Buying our first apartment was a dream come true for my husband, John, and me. We had worked tirelessly for years to make it happen, and the support of my parents played a vital role in reaching this milestone. But just as we began to enjoy the fruits of our labor, an unexpected demand from my mother-in-law left us stunned.
John and I have been married for nearly five years. During this time, his mother lived with John’s elder brother, James, his wife, and their two children. Since we didn’t want to rely on others, we made a mutual decision to prioritize saving for a home before thinking about starting a family.
After four years of relentless effort, we had saved enough for a down payment. My parents were incredibly supportive throughout the process. They not only cheered us on but also offered financial assistance when we needed it most. In a surprising turn of events, they decided to sell my grandmother’s condo, as she could no longer live alone and was moving in with them. They gifted us the proceeds from the sale, allowing us to avoid taking out a mortgage.
With this generous help and our own savings, we purchased a two-bedroom apartment. It was a moment of pure joy when we finally moved into our new home. Six months later, we invited my mother-in-law over to celebrate, but what she said during her visit caught us completely off guard.
She told us, “Now that you’ve bought your apartment and received help, it’s your turn to assist me.” Her words implied that we owed her something, despite her lack of involvement in our journey.
John didn’t hesitate to set the record straight. He made it clear that the only people we owed were my parents, who had supported us unconditionally. He also pointed out that his brother had chosen his path, and it wasn’t our responsibility to fix his situation. John stood firm, even when his mother tried to elicit sympathy by mentioning James’s children and their challenges.
After some time, my mother-in-law left, clearly unhappy. But John and I agreed that her expectations were unreasonable and decided not to let them affect us. Our focus shifted back to our future, especially with the wonderful news that we were expecting our first baby.
