For three years, I felt like an outsider in Mark’s perfect family. I wasn’t wealthy or polished like them. So when my in-laws gifted me a luxury spa weekend, I thought they were finally trying to accept me.
Halfway there, my elderly neighbor called in a panic: “Turn back! It’s a setup!”
I rushed home to find a strange car in the driveway, candles, rose petals, and wine glasses inside. A tall blonde appeared holding lingerie.
“You must be the housekeeper? I’m Ashley. Rob and Alice said you and Mark were separated.”
Mark walked in, shocked. His parents confessed they’d arranged a “romantic reunion” with his ex because now that Mark was successful, he “needed someone who fit the part.”
Mark was furious. “Get out!” he shouted.
After they left, he knelt beside me. “I had no idea. I swear.”
And I believed him.
