My story begins with what I thought was a difficult mother-in-law who did not approve of my relationship with her son.
However, it ended with me realizing that I had misunderstood her and her intentions. After she died, I discovered some shocking truths about her, my marriage, and my life.
I was out of town the day my mother-in-law Betty died. Although she had been ill for some time, her death came unexpectedly and I could not bring it back in time. The description of Betty’s personality is complicated.
She tended to suppress her emotions and never seemed to like me. However, over time she accepted that I had married her son, which in my eyes was the beginning.
When I finally got home, I found a cardboard box on the front porch with a note attached. It said, “For Maddie. Open when you’re alone. Love, Betty.” I was speechless. My mother-in-law had never told me she loved me, so this comment came as a complete shock.
I felt a mixture of emotions as I grabbed the box and rushed inside. I put it on the kitchen table and wanted to open it while my husband was still at work. My hands were shaking as I opened it and what I found inside turned my whole world upside down.
Inside was a letter placed on top of an envelope filled with cash. The letter, written in Betty’s neat handwriting, was addressed to me. I carefully unfolded it and began to read what she wanted me to know after her death.
Dear Maddie,
I hope this letter finds you well and I pray you will read it yourself as I have requested. There is so much I have to say to you and I can only hope you will understand why I could not say these words when I was alive.
First of all, I owe you a sincere apology. You must have felt my coldness and distance and I am truly sorry for any pain I caused you. The truth is, I never hated you. On the contrary, I have always admired you. I have seen how hardworking, trusting, and kind you are – qualities that are rare and rare.
The reason I left was not because I didn’t like you, but because I was disappointed that you married my son. Maddie, you deserve so much more! You have great potential and I was afraid that being with him would only hold you back from achieving your dreams.
My son is not the man you think he is. He’s using you and I’m afraid he’s keeping you from becoming who you’re meant to be. And there’s more, Maddie… I’ve known for a long time that he’s been cheating on you. You deserve someone who will love and respect you, not someone who cheats on you.
I could never bring myself to tell you all this while I was alive, and I regret it. I saw so much of myself in you and it broke my heart to think that you could end up like me – trapped in a life of unfulfilled dreams. I regretted becoming a housewife and I see you are making the same decision.
But it’s not too late for you. I left money in this envelope not just for your future, but for your freedom. Use it to get a divorce if you want, or use it to launch your career and chase your dreams.
I hope you live the life I was too afraid to live. You have so much to offer the world, Maddie. Don’t let anyone hold you back. Be brave and be the woman you are meant to be.
With all love and regret, Â
Betty
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I read Betty’s words. The woman I thought didn’t care for me understood me more than anyone else. Her letter was a wake-up call, forcing me to reclaim my life and follow my dreams.
Even though we were never close, I felt closer to her than ever at that moment. I’m not sure if it was my imagination or something more, but I felt her presence with me. “Thank you,” I whispered out loud.
I decided to fulfill her wish and take the first step towards the future I had almost abandoned.
The months after Betty’s letter were a whirlwind of change. Her message strengthened my resolve and I soon planned to leave. Confronting my husband Luke about his infidelity was one of the hardest things I have ever done.
That evening I waited for him to come home from work. “Luke, we need to talk,” I said, my voice firm but my heart pounding.
He looked surprised. “What’s wrong Maddie?”
I picked up the letter, my hands shaking. Â
“This is from your mother. She knew about your cheating.”
His face turned pale. “Maddie, I…”
“No,” I cut him off. “I don’t want to hear your excuses. I’m done.”
The following days were full of hard conversations and painful realizations. At first Luke denied everything, but eventually, the truth came out. He had been seeing someone else for almost a year! Our marriage was a lie and Betty saw it long before I did.
The money and the letter Betty left me became my lifeline. I filed for divorce and moved out of the house. It was both terrifying and liberating! I found a small apartment in the city center and threw myself into my work.
I had always dreamed of opening a bakery and now with Betty’s help,p I finally had the means to make it happen. Over time, I signed up for a cooking course and took the first steps towards my goal.
My new apartment was small but cozy, filled with the sweet scent of vanilla and cinnamon as I honed my baking skills. One evening, while kneading the dough for sourdough bread, my phone rang. It was Jenna, my best friend.
