A garage door | Photo: Shutterstock
Daughter-in-law forces elderly mother-in-law to move into old garage; weeks later, a man shows up – Story of the Day
An elderly woman’s only son married and moved in with his mother. Shortly after, the husband had to travel abroad for several months on business. The woman then took advantage of the situation to force her mother-in-law to live in the garage.
When Beatriz’s son, MatÃas, got married, he asked his mother if he and his wife Rita could move in with her in the enormous five-bedroom house he’d grown up in. Beatriz, who was feeling lonely, happily agreed.
She never imagined that one day her idyll would turn into a nightmare, with her beloved son disappearing without a trace, and with Rita showing her true face as a ruthless vixen and expelling Beatriz from her own home.
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
MatÃas and Rita moved in right after their honeymoon, and at first, the three of them lived very happily together. Since MatÃas and Rita worked, Beatriz, who was retired, took care of the kitchen.
The newlyweds were more than happy with the situation, as it allowed them to save up for their own home and live very comfortably. As for Beatriz, she was happy to have her son with her and became close friends with Rita.
Things changed when MatÃas was promoted, and his company required him to travel around the world for weeks at a time. For Rita, Beatriz’s presence made her feel less alone and isolated.
The two women waited patiently for Mati’s return and Skyped him every day. During one call, MatÃas informed them he would have to stay in London for six months, which annoyed Beatriz and Rita.
“Listen, Rita, Mom,” Mati said gently. “I know it’s going to be hard being apart for so long, but after this, they’ve promised me I’ll be promoted to the main office, and there’ll be no more traveling!”
Rita complained: “MatÃas, we’ve been apart more than together since we got married!”
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
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Beatriz had to agree with her daughter-in-law. “My dear son, you know I adore you, but Rita is right,” she said. “It’s you Rita needs, not me.”
“Mom, come on,” she said. “I need to do this so we can afford our own place! We all have to make sacrifices, and I’m not too excited about it either!”
Two weeks later, MatÃas left the two women in his life behind. At first, he Skyped with them every night and seemed cheerful and happy, but as time went on, things changed.
Mati’s calls became shorter, and he seemed tired. Then he stopped calling every day. His calls were three times a week, then twice, then once… And then came a week in which Mati didn’t call anymore.
After a second week without any calls, Rita and Beatriz became worried. They tried calling his phone and the hotel where he was staying, but he didn’t answer their calls. Finally, Rita called her husband’s boss and asked where he was.
“MatÃas?” the boss asked, surprised. “But he left London two weeks ago! He worked like crazy and finished the project in three months. He said he was desperate to get home…”
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Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
When Rita hung up the phone, she was pale and her lips were trembling. “Beatriz,” she said. “They say she’s back home! They don’t know where she is.”
Rita and Beatriz contacted the airline they traveled to and were told that Mati hadn’t boarded their flight. When they called the British police, they got nothing. MatÃas had disappeared without a trace.
The two women dealt with the blow in their own ways. Beatriz prayed, but Rita grew increasingly angry and began to take it out on Beatriz.
“Your son!” he cried. “He’s abandoned me, but I’m sure he’s told you where he is!”
“No, Rita,” Beatriz replied. “I swear…”
“An oath?” Rita cried. “I believed MatÃas’s oaths, and here I am alone! It’s been three months, and believe me, I’m not going to wait forever!” That night, Rita got dressed up and put on red lipstick.
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
“Where are you going?” Beatriz asked, surprised.
“Get out!” Rita shouted. “Get out, where there are men who want me!”
That was just the first of many nights Rita spent away from home, and soon she brought a tall, dark man to spend the night with her.
When Beatriz protested, Rita became furious. “MatÃas abandoned me! I don’t owe him anything, and Bruno loves me, so shut up, old lady!”
The next day, Beatriz was surprised to see her belongings piled up by the front door. “What are my things doing there?” she asked.
“You’re moving into the garage,” Rita said. “That way I can entertain my friends. Besides, Bruno is moving out, and we need our privacy.” No matter how much Beatriz protested, Rita was adamant, and the old woman was forced to live in the dusty, moldy garage.
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Pexels
Beatriz had never been so unhappy. Not only had her beloved son disappeared, but the girl she had taken into her home was now treating her like a slave. But just when things seemed hopeless, something wonderful happened.
Beatriz was sitting in front of the garage when a car pulled up and a familiar figure got out. “MatÃas!” Beatriz shouted. “Is that really you? What happened? I thought you were dead.”
“Mom,” she smiled and ran to her mother and hugged her. “Didn’t you get my texts?”
Beatriz shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “No!” she said. “We’ve been waiting for three months…”
“Oh, no,” said Mati. “The hospital was supposed to contact you! I had a serious accident and I’ve been recovering, but I’m 100% fine now. Poor Rita must be very worried.” At that moment, Matias noticed the expression on his mother’s face. “Mom, what’s wrong?” she asked.
“Son, I don’t live in the house anymore… I sleep in the garage,” Beatriz explained. “Rita made her boyfriend move out…”
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Shutterstock
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“How dare you!” he shouted. “I’ll set things right!”
He walked to the front door and opened it. Inside, he found himself face to face with Rita and her suitor. Rita’s mouth fell open at the sight of her husband.
“MatÃas!” she cried. “Honey, you’re alive!”
“Yes,” he said coldly. “But I’m not your darling. Pack your things and leave my mother’s house. I never want to see you again.”
Rita cried and made excuses, but MatÃas refused to listen, so she packed her bags and left with Bruno. Mati was saddened to discover that his mother had been mistreated by his wife and did everything he could to make it up to her.
But for Beatriz, the fact that her son was alive and healthy and back in her arms was a miracle and a dream come true.
Image for illustrative purposes. | Photo: Unsplash
What can we learn from this story?
- Love is patient and loyal:Â Rita never truly loved MatÃas. She would have waited for him as patiently as her mother, respecting her marriage vows.
- Abusive people exert their power over those they consider weak and defenseless:Â Rita was nasty to Beatriz because she believed her son had abandoned them and couldn’t protect his mother.
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This story was inspired by a reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images shown are for illustrative purposes only. Share your story with us; it could change someone’s life.
