The night before our wedding, my mother-in-law and her friends consumed our $1000 wedding cake, so I gave her a lesson.
When I found out that my mother-in-law Linda and her friends had eaten my $1000 wedding cake, I was devastated and enraged. I was shocked that they would purposefully spoil my special day and leave me with nothing. But my plan for retaliation started to take shape since I was determined to show them a lesson.
“I’m not going to pay,” Linda scoffed, hardly giving me a sidelong glance, “It’s too expensive for something that tasted disgusting, JUST LIKE YOUR TASTE IN EVERYTHING.”
With grocery bags falling out of my hands, I stood motionless in the threshold of my living room.
As I took in the spectacle, I could feel the tears starting to flow.
I had been saving for months to afford this gorgeous wedding cake, and now it was gone. Linda and her pals sat contentedly on the couch, leaving just crumbs and a partially consumed slice on the table.
“How could you, Linda?” I walked up to the empty box and choked out. This was occurring, and I couldn’t believe it.
“Linda, that cake was for my wedding! It came with a $1,000 price tag! How will I swap it out so quickly? With anger, I questioned.
“Oh please,” rolled her eyes, Linda said to Emily. “It was merely a cake,” Furthermore, it wasn’t even all that good.
“But I thought it was important.” I broke down, tears pouring down my cheeks. “It was not for you to touch!”
She waved her hand dismissively and muttered, “Get over it, Emily.” “You’re so dramatic all the time. It’s only a cake, and furthermore, you’re not really that tasteful.”
After a few wry glances, Linda and her pals reluctantly stood up. “We’re heading out. I won’t be giving you any money, though,” she smirked.
I fell to the ground as they walked away, leaving a path of crumbs and giggles in their wake. Silent sobs rocked my shoulders. With less than a day to go before the wedding, my lovely cake was now damaged.
Because she wanted Alex to marry someone wealthy, Linda had never been fond of me. Her contempt was immediately apparent when we first met. She was always finding ways to minimize and discredit me, calling attention to my decisions, appearance, and disposition whenever she got the chance.
However, this was just too much!
In an attempt to center myself, I inhaled deeply.
I couldn’t allow this to make things worse. I had put in too much effort and progressed too far to allow Linda’s resentful behavior to ruin my wedding. I dried my tears and got to my feet.
I had to phone the bakery first. They might be able to bake another cake in time, just maybe. I snatched up my phone and dialed, hoping for positive news.
However, I encountered disappointment. There wasn’t a bakery open to receive my order.
That’s when I suddenly remembered Sarah’s name. Grabbing my phone, I gave her a call.
In addition to being my closest friend and maid of honor, Sarah was also a fantastic baker. She was the one who could help if anyone.
How come? How could she? As I explained everything to Sarah, she cried out. “Emma, don’t worry; I’ll be over soon. Let’s solve this, shall we?
That afternoon, Sarah came into my kitchen and hugged me right away. Emily, we got this. Let’s create a cake that surpasses the original in quality.
We put on our work clothes and started working. Sarah took command, directing me and helping me stay on task. We combined the ingredients, prepared the icing, and cooked the layers. My mood improved as the aromas of sugar and vanilla filled the kitchen.
“How are you doing?” she inquired when we were beginning the cake decorating process.
I responded, gently spreading the icing, “I’m still upset, but I’m determined not to let Linda ruin this for me.” “I really appreciate you helping me.”
Naturally, Emily. That’s the purpose of friends, Sarah remarked with a kind grin.
We produced effective work despite the time constraint. We meticulously crafted each and every part of the cake, including the piped flowers and intricate accents.
We persevered through tiredness that crept in as the night went on. We finally took a step back to appreciate our work as the first rays of dawn peaked through the windows.
The cake was exquisite, brimming with tender affection. Although it wasn’t exactly like the original, the fact that Sarah and I created it together made it even more meaningful.
“Emily, this cake is gorgeous,” Sarah remarked as she wiped a frosting smear from her cheek. “Linda is unaware of her opponents.”
I grinned, suddenly full of self-assurance. “You’re accurate. I have not finished yet. Linda will learn a lesson from me that she won’t soon forget.
Then the moment we had been waiting for arrived.
