My mother-in-law is known for her snooping. Once, she showed up unannounced when my husband and I were in the middle of an intimate moment. Christmas dinner was the last straw, and I exposed her, hoping to set boundaries. But I never expected my husband would take her side.

When my husband Chris and I finally bought our dream house, I felt like all our sacrifices had paid off. After three years of living on ramen noodles, skipping date nights, and sharing a one-bedroom apartment, we’d done it. The little blue colonial with white trim was ours, complete with a bay window I’d already filled with plans for morning coffee and Sunday reading sessions.