I was attending my brother-in-law’s wedding as the honored sister-in-law. The pristine white dress, the aisle of red roses, the heartfelt vows. It moved me to tears, vaguely reminding me of a few years ago, before I turned into a monster. "Honey, do you regret marrying me?" My husband looked at me with deep affection. "Regret? Babe, I wouldn’t dare." Moments later, the ceremony ended. Just as I was about to eat, the bride's mother suddenly rushed over to me, screaming, "The maid of honor's cash envelope is missing! Did you steal it?" The entire restaurant went dead silent. My husband’s family turned pale, cold sweat instantly beading on their foreheads. 1 Growing up, the phrase I heard most often was "Kill them with kindness." As a kid, I didn't get the metaphor. I just interpreted it my way. When older kids bullied me, I caught a venomous snake and left it in their backpack. When the neighbor’s girl got jealous of my hair ribbons and cut them, I shaved her head while she slept. When the old lady across the street called me a "bad seed," I set her kitchen on fire while she was cooking. For a long time, no one dared to mess with me. They wouldn't even come near me. My carefree mother found it strange. "Lexi, why does everyone walk around you?" I looked up, smiling, dimples showing. "Because they’re afraid of blocking my path." Mom was relieved. She praised my popularity, saying people were so polite to make way for me. She had no idea. It wasn't just walking. People made way for me in everything. That peaceful life didn't last long. One day, a group of muggers cornered me in an alley, demanding money. I pulled out a box cutter and sliced every single one of their wrists. The police got involved. That finally woke my mother up. She grabbed me, shaking, and drilled it into my head: "Lexi, you have to appear kind. Even if you have to fake it, you must look like a good, obedient girl." "What if someone bullies me?" Mom smiled, a dark glint in her eyes. "You endure it. You yield..." "You wait until they think you’re weak. You wait until the whole world thinks you are the victim." "Then, you strike back. One hit. Lethal." Mom winked. "That way, you get your revenge, and no one can blame you. Isn't that fun?" My eyes lit up. Dear Mom, I finally understood the true meaning of "Kill them with kindness." 2 I retracted my claws and played the role of the good girl. Until my wedding day. A client who constantly delayed payments tried to blackmail my in-laws at the reception, demanding a new contract in exchange for the money he owed. My honest, timid in-laws were shaking with rage but helpless. So, in between toasts, I dragged him into the VIP lounge and broke both his legs. Amidst the blood-splattered room, I whispered gently, "Don't worry. Modern medicine is amazing. They can reattach those." "Don't bother calling the cops. The cameras saw you trying to force yourself on me. I was just defending myself." When my husband, Caleb, rushed in and saw the blood, he almost passed out. It took him a long time to find his voice. "Honey... is this... a hobby? Or a one-time thing?" I thought for a moment. "Only when people piss me off." "Caleb, will you piss me off?" Caleb laughed, though it sounded like a sob. "Don't worry. I... I wouldn't dare." The client went to the hospital and wired the overdue payment that same day. My in-laws looked at me with pure terror after that. I asked, "Do you want to annul the marriage? It's fine, I don't mind." They shoved Caleb toward me. "No, no, no! Consider him our protection fee! Please look after us!" Since then, I went back to playing the virtuous wife. Neighbors and relatives praised my gentle temper. They didn't know that behind closed doors, in a family of five, I sat at the head of the table. Three years later, Caleb's younger brother was getting married. My in-laws personally ushered me to the main seat. Watching the ceremony, I was genuinely moved. "Honey, do you regret marrying me?" Caleb hugged my shoulders tight. "Silly girl, I wouldn't dare regret it." Then, the meal began. The bride's mother, Brenda, stormed over. "The maid of honor's cash envelope is gone! Did you steal it?" Silence. My brother-in-law, Gavin, ran over to mediate. "Mom, please. Lexi has been sitting here the whole time. How could she touch the envelope? It must be misplaced..." Brenda shook him off. "Since my daughter walked down the aisle, this woman has been staring at her." "She’s just jealous that my daughter's wedding is grander than hers was! She’s sabotaging us!" 3 In the dead silence, I started to stand up. Caleb grabbed my hand, pleading in his eyes. "Babe, it’s Gavin’s big day. Please, spare them..." I thought about it. She is the bride's mother. Bloodshed might be bad luck. So, I stayed silent. This only fueled Brenda’s arrogance. "Cat got your tongue? Guilty! Look at this sister-in-law, stealing from the bridal party. Trash!" "In-laws, you let this kind of person be the matriarch? Aren't you embarrassed?" "I'm putting it out there: if she tries anything today, or bullies my daughter tomorrow, I won't let it slide!" Even my good-natured mother-in-law snapped. "Show some respect! This is family business!" Brenda rolled her eyes, changing tactics. "Oh, I'm just worried you'll suffer under her rule! My daughter, Bella, is so much better. Filial, gentle." "Don't worry, when this woman kicks you out, Bella will take you in!" It was a cheap, transparent attempt to sow discord. Brenda extended a hand toward me. "Hand over the money. I'm giving you a chance to save face." I sat still and winked at my husband. Caleb’s face went through several colors before he let go of my hand. "Just... go easy," he whispered. I nodded. "Relax. I'm doing this the civilized way today." I walked onto the stage and took the microphone. "Everyone, quiet down. Brenda here claims I stole an envelope. I've called the police. Please cooperate." "If the police can't find it, I will personally fund a replacement envelope for the maid of honor." "Rest assured, no matter how much was in there, I can afford it." 4 Minutes later, two officers arrived and searched the area. They found one red envelope in a corner. The other was missing. Brenda looked nervous. "Oh, it's a small thing, why call the cops?" I took the found envelope. "It was a gift from the bride's mother. The amount must be significant. We have to be serious." I ripped it open. I tipped it over. A single $20 bill fluttered out. The crowd gasped. "Damn... I haven't seen a twenty-dollar wedding gift since the 90s." "The bridesmaids paid for their own flights and dresses, and she gave them twenty bucks? Is the bride's family destitute?" "She screamed at the head table over twenty dollars? Insane." Laughter rippled through the hall. The bridesmaids looked furious. Even the cop laughed. "All this drama for twenty bucks? Alright, wait here, we'll find the other one." I stopped him. "No need." I walked up to Brenda and patted her waist. Sure enough, I pulled the missing envelope from her belt. I opened it. Another twenty dollars. "Brenda, did you forget to give it out? Or did you give it out, regret the expense, and steal it back?" Brenda smiled awkwardly. "I... I remembered wrong. I hadn't handed it out yet..." I threw the two bills in her face, thanked the cops, and sat back down. The drama faded, but Brenda was fuming. She muttered, "I'm an elder! Even if I made a mistake, you didn't have to humiliate me..." Gavin looked exhausted. "Mom, stop. Lexi already gave you a lot of face." If she had done it her usual way, you'd be in the ICU right now.
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