When my husband’s “broke” mom showed up in a Bentley, dripping in designer labels, and announced she was moving in, I was in shock. Dan had told me Irene was struggling, but her arrival, with a Chanel bag and Louis Vuitton luggage, didn’t match her story. She acted like she was at a five-star resort, ordering high-end goods and even smashing our plates to replace them with fancier ones.

Things escalated when I followed her to a country club, where she met a man, revealing her real story: she wasn’t broke, just trying to avoid spending her own money while figuring out her next move. She admitted she planned to push me out and “help” Dan find someone from a similar financial class.

After confronting her, Dan kicked her out. A week later, we learned her rich suitor dumped her, and she was left selling her designer bags to cover rent. Irene’s Instagram, once full of luxury, now preached about “humility.”