Mary’s marriage to Ed didn’t just come with him—it came with his mother, Scarlett. And Scarlett never hid the fact that she disliked Mary. From the very first day, she made her feelings known.
At the wedding, Scarlett had actually shown up wearing a veil. Mary had been thankful she wasn’t bold enough to wear a full bridal gown. That day, she understood exactly what kind of mother-in-law she was getting—the kind who clung to her son like he was still a little boy.
Years later, nothing had changed.
One Saturday, Mary and Ed were driving to Scarlett’s house for dinner. The car was quiet, except for the sound of the tires on the road. Mary stared out the window, already wishing the night was over.
As they pulled into the driveway, she forced herself to breathe deeply. She needed all the strength she could gather before stepping inside Scarlett’s house.
Scarlett opened the door with a bright smile, her eyes lighting up when she saw Ed. She threw her arms around him.
“Oh, my baby! You’re finally here! I’ve missed you more than you know!” Scarlett cried, clinging to him.
“Mom, it’s only been a week,” Ed said, chuckling awkwardly as he tried to pull away.
Scarlett gave him one last squeeze before finally letting go. Then her eyes landed on Mary, and her expression instantly shifted into one of sharp judgment.
“Well, Mary, I see you’ve gained a few pounds,” she said with a smirk.
Mary bit back her sigh, forcing a polite smile. “Good to see you too, Scarlett.”
Dinner that night dragged on endlessly. Scarlett, as usual, couldn’t resist tearing Mary down in front of Ed.
“Mary doesn’t know how to cook. She doesn’t even have a respectable job. And don’t even get me started on how she dresses,” Scarlett announced loudly at the table, her eyes darting to Ed as if waiting for him to agree.
Mary pressed her lips together, gripping her fork so tightly her knuckles turned white. She wanted to scream, but she stayed quiet. She thought she could endure Scarlett’s insults, as always.
But then Scarlett said something that pierced straight through her heart.
Scarlett leaned forward, staring directly at Mary. “Well, I think it’s high time you gave me a grandchild,” she said slyly. “Or maybe…” Her smirk widened. “Maybe Mary has some… issues?”
The words hit Mary like a knife. For six months, she and Ed had been trying to have a baby without success. It was a private struggle that Scarlett had no right to mock.
Mary’s control finally snapped. “How dare you!” she shouted, her voice trembling with anger. “Stop meddling in our lives! Maybe it’s your son who has the problem!”
Scarlett gasped dramatically. “That’s absurd! My Eddie is perfectly healthy! But you, Mary…” She narrowed her eyes. “Who knows what kind of life you had before you met him.”
Mary felt her face burn. “You’re a damn witch!” she yelled, her voice breaking. She turned to Ed desperately. “Are you just going to sit there and let her talk to me like this?”
Scarlett sneered. “Yes, Eddie, tell your crazy wife to show some respect.”
Ed barely looked up from his phone. “Work it out yourselves,” he muttered.
Scarlett leaned closer to Mary and whispered with fake concern, “My neighbor swears herbal teas help people like you. You should try them.”
Mary clenched her stomach suddenly, feeling waves of nausea wash over her. Her words came out weak but sharp: “Why don’t you drink your own tea?”
She ran to the bathroom, sick and shaking. When she returned, pale and exhausted, she whispered to Ed, “I want to go home.”
“Okay,” he said flatly, not even glancing at her.
Scarlett tilted her head, her smile fake. “What’s wrong, dear? Feeling unwell?”
Mary glared. “Maybe you poisoned me.” She didn’t wait for an answer.
On the drive back, her thoughts wouldn’t stop racing. Then, suddenly, a possibility hit her. She turned to Ed quietly. “Can we stop at the pharmacy?”
With an annoyed sigh, he pulled over. Mary hurried inside and bought a pregnancy test. Back home, her hands shook as she waited. When she finally saw the result—two lines—her heart leapt.
She ran to Ed with tears in her eyes. “Ed, we’re going to have a baby!”
He glanced at the test, his face unreadable. “Oh. That’s… good,” he mumbled before turning away.
