My sister-in-law, Candice, had always believed the world owed her whatever she wanted. But nothing—absolutely nothing—could have prepared me for her latest demand. She wanted me to have a baby, just so she could keep it as her own. And when I refused, she didn’t take no for an answer. That’s when I knew I had to teach her a lesson she would never forget.
Think you’ve got crazy relatives? Let me tell you about mine. You might just change your mind.
I’ve been married to my wonderful husband, Harry, for seven years now. We’ve been together for almost fifteen years and have two amazing children, Maya and Luke. Our little family means everything to me. But when it comes to our extended family, things are far from perfect.
The very first time I met my mother-in-law, Charlotte, and my sister-in-law, Candice, I felt something was off. I tried to ignore the feeling, convincing myself it was just nerves. But oh, how wrong I was.
Before our wedding, Candice proved exactly how self-centered she was. She threw a tantrum—an actual, screaming, foot-stomping tantrum—because I chose my best friend as my maid of honor instead of her. If that wasn’t bad enough, she also whined that my wedding dress was prettier than hers had been. As if my wedding was supposed to be about her!
She nearly ruined the entire day, but thankfully, Grace, Harry’s grandmother, stepped in. Grace was the only kind soul in that family besides Harry, but unfortunately, she lived too far away to rescue us often.
But just before Candice’s thirtieth birthday, something happened that made me question reality itself.
Candice rarely visited us, and when she did, she barely interacted with the kids. She constantly complained about them being “too loud” or “giving her headaches.” But that day was different. She spent hours playing with Maya. The way she smiled—too wide, too eager—sent chills down my spine. Something was off.
And I was right to be worried.
That evening, as we sat down for dinner, Candice kept glancing at Harry and me. She was practically bouncing in her seat, desperate for attention. I had no idea what was coming.
“I have an announcement!” she finally blurted out, grinning.
Harry, mid-bite, choked on his food. I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth.
“What?” I asked, already dreading the answer.
Candice flipped her hair and smiled proudly. “I’m going to be a mom!”
Harry coughed, reaching for his water. “Who’s the father?” he asked, his brows furrowing. “You’re not even dating anyone.”
He was right. Her last boyfriend had run off after she screamed at him for not buying her an expensive handbag.
Candice waved her hand dismissively. “That’s actually why I came over today.” She straightened her shoulders, looking at us like she was delivering the most exciting news ever. “The parents of my daughter will be you two.”
My stomach twisted. “What?”
She sighed dramatically, as if I was the crazy one. “I’m almost thirty, and I don’t have a husband,” she said, smiling sweetly. “The perfect birthday gift would be a baby.”
My jaw dropped. I was speechless.
Harry rubbed his temples. “You want Stephanie to be your surrogate?”
Candice shook her head. “No, I want you two to have a baby for me.”
I placed my hands on the table, trying to process her words. “So, it would be our child… and you expect us to just hand it over to you?”
“Not just hand over—give it to me as a birthday gift!” Her tone was light, casual, like she was asking for a sweater.
I stared at her. “You seriously don’t see a problem with this?” My voice rose in disbelief. “Harry and I aren’t having any more children. I am not having a baby just to give it away.”
Candice scoffed. “Stephanie, you’ve always been so selfish.”
Harry’s chair scraped against the floor as he sat up. “No, Candice. Stephanie is right. We’re not doing this.”
“But why? You already have two! What’s the big deal about one more?” she whined, her voice high-pitched and grating.
I clenched my fists. “I am not an incubator! A child is not a thing you can order like a birthday present!”
“You just don’t want me to be happy! You want to be the only one with kids!” she shrieked.
Harry slammed his hand on the table. “Enough! Leave. Now.”
Candice’s face burned red with rage. She stormed out, yelling, “I’ll tell Mom about this!”
For a while, things were quiet. I thought—hoped—she had given up. But I should have known better.
One afternoon, Candice showed up at our house, this time with Charlotte by her side. Candice’s arms overflowed with shopping bags from baby stores. I thought, for a brief second, that she had decided to be a good aunt and bring gifts for Maya and Luke. But the smug look on her face told me otherwise.
Charlotte didn’t even wait for an invitation. She marched into our living room and sat down, motioning for us to join her.
“Candice told me you agreed to give her a baby,” Charlotte said, her voice smug.
“What? No, we told her no,” I said firmly.
Charlotte’s expression hardened. “Why not?”
“Because it’s insane,” Harry replied bluntly.
Charlotte scoffed. “Stephanie, as a woman, you should know that the older you get, the harder it is to have children. Candice is already almost thirty.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “I’m not giving my child to someone who has no clue what it means to be a parent.”
“That’s not true! I already bought everything!” Candice chimed in, pulling out baby clothes and dresses from her bags.
“Candice, a baby is not a doll,” Harry said, exasperated.
Candice pouted. “Then I’ll just bring her to you when she cries.”
Harry buried his face in his hands. “This is impossible.”
While they argued, I noticed Charlotte had disappeared. I followed her and found her in our bedroom—poking holes in our condoms.
“What are you doing?!” I shouted.
“Making everyone’s life easier,” she said calmly.
I had reached my breaking point. But instead of losing my mind, I formed a plan.
And so, for the next nine months, I played the role of the happy, glowing pregnant woman.
On Candice’s birthday, with the whole family gathered, I handed her a beautifully wrapped baby carrier. She squealed with joy, ripping it open.
She froze. Her face twisted in horror.
“WHAT IS THIS?!” she screeched, holding up a baby doll.
Harry and I burst into laughter.
“The only baby you’re fit to take care of,” I said smugly.
The room was silent. Then Grace stood up, her eyes blazing. “ARE YOU BOTH OUT OF YOUR MINDS?!” she roared at Candice and Charlotte.
She took a deep breath, then looked at them coldly. “I’m writing you both out of my will.”
Candice gasped. Charlotte went pale.
Harry and I walked out, hand in hand, while behind us, Candice sobbed hysterically.
Justice had never tasted sweeter.
