It had been only a few months since our marriage when my husband suggested a trip to his hometown.
“Mom and Dad will be thrilled to see you,” he said, grinning.

When we arrived, his parents stood on the porch, waving eagerly.
“Welcome home!” his mother beamed. “We’ve been waiting for this moment.” She hugged me tightly, then showed us to the guest bedroom she had lovingly prepared. The bed smelled faintly of lavender; the walls were lined with family photos.

At dinner, she served pie, asked about my job, and laughed at my jokes. Everything seemed perfect — maybe too perfect.

That night, unable to sleep, I went downstairs for a glass of water. The house was quiet except for the faint ticking of an old clock. I turned on the dim kitchen light and reached for a cup. That’s when I heard her voice from the hallway. Calm. Sharp. Measured.

“Yes, the marriage went through just as planned,” she said into the phone.

A pause.
“Don’t worry… she won’t be around for long. I’ll handle it.”

My heart stopped. My knees went weak. I stood frozen, the sound of her words echoing in my head.
She ended the call, turned toward the kitchen — and our eyes met.

For a moment, her face went pale. Then she smiled, the same warm smile from dinner, and said,
“Oh dear, couldn’t sleep?”

I mumbled something and ran upstairs. My husband was half-asleep, but I shook him awake. “Your mother—she said something strange.”

He frowned. “You probably misunderstood. Mom wouldn’t—”

But I knew what I’d heard.

The next morning, I found a note under our door:

“Breakfast is ready. Don’t forget, the garden gate sticks—be careful.”

At breakfast, she served pancakes and asked sweetly, “Sleep well, darling?”
I smiled back, hiding the shiver that ran through me.

When we packed to leave later that day, my husband went ahead to load the car. As I turned to thank her for hosting us, she leaned close and whispered,

“You’re a smart girl. Let’s keep last night between us, shall we?”

Her tone was soft. Her smile unwavering.
And that’s when I realized — the kindest faces can hide the darkest intentions.