When Calla finds a lace robe hidden in her husband\u2019s closet, she assumes that it\u2019s a romantic surprise. But her world turns upside down when she sees her stepmother, Lorraine, wearing it. Suspicion mounts and tensions spiral as Calla overhears Lorraine\u2019s true scheme\u2026<\/p>\n
When my dad passed away last year, it felt like the house lost its soul. He\u2019d built that place himself, a sprawling two-story home that always smelled like pine and fresh paint.<\/p>\n
After his death, my husband, Jason, our six-year-old daughter, Emma, and I moved in to help my stepmother, Lorraine.<\/p>\n
She and my dad had been married for five years, but Lorraine made sure that everyone knew she\u2019d been his \u201crock\u201d during his final days.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t deny it, darling,\u201d she said to me after her speech at the funeral. \u201cSeriously, Calla, if I went on my holiday to Thailand, your father would have died by himself. All alone. Poor thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Living with her, though, was like walking on a tightrope. Everything about Lorraine was sharp\u2014her stilettos, her words, even the way she eyed Jason when she thought I wasn\u2019t looking.<\/p>\n
But family is family, and I tried to make it work.<\/p>\n
Until I found the robe.<\/p>\n
It started innocently enough. I was folding Jason\u2019s laundry, something I did a thousand times without a second thought. As I opened his closet to hang up a shirt, I noticed something out of place.<\/p>\n
There it was, a small glossy gift bag shoved into the corner, partly hidden beneath his jackets.<\/p>\n
Curiosity got the better of me. I pulled it out, my pulse quickening when I saw what was inside: a lace robe, sheer and intimate.<\/p>\n
My first thought was that Jason had bought it for me. Christmas was around the corner, and while he wasn\u2019t exactly the romantic type, maybe this was his way of surprising me.<\/p>\n
I smiled at the idea of him stepping out of his comfort zone.<\/p>\n
If only that had been the truth.<\/p>\n
A few days later, Lorraine called me into her room. Her voice was syrupy sweet, the kind of tone that always set me on edge. She had changed the room since my father passed. It was now a maroon, velvety\u2026 something. Luxurious yet somehow seductive\u2026 I couldn\u2019t quite find the words to describe it.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Calla, sweetheart,\u201d she cooed. \u201cYou won\u2019t believe what my new boyfriend got me!\u201d<\/p>\n
New boyfriend? Lorraine hadn\u2019t mentioned anyone else before.<\/p>\n
When I walked in, my stomach dropped.<\/p>\n
There she was, draped in the robe, my robe. The one I\u2019d found in Jason\u2019s closet. She twirled, the lace floating around her like some cruel joke.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou like it?\u201d she purred, smirking at my expression. \u201cHe has exquisite taste, don\u2019t you think? And I have a pair of heels that would make it look magical.\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t breathe. My mind raced, piecing together a picture I didn\u2019t want to see.<\/p>\n
Was Jason\u2026? No. He wouldn\u2019t. Lorraine?<\/p>\n
No. Never. Unless\u2026 Would he?<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2026 where did you get that?\u201d I managed to stammer.<\/p>\n
Lorraine\u2019s smirk deepened.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, my boyfriend gave it to me,\u201d she said. \u201cI just told you, Calla! You\u2019re not listening to a word I say, sweetheart! Don\u2019t you worry, maybe you\u2019ll get one too\u2026 Anyway, he\u2019s discreet.\u201d<\/p>\n
My knees felt weak. Look, there could have been a logical explanation. But something felt so wrong. I stumbled out of her room, her laughter echoing behind me.<\/p>\n
That night, I cornered Jason after reading with Emma. She had gone to sleep quickly, ready for her \u201cDress as your favorite character\u201d day at school. She was going as Princess Belle.<\/p>\n
My heart was pounding, my hands shaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cJason,\u201d I began, my voice trembling. \u201cI need to ask you something, and I want the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked up from the TV, confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, honey?\u201d he asked. \u201cHang on, let me pause this movie.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you\u2026 Did you give Lorraine a robe? The lace one I found in your closet?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason\u2019s face twisted in disbelief.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? No way! What are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe showed me a robe before dinner tonight,\u201d I said, tears threatening to spill. \u201cThe same one I found in your closet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason\u2019s jaw dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think I\u2019d buy her something like that? Are you serious right now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen how did she get it?\u201d I demanded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he said, running his hand through his hair.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what to say,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
His frustration seemed genuine, but doubt gnawed at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI swear, I didn\u2019t give her anything! Seriously, Calla. The only thing I\u2019ve given Lorraine today was a piece of garlic bread at dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the next few days, I couldn\u2019t shake the unease. Lorraine\u2019s smug looks, Jason\u2019s denial\u2014it all felt like pieces of a puzzle I couldn\u2019t solve.<\/p>\n
