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Need advice about dealing with fiance’s father’s behavior

User Profile: darkstarz1979
darkstarz1979 March 16th, 2022

I would just like some other peoples perspective on this and advice on how to proceed. I’ve been with my fiancé for over 2 years now, who has narcissistic tendencies, which he is aware of and trying to work through. We both realize that it stems from his upbringing by his father.

A couple weeks ago, my fiancé, let’s call him Mike, and I went out of state to pick up a mustang and brought a truck to trade, and the mustang was worth much more, nicer and newer than the truck so really didn’t want to pass it up. Anyway, Mike planned on doing some work to the mustang and become his daily driver. We had a certain amount of money budgeted for the trip, and things have been tight, but we thought we had enough after figuring mikes, gas, etc. Once we got out of state we realized gas was much much more than we had anticipated or budgeted for. We got to the location, made the swap and about halfway back realized we were screwed bc we didn’t have enough money to get home! So Mike messages his father and asks if he could cash app him 70 bucks, which he would pay back. He said sure and sent it and we made it home.

His father rents out the house to us. (So his father is our landlord) WORST LANDLORD EVER 😩😩😩 He’s rude, disrespectful and bossy. And every time I have to deal with him almost, no matter how good of a mood I’m in. He sucks every bit of joy out of me when he comes around, or dealing with him in any way, especially text. He sends non stop messages constantly bugging about money or this or that or trying to tell me what to do, condescending, rude you get the idea? And usually it’s because his own son won’t answer his texts, so he texts me as some sort of middle man.

Apparently, a couple days after the loan, he calls his son and decides he’s just going to have me clean out the fridge and freezer in the camper behind the house he rents us, so he can’t rent it out as well. Keep in mind, I wasn’t formally asked, this was decided without me. I tell Mike , yeah I guess I can do that. But there was an electrician coming to fix the camper that week also, so I said after he gets it fixed (if he gets it fixed) I’ll go wipe down the fridge and freezer inside and sweep the floor in there. I told his father this as well. He texted me several times harassing me asking if I cleaned it yet anyway and I told him every time, I told you after the guy comes and fixes it. He hasn’t shown up yet. Eventually he shows up a week later and fixes it. Of course, by now it has slipped my mind and his father mentions he’ll be coming by Saturday to pick up “his money” as he says for rent and had I cleaned the fridge yet. So I said sorry it slipped my mind since it took the guy so long to show up I’ll go over there now and check it out. I get over there and open the fridge and immediately got sick. This fridge was FULL of maggots and mold and mildew that the previous tenant had left meat in there and then the power was shut off. So I went and told Mile that I couldn’t clean the fridge with just some bleach and a scrubber. It needs to be pulled out and put on the lawn, pressure washed, soaked in bleach,repeat etc or he might need a new fridge. It’s a mid size you usually see in campers. Anyway, I would need help pulling it out and Mile would need to hit it with the pressure washer first for me because I have a weak stomach. Then it dawned on me….how the he’ll did I even get coerced into doing this to begin with? You loan your son money and decide to make his fiancé do work for you to pay it off? And I had no idea what I was agreeing to, I would have said $70 is not enough to make me go near that fridge but I never got any money to begin with. His son did! For gas to go get HIS car! I literally get nothing out of this deal! But I’m still planning on helping. I need Mike to help me with this. He never helps me and instead works on his car. So his father starts texting him constantly talking really bad about me, saying I was lazy and I can’t do 20 min worth of work etc etc. (which is NOT true). I do all the cleaning around the house, laundry and dishes. Any cleaning done to the property is done regularly by me. Mike tells him that I had already started that it still needed to be pressure washed, which I had already poured in bleach to let it soak before I saw the text messages. Then he says I’m good for nothing etc etc and that he would just come over and clean it himself and he can just pay him back the $70. Mike has no plans on paying him back the $70. The point is the bad mouthing. And I’m so angry and upset I can’t even think straight. I’m so sick and tired of this disrespect, abuse and treatment, gaslighting. I don’t know what to do! I don’t want to finish cleaning it now because it’s not ok to talk about me that way, or treat me that way, and think he can just do that and boss me around any way he likes. I’ve had enough. At this point, what should I do or say? What would you do or say? I know I’m not an awful person and I know I don’t deserve this. To top it off Mike had a narcissist heavy last 2 days and I just feel emotionally broken. Can’t sleep. Can’t eat. Angry and upset. I would appreciate any insight or advice. I hope this was all understandable, was difficult to write or try to explain.

