The Brazen Mother-in-Law
“You have to give this money to my mum,” seethed Alex. “She’s not a stranger to you! She’s your mother-in-law, your second mum!”
“And what do you plan to spend it on? Your youth? I won’t forgive you if anything happens to my mum!”
At 29, Alex had been married three times, yet happiness eluded him with each wife.
All his wives, to say the least, were poor choices—they all dared to show disrespect to his mum, Alice.
Alex met his first wife, Emily, at university, and he initially found her charming.
After dating for just a month, he proposed right away.
Alice tested the potential daughter-in-law and approved of her:
“She cooks well, cleans properly—inside out. Alex, you must remind Emily that she needs to work after the wedding.
Many people juggle work with studies these days. I don’t want your wife lounging around at home!”
Alex decided not to warn Emily, having the serious talk with her only after marrying:
“Emily, you need to find a job,” he declared without room for discussion.
“But how can I work if I’m studying full-time during the day?”
“Find something in the evenings. I work, don’t I?”
“But I hadn’t planned on working,” Emily hesitated. “What if we have a baby soon? Then what?”
“That’s no issue,” Alex assured her. “You can take a short leave, and Mum will look after the baby!”
Emily thought she made a mistake accepting Alex’s proposal.
The marriage dissolved four months later—Emily fled back to her parents.
Alice quickly called Emily’s mum:
“She won’t be coming back to you,” Emily’s mum stated. “What do you think? That I raised my daughter to be bossed around by an unreasonable woman and her spoiled mummy’s boy?”
File for divorce; Emily no longer wants to live with Alex!
Alex annulled the marriage with Emily without much distress. Such a wife was useless to him.
Moreover, his mum supported his view:
“It’s good, son, that it ended now. Imagine if you’d had kids!
Emily would have been on leave, doing nothing, not earning, while you’d shoulder everything!
You’re only 23; these are your prime years. You’ll find your happiness yet!”
***
Happiness found Alex a year after his divorce from Emily, when he met Sophie, a girl from out of town.
Alex liked everything about Sophie, especially her good salary.
This time, Alice didn’t test the bride, satisfied knowing Sophie would contribute equally to the family budget.
They married swiftly, and a week later, Sophie confessed:
“Honey, I’ve been meaning to tell you something… but I was scared.”
“Scared of what?” Alex was confused.
“Well, I thought you’d leave me… I have a child!”
Alex was disappointed—raising another man’s child was not in his plans.
He rushed to seek advice from his mum, who sighed and said:
“It’s no concern! The child lived somewhere all this while; let him continue there!
Sophie can bring him for visits. Moving in isn’t an option yet—what if you separate quickly like you did with Emily?”
Alex relayed his mum’s words to Sophie. She was upset; she hoped to bring her son to the city, but she didn’t argue.
She figured the issue might resolve itself. She could bring her son and claim her parents couldn’t watch him anymore.
That’s exactly what Sophie did.
About a month after confessing, Sophie brought her seven-year-old son to Alice’s flat.
The child was received coldly, and Alex made it clear:
“Tell him not to call me Dad or my mum Grandma! We’re strangers to your son.
I don’t want to hear any requests for gifts. Contribute your salary to the common pot; spend what’s left on your son.”
This treatment hurt Sophie. She hoped Alex’s heart would melt at her son.
Truthfully, Sophie married Alex for the flat; renting used up most of her earnings.
That marriage lasted a short time, and exhausted by constant demands, Sophie filed for divorce, took her son, and returned to her parents.
Alex was alone again, and Alice comforted him:
“No, Alex, just think: you’d have another child with you your whole life!
There wasn’t much benefit from Sophie, except that she worked. I did all the housework, cooked for everyone.
Not a word of thanks! She turned her nose up, complaining that her child wasn’t warmly received!
Why should we even accept him? He’s nothing to us!”
***
Alex met his third wife, Rachel, at a scientific conference. He attended as a professor’s assistant.
