My brother-in-law asked me to bake a cake for his birthday

Jacqueline never felt like she belonged in her husband’s family. They all treated her like she was not good enough for Tom, and Jack, her brother-in-law, was the worst of all.

Every family gathering was a chance for her mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and the rest of the family to mock her by making passive-aggressive comments. They simply didn’t see Jacqueline as the right fit for Tom whom they considered ambitious.

The worst of all was that Tom was never supportive of Jacqueline.

On the contrary, he always defended his family, saying they were just making jokes and she was making a big deal out of nothing.

With each passing day, this woman’s self-confidence was diminishing. She struggled to find ways to show her worth, but every attempt was a failure. It seems like her husband’s family enjoyed undermining her and humiliating her at every chance they had.

Jacqueline, who was a cake decorator, did her best to fit in, and she believed she could do it through her work. For every family occasion, she would bake perfect cakes and cookies, but still, her mother-in-law, Alice, and Jack, would make mean comments.

Her work became Jacqueline’s sanctuary. The only thing that brought joy.

One day, as she was busy in the kitchen, she received a text message from her brother-in-law. He wanted a cake for his birthday. Jacqueline was surprised by this unusual request. Jake never asked her for anything. What’s most, he always made comments about her cakes, saying she could do better. Still, she felt like things might change, and that this was an olive branch from her brother-in-law.

On the day of what Jacqueline believed was Jack’s birthday, she went to his place to deliver the cake herself. It was a three tiers of soft blue and silver buttercream, adorned with delicate hand-painted fondant flowers.

What Jacqueline didn’t know when she stepped foot at Jack’s place was that this day would be the one that changed her life forever.

It wasn’t Jack’s birthday, and it wasn’t a birthday party.

A huge banner with the words “Bon Voyage” written in glitter, gold and white was in the middle of the room.

It was a going-away party for Tom, who was moving to Europe with his mistress. Photos of him with the other woman were placed all around the room. The entire family was aware of his affair and his decision to leave Jacqueline, and they were eager to celebrate it.

Although her heart broke into a million pieces at that moment, and she felt like her entire world collapsed, Jacqueline found the strength to control her feelings. She wouldn’t let her brother-in-law and the rest of Tom’s family to humiliate her any longer.

Instead of yelling and crying, she placed the perfectly-made cake on the kitchen counter and started cutting it into perfect slices. She handed the first to Tom, her husband of many years who never stood by her side but let his family mock her. The second one to his mistress, saying, “And for you, a taste of what it takes to maintain what you’ve stolen.”

She handed the last piece to her brother-in-law.

“Thanks for inviting me to this unforgettable event. But I’ve had my share of people who only see me when it suits them,” she told him.

She then left the place, and for the first time in years, she felt calm. She no longer needed to try hard to receive Tom’s family’s approval. Luckily, she understood that this was for the best and that she could start her life over.

In the days to come, Jacqueline learned that Tom’s mistress bragged about moving to Europe with him, and somehow, his boss learned of that and figured out Tom was lying about the “family reasons” he listed on the request to be moved to Europe. His work contract was terminated. Being jobless, his mistress left him without giving it a second thought.

All of a sudden, he regretted his decision to divorce Jacqueline. He appeared at her apartment, apologizing for the way he and his family treated her. But it was already too late.