My Fiancé Always Took My Side Against His Mother

At 25, I stopped believing in fairytales because of Alex, my boyfriend of four years. He seemed loving and supportive, despite his judgmental mother, Martha, who disapproved of me. I trusted him—until I overheard a call where he and Martha plotted to trick me into signing over my late mother’s lake house before our wedding. Shocked, I recorded it, played along, and consulted a lawyer.

Two days before the wedding, Alex gave me a “standard” prenup with the property transfer buried in it. On the wedding day, I exposed their scheme with the recording during the ceremony, canceled the wedding, and walked away. A week later, I sent Alex a framed photo of the lake house with a note: “You’ll never see it again.” Now, I’m at peace there, saving myself.