“Play dumb. And I’ll take all the food. I’m ashamed to have such a big daughter-in-law. She’s too fat,” Noele continued, her voice dripping with disdain.
I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. Three years ago, I gave birth to our son at 40, and my body never bounced back.
I worked long hours to support our family, and I even helped Noele financially when she needed it. How could she say such hurtful things about me?
I put down my knitting and stared at the wall, trying to process what I’d just heard. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them away. I didn’t want to cry, not now.
My phone buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. I realized I had been staring into space, my mind replaying last week’s events when Noele visited us.
I didn’t know all the missing food was her doing. She was sneakily removing food from the fridge because she didn’t want a fat woman in her son’s life.
I took a deep breath and checked the phone. It was a message from Alexander, my husband.
It said: “Hey honey, don’t wait up. My friends are insisting I stay over for a little more time :)”
Lately, he always seemed to have an excuse to stay away. I wondered if it was because of my weight, too. Did he really see me as an elephant?
I put my phone down and wiped my eyes. I needed to stay strong for my son. He was the light of my life, and I couldn’t let their hurtful words break me. But it wasn’t easy.
Every glance in the mirror reminded me of their conversation. Every meal I cooked felt like a betrayal.
I tried to focus on the positive. I had a good job, a beautiful son, and a home that I had worked hard to build. Noele’s comments couldn’t take that away from me. Yet, the pain lingered.
As I lay in bed that night, I kept replaying the conversation I had overheard. The sting of their insults was fresh, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
“I can’t believe they think this way about me,” I whispered to myself, glancing at Alexander, who slept soundly beside me. “I’m the one working and buying all the food.”
I sighed and stared at the ceiling. It wasn’t fair. I had always tried to be kind and supportive. I put everyone else’s needs before my own, but what did I get in return? Cruel words and hurtful remarks.
Suddenly, it hit me. I had been too kind for too long. It was time to stand up for myself. I deserved respect and appreciation, not insults and judgment. I turned to look at Alexander again.
He seemed so peaceful, completely oblivious to the turmoil raging inside me.
I couldn’t keep living like this, letting their words break me down. Tomorrow, I would start making changes. I wouldn’t let Noele’s hurtful comments dictate how I felt about myself. And I wouldn’t let Alexander’s silence continue.
He needed to know how his words, or lack thereof, were affecting me. We were supposed to be partners, a team. It was time for him to step up and support me.
I woke up early, determined to put my plan into action.
After breakfast, I decided to visit the Asian market to buy some unique ingredients. As I entered the market, the variety of products overwhelmed me, but I knew exactly what I was looking for.
“Excuse me,” I said to the vendor, picking up a jar. “How much is this?”
The vendor smiled and told me the price. “These are very popular,” he said. “Great for special recipes.”
“Perfect,” I replied, adding several jars to my basket. “I’ll take these.”
Once I had everything I needed, I headed home. Alexander was out, and I knew Noele was supposed to come over in the evening. I had the whole day to prepare.
I took a day off from work to make sure everything was perfect. First, I emptied our fridge of all the old food items.
Then, I carefully filled jars and bottles with the ‘unique’ groceries I had bought, making sure they looked like the regular food jars Noele was used to seeing. I even labeled a few of them with familiar names to complete the illusion.
“This should do it,” I muttered to myself, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
After setting up the camera to capture Noele’s reaction, I took a step back to admire my handiwork. Everything was in place, and now all I had to do was wait.
I spent the rest of the day tidying up and making sure there was no evidence of my plan.
As the evening approached, I felt a mix of anticipation and nerves.
Noele arrived right on time, and I made sure to be out of the house for a few hours, giving her the perfect opportunity to raid the fridge.
When I returned home, I walked into the kitchen to find Noele pale and shaking, holding a jar filled with live insects. Her eyes were wide with shock and anger.
“What the hell is this?!” she screamed, her voice trembling.
I put on my most innocent face. “Oh, Noele, what’s wrong? Did you find something you didn’t like?”
“These… these jars! They’re filled with bugs! And some of them are still alive! Are you insane?” she shouted, her hands shaking as she held up the jar.
“Oh, those?” I replied calmly. “I thought you might enjoy some exotic snacks. I hear they’re very nutritious.”
“This is disgusting! How could you do this?” she yelled, her face turning red with anger.
I took a deep breath. “How could I do this?” I snapped. “How could you steal from me and insult me behind my back? You thought I wouldn’t find out? You thought I wouldn’t hear you calling me an elephant and plotting to take all the food I buy with my hard-earned money?”
Noele’s face paled even more. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find the words. I continued, my voice steady and firm.
