My MIL Always Hated Me for No Reason, but Then She Said She Was Dying and Gave Me Keys to a Motel Room with a Note That Said ‘I’m Sorry’

Do you know what it feels like to be unwelcome in your own family? I do. All too well. First, my dad won full custody over my mom and forbade her from seeing me.

And even when I turned eighteen, my mom did not even try to contact me. At her funeral, I saw her for the first time as an adult.

My dad never needed me. He only took me to hurt my mom. And the moment I turned eighteen, he waved goodbye and told me I no longer had to come home. All my life, I felt alone. Until I met Rob, my husband.

Rob became my best friend, my partner, and my lover. The person who proved to me that there was nothing wrong with me. That I deserved love. We met at the very first college party and had not been apart since.

Rob was the one source of support I had never had, and I tried to be the same for him. But nothing in life is perfect, right? There is always a catch. And the catch was Rob’s mom, Carla.

This woman hated me from the very first moment we met. And although years had passed, I still had no idea why.

No matter how many times I asked Carla what was wrong, no matter how often I tried to fix things or find a compromise, she did everything in her power to make my life miserable.

She always wanted Rob to see me in a bad light. She kept picking fights and never let us live in peace. I begged Rob to cut ties with her, but he said that was not an option. She was family, after all.

One evening, Rob came home looking heartbroken. He silently sank into the couch.

“Is everything alright?” I asked.

“No,” Rob murmured. “Mom is very sick,” he whispered.

I sat beside him and took his hand. “What happened?” I asked gently.

Rob shrugged and wiped away a tear. “She said she only has a few months left. Maybe less.”

“Oh God… Is there anything they can do?” I asked.

“No,” he replied.

And I guess he couldn’t hold back anymore—he hugged me and started crying. I stroked his back, not knowing what else to do.

While I didn’t love Carla, I was not a monster. I felt sorry for her—and even more for Rob.

The next day, we both took time off work and drove to Carla’s place to support her. She lay in bed, frail and pale, struggling to breathe, barely able to speak.

“I need to ask you something,” Carla said to Rob.

“Anything,” he responded and sat down beside her.

“I want you to move in with me. I can’t do this on my own. I need help.”

I froze, waiting for his reply. Surely he would not just agree like that. We were a family too. We’d been planning to have a baby.

“Of course,” Rob said.

I gasped before I even realized it. Rob and Carla both looked at me. I cleared my throat and said, “Rob, can we talk for a minute?”

He nodded, and we stepped into the hallway. Rob gently closed Carla’s door behind us.

“Is something wrong?” Rob asked.

“How could you agree to move in just like that?” I questioned.

“What else do you want me to do?” Rob replied.

“I don’t know—maybe have her move in with us,” I offered.

“I asked her yesterday. She said it would be too hard living with you. She can’t handle any stress right now,” Rob explained.

“So you’re just going to move in here alone?” I asked.

“Elison, I have no choice. My mom is sick. She needs help,” Rob insisted.

“Are you serious? What about us? What about our plans for a baby?” I demanded.

“Stop being so selfish,” Rob snapped, and my eyebrows shot up in disbelief. His phone rang. “It’s work,” he said and stepped away to answer.

“Elison!” Carla called from her room.

“Yes?” I replied as I walked in.

“I know I haven’t been the best mother-in-law all these years, but now, lying on my deathbed, I want to give you something,” Carla said.

“Please don’t say that,” I murmured.

“Open the drawer in the nightstand,” she told me.

I did as she said and found a motel key and a small folded note. It read, “I’m sorry.”

“What’s this?” I asked.

“It’s the key to a motel room not far from here. Go there in three days, and you’ll understand everything,” Carla replied.

“Alright,” I said and tucked the key and note away.

That same day, Rob moved out. I helped him carry the last of his bags into Carla’s house.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked.

“Elison, please don’t start. I love you so much, and I hate that we’re going to live apart. But my mom needs me right now,” Rob said.

“Okay,” I whispered and kissed him goodbye. Then I drove back home, where no one was waiting for me anymore.

For the next three days, I couldn’t stop thinking about that key Carla gave me. I couldn’t wait to find out what was waiting in that room. Was it possible she truly wanted to make things right?

Finally, the day came. I drove straight to the motel after work, quickly found the room, and unlocked the door.

I expected anything—but not this. Just a basic motel room. Nothing special. I checked the bathroom. I circled the room three times. Nothing stood out. Until I saw the blinking light on the room’s landline phone.

There was a voicemail. I hit play and immediately recognized the voice. It was Carla.

Well, if you are listening to this, it means my plan worked, and there is not much time left until you and Rob split. I hated you long before you even met Rob. Want to know why? Your careless mother ruined my life.

