I lent my car to my daughter-in-law, Layla, hoping to fix our strained relationship. But when she returned it damaged, she lied, claiming it had already been in bad shape. Toby, my son, took her side, defending her lies. I was devastated, but instead of confronting them, I decided to take a different route.

One night, I went to their house and sprayed animal attractant all over their yard and porch. By morning, wild animals had trashed the place, and Toby called me, panicked about the horrible mess and smell. I feigned surprise, masking my satisfaction, knowing my plan had worked.

Layla, likely aware of my involvement, didn’t accuse me, but her behavior toward me changed. She stopped being rude, and at family dinners, she became more reserved. Toby, on the other hand, began calling me more often, checking in and showing concern.

Setting this boundary taught Layla not to take advantage of me again. My son also seemed to come out of the trance Layla had pulled him into, reconnecting with me like before. In the end, my late husband Nathan was right—Toby still needed his mother, and by standing up for myself, I managed to save my relationship with him, while ensuring Layla never crossed the line again.