On a day meant to foster unity, Avril extends an olive branch to her stepmom, only to watch it get trampled underfoot. But as fate would have it, a simple gesture leads to an unforeseen chain of events that could mend old wounds or deepen them forever.

Life is full of surprises, which tend to come in all shapes and sizes. It’s also packed with both joys and sorrows, with every new day bringing forth something that we never thought possible.

My name is Avril, and this is the story of how my heartfelt gesture for a family member was taken for granted until karma struck.

So, I’m 25, navigating this weird phase of life where my stepmom, Natalie, is a central figure. She’s only 37, and yeah, she married my dad just two years after we lost my mom. It’s been rough, not going to lie.

But life’s all about the surprises it throws at you, right? Natalie does make Dad happy, which is something, I guess. So I’ve been trying to thaw the frosty air between us, aiming for at least a “normal” relationship.

Mother’s Day was on the horizon, and I figured, why not make an effort? I booked a table at a nice restaurant for her and Dad and bought this pretty necklace.

So, I handed her the gift, right? She opened it, looked at it, and her face twisted as if she’d just sniffed spoiled milk. And then, no kidding, she tossed it back into the gift bag.

Can you believe that? There I was, all hyped up about giving her this gift, and she couldn’t even pretend to care. Just my luck, huh? My heart just sank. There I was, feeling gutted when karma decided to make a grand entrance.