On my wedding day, as vows were exchanged and love filled the air, Rick’s mother, Irene, found a way to steal the spotlight. From her dramatic interruption at the altar to gifting me a book, “How to Be a Good Wife for My Precious Son”, it was clear: she wasn’t ready to let me into her world—or her son’s.
I stood by the altar in my wedding dress, feeling the weight of the moment settle over me.
My fingers trembled slightly as I gripped the piece of paper with my vows, the edges soft and worn from nervous handling.
The air smelled faintly of roses and candles, and the faint rustle of silk from the guests’ outfits added a quiet hum to the room.
Across from me, Rick stood tall, his dark suit perfectly tailored to his broad frame.
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His smile was warm, reassuring, and completely for me. I felt my heart swell as I met his gaze.
“If you’ve prepared your vows, please exchange them now,” the officiant said, his voice gentle but firm, breaking through the haze of my emotions.
I unfolded my paper, smoothing it out with care.
“Rick, I love you,” I began, my voice steady but laced with emotion. I could see his expression soften, his eyes never leaving mine.
“I wasn’t sure how to begin, but I decided to start with what’s most important.”
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A small smile played on my lips, and Rick chuckled softly, that familiar sound that always made me feel at home.
“These past four years we’ve spent together have changed my life,” I continued, my voice growing steadier as I found my rhythm.
“I was afraid of losing my old life and drowning in a relationship, so I hesitated for a long time. You know how hard it is for me to take big steps…”
“But I’m so glad I took this step,” I said, my smile widening.
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“I’m glad I’m standing here before you now. With you, I feel like I’m becoming the best version of myself. I love you, Rick.” My words hung in the air, heavy with sincerity.
There was a soft murmur of approval from the guests—subtle, but enough to remind me we weren’t alone in this moment.
“Samantha, I love you. You know I’m not one for long speeches,” he began, earning a light laugh from the crowd.
“So I’ll just say this: I’m happy you’re becoming my wife today. From now on, we’re a family, and family always sticks together.”
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The officiant smiled. “Samantha, do you take Rick to be your husband?”
“I do!” My voice rang out clearly.
“Rick, do you take Samantha to be your wife?”
“I do,” Rick said, his voice steady and full of conviction.
“If anyone here objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace,” the officiant continued.
The room went still, the silence palpable. I felt my breath hitch. Then, to my horror, Irene stood up.
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Of course, she couldn’t just let this be about us. She always had to make herself the center of attention.
“Sorry, I just needed to go to the bathroom. Didn’t mean to interrupt,” Irene said, her voice sugary sweet and her smile tight.
“Mom!” Rick snapped, clearly exasperated. He gestured for her to sit, his jaw tightening. Irene waved him off, taking her seat with an air of mock innocence.
I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying something I’d regret.
The officiant quickly regained control. “I now pronounce Samantha and Rick husband and wife!”
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The applause exploded, filling the room. Rick kissed me, his lips warm and full of love, and for a moment, the world felt perfect.
But as I glanced toward the guests, my eyes landed on Irene’s empty chair. It didn’t surprise me. Not one bit.
The reception was in full swing. Music filled the air, guests laughed, and the soft clinking of glasses blended into the hum of celebration.
I should’ve been floating on a cloud of happiness, surrounded by friends and family, but instead, my mood was sour.
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My thoughts were stuck on the ceremony, replaying Irene’s little stunt over and over.
“You know she did that on purpose…” I muttered to Rick, sitting close beside me.
Rick sighed, his patience already thinning.
“Sweetheart, that’s not true. My mom loves you and respects my choice. Don’t make things up.”
“Loves me so much she couldn’t even wait a single minute until the ceremony was over? Seriously, Rick?” I shot back, keeping my voice low but firm.
“She’s an older woman. She probably really needed to go,” Rick argued, his tone defensive. “Or would you have preferred she… handled it right there in the hall?”
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His eyebrows rose slightly, as if that was the ultimate argument-ender.
“Rick! Enough!” I snapped, crossing my arms. How could he be so blind to her little games?
At that moment, as if summoned by our discussion, Irene approached our table. Her face was stretched into that same overly sweet smile she always wore, the one that made my skin crawl.
“My dear son,” she said warmly, wrapping Rick in a hug. “Congratulations on your big day. I hope Samantha will take good care of you and that you’ll be happy!”
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“Thanks, Mom,” Rick replied, grinning as if she hadn’t just insulted me in the guise of kindness.
