My sister-in-law always felt entitled to whatever she wanted, but nothing prepared me for her most outrageous demand yet—she wanted me to have a baby just so she could keep it as a gift. When she refused to take no for an answer, I decided to teach her a lesson she would never forget.
Do you think you have crazy relatives? Well, let me tell you about mine, and you might change your mind.
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Harry and I had been married for seven years, together for nearly fifteen, and we had two wonderful children, Maya and Luke.
Our little family was everything to me but when it came to our extended family, things weren’t as simple.
I realized something was off with my MIL, Charlotte, and my SIL, Candice, the very first day I met them.
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I told myself it was just nerves, that I was overthinking it. I had no idea then just how much trouble they would bring into my life.
Before our wedding, Candice proved just how self-centered she was. She threw a full-blown tantrum because I had the audacity to choose someone else as my maid of honor.
Worse yet, she claimed my dress was prettier than hers. As if my wedding was supposed to revolve around her!
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She nearly ruined the entire day, but thankfully, Grace, Harry’s grandmother, stepped in.
Grace was the only truly kind soul in that family, aside from my husband. Unfortunately, she lived too far away to rescue us often.
But just before Candice’s thirtieth birthday, something happened that made me question reality itself.
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Candice rarely visited us, and when she did, she kept her distance from the kids, always complaining that they were “too noisy” or “gave her headaches.”
But that day was different. She spent hours playing with Maya, and something about it sent a shiver down my spine. As it turned out, I had every reason to be worried.
During dinner, Candice kept glancing at me and Harry. I knew she wanted attention. I just didn’t know why.
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“I have an announcement!” Her voice rang through the dining room. “I’m going to be a mom!” she blurted out.
Harry choked on his food. He coughed and grabbed his water. I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth.
“What?” I asked.
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Harry wiped his mouth. “Who… is the father?” His brows furrowed. “You’re not even dating anyone.”
He was right. The last boyfriend, she had run off after she screamed at him for not buying her an expensive handbag.
Candice waved a hand. “That’s actually why I came over today.” She straightened in her chair. “The parents of my daughter will be you two.”
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My stomach twisted. “What?!”
She sighed like I was the crazy one. “I’m almost thirty, and I don’t have a husband.” She smiled. “The perfect birthday gift would be a daughter.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. My brain struggled to process her words.
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Harry rubbed his temples. “You want Stephanie to be your surrogate?”
Candice shook her head. “No, I want you two to have a baby for me.”
I placed my hands on the table. “So, it would be our child, and you expect us to give it to you?”
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“Not just give—give it to me for my birthday. What’s the problem?” Her tone was light, casual, like she was asking for a sweater.
I stared at her. “You seriously don’t see a problem?” My voice rose. “Harry and I aren’t having any more children. I am not having a baby just to hand it over to you.”
Candice scoffed. “Stephanie, you’ve always been so selfish.”
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Harry’s chair scraped against the floor as he sat up. “No, Candice. Stephanie is right. We’re not doing this.”
“But why? You already have two! What’s the big deal about having one more?” Her voice hit a high-pitched whine.
I clenched my fists. “I am not an incubator! A child is not an object! A child is a person!”
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“You just don’t want me to be happy! You want to be the only one with kids!” Candice shrieked.
Harry slammed his hand on the table. “Enough! Leave. Now.”
Candice’s face burned red. She stood, shaking with anger. “I’ll tell Mom about this!” She stomped to the door, threw it open, and slammed it behind her.
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I exhaled. “How did she even come up with this?”
Harry shook his head. “She’s completely lost it.”
Candice stayed quiet for a while. I hoped that meant she’d finally let it go. I should have known better.
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One afternoon, Candice showed up at our house with Charlotte by her side.
Candice’s arms overflowed with shopping bags from baby stores. My first thought was she had decided to be a good aunt and bring gifts for Maya and Luke. But the smug look on her face told me otherwise.
