DEAR EMILY,

I am a 28-year-old Filipina married to a Chinese who has been living in Florida for the last 35 years. While I was processing my fiancé’s papers in the Philippines, he told me he has an adoptive niece who was staying with him. To my surprise, she is German!

After more than a week of staying in his house with his “niece,” I got suspicious because of the way they treated each other.

Do I have to give up our marriage and leave him? He just told me he can’t kick this woman out of his house.

FARRAH

Ask your husband why he didn’t marry this German instead.

Did he make you sign a pre-nup? If he did, ask a reliable friend to find you a lawyer to educate you on what your rights are. After you’ve learned a lesson or two about the horrors of being a mail-order-bride (if indeed you were one), confront your husband and this ersatz niece and let them lay their cards on the table.

Being the aggrieved wife, be strong and assertive enough to give your husband the ultimatum of cleaning up his house. And since you do not approve of this sly “adopted niece” stance, he must choose which woman he wants to live with.

You may have gone through the eye of the needle for this marriage – so is this reason enough for you to bear the humiliation and disrespect hurled at you by these two impostors?

Send your e-mail to emarcelo@inquirer.com.ph; subject: Lifestyle.