Irene then turned to me, her smile never wavering, and handed me a small, neatly wrapped package.
I stared at it, reluctant to take it.
I peeled back the paper slowly, my stomach twisting with dread. When the cover of the book came into view, my chest tightened.
“How to Be a Good Wife for My Precious Son,” it read, in a perfectly polished font. I froze, staring at the title.
It even had her name printed below: “By Irene.”
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My teeth clenched so hard I thought I might chip them. I forced a polite smile, but my hands were shaking.
“What’s this, Mom?” Rick asked, grabbing the book from me and flipping through the pages.
“Oh, nothing,” Irene said with a casual wave of her hand.
“I just thought Samantha could use a little guidance and advice.”
Rick, oblivious as ever, grinned.
“Oh, wow! It even has my favorite cookie recipe from when I was a kid! Mom, did you print this book yourself?”
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“All for my beloved son!” Irene chirped.
“Thank you, Irene,” I said through gritted teeth, somehow summoning the strength to be civil. “I’ll be sure to study this book carefully.”
“Samantha, don’t be mad,” Rick added, his tone almost scolding. “It’s a wonderful gift. Mom put so much effort into it.”
“Uh-huh,” I muttered, forcing a tight smile. Inside, I was screaming. But this wasn’t the time or place. Not yet.
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Married life felt like a dream at first.
The days were filled with stolen kisses in the kitchen, whispered promises late at night, and the kind of laughter that made everything else fade away.
For a week, it was just us—our own little world, untouched by anything else.
But like a crack in glass, that perfect world fractured with one name: Irene.
“My mom’s coming over for dinner tonight,” Rick said casually while scrolling through his phone.
I froze, spatula mid-air. “What? Why?”
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He looked up, confused. “She’s my mom. Why can’t she just visit?”
“So she’s just coming for a visit?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“Well… she wanted to cook dinner for us.”
I let out a sharp laugh. “So she thinks I can’t cook dinner myself?”
Rick sighed, already weary of this conversation. “Of course not! She just wants to help…”
“Oh, help me be a good wife for her precious son…” I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
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“Samantha! You’re misunderstanding again!” he snapped, his patience wearing thin.
“No, I understand perfectly,” I said firmly. “Your mom hates me and uses every excuse to meddle. What time is she coming?”
Rick hesitated. “In a couple of hours.”
“Good,” I said, already standing. “That gives me time to prepare.”
For the next two hours, I moved through the house like a storm—cleaning, cooking, and setting the table with meticulous care.
If Irene wanted a show, I was going to give her one. And I had a little surprise in mind, too.
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The doorbell rang, echoing through the house, and I felt my shoulders tense. Rick hurried to open it, his face lighting up as he greeted her.
“Mom!” he said warmly, pulling her into a hug.
I stood a few steps behind, forcing a polite smile. “Welcome, Irene,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Irene replied with a saccharine smile. “We’re family now. This is my home too.”
“As you say,” I murmured, stepping aside as she waltzed into the living room like she owned the place.
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Her eyes immediately fell on the dining table, perfectly set and laden with food.
“So, you’ve already prepared everything?” she said, her voice tinged with disappointment.
“What a shame—I was hoping to cook myself…”
“There’s no need,” I replied calmly. “I’ve taken care of everything.”
“Well, we’ll see,” she said, her tone as sharp as a knife, before sitting down at the table.
She scanned the spread, her gaze landing on the soup. “Oh, is this tomato soup from my book? You’re already trying out the recipes?”
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“Yes, very useful recipes, thank you. But I made a few improvements…”
“Improvements?” she repeated, her voice rising indignantly.
Rick, oblivious to the tension, took a big spoonful and groaned in delight. “Oh my gosh, Samantha, this is the best tomato soup I’ve ever had!”
Irene’s smile faltered. “And my cupcakes…” she muttered under her breath as Rick continued eating enthusiastically.
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Her displeasure was written all over her face, and I knew this was my moment. Rick went to the bathroom, and that was the moment I’d waited for to launch my plan.
“Irene,” I began, smiling sweetly, “your book inspired me so much that I wanted to repay your kindness.”
I picked up the remote and clicked a button. The projector on the wall flickered to life, displaying bold letters:
“How to Mind Your Own Business.”
“Today I proved that I’m more than capable of running my home and taking care of my husband. Irene, I appreciate your advice, but I’ll handle my life on my own terms.”
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Irene shot up from her seat, her face red with anger. “You’re not fit to be my son’s wife! And you know it!”