Charlotte walked in without waiting for an invitation. She sat on the couch and gestured for Harry and me to join her. Candice stood nearby, grinning.
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“Candice told me that you agreed to give her a baby,” Charlotte said.
“What? No, we told her we weren’t going to do that,” I said.
“Why not?” Charlotte asked.
“Because it’s insane,” Harry replied.
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“Is it really that hard? Stephanie, as a woman, you should know that the older you get, the harder it is to have children. Candice is already almost thirty,” Charlotte argued.
“I’m not going to give my child to your daughter, who has no idea what it means to be a parent,” I said firmly.
“That’s not true! I already bought everything!” Candice announced, pulling out baby clothes and dresses from her bags.
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“You do realize that a baby is not a doll you can just dress up, right? Babies cry, scream, spit up, and do a lot of unpleasant things,” Harry pointed out.
“My daughter won’t be like that. She’ll be like your Maya—I’ve never seen Maya cry,” Candice said confidently.
“That’s because you’ve never spent enough time with her,” I countered.
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“Then I’ll just bring my daughter to you when she cries,” Candice said.
“Babies cry day and night. Are you planning to bring her to me every single time?” I asked.
“Yes. What’s the problem with that?” Candice asked, genuinely confused.
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Harry buried his face in his hands.“This is impossible. Candice, you are not ready to be a mother. And asking someone to have a child for you is completely insane,” he said.
“But you’re my brother!” Candice cried.
While they argued, I noticed Charlotte had disappeared. I went looking for her and found her in our bedroom—poking holes in our condoms.
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“What are you doing?!” I shouted.
“Making everyone’s life easier,” she said calmly.
“Have you lost your mind?!” I screamed.
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“Listen, it wouldn’t be hard for you to have another baby, but it is hard for Candice. So I just decided to help a little,” she said.
“Help?!” I yelled. “You’re interfering in our personal lives!”
“Not everyone is as lucky as you, having a husband like my son. You should understand that,” Charlotte replied.
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“You’re treating me and your son like an incubator! Why can’t Candice just go to a sperm donor?!” I snapped.
“Donors are just random people. But you and Harry already have two healthy children, so Candice would know for sure that her baby would be fine,” Charlotte said.
“That would be our child! Ours!” I shouted.
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“But you’d be having it for Candice, so it would be her child,” Charlotte argued.
“Do you really think I would give my child to someone who believes you can choose a baby’s gender? Or that babies don’t cry?” I asked.
“I will help her,” Charlotte said.
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“That makes…” that makes the situation even worse, I wanted to say, but I stopped myself.
An idea formed in my mind—a way to teach both Candice and Charlotte a lesson and show everyone just how insane they were.
“You know what? If you’re going to help, then I agree,” I said.
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Charlotte beamed. “Finally! Why didn’t you just say so earlier?” she said, then went to tell Candice the “good news.”
As soon as they left, Harry turned to me in shock. “You actually agreed to this?” he asked.
“I have a plan,” I said.
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For the next nine months leading up to Candice’s birthday, I played my role well.
I smiled, touched my belly often, and acted like the happiest pregnant woman.
Every time Candice called, I assured her everything was going smoothly. I even let her ramble about nursery themes and baby names.
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It was exhausting. Keeping up the act drained me, but I had to see this through.
When the time came, I announced I would give birth in another city. Candice pouted but accepted my reasoning—I told her the “gift” had to remain a surprise until her birthday. After all, it was a present, right?
On the big day, the whole family gathered for the reveal. Even Grace had traveled to be there.
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Candice had told everyone about her “grand surprise,” building the moment up as if she had won the lottery.
Harry and I walked in when everyone was seated. I held a baby carrier, wrapped with a giant bow, cradling it carefully. Candice gasped, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Let me see her!” she squealed, trying to peek inside.
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“Not yet,” I said. “Wait for the big moment.”
