It all started when my mother-in-law, Cynthia, moved in with us. At first, it seemed like a good idea. Tony, my husband, had just landed a big opportunity to start his own business, and we were both going to be busier than ever. Cynthia offered to help take care of our daughter, Lisa, and even though I had my doubts, I agreed. After all, family is family, right? But soon after she moved in, things started to get… strange.
Lisa, our sweet, cheerful little girl, began acting differently. She was always tired, cranky, and not her usual bubbly self. One night, I woke up to find her sleepwalking through the house, clutching the teddy bear Cynthia had given her when she first arrived. I followed her quietly, my heart pounding, and what I discovered that night shocked me. It was the beginning of a mystery I had to solve.
Let me rewind a bit. Our life before Cynthia moved in was peaceful and happy. Tony worked as a financial analyst, always dreaming of starting his own business, while I balanced my career and took care of our home. Lisa was the center of our world—a bright, energetic little girl who filled our days with laughter.
One evening, Tony came home with exciting news. “Amelie, I found partners, and I can finally start my own business, just like I’ve always dreamed!” he announced, grinning from ear to ear.
“That’s amazing, Tony!” I hugged him, feeling proud. “You’ve worked so hard for this.”
But then his expression turned serious. “There’s something I need to talk to you about,” he said. “With our new jobs, we’ll be even busier. Mom has been complaining about her health and suggested moving in with us. She wants to help take care of Lisa.”
I frowned. “Tony, you know how Cynthia feels about our marriage. She never really accepted me.”
“I know,” Tony replied, looking a little guilty. “But she insisted. And we really could use the help right now.”
I sighed, unsure. “Alright, but only because we need the help. And of course, she wants to move in now that things are looking up for us.”
A few days later, Cynthia arrived with a big smile and a gift for Lisa—a fluffy teddy bear. “Hello, Lisa! Look what Grandma brought you,” she said, handing the bear to Lisa.
“Thank you, Grandma!” Lisa hugged the bear tightly, her eyes sparkling with joy.
Tony looked at me, hoping I would make an effort. “Thanks, Cynthia. I’m sure Lisa will love it,” I said, forcing a smile.
“Amelie, I know we’ve had our differences,” Cynthia began. “But I want to make this work for Tony and Lisa.”
“I hope so,” I replied cautiously.
At first, everything seemed fine. But soon, I noticed changes in Lisa. She became cranky and sleepy during the day, and she wasn’t her usual cheerful self. One afternoon, I asked her, “Lisa, honey, why are you so tired?”
“I don’t know, Mommy. I just feel sleepy,” she replied, yawning.
That night, I saw her sleepwalking. Her eyes were closed, and she was clutching the teddy bear. I gently guided her back to bed, but the worry stayed with me.
The next morning, I brought it up with Tony. “Tony, I saw Lisa sleepwalking last night. She was wandering around with that teddy bear your mom gave her.”
Tony looked surprised. “Really? That’s strange.”
Before he could say more, Cynthia chimed in. “Oh, that’s perfectly normal. Tony used to sleepwalk as a child too. There’s nothing to worry about,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
“Are you sure?” I asked, looking at her thoughtfully.
“Absolutely. It’s just a phase,” Cynthia insisted.
But things kept getting weirder. One morning, Tony noticed money missing from his wallet. “Amelie, have you seen some money I left in my wallet? It’s missing,” he said, looking puzzled.
“No, I haven’t touched your wallet,” I replied honestly.
Later, I found the exact amount of money in my purse. “Tony, look at this. Is this the amount you were missing?” I asked, showing him the money.
Tony nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly how I tied and stored the amount in my wallet yesterday. That’s strange. Maybe you took it by mistake?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m sure I didn’t. It’s really odd.”
