Jess never trusted her icy mother-in-law, Debbie, but when she received a pair of expensive shoes for her birthday, she hesitated to suspect foul play. The shoes, glossy yellow and exactly Jess’s style, seemed like a rare olive branch from Debbie. Yet, beneath the polished exterior, trouble was lurking.

On a business trip to Chicago, TSA flagged Jess’s left shoe during security screening. Hidden inside the insole was a small, plastic-wrapped package containing herbs—mugwort, yarrow, and St. John’s Wort—known in folk magic for driving people away or severing bonds. Jess was stunned; this was no innocent gift but a deliberate attempt to harm her relationship with her husband, Arthur.

Faced with betrayal, Jess confronted Arthur, who vowed to cut ties with his mother until she admitted and apologized. The incident, a cruel act masked in a seemingly thoughtful gift, only strengthened their bond.

Jess learned a painful lesson: sometimes, the most dangerous gifts come wrapped in the prettiest packages.