My mother-in-law left me everything—her house, her fortune, her secrets. But the will came with one twisted catch… and it forced me to live under the same roof with the people who hated me most.
I always thought one day I’d just… burn out.
Not fall out of love, not scream, not run. Just quietly fade into the hum of the washing machine, school calendars, grocery lists, and a husband who knew how to disappear better than Houdini.
sad woman
My name’s Delaney. I’m 45. I have two kids, a job at a dental clinic, and Caleb — a husband more familiar to bartenders than to his own children.
“Babe, it’s just a phase,” he’d say when I asked him to find a steady job. “All great businessmen fall first.”
“Seven times, Caleb. And I’m always the one breaking your fall.”
bedroom
And then, I learned Gloria — my mother-in-law — had died.
We were never close. She had that cold elegance that made you feel a little dirty just standing beside her. But I went to the reading of the will. To support Caleb. She was his mom, after all.
We arrived at a dusty office on the edge of town. Gloria would’ve hated it.
old documents
Tessa, Caleb’s sister, arrived last — leather jacket, fox tattoo on her neck, popping gum like she owned the room. She flopped into the chair opposite me and muttered,
“Ready to go back to being ‘just the wife’?”
“Ready to be someone other than a tourist with mom’s credit card?” I shot back.
woman portrait
The lawyer cleared his throat and began,
“Following the last will of Gloria S****…”
I didn’t hear him. My thoughts were looping like a stuck track.
Stay calm. Just be supportive. Don’t make waves.
woman portrait
“…the entirety of her estate — including the lake house, primary residence, all assets and savings — shall be inherited by… Delaney S****.”
“What?!” Caleb jumped up. “That’s a joke, right?”
“She didn’t!” Tessa gasped. “She manipulated her! She made her do it!”
woman portrait
I sat still. Hands clenched. Heart pounding.
The lawyer continued,
“Under one condition: the beneficiary must remain legally married to Caleb S**** and reside under one roof with Gloria’s daughter, Tessa, for no less than 90 consecutive days.”
tired woman at desk
“No,” Tessa snapped. “Hell no.”
“You knew!” Caleb hissed. “That’s why you came! That’s why you played nice!”
I said nothing. Still holding the envelope the lawyer handed me.
