My mother-in-law calls every night to ask what we’re having for dinner. Then she brags about what she’s cooking to make me look bad, especially if we’re getting takeout. I used to care but not anymore. But my husband would ask me to make dinner only for him to go eat the dinner his mom makes at her home.

Which’s 10 minutes away and using the “that’s my favorite meal” excuse. Yesterday, I wanted to surprise him by cooking one of his favorite meals and although I was busy, I took time off work to cook!

To gather what I needed, I even went grocery shopping. I told him he didn’t have to answer when his mother called later while I was setting the supper, but he did. She inquired as usual about our supper but expressed astonishment that I had prepared it.

She then proceeded to tell him she had prepared X dinner and invited him over. Okay, he said. “Seriously?” I asked as he began to dress and prepare to depart. No offense, he said, but this lunch (prepared by his mother) was even better than the one I prepared. and took his keys and walked away.

I felt awful. I took his plate and threw it out then ate my portion. As I was about to put the plate in the dishwasher, he got home looking angry saying his mom lied about cooking that favorite meal, and used it as an excuse to force him to eat dinner with her.

He sat down telling me to go ahead and reheat dinner. I told him no dinner I threw it out. He said what?? and I told him he disrespected my time and effort and chose to go eat with his mom instead. He began yelling at me asking if I really did that then called me petty and horrible then went upstairs saying what I did was 100 times worse than what his mom did.