“We’ll see about that,” snapped Emily.
“No! As long as were stuck in this madhouse with your mum and Lily, therell be no wedding!”
“Come on, love, no need to go off the deep end,” sighed William. “We could rent a dresstheres still time. Or push the date back if you want. We can sort this out calmly.”
“You dont get it,” Emily crossed her arms. “Its not about the dress. Its about living in a warzone. Your sisters a grown girl with the sense of a toddler. And honestly, your mums the real problem.”
William didnt like hearing that, though deep down, he knew Emily had a point. His mother, Margaret, had somehow turned Lily against Emily long before theyd even gotten engaged.
Theyd met at university, taking things slow since neither had their own place back then. William lived with his family”for convenience,” as he put it.
“Ive got Grans old flat,” hed say. “Mums renting it out for now. When we need it, well fix it up.”
A year later, they did need it. William decided it was time to move forwarddegrees in hand, jobs secured, no reason to wait.
“Well stay with Mum for a bit, then get married and move,” hed said. “Six months tops, and well be in our own place.”
Emily had been thrilled at first. It sounded solid. Then doubt crept intheyd never lived together, and now shed be thrown straight into the trenches with her future mother-in-law. Would it ruin everything?
Almost.
Margaret wasnt the typical monster-in-law. Shed even offered to help with the wedding. Cooked for everyone, never picked fights. The problem was her parenting.
Lily, the youngest, was spoiled rotten. Margarets approach? Brutal honesty.
Once, Emily overheard Margaret scolding Lily over her schoolbookanother failing grade, another note about misbehaviour.
“Honestly, was the poem that hard?” Margaret sighed. “Hand over your phone and tablet. No distractions until your grades improve.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Fine. Ill just borrow Wills.”
Margaret smirked. “Think hell always bail you out? Hell have his own family soon. Youll be forgotten.”
“Well see about that!” Lily slammed her gadgets down and stormed off.
Emily hesitated. “Margaret, isnt that a bit harsh?”
“She needs to learn. Life isnt all sunshine.”
That “lesson” backfired.
Lily had always kept her distanceskipping meals, avoiding Emily. Then came the petty sabotage. Hiding the AC remote in a heatwave, ruining Emilys makeup. When William put a lock on their door after Emily asked, Lily threw a fit.
“How am I supposed to do my homework now?” she shrieked.
“Youll use the computer when Im here,” William said flatly.
“You never locked your door before!”
“Before, I lived alone. And you didnt go through my things.”
“Liar! Its all your stupid Emilys fault! I hate her!”
Lily sobbed in her room all night. Emily didnt know what to think. She hated the girls behaviour but didnt want to escalate things.
“Shes just a kid,” William shrugged.
“Shes twelve, Will. Cant we just rent somewhere?”
“Almost there, love. Mum says four more months.”
Four months felt like an eternity.
Emily tried bondingsweets, asking about school. Lily just took the chocolate and muttered, “Fine.” Things only got worse.
One morning, Emilys keys vanished from her bag. She knew where theyd gone. Margaret confronted Lily and got them back, but the damage was done.
Then came the final straw.
The night before the wedding, chaosdecorations, calls to guests, last-minute prep. Emily opened the wardrobe to admire her dress only to find it slashed to ribbons.
She couldnt speak. Just dragged William to see the wreckage.
Margaret exploded. “You little brat! Do you have any idea what this cost? Youll pay for every penny!”
Lily got the thrashing of her life, but the dressand Emilys patiencewere gone.
No compromises. No renting. No postponing. She was done.
“Will, Im leaving. Either we live separately, or we dont live together at all.”
“Love, just sleep on it”
“No. Im tired of waiting for your mum to hand over your flat. Tired of your sister digging through my things. Relationships take work, but not like this.”
She packed her charger, hunted for her documents.
“Where are you going? The renovations wont last forever”
Excuses. She spent the night at her mate Sarahs, crying, furious. Yesterday, shed been a happy bride. Now? No idea where to go.
William called a hundred times in three days. On the third, she finally answered.
“Em, I know its rubbish. Were gutted. But dont throw us away. Well buy another dress, today. Just dont leave.”
She hesitated. William was kind, thoughtfuljust a bit soft. She loved him. But
“If we marry, its on my terms.”
“Which are?”
“Just us. No help, no family. Weve celebrated enough with yours. A small dinner later for close friends. And we rent. I wont live guarding my things.”
Silence. Harsh, but non-negotiable.
“Alright,” he finally said.
They married quietly. Signed papers, took photos, then escaped to the countryside for three daysjust them. No fuss.
Williams family sulked. Emily didnt care. This wasnt for them. Some didnt even deserve an invite.
At the dinner, Lily sat meeklyscolded into silence. Not a victory. Emily hadnt wanted a war. But if this was the price of peace? Fine. Boundaries stood. Lily might be a child, Margaret might mean wellbut some doors stayed shut.
