I thought I was losing my mind, but it turned out someone else was trying hard to make me feel that way. When I came home early one day, I realized giving my husband’s sister, Maya, a key to our house had been a huge mistake.

Ever since our wedding, I felt the cold judgment of Alex’s wealthy family. They never really wanted me there, and Maya—ten years younger and the golden child—quickly became a source of tension. At first, Alex gave her a key to our home “for emergencies,” insisting she mattered. I wasn’t convinced.

Soon, small things began happening. Couch cushions were moved, my jewelry box disturbed, and my favorite clothes were ruined. One day I found my designer dress scorched and my special anniversary lingerie cut. Even stranger, I discovered long strands of brown hair in my brush—someone had been in our home while I was away.

My suspicion grew when I set up a recording device. I caught Maya admitting she’d been sneaking into our house for weeks, moving things around, leaving hair from a salon, and trying to make me think Alex was cheating. She even laughed about it with a friend, proud of the chaos she caused.

I changed the locks that weekend. When Maya tried her key, I confronted her with the new one and my recordings. Alex and I confronted her together, and she finally admitted everything, realizing she couldn’t manipulate us anymore.

Afterward, Alex and I grew stronger. We learned to communicate, set boundaries, and trust again. I realized love is like a house key—you don’t hand it out to just anyone, and if someone abuses it, you change the locks. True love survives the test.