A bride-to-be's mother embarrassed her in front of her future in-laws by making unfounded claims meant to cause a rift between her and her fiancé. However, the truth eventually emerged about why the older woman made the accusations.
My name is María, and I am a young woman set to marry the love of my life, Gabriel. Let me tell you about my fiancé. He's the sweetest, most caring, and loving man I've ever met! Being in a relationship with him for the last five years has been blissful!
I am a very self-conscious person, and Gabriel always goes out of his way to tell me how beautiful and sexy I am. He'll say such things in the morning when I've just woken up, thinking I am not looking my best. To prove the truth of his words, he'll even take pictures of me on his phone and show me how he sees me.
An intertwined couple about to share a kiss in bed | Source: Pexels
Honestly, this has been the best and healthiest relationship I've ever been in, and I've slowly started to believe him about my looks. Gabriel has been so good for my self-esteem that when he suggested we have a family dinner, consisting of both family members, to celebrate our upcoming wedding, I happily agreed.
My mother and father both seemed to be extremely happy for me when I told them I, their only daughter, would be marrying my dream guy. The family outing was arranged last week, and everyone in attendance was brimming with excitement as we discussed wedding details.
A group of people having a toast during a meal | Source: Pexels
Despite my parents being divorced, they were both present, including my younger brother, Afonso. As the night unfolded, wrapped in the warmth of shared anticipations and joyful recollections, my mother, without warning, suddenly stood up and walked over to my fiancé. A grip that silenced the room descended as she gave him one reason not to marry me, saying:
"Don't marry her because she won't bear any children for you."
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Her words dripped with disdain, her gaze fixed on me with a familiarity that chilled me to my core. Gabriel's mother, embodying both shock and defense, retorted, "I'm sorry, what did you just say to my son?"
Without a hint of remorse, my mother doubled down, "What? It's true, and you should be concerned too." The echo of her laughter reverberated with cruelty, casting a long shadow over the evening. All I could do was stare in disbelief as my fiancé looked into my eyes.
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"What is she talking about?" Gabriel asked me softly, not wanting to make a scene. I was at a loss and didn't even know what my mother was talking about. Continuing her speech, my mother added, "Plus, she's also not the best-looking girl out there, is she?"
But it was Gabriel's voice, steady and firm, that anchored me. "That's enough. We will not stand for this," he declared, his hand finding mine under the table, a silent vow of unity and support. My father stood up and apologized to everyone before leaving the restaurant with my brother in tow.
In the days that followed, the comfort I found in Gabriel and his family's embrace was a balm to my wounded spirit. My father, ever the diplomat, gently suggested, "Maybe give her a chance to apologize? She was drunk, and you know how she gets."
"How could I ever forgive her after all the mean things she said?" I asked him, trying to suppress my tears. "Do you know how badly she's treated me since you guys divorced?" I questioned my father. "What are you talking about?" a tinge of pain evident in his question.
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Sighing, I opened up to my father like never before. I told him how my mother always put me down and told me no one would ever love me because of my looks. She constantly berated me in everything I did and made me feel like I was never good enough.
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I told him how she insisted I'd never amount to anything and always seemed jealous whenever I achieved something meaningful in my life. My father was left speechless, and all he could do was apologize for what I've gone through in silence.
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But the absence of remorse from my mother, coupled with her dismissive messages urging me to reconsider my overreaction, only served to cement my resolve. "She meant every word, dad. I can't just pretend she didn't," I replied, seeking to protect the fragile peace I'd built around me.
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Besides my father, I found support and reassurance from Gabriel and his parents, who extended their familial embrace, offering me a place within their hearts. "You are our daughter now, and we stand with you," my future mother-in-law assured me, her words a testament to the unwavering support I had found in them.
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My brother surprised me with a call a few days after the restaurant incident. "Hi, sis, I just wanted to check in on you," he said. I was happy to hear from him since he now lived with my mother, and because of the type of person she is, I generally avoided being around her.
A young man speaking on his phone using ear pods | Source: Pexels
"I wanted to ease yours and Gabriel's minds about the stuff mom said the other day, which were all lies, by the way." "It wasn't because she was drunk; she confided in me that she didn't think you deserved him or the happiness you've been experiencing over these past few years."
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According to Afonso, our mother blamed me, her firstborn child, for her marriage to my father ending. Due to that resentment, she couldn't help but mistreat me and wish me badly. Our mother confessed this in another drunken state, another habit she'd adopted over the past two years.
An upset older woman sitting looking down with her hands on her cheeks | Source: Pexels
Afonso noted how she needed help and, in the meantime, he advised me to cut contact with her to keep my sanity and peace, allowing my marriage to have a fighting chance. I thanked him for being the wonderful person he's always been and for having my back.
A woman smiling while sitting on the floor using her phone | Source: Pexels
Talking to him made me at ease as I relayed everything to Gabriel that same evening. We both decided to cut my mother out of our wedding if she didn't agree to seek therapy and start healing and changing her toxic behavior.
A couple cuddling on a couch | Source: Pexels
Despite all the drama and pain, I look towards a bright future with the love of my life. I also carry with me the lessons of the past, the strength of the present, and the hope of a brighter, more loving tomorrow.
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For those who enjoyed that story, you'll love this one about a young man who shared the profound impact his late grandfather had on his life, especially their shared love for vintage cars. The then 17-year-old high school student's life changed when he learned of his grandfather's passing at the age of 82.
Despite the sadness of the occasion, he held onto and celebrated the joyous memories and the deep connection forged between him and his grandfather through weekends spent working on a beloved Chevy Bel Air. Their shared interests also served as the bedrock of the young man's future career choice as an engineer.
Despite not owning a collection of vintage cars like some of his friends, his grandfather cherished the Chevy, dedicating weekends to its maintenance, a tradition he shared with him. However, after losing the grandparent, the young man learns that the Chevy was left to him.
Sadly, the decision stirred jealousy among his siblings and ultimately led to his mother's decision to sell the car and divide the proceeds among the family members. This decision caused a significant emotional and relational strain between the young man and his family, particularly his mother, who failed to recognize the sentimental value of the car to her son.
Years later, driven by the promise he made to himself to reclaim the Chevy, the young man, now a successful engineer, locates the car's buyer. Through a heartfelt negotiation, he manages to repurchase the car and the reunion with the Chevy is not only a fulfillment of a decade-long promise but also a moment of profound emotional significance, rekindling memories and feelings associated with his grandfather.
The story culminates with the young man finding something significant from his grandfather that brings him closure and a sense of belonging.