I thought my future mother-in-law was loving and supportive of my union with her son. But she detested me and had been pretending from the day we met! My tale is of deceit, lies, and ultimately revenge! With my new husband’s support, we put her in her place!
I, Joana, 34, was looking forward to finally marrying the man of my dreams, my fiancé Leo, 35. But I didn’t expect that his family would try to come between us.
Here’s some background before I get into how we got here. Leo and I have been together for two blissful years. We are finally getting ready for our big day, which is coming soon. But what I didn’t expect was to overhear my fiancé’s family making ulterior plans against me.
A woman lying in bed reading a book | Source: Pexels
So this is what happened. I woke up the other day feeling unwell and decided to call in sick to work. The plan was for me to just stay home nursing myself back to health. Since Leo had already left the apartment for his job, I decided to text him, saying:
“Hi babe, I hope you’re having a good morning. I woke up feeling under the weather and decided to stay home for the day. I already called in sick, so please bring me lunch if you can. I love you!”
I remember the day clearly. Leo surprised me by arriving at our apartment during his lunch break! I thought he’d read my message and had actually brought me some food.
A woman texting on her phone while lying in bed | Source: Pexels
In my excitement, I was about to go out of the bedroom to hug him and thank him for coming to check on me when I heard other voices.
My fiancé had come over with my future mother-in-law (MIL) and sister-in-law (SIL). From the conversation they were having, it seemed they’d come over to pick something up from our apartment during Leo’s lunch break. He was helping his sister move.
Yet, Leo didn’t look for me when he arrived, which made me realize he hadn’t read my text. So he didn’t know I was home. “You guys wait here, let me go and throw this trash out, and then we can go,” he said as he emptied the bin and went outside.
A man outside holding a trash bag | Source: Freepik
The moment he went out the door, his mother and sister began trashing me! They were mocking everything from my kitchen decor to my personal style! “Who chooses such colors for a kitchen,” my future SIL laughed as I listened.
“Never mind the kitchen, what about the way she looks?” my future MIL added laughing at me too. “She’s not a good fit for Leo,” she commented, continuing to say disgusting and quite hurtful things about me.
An older woman laughing and conversing with a younger one | Source: Freepik
Lying in bed I seethed with a mixture of shock and anger! I couldn’t believe the disdain they harbored for me. Quietly, I reached for the old dictaphone on my nightstand and pressed record because my phone was flat. Every harsh word, every cruel laugh captured, unbeknownst to them.
I was SO hurt! I didn’t know that they felt this way about me. Every time we conversed or I was around them, they were kind and supportive. They’d even offered to help with the wedding planning, for goodness sake!
A photo of an old dictaphone | Source: Pixabay
Just when I thought I’d heard enough and they couldn’t stoop any lower, it got even worse! My future MIL continued speaking ill of me, dropping a huge bombshell to her daughter about her crazy plan, saying:
“The silly girl doesn’t even suspect that she’ll NEVER become a mother to our future grandkid because I’m going to use Leo’s ex as an egg donor.”
My jaw DROPPED! The ex she mentioned was Eve, the blonde model-looking woman that Leo dated for four years before me. He’d broken up with her after proposing when he found out she’d been cheating on him.
The infidelity happened with different men and throughout their relationship!
That was the person whose grandchildren Leo’s mother wanted!? The reason why they didn’t want my grandchildren was because my genes were “tainted” by my “fat and diabetic parents,” and weren’t good enough.
A happy middle-aged couple embracing while holding snow shovels | Source: Pexels
I mean, I understood that I was nothing like Eve. I was short, and a bit chubby, and I spoke my mind when forced to, but I didn’t deserve to be trashed like that!
That evening when Leo and I were alone, I played back the recording. The hurt was clear in his eyes as he listened to his mother’s unfiltered opinions.
At first, he tried to downplay it, suggesting they were venting. But the reality of their betrayal sank in as he continued to listen.
