Vacation Nightmare (For Them)

Johnny avoided my gaze, his expression evasive. I snatched his phone, and my suspicion was confirmed—it was Kaley.

Kaley: [Didn't you see my message? Hurry up and open the door!]

Before I could react, my brother-in-law bolted downstairs, practically bouncing with excitement, and soon returned with Kaley.

"Mom, Dad, bro—Kaley's here! Lizzie, what's for dinner tonight? Make something nice!" he said cheerfully, dumping Kaley's luggage into my arms without a second thought.

Kaley's son, Alex, marched into the living room as if it were his own home, shoes and all, and promptly leaped onto the leather sofa I had just spent five thousand dollars on, using it as a trampoline. His loud laughter echoed through the room.

I frowned, my stomach tightening at the sight, but Marlene beamed. She grabbed Kaley's hands, holding them tightly.

"Ah, Kaley, it's such a shame things didn't work out between you and Johnny back then… sigh… You know, I treat Alex like my real grandson. Anyway, I don't care—bring him here more often, alright?"

Even my usually stern father-in-law seemed smitten. He cradled Alex in his arms, cooing, "Oh, my precious little one," and then sighed heavily. "Our family has no luck. We lost out on such a good daughter-in-law and such a sweet grandson."

It was as if I'd vanished from the room, a ghost no one acknowledged. They sang Kaley's praises with no attempt to hide it. My chest tightened painfully. Years of sacrifice and devotion—for what? Nothing, apparently. Had they all forgotten that Johnny had once been buried in online loan debt because of Kaley?

Johnny and Kaley had grown up as neighbors and had been classmates for twelve years. They'd even gone into business together—until Kaley and her ex-husband ran off with the money.

Back then, I'd silently loved Johnny from afar. When he hit rock bottom, I offered him a helping hand. One thing led to another, and eventually, we were married.

For years, I'd cherished this relationship, giving my all to this family. From my in-laws to my brother-in-law, I had done everything in my power to fulfill my role. I handled my in-laws' every need—food, clothing, annual medical checkups, even vacations.

For my brother-in-law, their late-in-life child, I went above and beyond. When his grades faltered, I paid for him to attend an international school. When he failed his college entrance exams, I helped him apply to universities abroad.

Ask anyone in the Cooper family's social circle—they'd all say I was the best daughter-in-law under the sun.

And yet, none of it seemed to matter. This family showered affection on a woman who had betrayed them and treated me like a convenient tool.

Kaley plopped down on the leather sofa as if she owned the place, throwing me a deliberate glance.

"Oh, you're home too, Lizzie! I was so busy greeting George and Marlene that I didn't see you there," she said with an exaggerated smile.

Turning to my in-laws, she added, "George, Marlene, Alex and I can't get enough of Lizzie's cooking. You know us—we're easy to please!"

Marlene shot me a pointed look, clearly expecting me to jump into action, but I remained seated and sipped on my tea, my expression indifferent.

Kaley's eyes flickered, her voice softening. "Lizzie, are you upset with me? Johnny told me you were planning a trip, and I thought Alex, who's never been out of the city, might enjoy tagging along. I begged Johnny to let us come. When the plane tickets ran out, I said I wouldn't go. But Johnny insisted, saying Alex should see more of the world to broaden his horizons… Really, I feel bad for troubling you."

Off to the side, my brother-in-law Zack was sprawled out with the iPad I'd bought him, laughing as he played some game. "Lizzie doesn't mind, I'm sure. Driving with a kid can be rough. I told her we should just fly, but someone had to be cheap. Besides, Lizzie loves driving, so now she can drive to her heart's content!"

Kaley frowned and turned to him with a gentle scolding. "That's no way to talk about your sister-in-law. She's your elder, no matter what."

Zack immediately switched gears, sweet-talking Kaley and apologizing for his slip-up. Before long, the two of them were laughing together like nothing had happened.