Mary’s joy dimmed, but she told herself maybe he just needed time to process.
Weeks later, on the morning of her first doctor’s appointment, Mary sat waiting for Ed to finish his shower. His phone buzzed beside her. Normally, she wouldn’t look. But his coldness lately… something felt wrong.
She picked it up, noticing a passcode. Her heart pounded as she tried his birthday. The phone unlocked instantly.
A message popped up on the screen. Mary froze. It was from another woman, half-dressed, smiling. “Can’t wait to see you, baby,” the message read.
Mary scrolled down with trembling fingers, each word cutting deeper. Ed had told this woman he was wealthy, the owner of a construction company. Lies. All of it.
When Ed came out of the bathroom, Mary was waiting, pale and shaking, holding his phone. “What is this?!” she screamed, thrusting the screen in his face.
He snatched the phone from her, scowling. “None of your business.”
Mary’s eyes filled with tears. “None of my business? You’re cheating on me! I’m pregnant, Ed. I’m carrying your child!”
His eyes turned cold. “Maybe it’s not mine. Maybe you’re the one cheating.”
Mary’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious? We’ve been trying for six months, and now you accuse me of this?”
Ed crossed his arms. “Six months of nothing, and suddenly you’re pregnant? Convenient.”
Mary’s voice shook with rage. “I saw your messages, Ed. You’ve been lying to her for months—telling her you’re rich, telling her you own a company!”
He shrugged, completely unfazed. “Doesn’t matter. I’m filing for divorce. This marriage is over.”
Mary’s chest tightened. “You think that woman will stay when she finds out the truth about you?”
Ed smirked. “She’ll never find out. And when this divorce is done, I’ll take the house and my mom’s money too.”
“This house was bought by my father!” Mary cried.
“Yeah,” Ed said coldly. “But it’s in both our names.”
Her voice softened, desperate. “What about the baby?”
He shrugged again. “You can’t prove it’s mine until it’s born. By then, it’ll be too late.” And with that, he threw her out.
Mary was broken, but she wasn’t ready to give up. She made a decision—to go to Scarlett.
Sitting across from her mother-in-law, Mary poured everything out: Ed’s cheating, his lies, his threats. She showed her the screenshots. She braced herself for Scarlett to side with her son.
But Scarlett’s face turned pale. Tears filled her eyes. “He’s been taking money from me too,” she admitted softly. “Everything his father left me. He said it was for your doctor visits because you couldn’t get pregnant.”
Mary shook her head. “He never even went to a doctor. He stole from both of us.”
Scarlett clenched her fists. “I can’t believe my own son would do this. He’s just like his father.”
Her eyes hardened. “But I won’t let him hurt my grandchild. We’ll make him pay.”
Together, they formed a plan. With Mary’s screenshots and Scarlett’s proof of money taken, they confronted Ed.
Mary stood tall, holding her phone up. “I have everything, Ed. And Scarlett knows too. Here’s the deal—sign the divorce papers, give up your claim to the house, and agree to child support. Do it, or I’ll send every screenshot to your girlfriend.”
Ed froze. Backed into a corner, he signed.
But Scarlett had one last move. She visited Ed’s mistress herself, revealing every ugly truth—his lies about money, his fake lifestyle, his betrayal.
Days later, Ed stormed up to Mary’s house, pounding on the door. “You promised you wouldn’t tell if I signed everything!” he roared.
Mary stayed calm. “I didn’t tell her anything.”
Scarlett raised her voice so he could hear. “I did. I should have taught you better, Eddie. But now, you’ll face the consequences.”
“You’re both insane!” Ed shouted. “You’ll regret this!”
But before he could do more, the police arrived—called by a worried neighbor. They dragged him away as he continued to scream.
Inside, Mary and Scarlett sat down again, their tea still warm on the table. Scarlett looked at her daughter-in-law with a small, tired smile.
“For the first time,” she said softly, “I think I’m finally on the right side.”
Mary nodded, her hand on her stomach. For once, she felt safe.