Why I Sent My Daughter-in-Law to Jail

Maria’s POV

“Welcome back, Mom!” Troy greeted me with a warm smile.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw my son after many years we’d been separated. No words could express how much I missed him.

“Oh, son. I’m glad to be back,” I hugged him tight.

For years, I have been managing family business abroad. But when Troy told me about his upcoming engagement, I immediately booked a flight back just to be by his side on one of the special days of his life.

“You have no idea how excited I am, Mom.” Rafael kissed my forehead as he guided me to his car.

After the emotional meeting at the airport, Rafael’s drive brought us to the best restaurant in the city. It turned out that my son wanted to surprise me with a grandiose meal.

We enjoyed the food while talking about the apple of his eye, Elena Santina. Elena came from a rival mafia family but Rafael insisted that she was kind and loving. My son never asked for anything until now. Just looking in his eyes I knew he loved Elena so much.

“I’m also hoping that once Elena and I get married, the hostility between our rival families will lessen,” Rafael said, showing me the pictures of his girlfriend on the phone. “Elena is the most beautiful and kind woman I ever met, Mom. You will love her, too.”

“If that’s the case, I hope you’ll love and cherish her. I’m happy now that you found your perfect match,” I told him.

I couldn’t help but smile. We spent the rest of the afternoon catching up. Time flew and Rafael drove me to the manor where he was living alone. I took a nap as soon as we arrived to replenish my energy.

I felt my throat dry so I decided to go down to the kitchen for a glass of water when I heard Rafael’s voice in the living room.

“What the hell? I have nobody else but you. You’re the only woman I love,” Rafael explained while holding the phone next to his ear. “Just trust me, Elena. I will never cheat on you.”

After a while, Rafael’s face turned bright. I sighed, thinking whatever misunderstanding they had must have been resolved.

“I love you, Elena. Now that I have you, there’s no point looking at someone else. I only want you. I can’t believe you thought I’d do that to you,” Rafael mumbled before ending the call.

“Is everything okay?” I asked Rafael, stepping out of the shadows.

Rafael nodded and sighed. “Elena insisted I was cheating on her! She even warned me about hurting whoever my mistress is. Damn it! Is she looking down at me? I would never tarnish my name. She can be so insensible sometimes.” He clicked his tongue and ruffled his hair angrily.

I tapped Rafael’s shoulder and smiled. “Hush, now. I’m glad the misunderstanding was resolved. Maybe she’s just nervous that someone might take you away from her. Make sure that you make her feel loved every day and everything will be okay.”

Before coming home, I arranged for someone to buy me the most luxurious penthouse in the city. It wasn’t easy to get the best but with money, everything was possible. I paid over 20 million dollars to secure the penthouse I wanted to gift Elena who’d be my family soon. I would make sure she’d feel loved in the family so she wouldn’t doubt Rafael’s love for her.

The next day, I left early and went to the salon to pamper myself. There would be a lot of people attending the party so I should be presentable in front of them as Rafael’s mother.

I was working day and night abroad so I worried that I looked tired and unpleasant. A good massage on the face and body would help me relax and loosen my stiff muscles. The salon also offered other services so I let them take care of my makeup and hair.

All I needed to do was head to the hotel where the engagement party would be held. As I walked toward the door, I saw a group of young ladies coming out of a van and entering the salon. One of them was Elena, Rafael’s girlfriend.

She was indeed a beauty. I could easily recognize her even though I only saw her in pictures. A smile curled up my lips, thinking they must have visited the same salon to get ready for tonight’s party. Without thinking twice, I walked toward them with a smile to greet Elena.

“Hello, lovely ladies. I didn’t expect to bump into you here, Elena,” I said, expecting a warm greeting from her after Rafael endlessly told me she was kind and gentle.

“This bitch… Really? You have a gut to smile at me like that?” Elena grabbed my hair while glowering at me. “How dare you seduce my boyfriend?”