Reddit Stories - Betrayals That Broke Families AITA Stories ( Over 9 Hour Compilation ) - Episode #99

Episode Date: January 29, 2026

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #betrayals #families #drama #relationships #stories  Summary: Episode 99 delves into heart-wrenching betrayals that shattered families, featuring real-life AITA stories from Reddit. Listeners explore emotional turmoil, moral dilemmas, and the complexities of familial relationships, providing insights into how trust can be broken and the consequences that follow.  Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, familybetrayals, emotionaldrama, moralconflict, relationshipadvice, realstories, podcast, storytelling, trustissues, familydynamics, conflictresolution, lifeadvice, community, personalgrowth, empathy, listenerstoriesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6816713/support.This episode includes AI-generated content.

I hope you enjoy this story. My boyfriend failed to mention that his colleague was a former flame, and it was only after stumbling upon intimate pictures that I realized the truth. I informed him that we could reconcile if he agrees to sever ties. With her completely. I started dating my boyfriend, Jeff, ten months ago. This relationship has been amazing so far and I definitely see a future with him. There's just one problem, he has a weird relationship with.

with his ex that's starting to make me really uncomfortable and suspicious. When we started dating, he often talked about his best friend, Jenna, who he also owns a business with. He made it pretty clear that she was an important person to him. I knew they had spent vacations together and he mentioned hanging out with her parents a few times, too. A few weeks after I met him, I creeped through all his pictures on Facebook, because who doesn't do that with someone they just started dating? And saw a bunch of very couple Y pictures of him and Jenna. I also found her Instagram and looked through it, and it's filled with pictures of Jeff. A bunch of them had the hashtag hashtag relationship goals and other similar things. So in this way, I figured out that they had dated. I kept waiting for him

to tell me that himself, but he never did. About two months after we started dating, I straight up asked him if he had dated her, and he admitted it. He said that they had met in school and had similar ideals and ambitions. They dated for nine months and broke up a year and a half ago. I asked him why they'd broken up, and he said their relationship was awful and they worked much better as friends. They started their business after they broke up and things have, apparently, been going well between them since then. I started to get kind of suspicious about her, though, when time passed and I still hadn't met her. I met his friends and family pretty soon after we started dating, but I didn't meet Jenna. I went to numerous social events that I'd expect her to be at,

but she was never there. There were a number of occasions when our paths almost crossed and I really thought I was going to meet her, but I never did. For example, I went to their office a few times to meet Jeff after work, and Jenna was already gone. Or sometimes I'd come to meet him and he'd come outside to meet me so I wouldn't have to go inside. Things started to get really weird about three months ago. Jeff and Jenna were having an open house night one evening. Jeff came over to my place after work and we had a few hours to kill before it was time to go, so we went out for dinner and then walked to the office. I was kind of expecting that I'd come in and help them set up, but when we were a block away, he started asking me if I had lots of work to do and saying there was a

really nice coffee shop nearby. He actually walked me to the coffee shop and sat me down, then left to go get ready with Jenna. He told me to come to the office in an hour and a half. About half an hour before I left for the office, I texted Jeff and said I hoped everything was going well and asked if there was anything I could do. He replied and said, Something's come up for Jenna and she can't be here tonight. I was getting really suspicious at this point. I went to the office half an hour later and sure enough, Jenna wasn't there. People kept asking about her all night and Jeff told them she'd had a family emergency. When we walked back to the car later that night, he told me what happened.

While he and Jenna were getting ready, she had had a panic attack and said she was scared to meet me. She said she wouldn't be able to handle it and either had to leave, or he had to tell me not to come. He told her to leave, so she did. Since then, a couple more weird things have happened, and I still haven't met Jenna. Once, when I was hanging out with Jeff, we went to the office so he could grab something. When we were almost there, he looked at his phone and said, Jenna is still there. Let's just go for a walk. So we walked around the block for half an hour and then came back when she was gone.

After that happened, I told Jeff I felt really uncomfortable with the situation. I could respect that they were friends who had dated, but the way she was acting about me was very suspicious. He apologized and said he had actually been really mad at her, but wasn't sure what to do. He also told me a couple other weird stories about things she'd done. He went to a party a few weeks ago, I didn't go, and his phone had died that night. When he got home and charged his phone, it was full of texts from Jenna saying she was outside in her car and asking if I was there not. She actually never even ended up going to the party, simply because she didn't know if I was there or not. Now here's the kicker, Jeff and Jenna are currently on a two-week-long camping trip.

They've been planning this trip since before I met him, but considering the way she's behaved, I feel very uncomfortable about him being on this trip. I just looked at her Instagram and she's posted five new pictures of him. As awesome as Jeff is, I'm really fed up with this and I'm seriously considering breaking things off when he gets back. Am I being unreasonable? Comments where O.P. has replied, Glitterland, you're not being unreasonable at all. And I can understand why you feel so upset about the whole situation.

If I were you, I'd be asking Jeff a few questions. Does he know the root issue of why she doesn't want to meet you? Is she like this with anyone else? Explain to him that the situation is upsetting you and that you aren't comfortable with him going on a two-week vacation with her. She is, after all, his ex-girlfriend and the whole thing strikes me as a little strange. Maybe you could talk about meeting Jenna with Jeff present in a quieter, mutual place like a cafe or a restaurant. If Jeff was my boyfriend, I'd be looking for answers. Best of luck to you and please post an update. Boop, it's kind of reassuring to hear that other people

don't think I'm being unreasonable. I have actually asked him if he knows. knows why she's being like this, and he says he's asked her the same thing and hasn't gotten a clear answer. He said he's asked her if she still has feelings for him and she said no. They're actually already on their trip, so there's not much I can do about it at this point. I think I'll try probing him a bit more when he gets back and see if he might know a bit more than he's telling me about her behavior. Jiltrow, you're not only not being unreasonable but you have put up with way AI more than most other people would have. I would have noped out of there when I found her Instagram and realized he didn't tell you that he had dated her. Not to mention all the crazy over-the-top nonsense she's pulled since.

And he is going on a two-week long trip with this girl? Oh God, so much nope. Oop, well, I'm glad that at least I'm not the only one who thinks it's weird. I kind of feel like I probably would have called it off already if he wasn't so great in other ways. This is seriously the best relationship I've ever had. But the whole Jenna situation is really over the top. Why wasn't Oop on the camping trip or why wasn't it cancelled? I have to work and I was never invited.

As far as why it wasn't cancelled? Good question. Update, I wrote my previous post over a year ago, and a lot has happened since then. I wanted to give everyone an update, since the advice on this sub was really helpful. at the time. For a few months after I wrote my op, nothing much happened. Jeff and I continued dating, and he continued being friends slash partners with Jenna. I never met her, but everything else in our relationship seemed to be going so well that I decided I'd try to deal with it. Things got really hard, however, when I had to take a work contract 12 hours away from home for

three months. I hardly saw Jeff the whole time, and I looked at Jenna's Instagram almost every day to see if she'd posted more photos of them together. More often than not, she had. Since I wasn't physically present, I felt like Jenna was his real girlfriend. I felt completely worthless and constantly stressed out, knowing my boyfriend was spending all his time with another woman who I already had suspicions about. While I was away for work, I decided to break up with Jeff. I broke up with as soon as I came back, and I made it very clear that his relationship with Jenna was intolerable for me. I told him he was going to have a hard time dating anyone who wasn't her as long as she was still in his life. He kept saying he didn't understand why it was such a problem.

He told me he couldn't control her behavior, but he promised me he hadn't cheated on me. I explained to him that by allowing their friendship to continue, he was condoning her behavior. I told him I didn't really even care if he'd physically cheated or not, since he'd already shown disrespect for me and our relationship. I didn't speak to him for a few months and I went on with my life. I took another contract out of town and even considered moving permanently to another city. One night, though, Jeff called me and apologized. He said he had been thinking about our relationship a lot and realized he had been in the wrong.

He said his relationship with Jenna was bad. beginning to feel toxic to him, and he'd made arrangements to dissolve their business partnership. After that, I decided to meet up with him, not necessarily give him another chance, and discuss the situation further. When we met up, he promised to stop talking to Jenna and unfollowed her on all social media. As of now, he has not spoken to her in six months, and we've gotten back together. We actually ran into her at a concert a few weeks ago, and they didn't even say hi to each other. I feel much more respected and confident in my relationship now. Next story, X dumped me because I couldn't give her a luxury lifestyle, then married a rich guy who turned out to be a deceive.

She started calling me daily for help. My friends think I'm an odd for blocking my ex who is married, because she keeps calling and messaging me. I wanted to ask if what I'm doing is right or if I should keep in touch with her. I dated Lisa for four years, and we broke up two years ago. Lisa told me she didn't see a future with me and wanted to call things off. There were many reasons, and I knew it was coming. Lisa came from a wealthy family, and we met in college. Our relationship was great during the college years.

However, after we graduated and got jobs, it became clear to her that I would never be able to provide the lifestyle she was used to. She hated the small apartment we rented because I wanted to pay off my student loan quickly, and she resented that I couldn't afford to take her on nice vacations. It sucked, but I couldn't blame her. I loved Lisa deeply, but I also knew she deserved the life she wanted. After we broke up, we still had lingering feelings and stayed friends for a few months. We had mutual friends and would meet regularly. I never hated Lisa, in fact, I cherished the memories of the four years we were

together. But I was also acutely aware that we came from different worlds and that she shouldn't have to settle because of me. Still, it was hard to let go completely, and sometimes I wondered if I'd ever truly get over her. We drifted apart after Lisa started dating a family friend. I met him a few times at parties, he knew Lisa and I had dated, and though he was polite, I started avoiding her and focused on work. Eventually, I moved to another city and lost touch with Lisa. I heard from mutual friends that she got married six months ago. I wasn't invited to the wedding, but I was happy for her. I also dated someone briefly last year, but right now, my career is my main focus.

That's what I need to believe. Three weeks ago, out of the blue, I got a call from an unknown number, it was Lisa. She started with small talk, and we caught up on each other's lives. She told me about the new house she and her husband had just bought and how busy she'd been. I told her about my work and my new life. It was nice, like catching up with an old friend. She gave me her new number, and the call lasted about 20 minutes. Although I found it odd, I figured she might have thought about me and decided to reach out.

The next day, she messaged me and sent a few photos of her new house. I complimented her on them. Two days later, she called me again, saying she was driving and thought about chatting. We talked about my new city, my new friends, and even gossiped about our old mutual friends. Then, she started sending me photos from a recent party where they all met up. Over the next two weeks, Lisa began calling me almost every day. I ignored most of her calls, but she always said she had free time and wanted to talk. She started sending me TikToks, memes, and messages, initiating conversations all the time.

At first, I brushed it off, thinking she was just being friendly, but it felt wrong, Lisa is married, and I shouldn't be talking to her so frequently. The more she reached out, the more unsettled I became. Was she unhappy in her marriage? Was she just lonely? Or was I reading too much into it? Last Friday, I finally messaged her, saying that it felt inappropriate for us to talk so often, given that she's married now. She replied almost immediately, saying there's nothing wrong with us being good friends, like before.

I didn't want to continue, so I told her we needed to stop talking for a while because I needed to focus on work. After that, I blocked her number. She called our mutual friend Jess, crying about how I was rude and blocked her. Jess told our other friends, and some of them called me, saying I was being unreasonable to treat Lisa that way and cut her off. I don't understand how no one sees that it's wrong for Lisa to call her ex when she's happily married after more than a year of no contact. It doesn't make sense. But maybe I'm the one who's missing something. Am I being unreasonable with Lisa, or was it right for me to block her for both our sakes?

And if I'm right, why do I still feel so conflicted? Update, October 10th, 2024. I had posted a month and half ago regarding going no contact with my ex-girlfriend Lisa after she tried to rekindle our friendship. Lisa married her husband, Jason, six months ago, and I wanted to respect their marriage, and blocked her after I felt we were crossing a line. My friend was very critical of me because I was ignoring her, and most of you agreed that did the right thing. Things have been really crazy since then and many of you asked for an update. I wanted to respect Lisa's privacy, but as things settled down, I am again not sure if I am

doing the right thing and need advice on my situation. Sorry for the long post, but too many things have happened, and I wanted to get this off my chest. After I blocked Lisa, she called my friend Jess and wanted to talk to me one last time. I, initially declined, but finally caved in and told her that it would be the last time we would talk. Lisa called me on Saturday morning and told me that she wanted to talk to me because she needed help and does not know if she can trust anyone. She sounded awful and I had to calm her down before she told me what was going on. Lisa told me that after we broke up, she met her husband Jason within few months.

Jason asked her out for a date in front of her mom, and her mom insisted that she at least give Jason a chance. Jason was a charmer, and they quickly became official. Jason was everything I was not. He came from a wealthy family and had everything figured out. He took her on all the vacations I could never afford, and Lisa loved this life where she does not have to worry about things like loans, money when she was with me.

They had a grand wedding, but Lisa told me that things quickly started going south. One night, she was hanging out with Jason's friends and one of his college, friends started flirting with her and touched her inappropriately. Lisa was shocked and told Jason immediately. Jason was drunk and told Lisa to loosen up and enjoy the party, and did not confront the friend. As months went by, Lisa found proof that Jason and his friends were doing drugs, and Jason had slept with most of his friend's wives, and it was a common thing in their friend group. She suspects it happened during the time they were dating, and also few times after they were married. She confronted Jason, but he just got mad at her and told her that she is being too uptight.

Things got messy and Lisa told me that there were some instances of physical abuse, thought she did not go into too many details. Lisa wanted to leave Jason and told her mom about it. However, her mom told her that it is too early in their marriage and instead, Lisa should work harder to make Jason happy, so that he does not need to look at other women. Lisa never told any of our mutual friends about this because they all loved Jason, mostly because he paid for all the parties, restaurants, etc. And Lisa just felt very lonely and helpless. That is when she got a burner phone and started messaging me on it. She apologized to me for getting me involved in her mess, but asked me if I can buy her a ticket to my city so that she can get far away from Jason and

everyone and figure out what to do next. She could not buy the tickets because Jason had access to all her cards and accounts, and she could not trust any of her friends back home because Jason might know about it. I was really angry with the whole situation and agreed to help her. I got the tickets immediately and did not email her any details. I only told her the confirmation numbers when packed and reached the airport. She flew to my city and is staying in my guest room. As expected, hell broke loose as soon as she called her parents to tell them that she has left Jason and is with me. She told them and our friends why she did what she did. However, everyone just thought that we had an affair, and she left Jason for me.

Jason was really angry and demanded her to come home where they are done. His parents called her to plead her to come back and talk about things calmly. Her dad refused to talk to her, while her mom flew to my city and we all met and she told her what happened. Her mom was more worried about their reputation than what Lisa went though in the last few months. It was just sickening. Lisa is looking for lawyers to file for a divorce, and has refused to talk to Jason since she came here. Jason has not made an attempt to visit her, and initially sent he a lot of threatening messages. I feel he was advised not to send any more incriminating messages to her, and the messages from him suddenly stopped and there is radio silence.

Lisa is currently living with me for the last month. She has offered to pay me rent, but I have told her to just say, save up for any legal fees, as it seems her parents might cut her off. Many of our mutual friends still refuse to believe what Jason did, and some feel we are having an affair. Many of them have completely stopped talking to Lisa and me, and even removed us from their socials. Lisa looks like an empty shell of herself. She was the most kind, fun person when we were together. Even though she keeps a brave face, she just bursts into tears randomly. I feel she has still not told me the whole story on what Jason did to her, but I am just going to be a good friend and give her the space she needs.

I, honestly, am not sure how to feel. Everything happened so suddenly, I never had a time to react and think if what I am doing is right. I don't know how I got in a situation where my married ex is now living with me. I cannot kick her out, and I want to be there to support her in such a horrible time. However, a part of me also does not know if what I am doing is right and as she is still a married woman, and I do not want to be labeled as a home wreaker or a cheater. Any advice would be appreciated. Edit, just wanted to add some context since many of you are asking about it in the comments, Lisa left her main phone home when she left since her husband can track her phone. He was already paranoid that Lisa would leave him, and was tracking all accounts, and Lisa's whereabouts.

She did not want to let anyone know she was at my place. However, I insisted that she at least call and tell her parents that she was safe, else they would have thought she disappeared and might have gone to cops to file a missing person report. Jess did not help her because Lisa did not tell Jess or any of our friends about the abuse. All Lisa told me was that she did not trust any of our friends right now, I am still not sure why and what happened there. However, most of our friends have sided with Jason, and he is spreading a false narrative that Lisa married him for money and waited for six months exactly so that she is eligible for a significant alimony, based on their pre-nup. Everyone suspects that we, Lisa and I, plan this whole charade for Jason's money, Lisa left and came me because she wanted to put as much physical distance between Jason and her before she told him that she was leaving him, and of course Lisa and I are not getting back together.

I understand the vulnerable position she is in, and I just want to make sure she is safe. Finally, what are my future plans? I am taking one day at a time. I luckily have a very well-paying job now and do not have to worry financially supporting her for a short time. However, I do understand Lisa cannot live with me forever and we need to figure out something as soon as things settle down. comments where OP has replied, commenter one, whoa, what a wild ride. Although it seems like you made the right decision in blocking her at first, I'm happy you were able to intervene and support her during her difficult time.

It's terrible when people put their reputation before the welfare of others. I'm sending Lisa my best wishes and hoping that everything turns out well for her in the end. Oop, it is just crazy to see Lisa go through so much in the last few months, and no one is standing in her corner. I also hope she finds strength. Comment her too, okay, she should not be living with you. You are not her savior. Maybe what she's telling you is true and maybe it's exaggerated to gain your sympathy. She needs to end her marital relationship and deal with her baggage from that before jumping back in with you. All of the reasons she threw you over for her husband still exist. She is still married. Period.

She can go live with her parents. If he has money and she doesn't it could be a long messy divorce. Step back and let her deal with her crap. I hope you enjoy this story. Relatives implore me to continue being the responsible sibling and act as a peacemaker, but after enduring numerous hardships, I have reached my breaking point. Additionally, this marks one of my initial contributions, so please forgive me for any mistakes. So, some context.

My mother has two children, me, 24F, and my younger sister, 15F. Her and my dad were never together, but when she got pregnant with my sister all those years ago she married my stepfather out of wedlock. My stepfather is much, much older and was pretty wealthy at the time. When my mother decided to marry my stepdad, she packed me up and moved us four hours away from my grandparents, my primary caregiver since I was born, and my dad. I won't get too far into what my life was like after I moved in, but it is worth mentioning I suffer from diagnosed C-P-T-SD and severe anxiety for my years of living with them. My sister never had a chance. From the start,

she's been spoiled. Not just spoiled, spoiled, spoiled rotten. As the years went on I tried to tell my mother and stepdad that she would not just grow out of it like they said she would. I've had friends compare her to Varuka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She screams, throws things, hits people, threatens to lie to CPS, calls our mother a whore slash fat cow slash depressed loser, and calls her father an old man. For heaven's sake, she called her 95-year-old grandmother an old bitch and stomped on our other grandmother's foot. She is out of control. What is done about this?

Well, their idea of discipline is, nothing. Her dad is considerably older and doesn't want to make her hate him for the short amount of time he has left with her. So he leaves the discipline to our mother who is mentally very unstable and crumbles easily. Because my sister is so outwardly difficult, I've always been revered as the good child. To be clear me being the good child included my silence and compliance. I had to be responsible and mature for my age because my stepdad and mother were not. Because of this and some guilt, my mother and stepfather have always overly relied on me. I'm the one who placates, who mediates, who tried to parent their kid but was constantly undermined.

It caused me to have several severe relationship issues as an adult. After high school, I moved out and went to college. I attended therapy, and started to learn that my parents. people pleasing from living with them was crippling me. So I've slowly started stopping. The last key component to the context is they my mom and stepdad do not support me. Even when I lived with them in high school, every dime for lunch money or new clothes came from my grandparents. Even my car was given to me by my grandparents at 18. They've paid one semester of my jukho, roughly 2,500, and to their credit they did pay for my braces when I was 10.

However, this pales when compared to the 10k a semester they spend on her private school tuition, her $1,000 monthly allowance they put on her debit card, her new Porsche car which she can't even drive yet, plus so much more. My mother even asked me to give up my birthday last year to attend my sister's cheer nationals in Florida, which I did to be a good sister, but there was no such thing for me when I was in high school. For the record, I understand most of this money is my wealthy stepdad. I am not delusional to the fact that I am not his kid and therefore shouldn't expect support from him. However, they expect me to support them.

Now I'm at a head. I've always relented and gone to my mother's house on Christmas Eve to wake up and open gifts Christmas morning because it's important to her, but I don't believe I'm there because she wants me to be, but mostly so I can mediate. My sister always makes a spectacle of Christmas Eve. Last year our mother put $4,000 worth of gifts under the tree for her and me both and my sister was not happy with a single gift that she asked for. I'm talking screaming, throwing gifts in the trash, biting, scratching. All at 14 years old. Christmas Day has always ended in screaming in tears.

I hate Christmas because of this. This year, I wanted to spend it with my grandparents and see my dad over the holiday. This was not taken well. I get told by my grandmother that I'm the only thing keeping my mom same. It was implied a good kid would want to spend time with her family and sister on Christmas and I told her that my younger sister has gotten so much more than me, money, opportunities, support, etc., and she gets to be horrible to our mother and get rewarded for it. Why should I be a good kid if I'm not getting anything in return?

Why should I spend a holiday with family that makes it horrible over my grandparents? who are actually supporting me. My grandma said that this was a horrible thing to say. She begged me not to say this to my mother and to just put up with it. This is not how my grandparents raised me to be or think, but it's not so much about the money as it is just the blatant usage of me. Some part of my feels greedy and spoiled for being upset over the difference in support, but somehow it still just feels so wrong to keep giving into them.

What is keeping me at bay is that my grandparents have never steered, me wrong, but I sometimes wonder if what was done to me gets forgotten about because my mother is mentally ill and does suffer, and my sister is like this because it's all she's ever known. I can't help but feel like I can't relent on this one, though, that my boundaries are being trampled. So, Ida for wanting to say this to my mother. If yes, what else do I do? Thank you in advance for reading. Comments where Op has replied,

Intrepid underscore Potential 6 do you want to be paid to? to go to her house for Christmas. Look. Go be happy. But that is just not a good move, essentially losing all class and character and blackmailing for your attendance. Just don't go. NTA for not wanting to go, but you would be if you paid that pay me card. Oop, I'm not asking for monetary gain. I'm asking them to stop using me as their support, financial, emotional, etc. When they haven't shown me any since I'm not. I moved in with them at ten years old. It's always been this big deal of well you came out of it a better person and they can't help it,

and you're out of it now, but I'm still suffering from the damage they caused. My sister suffers. My grandparents suffer. They suffer. But instead of owning up to anything they'd all rather pretend to have another happy Christmas. I'm ready to bring everything to a head, but then comes the hard truth I can't be the golden child with nothing in return but misery. Eidip Nip which grandma is this?

Why doesn't she support you being independent for you mother and trauma? You won't have them forever. Why don't they want you to spend the time with them who love you then with your spoiled sister? Boop these are my maternal grandparents. Although my grandpa is not my blood grandpa and not my mom's biological dad, her dad denounced her on his deathbed. My mother has always had this jealousy when it comes to my grandparents, my grandma in particular. When under the influence she's told me several times I'm sorry I wasn't the mother you needed or I'm your mom, not her.

My grandmother I think parents from guilt a lot for my mom because she's mentally ill and was an addict. We all sympathize with my mom and her situation of not being stable and stuck in a marriage we don't think she'd ever choose to be in now. However, I for some reason get the brunt of bearing the emotional load. My grandma does try to lessen it, but my mom wants me because having me around lessens her guilt, I believe. This 514 I get that another part of the problem is that your grandparents are asking you to do this to support your mother, their daughter, I'm guessing. It might be worth explaining that you need a break or you're going to snap and you don't want to add more drama to an already fraught situation. Frame it as a temporary break to your grandparents, just to get some breathing space until your mother's current family unit finds. a new balance. That will probably end up being never, but at least it gives you time.

And if they insist, suggest that they go and support your mother while you spend Christmas with your dad, if they want her low to ease so much. They don't want to deal with your sister either, so that should help them understand what they're asking you. Oop yes, this is a big part of the problem. My grandparents have done so much for me that they shouldn't have had to do because I'm not their child, yet they did. I will forever be indebted to them and if they ask anything of me I agree without hesitation. So what this situation really boils down to is that if I'm not there, the drama and emotional burden falls on my grandmother. She's elderly, sickly, and I just can't let them happen without some sort of plan. Update 1, January 30th, 2024. I took a lot of

advice for my original post. Just felt like I should update things on here and get some advice in turn. Christmas went unexpectedly well, but not for the reasons one would think. I ended up not saying anything harsh to my mother. I stayed with my grandparents as long as I could then made the three-hour drive up to mother and stepdad. My stepdad's family has always been so kind and treated me like family, so I enjoyed going over there and spending time with them. My and stepdad left the get together early on Christmas Eve. Come to find out, my sister had opened all of her gifts earlier that day before I got there. When she realized she didn't get everything she wanted, she took a couple of my presents

and threw them in the pool. Luckily I asked for a lot of cat toys for my cats, and those are the things she threw in and they were fine after they dried. I spent the night with my mother and stepdad while my sister stayed with her aunt and cousins, and I opened my presents peacefully on Christmas morning before heading to see my dad. All things considered, it was a nice holiday compared to the others we've had. What comes after is unfortunately not an improvement. It seems like my sister's behavior is on a steady decline.

