The Doorbell Rang, I Opened the Door and Found My Mother-in-Law in Tears – Apparently, Her Husband’s Mistress Had Robbed Them

When William and I got married fifteen years ago, my mother-in-law made it painfully clear straightaway that wed never be friends. We wed, but William and I didnt have children for what felt like an eternityten long years. And then, in what felt like our own small miracle, we were finally blessed with a son and a daughter.

Those years together were comfortable enough; William was successful, working as the director of a large firm, which allowed me to take maternity leave and focus on the children. It suited our family perfectly.

Mum lived quite far from us, so she never really had the chance to help. And Williams motherwell, her attitude toward me never softened over the years. In her eyes, I was always just a nobody from the countryside who had snatched away her precious son. Shed hoped hed marry someone “better,” but he had chosen me.

My happiness crumbled in a moment.

One afternoon, when I came home from taking the children for a walk, I noticed a slip of paper on the bedside table. As I walked in, it hit me that Williams things were gone. Hed left us. On that bit of paper, in a hurried scrawl, hed written: Im sorry, but Ive fallen in love with someone else. Dont try to find me, youre strong and youll manage Believe me, this is for the best.

I immediately tried calling William, but there was nothing but silence. He never picked up. It was as if he had vanished from our lives entirely, leaving the children and me to get by however we could. I had no clue where he was or who he was with. With a heavy heart, I rang my mother-in-law.

This is all your fault, she said victoriously. I always knew it would end like this. What did you expect would happen?

I felt utterly lost. Why was it my fault? Had I done something wrong? It was too much to take in, and even more overwhelming to imagine how to go on. William hadnt left us a single pound, so we were left with next to nothing to support ourselves.

I couldnt return to work yet; there was no one to look after the children. Then I remembered Id once had a decent part-time job writing academic papers. That work allowed me to scrape by for another six months. All the while, there was not a word from William.

***

A late evening knock at the door on a chilly autumn night made me think it was just a neighbour. But when I opened the door, there stood my mother-in-law, tears streaming down her face. I invited her in right away. Apparently, Williams new partner was nothing more than a con artist who had tricked him, leaving his family with practically nothing. Now, they were barely scraping by. My mother-in-law begged me to let her stay with us.

Now I dont know what to do: should I forgive her and let the past be, or treat her just as she treated menot letting her back into my life?