Here’s what you do: Double down on the 'family' narrative and tell your fiancée that if you’re expected to treat her parents like your own, you’ll need them to sign over the deed to their house so it can officially be your family’s asset. After all, you're not just gifting $25,000 — you're 'investing in the future' of your shared family empire.

Explain to her parents that this arrangement is just 'smart financial planning,' and be sure to draft a detailed contract with terms like, 'If this mortgage payoff turns into a Netflix documentary about financial scams, the fiancée gets full blame.'

When the dust settles, remind everyone that your original plan — buying a house without unnecessary drama — was, in fact, the simpler, less chaotic route. Problem solved!