For some context, last year my sister messaged me with a picture of her with a fat lip saying our mom hurt her. I was so angry, I called her aunt to pick her up and told her she was not allowed to go back and if they had a problem I would call the cops. When talking to my mother, she had a severe black guy where my sister had attacked her. I didn't care who started it, I just thought it should never have had to escalate to that. She spent the summer with her aunt, CPS investigated and found no abuse in the home. Both my mom and sister went to therapy. My sister wanted to go back to her parents before school started.

Now, presently, my sister has learned that she can abuse our mom and get a away with it. I have gotten three phone calls where I've seen my mom with black eyes, scratches, or marks from my sister. I've witnessed her snatch a wig off my mother's head and ripped her hair out. My mother lacks confidence because her husband insults her on a daily, and my sister will destroy anything that could bring her confidence. I've witnessed her poor Starbucks into my mom's makeup bag, cut her wig, etc. She's thrown glass mugs at my mother too. The last phone call I got from my mother was her with another black eye, and she said that my stepdad tried to spank my sister but she just rolled her eyes. Apparently he took her phone away too, but only for two hours.

My stepdad does not stand up for my mother, and she has no power and no money to enforce over my sister's head. My sister says they can't do anything either, or she'll call CPS on them. When my mother called me this last time I basically just shrugged and told her I didn't know what. else to tell her. Sent her to boot camp, a mission trip, turn off her phone, something. But it's all things I've said before. I've toyed with the idea of getting the law involved, but how seriously do they take child to parent abuse? Wibta if I did that? Any advice is appreciated, and thanks for reading my vent post. Edit, going no contact is almost impossible. I owe my entire life to my grandparents and if I go no

contact with my mom slash stepdad the burden falls onto my grandmother, who I'm sure my mom would hound to get to me. I am taking steps to go low contact, though. Edith 2, just found out my sister's aunt, my stepdad sister, was told about the abuse from my mom. My aunt would like to hold a meeting and intervention with the whole family, me and the parents included. I will not be part of the disciplining process, but I absolutely will be giving my two cents on everything. Come to find out it's my aunt paying for my sister's very expensive school, and she's now threatening to pull her from that school if she does not agree to a six-week anger management outpatient thing.

My sister is incredibly snobby and has said before she'd rather die than go to public school. She also loves her cheerleading team. I will keep updating. Comments where Op has replied. Sirale Entier, but get your mom to put up hidden nanny cams in her house so the next time your half-sister hurt her, it's on camera. And when half-sister pulls the CPS bullshit again, your mom will have footage in case she does call them. She can also take the footage to the police and press charges. Maybe juvenile detention or jail will teach the spoiled brat she can't just get away with everything. Boop I've been telling my mom to record her, at least what she says in voice memos, but my sister gets my mom in such a tizzy she forgets to do it in the moment.

I have a couple of recordings, but just if her being insanely brady and mouthy. Nothing legally incriminating, sadly. A secret can might do the trick if I can convince my mom to put it up. Psychbrook 3. It sounds like your mother is desperate for your help. Maybe even a way out, even if that only means a roof and four walls. Oop I have tried to help as much as I can between my means. She doesn't want the advice or solutions I give her. She doesn't want to bring up the problem to anybody or do anything drastic, which I realize is also a pattern of abuse, but there isn't anything else I can do.

I called CPS before and they found no abuse. If I called the cops they'd all pretend like everything was fine. Penguin in a jacket this is really just a sad situation. The only way I can really see to fix this is to have your mother and stepdad divorce to just sever the tie of your awful step-sister. or send her to a camp, but it's very unlikely. The way your feeling is very real your burnout of trying to put out fire on someone else's house. Unfortunate but not your problem. Your mother's getting beaten by a child and your stepdad wants a brat to like him before he dies.

If you can't step away from the situation, at least protect yourself emotionally. And understand that really, Terese, nothing you specifically can do to fix other people OOP through therapy I've begun the problem. of peeling away emotionally. I will always have sympathy and compassion for my family, for anyone, but I've realized there's nothing more I can do. I've come to terms with the fact I might have to always keep this part of my family at arm's length to truly be able to breathe. These are the final steps to keeping it that way until they change something. The sad part is my mom had made changes by leaps and bounds she's quit alcohol, quit abusing her pills, gone to psychotherapy and gotten her bipolar under control and stuck she is so much more controlled

than my sister and stepfather bring out the worst in her still, for their benefit. A valancate if you're in the States many states have elder abuse laws. It sounds like stepdad qualifies. Not sure about mom. In FL, it's a felony. OOP if I got them involved my stepdad and mom would play dumb and deny everything. They're too embarrassed to bring shame upon themselves. from what they've raised sadly.

Now on to the next story. Story 2. Found out my wife cheated on me with a friend of mine, now her life is a mess, as my kid kids informed me. I, 35, was married to my ex-wife 35, for 10 years. The two of US got married straight out of high school. People warned us against it, telling us it was way too soon and we should just wait. Finish college first, start a career, and then see where we were at was what they wanted us to do. Me being a fool in love meant that I didn't care what any of them had to say.

We had been dating since sophomore year of high school so I thought I knew everything and found my forever person. My wife at the time seemed to be on the same page. So, we got married and went to the same college. The two of us lived in married-coupled housing which was helpful for us. Even though we were busy with college, I felt that our marriage was at its strongest in college. After we graduated, we got our apartment and jobs in our chosen fields. Things from there still seemed great. Slowly we were building our future.

The people who had been against us in the beginning and warned us against marriage were wrong. They had since come to support us. Her family was like my second family, so after marrying her I did gain a lot more family members. It was about a year and a half before our 10th anniversary when I noticed something was going on with my wife. She was more distant and didn't want me to ever touch her. I attributed it to me working a lot lately and just being very busy, I decided to make it up to her by planning a romantic night. She ended up not coming home that night and used the excuse that she was staying with a friend. Like I said, I had no reason not to believe or trust her so I assumed she was telling the truth.

The closer we got to our 10th anniversary, the more it continued. My wife was even more indifferent to me than ever and was hardly home. It was at this point I realized the chances of her having an affair was high so I used one of those Apple Air tags. I was ashamed to use it, but I had to find out. Instead of going to a friend's house like she said, she was across town in the opposite direction. I drove there and waited for her to come out. She did come out arm in arm with some heavily tattooed and pierced guy. Compared to my straight-laced self who always played by the rules it was quite a shock.

I took a video and quietly drove home. When she got home I didn't say anything and just played the video for her. After the shock wore off, she started yelling at me for planning an air tag in her car and following her. It was creepy apparently. The logic she was spewing was just very hard to follow. I just waited until she quieted and asked why. My wife claimed she needed someone more exciting and not as boring as I was. Working hard to provide a good life for us wasn't what she wanted.

I pointed out that by working so much I was able to help us afford a nice house, car, etc. But my wife just told me she wanted more. If what she wanted was something more than I was fine with that. True to her word, my wife wanted out as quickly as possible. With me being the breadwinner, she could have gotten a lot of money and spousal support out of me. However, she seemed more focused on the ink being dry on the divorce papers than anything else. She wanted so badly to be with her precious app who was her true soulmate. I was just a stop along the way to finding him her words and not mine.

If that's what she wanted then fine. The agreement ended up with me getting the house, dog, and more than half the money in the joint account. I was shocked that all she wanted was the car to be paid off completely and no alimony. I guess my ex wanted a complete break for me which was why she agreed to such a clean split. Did it hurt? Yeah, of course it did but if that was how she wanted it then so be it. It was probably better for me as well to get a clean break. From the day our divorce was final, I had no contact with her because I saw no reason why I should continue to have her in my life.

However, we did have mutual friends and I still kept in contact with some of her family members so I was still privy to certain things that were going on in her life. The app where the new love of her life was gone within a year of the divorce. He dumped her for someone else, which sent her into a tailspin. Since she had been staying at his place, it left her with no place to go. My ex couldn't go back to her parents because they had disowned her pretty much, and still talked to me to this day. Last I heard, my ex-wife had been living in a small apartment with her sister and the new love of her life. She's working two jobs to make ends meet and is in debt. Had she pushed for more during our divorce, then she would have had more money as well as alimony to fall back on.

I mean, I wasn't complaining, but if she had been thinking with her head instead of her, she would have been better off. To make it weirder, her new boyfriend has the same name as me. I'm not sure how to feel about that so I choose not to think of it very often or at all. It just seems a little taboo to date someone with the same name as your ex. Like you wouldn't date someone that had the same or similar name of a family member so why one with the same name as your ex-husband? It just didn't make sense to me, but when it came to my ex there were a lot of things I didn't understand and would probably never understand either. She was my past anyway, so I didn't need to worry myself sick when it came to my ex-wife. It's been a few years since our divorce and while my ex-wife's life has been a downward spiral,

mine has been great. I got remarried about three years ago and the two of us are currently having our first child. Trusting another woman was difficult for me so it took me a while to even think about dating again. My now wife was very patient, however, and was willing to wait for me as long as she needed. Eventually, I felt ready to date again and it led to a second marriage. I have even reached a new level of success. My wife and I managed to sell the old house I had with my ex, by a bigger one, and even have savings to spare. Both of us had lucrative careers, though my wife planned to go on maternity leave once the baby was born. If my ex knew about my new life, then she is yet to reach out to me.

I doubt she ever will, which suits me fine. There is no need for her to ever speak again, but sometimes I do wonder if she regrets having an affair and hurrying through a divorce so she could be with her app. Chances are my ex regrets it, but what comes around goes around. For my ex, truer words had never been spoken. I hope you enjoy this story. Second wife prohibited my spouse from attending my father's celebration because she was worried about potential embarrassment if he experienced a sudden medical episode. Consequently, I decided to disclose the situation to my father, and he is now informed. Leaving her.

Hi, so my father, 50M, recently filed for divorce from my stepmother, 44F, and she and all her friends are blaming me for it, but I don't think it's my fault. It's not surprising, though, since Sharon, that's what I'll call my stepmom, and I have never had a good relationship. I wouldn't say that it's been bad, but honestly, we just never really connect. or got along well. I would say that she is really not the kind of person whom I would select for my dad, because she seems kind of shallow and pretentious. She got married to my father when I was 16 and they had been together for about three years before they got married. When they were dating,

she was nice to me but I could tell that it was all for show, because she obviously had to get along with the daughter of the man that she was seeing. I could see right through her, but my dad seemed to be happy with her so I never said anything about it. Besides, it's not like she had screwed up colossally or something, so I had no reason to ruin his happiness. Just because I didn't like her whole vibe. That would be really petty, but now, I kind of wish that I had said something. Anyway, a year before their marriage, Sharon started living with us and she was kind of annoying to be around because she was always just trying to be overbearing and controlling.

She was changing everything around the house, and trying to make it look better. But honestly, all that she was doing was changing things that my mother had picked out for the house and she knew it because my mother had great taste, and my dad would occasionally brag about it to guests. For context, my mother passed away in a car crash when I was seven years old and everybody missed her because she was a wonderful human being. Whenever guests would come over, people would occasionally bring her up and reminisce about the times we had with her, and my dad and I also looked back on those memories very fondly. It was not something that happened all the time, but whenever it did happen, my dad and I would always tear up because our time with her had been cut short and it still hurt. Sharon was probably jealous of that and couldn't stand it. So that's why, she started changing everything and slowly, but surely, she started erasing any and every trace of my mother from the house. It started with something really small, like the decorations and the wallpaper that my mother had picked out, but then she moved on to bigger things.

She made my dad put all her clothes in the attic to make space for her wardrobe, which I can still understand. But then she said that she was not comfortable with having my mother's photos around the house and had all her photographs removed, even the family photos that we had together. I thought it was a bit extreme and put up a good fight against it, but my dad said that this was our new family now and my mother would have wanted to make everyone feel as happy and comfortable as they can be. So I conceded and didn't bring it up again, but I knew that Sharon was. trying to replace my mom. I could understand that she was kind of threatened because of my mother and you can't exactly compete with a dead person, but I could never understand why she had to be so insecure. I mean, my mother was gone, and she had my dad all to herself, just the way she wanted it. People only talked about her because she had been young when she passed away, and of course,

that had been a huge shock to all of us. So it was not easy for us to move on, especially for the people closest to her, her family. So it was natural for us to occasionally talk about her and keep her alive in our memories, that was the least that we could do. We didn't want to forget her, and if she had any empathy at all, she would respect that, and instead of trying to replace her, she would just accept that she was not my mother and was never going to be. She was her own person and that's just how it was. She could look at it as a positive thing as well. But she just had to feel threatened and make it into a competition. So she started trying to act like my mother and her definition of being a mother meant that she had to control every aspect of my life.

I believe that she felt that I would find it endearing, but I honestly just found it annoying, the way that she was constantly trying to tell me what to do. She would give me unsolicited advice literally all the time, be it about boys or clothes or even my education. I mean, she didn't even have a college degree herself, but sure, I was going to take advice from her. And she didn't even do it in a nice way, she was always really condescending about it and treated me like a five-year-old who knew nothing about the world even though I was literally 16 at the time and yeah, maybe 16 is not really that old. But I'm sure that nobody thinks it's appropriate to talk down to a 16-year-old. It was really unnecessary for her to act like I was a total idiot or something.

She would talk to me like I didn't understand anything and was not capable of making my own decisions. It was just really irritating and I don't know exactly how to explain it to you guys, but imagine being spoken to like you were a child, but it doesn't come from a place of concern or love, it just comes from a place of wanting to make you feel inferior. There was no real affection, she would only talk to me like that, because she felt like I was stupid or something. She would also keep insisting that she was my second mother, and honestly, that was more creepy than cute. I didn't like it one bit, and after a couple of months, I was forced to tell her to just cut it out because she was not my mother and she couldn't just squeeze herself into the roll because she didn't

need to, I didn't want her to. I did have a mother of my own and I loved her and I always will, even though she's gone now. I didn't ask for a replacement and it was really weird of her to even try so hard. So she cut it out and stopped trying so hard because it was getting on my nerves. But what I didn't expect was that she would find other ways to annoy me. She would still talk to me like I was an infant, and would be condescending, but at least now, she wasn't trying to give me advice or act like my mother. And I knew that it was all for show anyway, so it didn't really affect me. What did annoy me was the fact that she would get my dad involved in things that he had no

business being a part of, just because she wanted to feel like she had control over me. After I had told her to back off for a while, she started to do that. getting my dad to talk to me about her concerns. Just a little example, when I was 17, I was having a little trouble with a girl at school who was being nasty to me for no reason. I had been talking about it to my friends on my phone and I guess Sharon snooped through it and found out about it. But she couldn't talk to me about it because I had told her to back down, so she sent my dad to talk to me about it and I knew it was him talking but all I could hear were Sharon's words coming out of his mouth. And then when I was about to apply for colleges, she started

talking about how she had expected me to choose a better college at a party that my dad had thrown for me to celebrate the college that I did get accepted into and I was going to attend. I mean, she was just the single most annoying person I had to deal with, and I was glad to be rid of her when I finally moved out. I think it's pretty obvious that after I moved out for college, I only came back home for the holidays because I didn't want to have to deal with her. Even when I would come home occasionally, she would still behave the same way with me even though I was a literal full-grown adult woman. And while I wouldn't say that we had a really bad relationship, it was certainly not great and I don't know about her, but I never liked her.

Recently, however, she invited me to my father's 50th birthday party that she was throwing for him. She told me that it was going to be a huge party and she had invited all his friends and most of our family. She had even gone out of her way to invite my maternal grandparents, and I thought that was a mature move for her because she always hated the fact that my dad had continued to keep in touch with his ex-in-laws. She was having the party at one of my dad's favorite restaurants and it was going to be pretty big. But for some reason, she told me that she wanted to talk to me in person a couple of days before the party. I was skeptical about it because I couldn't imagine me and her having anything to talk about because we hadn't exactly been in touch for the past

couple of years. But I still agreed because it seemed important. So three days ago, I decided to meet her at a coffee shop near my house. We met and she was just as annoying as usual, acting like I was a toddler she was meeting and it earned us several weird looks from other people as well. So you guys can probably tell by now that her behavior is not something that I made up in my head because I wanted a reason to hate her, she was actually just really annoying to talk to and behaved in a very weird and insulting way. Anyway, once we sat, after some small talk, she told me that she wanted to discuss the party with me. I thought that she was going to tell me

that you needed my help with the arrangements or even the budget, but instead. She told me that she wanted to tell me that I was not allowed to bring my husband to the birthday party because of something so awful and dehumanizing that I can't even believe she said it right to my face and expected me to be okay with it.

So just to be clear, I've been married to my husband, Jason, 24M, for two years. But we have been together ever since ninth grade and yeah, he's my high school sweetheart. Everybody knew that we were going to get married as soon as we graduated and we did. He's my soulmate and I love him more than anybody alive. And I can say the same for him. Jason has also had epilepsy since he was a child,

and even though he does take medicines for it, he still gets fit occasionally. I'm totally cool with it and I expect that other people should also be okay with that because it's something beyond his control and it's really insensitive and disrespectful to use that against him in any context. So when Sharon told me that I was not allowed to bring him him as a plus one to the party because she was afraid that he might have a fit among all those people, I had no idea what to say to her. It was not only disrespectful, but it was straight up ableism and it took all the strength I had to not throw my coffee onto her face and walk out.

Instead, I decided to just walk off without bothering to even dignify that with a response. I didn't even reply to her and walked out of the coffee shop, got into my car and drove back home. I declined the invitation as soon as I was back home and blocked Sharon immediately. I was seething and trying my best to control my temper, but I just couldn't and I ended up crying on the couch because I was just so angry. First off, this was my father and his birthday party, and even though she was organizing it, it didn't give her the right to say something so humiliating and insensitive to me,

especially about the one person that I love the most, just as much as my dad. And I know for a fact that she knew that this was going to hurt me because I don't think anybody in my position would have taken it kindly. And more importantly, it's not like she didn't know how much I love Jason. He's been in my life ever since I was 13 and she knows very well that I hate it. When people try to make it seem like Jason is any less capable or worthy of love and respect than other people just because of his condition. If anything, he is far better than us because he's so strong and deals with something that most people look down upon. Sharon has always known about my feelings on this, and yet, she didn't think it was inappropriate and insulting to demand that I don't bring him to the party with me. He's my husband, of course,

we are a packaged deal now, especially since this is a family event. And more importantly, it's my dad's birthday, I don't think she has the right to tell me who I'm allowed to bring and not. Anyway, when I was crying on the couch, I was trying to be quiet because I didn't want to talk to Jason about this, but he heard me crying and he rushed to my side to comfort me. And I just couldn't keep it in. I told him what Sharon had said and I also said that it was becoming really difficult for me to keep in touch with my father because just like the two of us, they were also a package deal because they were husband and wife. I didn't want to jeopardize their relationship, but at the same time, I just couldn't stand Sharon anymore.

Had already considerably reduced my visits to my dad's house because of her, but right now she was putting me in a position where I might have to cut them off entirely. Had already spoken to my father about the way that Sharon used to infantilize me and disrespect me constantly growing up, but he was convinced that it came from a place of love and affection. And she was just concerned about me, which is why she treated me that way. Plus, I was really just a kid because I was in my teens and my dad didn't fully understand the extent to which Sharon would push me with her strange behavior. At the end of the day, she was just being annoying and it wasn't.

hurting me. So he let it slide, but this was something else. Jason comforted me, and after I had stopped crying, he told me that he was used to people saying things like that about him and I didn't hurt him anymore, which was really sad and not how things should be. But he also told me that I needed to talk to my father because this was a lot more serious than before, and even though he didn't find it hurtful, he could tell that I was really upset and it was about time that I confronted my dad about it, once and for all. So after talking to him, I felt slightly better and decided to talk to my dad about it. I had already declined the online invitation so Sharon would know that she screwed up. But that was not enough. She had taken things too far and she needed to be taken down a peg. So I called my father up

that evening and I told him what his wife had said to me. I told him that I couldn't, in good conscience, attend his birthday party anymore or even stay in touch with them because what Sharon had said had been deeply humiliating for the both of us and I couldn't accept that kind of behavior anymore. I also mentioned that I knew he loved her, which is why he had always believed that he treated me like an infant because she was desperate to have a good relationship with me but the truth was she only treated me like that because she was desperate to establish how dominant she was and when she couldn't do that. She started finding other ways to get back at me and this was just one of them. There was a lot of pent-up frustration that I had to let go of and I chose that moment to do it.

My dad heard me out patiently and after I was done venting, he told me that he would see what he could do about this. He apologized to me and said that he was really sorry about what Sharon had said about Jason. That was really unforgivable and he could totally understand where I was coming from. He told me that he also loved Jason like his own son and he wouldn't even want to party without him. He told me that he would talk to Sharon and make sure that she apologized to me as soon as possible. That was all that we talked about, and after that, we hung up. I felt better after getting all of that out of my system and Jason and I tried not to think about it for the rest of the day. We didn't hear from either my father or my dad for the next two days, but this morning, I received word from my aunt that apparently my father had filed for divorce.

It was shocking because I definitely hadn't seen that coming and my aunt was texting me to ask if I know. knew anything about it. But I didn't even know that he was getting divorced, so I immediately decided to call my father up and ask him about this because I absolutely had to get to the bottom of what was happening. When I called him, he told me that he was about to reach out to me and the first thing that he told me was that he had filed for divorce from Sharon and was living separately right now. He said that he was living in a hotel a little distance away from his house and asked me to visit, so he could explain everything to me. So I headed over there as soon as I could, all my work and when I got to his room, the first thing that he did was hug me and apologize

for everything that he had put me through because he was being selfish and putting his own happiness above mine. He said that he was aware of how selfish he had been so far and had actually been refusing to believe that maybe Sharon was not a good fit for our family. He said that he had noticed how insecure and jealous she was of my mother, a person who didn't even exist in this world anymore. He also noticed Sharon's constant attempts to put me down and make me feel bad about myself. He knew that she was controlling and potential, but he was willing to let all of that go just because she made him happy when they were on their own and didn't think about anything else. He admitted that he had been selfish and was trying really hard to make himself believe that she

was a good person, but they had been having a lot of problems in the past couple of years and she had become increasingly overbearing and suspicious. She was constantly accusing him of still being hung up on my mother and would bring that up in every fight that they had. She would constantly insult my mom and me, and he tried really hard to explain to her that he was in love with her, but she just didn't buy it and constantly compared herself with my mom. It was just getting insane and difficult and the thing that she said about Jason was pretty much the last straw. They had already been having marital problems, and when my father confronted her about what she said, she said that she didn't even feel guilty about it, because she was trying to make everything

perfect for him. And he should apparently have been grateful to her. When he tried to explain to her that he actually wanted Jason at the party, regardless of his condition, she got mad at him and started playing the victim. It was the usual, saying that she was the bad guy because she had tried to do something nice for him. He tried to tell her that this wasn't nice because it was humiliating and insulting for me and my husband, but she was just not ready to hear it and continue to play the victim even though she wasn't one. So my dad finally lost it and told her that she could continue to act like she was the one who was suffering here, but he was out because he couldn't do this anymore. He left the house in a huff and moved to the hotel that evening itself. He spoke to his lawyer and had

him draw up the divorce papers as soon as he could. The only reason he didn't say anything to me for those two days was because he was ashamed and embarrassed and felt like he had failed me as a father. It was quite an emotionally charged conversation and one that we desperately needed to have for a really long time. Once all of it was out in the open, we decided that we were going to give each other a chance to fix this relationship because in spite of everything, I love my father and I didn't want to lose him. He told me that he had announced that he had filed for divorce in the family group, one of which I was not a part of because they sent a lot of messages there and I really had better energy in person. So I was the last to know since he had to call me up and tell me after he sent the message. He had also sent the same message to Sharon and was waiting for her to respond to it, but either way, it didn't matter because it was done now and he was not going to cancel the proceedings at any cost.