“I’ve put up with your insults and disrespect for too long, Noele. I work hard to support this family, and all you do is take advantage of my kindness. Well, not anymore. This is my home, and you will respect it and me.”
At that moment, Alexander walked in, looking shocked and confused.
He glanced at the jar in Noele’s hand, then at me. “What’s going on here?”
“Oh, your mother is just discovering my special surprise for her,” I said calmly. “I decided to stock up on some unique groceries.”
Noele thrust the jar towards him. “She filled the fridge with insects! This is her idea of revenge!”
I wasn’t done yet.
“Actually,” I interjected, “it’s my idea of justice. You both thought you could humiliate me and take advantage of me. Well, now you know that actions have consequences. You don’t get to insult me and steal from me without facing the fallout.”
“This is outrageous! You’re out of your mind!” Noele shouted, her voice shaking with fury.
“Maybe,” I replied, meeting her glare. “Or maybe I’m just tired of being disrespected in my own home. You can leave now, and don’t bother coming back unless you plan to treat me with the respect I deserve.”
Noele stormed out, still clutching the jar, and Alexander stood there, speechless.
“I can’t believe you did that,” he finally said, his voice filled with shock. It was time to teach my husband a lesson.
“Believe it,” I said firmly. “And if you think for one second that I’ll tolerate this behavior from either of you again, think again. This is my house, and I won’t be treated like a doormat.”
Alexander looked down, his face flushed with embarrassment. “I… I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
“Sorry isn’t enough,” I replied.
“You need to earn back my trust and respect. Until then, don’t expect things to go back to normal. And I hope you’re looking for a job. Because you clearly don’t help me at home. Maybe if I have the time, I can focus on my health, yes?”
From that day forward, the dynamic in our house changed. Noele didn’t dare to show us her face since then, and Alexander had a lot to make up for. Sometimes, you have to take a stand and teach people that you won’t be pushed around.
Do you think I was right to take a stand for myself?
My Cousin Intentionally Sewed My Wedding Dress 2 Sizes Smaller – She Was Shocked When She Saw What I Did with It
When Jess and Michael get engaged, her cousin Sarah decided to sew her wedding dress for her as a gift. But during the final fitting, Jess discovers that the wedding dress is two sizes too small. Will Sarah fix her error, or will Jess have to take things into her own hands?
My cousin Sarah and I have always had a complicated relationship. She’s loud and bubbly, but also the type of person who craves the spotlight. And because of that, our entire family gave her the attention she wanted. It made more sense to shine the spotlight on Sarah, rather than ourselves.
When Michael and I got engaged after being together for four years, my whole family seemed genuinely excited for me.
A couple standing together | Source: Midjourney
Sarah even got all of our girl cousins together, along with my best friends, for a night out. Ending in an Airbnb where we continued the party, because I was the first of us to get engaged.
During that night out, Sarah came up to me, a glass of champagne in her hand.
“Jess! I have a great idea!” she said.
A smiling woman holding a glass of champagne | Source: Midjourney
“What?” I asked. “What do you want to do?”
“I want to make your wedding dress for you!” she exclaimed, swaying to the music as she spoke.
Now, Sarah is a brilliant seamstress, and she’s made some incredible outfits in her young career so far. Despite our complicated relationship, the thought of Sarah making a dress for me was actually a lovely idea.
A woman working as a seamstress | Source: Midjourney
“Really? You’d do that for me?” I asked, touched by the gesture.
“Of course, Jess! It’ll be perfect!” she replied with a smile that seemed nothing but sincere at the time.
The rest of the evening went off without a hitch. I was surrounded by the people who loved me, and even more, my cousin wanted to do something so intimate by making me a wedding dress.
Smiling women at a party | Source: Midjourney
Everything felt right.
We spent weeks choosing the design and fabrics. We pored over the magazines and websites, and finally, I had an idea in mind.
One day, I met Sarah at her office, ready to take my final measurements so that she could start with my dress.
“You’re going to look amazing,” she said, taking my measurements precisely, jotting down everything carefully on her writing pad.
The office of a seamstress | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, I hope so,” I said, taking a sip of my coffee as Sarah put her measuring tape away. “I’ve been on a strict diet, and I’m finally happy with my weight. So, it’s just about maintaining my figure now.”
“You look good, Jess,” she said. “But if anything changes and you find yourself losing or gaining weight, just let me know, and you can come in for another fitting.”
I nodded and left, eager to see how my dress was going to turn out.
But when I went for the final fitting, things took a turn.
