"Guess which one of these beauties is my girlfriend?" My husband’s Instagram post went viral. In the photo, my mother-in-law is wearing a low-cut, tight dress, her arms wrapped around my husband’s neck, laughing joyfully. I, on the other hand, am dressed plainly, standing awkwardly in the background like a prop. 1 The moment the photo was posted, the comments section exploded. 【Teach me how to coexist peacefully with the 'other woman'~】 【Bro, you’re winning at life~】 【Goals.】 Seeing the misunderstanding, my husband, Caleb, quickly posted a clarification about his mother's identity. But that only made the internet go wilder. 【?! She's fifty? I’m twenty and my blood pressure just spiked!】 【Gorgeous queen, drop the skincare routine!】 【Son, stop replying to comments and open the door for your new dad~】 Reading the sycophantic comments, my mother-in-law, Diana, couldn't stop smiling at her phone. "Mom, dinner's ready~" I had cooked a full meal, but Diana took her sweet time putting down her phone. "Ouch~ It's cold~ Haley, get a fluffy cushion for this chair next time." Diana’s mini-skirt offered zero protection against the cold wood chair. It was early spring, yet she was dressed for a Miami summer. I shot Caleb a subtle look, worried about her catching a cold. Caleb immediately picked up on it. "Mom, it's chilly right now. Maybe wear something warmer at home? Save the skirts for summer." Diana pouted, displeased. "Why are you so conservative, baby? It's a waste to hide a body like mine. And I told you, call me Diana~" "Okay, okay, Diana. Eat up. Later, I'll have Haley take you shopping for some warmer outfits." "Thanks, baby~ Mwah~" Diana beamed instantly. I was the only one feeling a creeping sense of unease. 2 After dinner, Diana eagerly grabbed my hand to go shopping. She did her own makeup, styled herself in a trendy "pure lust" outfit, and even insisted on styling me. Before dragging me out the door, she shouted back to Caleb: "Us girls are going shopping! Remember to do the chores. I'm going to inspect your work when I get back~" Caleb agreed happily. At the mall, Diana flitted from store to store, spouting the latest Gen-Z slang. She found a boutique she liked, chatted up the sales associate, and took a mountain of clothes into the fitting room. The style wasn't my thing, so I waited outside, guarding our bags. I was scrolling through TikTok when a familiar voice called out. "Haley, what are you doing here? This isn't your vibe at all." It was my work bestie, Lisa. I pointed to the fitting room and whispered, "Waiting for my mother-in-law~" Lisa covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "Your trendy MIL? Honestly, sometimes I think she looks younger than you. It's terrifying for us actual twenty-somethings. But—" Diana’s voice drifted out from behind the curtain, cutting Lisa off. "What are you girls whispering about? Come help me look~" Diana stepped out wearing a daring V-neck slip dress that hugged every curve. You couldn't see a single sign of aging. Lisa immediately switched to flattery mode. "We were just praising you, gorgeous~ God, I envy Haley. My mother-in-law is driving me insane. I barely escaped to bring my baby out for a stroll~" I finally noticed the stroller behind her. A pink-cheeked baby was sleeping peacefully, but her nose scrunched up, signaling an incoming cry. Before Lisa could move, Diana swooped in, snatching the baby with practiced ease and rocking her gently. 3 The baby giggled in Diana’s arms. Overcome with affection, Diana kissed the baby's cheek. But her lip gloss left a sticky mark all over the baby's face. Lisa frowned slightly, unnoticed by Diana. "Mom~ The baby's immune system is weak. Be careful with bacteria," I urged gently. Diana planted a deep kiss on the baby's lips before waving her hand dismissively. "Sorry, she's just too cute. Looks exactly like my Caleb did when he was little." To apologize, Diana treated us to lunch and bought the baby a pile of toys. Seeing how much the baby liked her, Lisa relaxed. While Diana played with the baby, Lisa went back to venting about her own mother-in-law. "You don't know how old-fashioned she is. If my husband didn't mediate, we'd be at war..." She looked enviously at Diana. "When you married Caleb, I was worried because he's from a single-parent home. Mothers in those situations can be super possessive. But seeing how open-minded your MIL is, I guess I worried for nothing~ If only mine was half as cool~" I nodded in agreement. Diana was a bit spoiled, but she treated me well. Since the wedding, we were more like sisters. The family atmosphere was great. As for her possessiveness over Caleb? I understood it. He was her only son. Why would they need boundaries? 