For years, whenever my in-laws visited, my mother-in-law Monica would take over our bedroom. She would place her luggage on our bed, push my belongings into drawers, and scatter her things everywhere as if she lived there. She even lit her own candles, leaving behind scents and stains that made me feel like a stranger in my own space. I tried being polite at first—suggesting that the guest room was brighter and more comfortable. I even asked directly if she could respect our room as a private space. But every attempt was met with dismissal.