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User Profile: spongebob2021
spongebob2021 March 16th, 2022

@darkstarz1979

Have you tried the 7Cups chat room ?

I am extended an invitation to join the 7Cups Sharing Circle chat room.

User Profile: Sher217
Sher217 March 22nd, 2022

@darkstarz1979

Hey Starz,

First, please let me say that I hear you: your anger, frustration, confusion and feelings of being hurt! You described your situation so well, that I felt like I was right there with you. You also seem to be able to see the situation, and the people involved, from a clear perspective too. (I was in a very similar situation with my ex-husband and his mother but it took me much longer to be able to see the situation clearly, as you already do).

It sounds like there may be a problem with setting and maintaining boundaries in the relationships. What do you think? (You described that Dad seems to think it's okay to text you when he doesn't get a reply from his son. You also described an agreement being reached between Mike and Dad that depended on you doing the work, in exchange for paying the loan.) It sounds like you have already set some boundaries for yourself, such as saying you would clean up only after the workman was finished.

You asked "What would you do or say?", so I'll share a bit of my experiences. Maybe they will spark ideas within you for your own situation.

  • One thing that I did was to reduce the communication triangle between my husband, his family and myself. He and I would talk about situations together, but I asked him to be the 'middleman' and communicate with his mom. I also let my mother in law know to contact her son directly, if there were problems or situations to be handled.
  • I also had a talk with my husband, and also with his mother separately, about what was not acceptable in how I was being talked to. This was my way of 'teaching people how to treat me', by letting them know what is not okay. (We all deserve to be spoken to respectfully and with kindness).

Please keep in mind that those are only things that worked for me personally. We each find our own ways through the maze that is called 'family' 😊

I'm glad that you found this space to share how you are feeling. I hope that you receive the support that you need and are seeking out here. Please feel free to post anytime you need to share something and tag me in! I'm looking forward to hearing from you again and getting to know you more.

Take care until we talk again!




~ Sher

User Profile: reservedMango5210
reservedMango5210 March 24th, 2022

@darkstarz1979 So you have anywhere else you personally could go and stay for a while? I think this is not fair for you to be put in this situation. Mike and his Dad are both taking advantage of you and it is totally unfair! You need to choose yourself and get out of there if Mike cares for you he will follow but it seems you really need some space of your own and not needing to be put in the middle of an unstable father son relationship. Take care of yourself 🙏

User Profile: darkstarz1979
darkstarz1979 OP March 29th, 2022

Thank you Sher, that was exactly what I did. I apologize, I’m just now seeing this. But so far, that approach has worked and there hasn’t been any further problems. I will block his dad in the future again if he crosses the line. Thank you again—

User Profile: darkstarz1979
darkstarz1979 OP March 29th, 2022

Reserved mango- that sounds like a dream, to just be able to get up and leave for a while but I can’t desert my fiancé and my responsibilities…although I will if my boundaries continue to be crossed. Going no contact with the father, and just working things out with Matt has worked so far for me and I think we’ve reached an understanding. Thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate it

User Profile: willowyapple
willowyapple April 8th, 2022

@darkstarz1979 Hey, I can understand from the text, the emotions you are feeling and how overwhelming it is for you. I am so sorry that you are facing these things on your own and managing to work out things too. How are you coping with this?

Like @Sher217 said there's a lack of acknowledgement of healthy boundaries that need to be maintained. Every individual needs their own space to be happy. Do you know the reason what triggers such behaviour of your father in law? and have you let mike know what you feel about the actions of both mike and father in law?

Commenting on what I would have done in your situation is rather difficult for me as I have never been in your place and would really never understand the emotional rollercoaster you are going through. But I would want to say that families may be complex, but it is the love and respect that binds the members of the family. I really hope you find the love, respect and support you deserve.

Looking forward to an update on this and feel free to text me to talk about it anytime you want.

Much power to you:)