When Jess’s icy mother-in-law, Debbie, gifted her a pair of gorgeous yellow heels for her birthday, Jess had a bad feeling. But she accepted them, hoping her mother-in-law might be extending an olive branch. Days later, preparing for a business trip to Chicago, Jess reluctantly wore the shoes.

At airport security, she felt something odd in her left shoe. When TSA inspected it, they found a hidden compartment inside, filled with strange herbs. After testing, they found no illegal substances but warned her about the incident, leaving Jess embarrassed and shaken.

Back home, Jess couldn’t shake the suspicion. She took the herbs for analysis and discovered they were mugwort, yarrow, and St. John’s Wort—plants used in folk magic to sever bonds. Jess realized Debbie hadn’t meant to frame her but was likely trying to curse her.

Later that evening, she told Arthur everything. Furious, he promised to confront his mother and set boundaries. “You’re my family, Jess. She crossed a line,” he said, holding her hand.

As Arthur reached for his phone to confront his mother, Jess felt reassured. She knew this wouldn’t break their marriage; instead, they’d come out stronger. Now, Jess was more cautious, vowing to be wary of any “gifts” from Debbie.

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