We used to be best friends—until she stole the man I loved. The man who became your father.

She destroyed everything for me, so I made sure to destroy her life… and yours. I was your father’s lawyer.

I helped him get full custody of you. As painful as it was to see him, I did it. I told your mother you hated her and that she should not even try to reach out.

I did everything I could to stop Rob from marrying you, but I failed. So now all I need to do is pretend to be sick and have Rob take care of me. I get a front-row seat to watch your marriage fall apart.

And once it does, feel free to rent this room. It is just as cheap as you are. The only thing I regret is not doing this sooner.

I sat there in shock. How could anyone be so cruel? I couldn’t wait. I had to show Rob this message.

I texted him. No response. I called. Nothing. So I had no choice but to go to Carla’s house.

When Rob opened the door and saw me, he stepped outside so we could talk.

“You okay? You look… off,” Rob said.

“Your mom gave me a key to a motel. She left a voicemail on the landline. She said she’s only pretending to be sick so she can ruin our marriage. Because my mom stole my dad from her,” I explained.

“Elison, that sounds insane,” Rob muttered.

“Come with me. I will show you,” I pleaded.

“Alright, let me just tell my mom,” he said.

“No. Don’t tell her where we’re going—she might delete the message,” I warned.

“I’ll say I’m going to the store,” Rob agreed.

“Okay,” I nodded.

We drove to the motel, and I opened the door with trembling hands. We stepped inside, and I pressed the voicemail button.

But instead of the cruel message… another one played. One that nearly made my jaw hit the floor.

Dear Elison, I know we did not always get along, and I am truly sorry for that. Please forgive me. I should have been a better mother-in-law, and I finally see that now. I hope we still have a chance to make things right.

Carla’s voice was so sweet and kind that it made me sick.

“That is not what you told me,” Rob said.

“I know, I know. I swear, there was a different message before,” I insisted.

“Elison, I hate living apart too. But accusing my mom of faking an illness? That’s too far,” Rob replied.

“No, please, believe me. I don’t know how she did it, how she replaced the message, but she did say all of that,” I begged.

Rob shook his head. “I might expect something like that from her… but not from you.”

“I’m not lying,” I said.

“I think we should stop talking for a while,” Rob said and walked out.

I collapsed on the bed and cried. I felt insane. I started to believe maybe that message had never existed. But I knew what I had heard! Carla would stop at nothing to destroy my marriage.

And now there was only one person who could prove I was telling the truth. Someone I had not seen in years.

Convincing my dad to come with me and admit that Carla helped him take me from my mom was no easy task.

He clearly wanted nothing to do with me. But in the end, he agreed—after I promised he would never have to see me again.

So there we were, standing on Carla’s porch. I rang the bell, and Rob opened the door.

“Elison, I told you I need time,” Rob said. Then he looked at my dad. “Who is this?”

“I’m her father,” my dad replied gruffly. Rob frowned.

“Let us in. We need to talk to Carla,” I said.

“She’s not sick!” I shouted. Rob’s face tightened with anger. “Okay. I’m sorry. But you really need to hear this,” I added.

“If it turns out to be a lie, I’ll consider divorce,” Rob stated coldly.

I froze. “Fine. If that’s what you want,” I said, and Rob let us in and led us to Carla’s room.

“What are they doing here?!” Carla snapped when she saw us. She sounded perfectly healthy—then quickly switched to a weak, shaky voice. “I do not want any visitors.”

“We just want to talk,” I said and looked at my dad. He stood silently. “Tell them,” I whispered to him.

“Oh. Right. Carla and I dated before I met Elison’s mom. I left Carla for her and later cheated on my wife. She filed for divorce, even though I begged her not to. I wanted revenge, so I took Elison away from her. Carla was my lawyer. She helped me win custody,” he confessed.

Rob looked stunned. “Mom, is that true?”

“Of course not! How could I do something like that?” Carla exclaimed.

“I have papers showing Carla was my lawyer. I can bring them,” my dad added. “She hated Elison’s mother with all her heart. I was shocked when I found out she let her son marry Elison.”

“That is a lie!” Carla screamed.

“Mom, are you really sick? Or is this just another of your schemes to break us up?” Rob asked.

“I… how can you believe her?!” Carla cried.

“Oh my God, you can’t even come up with a good excuse,” Rob said quietly. “I’ve had enough of you and your pathetic games! I nearly destroyed my marriage because of you!” he yelled.

“Don’t you dare yell at your mother!” Carla shrieked.

“Goodbye, Mom,” Rob said and stormed out of the room—and out of the house.

“Are you happy now?!” Carla screamed at me.

“More than ever,” I replied and walked out too.

Rob and I had a lot to work through. But we would make it. We loved each other. And Carla would never again be a part of our lives.

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