Being outcast by my mother-in-law (MIL) was difficult, but when she put my husband’s ex before me, I knew something had to give! Embarrassed, shunned, and sidelined at a party I hosted for my MIL, I refused to continue taking the abuse! Read about the ultimatum I gave my husband!

Hi all, Barbara here! I have an intriguing story to share with you! Let’s start with some background. My husband, Bill, and I have been happily married for two wonderful years.

I am of a different race than him (Black), and he’s white, which has caused some tension for us. This is something my mother-in-law (MIL), Elaine, clearly doesn’t approve of or like.

Her dislike of me has seen her leaving me out of family photos, saying I wasn’t real family to them. Luckily, Bill has always backed me up and protected me whenever these types of situations came up.

I tried to overlook the tension between us, really, I did. Despite her warm smiles at family gatherings, her eyes betrayed a frost that could chill the room. Her 60th birthday was last weekend, and despite everything, I wanted to bridge that gap.

To be honest, it was more for my husband’s sake.

I love Bill, and I know how much he loves his mother, so I wanted to do something special. I went ALL OUT and planned a lavish surprise party. Sparing no expense for the fancy cake, the event, and the decorations.

My efforts went right down to the exquisite but costly Italian leather handbag I knew she’d been eyeing for months!

Besides doing it to make my husband happy, deep inside I hoped, perhaps naively, that this grand gesture might warm her cold disposition toward me. But man was I SO wrong!