My MIL laughed In my face, said: “My Son Is Interested In Your Sister,” not you. My Sister Smiled!
The Mother’s Proposal
Mom was in the kitchen, and as I caught sight of her, a familiar tension gripped me. She managed a polite smile for Liam, but her eyes seemed distant.
“Dinner’s nearly ready. Why don’t you both sit down?” she suggested, gesturing towards the dining table.
The atmosphere was strained as we all sat down. Vincent tried to lighten the mood by engaging Liam in conversation.
“So, Liam, what do you do for a living?”
Liam, unaware of the undercurrents, answered cheerfully. “I own a company. We specialize in environmental Consulting”.
I noticed a flicker of something in Mom’s eyes at his response. Was it interest or perhaps even opportunism? It was hard to tell.
“That sounds impressive,” Mom remarked, her tone suddenly more amicable. “A company owner, no less. You must be doing quite well for yourself”.
Her words had an edge, and I felt a familiar pang of discomfort.
The rest of the dinner proceeded tensely. Mom alternated between subtly belittling me and praising my younger sister Alice, who wasn’t even present.
Every so often, she would steer the conversation back to Liam. She inquired about his business and future plans. Each time, I saw that same calculating glint in her eyes. It was as if she was assessing his value, not just as a person, but for what he could potentially offer.
As we left that evening, I felt a mix of relief and frustration. The ride home was quiet until Liam broke the silence.
“Your mom seems interested in my business. A bit too interested, maybe”.
I sighed, feeling drained. “Yeah, she has a way of evaluating people. I’m sorry, Liam, this is just how it’s always been”.
Liam squeezed my hand, his support unwavering. “We’re in this together, Natalie. Remember that,” he reminded me.
The next morning, still reeling from Mom’s comments, we were surprised when Liam’s phone rang. It was an unknown number. Watching his expression shift from curiosity to shock, I tensed.
“Hang on, what did you just say?” Liam asked, his voice rising in disbelief.
From the other end, a faint muffled voice responded, adding yet another layer of mystery to our already complicated situation. Liam hung up the phone. His face was a combination of confusion and anger.
“That was your mom,” he told me, his eyes meeting mine with a stern intensity. “She just proposed something outrageous”.
A chill ran down my spine as I braced myself for his next words.
“What are you talking about, Liam?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
He took a deep breath before revealing: “She suggested that I should leave you and consider marrying Alice instead”.
It felt like a physical blow, the words hitting me hard and leaving me breathless.
“She said what?” I exclaimed, my heart pounding in disbelief.
Liam nodded grimly. “She said you weren’t right for me and that Alice would be a better fit. She was serious, Natalie”.
I was dumbstruck. The idea that my mother would suggest such a thing was unthinkable.
“We need to do something about this,” Liam said, his jaw clenched. “This isn’t just about us anymore. It’s about exposing her for who she really is”.