A woman looks at the camera while her man lies back contemplating something | Source: Pexels
He confronted his mother the next day, demanding she apologize, but she refused. The woman was adamant that there was nothing wrong with her behavior! Leo, torn between his family and me, devised a plan.
“Let’s show everyone her true colors,” he said, his resolve hardening. My future MIL didn’t even suspect she would regret what she said on our wedding day as my fiancé and I made our plans.\
A happy couple sitting in their bedroom | Source: Pexels
The wedding day arrived with tension simmering beneath the surface of every smile and congratulations. Leo’s mother delivered her toast, her voice dripping with fake affection and well-wishes.
As the applause died down, Leo stood and nodded at me. My heart pounding, I hit play on the speaker system. The venomous words filled the room, each syllable a sharp contrast to the loving speech she had just given.
We had decided that after his mother’s “sweet” toast at our wedding, we would play the recording of her talking to my SIL in our apartment for all to hear.
A woman reacting in shock | Source: Freepik
The room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop as the reality of her duplicity settled over the crowd. Leo’s mother, her face a mask of horror and embarrassment, stood frozen in her seat.
Then, as the recording ended, she walked out, her exit a walk of shame under the stunned gazes of family and friends. My SIL also darted her eyes around at everyone before following suit!
Leo, a supportive and loving new husband, squeezed my hand, his eyes apologetic, and yet fierce. “I’m sorry you had to endure that,” he whispered. “But I hope now we can start fresh, without secrets or lies.”
A couple dancing on their wedding day | Source: Pexels
As the wedding continued, the atmosphere lightened. People approached us, offering words of support and expressing their shock. Leo and I realized that this ordeal, as painful as it was, might have purged the venom that threatened our future together.
Looking back, I often wonder if happiness in marriage can truly coexist with familial strife. That day, Leo chose us over the blind allegiance to his family’s pretenses.
In doing so, he gave our love a fighting chance.
A couple embracing on their wedding day | Source: Pexels
Despite the drama, or perhaps because of it, we understood that together, we could face anything. As we danced under the soft glow of the reception lights, I felt a sense of triumph, not from revenge, but from the affirmation of our unity in the face of adversity.
A happy couple embracing at the beach | Source: Pexels
While Joana’s tale ended on a good note with her new husband choosing her over his family, things were not the same for Jane. In the following story, Jane discovers her fiancé’s true nature and with the support of their friends, she leaves him choosing to know her true worth.
Money can’t buy true happiness, so despite a $400 million fortune, Arnold Schwarzenegger lives a low-key life on his farm
In addition to being a celebrity, 75-year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger is also in charge of managing his home and caring for his pets. The actor also landed the part of grandfather.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s estimated net worth in 2021 was $400 million, according to reports. Due to his fortune, he is able to reside in the Pacific Palisades region of Los Angeles, where he owns a mansion with views of the canyons and Pacific Ocean.
The “Terminator” actor and his family have been residing in the Mediterranean-style house for some time. Situated in one of the most elite gated neighborhoods in the city, the property encompasses over 2.5 acres.
When his five children, Joseph Baena, Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher Schwarzenegger, come to visit, the home can accommodate them all with its seven bedrooms and baths. There are more breathtaking details throughout the Golden Globe Award nominee’s home.
It features multiple living rooms, a private gym, a chef’s kitchen, entertainment spaces, and much more. The house features a large swimming pool with a spa, a duck pond, and a tennis court outside. Additionally, it has a private patio and balconies with views of the mountains and beach.
There is ample space on the estate for the actor to establish a stable in the back of the property with his pets, Whiskey the pony and Lulu the small donkey.
The “Predator” actor’s home also features entertaining areas and patio furniture. Pets are welcome in his backyard, where they are free to roam the spacious field.
