My husband Bill and I have been married for two years, but his mother, Elaine, never accepted me — partly because I’m Black and Bill is white. She’s excluded me from family photos and treated me like an outsider. Still, for his sake, I threw her a lavish 60th birthday party, sparing no expense on decorations, catering, and even a designer handbag she’d been eyeing. I hoped the gesture might thaw her coldness toward me.

At first, the evening went perfectly — guests laughed, complimented the setup, and Elaine seemed genuinely touched. But toward the end, she announced a “special guest” and, to my shock, brought in Kathy — Bill’s ex and the mother of his late child. Elaine paraded Kathy around, repeatedly urging her to sit with Bill, help him, and talk to him, each suggestion cutting deeper. I clenched my fists, trying to hide my hurt.

The final straw came when Elaine insisted Bill hug Kathy goodbye in front of everyone. Though he resisted, the pressure made him give in, and I snapped — leaving the party in tears. At home, Bill confronted me for leaving without a word, but when I asked why he went along with it, he said he didn’t want to upset his mom on her birthday. That only made the betrayal sting more.