At 19, I married my husband, and things quickly turned messy with his cousin, A. A had been supposed to marry before but had a failed engagement. At my henna night, she wore the same colors I planned for my wedding, and I was upset. On my wedding day, A showed up in a red wedding dress (traditional for South Asian weddings), even though I was wearing white. This caused confusion and embarrassment, with people not knowing who the bride was. Afterward, she spread lies about my family, tried to stir up drama, and didn’t even congratulate me. Despite trying to keep it classy, I had to confront her, and we cleared the air, but things only got worse. My in-laws downplayed her actions, and she continued to cause issues, including disrespecting me at family events. I’ve now set firm boundaries and told my mother-in-law that A will not be around if I get pregnant. I no longer tolerate her behavior and will stand up for myself and my family.
