My sister-in-law always felt entitled to whatever she wanted, but nothing prepared me for her most outrageous demand yet—she wanted me to have a baby just so she could keep it as a gift. When she refused to take no for an answer, I decided to teach her a lesson she would never forget.
Do you think you have crazy relatives? Well, let me tell you about mine, and you might change your mind.
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Harry and I had been married for seven years, together for nearly fifteen, and we had two wonderful children, Maya and Luke.
Our little family was everything to me but when it came to our extended family, things weren’t as simple.
I realized something was off with my MIL, Charlotte, and my SIL, Candice, the very first day I met them.
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I told myself it was just nerves, that I was overthinking it. I had no idea then just how much trouble they would bring into my life.
Before our wedding, Candice proved just how self-centered she was. She threw a full-blown tantrum because I had the audacity to choose someone else as my maid of honor.
Worse yet, she claimed my dress was prettier than hers. As if my wedding was supposed to revolve around her!
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She nearly ruined the entire day, but thankfully, Grace, Harry’s grandmother, stepped in.
Grace was the only truly kind soul in that family, aside from my husband. Unfortunately, she lived too far away to rescue us often.
But just before Candice’s thirtieth birthday, something happened that made me question reality itself.
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Candice rarely visited us, and when she did, she kept her distance from the kids, always complaining that they were “too noisy” or “gave her headaches.”
But that day was different. She spent hours playing with Maya, and something about it sent a shiver down my spine. As it turned out, I had every reason to be worried.
During dinner, Candice kept glancing at me and Harry. I knew she wanted attention. I just didn’t know why.
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“I have an announcement!” Her voice rang through the dining room. “I’m going to be a mom!” she blurted out.
Harry choked on his food. He coughed and grabbed his water. I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth.
“What?” I asked.
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Harry wiped his mouth. “Who… is the father?” His brows furrowed. “You’re not even dating anyone.”
He was right. The last boyfriend, she had run off after she screamed at him for not buying her an expensive handbag.
Candice waved a hand. “That’s actually why I came over today.” She straightened in her chair. “The parents of my daughter will be you two.”
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My stomach twisted. “What?!”
She sighed like I was the crazy one. “I’m almost thirty, and I don’t have a husband.” She smiled. “The perfect birthday gift would be a daughter.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. My brain struggled to process her words.
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Harry rubbed his temples. “You want Stephanie to be your surrogate?”
Candice shook her head. “No, I want you two to have a baby for me.”
I placed my hands on the table. “So, it would be our child, and you expect us to give it to you?”
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“Not just give—give it to me for my birthday. What’s the problem?” Her tone was light, casual, like she was asking for a sweater.
I stared at her. “You seriously don’t see a problem?” My voice rose. “Harry and I aren’t having any more children. I am not having a baby just to hand it over to you.”
Candice scoffed. “Stephanie, you’ve always been so selfish.”
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Harry’s chair scraped against the floor as he sat up. “No, Candice. Stephanie is right. We’re not doing this.”
“But why? You already have two! What’s the big deal about having one more?” Her voice hit a high-pitched whine.
I clenched my fists. “I am not an incubator! A child is not an object! A child is a person!”
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“You just don’t want me to be happy! You want to be the only one with kids!” Candice shrieked.
Harry slammed his hand on the table. “Enough! Leave. Now.”
Candice’s face burned red. She stood, shaking with anger. “I’ll tell Mom about this!” She stomped to the door, threw it open, and slammed it behind her.
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I exhaled. “How did she even come up with this?”
Harry shook his head. “She’s completely lost it.”
Candice stayed quiet for a while. I hoped that meant she’d finally let it go. I should have known better.
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One afternoon, Candice showed up at our house with Charlotte by her side.
Candice’s arms overflowed with shopping bags from baby stores. My first thought was she had decided to be a good aunt and bring gifts for Maya and Luke. But the smug look on her face told me otherwise.
