After a problematic marriage, Kelly and Peter get divorced. But her ex-mother-in-law just doesn’t want to let things go. From ripping off wallpaper to stealing an entire shower cabin, Lorraine just keeps testing Kelly’s patience until reality hits, and Lorraine learns her own lesson.
I’m Kelly, and I’ve been divorced from my ex-husband, Peter, for about six months now. We were married for ten years, and while the marriage wasn’t perfect, it was my life.
Until I found out about his affair.
That was the last straw, and everything came crashing down. The divorce was messy and painful, and to top it off, I had to deal with his mother, Lorraine, who was a nightmare in human form.
A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
Lorraine never liked me. Even when we were married, she made it perfectly clear that I wasn’t good enough for her son.
“I’m just being honest with you, Kelly. Peter is used to a certain way of life since being with me. I’m his mother, and I taught him that perfection is the only option here. You’re… I mean. Let’s face it, doll. You’re far from perfect.”
When Peter and I split up, she went out of her way to help him get as much as he could from me. Money, property, some of my wedding jewelry, you name it. If it was valuable, she made sure that I lost it.
A woman’s jewelry box | Source: Midjourney
I kept telling myself that once the divorce was over and Peter moved out, I’d finally have peace.
But the peace didn’t last.
One day, I came home from work early because I had a headache from staring at my laptop all day, and I was exhausted, ready to collapse, only to stop dead in my tracks in the hallway outside my apartment.
Sitting there, in the common corridor, was my shower cabin. It had a big, bold “Peter’s Property” sticker plastered across it as if I might somehow forget who it belonged to. My stomach sank.
A woman standing in the doorway | Source: Midjourney
What the hell was going on?
When I stepped into my apartment, I was hit by a cloud of dust and ripped wallpaper. The walls were half-bare, and I heard a ripping sound coming from down the hallway. Turning the corner, I came face-to-face with Lorraine, my ex-mother-in-law, tearing the wallpaper right off my walls.
She muttered under her breath about how she didn’t want to leave any “traces” of Peter’s work.
A pile of ripped wallpaper | Source: Midjourney
“What the hell, Lorraine?” I demanded, pushing my way into the kitchen, the only place untouched by her hands.
Lorraine looked up at me, not even flinching.
“This is all his work,” she said with that haughty tone she’d perfected over the years. “He put up this wallpaper, so it’s his to take down. And the shower cabin, it’s coming with us too. We’re not leaving anything for you.”
An angry older woman | Source: Midjourney
I was stunned. How low could they go? I’d already been drained emotionally by the divorce, and now this?
I felt helpless, watching her tear apart my home, muttering the whole time about how Peter “wasn’t leaving a single thing behind” for me. She was ripping wallpaper, unplugging light fixtures, and muttering about every single piece of the apartment that Peter had once touched.
“Lorraine,” I said. “Please, just stop. This is unfair…”
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
But she didn’t even look at me. She just kept on, pulling down wallpaper and yanking at the shower frame. I felt a familiar lump rising in my throat. I was tired, too tired to fight anymore, so I just slumped onto the couch feeling numb and defeated as I watched her continue her destruction.
The next day, just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, Lorraine stormed back into my apartment. This time, though, she wasn’t there to take anything; she was there for help.
An upset older woman | Source: Midjourney
“Kelly,” she cried, grabbing my arm with a desperation I’d never seen in her before. “You have to help me. Please. I’ll give you anything. Just… please help him.”
I blinked at her, confused.
“Help who? What are you talking about?”
“Peter!” she wailed, her voice breaking. “He’s in trouble. I don’t care what it takes. Please, you have to save him.”
A crying older woman | Source: Midjourney
I pulled my arm free.
“Lorraine, what are you talking about?”
She looked at me, her eyes wide and pleading.
“Peter had an accident. A really terrible one. He was out drinking, and it was late. It’s really bad, Kelly. He’s hurt. Please, you have to help him.”
A car accident | Source: Midjourney
A pang shot through my chest. Peter, the man who had cheated, manipulated, and broken me, now needed my help?
A tiny voice in my head whispered that I should help him, that it was the right thing to do. But then the memories of all he’d done to me resurfaced — all the lies and manipulation.
He’d torn apart my life, and now he was paying the price.
A man in a hospital bed | Source: Midjourney
Wasn’t that fair? Wasn’t it poetic justice in a way?
I looked back at Lorraine, who was practically on her knees.
“I’m not saving Peter, Lorraine. He made his choices. He’s finally dealing with the consequences of his actions. It was his drinking that made things really unpleasant for us. It brought out the worst in him. And you want me to get involved again?”
A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
Her face twisted with anger and her mouth set into a tight line.
“You’ll regret this, Kelly,” she hissed. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
I crossed my arms and met her gaze.
