Calla was initially delighted when she discovered a delicate lace robe tucked away in her husband’s closet, believing it to be a romantic gesture from Jason. However, her world was turned upside down when she later found her stepmother, Lorraine, wearing the very same robe. As doubts and suspicions began to mount, everything spiraled out of control when Calla secretly overheard Lorraine revealing her true, devious plan.
After her father’s death the previous year—a loss that left their beloved, pine-scented two-story home feeling empty—Calla, along with her husband Jason and their six-year-old daughter Emma, moved into the house to help her stepmother, Lorraine. Although Lorraine had been married to her father for five years and had proudly portrayed herself as his unwavering support during his final days, living with her was like walking on a tightrope. Her sharp words, pointed stilettos, and the way she subtly eyed Jason created a constant sense of unease.
Everything seemed bearable—until the day Calla found the robe. While folding Jason’s laundry, a small glossy gift bag caught her eye in his closet. Curious, she opened it and discovered an intimate, sheer lace robe. For a moment, she hoped that Jason had purchased it as a thoughtful Christmas surprise, nudging him to step out of his usual reserved nature.
But the truth was far from what she imagined. A few days later, Lorraine called Calla into her newly redecorated room—a space transformed into a seductive maroon retreat. In a syrupy sweet tone, Lorraine excitedly boasted about a gift from her new boyfriend. When Calla entered, she was horrified to see Lorraine twirling in the very robe she had found in Jason’s closet. Lorraine’s smirk and playful remark about the robe’s exquisite taste, along with her hint that perhaps Calla might get one too, left Calla reeling with disbelief.
Desperate for answers, Calla later confronted Jason that night after putting Emma to bed for her upcoming school “Dress as Your Favorite Character” day. With trembling hands and a pounding heart, she asked if he had given Lorraine the lace robe. Jason’s face twisted in shock and he vehemently denied it, even insisting that the only thing he’d given Lorraine that day was a piece of garlic bread at dinner. Yet, his denial did little to quiet the doubts gnawing at Calla.
Over the next several days, Lorraine’s smug glances and Jason’s persistent denials only deepened her suspicion. Then, while organizing Emma’s art supplies, Calla overheard Lorraine speaking in hushed tones on the phone. Lorraine admitted to someone named Kerry that she had deliberately planted the robe in Jason’s closet to fabricate an affair—an elaborate scheme to drive them out of the home her father had built. Shocked and heartbroken, Calla’s blood ran cold as she realized Lorraine’s true intentions.
That night, Calla relayed everything to Jason. His anger was palpable as he clenched his fist, vowing that Lorraine was trying to destroy their marriage and their family’s unity. Determined to protect their home and Emma from Lorraine’s manipulations, they devised a plan. The following morning, over a quiet breakfast of coffee and bagels, Calla casually mentioned that they were considering moving out—a comment that made Lorraine’s face light up with barely concealed glee.
That evening, Jason and Calla invited a lawyer friend—posing him as a “realtor”—to dinner. During the meal, they calmly revealed that, upon reviewing the deed, Calla and Jason were the primary beneficiaries of the house; it was not, and would never be, Lorraine’s to keep. Lorraine’s face turned pale as she protested, but Jason firmly warned her to start packing. When Lorraine tried to concoct an excuse about a boyfriend, Calla, already privy to her scheme, coldly informed her that she had exactly one week to leave, adding that she didn’t want her around Emma.
Within a week, Lorraine was gone. Calla reclaimed the home her father had cherished by converting Lorraine’s old room into a cozy reading nook and a play area for Emma. As for the lace robe, Lorraine had conveniently left it behind, so Calla donated it to charity—refusing to let it remain as a reminder of deceit.
What would you have done in Calla’s place?