My story begins with what I thought was a difficult mother-in-law who did not approve of my relationship with her son. However, it ended with me realizing that I had misunderstood her and her intentions. After she died, I discovered some shocking truths about her, my marriage, and my life.
I was out of town the day my mother-in-law Betty died. Although she had been ill for some time, her death came unexpectedly and I could not bring her back in time. The description of Betty’s personality is complicated. She tended to suppress her emotions and never seemed to like me. However, over time she accepted that I had married her son, which in my eyes was the beginning.
When I finally got home, I found a cardboard box on the front porch with a note attached. It said, “For Maddie. Open when you’re alone. Love, Betty.” I was speechless. My mother-in-law has never told me she loves me, so this comment came as a complete shock.
I felt a mixture of emotions as I grabbed the box and ran inside. I put it on the kitchen table and wanted to open it while my husband was still at work. My hands were shaking when I opened it and what I found inside turned my whole world upside down.
Inside was a letter placed on top of an envelope filled with cash. The letter, written in Betty’s neat handwriting, was addressed to me. I carefully unfolded it and began to read what she wanted me to know after her death.
Dear Maddie,
I hope this letter finds you well and I pray you will read it for yourself as I have asked you to. There is so much I have to say to you and I can only hope you understand why I could not say these words when I was alive.
First of all, I owe you a sincere apology. You must have felt my coldness and distance and I am truly sorry for the pain I caused you. The truth is, I never hated you. On the contrary, I have always admired you. I have seen how hardworking, trusting, and kind you are – qualities that are rare and rare.
The reason I left was not because I didn’t like you, but because I was disappointed that you married my son. Maddie, you deserve so much more! You have great potential and I was afraid that being with him would only hold you back from achieving your dreams.
My son is not the man you think he is. He’s using you and I’m afraid he’s keeping you from becoming who you’re meant to be. And there’s more, Maddie… I’ve known for a long time that he’s been cheating on you. You deserve someone who will love and respect you, not someone who cheats on you.
I could never bring myself to tell you all this while I was alive, and I regret it. I saw so much of myself in you and it broke my heart to think that you could end up like me – trapped in a life of unfulfilled dreams. I regretted becoming a housewife and I see you are making the same decision.
But it’s not too late for you. I left money in this envelope not just for your future, but for your freedom. Use it to get a divorce if you want, or use it to launch your career and chase your dreams.
I hope you live the life I was too afraid to live. You have so much to offer the world, Maddie. Don’t let anyone hold you back. Be brave and be the woman you are meant to be.
With all love and regret, Â
Betty
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I read Betty’s words. The woman I thought didn’t care about me understood me more than anyone else. Her letter was a wake-up call, forcing me to reclaim my life and follow my dreams.
Even though we were never close, I felt closer to her than ever at that moment. I’m not sure if it was my imagination or something more, but I felt her presence with me. “Thank you,” I whispered out loud.
I decided to fulfill her wish and take the first step towards the future I had almost abandoned.
The months after Betty’s letter were a whirlwind of change. Her message strengthened my resolve and I soon planned to leave. Confronting my husband Luke about his infidelity was one of the hardest things I have ever done.
That evening I waited for him to come home from work. “Luke, we need to talk,” I said, my voice firm but my heart pounding.
He looked surprised. “What’s wrong Maddie?”
I picked up the letter, my hands shaking. Â
“This is from your mother. She knew about your cheating.”
His face turned pale. “Maddie, I…”
“No,” I cut him off. “I don’t want to hear your excuses. I’m done.”
The following days were full of hard conversations and painful realizations. Luke denied everything at first, but eventually, the truth came out. He had been seeing someone else for almost a year! Our marriage was a lie and Betty saw it long before I did.
The money and the letter Betty left me became my lifeline. I filed for divorce and moved out of the house. It was both terrifying and liberating! I found a small apartment in the city center and threw myself into my work.
I had always dreamed of opening a bakery and now with Betty’s help, I finally had the means to make it happen. Over time, I signed up for a cooking course and took the first steps towards my goal.
My new apartment was small but cozy, filled with the sweet scent of vanilla and cinnamon as I honed my baking skills. One evening, while kneading the dough for sourdough bread, my phone rang. It was Jenna, my best friend.