They say your first home as a couple is where you build your future. For Alex and me, that was a sunny two‑bedroom apartment we bought three months after our wedding — mainly thanks to the down payment from my parents.
I always felt this home was built with love and support. But I noticed my MIL Barbara watching it not with admiration, but calculation — like she saw it as something she wanted.
At our housewarming, I cooked for days because I wanted everyone to see we’d made something real. Katie, my sister‑in‑law, arrived without her kids, which was a relief. But then Barbara rose and, instead of celebrating us, said Katie deserved this apartment more, because she had three kids and couldn’t afford a home. Before I could react, Alex backed her up, suggesting we move out and let Katie live here.
The room went silent. Then my mom spoke calmly but firmly: if they wanted the apartment, they’d have to take us to court — and lose. My parents had made sure the deed was in my name alone, since they covered most of the down payment.
Alex and his family were stunned. My father reminded him that letting his mother override his marriage showed weak loyalty. With no words left, Alex, Barbara, and Katie left. My parents and I finally relaxed and had cake — and for the first time that night, I smiled.