My DIL Crashed My Car after Taking It without Permission – She Refused to Pay for Repairs, but Karma Stepped In

Sandra believed the worst was over when her daughter-in-law had a car accident in the middle of the night. An even more profound treachery was then exposed by a startling phone call. What started out as a frustrating morning swiftly turned into a revelation that would permanently alter her family’s future.

I never thought my day would begin this way. I’m a 57-year-old widow who lives in a peaceful area. Last year, my 28-year-old son Derek and his wife, Lindsay, moved in with me. It was only meant to last until they were able to find a place of their own.

We still live under the same roof, though. Derek has always been a good boy. He seeks to maintain harmony, works hard, and looks after his family. However, Lindsay is a completely different matter. We’ve never been able to agree.

Two days ago, Derek left for a business trip, leaving Lindsay and myself by ourselves. She wasn’t happy about it either, and I could tell. We constantly have to walk on eggshells because of the tension between us. I followed my pattern, trying to stay away from her as much as possible, and let her do her thing.

There was a loud thud outside when I woke up this morning. A beat skipped in my chest. I hurried out the front door after throwing on my robe. My terrible old automobile, with its smashed headlights and crumpled bumper, was sitting in the driveway. One of the wing mirrors was smashed on the driveway, and that was the source of the thud.

“What in the world?” I hurried to it after gasping. Touching the twisted metal made my hands shake. How did this occur? When I checked on it last night, everything was good. Who was capable of this?

At that moment, I heard the front door behind me creak open. As if nothing was amiss, Lindsay was idly drinking her coffee as I turned around.

She said, “Oh, good morning,” in her usual uninterested tone.

“Good morning? Lindsay, take a look at my automobile! It’s ruined!” I was amazed at her level of composure.

She looked from me to the automobile and back again. “Yeah, I noticed that.”

Did you notice? You mean you saw something? Are you aware of what transpired?

Lindsay took another drink of her coffee and shrugged. Last night, I pulled it out. The brakes were not working properly. That’s probably why it got damaged.

“You took my car?” My blood pressure started to rise. “Without asking me?”

You weren’t utilizing it, though. Unfazed, she answered, “And I had somewhere to be.”

“A place to be? That time of day? In the middle of the night, where could you possible need to go?

She retorted, “That’s none of your business,” as her eyes narrowed. “And don’t even bring up money with me. Simply because your old car is breaking down, I won’t be paying for anything.”

I tried to remain calm as I looked at her, but I could feel my rage building. “You cannot simply take someone else’s car without their consent, Lindsay. It doesn’t operate that way.

Clearly not interested in listening to me, she rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Give it up being such a huge deal. It’s only a vehicle. I am not paying for it, as I already stated. The issue is with your car.

“My problem?” My voice trembled as I repeated. “You broke it! It should be your responsibility to fix it.

Lindsay’s face became more rebellious as she crossed her arms. “Not taking place. I refuse to spend my money on such useless item.

I wanted to scream and yell at her for being so rude right then. However, I recalled Derek’s words prior to his departure: “Mom, don’t quarrel with her. It’s not worthwhile. I’ll take care of everything when I return.”

I inhaled deeply in an attempt to relax. “You must realize that what you did was terrible, Lindsay. You can’t simply —”

My phone rang before I could continue. Derek’s name appeared on the screen as I reached into my pocket. I felt a wave of relief. He might be able to reason with her.

“Hello, Derek?” I replied, making an effort to speak clearly.

“What’s happening, Mom? I just received a text from Lindsay indicating that you’re treating her badly.

“Derek, she stole and crashed my car without my consent. She is now refusing to cover the cost of the repairs. I let my wrath out in a blurt.

Derek remarked, “Mom, please relax,” in a weary tone. “Look, when I return, I’ll take care of it. Don’t argue with her, please. Please.

“But Derek, she —”

“I understand, Mom. I am aware. But for the time being, just let it go. I’ll take care of it.”

