I never imagined that six months later she would meet Robert, that he would be so charming at first, so different from her ex-husband. I never imagined they would marry just four months after meeting. And I certainly never imagined he would bring along this family that had now turned my daughter’s refuge into their personal vacation spot.

“Alice, what a surprise,” Robert’s mother said when she finally saw me. Her voice was sweet, but her eyes were cold as ice.