A garment bag on a hanger | Source: Midjourney
I slipped into the dress, but something was wrong—it was way too small. I couldn’t even zip it up, no matter how hard I sucked in my breath.
“Jess! Are you crazy to gain weight before the wedding?” Sarah asked, her tone dripping with mock concern.
My heart sank. We were two weeks away from the wedding, and judging from this fitting, I didn’t have a dress.
A shocked young woman | Source: Midjourney
“I haven’t gained any weight, Sarah,” I replied. “I’ve been too stressed to eat. If anything, I should have lost weight because of that!”
Sarah shrugged, barely concealing a smirk that was plastered onto her face.
“Well, I’ll try to fix it, but with the wedding so close, I can’t make any promises. I have other clients waiting for their orders, too, Jess.”
A nonchalant woman | Source: Midjourney
Her words rang loud and clear in my head as I drove away from her office.
And then it hit me — this wasn’t an accident. I recalled the way she spoke to me, and the tone in her voice. There was no remorse in her mistake. There was no mix-up in measurements. There was no weight gain with me.
This was deliberate, and Sarah had made the dress too small on purpose.
“I don’t know what to do,” I told Michael when he got home that evening.
A couple talking in their kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“Show me the dress?” he asked, pouring himself a glass of water.
“What! No!” I exclaimed. “The dress may be a mess, but it’s bad luck for you to see!”
“Look, why don’t you take the dress to Mrs. Lawson? She’s my mom’s friend, and she does all her alterations. She’s making Mom’s dress for the wedding, too.”
An older seamstress | Source: Midjourney
So, I gathered the awful dress and went to Mrs. Lawson, who was a retired seamstress with a reputation for miracles.
“Oh, honey,” she said when I walked in. “Michael phoned me and told me all about the mess. But I’ve seen the worst and made it a hundred times better.”
“This might be tricky, though,” I said, showing her the dress.
A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney
“Honey, I’ve seen it all, trust me. Let’s make this work,” she chuckled.
Together, we transformed the original design into something completely new. A chic, short, cocktail-style dress that was bold, unconventional, and a bit edgy for a wedding.
But it was absolutely stunning. It was everything Sarah’s dress wasn’t: fun, flirty, and perfectly me.
A wedding dress on a hanger | Source: Midjourney
When it was time to walk down the aisle, my heart raced. I stood in the bridal suite of the wedding venue and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked beautiful. I felt beautiful.
As my dad walked into the room to get me, his jaw dropped.
“My darling,” he said. “You look incredible! Wow!”
A close up of a bride | Source: Midjourney
“Thanks, Dad,” I said. “I know it’s not what we all envisioned me wearing for my wedding, but it’s been the best surprise. I feel like a bride.”
“That’s the only thing that matters, darling,” he said.
Soon, my entrance music began, and goosebumps appeared all over my body as a classical version of a Lana Del Rey song took over the room.
Heads turned.
A smiling father-of-the-bride | Source: Midjourney
And I felt the buzz of admiration follow me as people watched me walk in. I knew that my dress was a hit.
When I got closer to Michael, his eyes widened, and his smile took over his face. I knew then that the man I was about to marry fell in love with me all over again.
But before I took my place next to Michael, I turned to Sarah, wanting to see her expression first.
A groom standing at the altar | Source: Midjourney
Her face was priceless: she was pale and shocked. I knew she had expected to see me in tears, humiliated by her sabotage and wearing that horrible dress she had designed.
Instead, I was glowing, smiling from ear to ear.
The ceremony went off without a hitch, Michael’s vows leaving me in tears and my heart full of love for the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with.
A bride with tears in her eyes | Source: Midjourney
But then came the reception.
Michael and I were mingling with our guests when Sarah cornered me.
“Jess, what happened to the dress? Where’s my original design? Why did you change it?” she asked, trying to hide her confusion.
I grinned.
A close up of an annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, I thought I’d take your design and make it better! Remember, you weren’t even sure that you could do anything about it. And I was bursting out of it because it was at least two sizes too small.”
“So, that’s it? You just threw away my hard work?” she gasped. “That’s low!”
“No, Sarah, your work is the foundation of this dress. It’s just a hundred times better because the woman who fixed it wanted me to look and feel beautiful on my wedding day.”
A close up of an annoyed woman | Source: Midjourney
Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Around us, guests kept complimenting my dress, calling it unique and stunning.
Sarah had no choice but to stand there and listen.
“Come on, love,” Michael called to me. “Let’s do our first dance so that I can really get into the buffet after! The roast beef is to die for!”
“I’m coming,” I smiled, finally happy.
A couple standing at a wedding buffet | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
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