A young man whipped up concern and advice among Redditors when he revealed that he refused to live in the house his future in-laws wanted to buy for him and his bride. The problem was that the gift came with all sorts of strings. Here is the full story.
Madly in Love From Different Backgrounds
OP is a 29-year-old man who is engaged to a 27-year-old woman. The two love each other very much but come from very different backgrounds.
While the bride-to-be comes from an upper-middle-class American family, OP moved to the United States with his parents and siblings when he was just six years old.
His parents always worked very hard for everything they had.
OP’s dad always told him that his big dream was to live in a house he owned, and that desire stuck with him all through the years.
His Parents Focused on Education
But OP’s parents were more dedicated to their children than to chasing their dreams, and everything they had went into ensuring their kids got an education growing up.
His mom and dad died before they could buy a home.
OP was able to go to college through a combination of student loans, scholarships, and part-time jobs. Meanwhile, his fiance’s parents paid for her school, though OP says she studied hard and did great work.
OP and his fiance met on the job, where they were hired into the same position, making the same salary, after each had finished college. They hit it off right away and started dating not long afterward.
He Proposed and She Said Yes!
In the six years since then, they’ve stayed at the same company, with OP making big strides in his career.
He’s now earning about twice what his fiance does, though he says he got some lucky breaks along the way.
OP finally proposed to his girlfriend about six months ago, and she accepted. They were overjoyed about their future together, and her family seemed pretty happy, too.
More recently, OP and his fiance visited her family, and her parents announced a big surprise. They would give their daughter and OP a house as a wedding gift.
Her Family Wanted Him to Sign a Prenup
OP’s fiance was ecstatic, and he was pretty excited, too. Until he heard all the details.
It seems the parents would only put their daughter’s name on the house, leaving OP out completely. They also wanted him to sign a prenup stating that any assets his fiance brought to the marriage were hers alone.
To add insult to injury, OP’s future in-laws also told him that the prenup would spell out that any assets he acquired during the marriage were joint property.
It was like they wanted to ensure their daughter got a piece of his ever-increasing salary forever.
They Thought He Was After His Fiancé’s Money
OP was insulted that they thought he was after his fiancé’s money, and he pointed out that he made a lot more than she did.
What OP couldn’t get over, though, was the idea that he would live in a house that someone else owned. It went against everything his parents had worked so hard to accomplish all their lives.
So OP told his fiance and her parents that he would not live in a house he does not own. All three were outraged by how ungrateful he was, and tensions ran high for several weeks.
In the end, after everyone had some time to cool down and OP and his fiance talked through it a few times, they came to a compromise. He would sign the prenup and pay for a quarter of the house.
Peace Was Restored
In return, OP’s name will be on the title alongside his future wife’s. Peace was restored for the moment, but OP doubts it will last.
In talking through the prenup and house with OP, his fiance admitted that part of her parents’ hesitation in putting his name on the title was due to his background.
Early in their relationship, her folks had expressed concern that their future children would look “different.”
OP has never seen any signs of overt racism from his future in-laws, but he’s concerned about what sorts of problems might arise. Given his current knowledge, he’s less certain than ever about the family dynamics.
His Future In-Laws Are Just Looking Out for Their Money and Their Daughter’s Future
Most Redditors think that OP was justified for insisting that the house had to be in his name, too, or he wouldn’t live in it.
They understand not wanting to be a tenant in his wife’s house, and no one thinks OP is after her money.
But several commenters also think OP’s future in-laws are just looking out for their money and their daughter’s future.
Many don’t see much fault on either side and think the family should continue to work on compromises.
He Refused to Serve Entitled Tourists That Cut in Line, Much to the Delight of Onlookers
The post Choosing Love Over Wealth: A Young Couple’s Journey to Understand Family, Trust, and the True Meaning of Home first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Damir Khabirov. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit