Woman Rethinks Her Engagement After MIL’s 2-Month Stay Turns Into 6-Month Torture

Parents moving in with their adult children isn’t strange when they’re getting older. In fact, around 30% of seniors move back in with their children. However, when the children have just recently moved out themselves and haven’t even begun their married lives, it’s a bit stranger.

One MIL moved in with her son and her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, but the young woman wasn’t very on board with the idea. As it was technically her apartment, she gradually felt more and more frustrated with the intruder MIL. It got so bad that she started considering moving out and leaving her fiancé for good.

More info: Reddit

A MIL made a woman’s life a nightmare after moving in with her son and overstaying her welcome

Two women argue intensely in a living room, highlighting a conflict with a difficult MIL.

Image credits: GaudiLab (not the actual photo)

Because it was her apartment, the young woman wondered whether she should just move out

Text about a woman considering leaving her apartment due to issues with her fiancé and his mom.

Text excerpt about a mother-in-law and her son's decision after MBA, causing tension in a couple's living arrangement.

Text about a woman who graduated in STEM, started a job, and is content with her international company.

Text about working from home during COVID, struggling with MIL's interference.

Text discussing living arrangements and rent split in a two-bedroom apartment.

Text about fiance's mom moving in, leading to issues; woman feels driven out of her apartment by a difficult mother-in-law.

Text passage discussing a mother-in-law staying temporarily with a couple.

Text describing housing issues with a difficult mother-in-law living in an apartment for six months.

Text about a woman struggling with her MIL interrupting her work at home.

Text segment detailing conflicts with a demanding mother-in-law over outdated gender roles and household chores.

Elderly woman sorting clothes in an apartment, symbolizing MIL issues driving residents away.

Image credits: lucigerma (not the actual photo)

Text describing a woman exhausted by constant criticism and suggesting splitting rent three ways due to MIL.

Text conversation about financial disagreements involving mother-in-law's expenses.

Text from a frustrated woman about her MIL situation in her apartment.

Text screenshot discussing frustration with partner's indecision about their mother-in-law living situation.

Text about considering moving out of current apartment.

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MIL causes couple's rent issues, text on financial struggle reads: "The issue is - If he and his mom aren't able to pay..."

Text expressing frustration and desire to leave due to a difficult mother-in-law situation.

Image credits: ThrowAwayMoveAway129

A few days later, the woman posted an update: she had decided to move out after all

Four days after her original post, Redditor u/ThrowAwayMoveAway129 posted an update. Unfortunately, the couple wasn’t able to work things out, so the woman decided to move out. They haven’t officially broken up yet, but the OP has little hope they will reconcile.

The woman didn’t just up and leave; she tried discussing the issue with her fiancé one last time. “I wanted to give him one more chance to pick us over his mom,” she wrote, saying she did it so she could tell herself that she did at least give him an opportunity.

The fiancé, however, repeated the same thing: he agreed his mother wasn’t being nice, but there was no other choice, even if it was uncomfortable for everyone. The author reiterated how unfair it was that she was covering two-thirds of the rent when three people were living there, but the BF repeated the same old line: his mom’s in a tough spot at the moment.

The woman then asked why her future MIL had so little money: where did all her possessions go when she moved? Apparently, the MIL’s ex-husband bought her out of the equity of their house. And before she moved in with her son and his fiancée, she was working full-time as a teacher and living in a small apartment. “So, she should not have had to tap into the divorce settlement money very much,” the OP explained.

Image credits: davidpereiras (not the actual photo)

The fiancé was surprised by her decision and seemed to worry more about helping his mother than his crumbling relationship

Regardless of his mother’s financial situation, the woman still gave her fiancé an ultimatum: she’ll only be paying 25% of the rent from now on and nothing else, no utilities and no food. The news caught her fiancé off guard: “He seemed really shocked that I wasn’t [prioritizing] his mom,” the OP writes.

Apparently, he kept saying things like, “What about my mom?” and “What am I going to tell her?” The man was seemingly under the impression that he and his fiancée were a team in supporting his mother, but failed to see that the two women didn’t have a strong and loving relationship.

Going forward, there’s only one way the woman sees herself reconciling with her now ex-fiancé, and the chances of even that happening seem very slim. “He’d have to prove that he’s going to have my back going forward and will set boundaries with his mom. I told him that just to avoid more drama, but I don’t see a future in which we are together,” she admits.

In the worst-case scenario, the woman is prepared to get her ex-fiancé and his mother evicted. If they don’t pay their part of the rent or do something stupid, she plans to tell the leasing office that his mother has moved in. And that is prohibited on the lease. “Honestly, getting evicted would solve a lot of my problems right now so it’s a pretty valid threat, I think,” she writes.

“So, that’s it. I’m leaving and I really don’t care how that affects them,” she ended her update.

Image credits: Dimaberlin (not the actual photo)

The woman couldn’t just up and move out because her name was on the lease

Reddit comments discussing issues with a difficult mother-in-law living in an apartment.

Reddit advice thread discussing troublesome mother-in-law and relationship issues.

Reddit comments discussing issues with a difficult mother-in-law and a lease.

Reddit conversation about a woman driven out by a difficult mother-in-law in her apartment.

Reddit comments discussing issues with a problematic mother-in-law in an apartment setting.

People in the comments believed the fiancé should put his GF first, not his mother

Reddit post discussing a difficult mother-in-law situation causing distress in a woman's apartment living.

Comment about controlling MIL and apartment challenges, addressing rent and personal boundaries.

Text post discussing a retired teacher's experiences and opinions about a MIL's work ethic.

Reddit comment about unfair rent division, suggesting 2/3 payment for spare room use.

Comment about MIL, saying "Protect your peace. Your (ex?) fiancé is a doormat. Your potential MIL is never leaving.

Comment discussing relationship issues and advising the woman to move out due to a difficult mother-in-law.

Comment urging against lease renewal due to MIL conflict.

Reddit comment advising someone to leave their partner due to issues with their mother-in-law.

Text response advising a woman to move out due to MIL's interference and criticism.

Reddit comment discussing boundaries with a mother-in-law, advising to avoid living in misery.

Comment discussing division of responsibilities and encouraging an educated woman to avoid living under stress.

Text exchange about self-respect and moving out due to a difficult mother-in-law situation.

Text screenshot discussing a difficult relationship with a mother-in-law in an apartment.

Comment advising woman to leave her apartment due to difficult mother-in-law situation.

Reddit comment about MIL conflict and leaving, emphasizing relationship choices and decision to leave.

Comment advising a woman to leave a difficult situation caused by a problematic MIL.

Comment suggesting a solution for dealing with a difficult mother-in-law in an apartment situation.

Reddit comment discussing MIL conflict, with advice on moving out and financial support issues.

Reddit comment about a difficult mother-in-law affecting living situations.

Reddit comment discussing issues with a difficult mother-in-law and relationship challenges.

The woman came back online to offer an update on the situation

Image credits: JulieAlexK (not the actual photo)

Image credits: alexlucru123 (not the actual photo)

Image credits: ThrowAwayMoveAway129

More suggestions followed, encouraging the woman to stick to her plan

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