My Husband’s Family Excluded Me from All Pictures and Gatherings — Little Did They Know What It Would Lead To

What most people didn’t know was that she had set up a trust fund in my name years ago, just for me, not for my husband or both of us.

It was enough to live comfortably, and more than enough to get people’s attention.

My phone lit up with calls and texts. Suddenly, I was family.

“Dinner at ours next Friday. Hope you can make it, darling!”

Then Ivy.

“Spa day this weekend? Just us girls. My treat, unless you want to spoil us this time.”

Even Grant pulled me aside after brunch one day and said, with this warm twinkle in his eyes, “You know, Freya, I’ve always thought of you like a daughter.”

I smiled politely.

“That’s sweet of you.”

It was all so fake and so obvious.

But I played along, letting them invite me and pile on the sugar.

The kicker came at yet another dinner, which was my third one that month.

We were eating lemon pie when Grant casually leaned back in his chair and said, “So, we’ve been thinking. The Tahoe house could use a facelift. New deck, kitchen remodel, and maybe some landscaping.”

“Sounds nice,” I said.

Claudette chimed in, “A real family project!

Everyone is pitching in.”

Grant nodded. “And we thought, well, since you’ve got that trust now… maybe you’d like to contribute.

You live well, we live well. It’s all in the family, right?”

I set my fork down, wiped my mouth slowly, and leaned back.

“Sure,” I said, smiling. “Just under one condition.”

Grant tilted his head.

“What’s that, sweetheart?”Continue reading…