My mother-in-law looked at my 38-week pregnant belly, told my husband, “Put a lock on both doors and let her give birth alone,” and then went off on a luxury trip to Aspen, paid for with my money. Seven days later, they returned tanned, smiling, and dragging suitcases full of shopping bags…

When he complained that they had nowhere else to go, I told him how strange it was that I felt the same way when he turned the key on me. Beulah snapped and called me ungrateful which was the moment I realized that she would never actually understand the gravity of her cruelty.

I asked her if she wanted to list all the things she had supposedly done for me or if we should start with her calling my labor a dramatic episode. Skylar shouted in the background that the money they spent was Justin’s money too but I quickly corrected her misconception.

“Every cent of this house and those accounts belongs to me, Skylar, and I am done treating your lives like an endless supply of my hard work,” I said firmly. Justin lowered his voice and promised to fix everything as soon as he saw me in person so we could move past this.

I told him he would only see me if my legal counsel allowed it and he would meet his son when a judge determined his fitness as a father. I heard a sharp gasp from Beulah before she whispered that I wouldn’t dare take her grandson away from her family.