I let out a defeated sigh. “All right, Derek. However, something must be done.

“Mom, I swear. Just persevere.”

My heart pounded as the call ended. What did she conceal? I had a lot of options, but none of them were good. She was obviously up to something behind Derek’s back, whatever it was. Nor was she telling the truth to me.

I didn’t want to make snap judgments, but I had to do something. I required evidence. I chose to wait and see whether she would make a mistake again, even though it hurt. Without knowing the whole truth, I couldn’t accuse her.

My patience paid off sooner than I thought. Lindsay said she was leaving the house that night to “meet a friend.” For a moment, I didn’t believe her. I picked up my phone and gave Derek another call as soon as she left.

I blurted, “Derek, something’s wrong,” as soon as he answered. “Lindsay has been behaving strangely. It didn’t sound good when I heard her on the phone earlier.

“What do you mean, suspicious?” With a worried tone, Derek inquired.

She seemed to be keeping something from us, but I’m not sure. She has since left, claiming to be meeting a friend. I don’t trust her, Derek.

Derek on the other end let out a deep sigh. “I’m at a loss for words, Mom. She has been giving me strange vibes as well, but I didn’t want to assume the worst. Do you believe she’s…?

I understood what he was implying, but I didn’t want to finish the notion. “I’m not sure, Derek. However, something seems strange, and I believe we should investigate.”

Derek tried to seem logical as he added, “Okay, let’s not jump to conclusions just yet,” However, keep a watch on things. I will return tomorrow evening. Then, we’ll discuss more.

“All right, Derek. I’ll exercise caution.

After we hung up, I couldn’t get rid of the tense sensation that was growing inside of me. I waited for Lindsay to come home for the remainder of the evening by pacing the house. It was late when she did, and she appeared surprised to see me waiting in the living room.

She tried to appear informal as she said, “You’re still up?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” I said, closely observing her. “How was your evening?”

She blurted out, “It was fine,” averting my eyes. “Just caught up with a friend.”

“Which friend?” I persisted in asking.

I could tell Lindsay was lying when she hesitated. “Just… a friend from work.”

I knew I was onto something, but I didn’t push her any harder. She rushed to her room, obviously uneasy with my attention. The tension in the air was as strong as ever.

Derek gave me another call the following day, but this time he sounded more urgent. “Please do something for me, Mom. A coworker of mine called me just now. He informed me that an odd incident occurred last night. He was set to meet a female from a dating site, but she abruptly canceled, claiming to have been in an accident.

A beat skipped in my chest. “Derek, what are you saying?”

“Mom, Lindsay sounded like the person he described. Although he was unaware that it was her, I’m very certain based on his words. She has been moving behind my back.

My blood froze. The late-night excursions, the private phone conversations, the vehicle collision—everything fell into place. It was a part of something much greater than a simple accident.

“Derek, what do we do?” My voice trembled as I asked.

“Please gather her belongings and take them outside, Mom. She must be out of the house tonight when I return. I’ve had enough of her lies.

My heart wrenched for Derek, but I knew it was the proper thing to do. This betrayal was not fair to him. I couldn’t help but reflect on how rapidly things had gotten out of hand as I began packing Lindsay’s possessions. It was time to put an end to this horror and shield my son from further suffering.

Lindsay entered the room, her eyes wide with surprise at what I was doing, and the door creaked. I remained steadfast, prepared for whatever that might happen.

She said, “What are you doing?”

“I’m kicking you out. I placed my arms across my chest and said, “Your lies are over.”

“You’ll pay for this,” snarled Lindsay. “I’ll call Derek right now!”

I’m not sure what Derek said during the call, but Lindsay walked out at the end. I was both relieved and saddened. When Derek got home, he made the agonizing decision to file for divorce after a short talk. He knew that was the right decision, even though it wasn’t simple. There was no going back because the betrayal was too profound.