My mother-in-law thinks we owe her something. I’m still baffled as to why her family is involved when my parents have always been there for us. John and I married nearly five years ago. My mother-in-law was living with my older brother James, his wife, and their two children at the time. It turned out that there was no place in their house for either me or John. But we didn’t intend to stay, and we both believed that we should first get our own place before considering having children.

We worked tirelessly for four years and managed to save enough money for an apartment. My parents were always there for us, encouraging and assisting us in any way they could. That’s how we saved enough money for the down payment in four years. My father then shocked us. They took her in because it was difficult for my grandma to live alone. They sold her condo and gave us the cash, eliminating the need for a mortgage.

We were able to purchase a two-bedroom condo with that money and our savings. Everything went swimmingly, and we were in our own place, celebrating our new home, within six months. It was that evening that we discovered my mother-in-law’s hidden objective. She apparently expected us to assist her in purchasing a property. “You’ve bought yourselves an apartment, and you’ve received help before; now it’s your turn,” she told me.

“I don’t understand why we should be involved in this,” he said. We’ve worked hard to achieve our objectives, and we owe no one but my wife’s parents.” He further stated that it was his fault if his brother had not made any adjustments in his life after all these years. He may do whatever he wants as long as he avoids us.

My mother-in-law attempted to play the compassion card by noting Sasha’s children and lack of a place to reside. However, he stayed firm. My mother-in-law eventually departed our home. My husband pondered the problem for a while, but it no longer bothered him. After all, he recently learned that he will soon become a father.