Then, one afternoon, as I organized Emma\u2019s art supplies in the dining room, I heard Lorraine on the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Kerry, of course, I planted it,\u201d she whispered. \u201cThat idiot husband of hers didn\u2019t even notice. It\u2019s only a matter of time before they\u2019re at each other\u2019s throats. Once they leave, this house will finally be mine. I\u2019m telling you, that\u2019s why they moved in. They want my house.\u201d<\/p>\n
My blood ran cold. She planned this. She had planned this!<\/p>\n
She\u2019d planted the robe in Jason\u2019s closet to make it look like they were having an affair. All to drive us out of the house my dad had left behind.<\/p>\n
That night, I told Jason everything I\u2019d overheard. His face darkened with anger, and he crunched his beer can in his fist, spilling the final contents.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s trying to ruin our marriage,\u201d he said, his voice tight. \u201cAnd to think that we uprooted Emma for this? This ends now.\u201d<\/p>\n
We hatched a plan.<\/p>\n
The next morning, over coffee and bagels, I casually mentioned to Lorraine that Jason and I were considering moving out. Her face lit up, though she tried to hide it behind a thin veil of concern.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, well, if you think that\u2019s best\u2026\u201d she said, barely containing her glee.<\/p>\n
That evening, Jason and I invited a lawyer friend over for dinner, someone Lorraine didn\u2019t recognize. We told her he was a \u201crealtor\u201d helping us look for new homes, but honestly, we just wanted to figure out where we stood. Lorraine spent most of the dinner talking about how much she preferred to live alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m old now,\u201d she said, as if she were trying to convince herself. \u201cI need my space. And I\u2019m sure you kids need yours. Don\u2019t you want to give Emma a baby brother or sister?\u201d<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t sure that I wanted the house, but Jason had persuaded me to fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, honey,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s important for you to have a piece of your father\u2019s legacy. You are his legacy, yes. But he built this with his hands. This home has been around since you were a child. You want Lorraine to have it, really?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d I said. \u201cHonestly, I\u2019m not sure what I want.\u201d<\/p>\n
A week later, we called a \u201cfamily meeting\u201d in the living room. Lorraine sauntered in, confident and smug, as if she\u2019d already won.<\/p>\n
Jason handed her a stack of papers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d she asked, flipping through the pages.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the deed to the house,\u201d Jason said calmly. \u201cWe had it reviewed, and it turns out that Calla and I are the primary beneficiaries. You don\u2019t own this house, Lorraine. We do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her face went pale.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not possible. Calla! What did you do? Your father would never leave me with nothing\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe didn\u2019t leave you with nothing, Lorraine,\u201d I said. \u201cHe left you with a lot of money. But this is my childhood home. Of course, he\u2019d want me to have it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorraine started to protest, but Jason cut her off.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd before you think about pulling another stunt, know this: we\u2019re not going anywhere. But you might want to start packing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOr you can see if your boyfriend will take you in?\u201d I said nonchalantly.<\/p>\n
Lorraine stammered, her sharp tongue suddenly useless.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? There\u2019s no boyfriend?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI planned that! I staged the entire thing! There is no boyfriend, Calla. There is no cheating, which is what I wanted you to think. I wanted you to see the robe and know that\u2026 or think that something was going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d I said. \u201cI overheard you. But look, you have a week. I\u2019ll give you that because it\u2019s what my father would expect from me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be better. I\u2019ll do everything\u2014the cooking, the cleaning, homework with Emma, you name it!\u201d she begged.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want my child around you,\u201d I said simply. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but that\u2019s just how I feel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Within a week, Lorraine was gone. And I finally had peace in the home my dad had loved so much. I turned Lorraine\u2019s bedroom into a reading room for myself, and half of it a playroom for Emma.<\/p>\n
And that robe?<\/p>\n
Lorraine had conveniently left it behind. I donated it to charity with the rest of the things she\u2019d abandoned. Let someone else enjoy it because I sure as hell wasn\u2019t keeping it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Calla finds a lace robe hidden in her husband\u2019s closet, she assumes that it\u2019s a romantic surprise. But her world turns upside down when she sees her stepmother, Lorraine, wearing it. Suspicion mounts and tensions spiral as Calla overhears Lorraine\u2019s true scheme\u2026 When my dad passed away last year, it felt like the house […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34203"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34204,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34203\/revisions\/34204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}