“Mom! How can you say that?” Rick walked inside the room, stunned.
“Rick, you know it’s true,” Irene snapped. “She’s not worthy of you.”
“Mom, enough!” Rick’s voice was firm now.
“I love Samantha, and you’ll accept my choice, whether you like it or not. I think it’s time for you to go home. I’ll call you a taxi.”
“Fine, dear…” Irene said with a huff, finally relenting.
I nodded silently, my heart pounding. For once, I felt victorious. In this battle for boundaries, I had finally taken a stand—and won.
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The day after my fiancé disappeared from our wedding, I spotted him signing documents in my father’s office
I knew how much my fiancé loved me until he didn’t show up at the altar on our wedding day. A day later, I saw him signing papers in my father’s office without me knowing what it was about.
Brian and I visited our favorite fine-dining restaurant on the night of our sixth anniversary as a couple. He seemed very nervous, and I kept wondering why. “What’s wrong, Brian? Are you alright?” I asked him as he shifted in his seat a couple of times while looking behind me.
He nodded and tried his best to smile. “Yeah, of course, I’m okay,” he assured me. “It’s our anniversary and I couldn’t be happier.”
I smiled at his answer and proceeded to look at the menu. I had memorized the menu from all the times we’d been at the restaurant, but I still looked look over it for old time’s sake. By the time I looked up from the menu, I got the surprise of my life.
Brian was on one knee, and there was a group of musicians behind him, playing soft, romantic music with their violins. “Jane, honey. We’ve been together for six years now, and I’m more than certain that I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Brian declared. “Would you do me the honor of being my wife?” he asked.
I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands. “Of course, yes!” I said, jumping from my seat to give Brian a hug. I looked at the beautiful solitaire ring that Brian slipped on my finger and realized how long it would have taken him to save up for something so big and beautiful.
The following day, I went to visit my parents to let them know that Brian had proposed. My mom was delighted for me and gave me a big hug. However, my dad’s reaction was another story.
“You can’t possibly be happy marrying that man, Jane,” he told me. “What will become of you and your children? Will he even afford to buy you a house? To put your kids through private school?” he started to ask.
“Dad, how could you say that? Brian works hard, and I’m working too. We’ll figure it out together as every married couple does!” I shot back.
“How long did it take him to save up for that ring, anyway? As if that’s supposed to convince me that he can take care of you. If I were you, I’d give that ring back and call the wedding off. It’s not too late, Jane. There are many wealthy bachelors I can introduce you to – men that I can actually entrust my daughter and the future of my business with,” he told me.
I scoffed in disbelief, knowing all my dad ever cared about was money. I shook my head and left the house before I could say anything I’d regret.
Brian and I planned our wedding alone, with subtle help from my mom. Three months of preparation passed, and it was finally time for the big day.
Before the ceremony, Brian couldn’t find his sister and his niece. “Where are they?” he asked his mother. Reluctantly, Brian’s mom revealed that his niece Maxine had to be taken to the hospital for an emergency operation on her heart problem.
“Your sister’s been trying to find people she can borrow money from,” his mom told him. “The hospital won’t start on the operation unless they give a downpayment, but Maxine just doesn’t have that much time left. They need to start the operation as soon as they can.”
Without a second thought, Brian decided to approach my dad to ask for help. “Sir, I know this is going to sound bad, but I was wondering if you could lend me money for my niece’s operation. I had just spent most of what’s in my account on the wedding,” Brian admitted.
I decided to have a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop when I suddenly saw Brian looking around the area before entering my dad’s office building.
“I promise, I will pay you back in a month. I just need to get through the month before I get my paycheck,” he asked.
My father shook his head. “I knew you were up to no good,” he scoffed. “But yes, I will help you, on one condition,” he told Brian.
“What is it, sir? I’ll do anything,” Brian said without hesitation.
“You don’t need to pay me back for the money, but you need to disappear from Jane’s life. Run away, and never come back,” he declared.
Brian’s heart twitched upon hearing about my father’s condition. However, he remembered what his mom said about Maxine not having much time left, so he reluctantly agreed. It was his only chance to save his niece’s life.
A couple of minutes later, I was at the altar, weeping. Brian didn’t show up to the wedding, and everyone was trying to console me. “What happened? We were okay yesterday,” I cried. “Where did he go?” I kept asking, after hearing from guests that Brian was at the church earlier that morning.
The following day, my dad asked to meet me at his office. I was supposed to meet him in an hour and a half, but I arrived early.
