My Spanish husband always spoke his native language with his family when they visited. I didn’t mind — I’d smile, nod, and catch words like mi amor and familia and felt included. Then my friend Patricia, fluent in Spanish, came to dinner.
At first, everything was normal: loud, happy, family chatter. But halfway through the meal, Patricia froze. She grabbed my arm and whispered urgently that I needed to talk to my husband. The rest of the night was tense and confusing.
After everyone left, Patricia told me she’d understood something shocking: my husband’s family had been talking about my marriage as an “arrangement,” saying I was “perfect for the purpose” and “had no idea.” They claimed the relationship was orchestrated — that they needed an American citizen.
I confronted my husband. At first he denied it, but then broke down and admitted it was true — not for money or a green card for him, but to bring my brother back into my life. They believed this was the only way.