So even if she didn't respond to the message, she would have to respond to it legally. After talking to my dad, I came back home and I felt relieved. He was finally going to be done with Sharon, but unfortunately, it seems like, like Sharon isn't done with me. She called me from a different number up a couple of hours ago and, boy, she really let it out. She started screaming at me as soon as I answered the call and accused me of a gazillion things, ruining her marriage, and being the worst one. She claimed that apparently had always had it in for her because I worship my mother and couldn't stand the fact that somebody else was taking her place. For the record, my dad had dated other women after my

mother's passing, and I had never had a problem with any of them so that was definitely not true. Sharon also claimed that the only reason she had said that I wasn't allowed to bring Jason to the party first was because she wanted to save us all the embarrassment, and she only had good intentions, but I had to distort it into something evil because I hated her for no reason. She was drunk, and having a hard time making sense, I actually felt pity for her, and I've been feeling really weird about it ever since that phone call. So, Ida for telling my dad that his wife had told me that I wasn't allowed to bring my husband to his 50th birthday party because of my husband's epilepsy. Update 1, hey, so it's been a couple of days since my post and I don't even know why I was

questioning myself or beating myself about what happened. Sharon brought this on to herself, and there is no way that she can pretend otherwise. I guess I was just feeling bad for her because she was drunk and seemed like she was really in a lot of emotional turmoil. But honestly, this is not my fault. I mean, she told me that I couldn't bring my epileptic husband to a party because she was embarrassed by what could have happened if he had a fit there. What did she even think was going to happen? I was just going to agree and be like, yeah, my husband shouldn't come with me to my dad's

birthday party because of his condition. You're right, Sharon. I mean, it's ridiculous to even think about right now. I guess I'm just a really sensitive person, which is why I felt bad for her, but now I know that there is no reason for me to feel sorry about anything that happened, especially given the fact that none of this is my fault. Both my dad and Jason think that I did the right thing by telling my father because what she said to me was really insulting and she's been acting like this since I was 13. She's had plenty of chances to fix her behavior and watch herself, but if she

thinks that the way that she behaves is normal, then that's on her. Besides, how on earth was I supposed to know that she was having problems with my dad anyway? It's not like my dad discusses these things with me and she and I are not exactly friends, so there is no way I could have known and I definitely didn't do any of this on purpose. She's been acting like a great psycho for years now, and she's finally getting called out about it. And it's about time that it happened. Update two, hey, so my dad called me today to tell me that he is still having the birthday party. I mean, it only makes sense because Sharon used his car to pay for everything so he could still have the party and not invite her. So the party is still happening and Jason and I are going to be

attending it since it's in three days. We have already started discussing therapy for the two of us as we really want to fix our relationship and this is not something that we think we can fix on our own. So we need the help of a professional. Jason also thinks, that this is a great idea and I'm really excited, to be honest. My dad and I were close before and it feels like an old friend is coming home. That's pretty much the best way I can describe it. Still no word from Sharon, regarding the divorce and everything. But that's not surprising, she's probably pretty insulted and she really should feel that way.

Update 3, so my dad had the party today, and I thought it was going to be weird, given the circumstances. but it actually wasn't. It was pretty fun and all of us had a gala time there. All his friends and a lot of our family members were present there and nobody even talked about Sharon, just what was needed. Jason and I had the time of our lives. We got drunk and danced till our feet hurt. And this is probably the first time in a really long time

that I remember having this much fun with my father. I felt like a little girl again when we turned on the music and danced in our living room. It was great and I just wish we could have more days like this. Update 4. Okay, so Sharon finally responded to the divorce petition, and she's not contesting it, but it is pretty surprising. But then again, it was very unlikely that she would try to fight it. She is, however, demanding a huge sum as alimony, and quite frankly, I don't think she deserves it. But whatever, that's between their lawyers. The divorce proceedings and the settlement negotiations are supposed to begin in a couple of days and I just honestly hope that it doesn't get nasty.

On the bright side, my dad and I have started therapy and it's going well. We have decided that we are going to try and have lunch or dinner together at least once every week and really rebuild our relationship. I hope you enjoy this story. Purchased a home using my personal funds and initial investment, but my partner insisted on having an equal share, prompting her to enlist legal assistance and involve her family when I declined. Add her name to the deed. So I've been with Carla for three years now and we moved and together about two years ago into this tiny apartment that was honestly a dump but we made it work and everything was fine, we split everything 50 to 50 even though I make more money than her but whatever, that's fair and I never complained about it.

She works and makes decent money but not as much as me since I'm in tech and have been working my way up for the past few years. About eight months ago we started talking about buying a house together because rent was getting ridiculous and we were basically throwing money away every month and I had been saving up for a down payment for a while, plus my credit score is really good and I knew I could get approved for a mortgage. Carla was excited about it and we started looking at places online and going to open houses on weekends and it was actually really fun at first, like we were planning our future together and all that. But here's where things get complicated and I'm still not sure if I handled it right, but I think when we got serious about actually putting in offers on houses. I went to talk to a mortgage broker and they ran all the numbers and told me that if I applied on my own, I could get pre-approved for way more money than if we applied together because Carla has some student loan debt and her credit isn't as good as mine, not bad, but just not as good.

The broker said we could probably get approved for maybe $350,000 together, but I could get approved for up to $1,000. to $500,000 on my own, which meant we could look at way better houses and better neighborhoods. I brought this up to Carla and she got upset about it at first, saying it felt weird that I would be the only one on the mortgage and she wouldn't have any legal claim to the house, but I explained to her that just because my name is on the deed doesn't mean it's not our house. We're living in it together and building a life together and that's what matters. Plus I pointed out that if we got a house for $350,000, we'd be looking at older places that need work or houses in neighborhoods that aren't as safe, but if I could get pre-approved for more we could get something really nice. She seemed to understand after I explained it and we agreed to move forward with me applying for the mortgage alone.

I put down $75,000 as a down payment which was basically all of my savings that I had been building up for years, plus I had to pay for the inspection and all the closing costs and every. else. Carla helped with some of the smaller costs like the moving truck and some new furniture, but the majority of the financial burden was on me. We found this perfect house for $420,000 in a really good neighborhood with great schools and a big backyard and everything we wanted, and I got approved for the mortgage no problem. The whole process took about two months and Carla was involved in all of it. We picked out everything together and she was just as excited as I was about the house. Now here's where I might be the asshole, but I really don't think I am.

When we got to the closing, Carla asked about getting added to the deed and I told her that we had already discussed this and decided I would be the only one on the mortgage and deed for financial reasons. She said she understood that for the mortgage but thought she would still be added to the deed so she would have legal ownership of the house too. I told her that didn't make sense because she didn't contribute to the down payment or qualify for the mortgage, so why should she have legal ownership of something she didn't pay for? I mean, she's living there and it's her home too, but legal ownership is different.

If something happened to us she could walk away without any of the financial responsibility but still own half a house. That doesn't seem fair to me. She got really quiet and said she needed to think about it, and honestly I thought that was the end of it because it made sense when I explained it like that. But over the next few weeks she kept bringing it up and saying she felt like I was treating her like a tenant instead of a partner, which is not true at all. I never asked her to pay rent or anything like that. We split utilities and groceries and household expenses just like we always did.

But then about a month after we moved in, she said she wanted to contribute more to the mortgage payment so she could earn some equity in the house. I told her that's not how it works, the mortgage is in my name and my credit. and my responsibility, so even if she pays toward it that doesn't give her ownership. Plus if she wants to contribute more money toward housing she should focus on paying down her student loans first since those of higher interest rates. This is where she really lost it and started yelling at me about how I was being controlling and treating her like she was just some roommate instead of my girlfriend.

She said I was holding the house over her head and making her feel insecure about our relationship, which is completely not what I was doing. I was just being practical about the financial and legal aspects of homeownership. I tried to calm her down and explain that this doesn't change anything about our relationship, we're still partners and we're still building a life together, but she kept saying I was making all the decisions without considering her feelings. Which isn't true because we picked out the house together and she was involved in every step except the actual financial parts.

Things got really tense between us for a while after that and she started being weird about money, like keeping track of exactly what she spent on groceries and household stuff and making comments about how she's paying to live in my house. I told her she was being ridiculous and that she never acted like this when we were renting and splitting everything equally. Then last month she brought up the idea of her parents helping us with some money so she could be added to the deed. Her parents are pretty well off and she said they offered to give her like $50,000 to put

toward the house so she could have some ownership. I told her that was nice of them but it doesn't work retroactively. I already bought the house and put down the down payment and took on all the financial risk, so her getting money from her parents now doesn't change that. Plus, and this is where I might sound like an asshole but I'm just being honest, I don't really want to be financially tied to her parents. If they give her money to put toward the house, then what happens if we break up? Do I have to pay them back?

Do they get to have opinions about what we do with the house? It just complicates things unnecessarily. Carla got really upset again and accused me of not wanting to commit to our relationship, which is stupid because I bought us a house, how is that not commitment? But apparently because I won't put her name on the deed that means I'm keeping one foot out the door in case I want to leave her. I pointed out that if anyone should be worried about commitment it should be me, because if we break up she can just walk away and I'm stuck with a $400,000 mortgage in a house I might not be able. able to afford on my own. She said that's exactly why she wants to be on the deed.

So she has some security too, but that doesn't make sense because she didn't take on any of the financial risk to begin with. We've been fighting about this on and off for months now and it's really starting to affect our relationship. She brings it up every time we have any kind of disagreement and acts like I'm some kind of financial dictator. Last week she said she talked to her sister about it and her sister said I was being unfair and that couples should share ownership of major purchases like houses. But her sister doesn't know the whole situation, she doesn't know that Carla couldn't qualify for the mortgage on her own or that I put down all the money for the down payment or that I'm taking on all the financial responsibility. It's easy for people on the

outside to say what we should do when they don't understand the actual circumstances. I love Carla and I want us to work out, but I also think I need to protect myself financially. I worked really hard to save up for that down payment and to build up my credit score and to get to a point where I could buy a house, and I don't think it's fair that she should get equal ownership just because we're in a relationship. Maybe I'm being too practical about it, but I've seen what happens when couples break up and there are big financial assets involved, it gets really messy and expensive and I don't want to put myself in that position. If we stay together long term then maybe we can revisit it, like if we get engaged or married or something.

But right now I think the way we have it set up makes the most sense. I know she's frustrated and I understand why she feels insecure about it, but I also think she's being unrealistic about what she's entitled to. Just because we're living together doesn't mean she automatically gets ownership of everything I buy, that's not how relationships work. So am I the asshole here? Update 1, so after I posted this and read through all the comments, I was actually starting to feel bad about the situation and thinking maybe I should consider adding Carla to the deed,

especially after seeing how many people thought I was being unfair. I was planning to have a conversation with her about maybe working out some kind of compromise. But then yesterday morning I was getting ready for work and Carla was acting really weird, like nervous and jumpy, and when I asked her what was wrong she said she needed to tell me something important. I immediately knew it was going to be bad news because she had that look on her face like when she's about to confess something. She told me that she's been talking to a lawyer about the house situation without telling me. Not just talking to a lawyer for advice, but actually consulting with one about what her options are legally. She said the lawyer told her that since

we're not married she doesn't have any claim to the house even if she's been paying utilities and groceries and living there, which she already knew. But then then the lawyer told her that she's the lawyer suggested that she could establish some kind of equity claim if she could prove she contributed to mortgage payments or home improvements. I asked her why she went to a lawyer without talking to me first and she said she wanted to understand her rights before having any more conversations about it. But here's the thing that really got me. She said the lawyer told her that if she starts paying part of the mortgage every month and we have a written agreement about it, she might be able to claim some ownership interest in the house later on.

So basically she was trying to find a legal way to force me to give her ownership of my house. I asked her if that's what she was planning to do and she said she just wanted to know what her options were, but come on, you don't go to a lawyer unless you're planning to use the information they give you. I told her I felt really betrayed that she went behind my back to talk to a lawyer about our personal business and she said she didn't think of it as going behind my back, she just wanted to get professional advice. But why wouldn't she tell me she was doing that unless she knew I wouldn't like it? Then she dropped the real bomb and said that her parents aren't just offering to give her money to put toward the house, they're willing to loan her money to hire a lawyer if she needs to fight for ownership rights.

I told her that this whole conversation was proving exactly why I didn't want to add her to the deed in the first place, because now she's literally trying to find ways to legally force me to give her ownership of something she didn't pay for. She said that's not what she's doing but the evidence says otherwise. We had a huge fight about it and she ended up leaving and going to stay at her sister's place for the night. I was honestly relieved to have some space to think about everything because I was so angry I couldn't even look at her. When she came back this morning she apologized for not telling me about the lawyer but said she still thinks the whole situation is unfair and she wants us to work out some kind of agreement where she can start building equity in the house. I told her absolutely not, especially not after she tried to go behind my back and find

legal ways to force the issue. She said I'm being unreasonable and that she just wants to feel secure in our relationship and in her living situation. But I pointed out that she felt secure enough to try to lawyer up against me, so obviously she's not thinking about this like we're partners. I think what really bothers me is that she's been planning this whole thing and pretending like she just wanted to have conversations about it when really she was already talking to lawyers and getting her parents involved. If she had been honest about what she was doing from the beginning maybe we could have worked something out, but now I feel like I can't trust her.

And honestly, reading through all the comments on my original post made me realize that I was right to be cautious about this. So many people were saying I should just add her to the deed to make her happy. but look what happened when I started considering it, she immediately escalated to lawyers and legal threats. I'm not adding her to the deed and I'm not setting up any kind of equity sharing arrangement, especially not now. If she wants to own a house, she can save up for her own down payment and buy her own house,

but she's not getting ownership of mind through legal manipulation. I know this probably sounds harsh, but I feel like I dodged a bullet here. What if I had added her to the deed months ago and then found out she was this willing to involve lawyers and her family in our private business? I'd be stuck in a legal nightmare trying to untangle everything. Carla is still staying at her sisters and honestly I don't know if she's planning to come back or not. Part of me hopes she does because I do love her and I want things to work out, but part of me is also wondering if this whole situation has shown me who she really is when things don't go her way. I guess we'll see what happens but I'm definitely not changing my mind about the house. Update 2.

So Carla came back from her sister's place after three days and at first thing seemed okay, she apologized again for the lawyer thing and said she wanted to try to work things out between us without involving other people. I thought maybe we could move past it and get back to normal, but I was wrong. She started acting really weird about money and keeping track of every single thing she spent in the house. Like she would take pictures of grocery receipts and write down how much she paid for cleaning supplies and even kept track of her portion of the electric bill down to the penny. When I asked her what she was doing she said she wanted to keep records of her financial contributions to the

household in case it became relevant later. I told her that was ridiculous and she was being paranoid, but she said the lawyer told her to document everything if she was going to try to establish any kind of claim to the property. So even though she apologized for going to the lawyer, she was still following the lawyer's advice and basically building a case against me. Then last weekend her parents came to visit and that's when everything really went to hell. I knew something was up because Carla was acting nervous all morning and kept checking the time, and when her parents showed up they immediately wanted to have a conversation with me about the house situation. Her dad started off by saying they were concerned about Carla's security and future,

and that they thought it was unfair that she was living in a house with no legal protections. I explained the whole situation again about how I qualified for the mortgage and put down the down payment and took on all the financial responsibility, but he said that didn't matter because we're in a committed relationship and should be building assets together. Then her mom jumped in and said they were prepared to give Carla money to contribute to the house so she could have ownership, and I told them the same thing I told Carla, that it doesn't work retroactively. But then her dad said something that really pissed me off. He said that if I wasn't

willing to share ownership of the house, then maybe I wasn't as committed to the relationship as they thought. I told him that was ridiculous and that buying a house for us to live and together was actually a huge commitment. But he said that keeping Carla off the deed was like keeping her as a tenant instead of treating her as a partner. I pointed out that she doesn't pay rent and we split all the other expenses equally so she's not being treated like a tenant at all. But then Carla's mom said that they were worried I might kick Carla out or break up with her and leave her with nowhere to go, which really made me angry because I've never given anyone

any reason to think I would do something like that. I told them that if they were so worried about Carla's housing security, then maybe they should help her save up to buy her own place instead of trying to get ownership of mine. That's when the conversation got really heated and Carla's dad said that he thought I was being selfish and financially manipulative, and that if I really loved Carla I would want her to have security too. I told him that was completely unfair and that I've been nothing but generous with Carla, letting her live in a beautiful house without paying rent and sharing all the benefits of homeownership without any of the risks. Carla barely said anything during this whole conversation.

she just sat there looking uncomfortable while her parents basically attacked me. Finally I told them that this was between me and Carla and that I didn't appreciate them getting involved in our private business, especially when they didn't have all the facts. Her dad said that Carla had told them everything about the situation and they understood it perfectly well, and that's when I realized that Carla had been complaining to her parents about this whole thing and probably making me sound like some kind of villain who was trying to control her. After her parents left, Carla, and I had another huge fight about it. I told her I couldn't believe she had been telling her parents our private business and making me look bad, and she said

she needed support from her family because she felt like I wasn't listening to her concerns. I said that going to her parents and a lawyer wasn't asking for support, it was building a campaign against me, and she said that wasn't what she was doing but I could see right through it. She was trying to get everyone on her side to pressure me into giving her what she wanted. Then she said something that really showed me what this was all about. She said that if we ever break up she would have nothing to show for the years we spent together and all the money she contributed to our shared life. I pointed out that she would have all the money she saved by not paying rent for over the years,

plus all the experiences and memories and everything else you get from a relationship, but she said that wasn't enough. That's when I realized this wasn't really about fairness or security, it was about Carla wanting to make sure she got something valuable out of our relationship even if it ended. She was essentially trying to treat our relationship like a business partnership where she gets assets regardless of what she contributed. I told her that's not how relationships work and that if she was already planning for our breakup then maybe we shouldn't be together at all. She said that wasn't what she meant, but I think it was exactly what she meant, she wanted ownership of my relationship of my breakup. my house as insurance in case we didn't work out. We've been barely talking to each other since then and the whole house feels tense and weird. Carla spends most of her time in the bedroom or at

her sister's place, and when we do interact it's just about practical stuff like groceries or utilities. Honestly, I'm starting to think this relationship might be over. The fact that she went to a lawyer and got her parents involved and tried to build a case against me instead of just talking to me about her concern shows me that she doesn't trust me and doesn't respect our relationship. If she had come to me and said she was feeling insecure about her living situation and wanted to work out some kind of arrangement, maybe we could have figured something out. But instead she went behind my back and tried to find ways to force me to give her what she wanted, and that's not how partners should treat each other. I'm glad I found out now instead of after

we got married or had kids or something. At least this way I can protect myself and my asses and not end up in some messy legal battle later on. Update 3, Carla moved out yesterday and honestly I'm relieved even though part of me is sad about how everything ended. But I know I made the right decisions throughout this whole mess and I'm glad I trusted my instincts instead of listening to people who said I should just give in to keep the peace. So after my last update things just kept getting worse between us and it became obvious that we

weren't going to be able to work through this. Carla was barely talking to me and when she did it was always about the house and her wanting some kind of legal agreement about ownership or equity sharing. About a week ago she brought me this document that she had apparently worked on with her lawyer, it was like a cohabitation agreement that would give her partial ownership of the house based on her contributions to household expenses and mortgage payments going forward. She wanted me to sign it and said it would make things fair between us and give her the security she needed. I read through the whole thing and it was completely one-sided in her favor. It said that she would get ownership percentage based on what she paid toward the mortgage, but it also said that all her past contributions to utilities and groceries and household expenses would count toward her equity in the house.

Which makes no sense because those aren't house payments. The really crazy part was that it included a clause about what would happen if we broke up, and it said that I would either have to buy out her share of the house at current market value, or we would have to sell the house and split the proceeds. So basically she could force me to sell my house if we broke up and she decided she wanted cash instead of keeping her share. I told her there was no way I was signing that and she said then she couldn't stay in the relationship because she needed to protect herself financially.

I said that was fine with me because I was tired of being treated like the bad guy for not giving her ownership of something she didn't pay for. She said I was being stubborn and unreasonable and that every couple she knew shared ownership of major purchases. But I told her that most couples who buy houses together actually contribute to the down payment and qualify for the mortgage together, which she didn't do. Then she said something that really showed me

what she had been thinking about this whole time. She said that she had invested three years of her life in our relationship and helped me become the kind of person who could afford to buy a house, so she deserved to benefit from that investment. I couldn't believe she was saying that, like she was taking credit for my career success and financial stability. I told her that was ridiculous and that I had worked hard to get where I am professionally and financially, and that being in a relationship with her didn't entitle her to the results of my work. She said that's not what she meant, but I think it was exactly what she meant. She felt like she deserved

ownership of my house because she had been supportive of me during our relationship. But that's not how any of this works. Being a good girlfriend doesn't automatically make you entitled to your boyfriend's assets. We had one final huge fight about it where she accused me of never really being committed to our relationship and just using her for sex while keeping all my assets separate. She said she couldn't stay with someone who didn't see her as an equal partner, and I said that if being an equal partner meant giving her ownership of things she didn't pay for then maybe we weren't compatible after all. So she started packing her stuff and called her sister to come help her move. It took her two days to get everything together and the whole time she was acting like I was kicking her out, but I never asked her to leave.

She made that decision herself. The night before she left she tried one more time to get me to reconsider, saying that we could still work things out if I would just be willing to compromise. I told her that I loved her and wanted things to work out, but I wasn't going to be pressured into giving up legal ownership of my house, and that if she couldn't accept that then maybe we weren't right for each other. After she left, I felt really empty and sad for a few hours. But I think I dodged a bullet honestly. What if we had gotten married and then she decided she deserved half of everything I own because

she had been supportive during our marriage? What if we had kids and she used them as leverage to get more of my assets in the a divorce. At least now I know what kind of person she really is when things don't go her way, and I can find someone who actually wants to be with me for me instead of for what I can give them. I hope you enjoy this story. Spouse's relatives arrived at the memorial service following a long absence of eight years since his demise from cancer, insisting on taking over his residence and company. I declined their request, and now they are making further attempts. To sue me. I, 44, female, recently lost my husband, 48, male.

We had been together for 20 years, married for 12. Five years ago, he had been diagnosed with leukemia and a few weeks back, he passed away. Honestly, I have made my peace with it. I know that I'm going to miss him terribly, and my life is never going to be the same again. I highly doubt that I will ever be able to love somebody as much as I loved him, but he's in a better place. now and he was really sick the last few months of his life, so I'm just relieved that he is finally at ease now. Anyway, last week, we finally had a funeral service for him. I was not expecting his parents to show up because they have not had the best relationship with him and for the last

eight years had not even been on speaking terms with each other. My husband had walked out on his family and sworn that he was never going to speak to them again, and for good reason, if I'm being honest. You see, my in-laws are the kind of people who had a golden child and they never even bothered to hide it from my husband. My husband's older brother, 50, male, my brother-in-law Jack, is a no good deadbeat alcoholic and has always been that way. But for some reason, his parents have always preferred him over my husband, no matter what he did. In spite of that, my husband tried his best to be there for his parents and his brother. He was a family man through and through, but they never valued him and when we started dating, I started noticing how differently they were treated

in their home. I spoke to my husband about it several times and told him to stand up for himself, but he told me that this was his family and he didn't want to be anything but kind to them, no matter how they behaved. He was just too nice for his own good. But after he started dating me, he started taking less of their BS and instead of just being a doormat for them, he would actually occasionally stand up for himself because I would keep reminding him that if they were treating him this badly, then this was not the kind of family that he needed in his life. By the time we had completed three years together, he had no tolerance for his family's behavior and wouldn't entertain the way that they treated him. That led to friction between them because they were so used to walking all

over him that they couldn't believe this new version and they realized that I might have been a part of this since he had started changing ever since he had met me. So they tried to brainwash my husband into leaving me, but it didn't work and it only made our relationship even stronger. So suffice it to say, my in-laws and I have never gotten along and have always been at odds. Except, I have been on the right side of things and they have never been anything but horrible to us. And so, when they actually showed up at the funeral with Jack, I was pretty surprised. Because the last time that we had interacted, my husband and I had walked out after a really nasty fight, and it had not been pretty.