I decided to have a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop when I suddenly saw Brian looking around the area before entering my dad’s office building. “What is he doing here?” I asked myself before deciding to follow him.
By the time I got the bill at the coffee shop, Brian had already entered the elevator. I had a feeling that he was on the way to my dad’s office, so I hurried up the next elevator to see what it was all about.
When I arrived, I saw Brian, my dad, and my dad’s lawyer in the same room. Because the glass windows were soundproof, I could not hear what they were talking about. Instead, I watched my dad’s lawyer hand Brian some papers, which he signed before shaking hands with the other men in the room.
I couldn’t stop myself from barging in at that point. “What is this?! What are those papers and why are you here?!” I yelled.
My dad had a smug look on his face as if telling me he knew this would happen all along. “Your groom here just agreed not to see you ever again in exchange for money,” he told me.
I looked at Brian with the most painful look of betrayal. “Is that true?” I said, trying not to choke from the tightening in my throat that came after hearing what my dad had said.
“I’m sorry, Jane. It’s Maxine. She’s dying, and she needs an expensive operation to save her life,” Brian cried. “Yesterday, I asked your dad for help, and he said he’d help me if I didn’t attend the wedding. I’m sorry, Jane. I can’t bear losing my niece,” he sobbed.
“He just signed the agreement that he would never show up in your life ever again. If you hadn’t shown up, the papers stated that he would not be allowed to tell you the truth, either. But now that you’re here, I guess it’s better for you to know that he replaced your relationship for money,” my dad said, slamming the papers on the table.
“How could you do this to me?!” I yelled at my dad. “My life is not some toy you can just play with! You ruined my relationship, and you ruined what was supposed to be the best day of my life!” I cried.
“What kind of father are you?! I never want to see you again,” I said before leaving his office.
I could feel my knees grow weak, and before I could even reach the elevator, I collapsed on the floor, crying. “Why?” I cried to nobody in particular. It was then that I felt Brian’s arms wrap around me.
“I’m sorry, Jane,” he cried. “I love you with all my heart, but I also couldn’t allow Maxine to die. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
“You are the kindest, most selfless man I know,” I told Brian. “I know you only meant well. But I hope you had told me instead of going to my dad. That way, we still could have continued our wedding, and we could have helped Maxine together.”
Brian nodded and sighed upon realizing his mistake. “I didn’t know what to do. You weren’t at the church yet, and your dad was the first one I saw when I heard the news. I’m sorry, Jane,” he apologized to me.
“I understand if you never want to see me again, but I wish you could give me a chance to prove to you how much I love you. I really do, Jane,” he tried to assure me.
“I know you do, Brian, and I love you just as much,” I replied.
That day, we decided to talk about our lives and what we could do moving forward. We visited Maxine at the hospital and paid for the surgery after getting refunds from our wedding suppliers. Maxine successfully underwent surgery, and she once again became the lively, loving girl we all once knew.
Three months passed, and Brian and I decided to start a new life together. We moved to a different city to start fresh, and I decided to cut my dad out of my life for good.
“I hope you understand why I had to do this, mom,” I said when I told my mom my decision of keeping away from dad. “It’s for my own good. He was too toxic for me, and I just couldn’t take it.”
It pained my mom to hear this, but she completely understood where I was coming from. “I will always be here for you, dear,” she assured me. “Please visit me, and always keep in touch. I can’t bear not seeing you for a long time.”
With my mom’s blessing, Brian and I got married in a simple celebration. Only my mom, his parents, a few of our close friends, and his sister and niece were in attendance.
Before leaving town, Brian and I mailed the check my dad had issued back to him. Since then, I never heard from him again. After quitting my job at the family company, he blocked my credit cards and any chance of receiving an inheritance.
With the money I had saved up for years and with Brian’s, too, we were able to buy a small house in the suburbs. I got a job at another company, and together, we worked hard to raise our three children in a loving environment.
What can we learn from this story?
Never let money get in the way of your relationship. Jane’s dad thought getting Brian away from her would be as simple as giving her money. However, when Jane found out the truth about what her dad did, she was angrier with him than with Brian, as she knew Brian was in a difficult situation that left him with no choice but to agree to her dad’s wishes.
Always be honest with your spouse and work through life’s challenges together. When Jane found out the truth, all she wanted was for Brian to have told her the truth, to begin with. That way, they could have avoided what happened at the wedding and continued on. Ultimately, they were able to work through their issues and work together to save Maxine and start a new life together without her dad in the picture.
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