Rachel was captivating—clearly a strong, business-minded woman.
They chatted, and Alex learned Rachel was well-off, owning a flat, a car, and having a good social status.
Courtship took time; initially, Rachel kept her distance.
When Alex eagerly shared details of his new acquaintance with his mum, Alice was thrilled:
“Son, she’s what you need! You won’t go wrong with a woman like her! That she’s 12 years older doesn’t matter at all!
How much does she earn? Three times more than you? Perfect. Definitely yes!”
Initially, Rachel refused to marry Alex:
“Why do we need this marriage certificate? What’s it change? We can live without registering a marriage.”
“How could you say that, Rachel?” Alex was upset. “I can’t! I wasn’t raised to accept cohabiting without marriage!”
Rachel thought it over and agreed. After all, divorces are easy nowadays; it’s not a problem.
She refused to move in with Alice:
“Why live at someone else’s place, while I have a three-bedroom flat? If you want, move in with me. I won’t live with your mum!”
“Dear, I can’t leave my mum! How will she manage without me?”
“By the look of it, Alice isn’t sixty yet. She’ll cope.
Alex, you heard my terms. If you agree, move in, and if not, we’ll live apart. That’s fine by me.”
***
Alex moved in with Rachel, which displeased Alice greatly.
She hoped Rachel would move in, so the three-bedroom flat could be rented—giving a steady extra income.
Rachel, experienced in affairs, quickly dominated Alex.
She skillfully reduced his visits to Alice, and Alex rarely saw her.
“Son, you’ve stopped visiting completely,” Alice complained. “What’s going on? Isn’t your wife allowing you?”
“Mum, I’m just busy,” Alex lied. “Rachel says I need to grow and evolve. She suggested I write a dissertation! That’s what I’m focused on now.”
After marrying Rachel, Alex stopped giving money to his mum. Alice was displeased and hinted first, then outright demanded:
“Why don’t you give me money? How shall I maintain our two-bedroom flat alone?”
“Mum, I don’t have extra right now,” Alex explained. “Once I do, I’ll start helping. Please bear with me.”
Rachel mainly wanted to distance Alex from Alice’s apron strings.
She liked him for his attentiveness, flexibility, and readiness to agree.
Rachel was happily turning Alex into a typical henpecked husband—her preferred type.
***
This marriage also fell apart soon after. Having exhausted every tactic to extract money from her son, Alice was despondent.
Naturally, Rachel was blamed for Alex’s lack of affection. Reflecting on it, the pensioner devised a plan to get money from her son:
“Alex, I need money for treatment! I’ve fallen sick. Without you here, my health’s declined!”
“What happened, mum?”
“Oh, son, it’s a long story. I need £2,000 for an operation.”
“Mum, I don’t have that kind of money! I know Rachel has it. Ask her; I think she’d help you.”
“But what if she refuses?”
“Then threaten with divorce! Say you won’t live with her unless she helps your mum.”
When Rachel came home from work, Alex turned to her with his request.
Rachel listened and declined:
“Alex, you know I invest a lot in my appearance. I have £2,000, but it’s earmarked.
That money is for beauty treatments, to maintain my youth.”
Alex nearly choked on his indignation:
“Beauty treatments? Rachel, do you understand this is about life and death? My mum is ill; her health is a thousand times more important than some procedures!
I’m begging you to help. You’re my wife, and you must lend a hand!”
“Who says so?” Rachel smirked. “I owe you nothing. Your mum’s sick? Then find the money for her treatment. What’s it got to do with me?”
“Then I’ll file for divorce,” Alex dared, certain this would sober Rachel.
“Fine, do it. You bore me. Pack your things and go back to your beloved mum. Living with you is impossible!”
Alex panicked and begged his wife to reconsider. Rachel was firm. She packed his things and showed him the door.
Alice was thrilled by the divorce; her son was back home. Yet Alex was downhearted, still hoping to reunite with Rachel.
