When I visited my sick mother-in-law to give my exhausted husband a break, I expected tension. But nothing could have prepared me for what I found. She wasn’t sick at all.
And when she revealed the truth, my world shattered.
Because if Jacob wasn’t with her every night… where had he been?
How is that even possible?
I thought.
Every single night, Jacob had been coming here. Or at least, that’s what he told me.
But as I stared at my perfectly healthy mother-in-law, a terrifying realization gripped me.
Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
I’ve been married to Jacob for eight years.
Long enough to know that his mother, Linda, was never my biggest fan.
From the moment we met, she made it clear that I wasn’t good enough for her son.
She wanted him to marry someone prettier, richer, and classier.
Not me.
Over the years, I tried everything to win her over. I played nice, brought gifts on holidays, smiled through backhanded compliments, and ignored the way she always made me feel like an outsider.
But no matter what I did, it was never enough.
Eventually, Jacob and I decided it was best if I just stayed away. Less contact, less drama.
Then, a month ago, Jacob sat me down, his expression unusually serious.
“Mom’s sick, Carol.
She needs me.”
His words made my heart skip a beat.
As much as she and I had our differences, the thought of her struggling alone made me feel bad.
He went on to explain that she was really unwell. Too weak to cook and barely able to get around.
And, despite everything, he was her only family.
So, every night after work, he drove an hour to the next town over to take care of her.
I didn’t complain. How could I?
He was being a good son.
And honestly?
I felt guilty for not checking in on her myself.
But last week, something changed.
Jacob came home looking beyond exhausted.
Not just tired. Completely drained.
His face was pale and his eyes bloodshot. He kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto the couch, groaning like every muscle in his body ached.
“I just need an hour, babe,” he mumbled, already half-asleep.
“Then I’ll head to Mom’s.”
I watched him struggle to keep his eyes open.
He was running on fumes.
That’s when something inside me shifted.
I felt awful. He was working full-time and spending every single night taking care of his mother.
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