Arnold opened his house to the public in 2020 while COVID-19 was on lockdown. That year, when the pandemic quarantine started, the actor posted a video of himself chilling out in the kitchen with Lulu and Whiskey. The vast green field was visible from his rear terrace. Rain or shine, the actor could enjoy the outdoors in his lounge area.
The “Total Recall” actor moved to a nearby location from the family home to be nearer to his kids following his divorce from Maria Shriver.
Even though Arnold was quite wealthy, he nevertheless managed many aspects of his household on his own. With his ex-wife, Mildred Baena, he had Joseph and Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher.
Arnold’s Typical Day-to-Day Activities
Arnold posted a picture of himself carrying a loaded trolley at a Walmart on Facebook in 2014. The actor described how he got an idea after going to the shop and noticing his Muscle Pharm Arnold Series items on the shelves.
He made the decision to issue a challenge to his followers: discover the product in the store, snap pictures, and send them to him. He would then upload the best ones.
Arnold had previously been seen shopping at the retail store. Just by being there, the former governor of California incited chaos at a Walmart in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2011. While filming there, he tweeted that he had left around two in the morning to grab some nutritious snacks.
The actor reportedly published a snapshot of his check-in location and spent $300 on warm garments for his crew. He also expressed gratitude to the Walmart staff for their help.
Arnold revealed his morning ritual on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in February 2022. He disclosed that he would up early, maybe at 5:45 or 6 a.m., in order to tend to his “complaining animals.”
He fed his animals for the first hour because Lulu would “scream” if she wasn’t attended to and let out of her stall. Before he returned the animals to their stables, they would run around on the grass.
In addition to Whiskey and Lulu, the actor owns a large dog named Dutch, who would howl for food and attack his toes if left unfed! The celebrity revealed in a comical way that his neighbors would be awakened by the commotion of the animals if he didn’t feed them!
Ironically, Whiskey and Lulu are welcome guests in the house, where he feeds them oatmeal cookies in the kitchen since Arnold finds the “farmer’s chores” enjoyable and soothing.
Even though the cookies were intended for horses, the actor offers them to the dogs when they become envious! Additionally, he admitted to Jimmy Kimmel that the cookies were so delicious that he ate them!
Arnold disclosed that guests may find the situation peculiar as the dogs would pounce on them and Lulu would run around the home! He recalled his cousin’s arrival just before Christmas in 2021, during which she was taken aback since she was unaware that his animals were staying at the house!
When Lulu shouted and raced inside the house demanding cookies, the cousin was taken aback. His shocked relative questioned why the animal was in the house and not the stable after the actor spoke to it calmly.
Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt screamed out anytime Lyla was touched, according to Arnold Schwarzenegger, since she thought he was cradling the infant incorrectly.
The celebrity became wealthy not only from performing but also from modeling, politics, bodybuilding, and commercial ventures. But when he accepted certain people into his life, everything changed.
How Did Being a Grandfather Affect Arnold’s Life?
When Katherine and her husband, Chris Pratt, welcomed their second child, Eloise Christina, in 2022, Arnold became a grandfather twice over. The actor mentioned how simple it was to play the part and gave an explanation.
He would play with his oldest granddaughter, Lyla Maria, for an hour or two when she came to visit. After two hours of visiting, he put her on the horse, they played with the dog, and the child and her parents would depart!
The actor claimed to love their visits and to be very proud of his daughter, even though he believes Chris to be a wonderful man. Additionally, he enjoys spending time with his granddaughter, son-in-law, and daughter when they visit because:
“Every room in the house lights up when they arrive.”
The “Twins” actor claimed in 2021 that Lyla had paid him multiple visits at his Los Angeles residence. He thought the young girl would make an excellent horseback rider when she got to sit on Whiskey and Lulu.
He claimed that his daughter was the diaper changing specialist and that he had never changed his granddaughter’s. Arnold told how Katherine would get really uncomfortable anytime Lyla was touched because she thought he was holding the baby incorrectly, but he would counter that he had done it before and found the whole argument entertaining!
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