Every time my in-laws visited, my mother-in-law Monica barged into our home like she owned it—especially our bedroom. She’d toss aside my things, light her overpowering candles, and completely take over the space. No amount of polite conversation or direct requests could keep her out—she always claimed the guest bed hurt her back. After years of biting my tongue, I finally had enough. I told her we’d prepared the guest room… but secretly turned our bedroom into a private (and very obvious) “intimacy zone.” Think lacey lingerie under the pillows, adult toys in drawers, suggestive massage oils, and a streaming queue full of steamy titles.

The next morning, Monica stormed into the kitchen looking horrified. “We’ll take the guest room,” she said stiffly. I just smiled and offered her coffee. Since then, she’s never stepped foot in our bedroom again. In fact, for the holidays? They booked a hotel.