The next few days, I kept a closer eye on Lisa. She was still cranky and tired during the day, and she clung to the teddy bear more than usual. One night, I saw her sleepwalking again. This time, her eyes were wide open, but she didn’t seem to notice me. She walked straight to Cynthia’s room. I paused outside the door and heard Cynthia’s voice, low and insistent.
“Go to your parents’ room… Take the money from the safe, Lisa. Remember, it’s our little secret.”
My blood ran cold. I hurried back to wake Tony. “Tony, wake up! You have to see this,” I whispered urgently.
Tony groggily opened his eyes. “What’s going on, Amelie?”
“It’s Lisa. She’s in your mom’s room. I heard Cynthia giving her instructions to take money from the safe,” I said, my voice trembling.
Tony sat up, looking frustrated. “Amelie, you’re overreacting. Mom wouldn’t do that.”
“Please, Tony, just come and see,” I begged.
Reluctantly, he followed me to Cynthia’s room. We quietly opened the door and saw both Cynthia and Lisa seemingly asleep. Tony sighed in exasperation. “See, they’re both asleep. You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”
“No, Tony, I know what I heard,” I insisted.
Frustrated, Tony stomped over to the safe. “I’ll prove to you that this is all a misunderstanding. The money should be right here.” But when he opened the safe, his face went pale. “What? No, this has to be a joke. The money was here this morning!”
“Tony, it’s not a joke. Your mother is responsible for this,” I said firmly.
The commotion woke everyone up. Cynthia came into the room, looking defensive. “What’s all this noise about?”
Tony turned to her, fury in his eyes. “Mom, did you ask Lisa to steal money from the safe?”
Cynthia’s eyes widened, and she started to deny it. “Of course not! How could you even think that?”
Just then, Lisa started to cry, scared and confused by the shouting. I knelt down and gently took her hand. “Lisa, sweetie, can you tell us what happened? It’s important.”
Lisa sniffled and nodded. She walked over to my purse and pointed. Tony looked inside and found the missing money. His face contorted with rage and disbelief. “Amelie, how could you? Were you trying to frame my mother?”
“No, Tony! I didn’t know the money was there! It was your mother’s doing!” I protested.
But Tony was too angry to listen. “This is too much. I can’t deal with this right now. Amelie, I think it’s best if you stay somewhere else for a while. Mom will watch over Lisa.”
“Tony, please, you have to believe me. I’m not the one at fault here!” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face. Cynthia stood behind Tony, a look of satisfaction hidden in her eyes.
The next morning, as I packed my things, I noticed Lisa talking to the teddy bear. “Lisa, sweetie, who are you talking to?” I asked gently.
“The teddy bear, Mommy. But it doesn’t want to talk anymore,” she replied.
My heart sank. “What do you mean, it doesn’t want to talk anymore?”
Lisa hugged the bear tightly. “It used to talk to me before bedtime. Grandma said it was our little secret.”
I took the teddy bear and carefully opened it, revealing a small talking device inside. I knew then that Cynthia had been using it to manipulate Lisa.
That evening, I confronted Cynthia in front of Tony. “Cynthia, I know what you’ve been doing. You’ve been using this device to control Lisa, haven’t you?”
Cynthia’s face turned red. “That’s ridiculous! You’re making this up!”
I pressed the button on the bear’s device and spoke into it. At that moment, we heard my voice echoing from Cynthia’s room. Tony rushed in and found the other device hidden under Cynthia’s pillow.
Cynthia finally broke down. “I’m sorry, Tony. I just wanted to feel needed. I didn’t realize how much it would hurt everyone.”
Tony looked at me, his eyes filled with regret. “Amelie, I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.”
I took a deep breath. “Cynthia, if you truly want to be part of this family, you need to respect our boundaries. We can work through this, but it’s going to take time.”
Cynthia nodded, tears streaming down her face. “I understand. I’ll do better.”
The truth was finally out, and now we could begin the process of rebuilding our trust and unity. It wasn’t going to be easy, but with love and understanding, we could overcome this challenge together.
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