When I found out my grandson Timmy wasn’t getting the $300 I sent him each month, I knew something was wrong. My suspicion quickly turned to my daughter-in-law, Susan. Determined to get to the truth, I hatched a clever plan to catch her in the act.
For months, I had been sending $300 to Susan, who was supposed to pass it on to Timmy. We had agreed she wouldn’t tell him the money was from me; I didn’t want him to think I was trying to buy his affection. The money was meant to help Timmy learn about managing finances, not to spoil him.
Susan and my son were financially comfortable, but I wanted Timmy to have some pocket money to learn how to handle it. Everything seemed fine—until one day, Timmy called me, asking for more money.
“Grandma, can you send me some money? I really want to buy this toy I’ve been dreaming about,” he said, his voice full of excitement.
I was puzzled. “But Timmy, didn’t your mom give you pocket money last week?”
“No,” he said, sounding disappointed. “I’ve been asking for pocket money, but she says I’m too young.”
I was stunned. My blood started to boil. Something was clearly wrong. I decided to investigate further.
“But what about the toys you already have?” I asked. “Where did you get the money for those?”
“Dad sometimes gives me money for chores, but it’s not enough to buy the toy I want. Mom says I shouldn’t ask you for money, but please, Grandma, just this once?”
His words hit me hard. I had tried to give Susan the benefit of the doubt, but now I was worried that something much worse was happening. Had she been keeping the money for herself all along?
Feeling a surge of anger, I knew I needed to find out the truth. I came up with a plan to catch Susan in the act.
The next day, I called Susan. “Hey Susan, it’s been a while since we’ve had some girl time. How about a shopping trip?” I said, trying to sound friendly while I was actually seething inside.
Susan eagerly agreed, completely unaware of my suspicions. We met up and went to an antique store owned by my friend Helen. Susan didn’t know that Helen and I had set this up in advance.
When we arrived, Helen greeted us warmly. “Welcome! Anything catch your eye?” she asked, playing her part perfectly.
I made small talk and asked to see some jewelry. Helen showed us a beautiful necklace, and Susan’s eyes lit up.
“Oh, it’s stunning!” she exclaimed. “How much?”
“Five hundred dollars,” Helen replied with a smile.
Susan’s face fell. I watched her closely, seeing her mind race as she tried to figure out how she could get the money. This was the moment I’d been waiting for.
As we left the store, I mentioned Timmy. “You know, Susan, I’ve been thinking about sending Timmy an extra $500 so he can buy that toy he really wants.”
Susan’s eyes widened, barely able to hide her excitement. “That’s so generous of you, Mary!” she said.
Later that evening, I prepared an envelope with fake money—play money from an old board game. I sealed it with a note that read, “For Timmy, love Grandma,” and waited.
The next day, Susan went straight to the antique store. Helen called me as soon as she arrived. “She’s here,” Helen whispered. “She’s asking to see the necklace again.”
Perfect. I rushed to the store, my heart racing with anticipation.
When I arrived, I saw Susan at the counter, handing Helen the envelope. Helen took one look at the money and her face darkened.
“This is fake money,” Helen said, holding up one of the counterfeit bills.
Susan’s face went pale. “What? No! That’s impossible!” she stammered.
Helen stood firm. “This is clearly fake. I’ll have to call the police.”
At that moment, I stepped forward. “Susan, what’s going on?”
“Mary, please help me!” she cried, her voice frantic. “She says the money is fake!”
I looked her straight in the eye. “That’s because it is, Susan.”
Susan stared at me in shock as the realization hit her. “You’ve been stealing the money I sent for Timmy, haven’t you?”
Susan broke down in tears, falling to her knees. “I’m so sorry, Mary. I didn’t mean for it to go this far. I was just so tempted.”
I remained calm but firm. “From now on, I’ll be giving Timmy the money directly. You’ve lost my trust, Susan.”
She nodded, still sobbing. Helen, understanding the seriousness of the situation, decided not to call the police, but the lesson was clear.
And that’s how I exposed my daughter-in-law’s deception. It wasn’t easy, but sometimes tough love is necessary to set things right.