Charlotte walked in without waiting for an invitation. She sat on the couch and gestured for Harry and me to join her. Candice stood nearby, grinning.
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“Candice told me that you agreed to give her a baby,” Charlotte said.
“What? No, we told her we weren’t going to do that,” I said.
“Why not?” Charlotte asked.
“Because it’s insane,” Harry replied.
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“Is it really that hard? Stephanie, as a woman, you should know that the older you get, the harder it is to have children. Candice is already almost thirty,” Charlotte argued.
“I’m not going to give my child to your daughter, who has no idea what it means to be a parent,” I said firmly.
“That’s not true! I already bought everything!” Candice announced, pulling out baby clothes and dresses from her bags.
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“You do realize that a baby is not a doll you can just dress up, right? Babies cry, scream, spit up, and do a lot of unpleasant things,” Harry pointed out.
“My daughter won’t be like that. She’ll be like your Maya—I’ve never seen Maya cry,” Candice said confidently.
“That’s because you’ve never spent enough time with her,” I countered.
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“Then I’ll just bring my daughter to you when she cries,” Candice said.
“Babies cry day and night. Are you planning to bring her to me every single time?” I asked.
“Yes. What’s the problem with that?” Candice asked, genuinely confused.
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Harry buried his face in his hands.“This is impossible. Candice, you are not ready to be a mother. And asking someone to have a child for you is completely insane,” he said.
“But you’re my brother!” Candice cried.
While they argued, I noticed Charlotte had disappeared. I went looking for her and found her in our bedroom—poking holes in our condoms.
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“What are you doing?!” I shouted.
“Making everyone’s life easier,” she said calmly.
“Have you lost your mind?!” I screamed.
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“Listen, it wouldn’t be hard for you to have another baby, but it is hard for Candice. So I just decided to help a little,” she said.
“Help?!” I yelled. “You’re interfering in our personal lives!”
“Not everyone is as lucky as you, having a husband like my son. You should understand that,” Charlotte replied.
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“You’re treating me and your son like an incubator! Why can’t Candice just go to a sperm donor?!” I snapped.
“Donors are just random people. But you and Harry already have two healthy children, so Candice would know for sure that her baby would be fine,” Charlotte said.
“That would be our child! Ours!” I shouted.
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“But you’d be having it for Candice, so it would be her child,” Charlotte argued.
“Do you really think I would give my child to someone who believes you can choose a baby’s gender? Or that babies don’t cry?” I asked.
“I will help her,” Charlotte said.
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“That makes…” that makes the situation even worse, I wanted to say, but I stopped myself.
An idea formed in my mind—a way to teach both Candice and Charlotte a lesson and show everyone just how insane they were.
“You know what? If you’re going to help, then I agree,” I said.
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Charlotte beamed. “Finally! Why didn’t you just say so earlier?” she said, then went to tell Candice the “good news.”
As soon as they left, Harry turned to me in shock. “You actually agreed to this?” he asked.
“I have a plan,” I said.
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For the next nine months leading up to Candice’s birthday, I played my role well.
I smiled, touched my belly often, and acted like the happiest pregnant woman.
Every time Candice called, I assured her everything was going smoothly. I even let her ramble about nursery themes and baby names.
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It was exhausting. Keeping up the act drained me, but I had to see this through.
When the time came, I announced I would give birth in another city. Candice pouted but accepted my reasoning—I told her the “gift” had to remain a surprise until her birthday. After all, it was a present, right?
On the big day, the whole family gathered for the reveal. Even Grace had traveled to be there.
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Candice had told everyone about her “grand surprise,” building the moment up as if she had won the lottery.
Harry and I walked in when everyone was seated. I held a baby carrier, wrapped with a giant bow, cradling it carefully. Candice gasped, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Let me see her!” she squealed, trying to peek inside.
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“Not yet,” I said. “Wait for the big moment.”
