When I married my husband, I knew marriage would come with its challenges—but I never imagined I’d constantly have to prove my sincerity. From day one, my mother-in-law made it painfully clear that she believed I married her son for his money.
At first, I tried to brush it off with a smile, but her comments became a relentless pattern that slowly wore me down. Every opportunity she got, she would slip in a remark about how I must be enjoying a life where everything is handed to me. It almost seemed like she waited for an audience, eager to make me look like someone who simply coasted while her son provided for me.
Most of the time, I bit my tongue to keep the peace and avoid ruining family gatherings. But at a recent dinner, I finally reached my breaking point.
She made another remark in front of everyone about how nice it must be to have a husband who covers all the bills. People laughed awkwardly, but I could feel my face burning.
Instead of ignoring it this time, I looked her straight in her eye, and said, “Funny, because I just finished paying off his student loans.” The entire table went silent, her smile froze, and for once she had nothing to say. My husband reached for my hand under the table, but I kept my eyes on her so she knew I was not afraid to push back.
It was satisfying to finally stand up for myself, but it also left me wondering what comes next. I know this will not magically change her opinion of me, and I am bracing for future comments. Still, it felt important to make it clear that I am not the person she paints me to be.
So now I am torn. Did I do the right thing by calling her out in front of everyone, or did I make the situation worse? What would you have done in my place?