The night I decided to follow my daughter, I had no idea the nightmare I was about to uncover.
Lisa was always a joyful, bubbly little girl. But something shifted the moment my mother-in-law, Cynthia, moved in with us.
Gone was the laughter. The spark in Lisa’s eyes faded. And then, she started sleepwalking.
One evening, clutching a new teddy bear, she wandered through the house. I didn’t know where she was headed, but I knew I had to find out. So I quietly followed her.
What I witnessed that night would haunt me forever.
Before Cynthia came to live with us, life was perfect. Tony, my husband, and I had built our little family, just the three of us. He worked long hours as a financial analyst, chasing his dream of starting his own business.
And then one day, he came home with a grin on his face that I’ll never forget.
“Amelie, I did it! I found partners, and now I can start my own company!”
I was thrilled for him. It was a huge step toward the future he’d always wanted. But then, his smile faltered.
“There’s… something else. Mom wants to move in.”
My stomach twisted.
Cynthia and I never got along. Not really. I had always felt a strange tension between us.
Tony, however, was convinced it would help. “She’s not doing well, Amelie,” he said. “With our schedules, she can help with Lisa.”
I tried to hide my unease. “Alright,” I agreed, though deep down, a bad feeling gnawed at me. “But I just don’t trust her.”
Cynthia moved in shortly after. On her first day, she came bearing a gift.
“A special teddy bear for my sweet granddaughter,” she said, handing it to Lisa with a smile. Lisa’s face lit up.
“Thank you, Grandma!” she squealed.
Cynthia turned to me, her smile tight. “I want to make things right between us, Amelie.”
I smiled back, but inside, I felt a chill.
At first, everything seemed okay. Cynthia was polite, helpful. But things with Lisa began to change.
She started to look tired all the time. Cranky. She withdrew into herself. At night, I’d hear her muttering in her sleep.
Then, one night, I woke up to find her standing in the hallway. She was clutching the teddy bear.
“Lisa?” I whispered.
She didn’t respond. Her eyes were glazed over.
Then, from somewhere nearby, I heard Cynthia’s voice.
“Go to Mommy and Daddy’s room. Take the money from the safe. Remember, this is our little secret.”
My heart stopped.
I barely made it back to bed before Lisa returned. The next morning, Tony noticed cash missing from his wallet.
“Amelie, did you take some money?” he asked, a frown on his face.
“No,” I said, feeling a knot in my stomach.
When I checked my purse, the missing money was inside. I felt sick.
That night, I stayed awake, heart racing, waiting for Lisa to sleepwalk again. And sure enough, she did.
This time, I followed her, phone in hand, recording her every move.
She walked straight to Cynthia’s room.
“Good girl,” I heard Cynthia whisper. “Now go put it in Mommy’s purse, just like last time.”
My hands shook with rage.
The next morning, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I confronted Tony, my voice shaking.
“Your mother is using Lisa to steal from us!”
Tony looked at me, stunned.
“That’s crazy,” he said, shaking his head.
I played the recording. His face drained of color.
Without another word, he stormed into Cynthia’s room.
“Mom, what the hell is going on?” he demanded.
Cynthia’s eyes widened in feigned innocence.
“Oh, Tony,” she cooed, “Amelie’s just trying to turn you against me.”
Tony’s voice dropped low, cold. “Mom, you’ve manipulated my daughter.”
Cynthia sighed dramatically. “I was just… testing her loyalty. A little game.”
Tony didn’t flinch. “You need to leave.”
The room went deathly quiet as she packed her things, fuming silently.
Lisa? She was back to her old self within days. The spark in her eyes returned. And that teddy bear? I burned it.
Some people are toxic. No matter what title they hold in your life. And some secrets… they were never meant to stay hidden.
