Mother-in-law

The daughter-in-law watched her mother-in-law chuckle grimly as she took each spoonful of the soup. A shiver ran down her spine, but she continued to eat in silence.

When the mother-in-law announced she was going to the bathroom, the daughter-in-law held her breath. This was her moment.

With trembling hands, she pulled a small vial from her pocket and poured a few drops of a dark liquid into her mother-in-law's bowl of soup.

Upon returning, the mother-in-law noticed nothing out of the ordinary and continued to savor the soup with delight. The daughter-in-law pretended to eat, watching each gulp her mother-in-law took with greedy eyes.

Suddenly, the mother-in-law stiffened. Her face contracted into a grimace of horror as her eyes widened in panic. She tried to speak, but only choked gurgles came from her throat.

She clutched her hands to her neck, clawing desperately as she fell out of the chair.

The daughter-in-law simply watched with vacant eyes as her mother-in-law writhed on the floor, struggling to breathe. Finally, the mother-in-law lay motionless, her lifeless eyes staring into the void.

As she washed the dishes later, the daughter-in-law smiled with satisfaction. At last she had succeeded in getting rid of the bitter woman who for years had embittered her existence.

Peace reigned in her home, albeit at a chilling price.