I thought my mother-in-law’s little comments were bad enough, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw next. There she was—on national TV—saying something that nearly made me drop my coffee. And what happened after that? Well, let’s just say she had it coming.
My mother-in-law, Charlene, has never liked me. From the moment Holden, her precious son, slipped a ring on my finger, she made it her mission to remind me that, in her eyes, I was not good enough. It wasn’t always obvious. Sometimes, it was just a look. Other times, it was her usual snide remarks, like the ones she made at almost every family gathering.
“Oh, Holden and Sarah were just perfect together. Do you remember how she used to make those adorable pies for him?”
Uh, no, Charlene. I wasn’t there because Holden and I are married now.
But I played nice. Always. With a tight smile that hurt my cheeks, I’d say, “Oh, I’m sure Sarah was wonderful.” And when she “accidentally” called me Sarah instead of my real name? I just laughed it off. Totally fine, right?
Then, about a month ago, everything changed. It was a quiet Saturday morning, and I was lounging on the couch, flipping through channels with my coffee in hand. Just enjoying my peace.
Until I landed on one of those over-the-top daytime talk shows. You know the kind—where people go on stage, cry, scream, spill their secrets, all for fifteen minutes of fame. I wasn’t really paying attention until I saw a face I recognized.
Charlene.
I froze.
“No way,” I muttered, leaning forward.
But there she was. My dear mother-in-law. Sitting there under the bright studio lights, dressed up like she was heading to a movie premiere, chatting away with the host like they were best friends. My curiosity took over, and I turned up the volume. And then, I nearly choked on my coffee.
“I just want a true wife for my son. Someone who can give him the life he deserves.”
I blinked. My stomach dropped. What was she saying?
At first, I thought, “There’s no way this is about Holden.” Maybe she was talking about some other poor soul in our family. But then came the real bombshell.
“My son is a widower.”
I almost fell off the couch.
Widower?! What the hell was she talking about? Last time I checked, I was very much alive, breathing, and still married to her son!
Charlene gave a dramatic pause, looking absolutely devastated, before continuing, “Holden’s late wife was sweet, but honestly? She wasn’t a good match. She didn’t know how to take care of him the way a real wife should. I’ve been waiting for him to find someone… worthy of our family.”
I blinked. Not a good match? LATE WIFE?!
I stared at the TV in disbelief. This woman was on national television declaring me DEAD. And for what? So she could help Holden find a “real wife”—like I was some expired milk she could just toss away?
Charlene kept going, her voice growing more dramatic with every sentence. “He deserves someone who can give him the life he truly wants. A family. Children. I’m just trying to help him move on from his loss and find the perfect woman to replace the one he lost.”
I was shaking. “The one he lost”?!
I didn’t know whether to scream, cry, or throw my coffee at the screen. Instead, I grabbed my phone and hit record. There was no way Holden would believe me unless he saw this insanity for himself.
That night, when Holden came home, I didn’t even greet him. I just shoved my phone in his face and pressed play.
I watched as his expression changed from confusion to shock, then to pure, unfiltered rage.
“What the hell is this?!” he snapped, his eyes practically bulging out of his head.
“Oh, just your mother going on TV to declare me dead and find you a new wife. No big deal.”
Holden ran a hand through his hair, his face turning red. “She did WHAT?!”
I nodded, crossing my arms. “Oh yeah. And I think it’s about time we teach her a lesson she’ll never forget.”
And that was when the plan was born.
The next morning, Holden set the trap. He grabbed his phone, took a deep breath, and put on his best devastated-son voice.
“Mom,” he started, his voice breaking. “I’ve got… I’ve got terrible news.”
There was silence on the other end before Charlene asked, “Holden? What’s wrong? What happened?”
Holden sniffed, making it sound like he was barely holding it together. “You were right, Mom. Something awful happened to my wife. She… she’s gone. She died.”
I heard Charlene’s sharp intake of breath. She had no idea what was coming.
“What?! No! Holden, no!” she wailed. “What do you mean? How could this happen?!”
Holden cleared his throat, keeping up the act. “It just… it happened so suddenly. You said it yourself—she wasn’t the right match, and now… now she’s gone.”
Charlene sobbed. “Oh, God! This is all my fault! I never meant for any of this! I—”
“Mom,” Holden interrupted, “I need you to come over. Right now. Please.”
“I’m coming! I’m coming right now!” she screamed, then hung up.
Holden looked at me, barely holding back his grin. “She bought it.”
I smirked, kicking my feet up on the coffee table. “Of course she did. Let’s see how she handles this little plot twist.”
An hour later, our front door burst open. Charlene came running in, mascara streaking down her face, eyes wide with panic.
“Where is she?! What happened to her?!” she shrieked, looking around frantically.
And then she saw me.
Sitting on the couch. Alive. Scrolling through my phone like it was just another lazy Saturday.
Her face drained of color. Her mouth fell open. At first, she looked confused, but then—realization.
She’d been played.
I lifted my teacup and smirked. “Morning, Charlene. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Charlene’s hands flew to her mouth. “But… but… you—”
Holden stood up, his expression ice cold. “You thought your little TV stunt would make her disappear?”
Charlene stammered, “I-I didn’t mean—”
“Didn’t mean for what?” Holden snapped. “For me to think my wife was DEAD? For you to go on national TV and erase her?”
“I was trying to help you!” Charlene sobbed. “You deserve better!”
“No,” Holden said firmly. “You crossed a line. A BIG one.”
Charlene trembled. “I just wanted what’s best—”
“What’s best?” Holden cut her off. “If you ever pull something like this again, I’ll be the one going on TV… looking for a new mother. One who actually respects me.”
Charlene went silent.
Then, without another word, she turned and stumbled out the door, her sobs echoing down the hall.
I let out a whistle, shaking my head. “Well, that was something.”
Holden exhaled and sat beside me. “I can’t believe she did that.”
I chuckled, handing him my tea. “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
He smirked. “Maybe next time, we’ll throw a real funeral. For her delusions.”