Thanksgiving was meant to be a time for family and gratitude, but for my brother-in-law Peter, it turned into a day of reckoning.
I’m Isabella, engaged to Frank and working in finance. My life is mostly stable, but my sister Lily’s struggles weighed on me. Our parents’ divorce hit Lily hard, and over time, she became self-sacrificing. She married Peter, a seemingly perfect man, but I always had doubts about him.
Lily has always been a devoted mother and wife, but Peter has always taken the easy route—staying in bed while Lily handles everything, including the kids and household chores. It wasn’t until I stayed at their home for a few weeks that I saw just how bad it really was. Peter did nothing but play video games and lie about how much he contributed.
When my apartment was being renovated, I asked Lily if Frank and I could stay with her. Despite being pregnant and already overwhelmed, she agreed, knowing I’d help. But Peter still didn’t change. Frank and I pitched in while Peter did nothing. I overheard him telling his mom how hard he was working, which made me furious. That night, I confronted him at dinner, calling him out for pretending to be the perfect husband and father.
Peter tried to defend himself, but I exposed him in front of the family. Lily was in shock, but grateful. The next day, Peter sent me a nasty text, but Lily later shared that his mother had moved in and forced him to do the chores, which was a step in the right direction.
Although Peter still had a lot to learn, for the first time in years, Lily sounded hopeful. She deserved better, and I was determined to make sure she knew it.
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