“No, Lorraine, I think you’re the one who’ll regret it.”
An angry woman | Source: Midjourney
The days that followed were filled with rumors. I heard bits and pieces about Peter’s accident, about how he’d been drinking, how he was lucky to be alive, apparently. But his recovery was rough. He was in debt, and things were piling up.
I felt a mix of relief and anger. Finally, Peter was facing something that he couldn’t charm his way out of. I decided to go to his place. I mean, I was done with Peter, but I wasn’t heartless. I just wanted to see what he looked like in the aftermath of it all.
“Come in,” he called as I knocked on the front door of Lorraine’s house.
A woman standing on a porch | Source: Midjourney
At least she wasn’t home. I didn’t want to see the satisfaction on her face. To Lorraine, it would look like I wanted to help, as though I couldn’t help myself and couldn’t stay away from Peter.
“Kelly?” he enthusiastically said when he saw me.
“Peter,” I said, taking in the room.
A man on a couch | Source: Midjourney
It was a far cry from the strict house that Lorraine usually kept. Instead, there were containers of Chinese food lying around, discarded bottles of water, chocolate wrappers, and dirty mugs. Peter had really taken Lorraine’s house and made it a mess.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said, lying on the couch. “I need some help, Kelly. I need my hospital bills to be paid as soon as possible. Can you do it? Please? They’ll take my car!”
“Seriously, Peter?” I asked. “I just came to make sure that you were okay physically. I’m not about to sort your life out. I’m not spending a cent on you.”
Mugs and bottles on a coffee table | Source: Midjourney
“Then why bother to come here?” he demanded.
“I don’t know, but clearly it was a mistake,” I said, turning around and leaving without another word.
Then, about a week later, Lorraine showed up at my door again. She wasn’t the same person who’d stormed in before. Her shoulders were slumped, her eyes tired and haunted. She looked like a woman who’d aged ten years in a matter of days.
A woman standing in a living room | Source: Midjourney
“Kelly,” she began, her voice barely a whisper. “I know I don’t deserve it, but… but I came to apologize.”
I didn’t say anything. I just put the kettle on and allowed her to keep talking.
“I was wrong about Peter,” she said, tears streaming down her face. “He’s not the man I thought he was. He ruined everything, and he pushed everyone away. I thought I was helping him all these years, but I was only making things worse.”
An upset older woman | Source: Midjourney
A part of me felt a glimmer of satisfaction seeing her so defeated. But then I noticed the genuine grief in her expression, the regret she could no longer hide.
She wasn’t just devastated about Peter’s actions; she was grieving the son she thought she had. The realization was so clear: he had been just as manipulative with her as he’d been with me. Lorraine had been caught in his web of lies, just like I had.
An upset older woman | Source: Midjourney
At that moment, something inside me softened. Lorraine wasn’t just the bitter woman who had fought against me during the divorce. She was a mother, broken by the son she’d devoted her life to.
Still, I didn’t really want to allow myself to get back into their lives. So, I invited Lorraine to stay for dinner. At least I could give her a decent meal before she went back to Peter.
Food on a table | Source: Midjourney
Months later, I received a short, handwritten letter from him. It wasn’t an excuse; it was an apology.
Kelly, I’m so sorry for everything. For betraying you, for the pain I caused. I’m working on myself now, trying to figure out who I am without all the lies. I don’t expect forgiveness. I just want you to know that I’m trying.
It was strange reading those words. But I got a sense of closure that I’d thought I’d never get.
A woman reading a letter in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
If you’ve enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
I Came to My Wedding and Saw My Mom in a Wedding Dress with a Bouquet
Ever since Nicole began planning her wedding, her mother had gotten very involved. When Nicole asks her to take a step back, she does so. But on the big day, her mother shows up in a wedding dress after mysteriously receiving a call instructing her to. Nicole is left fuming when she discovers who has preyed on her mother’s feelings, ensuring she will destroy them.
When Peter and I got engaged, I promised myself that the wedding planning would be smooth and easy.
A man proposing | Source: Pexels
Growing up, I wasn’t like the other girls who spent their time daydreaming about their weddings. I just knew that it would eventually happen one day, and I would need cupcakes at my wedding reception.
That was it.
A little girl playing dress up | Source: Pexels
So, I always knew that when it came to the actual event, I would need my mother to guide me.
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.
Poor Man Gives Bus Ticket To Mom With 3 Kids, Finds Dozens of Boxes on His Doorstep Next Day — Story of the Day
Richard buys a bus ticket for a desperate mother of three and finds dozens of boxes from her on his doorstep the next day. He has no idea her gift will land him in trouble until his daughter opens one of the boxes.
It was a bright, sunny morning. Richard was engrossed in the song playing on his headphones while he mopped the bus station floors. For the last 10 years, the bus station had been his world.
