When My Entitled MIL Gave Me an Oversized Dress, I Gave Her a Lesson She’ll Never Forget

My Entitled MIL Mockingly Gave Me an Oversized Dress – I Taught Her a Harsh Lesson

Rachel put up with her mother-in-law’s passive-aggressive taunts for years because she thought it would be simpler to avoid confrontation. However, she decided enough was enough after receiving a harsh birthday “gift” that went too far. She then planned a subtle but deadly retaliation that left her mother-in-law stunned and humiliated.

My mother-in-law had made me feel insignificant before, but this time she wouldn’t get away with it. She has been quite explicit about the fact that I am inadequate ever since I wed her son. Not for her. Not for her darling boy. Not for her family, either.

I initially believed it to be all in my head. Perhaps I was overly sensitive. But as the years went by, it became clear from her sarcastic and passive-aggressive statements that she didn’t want me around. It had more to do with my marriage to her son.

No, it was partly a result of the fact that I brought my child from a prior relationship into the marriage. That made me damaged goods in her eyes.

As if that weren’t enough, she also thought my husband would be a far better fit for her colleague Laura. Laura was slender, fashionable, and childless—everything my mother-in-law believed I wasn’t. Countless times, I’d heard her draw analogies, insinuating that my spouse might perform better.

“Why do you let her treat you like that?” Claire, my closest friend, would inquire. “You don’t have to take it, you know.”

“I know,” I’d sigh, “but it’s just easier to avoid a fight.”

But I knew in my heart that Claire was correct. Everything had gotten worse by avoiding confrontation. My mother-in-law was becoming more brash and harsh, and it was only a matter of time until she went too far.

It was also my birthday in that queue.

She had contacted me out of the blue a week prior. With a false sense of kindness in her voice, she exclaimed, “I’ve got a BIG surprise for you on your special day!”

I tried to think positively. Was she finally starting to warm up to me? But there was something odd about the way she spoke. Not that my mother-in-law was well-known for her considerate presents. She wasn’t even well-known for delivering gifts. I nevertheless made an effort to be upbeat.

I woke up on my birthday feeling both excited and nervous. My sweetie, my husband, made me breakfast in bed and gave me a beautiful necklace that our daughter had chosen. Up until the arrival of my mother-in-law, I was feeling quite okay.

She entered carrying a sizable gift bag. She chirped, her smile a tad too broad, “Happy birthday!”

“I appreciate it,” I forced a smile. I took the bag and gave it a quick look.

My heart sank at what I saw.

A garment with a floral design was inside. Not just any dress, though. I had never seen a more hideous and extravagant garment than this one. It was also very large. At least five sizes too big.

“Oh, wow,” I responded, attempting to sound appreciative. “This is… unexpected.”

“Isn’t it lovely?” Her eyes glinted with joy as she cooed. “As soon as I saw it, I thought of you. You really ought to quit eating because you’ll need this outfit very soon. And don’t be shocked if my son dumps you after that.”

I had a slap-like feeling. My heart hammered in my chest and my cheeks burned with embarrassment. However, I refused to give her the gratification of witnessing my upset. I forced myself to remain composed as I took a big breath.

With a firm yet icy tone, I said, “Thank you so much.” “This is… thoughtful.”

For a moment, her smile wavered. That caught her off guard. She was waiting for me to cry, to lose it, to give her something else to make fun of.

However, I had had enough of her game. I was going to have the advantage this time.

I would show her how to play games if she wanted to.

I was thinking of ways to get even with my mother-in-law that night as I laid in bed. It had to be something understated, something that would hit her where it hurt without drawing attention to myself. Without going to her extremes, I had to make sure she knew that I wasn’t to be taken lightly.

Then it dawned on me. A card for gifts. Since I was aware of how much she enjoyed showing off her alleged money and prestige, I made the decision to offer her a gift card to the priciest restaurant in town. The kind of place where a dinner may set you back the equivalent of a monthly mortgage payment.

Here’s the twist, though. There would be nothing on the card.

I went to the restaurant the following morning to pick up a gift card. I took it home, slid it into an elegant envelope, and wrote “$500” on the back using a black marker. I then awaited the appropriate time.

After a few days, I gave my mother-in-law a call. I said, attempting to seem kind and sorry. “Hello, it’s me.” “I wanted to express my regret for being so aloof. Although I am aware of our past disagreements, I genuinely want us to get along. I have a little something for you, then.”

“Oh?” she asked in a suspiciously perky voice. “What’s this about?”

“I think it’s time to put the hatchet away,” I said. “I got you a $500 gift card to that restaurant you adore just to show you how much I mean it. I believed you could take a particular person—perhaps Laura?”

The person on the other end of the line hesitated. I could practically hear her sneer. At last, she remarked, “Well, isn’t that thoughtful of you?” “I think I could handle Laura. She’s been one of my best friends.”

I gave myself a small smile. “I’m happy you enjoy it. I sincerely hope that this strengthens our bond.”

“Well, it will, I’m sure of it,” she laughed. “Thank you, dear.”

I felt a mixture of relief and uneasy expectation as I hung up the phone. I just needed to wait now.

My mother-in-law called me a week later, her voice brimming with wrath. “You! How did you get here?

“What do you mean?” Mystifying my innocence, I inquired.

She said, “There was no money on the gift card!” “When the bill arrived at the posh restaurant where I took Laura, they informed us that the card was empty! We didn’t have enough money, so we had to call her parents to come settle the bill! It was degrading.”

“Oh no,” I exclaimed, attempting to seem surprised. “I truly apologize. I must have purchased it incorrectly. I believed I had invested $500. My fault!”

She growled, “You did this on purpose!” “You knew exactly what you were doing!”

“I really didn’t,” I answered in a composed manner. However, if your anger is so great, perhaps Laura’s parents might make up for it the next time. She is, after all, essentially family, right?

On the other end of the telephone, there was a lengthy, uncomfortable stillness. Almost literally, I could feel her rage over the phone.

She finally spat, “You… you’ll pay for this,” and hung up on me.

After putting down the phone, I exhaled deeply and contentedly. It had turned out much better than I had imagined. She realized that she could no longer bully me in addition to the fact that she had been embarrassed in front of Laura.

Over the next few days, I observed a shift in my mother-in-law. Her phone calls had decreased, and her voice was much quieter. The sarcastic and passive-aggressive statements vanished almost out of thin air. It appeared as though she had at last acknowledged the repercussions of her actions. that I would no longer just tolerate her abuse by sitting here.

It surprised me that she apologized. Her kind of women never own up to their mistakes. But her lack of response was sufficient regret.

She was obviously shaken, and that was all I needed. I felt at ease for the first time in years. I knew she would second-guess herself and not cross me again.

And in the event that she didn’t? Well, I still had a few of aces in my deck.