Jake a desperate look, and he nodded — a silent promise to intervene.
But we both knew he wouldn’t keep it. Jake was a lion in every aspect of life except when it came to his mother.
“Mom,” he called after her, voice weaker than intended, “we’ve set up the guest room for you this time.”
A hallway in a house | Source: Midjourney
Monica paused, turned, and smiled the way a cat might smile at a cornered mouse. “Oh, that’s sweet, but you know how my back gets on those guest beds. You young people can handle it.”
And with that, she continued her march toward our bedroom.
I’d tried everything over the years. First came gentle hints: “The guest room has a better view.” Then direct requests: “We’d prefer to keep our room private.”
A serious woman in a living room | Source: Midjourney
Each attempt was met with dismissal.
“Stop being dramatic; it’s just a room,” she’d snap.
“Maybe if you had better guest rooms, we wouldn’t need yours,” she’d suggested once, as if our three-bedroom house existed solely for her bi-annual visits.
A woman in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
For years, I swallowed my pride.
I’d strip our bedroom of anything truly private, surrender the space, and spend their visits feeling like a guest in my own home. Jake would whisper apologies in the guest room each night, promising to talk to her “next time.”
But something in me had finally snapped.
A stern-looking woman | Source: Midjourney
Last night, I’d called Monica and told her clearly, “WE’VE SET UP THE GUEST ROOM FOR YOU. IT’S CLEAN, COZY, AND PRIVATE. WE’RE KEEPING OUR BEDROOM TO OURSELVES.”
“We’ll see when we get there, dear,” she’d said. Her voice dripped with condescension, a promise of future defiance.
So I’d prepared a little surprise for her, just in case.
A woman smirking | Source: Pexels
“There’s a new mattress on the guest bed. You really will be more comfortable there,” I called after Monica (it was a warning, but she couldn’t have known that at the time).
Then I rushed out the door to get to work.
When I returned home later, it was no surprise to find that Monica had colonized our bedroom. Her suitcase was splayed open on our bed, clothes already hanging in my closet.
Suitcases on a bed | Source: Pexels
The familiar scent of her heavy floral perfume saturated the air, mixing with the three scented candles she’d lit. My skincare products had been shoved aside to make room for her extensive collection.
When I appeared in the doorway, Monica stood proudly amid the chaos.
“The guest room gets too much morning sun,” she declared without apology. “It’s better for young people like you to adjust. We’re staying here.”
A woman standing in a bedroom | Source: Midjourney
Everything was going according to plan.
“Of course,” I said sweetly. “Whatever makes you comfortable.”
Confusion flashed across her face. She’d been prepared for resistance, not surrender.
That evening, we had a tense dinner where Monica criticized my cooking (a bit too spicy), my wine choice (somewhat acidic), and our dishware (charming, in a rustic way).
A table set for dinner | Source: Pexels
I met each barb with a serene smile that grew more genuine as the evening progressed. Jake kept shooting me questioning glances, but I just squeezed his hand under the table.
Later, as Monica and Frank settled into our bedroom, Jake and I retreated to the guest room.
“What’s going on?” he whispered. “You’re being weirdly calm about all this.”
A frowning man | Source: Midjourney
I slipped under the covers. “Let’s just say I made some preparations.”
“What kind of preparations?” His eyes widened with concern.
“Nothing illegal,” I assured him. “Just a little lesson in boundaries.”
We fell asleep to the sound of Monica’s television blaring through the walls — another of her charming habits.
A couple in bed | Source: Pexels
The next morning, I woke early to make coffee, humming as I arranged breakfast pastries on a plate. Jake joined me, still puzzled by my good mood but willing to play along.
At precisely 7:43 a.m., Monica stormed into the kitchen looking like she’d seen a ghost.
Her face was ashen, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her movements stiff with what could only be described as pure mortification. Frank shuffled behind her, staring intensely at the floor.
A distressed man | Source: Midjourney
She didn’t touch the coffee I offered. She didn’t meet anyone’s eyes.
After an unbearable silence that seemed to stretch into eternity, she finally spoke, each word forced out like it physically hurt.
“We’ll take the guest room. Please.”
A woman peering over her glasses | Source: Pexels
I tilted my head, the picture of innocence. “Oh? I thought you loved the master bedroom?”
Monica flinched visibly. “We changed our minds.”
Jake, who had been taking a bite of toast, suddenly started coughing, clearly trying to suppress laughter.
I patted his back a bit harder than necessary.
A person holding a slice of toast | Source: Pexels
“The guest room gets that lovely morning light,” I continued pleasantly. “And I just changed the sheets. I can help you move your things if you’d like.”
“No!” Monica said, too quickly. “No, thank you. We can manage.”
They excused themselves and hurried back toward the bedroom, where they spent the next hour quietly transferring their belongings to the guest room.
A bedroom | Source: Pexels
I caught glimpses of Monica’s face: still haunted, still unable to make eye contact.
That evening, after Monica and Frank had retreated early to the guest room, Jake finally cornered me in the kitchen.
“Okay, what exactly did you do?” he whispered, equal parts horrified and impressed.
A man looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
I grinned. “Remember that shopping trip I took to that specialty store downtown?”
His eyes widened. “You didn’t.”
“I did. Plus a few things from a website with overnight delivery.” I beckoned to Jake with my finger. “I’ll show you.”
A man staring at someone | Source: Midjourney
I barely held back my giggles as I showed Jake the lacy, barely-there lingerie I’d tucked beneath the pillows and the adult toys I’d “accidentally” left in the en-suite bathroom.
“Oh my God,” he breathed, the blood draining from his face.
“There’s more,” I whispered.
A woman with a smug smile | Source: Midjourney
While our bedroom might have looked normal at first glance, I’d secretly placed massage oils, some interesting leather accessories, and items that required batteries throughout the room and bathroom.
I’d even filled our TV queue with titles that would make a sailor blush.
Jake’s mouth opened and closed several times before he managed to speak. “My mother saw all this?”
A TV in a bedroom | Source: Pexels
“Every. Single. Piece.” I couldn’t help the satisfaction in my voice. “I figured if she wanted our most private space, she should understand exactly how private it is.”
He was quiet for a moment, then burst into laughter so loud I had to shush him.
“You’re evil,” he gasped between breaths. “Absolutely evil. And brilliant.”
A man staring at someone | Source: Midjourney
The rest of their visit passed in blessed peace.
Monica and Frank stayed firmly within the boundaries of the guest room. When they left three days later, Monica hugged me stiffly at the door.
“The guest room was quite comfortable after all,” she said tightly.
“I’m so glad,” I replied as I stepped back. “It’s yours whenever you visit.”
A woman speaking to someone | Source: Midjourney
As their car pulled away, Jake wrapped his arm around my waist. “You know she’s probably traumatized for life.”
“Good,” I said, leaning into him. “So was I, every time she invaded our space.”
That night, I slipped into bed with the satisfaction of a battle well won.
A woman relaxing in bed | Source: Pexels
Some might call it petty revenge, but I called it a necessary education in boundaries.
And judging by the text Jake received the next day saying they booked a hotel for Christmas, the lesson had stuck. Permanently.
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