After my husband and I got married, we had been trying to distance ourselves from my in-laws anyway, so it's not like we had a good relationship at that point in time. But they had invited us for Christmas dinner and we had attended, out of courtesy. However, when we got there, we realized that we had made a huge mistake because all they did at that party was talk about how my husband's new business was not going to do well, and it was doomed to failure. So after the party, we confronted his parents about it, and they said that they were just helping him realize that this was not the right thing to do and that he should just stop copying

his brother because apparently, even Jack had started a similar business, but that had happened after my husband had announced his. For context, we work with plastic products and recycling. We had actually researched the market and we knew what we were doing, unlike Jack. So that ended up in a huge fight, and we walked out, after deciding that we were never going to speak to them again. Obviously Jack's business did not take off because he did not have the sort of acumen that my husband had and also because he hadn't done any hard work of his own and was just expecting to piggyback off of my husband's effort. Anyway, it has been eight years since then, and they never bothered to get in touch with us ever again. Even when my husband was

diagnosed and I'm pretty sure they knew about it, they did not speak to us and when he was at the hospital, they never visited us then either. Showing up at the funeral was a surprising move from them. I did not pay any attention to them throughout the entire service, and they only approached me after it was over. They tried to speak to me nicely, but I was not going to buy that. I kept a straight face and I told them that they were welcome to offer condolences, but then they would have to leave because I was not interested in interacting with them. I didn't even wish to interact with them when my husband was alive. So now that he was gone, I had even less incentive to speak to them. And I made that very clear so they dropped their act as well and his parents

told me that they needed to speak to me in private. I told him that they would need to wait until everyone had left because otherwise, would not have enough time to speak to them. I was very curious as to what they wanted to talk to me about. After everyone had left, I spoke to them outside the venue. Jack did not wait around and left along with everybody else. So it was just my in-laws and I having a conversation. They told me that they had thought about visiting my husband when he was in the hospital, but ultimately, they decided against it because he was already pretty sick and they did not want to bother him even more. It was a really lame and silly excuse for not visiting their son when he was literally on his deathbed, but I did not expect any better from them either. I just told them that I did

not need any justification for what they had done and they needed to come straight to the point because I had had a long day and I didn't want to waste more of my time with them. They seemed pretty upset when I spoke to them in that tone but that's what they deserve. Anyway, they told me that they were here because they wanted to say goodbye to their son one last time. And they also wanted to speak to me about whatever he had left behind. Now, everybody knew that I was going to take over the business after him. It might have been his idea, but I had been with him every step of the way for the execution and everything.

So that was naturally going to be mine, and we had the paperwork sorted out too. So as soon as they brought it up, I made it clear to them that they had no chance at that. His terms had been very clear right from the beginning, he had made sure to get all of these legal formalities in order as soon as he had been diagnosed. I knew that they had probably been expecting to speak to me about it so they could somehow get jack in on the business, but I was not going to allow that. Then, after a brief pause, they told me that since they couldn't have the business, they wanted me to at least leave the property to them.

And by the property, they meant the home that we had put so much effort into designing, and they They wanted it for themselves because they believed that his family needed it more. Since we did not have any kids, it's not like I needed that entire house to myself because it was a pretty spacious place and they claimed that they were sick of living in their own home and needed a change of scenery. So they planned on living on our property and putting their own house up for rent for an extra source of income. I was shocked that they were even suggesting this because after not speaking to somebody for

eight years, you don't just show up at their funeral and ask their widow to let you have the house that they had built for themselves. I lost my temper, I was already pretty miserable and so, I yelled at them to get out because I literally couldn't stand to see them. I had already been pretty annoyed at them, and I guess they had been pretty upset with me too, because I had already told them off twice before. So when I started yelling at them, they started yelling right back and said that they were just here for peace, but I was being a total jerk and they did not appreciate that. They then played the age card, saying that I did not know how to respect the elderly. I hit right back, saying that they did not even know how to respect the dead.

Since my husband had barely been buried they were already here, circling like vultures. And they made it worse by saying that since I had refused when they had asked me politely, they were going to make sure that they sued and got the property for themselves. Just to be clear, my husband had clearly stated in his will that everything that he had, it's going to go to me. So I don't even know why they thought that threatening to sue me was going to be a good idea since I think my husband was pretty clear. I told him that they were never going to win even if they decided to sue me and they said that it was my fault that their son had not spoken to them for the past eight years and hadn't been able to reconcile with him, which doesn't

even make sense. They thought that I had brainwashed him to turn against them, so they were going to make sure that I got nothing out of him. I just told them to leave and when they finally left, I drove back home as well. I was really pissed off at the time and I hadn't been thinking straight. So I had completely forgotten about this particular video that my husband had asked me to play for his parents if they bothered to show up at his funeral. It had totally slipped my mind and I only remembered it after I had come back home. I'll come to the content of the video later. I had actually helped him set up and record the video about a month before he passed away. So I knew exactly what he had said in it and I knew that this would be very hurtful for his parents.

So I decided that I was going to take a break for a couple of days and then, I would have to be. get back to my in-laws so they would know exactly where they stood with their son and how it was their own fault, not mine like they were making it out to be. A couple of days after the funeral, I decided to reach out to my in-laws. We had each other blocked everywhere, so I decided to drive to their house and play the video for them in person. They were very shocked to see me, but I decided to be polite with them and told them that my husband had actually left something for them and I wanted to show them what it was. I knew that they wanted to slam the door shut on my face. I knew that they wanted to slam the door shut on my face so badly, but they were equally curious and greedy, so we gathered in the

living room and I played the video for them. Now, coming to the content of the video, my husband had probably known that his parents would come along to harass me after he had passed away, so he had taken all the necessary precautions. Legally, he was all covered, and now, for the emotional aspect of it, he had made that video where he called out his parents on their terrible behavior with him in the past. He said that he had always felt like less of a priority in the household because they always seemed to prefer the golden child, Jack, over him. And they had never bothered to hide it either. He then went on to remind them of all the ways they had treated him terribly, like back in high school, when his parents had refused to pay for him to go to college

but were happily spending thousands and thousands of dollars on his brother, who didn't even do anything apart from party day and night. And even when he started working at his first job, They were constantly comparing him to Jack, who was earning slightly more than him at that point in time. It was really unfair too because Jack was obviously older and had a head start on him by two years. Even then, he did not say anything against his own parents, but then, the way they had dismissed his start-up was unacceptable, and even though they had been wrong, they had never bothered to apologize for it.

They hadn't even spoken to him when he had been diagnosed so now, they had no right to harass me over what they thought they deserved. Because he had actually left them exactly what they deserved, which was nothing. So, in the video, he told them to never show up around me ever again and said that he had actually been dead to them for a really long time so his actual deaths should not even make a difference to them. Just like it doesn't make a difference to him whether his parents or his so-called family is fine or not. Because in truth, the only family he has ever had is me. It was quite touching, and I had tears in my eyes by the end of that video, not because of what he said about his parents, but because of what he said about me.

And as for my in-laws, they were pretty much dumbstruck by the time the video ended. After the video was done playing, I pulled myself together, I turned around, and I told them that, even if they tried to file a suit against me. I was just going to play this video as evidence that it was my husband who really did not want anything to do with them and not want to leave anything to them. The reason for that would be that he had been mistreated by them all his life, so they had nobody else to blame but themselves. It was definitely not my brainwashing or manipulation that had led to this and I hope that they knew that now. But instead of just accepting that,

they turned it around on me and said that I was a horrible human being for playing this video, knowing that they were still grappling with the loss of their son. And now, I had gone out of my way to play this horrible video for them. They then went on to accuse me of using editing apps to morph their dead son's face onto some person and came up with other equally wild theories. just to get rid of the guilty feeling. And when I said that I did not have to prove anything to them, they told me that I was a selfish human being, and I did not deserve anything that my husband had left to me.

They seemed genuinely upset when accusing me of all of that, and since then, I've been wondering if I did the wrong thing by playing that video for them. Because even though they had always treated my husband badly, they were his parents so maybe they genuinely felt bad. I don't know, I just feel confused right now. I'd offer playing a video that my husband had left for his parents for them. Edit.

Some of you guys have been a bit confused about whether I played that video just because I wanted to or not. Well, it's partly because of that and partly because my husband had literally specifically given me instructions to play that video for his parents in case they tried to bother me after he was gone and tried to claim any property like they were doing. If I'm being honest, it's not like I went out of my way to do that to them. It was my husband who had told me to do it, and I was just adhering to his instructions to make them back off. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it was just as much his idea as it was mine, so I wouldn't say that I did this completely of my own accord. And some of you have been asking about where Jack was during all of this and honestly, I have no idea. He was definitely not at home when I went over, so I don't know what he's been up to. Anyway, I hope that this clears things up.

Update 1, Hey, I would just like to say thank you so much you guys for all the support that you have shown me in the comments section of the original post. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy, especially when it's somebody like my husband. He was a really sweet and gentle soul and I'm going to miss him every day for the rest of my life. So it hurts when people call him names, especially knowing that I already miss him and he's no longer in this world. I don't understand what the point of calling him a doormat for his parents and a push over in names like that was. He's gone, he's not even going to be able to read that. The person who will read that, though, is me, and I'm already really hurt and miserable over the loss of my husband. I don't need to hear about everyone's negative thoughts about him as well.

I know that everybody is entitled to have their own opinion but speaking ill of the dead, that's not nice. So I don't appreciate that and I would really like it if you guys. wouldn't say such things about him anymore. Apart from that, thank you so much to everyone who is supportive of me. Anyway, it's been a week since I visited my in-laws and they haven't reached out to me yet. When I left their house that day, they were very pissed off and were accusing me of all sorts of crazy things, like trying to hurt them on purpose and intimidate them into backing off and filing lawsuits against me or even contesting the will. I mean, if they want to do that, they are welcome to do so. It's just going to be a waste of their time and money because I highly doubt that they will be able to get anything out of this.

But hey, if they want to go ahead in spite of the video, they can do that by all means. Who am I to stop them? I've kept myself pretty busy since then, so I don't need to think about any of this. I'm just trying to focus on work right now because I have to keep my grief aside and think about the more practical aspects of life as well. I'm just lucky that I have really supportive parents, and they have been the same. living with me for the past couple of days. I was just really tired after coming back home from work, so they took over all the household duties. My father is still going to work, but he's told me that he's going to take care of all the things that my husband used to do earlier, like pay the bills and get

the groceries since I've always been kind of forgetful. And my mom is going to handle the cooking and cleaning. We did have a housekeeper, but she quit for some personal reasons, which is what I had been telling my parents about a couple of days back, and the very next day, they showed up at my house with their stuff. So that was really sweet of them and I'm really thankful that people are taking such good care of me. Update 2. So my in-laws have decided to contest the will. My husband's lawyer spoke to me about it and were not too worried about what's going to happen with that. They are going to lose, we already know that. What was really surprising was that they sent out an email to me to tell me that my strategy of trying to scare them off with that video was not going

to work because they were going to get what was rightfully theirs. My husband was their flesh and blood before he was my husband, so they were more entitled to whatever he had built for himself, and they said that they were not only coming for the property, but they were also going to make sure that they got some shares of the business as well since they felt like they deserved it. Thankfully, for me, courts don't function on the basis of what people feel. So they can feel that they're entitled to the entire world, but that's not going to help their case. Anyway, that email is going to come in handy, so I have it saved and send it to my lawyer. I'm still living with my parents, and they have been very helpful and supportive.

They have even offered to speak to my in-laws for a peaceful conclusion to all of this because they think that they might actually entertain my parents' authority more. But I told them that it's not necessary because I want them to go ahead and deal with the lawsuit because I know it's going to be a colossal waste of their time, and that's exactly what I intend on doing, wasting their time and money. People have been dropping by quite frequently for the past couple of weeks to either check on me or to offer their condolences since some people could not be present at the service and I've been pretty busy with handling work and then having guests over. So I have barely had any time to think about what I'm going through and process my

feelings but a couple of days back. I found myself in my husband's office for some papers related to work and I almost broke down because I just missed him so much and I could envision him in the place. I just wish I could speak to him one more time and let him know how much I love him and how much I'm missing him right now, but I know that I can't so I just think about it and then let it go. Right now, my only goal is to make sure that our business does well since I know that he would love that and he intended for US to make a lot of money and be extremely successful and his ambition has given me the motivation to work really hard so I'm doing exactly that. Update 3, hi, so it's been two weeks since my in-laws contested the will, and so far, they have nothing. But something very interesting happened yesterday, I received a message from Jack, of all people. I was quite surprised by that since he and I literally have nothing to talk to each other about. And given what his parents are doing, I thought it was quite bold of him to contact me.

We have never been particularly close and are definitely not on terms where we can just text each other. I hadn't even blocked him because I did not have his number, but when he texted me, he said that he wanted to speak to me and was asking if he could visit me at home. I found that kind of weird in my initial instinct was just to say no and block him, but I decided to give it a chance because I just had a gut feeling this was something I wanted to talk to him about. Besides, if he was reaching out to me, I was pretty sure that they had something to do with my in-laws. Anyway, I agreed to meet him and told him to come over. My parents were going to be at home, so I didn't think that I had to worry about anything. When he finally came over, he had brought flowers and offered his condolences at first, and said that he hadn't been able to say it at the funeral because I was busy with his parents,

but he really wanted me to know that he was sorry for my loss. That was surprisingly sweet, and I didn't know what to say, because this was not the kind of behavior I had been expecting. Earlier, whenever we would interact at his family's place, he would always come off as quite boisterous and egoistic, but this was a very different person. He also did not absolutely reek of alcohol, like he used to eat years back, and it looked like he had cleaned up his act. After a bit of small talk, he finally got to the point and told me that he was here to tell me that his parents were planning on defaming me and it was not going to be pretty. They were planning

on making up a bunch of lies about how my husband had apparently borrowed money from them to start his business initially and now, I was refusing to entertain their request, when they needed their money back. Already there was no binding contract, so they could not legally come after me, so they were planning on posting this on social media. It was an incredibly stupid plan and I don't even know why they thought this was something that could work. But I was really thankful that Jack had come to me about it so I would be able to nip this in the bud. He told me that in the past couple of years, he had been trying to be a better person and had even wanted to reach out to us several times, but after the way he had been treating his brother for the past God knows how many years he just

couldn't find the courage to do it. And he was here to say that he was sorry for everything, even though it was too late. Then he actually started crying, and I really didn't know what to do. But my father came to the rescue and comforted the guy, even made him a cup of tea, so he would calm down a bit and finally when he left, I told him that everything was going to be fine and that I was sure that his brother appreciated his gesture. That seemed to make him feel slightly better and I think I did the right thing. Even if he was too late in coming around and realizing his mistakes, at least he did come to his senses. And that's more that I can say for other people, like his parents. To be honest, I don't even think it was much of his fault. His parents had failed to be

there for either of their kids. They thought that they were doing Jack a favor by treating him like the golden child, but in reality, they just spoiled him rotten and in the end, they did not do any favors to either of kids. I just feel sad for both of them. They deserved better parents and better lives. Update 4. Hi, so I spoke to my lawyer and I told him what Jack had said to me. We decided not to do anything and waited out, so they would make those posts and then we would be able to use that against them in court. I spoke to Jack as well, and he said that he was ready to testify against his parents if that's what it came to. So everything was sorted a couple of days ago, they finally made that post on social media, and I immediately wrote an email to them that if they did not take it down as soon as possible,

then we could be pursuing this legally and would be sending them a defamation lawsuit. I was kind of counting on them to be stubborn and not take that down, but I guess they realized that this was going to be a losing battle and it probably didn't help that I had told them that Jack was on our side here, so they were going to lose. Anyway, they took the post down immediately but still maintained that they were going to take everything away from me. At this point, it was getting pretty boring. So I wished them good luck with that and then block that email address. Now, they are free to do what they want.

I really wish them luck. They definitely were going to need it since now. The only person that could count on, Jack, was not on their side anymore. So they are on their own and I really want to see how they are going to deal with this now. I hope you enjoy this story. My partner was unfaithful with my sibling on the day of our betrothal, prompting me to depart and severed ties with them. Presently, they are in a state of unconsciousness following a mishap, and my guardians are urging me to reach out. To do this. For days ago, my family got back in touch

with me after two years of no contact since my fiancé had cheated on me with my brother on the day of my engagement, and it had turned into a huge mess, so I had to cut them off. For context, my fiancé, my brother, and I all went to school together and have known each other for a really long time. Kim, my fiancé, was in the same year as us, and Ron, my brother, was just two years behind. Ron and I used to be very close when we were younger, so we were kind of part of the same friend's circle, and that meant that he was also friends with Kim. I asked him to be my prom date in my senior year, and after that, we started dating. We even ended up in the same college, so we had been together for almost seven years when I asked her to marry me. She said,

Yes, and we got engaged. I hosted a party that day itself, with only our families and a couple of really close friends coming over in the evening to celebrate the big news before we announced it on social media. I was too busy celebrating what had happened to myself to notice anything that was going around me, so I didn't see Ron looking really upset and trying hard to put on a happy face. Neither did I notice him leave to have a smoke in the backyard, and nor did I realize that when Kim had excused herself to use the Lou, she had been. been gone for almost 15 minutes. But all of a sudden, when I realized that Kim had been gone for

more than 10 minutes, I decided to check up on her and I headed to the loo. To my surprise, she was not there, and my gut told me that I should check the backyard. And I was saved from a terrible marriage because when I peeped into the backyard, I saw my brother making out with my fiancé. I had already been getting a terrible gut feeling when both of them left the room one after the other, and seeing that kind of sent me into shock. I froze for a couple of seconds before I finally reacted and yelled at them, which finally made them break apart. They tried to act innocent, which was obviously pointless. I had seen what they were up to, and I knew the truth. I started to walk back inside the house and I was feeling so many things at once,

I don't even remember exactly what they were trying to say to me. I just remembered that they were trying to talk to me, but I had completely zoned out, and I wasn't even listening to them. I walked into the living room with them behind me and without even waiting for them to say anything, I announced what I had seen, and I told our families that the engagement was unfortunately off because Kim was a nasty cheater, and Ron had no sense of loyalty. Kim started crying, and Ron was trying to comfort her and the sight of that upset me so much that I told both of them to get out of my house. At the time, Kim and I had been living to together, but it was my name on the lease agreement. We used to split the rent, so she tried

to argue with me and said that she was not going to go anywhere because she hadn't done anything wrong. Now naturally, that came as a shock to me because I think that making out with your fiancé's brother is pretty much the definition of wrong. But she went on to explain that she had only said yes to going out with me when we were in high school because she needed a date for prom and even when she was in college, she had believed that she loved me, but she didn't really and in the past couple of years, after we had graduated, she had realized that she had feelings for Ron and not me. Apparently, living with me had made her realize that our relationship would never work because we were just too different. She thought that I was a workaholic who did not

know how to have fun and I was way too controlling and possessive. I honestly had no idea what she was talking about because I work a normal amount and I really don't prioritize work over my personal life. As for having fun, I don't even know what that means because in my opinion, I'm plenty of fun. I don't even want to get into what she was saying about me being controlling and possessive because I don't think I was that way with her at any point, but I think she just wanted a reason to break up with me so she had come up with a bunch of those in her own head and had started validating them herself. Anyway, she went on to tell me that she had been talking to Rohan about her problems with me for a couple of years, and she had slowly started falling for him.

In fact, they hadn't even been together but getting engaged just made her realize that she couldn't do this and when she saw that, even Ron seemed pretty upset and actually had to leave the room, she took that as a sign and went after him. In the backyard, they had spoken about their feelings for each other, and only after the confession had they kissed for the first time. They said that the only reason both of them had been holding back for so long was because she and I had been together for so long that neither of them wanted to hurt me. That was the only reason Kim had agreed to marry me because she didn't think that would make a move on her since he loved his brother. And Ron had been thinking along similar lines, that maybe he never had a chance with Kim because she loved me a lot, even though she did complain about me to him constantly. But after they had spoken to each other in the backyard, they realized that her engagement with me was never going to work because she was in love with him and so was he. And now Kim wanted to break her engagement off with me and try to have a real relationship with my brother. Both our families and a few friends that we had invited were shocked, and I felt humiliated that this was happening, but there was no choice.

Her parents, thankfully, seemed to be reasonable people and apologized to me for what their daughter had done and told her that she was free to do whatever she wanted, but for now, they really didn't want to speak to her. My parents, on the other hand, turned out to be the worst parents on earth because they actually started supporting the two of them. They tried to explain to me that it was completely natural for Kim to fall out of love with me and that I shouldn't take it too hard, since these things happen and all I could do was try and move on. In fact, they even expected me to be supportive of the relationship between Kim and Ron now. When I tried to make them realize how ridiculous they sounded, they just got exasperated and told me that I always, always had been a difficult person to deal with, so it was not very surprising that Kim had decided to go with Ron. Who was much more easygoing than me? They told me that I was too tightly wound, and they had known that the relationship with Kim was not going to last since she was the exact opposite of me and had always been more like my brother.

And both of them seemed to agree with it, so I started to think that maybe my entire family had lost their minds. Anyway, I was so upset that I didn't feel like spending any more time with them, trying to argue and explain what I was feeling. All they wanted to do was celebrate the fact that Kim and Ron were finally together because I guess my parents had known that he had feelings for her. And they were trying really hard to make me feel like I was somehow responsible for my own relationship falling apart. And acting like whatever Kim had said about me was true, so I guess that justifies whatever

she had done. At least my friends seemed to be on my side and they helped me pack a few of my things and one of them let me spend the next couple of weeks with them since I didn't want to go home. Now, I guess I could say that after the day of the engagement, I didn't have to see any of them ever again, but that wouldn't be true. I had to go back several times to gather my things, since I had been living in that house for a really long time pretty much ever since I graduated and one evening was not enough to get all my things. She returned the money that I had paid for rent that month, and every time I would go to collect my things over the next few weeks, Ron was always there with her, and it just upset me to no end. Anyway, after I had collected my things and she had returned the money and the ring, I decided to cut ties with them. I had been in touch with my parents on and off for a few weeks, and I couldn't believe that they were actually supportive of what Ron had done.

They told me that if Kim was not happy with me, it was completely up to her what she wanted to do and who she wanted to be with, and if it was wrong that she wanted to be with, it was not exactly wrong of him to take her up on that offer. If they loved each other, it didn't matter if she had cheated on me or if he had betrayed me, they belonged together, and they were going to be supportive of the relationship, no matter how I felt. And no matter how much I denied it, they continued to bring up whatever Kim had said about me being controlling, possessive, never having enough time for her, and not knowing how to have fun. It had come to a stage where I had actually started questioning whether any of those things. So I spoke to a couple of my friends, and these were people who had always been honest with me since we had been friends from school. They have known me and Kim for a really long time, so I could count on them to be honest with me

and they told me that whatever she had said was a bunch of baloney and she was only coming up with that stuff to justify her affair. I worked a reasonable amount, they confirmed it, and I cared about my work just as any other person does. Not more and certainly not less. And I was quite a fun person to be around, maybe I wasn't always the life of the party like my brother was but that didn't matter because I knew how to let loose and that was all. Besides, things like that shouldn't even matter in a relationship. It wasn't like her life had become boring or difficult because of me. As for controlling and possessive, my friends vehemently denied that and that just made me believe it even more firmly that my family and Kim were just trying to gaslight me to be believing

that I was all of these things and that's why I deserved to be left the way that I had been. But eventually, I stopped saying them, and I managed to cut my family out of my life as well. I heard from a few friends that Ron and Kim had married each other in a private and intimate ceremony about a year after we had separated and I honestly didn't even feel anything. One more year has passed since then and for almost two years, I've had no contact with my family. I've achieved a lot in life, traveling a lot and so I don't even feel like I've missed out on anything. However, last week, my mother called me up, and at first, I declined and even blocked the number that she had been calling me from. But that did not stop her, she started using another number and when I realized that it was her, I still did not pick up. She kept trying to go, and after almost four hours, I decided to answer the call because she hadn't stopped calling every other minute.

I was quite irritable, but when I called her back, I heard her crying on the other end and I was very confused because I had no idea what she was sobbing about. So instead of yelling at her like I had planned, I decided to ask her what was going to be. going on and she told me that apparently, my brother and Kim had been in an accident and both of them had slipped into a coma. The accident had been terrible, a truck had plowed into them, and the two of them were in a terrible condition. I'm not even kidding, I felt really sorry for them and I told my mother to hang in there because whatever they had done to me, this was something really horrible and I definitely hadn't been expecting something like this. My mother couldn't stop crying on the phone, so she had to give it to my dad who was a little calmer and told me that they were calling to ask me to visit them so they would have some sort of support during this time.

I didn't even understand what they meant by some sort of support because both Ron and Kim had health insurance, so it's not like they needed my money. As for emotional support, they hit each other and I'm not sure what I could be there for. And to be honest, they haven't been in touch with me for the past two years, so I didn't understand why they wanted me to be there for them all of a sudden. But a couple of minutes later, my dad clarified what he meant, and I'm still reeling from the shock of it. Apparently, they wanted me to support them by babysitting Kim and Ron's two-month-old son. Their pregnancy journey and both had been a well-kept secret, made easier by the fact that Kim and Ron had been in Oklahoma during the pregnancy.

