My future mother-in-law gave me a list of 10 rules to become the “perfect” wife for her son. I smiled, nodded… and decided to follow them—just not how she expected.I’d always been an ordinary woman with simple desires: work, hobbies, maybe travel, and build a family one day. Life felt good, until I met Dylan, who made everything feel cinematic. We moved in quickly, and love felt easy.Then one day, Dylan proposed, and everything seemed perfect—until he suggested I meet his mom. We visited her house, and I immediately felt her over-the-top sweetness was hiding something darker. She was all pastels, floral decor, and subtle digs, especially when she pulled out a list of “expectations” for me as her future daughter-in-law. It was a nightmare.

The list included things like losing 10 pounds, agreeing with her always, controlling my work life, handling all housework, and even keeping my phone’s location on at all times. It was more like a dictatorial contract than a guide.I didn’t want to crush Dylan, so I didn’t tell him. Instead, I decided to play by her rules—but my way. I started with the “house cleaning” rule.