Harlan Covington

That is just what I did, back in the day, when I came across two vouchers for a sea cruise in the pocket

La vida

05

I Once Accused My Husband of Living in “My” House—One Weekend He Packed His Bags and Left for Good

I can’t stop thinking about the argument I had with my husband, George, over the flat.

La vida

01

The Girl Who Cared for Her Neighbour’s Grandmother—Everyone Thought She Was After an Inheritance, But They Were Wrong

The girl looked after her neighbours grandmother; everyone assumed she was doing it for an inheritance

La vida

02

“That Can’t Be Your Daughter—Are You Completely Blind? A Mother-in-Law’s Suspicion, a Paternity Test, and Five Years of Family Tension Before Acceptance”

Thats not your daughter, are you completely blind? Id only been dating my future husband for about a

La vida

01

“I Won’t Have Any Other Daughter-in-Law, So Do as You Please!” – A Mother Tells Her Son Mark had just finished university and decided it was the perfect time to marry his high school sweetheart, Emma! Emma was beautiful, but more than that, she was a kind and intelligent girl, currently writing her master’s thesis. The young couple agreed to tie the knot as soon as she completed her studies. Mark decided to tell his mother about their plans, but she had bad news for him. She declared that he must marry Amanda from next door, or no one at all. She asked him what mattered more: career or love? His mother dreamed of her son becoming a success. Amanda came from a wealthy family and had fancied Mark for ages, but he only had eyes for Emma, who came from a troubled home. Emma’s mother had a terrible reputation… What would people say? “I don’t want any other daughter-in-law, so do as you wish!” Mark’s mother told him. Mark pleaded with his mother for a long time, but she was firm—if he married Emma, she would disown him. Mark lost his nerve. He kept seeing Emma for six more months, but their love slowly faded. In the end, he married Amanda. She truly loved him, but they skipped a wedding reception because Mark didn’t want Emma to see his wedding photos. Amanda’s family was well-off, so Mark moved into her parents’ big house, who also helped him climb the career ladder. But he was never happy. He didn’t want children. When Amanda realised she couldn’t change his mind, she filed for divorce. By then, Mark was forty, Amanda thirty-eight. Amanda later remarried, had a child, and found real happiness. Mark had always dreamed of being with Emma and tried to find her, but to no avail—she seemed to have disappeared. Later he discovered she had married the first man who came along after their breakup—a scoundrel who beat her to death. After that, Mark moved into his parents’ old flat and drank himself to oblivion, always gazing at Emma’s photo, never able to forgive his mother.

I wont accept any other daughter-in-law, and you do as you please! his mother declared, her voice cutting

La vida

02

Raised by My Grandmother: Grateful for Her Devotion, But Her Love Always Came with Strings Attached

You know, I was actually raised by my grandmother. Dont get me wrong, Im grateful for her, but her love

La vida

02

Twenty Years Later, I Recognise My Younger Self in a Boy: On the Eve of His Wedding, Arthur Suspected Martha of Betrayal and Refused to Listen—Two Decades On, He Meets Her Son, His Spitting Image

Twenty years on, I see my younger self in the boys face. The day before his wedding, Oliver started getting

La vida

04

How My Mother-in-Law Lost Her Home: Why I Refused to Support My Brother-in-Law’s Family or Rent Them a Flat, and the Battle Over Our Three-Bedroom House in London

How My Mother-in-Law Ended Up Without a Home I’m convinced we have absolutely no obligation to

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05

You’re Robbing My Son Blind – He Can’t Even Afford a Lightbulb! A Sunday Morning Saga of a Generous Husband, a Demanding Mother-in-Law, Family Birthday Battles, and Why I’d Rather Have Married an Orphan

Youre robbing my son; he cant even afford a lightbulb. It was a Sunday morning, and I lay cosily wrapped

La vida

04

An Inheritance from My Ex-Husband or a Surprise from the Mother-in-Law: How a Decade After My Divorce, I Ended Up Caring for a Difficult Mother-in-Law—And Discovered an Unexpected Gift in Her Will

16th March Sometimes, life hands you odd gifts. Take my experience not a diamond ring, but the unexpected