Dealing with difficult in-laws can be a challenging experience, and Ellen can certainly relate to this. She had a mother-in-law who didn’t understand boundaries, and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.
Ellen and her husband David were thrilled about their daughter Lisa’s upcoming wedding. Lisa had recently graduated from medical school and started working as a doctor, so it seemed like the perfect time for her to tie the knot with her soulmate, Ric.
As a gesture of their love and support, Ellen and David bought Lisa a small house. They believed she deserved it for her dedication to her studies and for being a wonderful daughter. The house may not have been grand, but it was enough for Lisa.
However, things took a turn when Lisa expressed her desire for Ric to move in with her before they got married. David was hesitant at first, but they eventually agreed since Ric would soon become their son-in-law.
To introduce their families, Lisa and Ric organized a family dinner. Ellen and David were excited to meet Ric’s parents for the first time. Little did they know that this dinner would become a night to remember, for all the wrong reasons.
As they arrived at Lisa’s house with their younger daughter Leah, Ric’s parents were already there. They all engaged in casual conversation before Ellen, David, and Leah went outside to prepare the barbecue. But what happened next was unexpected.
David and Leah quickly returned inside, claiming that they needed to go home urgently because Leah wasn’t feeling well. Ellen trusted David’s judgement and didn’t push further. However, on their way back, David revealed that he overheard Ric’s parents saying they would not invite them to the wedding and planned to make them pay for it.
Ellen was shocked. She couldn’t understand why her future son-in-law’s parents would exclude them from their own daughter’s wedding, and why Lisa would agree to it. The next morning, Ellen went straight to Lisa’s house to confront Ric’s parents.
When Ellen knocked on the door, Ric’s mother opened it slightly and accused Ellen of influencing Lisa too much. She claimed that Lisa was now like them and didn’t need her parents’ influence in her life. To make matters worse, Ric’s mother revealed that they had moved in with Lisa and Ric, and that they wouldn’t be invited to the wedding but would still receive a bill for it.
Ellen was taken aback by these words. In disbelief, she called Lisa to express her concerns and ask her to reconsider. Unfortunately, Lisa stood by her in-laws’ decision.
Realizing that the house still belonged to her, Ellen decided to take drastic measures. She gave Lisa, Ric, and his parents 10 days to leave the property, but they refused. In response, Ellen and David made the difficult decision to sell the house.
Since then, Lisa has moved into a small apartment near her workplace, and Ellen has lost track of Ric’s parents. Although Lisa and Ric continue to stay together, they still haven’t tied the knot.
Ellen shared her story to seek advice and understand if she was wrong for selling the house. In the end, she used the funds to buy her other daughter the car she had always wanted.
It’s a heartbreaking situation to be in, where family dynamics clash and cause rifts. Ellen’s decision may seem drastic, but she felt it was necessary to protect her daughter and her own well-being.
