Conflicts between in-laws are nothing new. In fact, studies show that about three out of four married couples experience serious disagreements with them. But this particular mother-in-law (MIL), father-in-law (FIL), and sister-in-law (SIL) might just take the title for “The Worst In-Laws Ever.”
The issue began when they started calling their daughter-in-law (DIL) their son’s “best friend” instead of his wife. At first, the couple couldn’t understand why they would use such a strange and dismissive phrase—until the husband had a revealing conversation with his father that exposed the unsettling truth. Heartbroken and trying to make sense of it all, the wife turned to the internet for advice.
A 26-year-old woman shared her story on Reddit under the username faxxed, leaving readers both shocked and sympathetic. She later posted an update that made people question the sanity of her in-laws and express even more compassion for her situation.
The woman began her post by saying:
“My husband Robbie and I got married earlier this year. Two months after our wedding, we celebrated my birthday at my in-laws’ house. While we were sitting in the living room, my SIL got a call from a friend. When her friend asked what she was doing, she said, ‘It’s my brother’s best friend’s birthday.’”
The OP was completely caught off guard. “I’ve never heard anyone refer to me that way before,” she explained. “I’m his wife—we were engaged for more than two years before we married. Hearing her say that confused me. I always call her my sister-in-law, so I’d expect the same courtesy from her.”
When she asked her SIL about it, she didn’t seem embarrassed or apologetic. She simply replied, “Well, you are best friends! That’s what Mom and Dad call you too.”
Although the OP found the situation strange, she decided to let it go—until it happened again.
She and her mother-in-law work in the same field but for different companies. During a client transfer, the woman stopped by her MIL’s office to say hello. While introducing her to a coworker, her MIL said, “This is my son’s best friend!”
The woman was taken aback. “I awkwardly corrected her, saying, ‘I’m his wife,’ and her coworker looked completely confused. My MIL just smiled and didn’t say anything.”
Later, when the OP asked her about it privately, her MIL responded just like her SIL—insisting that she didn’t mean anything by it and that the title “best friend” was just her way of describing their bond.
Trying to find an explanation, the woman wrote:
“The only reason I can think of is that in my wedding vows, I promised Robbie I’d always be his best friend. Maybe that stuck with them somehow. But I don’t understand why they keep using it instead of calling me his wife.”
Even her husband was puzzled. When he confronted his parents, they repeated the same thing: that it wasn’t a big deal.
But to the OP, it felt more like mockery than affection. “It’s as if they’re refusing to acknowledge my role as his wife,” she wrote. “Are they doing this because they don’t like me? Is it some kind of inside joke? I just don’t know. I am Robbie’s best friend—but I’m also his wife, and I deserve to be treated like one.”