The new cake Sarah and I had made was set up for my wedding reception, and it was gorgeous. While the guests conversed cheerfully, I observed Linda staring at me with a dissatisfied expression. This was not the implosion she had anticipated.
I inhaled deeply and moved to the microphone right before we cut the cake.
I felt a twinge of sadness as I stared into Alex’s eyes as he stood next to me. He had no idea what his mother had done to me or us, even though he loved her.
I started out by saying, “Thank you all for coming today,” in a firm voice. “Before we celebrate with this beautiful cake, I have something to share.”
With every eye on me, the room went silent. The technician played the surveillance tape I had hidden in my living room after I gave him a signal. In the video, Linda and her pals could be seen consuming the original cake and making crude remarks about me.
Everyone in the room gasped in unison as they watched. Linda’s face flushed as she cast a frantic glance around for a way out!
Calmly, I said, “I knew Linda didn’t like me, so I installed a camera.” Alex, I turned to say, “Sorry again. “I thought she could try to ruin our wedding in some way. I had to be ready, even if I didn’t want to believe it.
The visitors looked from Linda to the TV, muttering to themselves in shock. Although Linda’s pals attempted to evade the spotlight, it was already focused on them.
“We have a gorgeous new cake thanks to my amazing friend Sarah, despite this setback,” I went on. “I refuse to let anything ruin this day of love and celebration.”
Yet this wasn’t the end. Linda had no idea what was coming next, and I had more planned.
Abruptly, I noticed Alex approaching Linda, his face red with rage. She was trying to blend in with the crowd when he got to her.
“How could you, Mom?” Alex’s voice cut through the surrounding chatter. “You attempted to ruin Emily’s special day by eating our wedding cake? This is not a jest.
Linda made an effort to laugh it off. “Oh, Alex, it was only a little enjoyable. Nothing negative happened, correct?
“No damage done?” Alex spoke up. “You broke a thousand-dollar cake and gave Emily a great deal of anxiety.” There’s no humor in this. It’s inhumane!
The visitors looked back and forth between Alex and Linda as they watched in startled silence. I sympathized with Alex because it was difficult for him to face his own mother in this way. However, it had to be done.
Linda turned to face the other people in the room and saw that she had no allies. She gave a muttered sounding apologies, but nobody seemed to buy it.
I pull out my phone and send a brief text to a waitress.
I observed the waiter nod toward me and read my message with a smile.
Shortly after, the caterers presented a gorgeously adorned cake, which Linda and her companions cautiously examined.
It was set aside on a different table from the main dessert by the caterers.
I spoke out, “Ladies and gentlemen,” grabbing everyone’s attention once more. “A special treat is in store for a few lucky guests.”
Linda and her pals were given slices of the Styrofoam cake by the caterers. There was a tiny, tasteful letter attached to each piece. Linda read aloud the notice that said, “For those with truly tasteless appetites,” as she picked up her slice.
Her cheeks flushed bright red, and the room went still for a brief second before bursting into giggles.
Although Linda’s friends made an effort to conceal their shame, it was too late.
William, Linda’s spouse, couldn’t contain his laughter.
He made an effort to suppress it, but he was unable to. He laughed and shook his head, saying, “Oh, Linda, you had this coming.”
“Emily, that was amazing,” a guest shook my hand.
“Serves her right,” a second person said, nodding.
William walked over to me, his expression serious but with a trace of a smile. “I want you to know, Emily, that Linda will be responsible for her acts. There will be consequences for this.
I said, “Thank you,” appreciating his help. “Thank you very much.”
I heard someone tap my shoulder as the guests carried on their celebrations and cheers. I turned to see Alex standing there, his grin both sorrowful and triumphant.
“You did a great job handling that,” he remarked, embracing me. “I apologize that this had to happen, but it had to be done. I wish that things were otherwise. Mom shouldn’t have gone as far as she did.
I returned the hug, filled with appreciation and love. “I’m grateful, Alex. for consistently being there for me.
The remainder of the evening was a haze of excitement, dancing, and laughter. In spite of everything, our wedding day had exceeded my expectations, and I was relieved that Alex and I were still happy despite Linda’s antics.
How would you have responded in that situation?