Today, we share a story that warns us about the power of money to destroy even the strongest bonds between people.
The individual who shared the story (referred to as OP) inherited a substantial sum of money after her mother’s passing. Wisely, she chose to place the inheritance into a separate account while she considered how best to handle it.
However, OP’s husband had alternative ideas. He continually brought up the inheritance and offered numerous suggestions on how to use it. Furthermore, he started expecting her to cover nearly all expenses in recent weeks.
The situation reached a critical point when they gathered with his family at a restaurant to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
Family Dinner Gone Wrong
According to the post on social media, everything was going fine until OP found out that she was expected to pay for everyone at the table.
OP’s mother-in-law even joked about paying for dinner from her “inheritance pocket.”
Frustrated and angry, OP silently paid for her food and drinks before leaving the restaurant without saying goodbye.
OP’s husband and his family shouted after her, but she drove home.
When her husband returned home at 3 a.m., he was furiously angry.
He accused OP of being pathetic and walking out on his family, who had relied on her to pay for their food.
He even claimed that OP’s actions were an attempt to get back at them for not being able to help her mother when she was sick.
But OP maintained that it was not true and that she was simply upset with the expectations placed on her to pay for everyone.
Should OP Have Paid the Dinner Bill?
Most of the commenters on the social media post were outraged at the behavior of the husband and his family.
RichSignal7022 couldn’t believe that her husband and in-laws are so callous about her mother’s death.
“So let me get this straight. Your mother died after an illness, and the thing your in-laws take from this is ‘great, now she can pay for everything.’”
Buttered_Crumpet09 was even more concerned, suggesting that OP should get a lawyer and divorce her husband because he and his family were trying to get their hands on OP’s inheritance.
“Oh, it gets better. It seems like they didn’t help OP whilst her mother was sick, but now they want to spend her mum’s money. OP needs to get a lawyer, check her financial status, then get a divorce lawyer and run for the hills from these grasping ghouls. Her husband and his family clearly want to get their sticky paws on her inheritance.”
Another user, According2What chimed in, saying,
“OP is very smart to have a separate account. Inheritances are not included in assets a spouse can claim.”
Few-Entrepreneur383 also advised OP to consider divorce, as inheritances are not considered marital assets as long as they are not commingled.
“I’d divorce him since, in many places, inheritances are not considered marital assets as long as they’re not co-mingled; she did the right thing by keeping her [money] separated. Husband & his family are greedy little leprechaun[s] that are after her pot of gold.”
Others sympathized with OP and shared their own experiences. Bellefior, who had lost her mother to cancer, noted that when she inherited money and a condo, one of her crass relatives commented on what she had received.
She responded by saying that she would rather have her mother back and be living in a cardboard box on the street.
2ndhouseonthestreet pointed out that the comment made by OP’s husband about not being able to help her mother while she was sick suggested that he and his family had not helped when OP needed help, but were now after her inheritance.
Glamourcrow expressed sympathy for OP’s loss and her situation.
“I’m so sorry for OP’s loss, and I agree. I lost my mother to cancer at a fairly young age. My in-laws were vile too. Heartless and thoughtless.”
The Verdict
The comments of the social media users suggest that the husband and his family were greedy and entitled. They saw the inheritance money as a pot of gold that they were entitled to, despite not having helped OP when her mother was sick.
Many commenters advised OP to protect her inheritance by getting a lawyer and potentially considering divorce.
It is understandable that OP wanted to take her time deciding what to do with the money she inherited from her mother. It is also understandable that she felt frustrated and angry when her husband and his family began to expect her to pay for everything.
However, it is concerning that her husband and his family seemed to view her inheritance as something they had full rights to.
What would you do? Let us know in the comments. Was the OP of this social media post wrong?
Featured Image Credit: VitalikRadko /Depositphotos.com.
This article originally appeared on Ash & Pri.
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