My MIL Insisted On Throwing A Gender Reveal Party, Then Humiliated Me For Being "Too Fat." Then I Did This

From the start, my mother-in-law made it clear she didn’t like me. When I got pregnant, she insisted on hosting a “small” gender reveal, but it turned into a huge, flashy event. At seven months along, exhausted and swollen, I smiled through it, until she publicly mocked my looks and weight. Everyone laughed, but I didn’t forget it. What she didn’t realize at that point was that I had the perfect way to get back at her...

As I stood in front of the mirror, I couldn't shake off the butterflies in my stomach. The mirror mocked me with each glance at my growing belly. I pulled on my maternity dress, trying to focus on the joy of the baby instead of the event. My son, Alex, peeked in. "You look nice, Mom," he said, offering a small boost of reassurance. But inside, I felt anxious, knowing Helen's party was going to be extravagant again.

Downstairs, Helen was already in command, her voice ringing through the house. She flitted around like a busy bee, giving orders and aligning decorations. "We want everything perfect," she announced, pausing to admire her work. Her energy filled the room, but it felt suffocating. Her idea of perfect rarely matched mine. My husband, Jake, walked over, sharing a sympathetic smile with me, knowing Helen's version of perfect was about to unfold regardless of anyone else’s opinion.