After my father passed away, my husband Jason, our daughter Emma, my stepmother Lorraine, and I all lived in his house. A few weeks ago, while putting away Jason’s clothes, I found a box in his closet containing a sheer lace robe. I assumed it was a surprise for me, so I didn’t say anything.
Fast forward to last weekend—Lorraine smugly invited me into her room. “Oh, sweetheart, you won’t believe what my new boyfriend got me,” she said with a grin.
My jaw dropped. She was wearing the same lace robe I had found in Jason’s closet. “Do you like it?” she smirked. “He has exquisite taste.” Her eyes gleamed with malice.
A wave of panic hit me. Was Jason cheating? With her? I managed to ask, “Where did you get that?”
Lorraine’s smirk deepened. “Oh, my boyfriend gave it to me,” she replied. “I told you, Calla! You never listen. Don’t worry, you might get one too. He’s very discreet.”
I stumbled out of her room, her laughter echoing behind me. My heart pounded, and my hands shook.
That night, I confronted Jason. “I need to ask you something, and I want the truth.”
“What’s wrong, honey?” he asked, pausing his movie.
“Did you…give Lorraine a robe? The lace one I found in your closet?”
“What? No way! What are you talking about?” he said, confused.
“She showed me a robe tonight,” I said, my voice trembling. “The same one.”
“Do you really think I’d give her something like that?” he asked, frustrated.
“Then how did she get it?”
“I have no idea,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair. “Calla, I swear, I didn’t give her anything! The only thing I gave Lorraine today was a piece of garlic bread at dinner.”
For the next two days, I couldn’t shake my unease. Then, while tidying up Emma’s painting supplies in the dining room, I overheard Lorraine on the phone.
“Yes, Kerry, of course, I planted it,” she whispered. “Her clueless husband didn’t notice. It’s only a matter of time before they start fighting. Once they leave, this house will finally be mine. That’s why they moved in—because they want my house.”
My blood ran cold. She had set us up! She planted the robe to make it seem like Jason was cheating, hoping to drive us out of my father’s house.
That night, I told Jason everything. His face darkened with fury. “She’s trying to destroy our marriage,” he said. “We uprooted Emma for this? No. This ends now.”
Jason and I came up with a plan.
The next morning at breakfast, I casually mentioned that we were considering moving out. Lorraine’s eyes lit up. “Oh, well, if you think that’s best…” she said, barely concealing her excitement.
That evening, we invited a lawyer friend over for dinner. Lorraine didn’t recognize him, so we told her he was a realtor helping us find new homes. The conversation naturally steered toward her desire for space.
“I’m getting older,” she sighed. “I need my own space. And you two deserve yours! Don’t you want to give Emma a little sibling?”
Jason was ready. “Come on, honey,” he urged me. “This house is part of your father’s legacy. You are his legacy. He built this home with his own hands. Do you really want to give it up to her?”
“I don’t know,” I said hesitantly. “I’m not sure what I want.”
A week later, we called a family meeting.
Jason handed Lorraine a stack of papers.
“What’s this?” she asked, flipping through the pages.
“It’s the deed to the house,” Jason said calmly. “We had everything reviewed. Turns out, Calla and I are the legal beneficiaries. You don’t own this house, Lorraine. We do.”
Her face went pale. “That’s not possible. Calla! What have you done? Your father wouldn’t leave me with nothing!”
“He didn’t leave you with nothing,” I said firmly. “He left you a lot of money. But this—this was my childhood home. Of course he wanted me to have it.”
Lorraine started to protest, but Jason shut her down. “Before you try any more tricks, just know this—we’re not going anywhere. But you might want to start packing.”
“Or maybe your boyfriend will take you in?” I added.
She froze. “What? There is no boyfriend—” Then she stopped herself.
Jason smirked. “Oh? No boyfriend?”
She swallowed hard, then blurted out, “Fine! I planned it! I staged the whole thing! There is no boyfriend. There was no cheating. I wanted Calla to think there was. I wanted her to see that robe and doubt him. I wanted her to leave, so this house would be mine.”
“I know,” I said coldly. “I heard you.”
Silence filled the room.
“You have a week,” I told her. “Because that’s what my father would have wanted.”
She pleaded. “I’ll be better! I’ll cook, I’ll clean, I’ll help Emma with her homework—anything!”
I shook my head. “I don’t want my child around you. I’m sorry, but that’s final.”
Lorraine left within the week.
And for the first time in a long time, our home was finally at peace.