My date brought her bold mother to our first date, and she started grilling me—I decided to outsmart her.

When Ronny met Denise for their first date, he didn’t expect her mom, Claire, to tag along.

As the evening unfolded, Claire’s nosy questions and extravagant demands turned out to be part of a bigger scheme. But Ronny quickly turned the tables with humor.

I’d been using dating apps for a while and had my share of disappointing dates, but this one topped them all.

Denise and I matched a few weeks ago and hit it off instantly. She was sweet, charming, and claimed my silly jokes actually made her laugh.

After a few chats, I asked her out, and we planned to meet at a trendy downtown restaurant.

I was more excited than usual. I arrived early, as always, to make a good impression.

The setting was perfect—soft lighting, sleek decor, and the low hum of conversation around me. I imagined how smoothly the evening would go… until Denise walked in with her mom.

My heart sank.

“Hey Ronny! This is my mom, Claire!” Denise said cheerfully, as if bringing her mother on a date was totally normal.

I forced a smile and tried to hide my confusion. “Hi, nice to meet you,” I said.

Claire, dressed sharply and exuding confidence, shook my hand. “Hello, Ronny. I hope you don’t mind me joining tonight.”

“Of course not,” I lied, baffled by the situation. Was this a safety measure? A test?

We sat down, and Claire immediately took over the conversation. “So, Ronny, what do your parents do for a living?” she asked sharply.

I cleared my throat. “My mom’s a retired teacher, and my dad was an engineer.”

She nodded and jumped to the next question: “Where do you live? Do you rent or own?”

“I own a small house,” I replied, feeling more like I was in an interview than on a date.

Her interrogation didn’t stop—questions about my salary, my job as a business analyst, and my future goals kept coming. I glanced at Denise, hoping she’d intervene, but she just sat there, smiling.

It became clear this wasn’t a normal dinner—it was a setup, and I was the target.

Claire leaned back and scrutinized me. “You seem like a good match for Denise, Ronny. We’re used to a certain lifestyle, and that costs money.”

Before I could respond, she tapped the menu. “By the way, we’ll have the lobster. You’re paying, right?”

I was stunned—not just by Claire’s boldness but also by Denise’s lack of reaction. It was clear—they were only interested in my financial worth.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. If they wanted to play games, I was ready to join in.

I smiled broadly. “Absolutely! Lobster sounds great. I love living large. And since we’re talking about the future, I’m glad you’re here, Claire. This is the perfect time to discuss my plans for Denise.”

Claire’s eyes lit up, and even Denise leaned in with curiosity.

“You see,” I continued, “I have several investments that bring in millions every year, so money won’t be an issue. Plus, I believe in taking care of family.”

Claire’s jaw practically dropped. Denise looked thrilled.

“Claire, once Denise and I are married, I’ll buy you a house nearby. She’ll need help with the kids, after all.”

Denise’s eyes widened. Claire was practically drooling.

“Really? That’s so generous, Ronny!” Claire exclaimed. “I’ve always wanted a beach house.”

“Don’t worry,” I said seriously. “You’ll get your dream home, right next to ours. But there’s one thing we need to settle first.”

Claire leaned in eagerly. “What’s that?”

“Well,” I said, pausing dramatically, “you’ll need to meet my other wives first. They have to approve.”

The table froze.

“Other wives?” Claire stammered, her confident facade crumbling.

Denise looked like she might faint. “Wives? Plural?”

I nodded. “Oh yes, I have two other wives. Amazing women. We have a big family—lots of kids. Some were a bit spoiled, so we had to send them to foster care. But don’t worry, Claire, you’ll fit right in.”

The look of horror on their faces was priceless. Claire was speechless, her mouth opening and closing silently.

Denise was trembling. “Ronny, why didn’t you tell me this before?”

I shrugged. “It didn’t seem relevant until now. But since we’re discussing marriage and kids, I thought you should know.”

When the bill arrived, Claire was furious. “You’re paying for dinner, right? You’re so wealthy, after all,” she snapped.

I grinned. “Actually, in my culture, women show their independence by paying for their own meals. I wouldn’t want to take that opportunity from you.”

Their faces turned red with anger as I calmly laid cash for my meal on the table and stood up. “It was a pleasure meeting you both. Enjoy the lobster.”

As I left the restaurant, I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d managed to turn the tables on their shallow demands, and it felt amazing.

The evening might have started as a disaster, but in the end, I had the last laugh. Sometimes, the best way to handle people trying to take advantage of you is to give them a taste of their own medicine.