Finally, Candice stood, practically glowing with excitement. “I have a very special announcement!” she declared. “Harry and Stephanie have given me the most incredible birthday gift—a baby!” Gasps filled the room. Eyes locked on us.
Candice turned, arms outstretched. “Okay, hand her over now!” I smiled and placed the carrier in her hands.
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Candice tore off the bow. She reached inside the carrier with trembling hands. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Then her face twisted in horror.
“WHAT IS THIS?!” she shrieked, pulling out a doll.
The room fell silent. All eyes were on her. Harry and I burst into laughter.
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“The only baby you’re fit to take care of,” I said, smirking.
Candice’s chest rose and fell fast. Her fingers dug into the doll’s plastic limbs. She looked at me with pure rage.
“But you were pregnant!” she screamed. “I saw your belly!”
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“Fake bellies,” I said, shrugging. “I went out of town to ‘give birth’ just to sell the illusion.”
Candice let out a sharp sob. Charlotte gasped and shot up from her seat.
“You heartless witch!” Charlotte yelled.
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“And who exactly is heartless?” I snapped. “The people who refused to give away their child? Or the ones who expected a baby like it was a wrapped-up gift?”
Candice clutched the doll to her chest. Tears streamed down her face.
“But… but I already bought so many dresses!” she whined. “Who am I supposed to dress up now?”
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“The doll works perfectly,” Harry said, still chuckling.
Candice’s hands trembled as she looked down at the toy. Her whole body shook.
Then I noticed Grace watching carefully. Her wrinkled hands rested in her lap. Her sharp eyes flicked between Candice and Charlotte.
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“Can someone explain to me what’s going on here?” she asked, her voice firm.
I turned to her. “Candice came to us a year ago demanding that we give her a baby for her birthday.”
Grace’s face twisted in confusion. “You mean… as a surrogate? Does she have health issues?”
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“No,” Harry said. “Our baby.”
Grace’s frown deepened.
“Candice is perfectly healthy,” I added. “She just doesn’t have a husband and thought we should give her a child.”
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Grace’s face turned red with fury. She pushed herself up from her seat and pointed a shaking finger at Candice and Charlotte.
“ARE YOU BOTH OUT OF YOUR MINDS?!” she roared.
Candice flinched. “W-what? What’s so wrong with it?” she stammered.
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“You’re just like your mother, Candice! I warned my son not to marry you, Charlotte, but he didn’t listen! And this is the result!” Grace spat.
“Grandma, how could you say that?!” Candice cried.
“I’m saying the truth!” Grace snapped. She took another deep breath, then fixed them both with a look of disgust.
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“I am writing you both out of my will.”
The room fell silent. Grace’s estate was worth a lot. Everyone knew it. Candice and Charlotte froze in shock.
“You’re serious?” Charlotte whispered, her voice unsteady.
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“Absolutely,” Grace said coldly. “I will not let insane people like you have any control over my wealth.”
A deep, satisfied sense of justice filled me. I watched as realization dawned on them.
“But—” Candice started.
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Grace held up a hand. “Enough. We’re leaving. I want to see my great-grandchildren—the real ones.” She turned to Harry and me. “Let’s go.”
Harry and I didn’t hesitate. We stood up and walked out, hand in hand. Behind us, Candice sobbed hysterically.
Charlotte shouted in frustration. But we didn’t care. They got exactly what they deserved.
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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: I thought my mother-in-law was just overbearing. But when she stole the spotlight at our gender reveal, I realized she would do anything to stay at the center of our lives. I wanted space. She refused to give it. Then I discovered her biggest secret—and regret hit her harder than she imagined.
My Ex Husband’s New Girlfriend Found My Number to Ask Me Just One Question — When I Read Her Text, I Was Stunned
My story is about how my ex-husband’s girlfriend realized a truth about him that I grew too comfortable with while married to him. With one important question, his new girlfriend taught me a valuable lesson about self-love after reaching out unexpectedly.