He had been working on a project there when they found out and decided to stay there for the entire duration of the pregnancy and both there as well. They had friends and a couple of family members there as well, so it was all good and their family had even flown down to be there for the birth of the baby. Everything had been kept private on purpose because that's what Kim and Ron wanted and they had only come back a couple of weeks ago so they could let everyone know but now, they were in the hospital after this terrible accident. I honestly felt numb after learning this and didn't know how to react,

but my dad told me that for now, they had hired a sitter to look after the baby, but they needed to think about something long-term as well. Apparently, they had spoken to the medical team and Kim and Ron had been given 50 to 50 chances of survival. So my dad had called me to say that just in case something were to happen to them, they wanted me to help raise the baby. He thought that this was the most valid way to deal with the situation, so he wanted me to come see the baby and at least try to create a bond with him. I thought that was a ridiculous expectation to have for me and I instantly told him that I was not going to do anything of this sort. Literally everything about his suggestion was incredibly problematic, and I did not want to be a part of it, but instead of accepting that, he started yelling at me and said that I was being stupid and selfish. And that right now things are not about me, about Kim and Ron because they are literally in a coma and I need to think about them before declining.

He said that the family needs me right now and most importantly, my nephew needs me so I need to be there for everyone instead of holding on to old grudges. But, it's not like I declined because of any grudges, I declined because it's just weird. I don't want to have to build a relationship with my nephew under circumstances like this. I didn't even know I had a nephew until a couple of days ago and all of a sudden, I'm expected to step up and start taking care of him like he was my own and think about taking care of him in the future as well, just in case anything happens to his parents. His parents are another story altogether, and I don't even want to get that right now. But the bottom line is, I just don't want to see anyone from the family right now because my feelings are a mess and I really don't think that I want to be put in a situation where I have to try and build a relationship with a kid, where his chances of being orphaned are 50 to 50 right now.

I don't know how to explain it, but I'm just not willing to see anyone right now. And my parents have been saying that this isn't fair and insisting that I need to come to the hospital, to see my nephew and be there for everyone. It's been making me feel like a total jerk and I really don't know what to do right now. Ida for not wanting to go see my nephew while his parents are in the hospital. Update 1, so thank you so much for all the comments and advice. I really don't have an answer as to why they wanted to keep the pregnancy a secret from everyone, I guess they just wanted some privacy at the time. Regardless of that, I was kind of shocked.

It's only been a couple of years since we broke up and now, they're married with a kid. I guess it just took me a little while to process that news, but I've accepted it now and I think the best thing for me to do right now would be to stay away. I know that this is not about me, that they have been in an accident and they are in the hospital right now. And honestly, all my prayers and good wishes go out to them. I really honestly hope that they recover fully well and are able to come back to life because my parents need them, their child needs them and I'm sure that things will work out. But I need to think about my own mental health as well and I really don't think that taking up the responsibility of my nephew is going to

make it any better, especially considering the fact that his mother used to be the love of my life at some point. So I really don't think it's a good idea for me to try and build a relationship with him, and I honestly don't even know if his parents would have wanted that. Most of the comments here validated my decision not to go meet them or see them right now because it's not like I have to. They have people looking out for them, I don't. So I have to have my own back right now. I haven't been responding to any of the phone calls and messages from my parents right now because I don't even know what to tell them. I've tried explaining my side to them, but they just don't get it. I don't think they're even capable of understanding what I'm going through or what I went through

two years back. So it's pretty pointless to talk to them and I've decided that I'm going to keep ignoring them until I absolutely can't. I have a life and work of my own to attend to as well, so I'm hoping that it will keep me distracted enough from whatever is going on that side of the family. Update 2, my parents decided to pay me a visit today. I've been ignoring them for the past two weeks and I guess they just couldn't take it anymore. It's the weekend right now, so I couldn't even escaped to work and I had to speak to them. At least something productive came out of the discussion, so I'm happy that it happened, but not really happy about the way things went down. They showed up in the morning and I had to let them in and they didn't even bother with any

small talk before jumping to the purpose of their visit. They said that they had noticed that I had been ignoring them, but now that they were here, I couldn't do that anymore. They demanded answers for my behavior and said that it was really selfish of me to leave them to deal with what was going on in the family without even bothering to check up on them. It was their belief that what had happened with me two years back with Kim and Ron was not right, but they loved each other and I couldn't have prevented that from taking place anyway. They told me that I should have been grateful that I found out about their feelings for each other on the day of engagement itself, and after we had already gotten married. So they did not see any reason to feel sorry about

supporting my brother and Kim. They also said that even if I felt like they had betrayed me, I still shouldn't be behaving like this because it's bad enough that my brother and Kim have been in an accident and the last thing that the family needs is for me to be so selfish and heartless that I don't even forgive them after they have gone through something so terrible. I was kind of shocked that they were making it sound like that like I should just forgive them because they had been in an accident and that was their karma, which is why I don't need to bother anymore. I'm not sure that that's how things work, but I didn't say anything to them and let them speak without any interruptions. I was saving everything that I had to say until the end because I honestly don't think that interrupting them and turning the situation into a shouting match would have helped.

So I should take it as a sign to at least try and make things right with them because right now, there's no telling what might happen and the doctors have still asked us to hold out and they believe that I can start by trying to build a relationship with my nephew just in case I have to take over. That is what really irked me. At that point, I finally interrupted them and said that even if in a hypothetical situation, I agreed to take over, as they say, it would still be really weird if I decided to visit the baby and try and build a relationship with my nephew. And then all of a sudden, Kim and Ron started getting better and decided that they did not want me around the baby anymore. Then where would I be? I would already get attached to the baby and then that would be ripped away from me. And on top of that, it was weird that my parents were acting like Kim and Ron were already gone. The doctors had given them a 50 to 50 chance of survival, so even if there was a 50% chance

of them surviving and making it, I think the family should have some hope. Instead of spending time with their kids at the hospital, they were here wasting their time arguing with me. And I didn't even see the sense of why they were doing this. So I told them that it would be better for them to go back to the hospital and actually do something productive with their time. But they seemed to be offended at the implication that they were wasting that time and said that they had only approached me because they thought that I was the only person who would be

able to take great care of my nephew, just like my brother had done. And they told me that when Kim and Ron came around and found out that I had bothered to come to see them and build a relationship with my nephew, they would have been happy. They did say that, but they didn't sound too confident by saying it. and they shouldn't have because we haven't spoken for the past two years and we ended on a terrible note. They have never seemed apologetic for their actions and I highly doubt that they would be happy if I tried to build a relationship with their baby anyway. I told my parents that my final decision was that I was not going to go see them, at least not right now. I still needed some

time to think about what I was feeling and I knew that nobody cared about my feelings, but I did. I had stayed out of their life and never bothered them. So now, it was time for them to respect my feelings and do the same for me. I thought that they were going to argue again after that, but luckily, they seemed to understand what I was getting at and just gave up. They still told me that they would be waiting for me to show up, but I told them not to hold out much hope. I did say that I hoped and prayed that Kim and Ron would be able to make a full recovery

soon enough because I really do. and I didn't want to come off as insensitive, so I felt like it was necessary for me to say that. I even handed over a box of chocolates that I had bought a couple of days ago, I had thought that I would gift it to a friend of mine who had helped me out with something, but at that moment, I thought that it would be better for me to hand it over to them for Kim and Ron. I told them that this was the best I could do for them and that my parents should give them this box when they came around. But that's as far as I was willing to go. Anyway, they're gone now and I feel a lot lighter, so I guess I needed this at some point.

Update 3, so it has been almost six months since I last posted here and I feel like I owe everyone an update. I know everybody wants to hear about what happened with Kim and Ron and here's the deal, they survived. Thankfully, about a couple of weeks after my parents visited me, they started stirring, and they were able to make a full recovery eventually. I had actually bothered to go to see them in the hospital before they started coming to their senses and I had even met my nephew. It was very difficult for me to see them in that condition, and it was even more difficult for me to see my nephew, but I did it and I guess it just gave me some sense of closure that I didn't have for so long. So I'm grateful that I did what I did in a few months ago, my brother and Kim even texted me to let me know that they were very thankful that I had come to see them and met my nephew as well. After almost two years, they finally apologized to me and said that they wish things could have turned out differently between us. But it's fine with me now because I've moved on.

I wouldn't say that I have forgiven them, that would not be true and I don't think I even have it in me to forgive them. But I have come to accept whatever has happened, and I guess that's the best that I can do. And it's the best that they should be expecting from me, so I guess we're all fine with that. Anyway, I told them that it was fine and since then, we haven't exactly spoken and I'm fine with it. That's how I want things to be, and I'm happy enough without my family and my life. I also started seeing somebody recently, and this time it's pretty serious. I have had a couple of flings and casual relationships in the past after my breakup with Kim, but I guess this is the first time that I've actually had such strong feelings and I think it will work out well this time.

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed and I'm hopeful for the future. Thank you so much for bothering to keep up with my life, that means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this story. My female sibling prohibited my child in a rolling chair from attending her marriage ceremony as she believed he would spoil the pictures. After her spouse discovered this information several months after the fact, she accused me of causing discord in her marriage. Hey, everyone. So I'm 35, female, and my sister Carol, name changed, is 29, female, and she got married about four months ago.

I was, unfortunately, not invited to the wedding and neither was the rest of my family. It was very disappointing for me because all my life, Carol and I have always been close, but for some reason, around the time of her wedding, she started turning into a total bridezilla. If I'm being honest, she started acting very differently as soon as she had to be. had a ring on her finger, and within a couple of months, around the time the invitations were being sent out, she contacted me to let me know that I wouldn't be receiving one because of my son's wheelchair condition. It was incredibly insensitive and disrespectful of her, so I didn't even make a big deal out of it or anybody. I just decided to cut her out of my life completely after that

incident. I have two kids, my 12-year-old son and my 8-year-old daughter and both of them had been pretty close with their aunt, so this had been a huge shock to me. My son had been in an accident about two years ago and unfortunately, he has been in a wheelchair ever since because of the severity of his injuries. He has been undergoing physiotherapy, and we are hopeful that one day, he'll be able to walk unaided once again. But until then, he has the wheelchair and I think people should be respectful of that. And when Carol called me up a couple of months ago and told me that she had made up her mind that she was not going to be inviting me and the rest of my family to the wedding because of my son, I realized that she and I have

turned into very different people, and there was no going back after this. I had obviously been very surprised because even the explanation that she had offered for something like this was just so lame and stupid. She had told me that she was concerned about how her wedding photos would turn out if my son was invited because she believed that him being in that wheelchair would ruin the pictures. I mean, there was a pretty easy solution to that, she could just ask the photographer to avoid including my son in the pictures if that's really what she wanted. But I did not bother to make that suggestion because even that, in itself, was pretty insensitive and a horrible way to think.

So after that phone call with her, I told her that I was completely fine with not being invited to the wedding and I left it at that. After that, I didn't really mention that to anyone apart from my husband because I knew that if I spoke about this to other people, there would be a lot of drama and that's something that I wanted to avoid, given the sensitive nature of the topic. I didn't want my son to be dragged into any of this, so I let it go. In the months leading up to the wedding, even though I knew that I wasn't invited, I put up a happy front whenever I was around my parents and Carol. She did the same as well, so people were quite surprised when I did not turn up at her wedding and a lot of folks reached out

to me to ask why I hadn't been there. Even then, I did not tell anybody the truth and I just told them that my father-in-law had fallen really ill and our family needed to be there for him, so I couldn't attend. And nobody asked any further questions, including my parents and my brother-in-law, Kevin. Things only came to light recently, when all of us reunited for my cousin's engagement party. Since we were all in one place, Kevin decided to corner my husband and me at one point and told us that he had been really disappointed that we hadn't turned up at the wedding, and neither had we shown up afterward. He said that he could understand that my father-in-law was unwell and that's why I couldn't attend, but he expressed his disappointment with the fact that even after the wedding,

we hadn't bothered to interact with them and since we had had a good relationship, he couldn't understand this behavior. And that was true, Kevin and I had always been on good terms in the past since Carol had been with him for almost four years before they decided to get married. So just like my husband, even he had pretty much become a part of the family and we had been good friends. I tried to apologize to him and tell him that we would make it up to him somehow because I did not want to talk about the real reason that I hadn't attended or been in touch with them and I kept trying to dismiss it, but he wouldn't budge. He insisted that he knew for a fact that there was something wrong and he wanted to know if he had been the one who had done something to offend us

or whatever. Kevin is a generally sweet guy, so after a certain point, my husband and I just decided that we were going to tell him the truth about the real reason we had decided not to attend because he deserved an explanation. Also, I really didn't want him to think that he had messed up somehow and that's why we hadn't attended because then, he would end up blaming himself. So I told him about the phone call that I had received from Carol a couple of months before their wedding and how she had told me that she did not want me there with the rest of my family because of my son. I told him that I did not want to create any drama before the wedding, which is why I'd kept it all to myself for the past few months and since I'm really sensitive about my son,

it was difficult for me to even talk about this. He was shocked when I told him the reason and he told me that he could totally understand why I hadn't brought it up with anyone and why I'd chosen to stay away from Carol ever since this happened. Kevin even went on to apologize to me on his wife's behalf and told me that if he had any idea that she was going to say something like this, he would have put a stop to it before she could even consider making that phone call. He was extremely apologetic about the whole thing and for the rest of the party, I could see that Carol was shooting me dirty looks because the entire time after our conversation, Kevin was sitting with me and my husband and ignoring her. He was by our side the entire time, and I could tell that he was very disturbed by what

he had just learned. I don't even blame him, even I would be really horrified if I had found out that my partner had been acting this way with their own sister. Anyway, after the party was over, all of us headed home and I really didn't think that I would have to discuss this again so soon but here we are. Yesterday, almost three days after the party, my parents called me and told me that they had found out the real reason why I hadn't attended my sister's wedding and said that they did not want to get involved in this but they just wanted to warn me that Carol was extremely upset because ever since I told Kevin the truth. He has been insisting that she go for therapy because he believes that she is extremely cruel and heartless. They have been fighting nonstop because Carol thinks that she did the right thing because

otherwise, her wedding would have been a bust, which is just a really stupid thing to think. And I'm definitely with Kevin on this, I do agree that she's really cruel. My parents said that they did not want to take any sides, but they just wanted me to know that she was blaming me for sabotaging her wedding by telling Kevin what had happened all those months ago and trying to turn him against me just to get revenge. I personally think that it's ridiculous that she's blaming me and parents did say that they did not want to take any sides at least four or five times starting our conversation, but for some reason, it does feel like they agree with Carol and that's why they had called me to tell me about how she was feeling in the first place. I have spoken to my husband about it

and he doesn't think that I have anything to feel sorry about, but I just want to get a second opinion. I'd offer telling my sister's husband the real reason why I hadn't attended their wedding and throwing her under the bus. Update one, hey, so I decided to talk to my parents about this situation. in general because it was really bugging me that they had tried so hard to make it seem like they were not going to, and yet, in spite of that, they had made it a point to reach out to me and tell me about what Carol was going through, even though they really didn't have to do that. If Carol had wanted me to know, she could have just reached out to me herself, and we would have dealt with it amongst ourselves. If my parents did not want to get involved, they could have just chosen not to get involved at all.

I don't know why, but it just felt like a tactic to make me feel guilty for telling Kevin the truth and creating trouble in their marriage. So I decided to ask them about their intentions and just confront them because I needed to know what was going on. So I visited them earlier today and I told them what had been going on in my mind. Initially, they denied everything and they just told me that they did not want their two daughters to be fighting so they just thought that they would tell me what was going on with Carol and maybe I would take the initiative to sort it out. That was also very confusing because if they really wanted somebody to take the initiative to sort it out or whatever, it meant that they were indirectly getting involved. And they could have told Carol to try and talk to me instead of coming to me themselves, so that really did not make sense to me and the fact that they were trying to manipulate me was really annoying. So I told them to be honest with me because I'm not a fool and I could figure out what they were thinking. After that, my parents decided that they were going, to be honest, and told me that a part of them

did believe that it was kind of my fault for telling Kevin the truth because I really did not have any reason to do so. Months have passed since that incident and everyone is over it now, so I had no reason to dig it all back up and create trouble in her otherwise happy marriage just to get back at her. I found that very offensive because honestly, I had no such intention of creating trouble in her marriage or whatever. I was not going to gain anything from doing something like that, and it was insulting that my parents also thought that I was trying to do that. I didn't mind that Carol was trying to make it look

like that because obviously, she was the one who had created the situation so she was going to do whatever it took to make herself look like the victim. So I expected this from her, but not from my parents, especially after they kept harping on about how they did not want to pick sides. I got really upset, and I told my parents that if this was what they thought of me, it was a very obvious that they were on Carol's side and not on mine. I also told him that it was really insensitive of them to think that I was the bad guy for telling Kevin the truth and completely overlooking the truth itself, which was just horrible. I also told them that I wouldn't have told Kevin the truth if he hadn't insisted on getting to know what had gone wrong that day, but

now since everything was out anyway. At least I knew where my parents' priorities were. They did not seem to care in the slightest about the fact that their younger daughter had said that she did not want their grandson at her wedding for something that was totally out of his control. My parents knew for a fact that I was really sensitive about my son and his injuries because that was a really traumatic time for the entire family. And for them not to care about something like this, it was just crazy and I couldn't believe that they were being so nonchalant about it and trying to make me look like I was overreacting. They tried to argue with me and tell me that they did care about their grandson, but ultimately, it was Carol's wedding and if she didn't want our family there

because of the wheelchair situation, they couldn't help it and they believed that she was perfectly within her rights to not invite certain people. And I do agree with that, she was perfectly within her rights to not invite us, but I'm also perfectly within my rights to take offense at that. And if I decided that I was going to distance myself from her and never speak to her again because of this, even that was completely fine. Most importantly, if I decided that I was going to tell her husband what she had done to prevent us from attending the wedding, even that should be totally fine with everyone because if she had made a decision, she should have the guts to stand by it. My parents started telling me that I was making a huge deal out of this

and told me that I had no reason to talk to Kevin about what had happened and create drama out of nothing, even after I brought up all these valid points. After that, I did not see any reason to continue talking to them, and I just left because it was obvious that they were picking sides now and I just didn't want any part of it. I came back home about an hour ago and discussed this with my husband and he told me that he was glad that I had decided to take a stand for myself, not just by confronting my parents today, but also by telling Kevin the truth earlier. So now, nobody else's opinion matters to me anymore. Update 2, I had blocked Carol everywhere recently because I really did not want her to be able to

contact me. It's been about a week since the party and three days since I had my fight with my parents. Currently, everyone is blocked because I'm really not interested in speaking to any of them. Everyone except for Kevin, of course. He and I haven't spoken yet since the party, but I don't see any reason to block him either. Anyway, since I had blocked everyone, Carol decided to reach out to my son on Instagram and tell him to put her in touch with me because she needed to discuss certain things with me. I was not very happy about it when I found out from my son that she had reached out to him. He was also pretty confused himself because for the past couple of months, we have hardly even spoken about or spoken to his aunt and he, even though he doesn't know exactly what had gone wrong, he still has a slight clue that things are not

well between us. He might be a kid, but he's really bright and picks up on all these things, and in the past few months, he has asked me about what's going on with me and my sister several times and I've always managed to dodge but this time. He started to insist on finding out what was going on because Carol had mentioned that I had blocked her and my son knew that it was an extreme step, so he told me that he really needed to know what was going on. At first, I thought that I wasn't going to tell him, but then, I decided not to keep any secrets from him. So I told him about the real reason that we had skipped his aunt's wedding, and I knew that it would hurt him, but I couldn't hide things like this from him forever. And I was also kind of afraid that if I didn't

tell him, he might have found out some other way because even if they can't get to me, they can still get to my son. He's turning 13 in a few months, so I thought that he was old enough to figure out whether he wanted to maintain a relationship with his aunt after this or not on his own. I wanted him to be able to make that choice and so, I thought it would be better to just let him know. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect after I told him what his aunt had said because I know that even if I'm the one who's very sensitive about the injury and stuff, he's obviously going to be ten times more sensitive about it himself. Surprisingly, though, he took it quite sportingly. He told me that he was really thankful that I had kept this information from him for such a long time, even though he kept insisting on finding out. and he also thanked me for letting him know at this point since the curiosity of the entire situation

had kind of been getting on his nerves. But now that he knows the real reason that we had skipped his aunt's wedding and hadn't been in touch with her for so long, he can totally understand why I had blocked her. I obviously tried my best to make sure that he was fine because I did not want him to feel like he was being rejected by his family and I even had a lot of second thoughts about telling him in the first place because I felt like I had burdened him with this unnecessary information. But the more that I spoke to him, the more I realized that my son was a lot more mature than I thought and he told me that eventually, he definitely would have found out somehow because this fallout seems

like something the family isn't going to be easily able to move on from. He also told me that maybe other children in his position wouldn't have liked to hear something like this, but he preferred honesty because he has dealt with enough trauma for a lifetime so far. This kind of petty behavior doesn't really phase him anymore. hearing him talk about this and putting on such a brave face, even though I knew for a fact that him and Carol used to get along earlier, made me really happy because I knew that my husband and I had raised him right. So I'm honestly very glad that I decided to be honest and transparent with him at this point. Ever since this has happened, I've tried to gauge if he's actually okay with everything

or if he's just putting on a front for our sake, and it seems like he really doesn't care what his aunt thinks. I know that deep down, he must be hurting a little at least, but we are all there for him. Obviously, I love him, his dad loves him, and most importantly, his sister is always there for him. He has friends who have never left his side and have always tried to include him in everything. His teachers are also exceptionally kind to him, and I know that with time, all his wounds will heal. Be it the physical ones or the emotional ones, I know that he will be just fine. And even if he isn't, we will all still be there for him and that's something that I'm certain about. Update 3. Hey.

So before I start talking about what has happened, I would just like to address some concerns that people had about my decision to tell my son the truth. My son and I have always had a very open and transparent relationship and my parents, my husband, and I believe that honesty really is the way to go. For his benefit, I had tried my best to hide the truth from him for a really long time because I didn't want to hurt him, but now that he had insisted upon it, I felt obliged to tell him because even if he hadn't found out from us. He might have spoken to his grandparents or whatever and eventually things like this do tend to come out in ugly ways. And it would have been much worse if Carol herself had decided to tell him, and it wouldn't have been unlikely because she had already reached out to him to tell him that I had

blocked her. So who knows? She might have gone ahead and told him the reason for our fight as well, because she clearly did not have any qualms about dragging him into something that he was not involved in. And I know that she doesn't have the sensitivity to deal with these things, so it was better for him to hear it from us rather than anyone else. I stand by the decision that I have made, and as long as my family is fine with it, I think it's okay to have dealt with it the way that I chose to. Anyway, now coming to what happened with Carol this evening. My family and I had all been at home and Carol showed up all of a sudden. I knew that there was some drama about to go down, so I decided to send my kids to hang out with the neighbors because in case Carol decided to say anything weird, I didn't want them to be able to hear it. As soon as the kids had left, she started telling me that she was very upset about my decision to talk to Kevin about what had happened and said that I had no reason to do that.

She said that she thought it was really vindictive and petty of me. And now, because of me, she hadn't even been able to speak to Kevin properly for the past couple of days because of because he refused to entertain any discussion with her until she agreed to go to therapy. Every time that she tried to talk to him and explain herself, he would just end the discussion or walk away from it or it would inevitably end up in a fight and she was getting sick of it. She also felt that he had gotten sick of her as well and had started actively avoiding her by coming back home as late as possible, just so that he wouldn't have to interact with her after work. Personally, I really didn't see anything wrong with what he was doing, and I probably would have acted the same way.

And after she was done venting, I told her that none of this was my fault. I refused to be held responsible for something that I hadn't done and I told her that if she had just been a good person, she wouldn't have had to be worried about her own actions. It was her guilty conscience that she was projecting onto me by calling me vindictive, petty and vengeful, and whatnot. Deep down, she knew that she was the one who had messed up, but she was not ready to accept it, so she was trying to make me out to be the bad guy here and pinning the entire blame of the situation. on me. I thought that she was going to argue more after that and she seemed ready to come up with some reply, but all of a sudden, she just broke down and started sobbing on my couch.