Finally, Candice stood, practically glowing with excitement. “I have a very special announcement!” she declared. “Harry and Stephanie have given me the most incredible birthday gift—a baby!” Gasps filled the room. Eyes locked on us.
Candice turned, arms outstretched. “Okay, hand her over now!” I smiled and placed the carrier in her hands.
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Candice tore off the bow. She reached inside the carrier with trembling hands. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Then her face twisted in horror.
“WHAT IS THIS?!” she shrieked, pulling out a doll.
The room fell silent. All eyes were on her. Harry and I burst into laughter.
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“The only baby you’re fit to take care of,” I said, smirking.
Candice’s chest rose and fell fast. Her fingers dug into the doll’s plastic limbs. She looked at me with pure rage.
“But you were pregnant!” she screamed. “I saw your belly!”
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“Fake bellies,” I said, shrugging. “I went out of town to ‘give birth’ just to sell the illusion.”
Candice let out a sharp sob. Charlotte gasped and shot up from her seat.
“You heartless witch!” Charlotte yelled.
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“And who exactly is heartless?” I snapped. “The people who refused to give away their child? Or the ones who expected a baby like it was a wrapped-up gift?”
Candice clutched the doll to her chest. Tears streamed down her face.
“But… but I already bought so many dresses!” she whined. “Who am I supposed to dress up now?”
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“The doll works perfectly,” Harry said, still chuckling.
Candice’s hands trembled as she looked down at the toy. Her whole body shook.
Then I noticed Grace watching carefully. Her wrinkled hands rested in her lap. Her sharp eyes flicked between Candice and Charlotte.
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“Can someone explain to me what’s going on here?” she asked, her voice firm.
I turned to her. “Candice came to us a year ago demanding that we give her a baby for her birthday.”
Grace’s face twisted in confusion. “You mean… as a surrogate? Does she have health issues?”
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“No,” Harry said. “Our baby.”
Grace’s frown deepened.
“Candice is perfectly healthy,” I added. “She just doesn’t have a husband and thought we should give her a child.”
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Grace’s face turned red with fury. She pushed herself up from her seat and pointed a shaking finger at Candice and Charlotte.
“ARE YOU BOTH OUT OF YOUR MINDS?!” she roared.
Candice flinched. “W-what? What’s so wrong with it?” she stammered.
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“You’re just like your mother, Candice! I warned my son not to marry you, Charlotte, but he didn’t listen! And this is the result!” Grace spat.
“Grandma, how could you say that?!” Candice cried.
“I’m saying the truth!” Grace snapped. She took another deep breath, then fixed them both with a look of disgust.
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“I am writing you both out of my will.”
The room fell silent. Grace’s estate was worth a lot. Everyone knew it. Candice and Charlotte froze in shock.
“You’re serious?” Charlotte whispered, her voice unsteady.
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“Absolutely,” Grace said coldly. “I will not let insane people like you have any control over my wealth.”
A deep, satisfied sense of justice filled me. I watched as realization dawned on them.
“But—” Candice started.
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Grace held up a hand. “Enough. We’re leaving. I want to see my great-grandchildren—the real ones.” She turned to Harry and me. “Let’s go.”
Harry and I didn’t hesitate. We stood up and walked out, hand in hand. Behind us, Candice sobbed hysterically.
Charlotte shouted in frustration. But we didn’t care. They got exactly what they deserved.
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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: I thought my mother-in-law was just overbearing. But when she stole the spotlight at our gender reveal, I realized she would do anything to stay at the center of our lives. I wanted space. She refused to give it. Then I discovered her biggest secret—and regret hit her harder than she imagined.
Poor Mom Lives in Old Trailer with Son and Never Lets Anyone in until She Gets Hospitalized
Before she passes out and is taken to the hospital, an impoverished woman never lets anyone inside her run-down trailer. Her life is ultimately altered irrevocably by the subsequent events.