Suddenly, a voice distracted him. “Excuse me,” it said.
Richard turned around to see a woman, probably 35 years old. She looked frail, and from her red, puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks, Richard could sense she was crying not long ago. She held a baby in her arms, and two older children stood beside her.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Can I help you with something?” Richard worriedly asked as he removed his headphones.
“I-I need to get to New York. Can you please help me buy a ticket?” she asked tremblingly.
“Is everything OK? You look tense,” he said.
The woman hesitated. “I-I want to escape my husband. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but he’s… not a good man. I’ve not been able to reach him for days, and the things he’s said and done… scare me. I just want to go to my sister who lives in New York. I lost my wallet. Please help us.”
Noticing her plight, Richard couldn’t refuse her, although he knew he’d have to let go of the last money he had. He went to the counter and bought the ticket.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she sniffled as he handed her the ticket.
“Please take care of your children,” he said.
“Can you give me your address?” she asked.
“Why would you need that?”
“I want to repay you. Please,” she said.
Richard relented, and soon, the bus the woman and her children boarded disappeared down the road.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Richard finished his shift and went home to his daughter, Amanda. She was all he had after his wife walked out on them. Richard was devastated by his wife’s decision, but he had pulled himself together for his daughter’s sake.
By the age of 10, Amanda had taken on responsibilities far beyond her years. After school, she would tie her hair up in a ponytail and dive into household chores, even helping Richard cook.
In their tiny kitchen, they danced together and tried new recipes. Then, they settled onto the couch by the evening, sharing the tales of their days. That evening was no different. But the next morning was.
Richard was startled awake by Amanda’s voice. “Dad! Wake up!” she exclaimed, shaking his shoulders gently.
He sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. “What is it, sweetie?”
“There’s something odd outside! Come with me!” she insisted, pulling him out of the bed.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Richard stepped out into the yard to see a dozen boxes. He assumed it was someone’s shipment gone astray, but then he noticed the envelope atop one of the boxes. It had a letter. He ignored that Amanda had already started opening the boxes as he began reading.
“Hi! It’s me, the woman you helped yesterday. I wanted to express my gratitude for your kindness. These boxes hold the possessions I wanted to bring to New York, but I decided to leave them to you so you could sell them and make some good money. All the best.”
Richard was still processing the letter when the sound of shattering porcelain distracted him. He spun around to see Amanda had dropped a vase on the ground. For a moment, he was annoyed at her recklessness. She had broken the woman’s vase!
But then he noticed the sparking object among the porcelain shards. He picked it up. Richard had read somewhere that diamond didn’t fog when you breathed on it. He was shocked to realize the shiny stone was a REAL diamond.
“Oh god! We’re rich!” he exclaimed joyfully, his eyes fixed on the shining gem.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“We need to return it, Dad!” Amanda skimmed the shipping documents and found the sender’s address. “It’s not ours!”
“Think about the bright future, Amanda! We could send you to a good school!”
“No, Dad! What if we are taking away someone’s last hopes?”
Richard insisted on keeping the diamond, but Amanda talked him into returning it. Richard told her he would, but he had something else on his mind. On the pretext of returning the diamond, he visited an antique shop.
“How can I help you, sir?” the proprietor, Mr. Lambert, asked as Richard approached the counter.
“I wanted to get something appraised,” he replied and placed the diamond on the counter.
Mr. Lambert adjusted the focus of his loupe. “This is a magnificent piece,” he said, examining the stone. “The clarity, the cut…it’s an exception. I’d estimate its value to be at least $100,000. If I may ask, where did you get it?”
Richard’s eyes widened at the estimate, but he quickly composed himself. “Uh, it was… an inheritance,” he said. “So…can you buy it?”
“I think I’ll need to consult a colleague. Can you wait a moment?” Mr. Lambert asked. Richard nodded, and Mr. Lambert stepped away for a call.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Good news!” he exclaimed as he returned. “We can proceed with the purchase! Can I take a look?” He extended his hand so that Richard could hand him the diamond. But there was a moment of negligence, and the diamond landed on the floor. Mr. Lambert quickly bent down and picked it up.
“Don’t worry. It’s one of the strongest substances on Earth. It’s definitely not harmed!” he said, taking a look, and returned the diamond to Richard. “I can offer you $10,000!” he said.
“Wait, but you just told me it’s worth ten times that!” Richard argued.
Mr. Lambert explained that he could only offer Richard a fraction of the market value because Richard didn’t have any documents proving the diamond’s origin. Richard asked Mr. Lambert if there was a way they could work it out, but Mr. Lambert was adamant he would offer at most $10,000.
Richard decided he didn’t want the money and drove home with the diamond. But he had a plan. Richard decided to move to another town, make fake documents for the diamond’s origin, and sell it for its full market value. He would need to persuade Amanda, but he’d manage.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
As he arrived home, Richard sensed an eerie silence. “Amanda?” he called out, but there was no response. Usually, Amanda would come running at one call.
