Janet thought she and her husband were building a stable life together—until she discovered his mother was secretly controlling their finances. After years of her husband sharing every detail of their budget with his mom, Janet finally suggested opening her own account. That’s when her MIL revealed a shocking truth: her husband had secretly borrowed $200,000 from his parents for their house down payment, without Janet ever knowing.
Now trapped in a repayment plan she never agreed to, Janet feels financially cornered and betrayed. Her husband insists this is “family loyalty,” while she sees a massive breach of trust. With her marriage on shaky ground, she’s left wondering whether boundaries and counseling can fix this—or if the damage is already done.