“Hey, young one! Keep away from him! Barbara let out a scream and hurried to where her son Timothy was playing with a child called Harry. “You have no right to come play with my son here. He doesn’t associate with weirdos and recluses!
“Mum!” Timothy started to cry. “That’s not Harry at all! I invited him to play with me and the other kids from the neighborhood because we are friends.
“Stop talking, Tim! You’re not aware of the potential risk that some people pose. You are aware that his mother is a deranged person who never allows anyone to be around her or enter her ridiculous trailer? How often have I told you not to go visit him already?
“Please, mom! It’s a nice boy, Harry. Simply said, we Harry cut Timothy off just as he was getting started.
“Don’t worry, Tim. He turned to face Barbara and said, “My mom says that mothers are always right, but Mrs. Anderson.” “My mother is a sweetheart. She is so afraid that she won’t let anyone into our trailer.
“Afraid?” Barbara gave him a sardonic chuckle. “We ought to be terrified of her! She must be planning something shady! Anyway, remember this, child: you will never again play with my son! Did you get the message?
Harry became so overcome with emotion that he was unable to talk. He ran out of the park to where he always parked his old white trailer, beneath a parched tree that marked the edge of a woodland that connected two suburbs.
Tracy, his mother, became concerned when she noticed he was sobbing all the time. “Honey, what’s the issue? What’s causing your tears? Are you in pain?
Harry sobbed, “It was one of our neighbors again, mom.” “Mom, they call you names all the time. I detest that! I detest all of them!
Tracy gave him a hug and whispered, “Oh, honey.” “Never harbor hatred for someone. People tend to say hurtful things when they’re upset. It implies neither that they despise you nor…
“No, mother! You’re not getting it! Harry shot back. They have no interest in comprehending you, myself, or anybody else. Are you even aware of the events of today? Mrs. Anderson advised me not to play with Timothy because I’m a hermit’s son and called you a recluse. Mom, please let’s get out of this town. I wish to leave this place.
Tracy was at a loss for words at that time. She was unable to inform Harry that her supervisor had sacked her that very afternoon and that her savings were running low. There was a moment before she said, “Honey.” “Maybe we should put off making a decision until the following month?”
“But why, mother? Why should we put up with their taunts? The boy became irrational. “Aww…all right, just do what you want! He moaned, “I want to spend some time alone,” and turned to leave.
Tracy started crying as soon as Harry departed. She berated herself for being an awful mother and a failure in life who had let her son down in addition to herself. She got up slowly and went to her bed, where she sobbed while holding a picture of Harry. Before long, she was fast asleep and unable to think of anything.
Harry returned to the trailer after nearly an hour had passed. “On my way back, Mom, I picked up some bread.” Would you kindly prepare the french toast for tomorrow morning? As he walked in and shut the door, he said.
Tracy was sleeping on the bed when he discovered something strange about the way she was lying there. “Mum? After asking, “Did you have dinner?” and giving her a little shake, Tracy ended up on the ground. “Mum! What took place? Let your eyes open! As the youngster realized his mother was not breathing, he began to cry.
He swiftly looked for Tracy’s phone and made a 911 call. Tracy was hauled away by the ambulance after a short while, which seemed like an eternity to the little kid. Harry sobbed while sitting outside the trailer, covering his face with his hands.
A voice suddenly cut him off. “Boy, what are you doing here by yourself? What happened to your mother?
Harry observed an older woman standing in front of him when he looked up. She smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I often see you and your mother here before I leave for work, so I know you two.” “Is everything in order?”
Harry felt a tiny bit of relief. “Mom fainted and was taken to the hospital.” I’m concerned for her.
The woman let out a gasp. “Don’t worry, she will be alright. Did they let you know which hospital they brought her to?
Yes, they provided me with a number and address. They wouldn’t let me accompany her because I’m a minor.
What if you spent the evening at my house? Tomorrow morning, we can visit her.
“However,” Harry faltered. “Why do you assist me? Our neighbors don’t think well of us. Do you not also believe that we are?
