“How much do you need to get by?” I asked as I placed two coffee cups on the living room table.

I settled on my plush couch, watching my mother-in-law’s face crumble as she spoke.

“I’ve given that place my all for twenty years,” she sniffled, wiping her tears with a crumpled tissue. “And they just let me go for some young boy.”

Victoria’s tearful eyes met mine, and my heart ached for her.

I knew losing a job was tough, and seeing my mother-in-law so upset made it even harder.

“Just tell us how we can help,” I said, trying to comfort her.

“I really hate to ask, darling, but $2,000 would cover my rent and bills for now,” she said. “I promise I’ll pay you back as soon as I’m back on my feet.”

I reached out and squeezed her hand.

“Consider it done, Victoria,” I said, smiling warmly. “You’re family, and we help each other out. Just focus on finding a job, okay?”

“Yeah, Mom,” my husband added. “Don’t worry about it; we got you.”

That evening, we made the transfer to Victoria’s account.

I knew families were supposed to help each other in tough times.

But little could I have guessed this loan would come back to bite us.

Five months later, Harrison and I stood in the kitchen, staring at the broken refrigerator.

We needed a new one immediately; the food inside was already starting to go bad.

I sighed and picked up the phone, deciding to call Victoria for the repayment.

A few rings went through before she answered.

“Hey Victoria, it’s Everly,” I said as soon as she picked up. “Our fridge just broke, and we need to replace it right away. We were wondering if… we could have that $2,000 back?”

I expected Victoria to understand our plight and just return the money, but her reply shocked me.

“Everly, I can’t believe you’re asking me this,” she said flatly. “It’s shameful to demand money from one’s own mother.”

I froze.

“I’m sorry?” I said, clearly taken aback. “Victoria, you promised to repay the loan when you got back on your feet. It’s been months, and we really need the money now. Please understand that.”

She scoffed. “Oh, I’m your mother-in-law, darling. That makes me like a mother to you. Do you ask your mother for money back? No, you don’t. Mothers deserve respect and leniency.”

I felt my blood boil. How could she act like this when we had been so helpful to her? Could she not see we were reaching out because we really needed the money?

“Victoria, this isn’t about respect,” I said, trying to maintain my cool. “It’s about keeping a promise. We’re in a tight spot, and we need the money you borrowed.”

“I’m not paying it back, Everly,” she said firmly. “This conversation is over.”

Before I could say another word, the line went dead.

“What did she say?” Harrison asked.

“She refused,” I replied, still shocked. “She said it’s shameful to ask for money from a mother-in-law, that she deserves respect and leniency.”

Harrison sighed, rubbing his temples. “Unbelievable. What are we going to do?”

“We’ll figure something out,” I said. “But I’m not letting her get away with this. She made a promise, and she needs to keep it!”

This wasn’t just about the money anymore; it was about trust and respect.

Victoria had crossed a line, and I was determined to make things right, no matter what it took.

Over the next few weeks, I watched Victoria flaunt her high-paying job to her friends.

She paraded around with expensive cosmetics, perfumes, bags, and other luxury items. Each time she bragged about her latest purchase, I felt a pang of resentment.

How could she spend so extravagantly while ignoring the debt she owed us?

If she wasn’t going to honor her promise, we’d have to take matters into our own hands, even if subtly.

So when Victoria asked for help with her garden, Harrison and I mirrored her logic.

“Sorry, Victoria,” I said sweetly. “You know we’re just your kids. You can’t expect us to do this.”

“Yeah, we’re too busy with our own things, Mom,” Harrison chimed in.

Her face fell, but she didn’t say anything. It felt strangely satisfying.

The next weekend, Victoria asked if we could give her a ride to the store.

“I’m afraid we can’t,” I said, shaking my head. “We’re just too busy.”

“Yes, very busy, Mom,” Harrison echoed. “Besides, you have to understand your kids have their own lives.”

Victoria looked annoyed but didn’t press further. Then came the request to babysit her dog while she went on a weekend trip.

“Oh, we’d love to, but we already have plans,” I said. “Sorry, Victoria. Hope you understand.”

“Yeah, right, honey, and I totally forgot,” Harrison added, looking at me. “Sorry, Mom, some other time.”

But Victoria wasn’t done yet.

One evening, she invited us for dinner at her place, and we couldn’t say no.

Her home was impressive. Her dining room was elegant, with polished wood furniture and tasteful decor.

As we walked in, she beamed with pride, leading us to the kitchen to show off her new, expensive refrigerator!

“Look at this beauty!” she said, patting the fridge. “I just got it. Isn’t it fantastic?”

Harrison and I exchanged knowing glances but kept our mouths shut. We made our way to the dining table, where a delicious spread awaited us.

Victoria was in high spirits, chattering about her new job and all the perks it brought.

“Everly, you won’t believe the money I made last month,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “I used that to buy this refrigerator. It’s top-of-the-line!”

I forced a smile. “That’s great, Victoria. It looks amazing,” was all I could say.

As we ate, I couldn’t stop thinking about her words. She had this smug look on her face which suggested she was doing it all on purpose. She knew we needed a new fridge and now she had bought one for herself.

Later, as I went to the kitchen, I overheard Victoria talking to her friend about receiving a bonus at work. Turned out, she had used her bonus to buy a fancy fridge.

I returned to the table and told Harrison everything while Victoria was away. His hand found mine under the table. He was thinking the same thing. We needed to teach her a lesson.

Throughout the meal, Victoria continued to brag about her job, her purchases, and her plans for more extravagant buys. Every word fueled my frustration.

After dinner, as we were leaving, Harrison whispered to me, “We need to do something about this.”

I nodded, my mind already racing with ideas. “We’ll have to be smart about this,” I said. “We can’t confront her directly, but we can make her realize the impact of her actions.”

Harrison agreed. “We’ll figure it out together.”

And the time came during Harrison’s birthday, which was just a week later. Our plan was simple: expose Victoria publicly, and make her regret what she had done.

We had a small celebration in our living room. Victoria arrived with a big smile on her face and handed Harrison a beautifully wrapped box.

“Happy birthday, son!” she exclaimed.

He opened the gift, revealing an expensive watch. “Wow, Mom, thank you!” he said, genuinely surprised.

Victoria beamed, clearly pleased with herself. But then Harrison, with a sweet smile, said, “Mom, this is really generous. Speaking of which, do you remember the $2,000 you owe us?”

The color drained from Victoria’s face. She mumbled something incoherent, her expression a mix of anger and embarrassment. “This-this isn’t the time or place for such discussions, Harrison,” she stammered.

“Oh, I think it is,” Harrison replied, maintaining his calm demeanor. “We helped you when you needed it most. Now we’re in a tight spot, and we’re just asking for what you promised.”

The room grew silent, guests shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Victoria’s friends and family watched intently, waiting for her response. Clearly, she was embarrassed, her face turning red with each second. Finally, she grabbed her purse and just left!

When I checked my phone later that evening, I saw the $2000 was transferred to my account. Honestly, I hadn’t expected Victoria would do that since she’d been adamant about not returning the money.

A week later, I found out I was right.

Firstly, Victoria had borrowed money from her sister to pay us back. And then it turns out she agreed to repay us only because friends and family who had been at the party started questioning her about the loan and her reluctance to repay it.

We told her sister how she made the same promises to us that she would return the money on time, and we know Victoria is going to learn a lesson the hard way this time.

Have you ever encountered a similar situation with a family member?

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one: When Maddison receives an unexpected email from an anonymous sender, she never expects it will shatter her romantic life. What she does next leaves her boyfriend shocked.

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.