4 Back home, Diana threw herself into Caleb's arms, demanding praise for her new dress. Caleb praised her, then insisted on taking photos for his followers, calling it "fan service" to capitalize on the trending topic. I laughed and agreed, finding the best angles to photograph them. Diana was addicted to the internet. She posted daily but never got much traction. Now that she had a taste of viral fame, she wasn't letting go. She edited the photos, uploaded them, and shoved her phone into my hands. "Haley, you're the pro at this. Help me get more followers, please~" My job is social media management, so I couldn't say no. I took the phone, replying to comments to boost engagement. Many users found their way to Diana's new post. Most were compliments, but some were... off. 【This daughter-in-law has the patience of a saint...】 【Judging by the photo, this guy has definitely been to 'Sweet Home Alabama'.】 【Oedipus complex check-in~】 But they were quickly buried by requests for skincare routines, so I ignored them. When Diana finished her face mask, I advised her: "To grow the account, you need a niche. Since this topic went viral, let's focus on your anti-aging secrets." "Anti-aging... hmm..." Diana nodded thoughtfully. Seeing she was listening, I went to do my own thing. Although Diana always talked about making money as an influencer, Caleb and I earned enough to support her comfortably. We just wanted her to have a hobby. 5 That night after a shower, I was cuddling with Caleb. We were newlyweds, enjoying a quiet moment, when a knock came at the door. "Haley, are you asleep?" Caleb froze. The mood vanished instantly. I frowned, annoyed. Diana was really lacking boundaries tonight. I opened the door. Diana was wearing the slip dress she bought today, looking fidgety. "Um... Haley, I need to talk to Caleb about something tonight. Can you—" I pointed at the clock. "Mom, do you see the time? Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Diana lowered her head, murmuring incoherently. "Haley, watch your tone with Mom," Caleb said, coming to the door. Diana looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. The rims were red, and she looked so fragile that even I felt a pang of guilt. So, naturally, I was kicked out. Sleeping alone in the guest room, I listened to the muffled giggles from next door. Annoyed, I scrolled through my phone to calm down. Suddenly, a notification popped up. Someone I followed was trending locally. I clicked. It was Diana’s new post from today. I scrolled through, but the comments were no longer universally positive. The top comments were disturbing. 【The wife in this house would be great at playing a sleeping husband.】 【Gross.】 【Gross.】 【Gross.】 ... 6 When I had her phone earlier, the comments were mostly positive. I remembered Diana gave me her login info to help manage the account. Curiosity, mixed with the resentment of being kicked out of my own bed, got the better of me. I logged in on my phone. Before I could find the new post, her drafts folder caught my eye. It was full. Several had been edited just minutes ago. I clicked one, and the blood rushed to my head. Diana wrote: 【By popular demand, here is my anti-aging secret—ta-da! It's my darling son~】 【Men are a woman's source of Yang energy. Absorbing enough Yang keeps you young forever. The energy between a mother and son is the most compatible, and the effect is best. Also, virgins are top-tier~】 The attached photo was of my master bed. Diana, shoulder bare, eyes heavy with lust, was lying on top of my husband. The dim lighting couldn't hide the intimacy. I exploded! I stormed to the master bedroom and pounded on the door. "Caleb! Get out here!" There was shuffling inside, but no one opened the door. Separated by a single piece of wood, I could only imagine the depravity happening inside! 7 It felt like an eternity before Caleb finally opened the door. He was fully dressed, even his pajama hood perfectly arranged. Seeing me frozen in shock, Caleb pulled me into a hug, whispering gently: "Haley, baby, Mom just really wants to be famous. You know she gave up her career for me when she was young. Now that she has some heat, I have to support her. This is your field, you know how operations work better than I do." Under his soothing words, my anger deflated slightly. Diana had always been clingy. And in the cutthroat world of social media, finding a niche was hard. She had stumbled into a weird, controversial lane, but it was working. These days, the more shameless the content, the more views it got. Once the money started rolling in, no one would care how she got famous. Plus, she claimed she wanted to help us financially. I sighed, leaning into him. "Fine, I trust you. You always know how to talk me down." Caleb and I had been together since college. We rarely fought. He always had a way of smoothing things over. Friends used to envy me for finding such a perfect guy. After marriage, he was obedient, and Diana always took my side. My life was enviable. I should be more tolerant of their quirks. No one is perfect.
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