Last weekend changed everything for me. It was supposed to be a celebration, a moment for me to finally feel proud and recognized for all my hard work. But, like always, Susan, my mother-in-law, had to have her say.

For years, I worked late hours, took on every extra project, and still managed to keep things together at home. I felt like I had to prove myself every day. Work was tough.

Some people didn’t think I could handle a big role and home life, especially because I was a woman. Susan was even worse. She made little digs whenever she could.

“You should be home more,” she’d say with that annoying smile. “Tom must miss having a warm meal made by his wife.”

I gritted my teeth every time but never responded. Tom, my husband, usually just shrugged and said, “Mom’s old-fashioned, you know that.”

But I did it. I finally got promoted to Senior Project Manager. It was a big deal, and Tom knew how much it meant to me. He decided to throw a party to celebrate. I was excited. I thought he was being really supportive, inviting my close friends, family, and even some coworkers.

The night of the party, I was on cloud nine. I felt amazing, like all my hard work had finally paid off. The house looked great, music was playing, and everyone seemed happy. My best friend, Jenny, raised a glass.

“To the smartest, hardest-working woman I know,” she said. “Cheers to your success, girl!”

Everyone clinked their glasses. I smiled, feeling like I could conquer the world. Then the doorbell rang, and there she was—Susan. Late, of course, and with a huge box in her arms.

“Sorry, I’m late!” she called out, making sure everyone heard her. “But I brought a little something special for Tom.”

I glanced at Tom, confused. “Why is she bringing you a gift at my party?”

Tom shrugged. “I have no idea.”

Susan made her way through the crowd, smiling at everyone like she was the queen of the night. She placed the box in front of Tom, looking at him with this proud, almost smug expression.

“Oh, Tom! I just had to get this for you. You work so hard, sweetheart,” she cooed.

Tom opened the box and pulled out a bright red sweater. I blinked. Why was she giving him a sweater? But then, he unfolded it, and my heart dropped.

“REAL BREADWINNER” was printed in big, bold letters across the front. The room went silent. My face burned. Was this really happening?

Tom laughed. “Wow, Mom! This is great!” He held the sweater up like it was the best gift ever.

I forced a smile, my stomach twisting. Was he serious? He actually thought this was okay?

“Isn’t it perfect?” Susan beamed. “I just thought Tom deserved a little recognition too.”

I could feel everyone’s eyes on me. My coworkers shifted uncomfortably, and Jenny gave me a worried look. I wanted to scream. I wanted to rip that sweater out of Tom’s hands and throw it away. But I didn’t. I took a deep breath and kept my cool.

“Thank you, Susan,” I said as calmly as I could. “That’s… thoughtful.”

Tom grinned like an idiot. He actually put the sweater on, right there, in front of everyone. He looked around, clearly proud of himself.

“Looks good, right?” he joked, striking a pose.

My smile felt tight. I nodded. “Yeah, looks great.”

But inside, I was fuming. This was supposed to be my night. My moment. And now, thanks to Susan, everyone was looking at Tom.

Later that night, when everyone had left, I pulled Tom aside. “How could you think that was okay?” I asked, my voice shaking with anger.

Tom looked at me, confused. “What do you mean? It was just a joke.”

“A joke? At my promotion party, celebrating my success, your mom gives you a sweater saying ‘Real Breadwinner’? How is that a joke?”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re overreacting. She didn’t mean anything by it. She just wanted to be funny.”

Funny. Right. I knew then that I couldn’t just let this go. Susan thought she could humiliate me in front of everyone? She was wrong. Very wrong.

That night, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing. Tom was sound asleep beside me, completely oblivious. I felt a mix of anger and sadness. How could he not see it? Susan’s little “joke” wasn’t funny. It was mean. And the fact that he didn’t get that hurt even more.

I tried talking to him again the next day.

“Tom, I’m serious. That sweater was insulting. At my promotion party, she gives you a ‘Real Breadwinner’ sweater? Why would she do that?”

He sighed, putting down his phone. “You’re still on about this? It was just a joke, babe. She probably thought it would be funny.”

I clenched my fists, trying to stay calm. “It wasn’t funny, Tom. It was humiliating. She did it on purpose, to make me look small in front of everyone.”

Tom shook his head. “You’re reading too much into this. Mom’s not like that.”

That was it. The final straw. I realized then that talking to him was useless. He was never going to see what Susan was doing because he didn’t want to. But I wasn’t going to sit back and let her walk all over me.

I spent the next few days planning. I needed something that would make Susan feel just as embarrassed as I did at that party. But it had to be subtle. I didn’t want to stoop to her level, but I wanted to make my point clear. Then, I had the perfect idea.

A few days later, Susan called.

“I’m coming over for dinner this weekend,” she said, not even asking. “I want to see my son. Make sure you cook something nice for him.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Susan,” I said sweetly. “I’ll take care of everything.”

The day of the dinner, I ordered a three-course meal from Tom’s favorite fancy restaurant. I knew Susan would assume I’d cooked it all myself. She loved to comment on how I didn’t cook enough for Tom, how I didn’t take care of him like a “real wife” should.

When she arrived, she took a deep breath and smiled. “It smells wonderful in here. I’m glad you’re finally making a proper meal for Tom.”

I bit back a grin. “I thought he deserved something special.”

She gave me one of her fake smiles. “Good. He works so hard. It’s about time you did something nice for him.”

We sat down to eat. Susan took a bite and her eyes widened.

“This is delicious,” she said, clearly surprised. “You actually made this?”

I nodded, playing along. “Yes, I thought it was time I pulled my weight around here.”

She kept eating, praising the meal with every bite, saying things like, “This is just what Tom needs after all his hard work,” and, “I’m so glad you’re finally making an effort.”

I smiled and nodded, letting her dig herself deeper.

After dessert, I casually reached into my bag and pulled out the restaurant receipt. I laid it on the table in front of her. “I’m glad you liked the meal, Susan. I got it from that fancy restaurant downtown. I knew it’d be perfect for the real breadwinner.”

Susan’s face went pale. She glanced at the receipt, then back at me, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. Tom looked confused.

“What’s this?” he asked, picking up the receipt.

“Oh, just the bill from the restaurant,” I said, smiling sweetly. “I thought it was important to give Tom a special treat since he works so hard.”

Susan’s eyes were wide, her face turning red. She looked completely stunned, not knowing what to say. Tom, meanwhile, was trying to process what had just happened.

“You didn’t cook this?” he asked, looking at me.

I shook my head. “Nope. I figured it was best to leave the cooking to the professionals.”

Tom laughed awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable. “Uh, thanks, I guess?”

I nodded, feeling a small victory inside. Susan had been caught, and for once, she had nothing to say. But I wasn’t done yet.

The next week, I had another surprise ready. Susan invited herself over again, as she often did, and I handed Tom a box.

“What’s this?” he asked, opening it.

Inside was a bright red sweater, just like the one Susan gave him. But this one said, “Mommy’s Little Helper” in big, bold letters.

I looked at him, smiling sweetly. “I thought it’d match your ‘Real Breadwinner’ sweater.”

Tom’s face turned red as he looked at the sweater, and I could see him struggling to keep a straight face. Susan, on the other hand, looked like she was about to explode, but she didn’t say a word.

I felt a sense of satisfaction wash over me. I didn’t yell, I didn’t make a scene. I just showed Susan that I wasn’t someone she could walk over.

From that day on, she never brought up who made more money or who was the “real breadwinner” again. And as for Tom? Well, he hasn’t worn that sweater since.

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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.