My husband and I were both really surprised because we definitely didn't expect that we just stood there awkwardly while she cried because we didn't even know what to do, it was so unexpected. Eventually, I decided to go and sit beside her but did not console her or say anything. I just sat there beside her and waited for her to calm down a little. And then, eventually, she started apologizing and told me that I was right and she had realized a while ago that it had been really insensitive and disrespectful of her to say what she had said. Also, the reason that she had been taking it so hard was because now that Kevin knew the truth, he had decided to put their plans of having a baby on hold indefinitely and that's why he wanted

her to go to therapy because he thought that the way that she had treated her nephew was so heartless, he couldn't trust her to be a good mother right now. That had really shattered her because she had been totally ready to become a mother and had been looking forward to it ever since she got married. But now, it seems quite unlikely to happen anytime soon in the future and that's why she's been so frustrated and angry about everything. And instead of facing the situation, she had been trying to run away from it and find a scapegoat of sorts. So far, it had been me, but the more that she thought about it,

the more she failed to find anybody to blame but herself for how things had turned out and she told me that she was really sorry about everything. At that point, I didn't know what to say, because I had been expecting another huge fight, but she was apologizing to us now. So eventually, my husband and I just looked at each other and told her that we did forgive her, but we really would suggest she get therapy because obviously, her behavior in the recent past had been quite unreasonable and disturbing. It really wasn't like her to act like this and maybe Kevin did have a point. She was probably not ready to be a mother yet. It was harsh, but to the point. And then, she cried some more after that, and I finally did console her a little because I felt bad for her, but after that, while she was leaving, I told her that I would still like to stay

no contact for a while. I wasn't over everything that had happened and I guess she understood that, so she just didn't say anything about it and told me that she would keep her distance from me. I don't know what's going to happen in the future if we are ever going to be able to reconcile or not, but for now, I'm content with how things are. I haven't spoken to my parents since I had my fight with them, and even if I do end up reconciling with my sister, I don't think I'll be doing the same with them. With my parents, it was never a very clear-cut case of a golden child, but they did have a soft

spot for Carol always, and they tried to keep it subtle. But over the years, I have picked up on certain things, and I know that, according to them, since I'm older, I'm always supposed to make all these sacrifices and do all the forgiving and just be generally more lenient. But I don't think I'm going to be playing that role anymore. For me, nothing is more important than my family and by that, I mean my husband and my kids. So if people don't value them, it means that they don't value me because we are one unit and I'm not forgiving anybody who has been disrespectful towards my son anytime soon. After his aunt had left, I did tell him that she had apologized for whatever she had said.

and now, it's up to my son, whether he wants to forgive her or not. He did tell me that it doesn't bother him, whether she apologized or not because he had decided that he's not going to let anything affect him in the first place, so the apology really doesn't make any difference and he's fine with whatever. I think that's a nice and chill way to go about it, but he's still young, so I don't know how long he'll feel that way. Update 4. Hey. So there has been a huge development and I've been sharing it everywhere, so I decided to share it here as well. It's been three years since I posted my last update and recently,

my son has been able to start walking with the help of crutches. He still needs some help getting better, slowly, but surely. Of course, he still does need the wheelchair when he gets exhausted, but we have been told that we can hope for more progress eventually and maybe someday soon, he'll be able to walk again without any help. It is a really exciting time for our family and we are overjoyed. Carol and I are not exactly in touch constantly like we used to be earlier, but we do speak sometimes. Like recently, I did reach out to her to congratulate her on the baby and a couple of weeks ago,

she reached out to congratulate me on the progress that my son had made when I shared it on social media. Yeah, she finally had a baby with Kevin, they had been in counseling and were gradually able to work things out. Things are not the same between us anymore, but she has apologized to both me and my son and maybe someday we will be able to go back to. how we used to be. But this works for now. My parents and I are still not on talking terms and I'm totally fine with that, I'm happy with my life. And now that my son is getting better, I'm even happier than before. I hope you enjoy this story. Spouse welcomed her entire relatives to reside with us without consulting me. We argued and she labeled me a solitary failure. Consequently, I covertly undertook an action they never anticipated.

expected. I recently ended the lease agreement on my house and moved out without telling my wife and I know that right off the bed, I do look like the ah, but I had my reason so I hope you guys give me a chance and hear me out before any sort of judgment. My wife, Kathy, 30F, and I, 31M, have been together for the past six years and married for two. She and I have always had a normal relationship and the only bone of contention, so to speak, has been her family. They are quite a big family with her, her parents, and three siblings,

and they've always lived together in a pretty large house that her grandfather had left for them. She's very close to her family and I don't mind that. I actually appreciate it because I haven't really grown up in a healthy family environment myself. However, in the past couple of months, I feel like I have grown a bit distant from them because they were constantly trying to talk Kathy and me into trying to get pregnant. We had explained to them quite a few times that we were just not ready to have kids yet, but that did not deter them at all, because every time we visited them, or they visited us, someone or the other would bring it up and start talking about it, probably in the hopes that we would consider it and start trying to get pregnant.

It would have been forgivable if it had been just her parents since they are older and maybe think differently, but even her siblings would hop on the bandwagon and would often try to convince us that having kids was the greatest idea. I don't know what it was, maybe they just romanticized the idea of having a huge and happy family but it was just not realistic since neither of us was ready yet. Personally, I wanted to speak to them and let them know that it was not okay for them to be constantly bringing it up with us. Especially when we had made it clear that we were not ready since it made both of us

quite uncomfortable and sometimes even annoyed. However, Kathy wanted to go a different way and the way she wanted to deal with the this situation was by not dealing with it at all. She told me that her family had always been involved in her life and even now, they expected that they would have a say in things like this but they didn't have any bad intention so we should just let it go. I didn't like the idea of not even saying anything because I knew that it would mean having to listen to them talk about this some more but I didn't want to hurt, so we decided to drop it and didn't say anything to them. And whenever they would bring up the topic about having kids and stuff, we would just

nod and smile and let it go until they drop the topic themselves. That's why I have been finding it very hard to get along with them in the past couple of months and have been distancing myself from them. However, two weeks ago, something very unfortunate happened and they had a major fire at their house. It's in the process of getting reconstructed right now and that's going to take a few months. Insurance has it all covered, so they don't need to worry about the money going into it either, but what they didn't need to worry about was the temporary accommodation that they would need since their insurance plan would cover them just about a couple of weeks and after that, they would be on their own and have to spend out of their own pockets.

On top of that, all my siblings-in-law had also been living in the same house, as is the norm in Kathy's family. Nobody really moves out until they absolutely have to or really want to. Like Kathy only moved out when she decided that she wanted to stay with me before marriage, since that way, they don't have to worry about rent and in today's economy, I totally understand that. What I don't understand is why her siblings can't find a place of their own to live at the moment and have to tag along with their parents wherever they go. It had become a problem for me because Kathy decided to invite her parents to come stay with us so they wouldn't have to spend any money on accommodation since obviously, we were not going to ask them for rent. Had it been just them,

I would have been fine with it, even though Kathy hadn't even discussed. this with me before asking them. But she also told me that it wouldn't be just her parents coming to stay with us, but also her siblings and they wouldn't be paying rent either. I had a huge problem with that because it's not like her siblings are really young, they are all in their 20s and are working right now. So it's definitely not like they cannot afford to pay rent and I think it's unreasonable to expect that just the two of us will be able to handle taking care of all the expenses of a family of almost seven adults, including ourselves. It was an impossible task and there was no way that we would be able to avoid burning through our savings if we did not ask them to contribute to the household expenses.

And I didn't mean just rent, I meant groceries, utilities, and whatever other costs were incurred during their stay. If they couldn't afford that, it would be better for them to find separate accommodation for themselves because there was no way that I was going to allow Kathy's entire family to move in and live on our dime for the next couple of months. That's when Kathy started throwing a tantrum and told me that I was being selfish, even though I really don't think that was the case. I thought I was being perfectly reasonable because I did not see any reason why her entire family needed to come over and stay with us for free for the next couple of months, or why she had even invited them to do so, knowing that we would definitely not be able to afford that kind of thing. For context, I work in marketing and she's a high school teacher and together, with the kind of income that we bring home, we might be able to support her parents and let them live with us for free for the next couple of months, but her siblings are out of the question. I kept trying to explain to her that they have jobs and they earn enough money to find places of their own, that they are adults and they will be fine. But she kept insisting that she had to have her whole family over because she wanted to be there for them in such tough circumstances. And she had already told them that they would not need to pay for anything while they were staying here, so she wasn't even willing to go back on her word and ask them to contribute if they wanted to stay with us, since that would make us seem like cheapskates.

Never mind the fact that we would actually go block if we tried to live up to what she promised them without even thinking, she cared more about what they thought than about our own circumstances. So we just kept arguing about it for a good half an hour and I tried my best to keep my cool but it started to get really difficult. because she just didn't get my point at all and kept making it sound like I was the one who didn't understand. Eventually, she just snapped at me and told me that I was never going to understand, and it was foolish of her to expect me to even try and sympathize with her because I was just an orphaned loser and I was never going to get what she was feeling. That hit me really hard because everyone who knows me knows that it's a really sore spot for me. I lost my parents in a car accident when I was little, around the age of nine, and then I was passed around from relative to relative

and didn't have a proper home until my dad's uncle decided to adopt me at 13, just so that I would have a permanent home. He was nice enough to me but there was no emotional connection since he was too busy with work and the only reason he had even adopted me was because my grandparents were getting up there in age and nobody else was ready to take care of me on a permanent basis. Unfortunately, I lost him to cancer as well a couple of years ago and since then, I I don't really have any parental figures to look up to. My parents and my family, or their lack thereof, are a trigger for me, and Kathy, of all people, knows that really well.

So I guess that's why she decided to hit me where it hurts. When she said that to me while arguing, I was so shocked that I just didn't say anything to her or in general for the next couple of hours. I went to my office and locked myself in and I kept hoping that she would walk in, apologize or something, or at least try to speak to me, but she didn't. I thought that maybe she would come back to me the next day, but even then, she just left for work and didn't even look back. I was really disappointed and had a total breakdown, after which I decided that I was going to

leave. It was a really low blow and if she didn't even feel sorry about it, it meant that she clearly did not love or respect me as much as I thought she did. Because if I had been in her place, no matter how angry I felt, I would never. say something like that. So, that day, while she was at work, I decided to stay back home and speak to the landlord and told him that I wanted to end my lease. He told me that he would arrange for it and after that was confirmed, I started packing my things and with a couple of clothes and other essential belongings that I would absolutely need, I drove to a friend's house

and since then, I've been staying with him. Even after I left and did not come back, Kathy did not try to reach out to me and it felt as if this made no difference to her at all, and even if I did, it was probably not as important to her as it was to prioritize her own ego. I've been pretty miserable for the past couple of days, ever since last week, since I left home and had been contemplating speaking to a lawyer about divorce because, at this stage, I don't see the point of staying together since she has made it very clear that she is perfectly fine without me as well and honestly. Our last fight really left a bitter taste in my mouth.

My feelings on this situation had already been quite complicated and after speaking to Kathy yesterday, I'm even more confused about what to do because a few days back, I finally ended the lease agreement with my landlord and he approached Kathy to discuss this with her since now. She was going to be the primary tenant of the property and that's how she found out that not only had I moved out, but I had also ended the agreement without her knowing. That was why she had called me up and when I answered the phone, she immediately started yelling at me and told me that I had taken things too far by doing this. Apparently, after the fight that we had last week, she had called her parents up the very next day and told them that she would only be able to allow them to stay with us, and her siblings would have to find places of their own. By doing that, she also ended up in a fight with them and because she had gone back on her word and her family thought that she was giving me more importance than them, they were.

were also not speaking to her anymore. However, I didn't know that since I hadn't bothered to speak to her, and I had been very upset about how she had treated me and what she had said, so I had left without a word. Both of us had kept waiting for the other to apologize, to reach out to us, and that had created a bit of an ugly situation because now, I had already signed off on ending the lease and she had to find out about it from the landlord and not me. Both of us knew for a fact that she wouldn't be able to afford the rent on her own salary, since she earned significantly less than I did and she thought that it was really cold of me to put her in that position

because I knew that she would have to give up the house if she wouldn't be able to afford rent. She told me that she was really sorry about the comment that she had made, and whatever she had said while she was fighting with me, but the least that I could have done for her was at least inform her or try to talk to her before taking such a huge step. While we were on the call, she even started crying and that made me feel really awkward, but I stood my ground and I told her that I needed some time to think about what I wanted to do because what had already been done could not be reversed.

She kept requesting me to come back, but I told her that I needed some time to think things over. That was yesterday and this evening. A couple of hours ago, even her family members reached out to me to apologize on her behalf in their own as well. They told me that they were sorry about everything, especially for not respecting my boundaries and putting us both in a difficult position and they also said that they hoped that I would be able to work it out with Kathy now. The only thing that I'm in a dilemma about is whether I did the right thing by leaving the house and ending the lease without even speaking to Kathy, because I knew for a fact that she wouldn't be able to afford the rent on herself, and I guess, somewhere, deep down, I wanted to hurt her as well. She and the rest of our family have been messaging me to go back home to her because I owe her a conversation about this, at the very least. However, I'm not sure if they're doing it because they really want us to work things out or if it's just because of the house since nobody wants to end up looking for a new place to live on such short notice. Ida for moving out and ending the lease on our house after an argument without speaking to my wife.

Edit, I have had a fairly normal relationship with my in-laws as well so far, and I generally did not have any issues with them until they started pushing Kathy and me to have kids. Even then, I tried my best to have a cordial relationship with them, but just kept my distance and didn't interact with them as frequently as we used to. Right now, my in-laws are staying in a hotel and Kathy's siblings are staying with their friends. It's a pretty convenient arrangement for all of them, and they can just continue to. to stick to it until their house is fully reconstructed but from what Kathy told me. They had their heart set on the idea of staying with us and were quite offended when she told them that it would not be possible anymore because I was not fine with it and after hearing out my concerns, even though she had argued with me in the heat of the moment, she did see

where I was coming from. But apparently, her parents and her siblings did not feel the same way and had ended up fighting with her because not only was she going back on her word, but they also found it quite unfair that even if they came over to stay with us, we would expect them to pull their weight around the house and contribute to the expenses. They had told her that this is not how family treats each other, and Kathy had tried to defend me, but they started lecturing her for that as well because they thought that they were being pushed to a corner because of my influence on Kathy and had even brought up how they were being sidelined all the time by me by talking about the baby thing. Even though Kathy did not want kids right now either. I

I guess that's why they decided to reach out to me and apologize to me as well since they felt responsible for making the fight worse by guilt tripping, Kathy. And that was why it had taken her so long to reach out to me or maybe she wouldn't even have done that and would have allowed the situation to play out on its own, but contacted me because she had found out that I had ended the lease agreement. Update 1, hi, so I decided to speak to Kathy about what was to be done regarding this situation. The last time that we spoke was three days ago, and that was on the phone. Since then, I have spoken to several of my friends and gone through the comments here

and most people seem to be of the opinion that while I was in the A for whatever I did, I still owe her a conversation at the very least if I do want to make this marriage work. For the past three days, she and her family have been constantly messaging me, telling me to speak to her because they know that we can make it work. So I decided to finally respond to her and I honestly, did not have a plan about what I was going to say to her or how I was going to deal with this. I just decided that I was going to be honest with her and whatever happens, happens. So this morning, I texted her back and I told her that I was ready to meet her in the evening after work.

I went over to our house directly after work, and as soon as she opened the door to me, she hugged me and started crying and told me that she was really sorry about what she had said. That was a bit surprising, but it was also quite relieving for me to know that she had been affected by this because it had been breaking my heart to think that maybe she didn't care about us at all. After she backed away, and we sat down to have a proper conversation, she told me that she wanted to start off by apologizing once again, especially for the comment that she had made because it was particularly hurtful and below the belt, and she hadn't stopped regretting it ever since those words had left her mouth. But she had been too proud and angry to apologize at the time, and by the next day, she had spoken to her family and gotten into a fight with them as well. So things were going particularly badly for her, and that's why she kept delaying the apology until she realized that it might get too late. As soon as the landlord had spoken to her about me ending the lease, she decided to reach out to me because she really did not want to give up on our marriage, and she was willing to do whatever it took to make things right. She told me that she was determined to make it work and fix her mistakes because she knew that she had been in the wrong all along.

And I have got to say, the way she handled the situation today, I really hadn't seen it coming. I had thought that she was going to try and pass off the blame to me somehow, or at least get defensive or something because that's what had happened the last time that we fought. This time, though, I felt like I was back with the Kathy that I had known for so many years and not the person who had really emotionally hurt me. during our last fight. I had been pretty upset with her in the past couple of days ever since we fought, but today, I felt better about everything. Especially about my decision to come to see her and talk to her because had I not done that, maybe we wouldn't have been sitting together and talking it out. Obviously, just trying to talk it out is not going to solve all our problems, and we acknowledged that as well. I told her that she had really hurt me with whatever she had said

the other day while we were fighting, and she told me that she knew and she explained to me that her family had been counting on her and while trying to think about them. She had unintentionally sidelined me. And that had become a problem in the recent past because she was constantly trying to look out for their feelings and not hurt them. But in the process, I was getting pushed to the corner and she realized that now. So we addressed that as well, and after talking about it for a bit, she told me that she felt a lot of pressure on her from her family all the time, and she felt like she constantly had to make sure that she did not hurt them, even if it came at the cost of being honest with them. If she was being honest, she could see my point, even while

she was fighting with me, but she just did not want to admit it because that would mean saying no to her family. Even with the topic of children and stuff, it was the same thing, she just couldn't be honest with them because she didn't want to hurt them. And they were not the kind of family who took these things lightly either since you guys already know that they had also fought with Kathy because she had gone back on her word. But she had to stand her ground because otherwise, she would have lost me, and now that things have come to a stage where her family's stubbornness is affecting our marriage, we decided that it was time to deal with it and let them know that they cannot push their boundaries constantly. So we have decided that she's going to

speak to her family and sort things out with them, and in the meantime, I'm going to be looking for couples counseling because I think we could do better with it. A lot of my friends have also suggested it to me since it's very obvious that I really want to make it work with Kathy because we have been together for a long time, and this is the first major snag that we have hit, so I believe that we can still make it work since it hasn't been something very extreme. I know this decision might not sit well with a lot of people, but I think our marriage is worth giving a chance because I've known Kathy for the longest time and I know what kind of person she is. So I'm confident that I'm doing the right thing, and of course, after she's done speaking to her family, things are going to change for the better on that front as well.

Update 2, hi, everyone. Thank you so much for all the comments and support on my last update, it was really nice. Like I had said, Kathy, and I decided to sort out our differences, so I moved back in and we're going to go back to how we used to live. Of course, we are still going to go for couples counseling as soon as we find somebody who suits our needs. We are in the process of looking right now, but decided to rip the Band-Aid off a couple of days ago with her family. Unfortunately, it did not go well, but it went exactly as I had expected it to go. Kathy went by herself to go visit them, so she could speak with them in person because we didn't think that my being there was going to help the situation and might even make them even more upset. She was with her family for almost two hours and when she came back, she looked exhausted and really upset, so I knew that things hadn't gone down well.

Kathy told me that as soon as she had told them that she wanted them to not push their boundaries with her constantly because it made both of us really uncomfortable. And after our recent fight, it was clear that it had been affecting our marriage as well, they started freaking out at her and bad-mouthing me as well. They thought that I was being selfish and narcissistic by making it seem like they were the problem, even though they were just acting like her family and relying on their daughter. And when Kathy tried to defend me, they started going off on her as well, saying that she had been brainwashed by me, and didn't even know what she was saying. They just kept talking in circles and arguing until Kathy gave up and told them that she had decided what she wanted. and it was for them to back off and not constantly over-involve themselves in her life and not take offense just because she couldn't bend over backward for them. Her family got really upset, and they told her that they were going to maintain the boundaries by not speaking to her at all from now on because it was obvious that she and I were way too sensitive and self-centered to care about them or their feelings. After that, Kathy left because there was no point in speaking to them anymore, and the family meeting was done and dusted.

But she's not entirely unhappy with how things turned out, because even though it did not go well, at least she stood up for herself and spoke her mind, so we are pretty proud of her for that. And now, if her family decides not to speak to her, it's their loss and not hers. She has always prioritized them whenever she can, and tried to be there for her family, but if they can't see that then I guess we really know who are the real self-centered people here. Update 3. Hi, Guys. So it has been three months since Kathy and I started marriage counseling and it has been going pretty well so far. We are communicating more and trying to understand each other, and even when we have petty arguments,

we sort it out immediately because we don't allow things to build up. Her family has still not spoken to her after that last update, but I guess they're going to reach out to us pretty soon since Kathy recently discovered that she is pregnant. We haven't made any announcement yet because it's pretty early on in the pregnancy and we want to wait it out until we start telling people. Only really close friends of ours know about it and we trust them because we know they're not going to tell anybody else. In case after we announce the pregnancy, her family doesn't reach out to us. It's all well and good. But if they do, both Kathy and I have decided that we are going to have to tell them to back off until Kathy herself is ready to speak to them and sort out the different.

And that's not going to be possible while she is pregnant, so they're going to have to wait until after the baby is born and possibly even longer. Because she is not a doormat for them, and since they have not bothered to reach out to her so far, they're going to have to wait for her to be ready if they want to have any sort of relationship with their grandkid. However, keeping all of that aside, Kathy and I have never been happier because, even though we haven't been planning for it, it happened organically, and at the right time. Of course, we were really stressed out when we found out, but after a couple of days, we came to terms with it, and we were even happy. I don't know if it had anything to do with our renewed faith in our marriage, but for some reason, even though we were not ready until a couple of months ago, we felt ready now. Or maybe I guess it's just easier to deal with things when people are not constantly pushing you to deal with it. But whatever the case is, Kathy and I are really happy, and we are looking forward to this new chapter of our. life. I hope you enjoy this story. Inconsiderate sibling scheduled her baby celebration on the same

day as my wedding, believing that others would support her. However, fate dealt her a heavy blow as our relatives picked my wedding over hers. Incident happened a few days ago, and I am furious, which is why I've come here to vent. I have an older sister, Portia, 30F, who is severe main character energy, and it rubs me the wrong way in all possible ways. This has been the norm all her life, and all of mine, and I generally never objected or said anything because I've never been one to start conflict or drama. However, things came to a head on my wedding day because she decided to host the baby shower for her fourth kid on the same day. Naturally, when I found out a few days before the wedding, I was very upset. I had made my family RSVP to the wedding date months in advance, so I knew this little coincidence, as she called it, was deliberate on her part.

It just made me want to either rip my hair out or hers. I had a nagging feeling that my family would choose to attend her baby shower over my wedding because that's how things have always operated in my family. She has been the golden child for as long as I can remember, and I have been the afterthought. I thought maybe this one day would be about me, but with her baby shower, I knew she was planning to steal even this day from me. Portia and I, 25F, do not have the best relationship. I would attribute it partly to how my parents raised us, but mostly to Portia's attitude and arrogance.

Portia was an overachiever in school. She got good grades, played sports, and was generally liked by her teachers and peers. Mom and dad were very proud of her. I, on the other hand, was just about average. I didn't excel in academics, but I wasn't bad either. I didn't have any meaningful hobbies, according to my parents, and all of this was amplified by the fact that I went to the same school as my sister. All my teachers and even the principal used to be quite astounded that Portia and I were sisters because I was quite unlike her, not just an attitude but also in capabilities. We were constantly compared, and I always fell short. My parents did not take my lack of skills well. Portia was the favorite child. She was pampered, spoiled, and anything she demanded was done

because she was a bright kid. I was categorically told as a kid that I would get this treatment from my parents too if I became as good as Portia. I have a series of psychological issues with self-worth due to my childhood, and it has severely impacted the quality of my life. By the time I turned 13, I realized that I would never have a good and functional relationship with my family. I just accepted that as my reality and withdrew from the family. I kept mostly to myself, stayed in my room and spent my hours doodling. That was my only real hobby, and nobody ever took it seriously. I was the extra member of the family, so to speak always an afterthought, always left alone, always looked at with either disgust or contempt because I was not good enough for my parents.

I was called a scribbler, and my mother even tore one of my sketch pads because I was busy scribbling instead of working hard and being a source of pride for the family like my sister. I knew then that no matter what I did, They wouldn't see me as who I was, only as a lesser version of Portia. And that no matter how hard I tried, I could never match up to her, and that I didn't want to either. So I just stopped interacting with them as much as I could. When I was 13, Portia left for college. And she changed.

She was no longer the good girl our parents had raised. She still did well, no doubt about that, but she never answered their calls, didn't want to come back home and blew through money like crazy. All of this took a toll on my parents, I guess, and they felt alone and isolated. They had lived the 18 years of their lives as parents to just one kid, and suddenly, that kid didn't want much to do with them. That was when their attention shifted to me. They tried to get closer to me and wanted to make a bond, but I didn't want anything to do with it. I had attuned myself to being alone, and all of this attention just stressed me out. It had taken me a long time to learn to live by myself, and I was not going to

change it because my parents wanted to play happy families. This made them mad, and things got even worse for me. They were either yelling at me or taunting me all the time, and it became too much for me to handle. I somehow managed to make it past the next few years until I went to college. I have been very low contact with them ever since. I did a degree in animation, so I can say that all that doodling really paid off. I got a good job right out of college, and I'm doing quite well for myself. This is unlike what anyone, especially my parents and sister, expected of me, so that makes me feel even more smug about the entire thing. They have tried to get in touch with me repeatedly in the last two to three years, in the sense that they wanted to get closer to me, and things like that,

but I have always politely declined their efforts. I do not feel their need in my life anymore, and I am more than happy with the little family I have built for myself. I live with my fiancé Edward, 29M, and our cute dog Emma. I have friends, a social circle, and a great life, and I don't want them intruding in it. A couple of years ago, before I got my job, Portia got married. Obviously, I was not invited. This is also one of the reasons why I don't take their attempts to reconnect seriously. They did not care about me when I was just a student.

and now that I am successful, they are trying to make amends and be family. I can see through their sick disguise, and I am not one to be fooled by it. I have a feeling they want to get back in touch only so they can mooch off me since Portia doesn't work. She got pregnant right after college, had a shotgun wedding, and has never had a penny to her name since. The family had always thought she would be the one bringing in the money, since she was the brilliant one, and that I would end up being a failure. Now that there is no prospect of her providing any money, they are trying to make amends so that I can be their cash cow. While my parents have been this way since I was born, my extended family is much better.

