When I found out my grandson Timmy wasn’t receiving the $300 I sent him each month, I knew something was wrong. My suspicion quickly fell on my daughter-in-law, Susan. Determined to get to the bottom of it, I came up with a clever plan to catch her in the act.
For months, I had been sending $300 through Susan, who was supposed to give it to Timmy. We agreed she wouldn’t tell him where the money came from—I didn’t want him to think I was trying to buy his affection. The money was meant to teach him how to handle finances, not to spoil him.
Susan and my son were doing well financially, but I wanted Timmy to have some pocket money to learn how to manage it. Everything seemed fine—until one day, Timmy called me asking for more money.
“Grandma, can you send me some money? I really want to buy this toy I’ve been dreaming about,” he said, his voice filled with excitement.
I was puzzled. “But Timmy, didn’t your mom give you pocket money last week?”
“No,” he said, sounding disappointed. “I’ve been asking for pocket money, but she says I’m too young.”
My jaw dropped. I was furious. Something wasn’t right. I decided to dig deeper.
“But what about the toys you already have?” I asked. “Where did you get the money for those?”
“Dad sometimes gives me money for chores, but it’s not enough to buy the toy I want. Mom says I shouldn’t ask you for money, but please, Grandma, just this once?”
His words hit me hard. I had tried to give Susan the benefit of the doubt, but now I suspected something was seriously wrong. Had she been keeping the money for herself?
Feeling a surge of anger, I knew I needed to find out the truth. So, I came up with a plan to catch Susan red-handed.
The next day, I called Susan. “Hey Susan, it’s been a while since we’ve had some girl time. How about a shopping trip?” I said, trying to sound casual even though I was seething inside.
Susan agreed eagerly, unaware of my plan. We met up and headed to an antique store owned by my friend Helen. Susan had no idea I had set everything up with Helen beforehand.
When we arrived, Helen greeted us warmly. “Welcome! Anything catch your eye?” she asked, playing her role perfectly.
I made small talk and casually asked to see some jewelry. Helen showed us a beautiful necklace, and Susan’s eyes lit up.
“Oh, it’s stunning!” she exclaimed. “How much?”
“Five hundred dollars,” Helen replied with a smile.
Susan’s face fell. I watched her closely, seeing her mind racing as she tried to figure out how she could get the money. This was the moment I had been waiting for.
As we left the store, I brought up Timmy. “You know, Susan, I’ve been thinking about sending Timmy an extra $500 so he can buy that toy he really wants.”
Susan’s eyes widened, barely able to contain her excitement. “That’s so generous of you, Mary!” she gushed.
Later that evening, I prepared an envelope with fake money—play money from an old board game. I sealed it with a note that read, “For Timmy, love Grandma,” and waited.
The next day, Susan went straight to the antique store. Helen called me as soon as she arrived. “She’s here,” Helen whispered. “She’s asking to see the necklace again.”
Perfect. I hurried to the store, my heart racing with anticipation.
When I arrived, I saw Susan at the counter, handing Helen the envelope. Helen took one look at the money and her face darkened.
“This is fake money,” Helen said, holding up one of the counterfeit bills.
Susan’s face went pale. “What? No! That’s impossible!” she stammered.
Helen stood firm. “This is clearly fake. I’ll have to call the police.”
At that moment, I stepped forward. “Susan, what’s going on?”
“Mary, please help me!” she cried, her voice frantic. “She says the money is fake!”
I looked her squarely in the eye. “That’s because it is, Susan.”
Susan stared at me in shock as she realized what was happening. “You’ve been stealing the money I sent for Timmy, haven’t you?”
Susan broke down in tears, falling to her knees. “I’m so sorry, Mary. I didn’t mean for it to go this far. I was just so tempted.”
I stayed calm but firm. “From now on, I’ll be giving Timmy the money directly. You’ve lost my trust, Susan.”
She nodded, still sobbing. Helen, understanding the gravity of the situation, decided not to call the police, but the lesson was clear.
And that’s how I exposed my daughter-in-law’s deception. It wasn’t easy, but sometimes tough love is necessary to set things right.