I’ve been divorced for five years now, and it’s been an interesting journey navigating life post-marriage. My ex-husband, Ben, 48, and I, 45, were together for 13 years and had two wonderful kids. Even after our split, we’ve managed to stay on good terms.
A mother with two children | Source: Pexels
We co-parent effectively despite our marriage having its ups and downs. Ben and I are best friends and have also maintained a friendship that surprises most people. Our divorce wasn’t messy; we simply wanted different things out of life.
Yesterday was our eldest’s 16th birthday, and we decided to celebrate with a family dinner. Ben has been seeing someone new, a woman named Lisa, for about four months. He told me about her as soon as their relationship got serious.
Someone’s birthday party | Source: Pexels
Transparency was part of our agreement to keep things open and honest for the sake of our children. He asked if he could bring Lisa to the birthday dinner, and while I wasn’t thrilled as I would have preferred to meet her one-on-one first, I didn’t want to cause any drama or be intrusive. So, I agreed.
On that fateful day, I finally got to meet Lisa who was friendly, and eager to make a good impression, which was a relief. I preferred her to be a good person if she was going to be around my children.
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She’s got a kind smile and she immediately struck up a conversation with me about the kids’ school and activities. I could tell she was trying hard to fit in, which I appreciated.
As the evening went on, I noticed how attentive Lisa was to Ben. It was sweet but also a little unsettling because I never saw that side of him during our marriage. I chalked it up to new relationship energy and tried to focus on the kids and the celebration.
A happy couple bonding | Source: Pexels
Halfway through dinner, things got weird when my eldest handed me a birthday card from her father. This caught me off guard because my birthday was months ago. No one usually remembers it, and Ben has never been one to recall such occasions.
Don’t get me wrong, my children’s father is a great man. But he’s really terrible with things like anniversaries, birthdays, or any special occasions. During all the years we were together, Ben never got me a present or card.
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It was also my responsibility to handle events like the kids’ birthdays, Christmas, and more. I don’t know if I was wrong for this, but his forgetfulness didn’t bother me. I thanked my daughter, feeling touched by the gesture.
Lisa, sitting across from me, saw my surprise. I had assumed she’d made him get it, but then I noticed how she was giving me these funny looks. Unsure what they meant, I decided to mingle with other guests to avoid the awkwardness.
A woman holding a card | Source: Freepik
But, Lisa somehow managed to get my attention. “Ben mentioned he’s not great with birthdays,” she said with a chuckle. “He forgot mine a few weeks ago. Is it intentional?”
I laughed, remembering all the missed anniversaries and forgotten special days. “I have no idea, Lisa, but 13 years of marriage and two kids wasn’t the benchmark because he never really got the hang of it,” I replied. “It’s just who he is.”
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Lisa seemed disappointed and tried to hide it, but I thought nothing of it and wandered off to talk to other guests. I decided to shift the conversation to something lighter and talked about family plans and the upcoming holidays. The rest of the evening went smoothly, and we all parted ways with smiles and hugs.
Later that night, as I was getting ready for bed, I received a text from an unknown number. It was my ex’s new girlfriend. “Hi, this is Lisa. I got your number from Ben. I hope it’s okay to text you. I wanted to ask you something.”
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Curious, I replied, “Sure, what’s up?”
Her response came quickly and when I read it, I was STUNNED. She hadn’t gotten over our brief conversation earlier and was asking if Ben’s forgetfulness of special occasions was something that could be fixed. “I know this might seem odd because we touched on it earlier, but I need to know…”
“…Does Ben ever improve when it comes to birthdays and anniversaries? I don’t want to make a big deal out of it if it’s something that won’t change.” I stared at my phone, feeling a mix of emotions. Part of me wanted to warn her, to tell her not to ever expect much.
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But another part of me debated whether to give Ben a heads-up as it seemed like this was a serious issue for his new girlfriend and that she expected more attention to such things. Yet, a part of me resented having to teach him to be better about something he never tried with me.
