– That trip you booked for my mother, you’re going to have to pay for it yourself, – said the husband coldly.
– John, what time will you be home today? – asked Claudia, stretching out in bed.
– Not before six, – John replied mechanically, pulling on his jeans.
– I’ll be waiting for you, darling, – said Claudia and offered her lips for a kiss.
– Are you going to spend the whole day cooking and cleaning again? You should go out and relax, or you’ll just get stuck at home, – John suggested with a peck on her cheek.
– Without you, it’s not the same. I’d rather study in my free time, – Claudia replied with feigned sadness.
– Well, suit yourself. I’m off to work now, – he quickly said and headed for the hallway.
Claudia listened. A couple of minutes later, the front door closed, meaning John had left for work.
She picked up her smartphone and dialed a familiar number.
– Hello, John’s off to work. Shall we head out for our spa treatments? – Claudia chirped happily.
– Hi, sure thing. Let’s meet at our café at eleven, have breakfast there, and then carry on, – suggested Jane, Claudia’s mother-in-law.
– Agreed, see you soon, – Claudia replied and ended the call.
She lazed in bed a little longer before getting up to wash. When Claudia got married, she thought her mother-in-law would never accept her.
Her education was basic, just GCSEs and an unfinished vocational course.
She had no wish to work and was lazy around the house. Hardly a catch, and without a dowry to boot.
But to her surprise, John’s mother saw her as a suitable candidate.
The authoritative and cunning Jane decided to turn the girl into a compliant ally to better control her son.
Believing that an uneducated, unemployed layabout would cling to John for dear life, Jane aimed to become her friend and ally whenever possible. Avoid becoming enemies at all costs.
Jane knew that her son wouldn’t live with a lazy wife for long, so she taught Claudia a few tricks.
First, always know when her husband would return from work. Second, start looking busy before he arrives.
And most importantly, have freshly prepared food on the table.
However, since Claudia wasn’t much of a cook and couldn’t be bothered to learn, she either took meals from Jane or ordered from a café.
– How are things? Tell me everything, – Jane asked without preamble.
– Oh, the usual, no changes. Today he suggested I go out for a bit, – Claudia said with a slight smirk.
– Have you started mentioning that holiday trip I fancy? You need to hurry; the vouchers might all be gone in a month, – Jane said in a businesslike tone.
– Not yet, but I’ll start pressuring him today. I reckon I can sway him within a week and gift it for your birthday, – Claudia responded with difficulty, hiding her annoyance.
The girl didn’t like spending her husband’s money on anyone but herself.
But contradicting Jane wasn’t an option given how much she knew about Claudia.
If Jane talked, Claudia could kiss her carefree life goodbye.
Claudia returned home half an hour before John was due back from work.
She took out a ready-made pizza and placed it in the oven to heat. She left a bag of flour on the kitchen table and a little dusted her shirt.
In the freezer, she tucked away homemade dumplings her mother-in-law had given her. When the front door opened, she hit the wash button on the machine. A gentle hum filled the apartment.
– You’re back? I’ve just finished baking the pizza, – Claudia said joyfully and hugged her husband.
– You’re amazing, love you, – a pleased John said, freeing himself from her hug and heading to get changed.
After dinner, John washed the dishes and joined his wife to watch their favorite show.
As they watched, Claudia brought up the holiday retreat. She convincingly explained how Jane needed rest combined with some treatments due to her age.
Claudia was determined to fulfill Jane’s request, even showing John various retreats his mother had approved.
John looked at the prices and frowned. The voucher cost as much as his monthly salary, so he didn’t buy it that day, but he promised to consider it…
There’s a saying that everything hidden eventually comes to light. A few days later, John came home early from work.
Opening the front door, he heard loud music blaring from the bedroom.
Surprised, he went to the room, only to find it empty. He decided to check the kitchen, thinking Claudia might be there.
Passing by the bathroom, John overheard a conversation. His wife was on the phone with someone.
Curious about whom she was speaking to, John leaned his ear against the door to listen more clearly.
It turned out Claudia was talking to his mother through the speakerphone, and he could hear everything.
– Jane, I told you, give me a week, and John will buy you that voucher, – Claudia grumbled irritably.
– We’re already on day four, in case you forgot! I don’t need a daughter-in-law I have to handle everything for!
– It’ll get done! Worst case, I’ll open a credit card and buy the voucher myself, and John will have to pay the debt later, – Claudia reassured her.
– Well, see… Just remember it’s better for us to be friends than enemies, – Jane replied calmly.
– I know. Anyway, I need to order some takeaway and pretend to be busy. Goodbye, Jane, – said Claudia, ending the call.
John was stunned by the revelation. He began realizing his wife and mother were deceiving him.
Quietly, he left the flat and went to the nearest café to collect his thoughts.
John didn’t want a divorce, though he was angry, nor was he willing to continue living with deceit.
So, he decided to teach his mother and wife a lesson by turning the tables on them.
That evening, John returned home as if nothing had happened and behaved unsuspectingly.
– John, I’ve opened a credit card and bought your mother the holiday voucher. She’s done so much for us and needs a break, – Claudia informed him.
– A commendable action, given she truly helps you a lot, – John replied with a smile.
Claudia didn’t catch the sarcasm and joyously texted Jane, letting her know she got her the voucher.
A few days later, one evening, John didn’t come home. For the first time in their marriage, Claudia became anxious and dialed him.
– Where are you? I’ve made us dinner, and I’m starving, waiting to eat together, – she said accusingly.
– Right now, I’m by the window in my hotel room, gazing at the sea, – John replied contentedly.
– You’re joking, right? – she smirked nervously.
– Nope, not joking. I overheard you and my mum’s scheme by accident, – his tone calm.
– What conversation? – her husband’s words caught Claudia completely off guard.
– You can’t hide it any longer. It finally dawned on me that you didn’t cook well before the wedding, yet suddenly became a chef afterward.
– I just…
– No need to explain, I know everything. That voucher you got my mum, you’ll fund it. So, find a job while I’m away. I’ve done plenty for you both; now it’s my turn to relax, – John said curtly and hung up.
When he returned home two weeks later, he found out that Claudia and his mother were no longer speaking.
Claudia was upset with Jane for refusing to cover the voucher costs, and Jane was mad at Claudia for spilling their secrets to her son.
