Inferno of Betrayal: When My Son Discovered the Truth Inside My Birthday Gift

My Son Set Fire to the Expensive Handbag My Daughter-in-Law Gave Me for My Birthday after Seeing What Was Inside

One year older than I was on my birthday, everything went unexpectedly wrong. The gift I received from my daughter-in-law incited my son Tom to anger, but things quickly went out of hand and took a surprising turn.

Christine, my daughter-in-law, is really adorable. The moment my son Tom brought her home, we clicked. She once acknowledged that I had taken on the role of a second mother to her after losing her own when she was just a teenager.

After five years of marriage, Christine and Tom welcomed a little daughter named Joy into their family. In addition to being a stay-at-home mom, my daughter-in-law has a small company and markets upscale scarves made of silk and other pricey materials.

I should also point out that she hails from an affluent family, which my son claims provides her with a sizeable monthly salary. Both of them have prosperous careers as mechanical engineers, so money is not an issue for them. This is especially true for Tom.

Still, for some reason, my son has extremely strong feelings about the way Christine handles us, particularly when it comes to her giving me money. Tom is afraid that she would believe that my affection for her stems just from her wealth, even though that is untrue. I chat to Christine about a lot of things, and our bond goes far beyond material possessions.

Let’s go back to yesterday, my birthday. Christine treated me to a surprise with this elegant handbag that I have had my eye on for ages but would never consider purchasing for myself. I hugged it to my chest because I was so happy. But after that, everything was completely upside down.

When Tom spotted the handbag, he became enraged. He continued to scream at me, telling me that he had told Christine how he felt about her expensive gifts to me. I attempted to clarify that it was only a kind gesture demonstrating how much she listened to what I had to say. However, I never made the effort to ask her to get a high-end purse, and I never would.

Tom was unaware that Christine had been discussing some of the difficulties she was having in their marriage. Furthermore, it was evident from his outburst over this handbag why Christie was concerned about their future.

His rage was more profound and sorrow-filled than just being directed towards this bags. But just when I thought the drama could go any worse, Tom grabbed the bag from me, opened it up, looked inside, and a number of envelopes fell out.

He became even more enraged, believing the envelopes to be money. He took the candles from the dinner table and lit the bag on fire before he could even open it. The whole household was taken aback.

However, Tom was unaware that those envelopes were merely another means by which Christine was attempting to reach out to me and convey to me the dire circumstances that existed at home.

The letters were cries for assistance. She discussed the difficulties she was having in her marriage in each note. Tom picked a letter and opened it as he thumbed through the others. This one talked about how little assistance he provided for their daughter. The letter said as follows:

February of 2022

I’ve been pleading with Tom to assist me with Joy for the entire month, especially in the nights because I’m in charge of the morning routine. I see to it that Joy gets dressed, eats breakfast, and packs her lunch. I also assume responsibility for getting her to and from school by car. Tom merely asks what’s for supper when he gets home in the evenings and seldom ever spends time with his daughter.

The letter went on to say:

Joy’s sadness when her father declines to tell her a bedtime story because he is too preoccupied watching football highlights to notice is devastating. I only ask that he spend time with our daughter, which might be as little as making sure she is tucked in, giving her her nightly bath, or reading her a goodnight story. I can never fill the gap left by her need for her father, no matter how hard I try.

But Tom doesn’t want to see the wider picture. He insists on reminding me that caring for Joy is a “woman’s task” and that I am not a full-time employee like him. This kind of thinking not only damages me, but it’s also hurting Joy, and I worry that in the long term, it will change how she views relationships and family. How can I convince him that his daughter is as dependent on him as she is on me?

I watched Tom’s rage slowly turn to guilt as he read the letter. He stood there, realising how terribly he had failed as a father, and wished he could find somewhere to hide.

After taking a time to himself, he returned and expressed regret for his reaction. I then used this as an opportunity to act as his mother and finally have the long-needed talk with him.

I sat him down and explained that recognising each other’s contributions and working together is what marriage was all about. For him to ignore the time and energy Christine devotes to their relationship while balancing motherhood and her company was unjust and harsh.

Most importantly, I stressed, “I am really disappointed that you have this kind of mentality because parenting is not just a woman’s job.” I suggest that you and Christine have counselling if you are prepared to put in the necessary effort. When handling significant matters, it is usually preferable to have a third person who is objective. However, I would also counsel my daughter-in-law to get a divorce from you if you refuse to change since she deserves better.”

Tom seems to have encountered a reality that he had never desired. He held her hand, expressed regret, and made a vow to be a better husband and parent. Christine had been waiting a long time to hear those words, so she was overcome with emotion.

Despite the turbulent beginning of my birthday, I’m pleased with how everything worked out. I am aware of Christine’s love and how beneficial she is to my son. I am also aware of Tom’s failings and that he needs to take responsibility for them, but at his core, he just has love for his wife and kid.