I should have trusted my gut when Debbie, my icy MIL, gifted me expensive yellow patent leather shoes for my birthday. Her smile had been too sweet, her eyes glinting with something I couldn’t place. Still, wanting peace, I wore them for a business trip. I never imagined they’d nearly get me arrested at the airport.

At TSA, something felt off inside the shoe, and the X-ray confirmed it — a dense package hidden beneath the insole. My heart pounded as an officer peeled it open, revealing strange herbs wrapped in plastic. Relief came only when they ruled out drugs, but the shock lingered. Why would Debbie set me up like this?

Tests later revealed the herbs weren’t dangerous but symbolic — used in folk rituals to drive people away or sever ties. My hands shook as I realized Debbie hadn’t just tried to humiliate me; she’d used dark means to push me out of Arthur’s life. The betrayal cut deeper than any snide remark ever had.

That night, I told Arthur everything. His face hardened as I spoke, and he vowed Debbie wouldn’t set foot in our home until she confessed and apologized. Her plan to break us only made us stronger. And as I leaned on him, I knew one thing for certain: love is the shield that no curse can pierce.