When Jess received a pair of expensive yellow heels from her frosty mother-in-law, Debbie, on her birthday, she was immediately skeptical. The shoes were surprisingly stylish — her taste exactly — but the gesture felt… off. Still, in front of her husband, Arthur, she forced a smile and thanked Debbie, who couldn’t resist a passive-aggressive dig about Jess’s usual “practical” footwear.
It wasn’t the first time Debbie had thrown shade. From praising Arthur’s ex during Christmas dinner to crashing their anniversary uninvited with old photo albums, she had a pattern of subtly undermining Jess. And though Arthur always encouraged patience — “She just needs time” — her jabs had only intensified since the wedding.
The shoes sat untouched until Jess’s work trip to Chicago. Urged by Arthur to wear them as a peace gesture, she slipped them on. At the airport, something felt strange inside the left shoe, like a lump under the insole. By the time she reached TSA, she was limping.
Security scanned her shoes and immediately flagged something suspicious. Jess’s heart dropped when the officer asked her to step aside. When they removed the insole, they found a small plastic-wrapped bundle hidden in a carved-out compartment. Everyone around her looked alarmed.
Flustered and near tears, Jess tried to explain that the shoes were a gift, and she had no idea what was inside. TSA tested the contents and, to her immense relief, found no illegal substances — but they confiscated the package just in case.
The incident left Jess shaken. Why would Debbie do such a thing?
Back home, Jess had the mysterious contents tested. The results stunned her: mugwort, yarrow, St. John’s Wort — herbs commonly used in folk magic to sever bonds or push people away. Debbie hadn’t tried to frame her for smuggling drugs… she’d used witchcraft to drive her out of Arthur’s life.
That night, Jess told Arthur everything. As she spoke, his expression turned grim. “This is beyond anything I imagined,” he said, shocked and furious. He made it clear: Debbie had gone too far.
Arthur promised to confront his mother and set firm boundaries. “She crossed a line,” he said. “I won’t let her destroy what we have. You’re my family now.”
Jess felt overwhelmed, but also deeply grateful for his support. The cursed shoes stayed tucked away in their closet — a haunting reminder that sometimes the most dangerous people disguise their intentions with pretty gifts.
Maybe Debbie thought her schemes would drive them apart. Instead, they only brought Jess and Arthur closer.