The first time I met my future mother-in-law, Martha, she made it clear she didn’t like me. No, scratch that—she despised me. She looked me up and down, her lips curling in a smirk, and said, “You stole someone else’s husband.”

It took everything in me not to snap back. Instead, I forced a polite smile and said, “Dean and Kate have been divorced for two years.”

“Because of you.”

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. I hadn’t even met Dean until six months after his divorce. But Martha didn’t care about facts—only about the fairy tale she had in her head. In her eyes, Kate was perfect. The daughter she never had. The woman she believed should still be with her son, never mind that Kate had cheated on Dean with his own cousin.

I tried to ignore Martha’s jabs. I loved Dean. He was the best man I’d ever known. And at the end of the day, I was marrying him, not his mother.

Or so I thought.

A few days before the wedding, I heard an unexpected knock on my door. I opened it to find Martha standing there, smug and self-satisfied.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, confused. “Dean should be at your house for dinner right now.”

Her smirk deepened. “Oh, he is. But he’s not having dinner with me. He’s having dinner with Kate.”

My heart stopped. “What… what do you mean?”

Martha’s voice dripped with venomous triumph. “I told you, you were never supposed to be here. I did everything I could to get Dean and Kate back together.”

I didn’t even think. I grabbed my keys and ran straight to Martha’s house. The drive was a blur, my mind racing with a million horrible possibilities. Had she really convinced Dean to meet with his ex? Worse—had he agreed?

When I pulled up to the house, my hands were shaking. I barely managed to park before I jumped out and stormed inside without knocking. Martha didn’t even try to stop me. She followed, her chuckle sending chills down my spine.

The scene before me was exactly as she described: Dean sitting at the dining table, across from Kate. Candles flickered between them. A half-full wine bottle stood between their glasses. It looked intimate. Too intimate.

“What the hell is going on?” My voice came out sharper than I intended.

Dean turned, his face a mask of surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you that!” I snapped, my heart pounding. “I thought we were getting married in three days. But I guess your mother had other plans.”

Kate shifted uncomfortably. “Maybe I should go.”

“No, stay,” I said, my voice laced with frustration. “I’d love to hear how this happened.”

Dean sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Mom invited me to dinner. She didn’t say Kate would be here. I was just as surprised as you are.”

“And yet, you’re still sitting here,” I shot back.

“I didn’t want to be rude.”

I laughed bitterly. “Rude? To her? After what she did to you? After what your mother is trying to do? Dean, do you not see what’s happening?”

Martha’s voice cut through the air. “I was just helping him see what he’s missing.”

I turned to her, fury bubbling inside me. “You don’t get to decide who he loves.”

“Love fades,” Martha said coolly. “History remains.”

Dean stood abruptly, knocking his chair back. “Enough, Mom.”

The room fell silent.

Dean looked at Kate, then at me. His eyes softened as he reached for my hand. “I came here tonight because I thought my mom actually wanted to have dinner with me before my wedding. I didn’t expect this, and I certainly didn’t expect her to try and manipulate me.”

Martha scoffed. “I just wanted you to think clearly.”

“I am thinking clearly,” he said firmly. “I love her.” He squeezed my hand. “I’m marrying her. And if you can’t accept that, then maybe you shouldn’t come to the wedding at all.”

Martha’s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. She clearly hadn’t expected Dean to choose me so decisively.

Kate gave me an apologetic look before standing. “I didn’t come here to cause trouble,” she said. “I just thought Martha wanted to catch up. I see now that was a mistake. I hope you two have a beautiful wedding.”

She left quickly, and with her gone, the tension in the room cracked like shattered glass.

Dean turned to his mother one last time. “This is your last chance. If you want to be in my life, in our life, you need to respect my fiancée. If not, you can stay out of it.”

Martha’s face twisted in anger, but for once, she had no snide remark. She just stood there, stewing in her defeat, as we walked out together.

As soon as we got in the car, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Dean turned to me, his eyes full of regret. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

I shook my head. “I’m just glad you saw it for what it was.”

He took my hand, bringing it to his lips. “I love you. And nothing—not my mother, not my past—will change that.”

Three days later, we stood at the altar, saying our vows. Martha didn’t come.

And honestly? It was the best wedding gift she could have given me.

Some people will go to great lengths to manipulate others, but in the end, love always finds its way. Have you ever dealt with a toxic in-law? Share your experience in the comments and don’t forget to like and share this post!