We recently got a letter from a young woman named Emma, who’s dealing with a tough situation with her mother-in-law. Emma’s story is about jealousy, setting boundaries, and the hard choice she made after overhearing a conversation that changed everything. Now, she’s asking for advice on how to keep a balance between protecting her own space and keeping family peace.

Here’s Emma’s story:

“I never thought I’d reach a point where I’d ask my mother-in-law to leave, but after what happened, I felt I had no choice.

It started small. My MIL was always jealous. Every time my husband bought me a gift—whether it was jewelry, perfume, or even something small—he’d have to get her one too. She didn’t want to be left out, and over time, this became a habit. Every time he did something nice for me, she expected the same.

One night was the breaking point. My husband ordered takeout for me after a long day, and my MIL was sleeping (or so I thought). He didn’t order for her since she hadn’t asked and seemed to be asleep. But the next day, I overheard her talking on the phone with her sister, angrily saying I was ‘turning her son against her’ and that he shouldn’t treat me better than her. She even said I was making him ignore her needs and didn’t deserve him.

I was shocked and hurt to hear her say that, especially since I had tried hard to include her. After hearing that, I couldn’t take it anymore and asked her to leave. Now, I’m wondering—did I do the right thing? Could I have handled it another way?

I’m looking to you and the readers for advice. How do I set boundaries without completely breaking the relationship with her?