I also felt like it wasn’t my place to interfere. After a moment, I typed back, “Honestly, he’s my ex for a reason. I can’t say if he’ll change or not, and I’m not going to have the answers you need.” I continued, “It’s something you’ll have to figure out together. Lovely meeting you, though.”
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Months went by without much thought about that night. Then, one evening, Ben called me out of the blue. “Lisa and I broke up,” he said, sounding frustrated.
“What happened?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“She kept making a big deal out of nothing, busy complaining about birthdays and anniversaries. I told her it’s not something I care about, and she just wouldn’t let it go,” he said, sounding furious.
“It turned into this huge argument when I forgot our anniversary, and she left,” he explained, his voice tinged with annoyance.
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I sighed, feeling a twinge of guilt as I wondered if I could’ve helped them if I had been more supportive of Lisa when she texted me. “Ben, did she tell you it was important to her?” I asked, feeling like my responses to Lisa played a part in their breakup.
He was silent for a moment. “She told me on many occasions that such things were important to her.”
“But WHO CARES! You never made it a big deal,” he said defensively.
Tired of coddling him, I said, “Well, sir, and that’s why we divorced.”
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“That’s mean, Kim,” my ex replied, sounding sad.
“Look, I’m sorry, but I stopped trying because I knew it wouldn’t matter to you,” I replied calmly. “But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t important to me. Or to her. You have to meet people halfway.”
Ben grumbled something under his breath, and I could tell he wasn’t ready to accept that truth. We ended the call on a neutral note, and I sat there, thinking about Lisa. She deserved someone who would appreciate her efforts and reciprocate her feelings.
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A few days later, I bumped into Lisa at the grocery store. She looked tired but managed a smile when she saw me. “Hi, how are you?” she asked politely.
“I’m good, thanks. How about you?” I replied, genuinely concerned.
“I’ve been better,” she admitted. “Ben and I broke up.”
“I heard,” I said softly. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
She sighed. “I couldn’t deal with feeling unimportant. I tried to explain it to him, but he didn’t seem to care.”
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I nodded, understanding her frustration all too well. “It’s hard when someone doesn’t value what you do. You deserve someone who will.”
Lisa smiled sadly. “Thanks. I appreciate that. I guess I hoped he could change.”
“Change is hard for some people,” I said gently. “But don’t lose hope. You’ll find someone who values you.”
Two women at a grocery store | Source: Pexels
We parted ways, and I felt a strange sense of closure. Lisa’s struggle mirrored my past frustrations, but it also highlighted how much I had grown since my marriage ended. I had learned to accept Ben’s flaws, but I also realized that I deserved more than what he was willing to give.
That evening, I sat down with my children and talked about their dad. I wanted them to understand that while he had his shortcomings, he loved them deeply. We laughed about his forgetfulness and shared stories of the good times we had as a family.
A mother bonding with her child | Source: Pexels
As I reflected on everything, I felt a deep sense of peace. I had moved on from the hurt and disappointment and was ready to embrace whatever the future held. I hoped Lisa would find the happiness she deserved, and I knew that I had done the right thing by not getting too involved in their relationship.
In the end, it wasn’t about birthdays or anniversaries. It was about finding someone who truly valued and appreciated you for who you are. I did not doubt that Lisa would find that person someday, and I knew I was finally content with my own life.
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As I looked at my children, I felt grateful for the love and joy they brought into my life. We had our good and bad moments, but we were a family, and that was what mattered most. And as for Ben, I hoped he would eventually learn to value the important things in life.
For now, I was happy. I had my kids, friends, and a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. And that was more than enough.
Two children bonding | Source: Pexels
If you enjoyed Kim’s story, you’ll love this one about a woman who got pregnant around the same time her son’s girlfriend was also expecting. The son’s girlfriend caused a rift in the family when she made demands of his mother about naming her child.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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