When a woman and her husband purchased a new house, the mother-in-law insisted on obtaining an emergency key. After assuring them that it would only be used in case of an emergency, the woman sent her one. However, a few days later, during Christmas dinner, the mother-in-law angrily accused her daughter-in-law of making a fool of her.
A newly-wed couple | Source: Pexels
On December 30, 2021, an anonymous female poster turned to Reddit's "AITA" forum to share her narrative. The woman, aged 34, had tied the knot with her 37-year-old husband a year earlier. His mother, known for being snoopy and irritating, had a penchant for such behavior.
"My husband and I purchased a new house recently. My MIL kept pushing to get an emergency [key]. She promised that she [would] only use it in an emergency..." noted the woman. However, she recalled past incidents when her MIL held an emergency key to their former apartment and walked in on them not once but twice.
Silhouette of a person holding a door knob with the keys inside | Source: Pexels
On both occasions, the woman and her husband were engaged in intimate moments, and the mother-in-law's actions profoundly disturbed her. What was surprising, however, was her husband's nonchalant attitude. He didn't attach much significance to the situation and opted to overlook it rather than address the issue with his mother.
A smiling senior woman | Source: Shutterstock
Simply put, OP found it challenging to trust her MIL, given everything she had done before. But succumbing to the persistent requests, she eventually sent her mother-in-law a fake key. Upon hand-delivering it, the MIL sported a smug expression.
Several days went by, and Christmas arrived, leading to a wild twist in the story. OP recalled: "[At] Christmas dinner MIL [angrily] "called me out" on the fact I gave her a fake copy of the house key."
Family members having Christmas dinner | Source: Flickr
The MIL publicly shamed her daughter-in-law for this action, but in the woman's defense, she questioned how her MIL discovered the ruse. She admitted to attempting to use the key days earlier when she came over and saw that the woman and her husband were not home.
A young woman and senior lady having an argument | Source: Shutterstock
OP reminded her, "[Didn't] you promise you wouldn't use it unless there's an emergency? So [you] tried to get in when there was no emergency and you broke the promise you made to us!" The mother-in-law appeared red-faced, and the other family members started staring, with some even laughing at her reaction.
After being exposed at the dinner, the MIL abruptly rose from her seat and hurried into the kitchen, unleashing a massive meltdown that was so loud it likely reached the next-door neighbors—something OP had never witnessed from a woman in her 60s. Predictably, dinner became uncomfortably awkward, with OP's husband and his sister shooting disapproving glances her way.
Senior mom sharing a sweet moment with her son | Source: Shutterstock
Later, in the car, OP was amazed when her husband took his mom's side. Unleashing his frustration, he accused her of lying, manipulating, humiliating, and exposing his mother. He asserted that he wouldn't have allowed her actions had he been aware.
An argument ensued, with her husband demanding that she apologize to his mom for what he deemed as childish behavior, accusing her of ruining Christmas dinner for the entire family. In the end, OP was left wondering if she was wrong for giving her MIL a decoy key and exposing her snoopy side at the Christmas dinner.
In a brief note, OP thanked the Reddit community for their supportive comments and for deeming her "NTA." She noted how things took an unexpected turn when she decided to share some helpful comments she found online with her husband.
A distraught woman looking at her phone | Source: Shutterstock
However, his reaction was far from positive; he became angry, accusing her of being "nuts" for discussing his family matters online. He insisted on taking her phone to delete the story, but she refused and retreated upstairs to the bedroom. OP was astonished by the intensity of her husband's agitation, not anticipating such a strong reaction. Redditors weighed in on the matter:
What do you think about this story? Was OP at fault for exposing her MIL? How would you handle things if you were in her place?
Click here to read another story where a woman suspected her MIL of snooping in her bedroom and used a pregnancy test to catch her.