My Father-in-Law Treated Me Like His Own Daughter, But It Was With Ulterior Motives

After I married Leon Jameson, my motherinlaw Everly Quinn made it abundantly clear that she didn't approve of me, constantly finding ways to make my life difficult.

However, my fatherinlaw, Carter Jameson, was always there to defend me at every turn.

One day, while I was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, I accidentally sliced my finger. Before I knew it, Carter was rushing to find a BandAid.

As fate would have it, Everly walked in just as Carter was tenderly tending to my wound.

Her eyes blazed with fury.

"Celeste, what the hell is going on here?

"Can't you even try to keep things decent under my very nose? Have you no shame!" Without a second thought, she grabbed a broom and started swinging it wildly at me.

Carter quickly seized the broom handle and, with a swift motion, slapped Everly across the face. "Everly, what the hell is wrong with you today!" he bellowed, his voice trembling with anger and disbelief.

——

"Celeste, what the hell is going on here?

"Can't you even try to keep things decent under my very nose? Have you no shame!" Without a second thought, she grabbed a broom and started swinging it wildly at me.

"Mom, there's nothing going on between Dad and me," I stammered, standing there unsure of what to do next.

Carter swiftly grabbed the broom from Everly's grip and barked, "What's gotten into you this time?"

"Oh, so you've got the guts to stand up for this little tramp," Everly sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that because you want me out of the picture so you two can be together?" With a dramatic flourish, she tossed the broom aside and plopped down on the floor.

Carter attempted to lift her up, but the weight difference was too much. Everly remained firmly planted on the ground, leaving Carter flushed and breathless. "All you do is spew filth. Can't you act like a decent human being?" he scolded.

I stepped forward to help, but as soon as I touched her hand, she swatted me away, snapping, "Don't you dare touch me. I find you revolting!"

I stumbled, nearly falling over the stool, but Carter's quick reflexes saved me by grabbing my sleeve. Once I was steady, he let go and ordered, "Get up already. As an elder, this behavior is disgraceful."

Everly's eyes blazed with fury at his words. "And what exactly am I supposed to be, Carter? You have the audacity to lecture me when you've clearly been fooling around with her," she screeched, her voice cracking with rage. "Is Leon even your son, or is he this... this... harlot's bastard?"

Before she could finish her tirade, a resounding slap echoed through the room as Carter's hand connected with her cheek. "Everly, shut your mouth!" he roared, his face contorted with anger.

Everly clutched her stinging face, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "You... you hit me for her?" she gasped before launching herself at Carter with a primal scream, "I'll kill you!"

The two grappled wildly, and I struggled to pull them apart, only to be kicked aside by Everly. Exhausted and panting, she finally broke free and reached for her phone, dialing Leon and his daughter, Mia Jameson. "You both better be home by six o'clock this evening, or else," she threatened, her voice trembling with fury.

Leon initially hesitated, citing an important engagement.

Everly's voice hardened, "Fine then. When you come back tomorrow, you can collect my body."

A week prior, Carter and Everly had moved in to help me recover from childbirth.

On the day they arrived, I was in the room nursing my baby when Everly barged right in, pulling Carter along.

"Lucy, my sweet granddaughter," she cooed, completely oblivious to the situation.

Hastily pulling down my shirt, I reminded her, "Mom, why don't you and Dad wait in the living room? I'll bring the baby out once she's finished eating."

Everly waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, we can see her right here."

Carter, sensing the awkwardness, turned to leave. Before I could protest further, the baby started wailing.

"Can't you see Lucy's crying? Feed her already, you're giving me a headache! We've seen it all before; what's the big deal?" Everly snapped.

Feeling a twinge of irritation but focusing on soothing my baby, I let go of the argument temporarily. "Mom, could you close the door for me?"

"Behave like a princess when you're not one. So many rules," she muttered as she walked out, leaving me to shut the door myself.

From then on, every feeding session required locking the door to avoid any more awkward encounters.

Everly wasn't shy about voicing her discontent, calling me highmaintenance and pretentious.

After the baby had been fed, I stepped out, only to find Everly engrossed in a series of episodes on the couch while Leon fiddled with his phone. Carter was busy in the kitchen, a solitary figure. Everly snatched the baby from me, but her awkward hold caused Lucy to cry incessantly. Irritated, she handed the baby back. "She's always crying. What a hassle for a little girl."

"Mom, whether it's a boy or a girl, she's still Leon's and my child," I couldn't help but retort.

"Girls are no good; they'll just marry off eventually. Boys are better. If it weren't for our Leon, would you even be here doing chores? Thinking of us first?

