My In-Laws Took Everything My Husband Owned, But I Didn’t Give Up!

Bob Marley once said, “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have”, and I am a living proof of that.

I had always been a pampered child. My parents raised me like a princess, and my father ensured that I got everything I ever desired. I was raised to be an independent woman, and with my parent’s blessings and hard work, I got my dream job at IBM after completing my MBA in Finance.

My life was going smoothly till a catastrophe hit my family, and I lost my father due to a terminal illness. I was still mourning his loss and was yet to accept the reality when, due to societal pressure, I was married off to my uncle’s son.

Despite that, I was ordered to leave my lucrative career and manage the household chores, but not before pledging all my jewellery and saving to fund my husband’s start-up. I had nobody to have my back, and my husband didn’t heed my pleadings.

Things turned worse when I gave birth to my second daughter. No one turned up in the hospital, including my husband, to see my newborn as they were expecting a boy, and I already had one daughter.

The emotional and psychological torture increased to the point where I considered killing myself along with my daughters. I might have gone through with the plan, but looking at their beautiful faces filled me with gratitude, and I decided to fight with my destiny for their sake.

Then the pandemic happened

Life took another turn when the deadly COVID virus infiltrated our home, and everything went topsy-turvy. My in-laws and husband were admitted to ICU. While praying for their recovery, I received a call from the hospital stating my husband wanted to see me.

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I rushed to the hospital to check on my husband’s condition. I saw him through the surveillance camera, taking his last breath in front of my eyes a few seconds later.

I won’t let my daughter’s suffer

Devastated, I returned home and called my daughters, who were at my native place. I could not muster the courage to tell them that their father had passed away, so I told them he had gone to some place for work.

Fourteen years back, I had a flourishing career and bright future in front of me, and now I was left penniless as my in-laws took over everything my husband owned.

This time I decided it was not about me any more, my late husband’s property and valuables belonged to my daughters, and I was not going to let anyone snatch their possessions away from them.

I fought tooth and nail and did everything in my power to get my rightful share of the property back from my in-laws, including the jewellery my father had preserved for me.

Rejoining workforce after 10 years

Finally, after a ten-year hiatus, I returned to work with my head held high. I am a teacher now at an international school and a single mother of two lovely girls.

I am extremely proud of myself, and now when I look back, I can’t believe how I managed to survive the worst phase of my life.

As a teacher, I make sure my students know their worth and always dare to fight for their rights. I tell them every day to never take anything for granted and be always grateful for what they have.

Image source: Author, edited on CanvaPro

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