Michael and I had known each other since we were children playing in the same neighborhood. When we reconnected as adults and fell in love, it felt like destiny. Our wedding was magical, and moving into his ancestral family home seemed romantic – until the night he handed me his mother’s journal.
The leather-bound book contained what appeared to be family recipes at first glance. But as I turned the pages, the entries grew darker – warnings of a curse that plagued women who married into their family. Michael tried to laugh it off, but his nervous smile didn’t reach his eyes.
Strange things began happening almost immediately. My successful online store was suddenly flooded with fake negative reviews. Our home was broken into, but only my possessions were disturbed. I started noticing Michael’s mother watching me with an unsettling intensity.
The truth came crashing down when I overheard her phone conversation: “She’ll be gone soon, just like the others.” My blood turned to ice as I realized – there was no curse. Only a mother willing to destroy any woman who came between her and her son.
When I confronted Michael with what I’d discovered, the color drained from his face. That night, we packed our bags and left everything behind. Now, living by the ocean hundreds of miles away, we’re finally free from the shadows of his family’s dark secret.