"In the end, it's your own fault for not bringing a boy," Everly shot me a contemptuous glance.

Leon, ever the peacemaker, was interrupted by grabbing a handful of nuts from the coffee table and handing them to her. "Mom, try these. They're imported, special from a friend."

He then took the baby from me. "Here, let me take Lucy. You rest."

With that momentary distraction, the issue was quietly settled.

The door shook with each relentless knock, jolting me out of my thoughts.

It was Mia on the other side. The moment Evley laid eyes on Mia, tears began streaming down her cheeks.

She sobbed, her voice trembling, "Mia, I can't keep living like this with your dad!

"Do you know what I saw when I got here today?

"They were in the kitchen, getting cozy, completely oblivious to my return.

"I've felt something was off for days now. Just the other day, this shameless old man was even washing her dirty laundry!

"I've got some dignity—how can they behave like this?"

"Everly, what do you mean washing dirty laundry? You're being completely absurd," Carter's voice echoed from the bathroom.

"Only guilty people feel the need to explain themselves so frantically," Everly shot back, her frustration palpable.

"Wait, that's not..." I started, but Mia's piercing gaze turned toward me.

"Celeste, this isn't your moment to chime in!" she barked, springing to her feet and shoving me back a few steps.

"Have you no shame, getting involved with my dad like that? You're not embarrassed to let this all get out?"

Carter, suddenly bursting out of the bathroom, roared, "Mia, is your mom going crazy? Are you losing it, too?

"She just spends all her time out playing cards while I handle every bit of housework! I'm the one who cooks and cleans—doing it all myself!

"Celeste's been the one covering for me even after her childbirth; your mother comes back and starts this craziness!"

"You're clearly blinded by that little vixen, Dad! You never would've talked to Mom like that before!" Mia snapped back defiantly.

"YOU!" It looked like Carter was about to raise his hand to Mia.

I rushed forward, my heart racing. "Dad!"

I feared that if he went through with it, things would spiral even further out of control. Just then, Leon came in, catching the commotion.

"What's going on? Why the blowup?" Leon asked, gripping Carter's hand alongside me.

Mia, puffing out her chest defiantly, shouted, "You're actually going to raise your hand to me for some outsider? Go ahead, put me out of my misery!"

Carter's face turned a furious shade of red, but words failed him.

Leon edged Mia away, trying to mediate. "Hey, sis, don't talk to Dad like that."

Carter was visibly shaky, and I helped him to the couch, where I quickly fetched some heart medicine from my bag and handed it to him.

Just as Carter started to recover, our baby began crying in the other room, demanding my attention. I had no choice but to go soothe the child.

Mia, frustrated, shook off Leon's hand. "You've got cuckolded and you're still here playing the peacemaker?"

Everly seized Leon's arm, her eyes filled with tears as she repeated her earlier tirade. "Leon, listen to your mom. Amanda's husband and her daughterinlaw colluded to move all their assets. Now that she's ready to divorce, Amanda discovers the whole truth!

"I've noticed Celeste acting off lately. Who knows what she's really up to?

"You need to count our assets quickly and maybe even consider a divorce from Celeste!"

Leon, struck by disbelief, stood there dumbfounded, speechless for what felt like an eternity.

"Did you hear that?" Everly nudged him, insisting he respond.

"That's impossible, Mom. Celeste would never do something like that!" His voice was firm and protective.

He quickly pushed open our bedroom door, standing there like a barrier. "Sweetheart, it can't be like what Mom is saying, right?

"How could you think I'd have anything with my dad? I don't buy it."

"If you truly didn't believe it, you wouldn't be asking," I said, looking down at the baby in my arms.

Taking a deep breath, I continued, "Leon, seriously, there's nothing going on between me and your dad.

"I know I just had a baby, so I shouldn't be doing anything too strenuous, but when I called for you a few times to help with washing some clothes, you never came.

"I washed my own stuff with gloves the other day. Your dad helped with my coat; I have no clue how your mom twisted that into something else.

"Today, when I was cutting vegetables, I accidentally sliced my hand. I couldn't put on a bandaid by myself, so Dad helped. But the moment Mom walked in, she didn't bother getting the whole story—she just started yelling.

"She's been like this lately, always on edge and jumping to conclusions."

"I'm so sorry, babe. I shouldn't have doubted you," he said, moving closer to pull me into a gentle embrace.

"Maybe we should get Mom and Dad to leave for a bit? I just had the baby, and while I can wear gloves to cook, I'd rather avoid any mixups like this. It's exhausting to explain myself." I suggested tentatively.

"Do you want to call your mom to come help? You really shouldn't be cooking right now, especially with a newborn," he replied, concern etched on his face.