The woman started giggling. Harry, try not to let stuff like this affect you. In some manner, everyone is cruel.
“How did you know my name, wow?” Never before have we…
“Well, when I get home late from work, I see that you’re playing around here a lot.” You refuse to go back and sleep despite your mother’s persistent pleas.
“Oh!” With a smirk, Harry embarrassedly rubbed the back of his head. “I apologize; I didn’t adequately introduce myself. Harry Stevens is who I am.
“Hello Harry, nice to meet you. You may address me as Mrs. Taylor. So, are you interested in coming to supper with me tonight?
The boy said, “Sure,” and went with Mrs. Taylor to her house. The boy stayed at her residence that night after they had dinner together. Tracy had fainted from stress and tiredness, they found out when they went to see her the next day. Mrs. Taylor took over to take after Harry while she was in the hospital, as the doctors predicted she would be there for some time.
“Ma’am, you have my sincere gratitude,” Tracy remarked to Mrs. Taylor. “I’m very happy Harry is doing well. She turned to Harry and said, “Honey, would you please wait outside while I speak with Mrs. Taylor?” “I have important things to talk about.”
Yes, mother.
Tracy burst into tears as Harry left. “We appreciate your assistance, ma’am. We are truly unable to repay your kindness.
“I’ve seen you by yourself quite a bit. How come you don’t interact with your neighbors? Although they can be bothersome occasionally, they aren’t too bad.
“Mrs. Taylor, I don’t blame them for treating me badly. I kept quiet about my living situation since I felt ashamed of it. Being an orphan, I was sure I could care for my son after my spouse passed away, but things didn’t work out. We had to get out of our big mansion and drive a little car. I used to be a waitress in a restaurant to help support my son while I was a struggling writer, but I got fired yesterday for being consistently late to work. I’m just a failure, nothing more. Kindly accept Harry. I am unable to care for him. Would you please…I simply want to stop living!” She sobbed uncontrollably.
“You ought not to say that! In all time! For now, concentrate on recovering quickly! Young lady, you never know where life will lead you!
Mrs. Taylor was correct, of course, when she emphasized that anything can happen in life at any time.
Sitting at a table, Tracy autographed copies of “The Woman: Life Through the Odds,” her debut book, which was already a New York Times bestseller. There was a sizable group waiting for her to sign the copies, and she was resplendent in a suit.
This day, exactly a year ago, she had come home from the hospital. Mrs. Taylor started a GoFundMe page to gather money to help her and Harry when she saw how horrible the conditions were inside her mobile home.
That gave Tracy the willpower to start over after she had earlier wanted to give up on everything and consider herself a failure. She began working as a waitress on the weekends and as a freelance writer during the week after renting a tiny home. She would write her book all night long, and nine months later, it was eventually published. Harry was able to attend a better school thanks to her, and Mrs. Taylor—who had previously been unknown to them—became both her mother and Harry’s grandmother.
As Tracy was about to leave her book signing, she thought back on how her life had altered. She pulled out to find a black automobile waiting for her. Anderson Brown, her fiancé, got out of the car and held the door open for her.
It was at Harry’s school that Tracy had first encountered him. She fell in love with him right away; he was a widower with a daughter. He asked her to marry him shortly after, and she accepted.
After Tracy took a seat in the front seat, they drove home to their daughter and son and their new roommate, Mrs. Taylor. On her walk home, she said a little prayer to God, giving thanks for everything.
What lessons may we draw from this tale?
We must exercise patience and seek out the bright side. When things get tough, we start to lose hope, just like Tracy. However, we must never lose sight of the truth that, with enough confidence, we can conquer any challenge. With Mrs. Taylor’s help, Tracy made a fresh start and is today a well-known author.
A book shouldn’t be judged by its cover. Because she was ashamed of her living situation, Tracey never opened her door to others, but they misinterpreted her and called her all kinds of nasty names.
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