When Melissa’s mother-in-law coldly ejects her from a family gathering, she assumes it’s another petty act of malice. But then her niece calls, her voice shaky. “You need to come back — with a lawyer.” A frantic cover-up and a tangled web of deception begin to unravel. Now, Melissa must fight to claim what is rightfully hers.
I stood at the entrance of Kara’s massive home, the small gift bag in my hands. A tight knot of anxiety twisted in my stomach.
A luxury house | Source: Midjourney
In the two years following Mark’s passing, his mother had seldom included me in anything.
Most of the time, it was Mark’s siblings who invited me to family gatherings, even though, technically, I wasn’t really part of their family anymore.
Still, it felt good to be included, and I always made an effort to attend. So, when I got Kara’s invite to her birthday party, I knew I couldn’t miss it.
A tense woman standing in a driveway | Source: Midjourney
“You can do this, Melissa,” I murmured to myself, inhaling deeply. “For Mark. For Eleanor.”
Eleanor. Just thinking about her made my heart ache all over again.
Mark’s grandmother had been my pillar of strength after his death, treating me like the daughter she’d never had. It had only been three months since she passed, yet I still found myself instinctively reaching for the phone to call her whenever something significant—good or bad—happened.
A thoughtful woman | Source: Midjourney
I pressed the doorbell, forcing what I hoped was a convincing smile. The door creaked open, and there stood Kara, her lips tight in a thin line.
“Melissa. You actually came,” she said, her tone hinting she had hoped the opposite.
“Happy birthday, Kara,” I replied, offering her the gift bag.
Without a word of thanks, she snatched it and turned away. “Everyone’s in the backyard.”
A stern woman standing in a doorway | Source: Midjourney
I trailed behind her through the house, noticing that everything seemed just as it had when I was last here.
Pictures of Mark were scattered around: as a child, as a teenager, as a college graduate — but there was one glaring absence: none of our wedding photos. Kara had always made her feelings about me crystal clear.
The backyard was bustling with family, friends, and relatives.
A back yard decorated for a party | Source: Midjourney
Some faces brightened when they spotted me, offering warm hugs, while others watched with barely concealed disapproval.
Emma, Mark’s niece, bounded over with excitement. At 20, she had always felt more like a little sister to Mark than a niece.
“Melissa! I’m so happy you came!” She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, her warmth a sharp contrast to Kara’s coldness.
A young woman smiling warmly | Source: Midjourney
“Kara invited me,” I said, still processing the surprise.
Emma raised her eyebrows. “She did? That’s… surprising.”
“Tell me about it.”
The next hour felt like a test of endurance. I did my best to blend in and make small talk, but every time I found a moment of calm, Kara would swoop in with a cutting remark.
A judgmental woman in a back yard | Source: Midjourney
“That outfit is a bit… casual for a family event like this, don’t you think, Melissa?” Kara said loudly, interrupting my conversation with Mark’s uncle.
“Oh, I think it’s lovely,” the uncle’s wife chimed in kindly.
Kara disregarded her comment entirely. “I’m surprised you still show up. Most people would’ve moved on by now.”
I clenched my jaw. “Family means a lot to me, Kara.”
A woman with a tight smile | Source: Midjourney
“Are we really your family, though?” she asked with a cold smile. “Not without Mark.”
The words cut deeper than I wanted to admit. I excused myself to grab a drink, feeling Kara’s gaze burning into my back.
By the time the cake was served, my patience was completely drained.
A man serving cake | Source: Pexels