My aunt Rachel was kind of a mother figure to me growing up, and she has always called my parents out on their favoritism. Of course, these allegations were vehemently denied, but gradually, the entire extended family got to know the real picture of everything. They have supported my decision to stay low contact, and nobody really pressured me to build bridges with my family until a couple of months ago. Around three months ago, my mother had a very serious health scare. She was admitted to the hospital for weeks, and the diagnosis was tricky. Her quality of life has since been severely impacted, and the doctors have said that it is going to take a long time for her to return to how she was before, if that ever happens. This, according to my aunt, was a wake-up call for my mother, and the entire time she was in the hospital, she was sobbing for her baby, aka me. I wasn't told about her health issues immediately

because we had been low to no contact for a few years now. But my aunt called me up a week after the incident to tell me that my mother was very sick and had a sort of realization that she had not treated me well. And ever since that day, my mother has only been crying, wanting to get back in touch with me, saying that she knows she is going to die soon and doesn't want that to happen before I give her a chance to be a good mother again. I had been conflicted about this because I knew deep down that the only reason my mother wanted to make amends was that she did not want to shoulder all that guilt for treating her own child poorly. It was more about her guilt than it was about me. But I also knew that if I did not talk to her, or at least get back in touch, I would end up regretting it.

So after a lot of thought and a considerable amount of urging from both my aunt and my fiancé, I decided to give it a shot and get back in touch with her. It was emotional for us. There were a lot of tears and a lot of apologies from her side, and I just told her to let it slide, and that I did not wish to talk about it or engage in it anymore. My father tried to be civil, and he is too proud a man to admit where he went wrong, so he and I didn't exchange more than a few words. Portia was nowhere to be found during this little reunion of ours, and I found out later that it was at our mother's request. Mom had vehemently denied Portia's presence during our talk, and I hear that she was quite salty about it, but there was nothing she could do. So, now comes the actual incident. I was insanely busy with all my wedding planning, and to be honest, I did not make much time for my mother after the initial few meetings.

I could have, but I was too stressed with all the workload, and and needed my downtime as well. My parents were quite offended by the fact that even after our supposed reconciliation, I had not involved them in wedding planning or given them any of the traditional roles that the bride's parents are supposed to have. My mother was upset about the entire situation, but she chose to let it slide, which is when I began to feel that maybe she was actually remorseful. My father, on the other hand, was extremely angry that he would not be the one walking me down the aisle. He even called me up to tell me that he was considering not attending the wedding because I was humiliating him as a father in front of everyone, even after everything had gone back to normal. I told him that nothing had gone back to normal, especially between him and me, and if he felt that this was too insulting for him, he was free to do whatever he wanted, aka not attend.

That shut him right up, and he didn't say anything after that. As far as Portia is concerned, I didn't have any contact with her during this time. I just sent out the invites, and she was saying that she would be attending. There was nothing more to talk to her about, or so I thought, but I was in for a huge shock. Two weeks before my wedding, I got a frantic call from my cousin Lena. She told me that she was talking to Portia, and Portia invited her to her baby shower on the same date as my wedding, in the same city, in a venue that she had booked an hour away from my wedding. Apparently, she was going around calling people to the baby shower, and not sending out actual invites, for fear that the news might reach me. I asked Lena if she was sure about it, and that

she could have been mistaken, but she said that she was 100% sure, and that a few other family members had already received the invite. She was also supposedly making a huge show of it, saying that since this is her and her husband's final kid, it meant even more to her and that she wanted everyone to attend. When I found out, I was furious. I called her up immediately and asked her if this was true, and she said that she knew she wouldn't be able to get the entire family together any time soon, other than my wedding, and that's why she thought it was the best way to include both of our happiness. She said that I should actually be happy that her baby would get to celebrate and attend my

wedding in spirit. I told her that she was out of her mind and a vindictive which for doing it on my wedding day, and not even a day before or after it. And I also told her that if she actually had good intentions, she would have asked me or informed me. The fact that I was finding out about it from someone else just two days before my wedding showed me what she was planning to do, and how sick her mind was. She told me that I had no right to call her names, and she was free to celebrate her baby whenever she felt like it, and that I did not own the date and what people wanted to do. She said that if people wanted to come to my wedding, they would, and if they wanted to attend her baby shower, they would, and that I had no right to stop them.

I was at a complete loss for words, and I hate to admit it, but I had a full-blown mental breakdown. I was just devastated, and I didn't know how to process the information. Edward was by my side, and while he was furious, he knew exactly what to say, and we decided that we would be sending out a message to everyone we had invited. We tried to sound as gracious as possible, and the message read something along the lines of how we had come to know that there had been a clash of dates, and that while we were we knew that some of our guests would have to decide between attending the wedding or attending the baby shower. We also told them to reconfirm their presence with my maid of honor, and that with just two weeks

remaining before the wedding, we were not in the headspace for more drama, and that I would see them at the wedding. I told my maid of honor to keep track of who confirmed their presence, and that we would adjust the catering and everything accordingly, and that if everyone chose to attend the baby shower, we would just go to the courthouse and get married. I know it seems like an overreaction, but after spending my entire childhood being overlooked, I was 100% sure that most people would choose to attend her baby shower rather than my wedding. I'm glad I was proven wrong. Two days before my wedding, I spoke to Zara, my MO, and asked her if people had confirmed and what the status was. She just told me not to worry about it and that she had everything handled.

Her reply was not at all comforting to me because I still didn't know how many people had ditched me for Portia, but she just told me to calm down and that she would take care of everything. On the day of the wedding, I was surprised to see almost every family member that I had sent an invite to, except Portia obviously, my father, which I had kind of assumed, and my paternal aunt and her family. Everyone else managed to make it, including my mother, which came as a big surprise to me because she is not the kind to do things without my father. The wedding itself went exactly as planned, and to be honest, I was glad that my father hadn't come. He would have sulked the entire time and would have caused unnecessary drama, so his absence

was actually a big relief to me. However, Portia could not handle this slight against her, more so because she had never been used to it. Just as my ceremony ended and people were heading for lunch, I saw Dad and Portia coming to the venue. Before I could say anything, Zara was on her feet and stopped them from entering the premises. There was some bickering going on between them, and I couldn't really make out what they were saying, but I could see that the conversation was getting more and more heated with every passing second. At one point, Portia even tried to push her way inside, and Zara tried to block her as much as she could, but my dad pushed through as well, and she was no match for their combined strength. The minute Portia stepped inside, she straight up started bawling like a spoiled brat. And it wasn't just a few stray tears here and there, it was actual wailing like a little wailing like a small.

an infant. It was so embarrassing and disgusting to watch. I knew my family was aware of her antics, but I felt so humiliated because she was doing it in front of Edwards' family, our friends, and our colleagues. She kept saying that everyone came to my wedding instead of her last baby shower and that I should have had the decency to postpone my wedding when I knew that she was having her baby shower. Before I could say anything, Aunt Rachel said that I had finalized the date for the wedding she was the one who would hijack the date, and if she had any decency, she would have been the one to keep her baby shower on a different day. Portia did not expect to be called out like that, and she looked at my dad for help, but he was

surprisingly quiet. Portia then had the audacity to say that marriages break apart all the time and that there could be a possibility that I would get married again, but she for sure was not going to get pregnant again. I was furious, and I wanted to slap her square in the face at that moment. I could not believe she had the nerve to suggest that my marriage would break apart on the day of my wedding. I had had enough by then, and I told her to get the hell out of the venue, and that she should know that she already has three kids, and that there is no guarantee that she wouldn't be popping out other kids in the future, considering that that's all she has done ever since she left college after blowing through all of dad's money. She started screaming,

but I cut her off in the middle and told her that she was a horrible human being who never thought about anyone other than herself, and that I felt sorry for her kids for having such a terrible woman for a mother. That shut her up real fast, and she started crying again, but I had no patience for it, and Zara and another friend of mine literally dragged her out of the venue. By the time all this was over, I was shivering and crying, and she had ruined my day. The atmosphere was so tense that almost everyone cut lunch short and left. What hurt me the most was that in all this time, my mother never took a stand from me. me or told me about Portia's plans. So all her reconciliation was fake in an act in my eyes

because she continued to not do right by me, despite having the chance. Once everyone left, I hugged Edward and broke down and apologized for ruining the day, but he held me close and told me that it wasn't my fault at all and that I was bound to reach my breaking point one day or another. It has been five days since our wedding, and people have been reaching out to me, but I am in no headspace to respond to anyone. There are tons of messages just sitting in my inbox, and I know that I will have to respond to them eventually, but I don't want to do that right now. We are leaving for our honeymoon tomorrow, and I hope that I am able to feel better and take my mind off of whatever happened. My vile sister has already ruined my wedding, and I couldn't do anything about it, so I can't

let her ruin my honeymoon as well. She doesn't get to affect me like this, even after all these years. Hey Reddit. I haven't been updating because I took a break from Reddit during my honeymoon. I hadn't expected the post to blow up and I was overwhelmed when I saw all those comments. But I went through them all and since you're so invested in the story now, there is a tiny update. All the while on our honeymoon, Ed, and I didn't really entertain any sort of contact from my side of the family. My mother made multiple attempts to get in touch with me, but I just told her that I would talk to her once I got back from the honeymoon. She has since called me and told me that she wants to meet and apologize for not taking a stand for me during the wedding and that she is ashamed of herself.

I told her that this was not just about the wedding, but about the fact that she knew about the baby shower and did not tell me. She said she didn't want me to get upset, and that she thought people would attend my wedding over the baby shower anyway. I told her that her assumptions do not excuse what she has done to me, and she has again shown me that she is not a reliable person at all, especially when it comes to my emotions and feelings. She kept on apologizing, but I told her that I needed a break from her and to not contact me anymore. She tried to play the I'm sick card, and I said that she had decided to come back into my life to prove to me that she was sorry. Her actions have shown me the opposite because she continues to choose Portia over me,

even if it comes at the cost of one of the most important days of my life being sabotaged. She was crying inconsolably as I tore into her, and I felt so guilty doing it, but I knew that I couldn't let her run all over me again. It had taken me years and years to feel mentally safe, and I could not allow her to waltz back in with her same antics and ruin everything. I told her that I would be reaching out to her, but it would be on my own time, and that I did not want her to pressure me into building a relationship with her because clearly, she was not ready. I think she felt that if she victimized herself a little, she could strong-arm me into relenting, but when that didn't happen, she gave the phone to Dad, who I was not interested in talking to at all. The minute I heard him on the line, I disconnected the call. He sent me a long text after that, which I didn't even bother to read and have since blocked him.

Other than that, I only had messages from family saying that they were sorry that Portia had tried to upstage me on my own wedding, and basically messages supporting me and sympathize. with me. I haven't responded to all of them, but I will. All in all, I feel much better about the entire ordeal, and I am glad I have cut my mother off again. I do not have the energy to deal with my parents, and I don't want them ruining the family I have built for myself. Update 2. I had thought that the drama was over, but clearly, that is not the case. Portia's husband, let's call him Jake, turned up at my house last evening. He looked pretty pretty much. He looked pretty dejected, and I didn't have the heart to say no to him, so I called him inside. The first thing he did

was apologize to me, saying that he had no idea Portia had been planning this. That was when I recalled that during the entire episode at my wedding, I did not see Jake. I asked him what he meant, and he said that he had actually planned a baby shower for Portia a week after my wedding, and she had insisted that the date be changed. She had also told him that I had not invited them, which is why she wanted to keep the baby shower on the same day as the wedding. He was not on board with it, and said that she shouldn't have been expecting an invitation anyway, since we have been estranged for a long time. He said that he never sought to clarify with me because he felt that me not inviting them

and that he would have been surprised if I had invited them. When he found out what had actually happened on the day, he was mortified, and it was only because my mother told him that he found out the truth. He said that he was extremely sorry and wanted to apologize on her. her behalf and asked us if he could do anything at all to make the entire situation better. I told him that he had no reason to apologize because he was not there, and that his wife was a grown woman who could take responsibility for her own actions. I said that she had to learn how to take accountability for her actions and that if the apology

did not come from her, it did not mean anything. I told him that I had nothing against him, and that he seemed like a great guy, and I thanked him for reaching out. I think it was sweet of him to come and talk to us, but that still doesn't take away what his wife has done, and to be frank, even if she did apologize someday, I know that I will not forgive her. She has dug her grave, and now she can very well lay in it. Update 3, Portia and Jake are heading towards a divorce. Apparently, they had been having problems for a long time, and her behavior at my wedding was the last straw on the camel's back. She has been running around telling people that I am the reason behind her divorce, but I guess everyone has had enough of her antics, and nobody is willing to listen to

her self-pity tirade anymore. Last I heard, she was about to move in with mom and dad, although it had been made clear that this would be a temporary arrangement. She even reached out to me, asking me to babysit her kids for free, saying that this would be my repentance for ruining her life. I have promptly blocked her everywhere and don't wish to engage with this drama any longer. I don't know the details of their divorce, but I do know that Jake is trying to get full custody of all the kids because he thinks she provides an unfit and unstable environment for the development of the kids. I don't know what will come of their divorce, but I do know that she is in serious trouble and nobody is willing to help her now. So what will happen remains to be seen. All I know is that I have completely bowed out of this entire chaos and my family by extension. This is so much more trouble than their worth, and I had a calm and peaceful life before they decided to get back in touch with me.

The only people that I am now choosing to associate with from my family are a few of my cousins, and my aunt Rachel, because all of them stood by me like a rock when the entire fiasco with my wedding was happening. I am beyond grateful to them for supporting me like they did. They are the only ones who deserve to be part of my life, and I'm going to be fiercely protective of my boundaries from now on. I hope you enjoy this story. Spouse's colleague described me as ignorant over the phone, so I waited until she was asleep to inspect her communications and discovered they had been engaged in a romantic relationship for half a dozen years. Months and making fun of me. Okay, so, throw away a count because, well, you'll see. I'm still reeling from all this, and I haven't told anyone in my real life yet.

I need to get this out, even if it's just to a bunch of strangers. on the internet. It feels like my life's been turned upside down, and I'm just trying to piece together what the hell happened. It's probably going to be a mess, so apologies in advance if I ramble, but I need to get all of this off my chest, like right now. My wife, Claire, fake name, and I have been married for six years. No kids yet, but we always talked about it. It was always on the horizon, you know. Just around the corner, we'd say, But we kept pushing it back. First, it was the house, we wanted to get settled in our new place.

Then it was our jobs, wanting to feel secure in our careers. Then it was the money, saving up a bit more of a cushion. Looking back, I realized the perfect time was never going to come. Maybe I was the only one who really wanted kids, and she was just going along with it. I don't know, maybe I'm just being paranoid now, but honestly, she's just, She's given me zero reason to trust anything she says anymore. Like I can't believe anything coming out of her mouth. Claire works in sales, and a huge part of her job is socializing and networking.

She's always going to these lunches, cocktail parties, industry events, you name it. She says it's crucial for building social capital, which, I'll be honest, I still don't fully understand. Apparently, it's a big deal in her department. Most of these things were employees only, but sometimes partners were invited, and I'd tag along. Honestly, it felt like one big excuse to get hammered on the company dime, but what do I know? Let me tell you, I hated those things. It was just a bunch of people in suits pretending to like each other for a few hours, then sneaking off to talk business in hushed tones.

I'm a roofer, so I'm used to honest, hard work, not all this. But I went along with it to be supportive of Claire. That's how I met Gary. First impression. Total tool. He was one of those guys who's always sucking up, trying to act like your best friend but in this condescending way. You know the type, calls you my guy when you've barely spoken two sentences to him. Yeah, that was Gary.

He had this way of talking that just set my teeth on edge. He would always make these backhanded compliments that were supposed to be funny, but were really just insults. I got weird vibes from him from the get-go. I remember the first time we met, I told him I was a roofer, and he goes, well, that's certainly a career choice, in this tone that made it clear he thought it was a bad career choice. Like, what's that supposed to mean? It's honest work and puts food on the table. Anyway, I usually just ignored his snide remarks for Claire's sake. I didn't want to create any bad blood between her and her co-workers.

I mean, that's a fair thing for a husband to consider, right? But then, about a month ago, at another one of these corporate shindigs, he said something that I just couldn't let slide. I had to leave early because I had a job the next morning, and I needed to get some sleep. I was going to head out without Claire, but then Gary chimed in with, Don't worry, I'll keep taking great care of her for you. He was all smirk. It was the way he said it, it was dripping with this smugness,

like he had some inside joke with my wife that I wasn't in on. And the worst part? Claire's reaction. She called him an idiot, but it was in this playful, flirty way. She was all blushing and giggling, like she was enjoying the attention. Immediately, the whole work-wife-slash-work husband thing popped into my head, and I was not okay with that. Not at all.

In that moment, all the pretense of being the polite, supportive husband went out the window. I told him, point-blank, that Claire was coming home with me. It wasn't what we'd agreed on, and she started to argue, but I think she saw the look in my eyes because she just shut it down, said her goodbyes, and left with me. The whole vibe was so off. The car ride home was brutal. We didn't speak for the longest time, and when we finally did, it exploded into this massive argument.

She accused me of overreacting to a harmless comment. I told her that I didn't give a damn about Gary's comment because I knew he was a tool, but that her reaction, batting her eyelashes at another man right in front of me, was completely disrespectful. It made me wonder what the hell she got up to when I wasn't around. It felt like she was flaunting it in my face. She completely ignored that part and just kept harping on about how I was rude to her co-worker. We went around and around in circles, getting nowhere.

Things were tense as hell after that. I made a point of not going to any more of her work events. And she, in turn, became a lot more tight-lipped about what went on at work. She stopped mentioning Gary altogether. I honestly didn't want to hear anything about that guy. But another part of me felt uneasy. It didn't feel like she was trying to spare my feelings. It felt like she was hiding something.

Like there was this big secret she was keeping from me. The whole situation just felt so wrong. After a while, things seemed to go back to normal, at least on the surface. But that incident with Gary was just eating away at me. I didn't have any proof of anything, nothing concrete. Honestly, I mostly just suspected she had a crush on him. Or maybe it was a bit of mutual flirting. But that didn't stop me from losing trust in her.

Every time she said she had to work late, I'd picture her and Gary together, laughing, flirting, maybe more. It was driving me crazy, this uncertainty, this constant nagging doubt. So, yeah, I started keeping tapping. on her. She hated it. But I started calling her more often when she was out at these work things. Most of the time, things seemed to check out. She'd answer the phone sounding annoyed, and I'd hear the typical office party chatter in the background. But then, one day, I heard something that just confirmed all my worst fears. She was out for drinks with some clients they were trying to

butter up, the usual deal. I called her, and I heard the usual background noise, but then I heard him. Gary's voice, loud and clear, he's calling again. It's unbelievable how clueless he is. She hung up immediately, but it was too late. I'd heard it. It felt like I'd just walked in on them in bed together. I was furious. Beyond furious. The disrespect was so much deeper than I'd even even imagined. Not only was she sleeping with this guy, but she'd had the nerve to flirt with him right in front of me. And they'd been making fun of me behind my back, calling me clueless. My first instinct was to drive right down there and punch that smug look off his face. I'm a pretty big guy, and he's, well, let's just say he's not exactly built for a fight.

I knew I could take him. He wouldn't be laughing about me being a roofer then, that's for sure. But I forced myself to cool down. I was so angry that I wasn't even sure Claire would be safe after I dealt with Gary, and I didn't want to do anything stupid, anything I'd regret. So I waited at home, just stewing in my anger, replaying that phone call over and over in my head. I felt like I was going to explode. And then it hit me, they thought I was clueless, right? Then I'd play clueless.

So this was my plan. When she got home, I'd pretend I hadn't heard a thing. Then, when she was asleep, I'd go through her phone and get all the evidence I needed. This was definitely heading to divorce, and I needed proof to make sure things went my way. But it wasn't just about the divorce. I wanted to make Gary pay. I needed to get my hands on solid proof and make him regret what he'd done to me. I wanted him to feel the same pain I was feeling.

Claire came home that night acting guilty as hell. She got back much earlier than usual, like she'd rushed home to do damage control. She called out my name in this cautious way, like she was afraid I'd be mad at her. And I was, of course, but I pretended not to be. I just asked her how the party was, how the business went, all casual like. She answered in this unsure voice, and within five minutes, she seemed convinced that I hadn't heard Gary. Oh, she'd find out soon enough. For the rest of the night, I played the part of the trusting husband.

We had dinner, watched some TV, but every time she glanced at her phone, I felt that anger bubbling up inside me again. I remember thinking it would actually work out in my favor if she texted him something incriminating that night. I wanted her to, in a way, so I'd have even more ammunition. It sucks to be right sometimes. When she finally went to bed, I waited until I could hear that soft, even breathing that meant she was asleep.

Even then, I gave it another 15 minutes, just to be sure she was really out. Then, I went for her phone. My hands were shaking, I'm not going to lie. I'm not an easy guy to scare, but my heart was pounding out of my chest as I navigated to her messages. The future of my entire relationship, my whole life, really, hinged. on what I was about to find in there. And what I found.

It floored me, right from the very first message. I was completely shocked, but not surprised, if that makes sense. I was right that she'd been texting him that night. She was telling him how relieved she was that I hadn't overheard him. And then they were making fun of me, mocking me for being so stupid, so oblivious to their little secret. But there was so much more. They'd been having an affair for six months.

Six months. Hotel rooms, dates. It seemed like most of it had been happening on nights when she had work events where I wasn't required. I made sure to text everything to myself. It wasn't easy, going through all those messages. Not just because there were so many of them, but because the content was just disgusting. The pet names, the inside jokes, the ex-exhaust. explicit details. It made me sick to my stomach. The anger was creeping back in, stronger than ever.

I was done pretending. I couldn't take it anymore. This was so much worse than I ever could have imagined. I shook her awake, roughly. I didn't hurt her, but she was startled, afraid. She started to say something, but I cut her off and asked her if she had anything to say for herself. She was groggy and confused at first, but she sobered up real quick when she saw that I had her messages open on her phone. Her face went white as a sheet. And you know what the first thing she did was? She went on the defensive. Apparently, I was the bad guy for going through her phone behind her back.

She claimed I didn't have the right to do that, that I couldn't possibly understand things without the proper context. I was actually shocked at how much she seemed to believe her own BS. It was like she was living in some alternate reality. I couldn't stand to hear another word of it, so I ignored her and told her that I'd heard Gary's remark. I quoted how they'd made fun of me for being clueless and pointed out that I'd had my suspicions about them for a long time. I told her I had more than enough reason to go through her phone.

She didn't have an immediate response to that. She just stared at me, speechless, with this look of horror on her face. After a minute of silence, she started to get all misty-eyed and begged me to hear her out. And that's when she started playing the victim. She claimed that Gary had threatened to get her fired if she didn't go out with him, and that things had just escalated from there. According to her, it had all been to save her job. She was trying to paint herself as this helpless victim, forced into this situation.

I didn't believe her for a second. Not one second. The messages made it pretty clear that the whole thing had started with flirting, and most of it had come from her at first. I told her that I wasn't standing for betrayal, that we were over, and that I'd be filing for divorce first thing in the morning. This was non-negotiable. There was no coming back from this.

And that's when the waterworks really started. She begged me not to throw away our marriage or, over a mistake, she insisted that she loved me, that we could still fix things. I laughed in her face. Six months of sneaking around behind my back, betraying me, mocking me with another man. That's not a mistake, that's a choice. A conscious, deliberate choice. And now she wanted to patch things up because she got caught. What a joke. An absolute joke. I told her to save the theatrics for someone who cared. I wasn't interested. She spent the rest of the night begging me to reconsider, alternating between pleading and accusing. When she got tired of me

stonewalling her, she eventually cried herself to sleep. I was out of the house before she even woke up the next morning. I couldn't stand to be in the same room with her anymore. I had a lot of work to do, but I made sure to find some time to talk to a divorce lawyer and get the ball rolling. I'm still messed up over all of this, obviously. It's like my whole life has been turned upside down. But getting started with the divorce that made me feel like I had some control back, like I was taking back my life. I can't wait to be free of Claire, but I'm also looking forward to making Gary pay for what he did.

