Gina Heslop
Layla had been married to her husband, Tom, for twelve years, and every year, Tom went on a family vacation without her.
He would travel to an island with his family, but Layla and their children were never invited. For a long time, Layla accepted this tradition, even though it made her feel left out. But after years of wondering, she finally decided to ask why she was never included.
One evening, as they prepared dinner together, Layla suggested to Tom, “Why don’t you skip this family vacation and let’s go somewhere with the kids instead?” Tom immediately dismissed the idea, saying that taking young children on vacation would be chaotic and that they could consider family holidays only when the kids were older. His response frustrated Layla, so she asked, “What about me? Are you sure your mom would mind if I came along?”
Tom hesitated and then told her that his mother wouldn’t be comfortable if Layla joined. He said his mom wanted the vacation to be just with her own children, claiming she didn’t want anyone else tagging along.
Layla was hurt but tried to accept his answer. However, she felt something wasn’t right. She couldn’t understand why, after all these years, she still wasn’t welcome on these family trips.
Eventually, Layla decided to talk to her mother-in-law directly, hoping to understand the reason behind her exclusion.
When she asked about the family vacations, her mother-in-law was shocked to learn that Tom had told her not to come. She explained that she had no problem with Layla joining the trips and had never asked for her to be excluded.
As they discussed the situation, Layla and her mother-in-law started to piece together bits of information. They realized that Tom had been keeping a secret from both of them.
After more investigation, Layla uncovered the truth: Tom had been hiding a separate life. During these trips, he was spending time with another woman. He had used the family vacations as an excuse to be with her, lying to both his wife and his mother for years.
This discovery devastated Layla. She felt betrayed, realizing that Tom had been dishonest with her for over a decade. The secret tore the family apart, leaving both Layla and her mother-in-law heartbroken.
Tom’s deception not only damaged his marriage with Layla but also strained his relationship with his mother, who was deeply disappointed by his actions.
Layla had to make difficult choices about her future, learning the hard way that sometimes, the people closest to us aren’t always who they seem.
