When you get married, you’re not just marrying the love of your life; their family is part of the package, too. This can lead to problems if you don’t see eye-to-eye with your in-laws, but things get even trickier if they’re master manipulators.
One woman has turned to an online community for support after her slacker sister-in-law not only framed her for stealing her stuff, but succeeded in turning her husband against her, too, complete with a full-blown intervention.
More info: Reddit
Things can get tricky when you don’t see eye-to-eye with your in-laws, as this woman found out in the most horrifying way
Image credits: gritsiv / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Her sister-in-law agreed to house-sit while she and her husband were on honeymoon, but ended up overstaying her welcome by manipulating her brother
Image credits: nomadsoul1 / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The sister-in-law then proceeded to take over the couple’s condo, camping out in their living room, eating all their food, and getting loudly intimate with a random guy
Image credits: diana.grytsku / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When the woman gave her sister-in-law a deadline to move out, the sister-in-law warned her that she’d turn her husband against her
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Then, the day before the sister-in-law was meant to move out, the woman’s husband sent her a concerning text message
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It turned out the sister-in-law had framed her for stealing her stuff, and tricked her brother into staging a full-blown intervention
Image credits: dingdongwitchded
At a complete loss for what to do, the woman, who admits to being a recovering kleptomaniac but claims innocence, has turned to an online community for advice
When OP and her husband ditched the big wedding and eloped, they didn’t expect the drama that would arrive after the honeymoon. While her family was chill, his mom and twin sister weren’t; cue entitlement, passive-aggression, and disappointment over no free food or pretty dresses. However, things went south when they let his sister house-sit.
OP’s sister-in-law arrived with three giant suitcases, perhaps a red flag, but the dog was happy and the apartment spotless, so all seemed fine - until she never left. She took over the condo, insulted her brother, had loud hook-up sessions in the next room, and basically squatted like it was her new lease. Understandably, OP was less than thrilled.
When she decided to speak up, her sister-in-law dropped a bombshell: she wasn’t planning on leaving at all. And worse? She insinuated that OP was a manipulative threat to the family. Just as the couple was about to send her packing, she framed OP, accusing her of stealing her stuff and using her past kleptomania against her. Diabolical.
OP’s husband, confused and heartbroken, believed his sister and even staged an “intervention” with the allegedly stolen items laid out dramatically on the coffee table. Now OP is stuck defending her sanity, her sobriety, and her marriage. Should she try to clear her name or give her hubby an ultimatum: “It’s her or me.”
Image credits: katemangostar / Freepik (not the actual photo)
From what OP tells us in her post, her sister-in-law is gaslighting her hard, and her hubby too. She’s also having her problematic past weaponized against her, a truly sneaky move. So, how can she deal with all the lies? We went looking for answers.
In her article for VeryWellMind, Sherri Gordon writes that, after speaking with the person gaslighting you, you may be left feeling dazed and wondering if there’s something wrong with you. According to Gordon, you may even be fooled into thinking you are actually to blame for something or that you're just being oversensitive.
People who engage in gaslighting are frequently habitual and pathological liars and often exhibit narcissistic tendencies. It’s typical for them to blatantly lie and never back down or change their stories, even when you provide proof of their deception.
According to WebMD, if you suspect someone is gaslighting you, the first thing to do is try to imagine the situation from the point of view of an outsider. This will help you see if the behavior is really gaslighting and let you assess it more clearly.
OP never tried to hide her kleptomaniac past from anyone and admits to overcoming her issue with therapy, but perhaps she spoke too soon. One thing’s certain - either her hubby comes to his senses or their whole relationship could end up on the rocks.
What would you do if you found yourself in OP’s shoes? Have you ever been a victim of gaslighting? Did justice prevail? Let us know in the comments!
In the comments, readers pushed for the woman to give her hopeless husband the ultimatum and send her conniving sister-in-law packing as soon as possible