"I asked her already, but she's busy taking care of my little brother's wife. She just had a baby too, so my mom can't make it," I admitted, my spirit dimming slightly.

Finally, Leon squeezed my shoulder, reassuring me that he was going to talk to Everly.

I chose to stay back, giving them some space to work it out.

In the dead of night, Leon crept quietly into bed, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "Sweetheart, Mom said she was way too rash today, and she apologizes to you," he whispered softly.

I remained motionless and silent, offering no response.

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "After what happened to Amanda, she wants to transfer our house under her name for now. I agreed. But don't worry, once she feels more at ease, I'll figure out how to get it back.

"Babe, just bear with it a bit for our family's sake."

No wonder Everly was apologizing—she had ulterior motives.

Suddenly, I bolted upright in bed. "We both bought this house together, didn't we?

"The title has both our names. Even if I wanted to sell, you'd need to be there to sign. So, Mom shouldn't even have any concerns about that."

He looked unhappy but resolute. "Can't you just be a bit more understanding? This isn't a big deal, and it's all for the family's harmony.

"Like I said, after this phase, I'll retrieve the house. Why can't you just think it through? Must you put me in such a tight spot?"

"The house issue is nonnegotiable. I'm not that kind of sneaky person, nor do I stoop to such actions," I declared, turning my back and closing my eyes, refusing to engage further.

He was silent for a short moment before saying, "Fine, if you're really against transferring the house, we won't.

"Mom mentioned wanting to invest some money into Mia's company for interest. Her funds aren't enough, so I lent her our 300thousanddollar savings."

I turned around, my tone irked. "Why didn't you discuss this with me before just making the decision?

"We just had Lucy, and I'm currently unemployed too. If we face some emergency, what will we do now that all our money is gone?"

"Mom will just return the money when needed. Besides, our savings in the bank aren't doing much; at least with the investment, we'll have a bit more income every month."

"But..." I began, but he cut me off by gently gripping my shoulders.

"Look, I've already lent the money, so it'd be awkward to ask for it back now. I'll find a way to get it back later," he said, softening his tone.

In the middle of the night, the baby began to wail uncontrollably.

Leon was up before me. "Honey, you've had a rough night. I'll take it from here."

Ever since the baby arrived, the night shifts had fallen squarely on me.

At first, I would call for Leon, but he was either too exhausted from work to help or simply wouldn't wake up at all.

But maybe today was different—perhaps the guilt from having borrowed money without consulting me was weighing on his mind.

With Leon soothing the baby, I finally managed to get some muchneeded rest, sleeping soundly until nine in the morning.

After getting cleaned up, I wandered into the living room, ready to grab a bite to eat.

"Celeste, drink this soup while it's hot," Carter said, bringing over a steaming bowl of fish soup.

"Yeah, Celeste, didn't you say your milk supply was low lately? Your dad and I went out early this morning to buy fish just to help you boost your nutrition," Everly chimed in from the sofa.

Her bluntness caught me off guard, and I felt my cheeks burn a little. I wasn't one to hold grudges, though. "Thanks, Mom and Dad," I replied, trying to sound gracious despite my discomfort.

"Celeste, I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday. I shouldn't have lost my cool without understanding the situation. You know how impatient I can be; please don't hold it against me," Everly's tone softened, and she looked genuinely remorseful.

I wasn't one to dwell on things, so I let it go, convincing myself it was a done deal.

Just then, the baby's cries pierced the air again.

Leon seemed to have fallen back asleep; it had been a while since I'd seen him console the little one.

As I started to rise, Everly got to her feet first.

"Celeste, you eat. I'll check on the baby," she said, heading into our room.

She returned a short while later, cradling the baby and soothing her gently until she quieted down. It was a relief to see Everly so attentive. Surprisingly, she didn't head out to play cards at all that day.

Leon eventually woke up, and to my amazement, he not only did the laundry but also ran water to help wash my hair.

After my Csection, I'd asked him for help a couple of days ago.

Back then, he'd apathetically replied while gaming, "I'll wash your hair later." I had waited until late that night, but he never did.

Today, though, it was as if the sun had risen in the west—he actually offered to wash my hair.

As I lay back in the chair, he was busily lathering up my hair, saying, "Honey, I thought about a lot last night. I realize I haven't been very considerate, but I promise I'll change."

"Let's make things better moving forward, okay?"

From that day on, Leon really was different.

He catered to my every need and took on his share of baby duties as well. I thought we had finally turned a corner and that our lives would continue smoothly.

But as often happened, reality had other plans, and the truth turned out to be much darker than I had hoped.