Richard sensed something was off. He searched the whole house, but there was no sign of Amanda. He began panicking, wondering where his daughter was, when he noticed a note on the kitchen countertop.
“You have my gem! If you want your daughter back, bring it to the address below.No police or you’ll regret it.”
Richard’s heart sank, and his hands shook. Then his mind raced to the woman he’d met at the bus stop. “My husband isn’t a good man…” Her words kept ringing in his ears. He raced to the kitchen drawer and pulled out the shipping documents. The address mentioned by the kidnapper matched the shipping address.
A chill ran down Richard’s spine. He had no time to lose or doubt if the woman was an accomplice in her husband’s nasty schemes. He drove to the address and found himself in front of an old two-story structure.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Richard’s heart throbbed in his chest as he approached the entrance. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, which swung open. A man in a dark overcoat appeared in the doorway, aiming his gun at Richard’s temple. He was probably 40 and bore a scar on his left cheek.
“You…Richard?” he asked in a gruff voice.
“Yes, I am. Where’s my daughter?”
“Did you bring what I asked for?” the man asked.
“Yes, I did. Where’s Amanda? I need to see her!”
“All in good time!” grinned the man as he leaned closer to Richard. “First, the diamond.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Richard pulled it out from his pocket and raised it in the air. The kidnapper asked him to place it on the table. Richard entered the house and did as instructed.
The man picked up the diamond and examined it. It wasn’t long before his face contorted with fury. “This is glass! Where’s the real diamond?”
Richard was shocked. Then, he recalled the moment when Mr. Lambert had dropped the diamond. Could he have switched the gem?
“You either bring me $10,000 in a few days, or you’ll never hear your daughter’s voice again!” The kidnapper warned him.
Richard had no time to lose and quickly drove to the antique shop.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Oh, Mr. Richard! Back so soon?” Mr. Lambert smiled.
“I’m ready to sell the diamond for $10,000. I changed my mind!” he said, but Mr. Lambert refused.
“How about $7,000?” Richard further proposed.
“I’m sorry, but the diamond no longer interests me!” said Mr. Lambert.
Richard realized Mr. Lambert had indeed switched the diamonds. A strange fury gripped him. He landed a strong punch on the expert’s head, causing him to stumble. Then he grabbed a cord from a nearby table and tied the man.
“WHERE IS THE DIAMOND?” he asked angrily. “My daughter’s life is on the line, and you’re playing games?” He raised his fist, and finally, the expert spilled the truth.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
The expert revealed he and the kidnapper were in it together. They were planning on extorting $100,000 from Richard for Amanda’s release. And then it dawned on Richard that the “colleague” the expert had contacted was none other than the kidnapper.
“He lifted the diamond from a billionaire’s mansion! Every cop has been looking for it!”
The expert tried to move away from Richard but stumbled and fell, losing consciousness. Richard didn’t know what to do at first, but then he came up with a cunning plan. First, he took a picture of the unconscious expert. Wasting no time, he called the cops and left a note near the expert. Richard then drove back to the kidnapper.
As the door of the old house swung open, he approached the kidnapper. “I went to the antique shop, but guess what? Your buddy spilled quite a few beans! I know you plotted the kidnapping together.
“And well, turns out you’ve been played as much as me. He has the real diamond in a safe at the shop. I tried to get the combination from him, but things got heated, and he’s no more.”
Richard then showed him the expert’s photo to ensure the man bought his story.
The kidnapper lost his cool. “That prick!” he yelled.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
In a rage, the kidnapper stormed out of the house and sped off to the antique shop. Richard took advantage of the situation, found his daughter, and freed her.
“Dad…I heard the confrontation. Did you really…k-kill someone?” she asked, the tape across her mouth removed.
“No, honey. It was a ruse, a bluff. I had to make him believe it so he’d act recklessly,” Richard said with a smile, trying to comfort her. “But, knowing him, I’d wager he’s about to walk right into a trap. When I called the police earlier, I alerted them to the expert’s involvement, and they were headed to the antique shop.”
Amanda’s eyes widened with realization. “So, he’s going to be arrested?”
“Yes, and you are safe,” Richard said, recalling the note he had left for the cops.
“In an hour, the man who stole the diamond you’re looking for will be here,” it read.
And Richard’s plan worked. The kidnapper and expert were arrested. But there was a strange fear in his heart because he knew he would get in trouble with the law for not going to the cops immediately when he found the diamond. But at least he saved his daughter.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
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If you enjoyed this story, then you might like this one about a boy who finds a box hidden inside the sofa he inherited from his granny. The letters and legal papers inside force him to make a life-altering choice.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
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