I thought my relationship with Jake was perfect.
Until his mother showed me who she really was.
Jake and I had been together for three years, and when he proposed, I was over the moon. We had a beautiful little life together—a cozy apartment, a love that felt unbreakable, a cat named Cami, and dreams of a future where we’d build something even greater.
Then, my grandmother passed away.
It was heartbreaking.
She had practically raised me, and her loss cut deep. But she had always told me she wanted to make sure I was taken care of.
“Layla, my child,” she once told me, her warm hands cupping mine. “Out of all my grandchildren, you’re the one who will always be special to me. I will always take care of you, even after I’m gone.”
And she did.
She left me $500,000.
I wasn’t expecting it. Honestly, I didn’t even know what to do with that kind of money. But when Jake’s mother, Denise, found out?
Suddenly, she had plenty of ideas.
A week after Jake told his family about my inheritance, we were at Sunday dinner when Denise pulled me aside, her usual sweet but calculating smile plastered on her face.
“I have something for you, sweetheart. I know it’s been difficult, mourning your grandmother. But it’s time to move on. The sun keeps shining, Layla,” she cooed, handing me an envelope.
I smiled, expecting maybe a heartfelt letter or something sentimental.
Instead?
It was a list.
Not just any list—a demand list.
Gifts I was expected to buy before I could be “fully accepted” into their family:
- A $10,000 Cartier bracelet for Denise, as a symbol of my “love and appreciation.”
- A brand-new car for Jake’s younger sister, Elena, because “family supports each other.”
- A $20,000 gift (loan) for Jake’s parents to renovate their kitchen before our wedding.
- A Rolex for my father-in-law.
- A fully paid family vacation for ten people, first-class flights included.
- A monthly “family contribution” of $2,000 to prove my commitment to “our family’s well-being.”
My stomach twisted. I let out a small, forced laugh as Denise cut into the pecan pie for dessert.
“You’re joking… right? This is just one big prank?”
Denise tilted her head, her smile never wavering. “Oh, honey. This is just what’s expected of you. You’re about to marry into this family, and we take care of each other. You’re lucky to have this opportunity.”
Lucky?
My grandmother had died. And this woman was acting like I had just won the lottery?
Then she said something that sealed her fate.
“If you really love my son, you’ll do this.”
I didn’t argue. I didn’t storm out. Instead, I forced the sweetest smile I could muster.
“Oh, Denise,” I gushed. “I totally get it. You’re right. Family takes care of family. I’d love to do this. For you… for everyone. Maybe I’ll even throw in a pair of gold cufflinks for Jake.”
Her eyes gleamed with greed. “I knew you’d understand, sweetheart!”
Later that night, I sat across from Jake in our tiny apartment, the envelope between us like a loaded gun. Cami slept on the carpet, cozy and content.
“I said yes,” I said, my voice hollow. “I told your mom I’d do it. And you just sat there and ate pie.”
Jake blinked at me. “Oh. Well… that’s good, right?”
“Is it?” I let out a bitter laugh.
“Babe, you know how my mom is. It’s just a gesture more than anything,” he said with a shrug.
I snapped my gaze to his. “A gesture? That’s what she called it too. A gesture that just so happens to total more than a hundred grand.”
Jake sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Look, she didn’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just… you suddenly have this money, and my parents are struggling…”
I flinched. “They’re not struggling, Jake. And if they had treated me like family, I wouldn’t have hesitated to help. But that’s not what happened. Your mother didn’t come to me with love. She came with a list.”
Jake let out a breath, shaking his head. “Babe, you’re overthinking this.”
I nodded slowly. “You know what? You’re right. I’m overthinking it.”
And with that, I started planning.
The next Sunday, I arrived at Denise’s house with gifts. She clapped her hands like a child on Christmas morning as I handed them out.
To her? A Cartier box.
She gasped, then frowned when she opened it—inside was a plastic bracelet from the dollar store.
To Elena? A toy car.
“I thought this was more your speed,” I said sweetly.
Father-in-law? A fake Rolex.
For the family vacation? A pamphlet for a budget bus tour of the city.
And the $20,000 loan? A Monopoly “bank loan” card.
Denise’s face turned red. “What the hell is this?”
I batted my eyes. “Oh, I thought I’d start with symbolic gifts. You know, a gesture.”
Jake finally spoke. “Babe, you’re overreacting again!”
I turned to him. “No, Jake. I’m not. Your mother tried to manipulate me into handing over my inheritance. And the fact that you never stood up for me tells me everything I need to know.”
Then I dropped the final bomb.
“Oh, and don’t worry about our engagement. Consider it canceled. Consider us canceled. I’m done.”
Gasps filled the room. Jake looked stunned. “Wait, what?!”
I slid my engagement ring off and placed it on the table. “Find someone else to fund your family, Jake.”
And with that, I walked out.
By the time Jake got home, my half of the apartment was packed. He froze. “Layla… are you seriously kicking me out?”
“Yeah,” I said simply.
“Let’s talk about this,” he pleaded.
“We did talk. And you dismissed me.”
“She got carried away, okay? That doesn’t mean we have to throw everything away.”
I took a deep breath. “Jake, stop talking. I loved you. But the moment you let your mother treat me like a walking ATM? That’s when I realized I loved the idea of us more than the reality.”
I handed him a box. “You can crash at your mom’s. And Cami stays with me.”
Jake blew up my phone for weeks. His final message? “My mom got carried away, but we can move past this. I love you.”
I never replied.
As for Denise? She tried smearing me online, calling me a gold digger.
I didn’t care.
I used my inheritance to buy a beautiful home—one that no greedy in-laws would ever step foot in.
Best investment I ever made.
