I was suspicious when my overbearing mother-in-law, Veronica, insisted we use the special Christmas tree she’d sent for our first time hosting the family gathering. But I was caught off guard when there were no specific decorating instructions—until we plugged in the tree and uncovered the true reason behind her insistence.
It should’ve raised a red flag when the large box arrived in October. Veronica was always controlling, especially when it came to family traditions, but this felt different. When my husband, Brent, and I read the note with the artificial tree, it only stated that this was the tree we had to use and where to place it—nothing more.
For the next two months, I couldn’t shake the unease the tree gave me, even as I prepared for the gathering. My sister, Kate, tried to calm me down, suggesting that maybe Veronica was finally loosening her grip. But something still didn’t sit right.
On the day of the gathering, everything seemed fine—until we plugged in the tree. Suddenly, smoke started pouring out, and flames quickly spread up the branches.
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