My MIL disrespected our adopted daughter, Lily, by turning her room into storage while we were away. She made hurtful comments about adoption, claiming it wasn’t the same as having a biological child. After our trip, I found Lily’s room buried under MIL’s junk, and when confronted, she dismissed it, saying, “Lily’s too young to notice since she’s adopted.” That was the final straw. The next day, I got my petty revenge by clearing out MIL’s things without a word.


My mother-in-law, Linda, has always been difficult, especially when it comes to our adopted daughter, Lily. Her constant comments about Lily not being “truly ours” have been hurtful, but what really pushed me over the edge was when she turned Lily’s room into her personal storage space while we were away on a family trip.

To give some background, I’ve been married to my husband, Jack, for about nine years. Since the beginning, Linda has made it clear that she didn’t approve of me. From criticizing my wedding dress to more subtle digs, she has consistently made our relationship difficult.

After struggling with infertility for years, Jack and I decided to adopt Lily. When we told Linda, she was less than supportive. She made it clear that, in her eyes, adoption wasn’t the same as having a biological child. She even said to my face, “You’ll never understand true motherhood without pregnancy.” I was furious, but I bit my tongue.

Despite her disapproval, Jack and I moved forward with adopting Lily, and she became the light of our lives. Linda, however, never stopped her passive-aggressive comments, especially when we decided to take Lily to Disneyland for her third birthday. She questioned why we would “waste” money on a child who “wasn’t truly ours.” It was disgusting, but Jack and I tried to focus on our family and the joy of the trip.

The real shock came when we returned home from Disneyland. As we entered the house, we noticed boxes scattered around. When I checked Lily’s room, I was horrified to see it buried under piles of Linda’s old junk—clothes, knick-knacks, and other belongings. Her safe space was completely trashed.

When I confronted Linda, she played it off, saying, “I thought you wouldn’t mind. I needed space while clearing out my garage. Lily’s too young to notice, especially since she’s adopted.” That was the last straw.

I knew an apology wasn’t enough. The next day, while Jack was at work and Lily was at school, I devised my petty revenge. I packed up every single one of Linda’s boxes and arranged for them to be shipped to different locations. Some went to her house, some to her workplace, but the crown jewel went to her beloved country club, labeled with big bold letters, “URGENT: DELIVER TO LINDA IMMEDIATELY.”

Inside that box were her most personal items—old bras, moth-eaten sweaters, and other things that would humiliate her. A few days later, she called me, fuming about how embarrassed she was. I simply replied, “Now you know how Lily felt when she came home to find her room destroyed.”

That was the last time Linda tried to mess with us. Since then, we’ve lived in peace, free from her interference, and I have no regrets about my little act of revenge.


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