I wanted him to suffer. Update, okay, so, I'm back. And I'm happy to report that I got back at both of them, in the end. The hardest part was honestly the waiting. I wanted to strike back at Gary immediately, but my lawyer, thankfully, talked some sense into me. He told me I'd be putting my case at risk if I did anything rash. He said he was aiming to get me little to no alimony, and the best way to do that was if Claire still had a job. And there was a good chance she'd lose her job if her and Gary's affair became public knowledge at their workplace.

It made sense, legally speaking, but it killed. me to have to wait. It was tough, but I agreed to hold back. I won't bore you with all the nitty-gritty divorce details. Let's just say it was a divorce. Not fun, a lot of hard feelings all around. But the real miracle was that Claire didn't get any alimony from me. She had a good job, after all. At least she did for now. Once the dust from the divorce had settled, I got to work on the next part of the plan. It was Gary's turn. I'd had all the screenshots ready for weeks, just waiting for this moment. You see, Gary was a married man, with two kids. I'd always known he was married, I'd even met his wife, Amy, a few times at those awful work events. But finding out he

had kids, that really disgusted me. He never stopped to think about them, about the damage this affair would do to his own family. I couldn't believe how selfish he was. He'd ruined two families with his actions, all for what? A few cheap thrills. He hadn't thought for a second about what this would do to his kids. I felt bad for the kids, and for Amy, but I still had to go through with my plan. It was better for them to find out who their father really was, sooner rather than later. And there was no way in hell I was letting Gary get away with this Scott Free. He had to face the consequences of his actions. It was easy enough to find Amy's Facebook profile.

The rest was even easier, although I'd been living this moment in my head almost daily for the past few months, and let me tell you, it was just as sweet as I'd imagined. I started off by introducing myself, reminding her that we'd met a few times at work functions. I didn't bother waiting for her to reply. I explained that our spouses had both lied to us and carried on an affair together for over half a year. I told her that it was only fair for her to know the truth so she could make her own decision about what to do. I let her know that my marriage had ended because of this, that I was already divorced. I wanted her to know the full extent of the damage. In less than an hour, she replied, asking if this was all true.

She said she'd heard about my divorce, but she'd never heard anything about her husband being involved. I'd expected her to attack me, or to insist that I was lying, trying to destroy her marriage or something. Instead, she was just asking me, almost pleadingly, to confirm that I was telling the truth. It was heartbreaking, honestly. So I did. I sent over all the screenshots I'd taken of their conversations. Everything. The flirting, the planning, the I love use, the hotel arrangements, the crude jokes about me,

all of it. I even sent over-censored versions of the pictures they'd send each other. I figured she deserved to know the full extent of their depravity. She didn't reply for quite a while, and I didn't blame her. There was a lot to go through there, and not just in terms of quantity. It was heavy stuff to read, even for me, and I'd already been through at once. I remembered how bad I'd felt when I first saw those messages. I couldn't even imagine what she was going through. I felt bad for her, truly.

But I didn't regret what I'd done. Not for a second. We both deserved to be with people who respected us, who returned the love we offered. We both deserved better than to be lied to and cheated on. I didn't hear back from her until the next morning. She told me she had confronted Gary with the messages, and they'd had a huge fight. The fight of the century, apparently. She'd kicked him out of the house and was seriously considering divorce.

She was devastated, heartbroken, and furious, all at the same time. I felt a bit of sick satisfaction when I recommended my divorce lawyer to her. He'd helped me get a fair deal out of my divorce, and it felt like a nice little way to stick it to Gary, one last. twist of the knife. We didn't keep in touch much after that, but I heard the rest of the story from, of all people, my ex-wife. You can't make this stuff up. She called me the same day, absolutely furious. She called me petty and insecure for ruining Gary's relationship. I was a bit surprised at first that she would call me to defend the man she cheated on me with, but honestly, at that point, nothing she did could surprise me anymore. I just told her that I couldn't

sympathize with cheaters, unlike her. Her angry sputtering made the whole thing worth it, I'm not gonna lie. It was music to my ears. It only got better when she accused me of ruining his life. It turned out that Gary wasn't just losing his marriage, he was losing his job, too. Claire was close to tears as she told me that Amy had reported him to their company's HR department. Apparently, the company had a strict no-fretonization policy, and they'd launched an investigation immediately. There was a good chance that both he and Claire were going to be fired any day now. Karma's a bitch, isn't it? She started going on about how she couldn't handle the stigma, how people were whispering about her at work,

how some of her co-workers were being cold to her, and how she was certain some of the clients had heard about the affair. She was seriously considering just giving up and resigning. She asked me, pretty sarcastically, if I was happy now. Like she was the victim in all of this. I told her, completely seriously, that I was. It wasn't my problem anymore. I was kind of pissed to hear her whining and making herself out to be the victim when I was the one who had been mocked, lied to, and betrayed. Suddenly, I wasn't enjoying hearing about how she'd ruined her life. I just wanted nothing to do with her anymore. I said, at least you can still have each other, and ended the call. It was the last time we spoke. And it turns out, they didn't still have each other.

I heard from Amy later on that Gary had skipped town after the divorce. He'd lost his marriage, his job, his kids, and his reputation. He was persona non grata. I wish I could have seen the look on his smug face when it all came crashing down around him. I'm glad he wasn't calling anyone clueless anymore. But that's enough about them. They're not worth any more of my time or energy. I'm moving on with my life. I still have my pride, my business, and my dignity, and I'm going to keep building up my life, without her. In the end, Gary and Claire were the ones who lost everything. They both thought they could play games, fool around with other people's lives, and just walk away and scathed.

They thought they were so clever, so untouchable. Well, they learned their lesson the hard way. So, yeah, that's my story. It's messy, it's painful, but it's real. And if there's one thing I've learned, from all of this, it's that honesty and integrity still matter. And that karma, well, she's always watching. Always. Thanks for listening to Me, Vent, Internet strangers. It means more than you know. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a life to rebuild. And for the first time in a long time,

I'm actually looking forward to it. I hope you enjoy this story. Mother forced me to reside with her unsettling partner who made advances towards me, exploited my deceased father's passing to pilfer his funds, and now seeks a connection solely to obtain my legacy. I, F-27, have a lot of stories about my mom. They don't fall neatly into the entitled category, but she is currently trying to leverage my inheritance for a relationship, so it wouldn't be entirely inaccurate. I just find her insane antics to be extremely entertaining, and I hope you will as well. I'm starting with some second-hand info from my brother, since I was a baby super young for most of this part. I have some of my own stories to share next post, but these are some new to me revelations that fit what I know of her

character well. My parents divorced when I was a baby. It was around Christmas time. My brother told me that Nikki went crazy and started knocking down all the decorations. He yelled at her, because it was dangerous and I was apparently in the room. He was worried about all the broken glass. Later, he said that he would wait outside for her to pick him up for visitation, but she never showed. She swears up and down that my dad tricked him into thinking it was her weekend when it wasn't, but I don't buy it. Some clear communication would have nipped that right in the bud. Plus, Nikki always seemed to try something with visitation. I didn't have the context to understand why dad couldn't drive two hours to come take me trick or treating, but she sure let me wait for him

every other year when she knew he couldn't make the trip. There were multiple times that she would plan something fun on his visitation, and then ask me what I'd prefer to do. Anything she could to try turning me against him. At one point we were at a church Christmas party, and my dad came to pick me up for his Christmas year. I was walking around with my friends, and he just showed up. I has absolutely no context for the situation and excitedly ran up to him just happy to see my dad. He was taking me out the doors when Nikki spotted us and absolutely flipped out. She had me convinced that he was trying to kidnap me. Dad could have obviously handled the situation better, but she always had the superpower of

getting under everyone's skin. That includes my stepdad, who admittedly had a drinking problem. When it was just me around him, though, he was a happy drunk. Nikki, however, loved to push his buttons. They'd get into huge screaming matches. They both threw slash slammed things around. She threw an ashtray at him once and dented our wall. The last straw was when he threw his steel-toed boot at the ground, and it bounced and hit her. Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning his behavior.

I am saying that when Nikki decided to take me to a battered woman's shelter, it was nothing short of emotional blackmail. We were back within the week. Later, she asked 12-year-old me if she should stay with my stepdad. I said that I thought they would make better friends, and they split up. His drinking never improved, unfortunately. There are only two times I remember her going crazy on me in that time period. One was when she pushed me into a dog cage. Not literally inside of it. She just shoved me over, and I fell. I still have the scar on the back of my hand from where it caught the corner of the metal. I can't remember what she was on about at the time.

It was always something with her. I do remember the other time. I was very young, but it always stuck in my head. We had went into a store, and when we came back to the car, I saw my lip gloss on the ground by my door. I must have dropped it when I got out, so I picked it up. Nikki went off and smacked the crap out of me. She threw me into the car, yelling that I'm not supposed to pick up trash off the ground. I was desperately trying to explain through tears that it was my lip gloss.

For those of you who might be wondering, Nikki is a name that I'm using as a jab at her. She always said that she hated that name. Stay tuned for Part 2. It gets way better, I promise. Funnily enough, I'm not at all resentful towards her. I had a very interesting childhood with her around. Update 1, Hello Again, Reddit. A quick recap, in case you didn't read Part 1. I'm pretty sure my mom is bipolar, and she hates the name Nikki.

She split with my dad, along with my brother, when I was little. When I was 12, she asked what she should do about my stepdad, and they separated. Never did draw up the divorce papers. Something I didn't mention last time, but my dad had lost visitation rights by now. Between Nikki calling CPS every other week and a few dumb decisions on my part, she had enough to take him back to court. She convinced me to tell them I didn't want to see my dad anymore, which obviously still makes me feel guilty. When we moved out of my stepdad's house, I started to visit there instead. He was my favorite person.

I would sit and ask questions as he reloaded ammo, we'd go to the range, watch our favorite shows together, etc. When I started smoking, he found out. I was rolling my own with old tobacco, and he got me a pack so I didn't burn the house down. You might have mixed feelings about that, but you'll get to hear about Nikki finding out next time. Between going there and my extracurricular activities, I was barely at my actual house. Nikki was flipping between overbearing and trying to be my best friend. I never had much respect for her, which you can chalk up to her actions or the fact that I was a teenager. probably a mix of both. I just found reasons to be gone. Church youth groups, the library,

would carving class, friends' houses. When I met my boyfriend, would go straight to his house after school and eat dinner slash watch movies with his family. Nicky was gone a lot too. She had to get a job now that we were alone and went to college for a time. I can't remember what the job was, but I remember she came home late. I once spent a night walking around our small town going to friends' houses and playing Xbox. When I got home, it was around 6 a.m. I started up towards bed when Nikki got back, and I just turned around and went back downstairs. She had been known to start talking to me when I was literally asleep and wake me up, so there was no point in trying. I made a two-liter of coffee

and went back out. This part of my life with her wasn't too bad. Nicky picked stupid things to fight me about, like that time I called the cops when she took $20 I made because I wouldn't do the dishes. Never mind the fact that I made that money selling Hydros to my brother. He'd moved into the duplex next to us at one point, and that became my hangout place. Most of the time, though, Nikki was trying to be the cool mom. She was very anti-establishment and would back me up any time I had issues at school. This was also the point she became Wiccan and went off the deep end about mercury in vaccines, baby stem cells in our food, and chem trails. How the government was brainwashing the youth into being mindless zombies and how I needed to think for myself.

Most of it was just cringe. One night, when Nikki got smashed, I suggested she'd join me walking around town at night. She proceeded to invite my boyfriend by going to his house and throwing rocks at his window. He didn't come down, but we continued to the park. She was. was so loud and fell down every time I let go of her hand. My now husband and I still joke about it since he missed out. Before freshman year, we moved to a bigger college town. I still visited my stepdad and I found an MMA gym to hang out at after school. They didn't start class until 6 p.m., so I hung out with the computer club until then. By sheer luck, my boyfriend's family also moved there, so I was still barely home. Nikki started having issues with me being gone all the time,

which was fair, to be honest. She didn't care before that point, so I chocked it up to her finding more reasons to start fights. It didn't stop me from telling her that I was going to school on holiday weekends or just skipping entirely. Once, I walked across town because I forgot there were no buses running. It was one of the fireworks holidays. I called my boyfriend, and it turned out his family was going to a lake out of town to go boat slash jet ski. They came and picked me up so I could come. Towards the end of the trip, I started getting super paranoid that Nikki would be getting off work and expect me home from school. I wish I had just stayed and enjoyed it because she didn't really care when I got home and told her. She was never consistent with me. I eventually learned how to

use that to my advantage. Really, I was not a good kid. What do you expect from a 15-year-old with no respect for their parent and barely any supervision. Nikki told my school that I wasn't allowed to date black people, so I laughed at her for asking me for life advice as my black friend hid under the laundry in my room. I was downright spiteful. Enough time had passed that I saw her custody battle with Dad for what it was. I still believe that my stepdad was better without her,

but it was clear that he was devastated. She had taught me to think for myself, all right. I thought she was the trashiest person I had ever met. One new year she had gone out, and so I had some friends over to drink and smoke. When she got home, she had a guy with her. She proceeded to go into my room and lay in bed absolutely smashed. I tried to get her up and out, but she wouldn't budge. She just kept telling me that she needed to lay down for a minute.

I left, but the dude she brought with her went in and closed the door. I am not even going to comment on the shady consent related to that statement. My boyfriend and I got her back for sleeping with someone in my bed, though. If you thought any of this was hilariously insane, just wait until the next one. It gets so much better, or worse, depending on your perspective. Seriously, take all of this craziness and multiply it by ten. I know I didn't go into much about Nikki herself because I really wasn't around her much. There are plenty of details I didn't get into, if anyone is interested in asking.

I just didn't want this to turn into my life story, lulls. Sorry this has taken so long. I honestly kind of forgot I was doing this. Recently, I've been dedicating more energy into my writing, and spotted it in my post-history. Well, if there are still people who are interested, I'll get on with it. Last we left off, I had moved to the city with my mom, referred to as, as, Nikki for ironic reasons. She had split with my stepdad, who I would visit often back in my hometown. And things were getting tense between her and I, especially after she started dating.

Let's call him Richard. He was the type of guy that said things like, you would make a better girlfriend than your mom, and offered me a ride on his motorcycle. Once, he left Nikki at some college bar across the river, coming back to his apartment drunk. I didn't actually know where she was, since I couldn't get a hold of her, but I didn't feel comfortable alone with him. About the time Richard started to playfully push me down was when I texted my boyfriend to come and get me. When he confirmed that he was there, I made an excuse to leave the room, and bolted. As soon as I got in the car, I looked at my boyfriends, very Christian, mom and told her to, get me the fuck out of here. We were on our way back to Nicky's, so I could get stuff for school

in the morning, when I finally heard from her. It was so embarrassing. having to go pick her up. I had more problems with Richard, of course, especially after his son developed a crush on me as well. Now Nikki herself was another issue entirely. She once came back from the bar to yell at me about not doing the laundry. I got pretty spiteful, waiting until the load in the washer was ready to switch over before I came back to the house. By that time, she had called the police to report me as a runaway. I actually requested for them to keep me overnight, but they don't get paid enough to deal with family squabbles. They did, however, use a breathalyzer on Nikki when she came to pick me up. The knowledge that she had to leave her

car there for the night was a small victory. I was so glad to have visits with my stepdad. He drank a lot with Nikki gone, but he was a happy drunk without her antagonizing him. This was also around the time that K2 was super big. Since they kept changing the formula to get around production laws, the chemicals online to mix with paint thinner and make his own. That shit was scary. I stopped dealing after an incident at school, where a kid got wheeled out on a stretcher. Maybe that's what did it, maybe the drinking. My brother and I have even wondered if Nikki would want to stop the divorce that badly. She did mention his pension not that long ago. Whatever the case, I didn't know that he wasn't sleeping the next time I got dropped off for a

visit. He worked second shift, so it was typical for him to be in bed until six some nights. I waited until then to check on him, but I knew something was wrong before then. Can you believe that I called Nicky before the cops? For some reason, I was worried that they would find the stuff he used to make spice. They did ask a bunch of medical questions I couldn't answer, like what medications dad might be taking. Thankfully, my grandpa had shown up by then. I helped him gather the guns to take with him, which seemed sensible. I still wonder if I should have told him about the Glock in the glove compartment, or just taken it for myself. After all, I never saw anything from that house again. After a few hours, my mom still wasn't there. My boyfriend's

grandparents still lived close, so I went to wait there. I can't remember what her excuse was. Nikki claims that Grandpa took everything, while my brother is pretty sure Richard and her pawned all the reloading and machinist tools. Death and greed, am I right? She picked the dumbest songs for the funeral, and even wanted me to sing. I couldn't bring myself to. The man in the coffin looked too gone to be my dad. I flinched as they did the 21-gun salute. And things just went downhill from there. I started talking to my actual dad again, and I was. was barely in school. Though Nikki wanted to pretend to be responsible all of the sudden, I learned that being reported absent to one or more classes was easy to explain away. Some days, it seemed

like the only way I could do anything. Others, she was back to being chill. Next time, I'll get into what happened once we moved in with Richard. Until then, and hopefully not too long of a wait this time. Update 3. All right Reddit, grand finale for you. If you haven't seen my other posts, feel free to enjoy this shit show on its own merits, but you're missing out. The need to know is, after two failed marriages and a family death, I was left with no escape from my mother Nikki and her creepy boyfriend Richard. At least, not a responsible escape. It seemed like my mom was finally putting in an effort to parent me, now that there was another person around. I wasn't allowed to run halfway across town doing

God knows what anymore. And I mean it all. I was stuck where we'd moved into with Richard. A lot of times I was helping him and Nikki clean those houses college kids rent out. Disgusting, yet cool work. I've always liked exploring empty places, but never got paid for any of it. That was after school, of course. Really, I was running halfway across town to my boyfriend's house. I moved after this story, which messed up my sophomore credits anyways, so I'm not entirely sure how much of the school year I skipped, but I was gone often enough that my friends commented when I finally showed. As a student, I got a free city bus pass. Since my BF got his school credits online, he was always home. You can put two and two together. I don't know if the school tried to contact Nikki any other way than the automated, late or absent messages, but I never heard about it. Aside from the general lockdown, she was the same as always. She'd show me some conspiracy crap and be super proud I wouldn't be a mindless sheep.

She'd include myself and Richard's kids in the New Year's festivities until his son was hitting on me and puking in the toilet. She'd be pissed that I made myself dinner because her and Richard had been out all night. I even saved them some breaded pork chops and mashed potatoes. I had only a chip on my shoulder over that one. She always had that effect on me. You can either go to bed or go outside would turn into her trying to drag me back inside, and getting her off of me would result in a smashed front window. Really unhinged stuff.

I also dislike how she used cigarettes against me once she found out I smoked. Note for later. She actually told me to ask her when I wanted one. Then we were arguing once, and I told her I could use a smoke. She smirked and told me I could have won after doing the dishes. The piss poor timing didn't help my mood, but my literal bro slipped me a cigarette while I was fuming. I can't remember when he, his wife, and kid S. Moved in with us, but before you start picturing full house, Richard's kids were only over for visitation.

They were still around a decent bit. Enough for me to pick up on the fact that his son had a crush on me. We actually had a decent conversation once where I made it clear I wasn't interested, and he accepted that. Yay, healthy communication. Richard forbade me from speaking to his kids after that. Maybe it pissed him off that neither of them could get me? He hadn't bothered me much since I literally ran from him, so eyed. So, about the cigarette thing.

I honestly don't know how Nikki figured it out. Maybe she finally noticed the multiple open packs she left around. going missing. I do remember how she confronted me about it, though. Late at night, with my hand inside her purse. I've told you before, I was not a good kid. Ironically, I wasn't even stealing cigarettes. I had just lost my bus pass and wanted to visit my boyfriend. I must have gotten it replaced at some point, since I remember him seeing the bruises from the literal paddling Nikki gave me. She didn't take kindly to my petty effort of showing no pain, so I got a few. I got a few more wax than she originally said I would. I also lost my bedroom door privileges,

and the kitchen door was padlocked. Don't ask me. My best guess is that in Nicky's holier than Tao racist philosophies had something against thievery, considering how much she mentioned it in that context. Things did get pretty serious around this time period. I got real good at stealing from convenience stores, and Richard even got annoyed when I once licked my dinner plate after being refused seconds. He also didn't appreciate the broken window incident. Maybe I drove him off, because he ended up getting another place to stay most of the time. That also got Nicky out of the house a lot, so there was some peace again. It was on that kind of day, while my bro and I were playing Xbox, that his wife walked in and told us that Nikki was going to marry Richard.

I was a pretty dramatic kid, and immediately picked up my phone to call my dad to come and get me. We had been estranged after my mom convinced me to deny him visitation, but I had started talking with him again. While he was on his way, my BF came over and helped my brother and I packed some things. I was just looking for an excuse to bail at that point, so everything moved pretty quickly. My brother and I joked about how long it'd take Nikki to notice I was gone. A week later, she showed up with the police to the school dad had enrolled me in, pointing out the earlier promises of Juvie if I I ran away again, and that it would be preferable to living in a house with her did nothing, of course. They still couldn't be bothered to deal with our family drama, but CPS could.

Imagine my surprise when my BF gets a call that people are looking for me at school, and he could get in trouble if I'm there with him. My first day back at that school, and I was caught ditching. I got back there quick to find my very displeased caseworker, C.W., who wanted to know where I had been. After years of seeing my parents weaponizing CPS against each other, it hadn't occurred to me to contact them. I was completely honest, of course. What possible repercussions could I face? In the eyes of the law, Nikki was supposed to be responsible for me. Not that she needed my help to slander her parenting skills.

It only took another week to be out of that house for good. The lock was obviously removed from the kitchen now, but that didn't matter much once we ran out of food. You see, Nikki was still at Richards the majority of the time. My brother's car had broken down, so the only way to the store was on foot. Not like it was my bro's job to feed me. We couldn't get a hold of her, and so we called my C.W. 20 minutes, give or take, and Nikki storms into the house yelling about I don't remember what. She was mad at my brother, angrily packing her things to stay with Richard. Before leaving again, she shoved her grandson over when he got in her way, which is when I think Bro decided to leave with me.

We both packed after getting the go-ahead from C.W. My dad even went by the police station to confirm he was taking me. I'd like to say I had no contact with Nikki after that, but I did attempt to stay with her a few more times. There was that time she opened all the windows and doors of our apartment to heat the outside when I tried to get away from her and cool down. Or when, I also have this story on my profile, she tried to get my previous BF, now husband arrested slash killed by telling the police he was going to shoot up a diner.

That one was the straw for me, despite her holding an inheritance over my head and arguing that she deserves a relationship with me. Oh, and that my son is missing out on a relationship with her. Apologies for the warp timeline on this one. As crazy as it sounds now, this was my normal for a long time. It really just blends together, especially after so long. I'm glad to say that I was more level-headed at dads. I had my moments, but I was actually good in school when I wanted to be. Not sure how to end this saga.

If you read all the installments. Ike, congrats. You know me a bit better now, and I'd be interested to hear some of your crazy life experiences. I get bored, being all normal and well-adjusted now. Loles. Really, though, I'm doing good. Hope you can say the same. I hope you enjoy this story.

Insane mother-in-law attempted to disrupt my wedding by alleging that my partner was unfaithful with a different woman. However, her plan failed. Just seven days ago, Kyle and I got married. Not, surrounded by the people we hold dear. The wedding unfolded just as we had hoped, with the presence of our loved ones turning our day into a beautiful celebration. Our close family and friends had gathered to witness our union, creating an atmosphere of warmth and happiness. It was a day filled with shared laughter, joyous embraces, and the simple pleasures of togetherness. Everything had gone perfectly except for one hiccup. My dumb stepmother tried to ruin my wedding.

My parents split when I was a kid, but they've been great at co-parenting ever since, making sure I always had both of them in my life. These days, my mom's seeing a guy named Holt, and my dad's happily married to Gigi. Even though I was pretty young when my dad tied the knot again, I never felt weird about it. In fact, I was pretty stoked that our family was getting bigger. Gigi has a daughter from her previous marriage, called Naomi, just a year older than me. When dad introduced me to her, I thought we could become good friends. But turns out Naomi was only sweet when dad was around. Behind his back, she used to pick on me quite a bit.

I am not one to back down easily, so when Naomi teased me about my hair or clothes, I would give it right back to her. Our arguments sometimes escalated, like any typical kid, and occasionally turned physical. Gigi would rush in at the sound of Naomi's tears, always quick to separate us. Naomi, cleverly pretending that I had slapped or punched her, managed to turn Gigi against me. No matter how hard I tried to explain that Naomi was the instigator, Gigi never bought it. She would then wait for my dad to return home to unload her complaints about me. My dad, thankfully, never took sides and would just be upset that Naomi and I fought.

As the years passed, our relationship continued to sour. Mom started to notice how Gigi and Naomi treated me when dad wasn't around, so she talked to him about it. Since then, dad started taking me out on my. these weekend outings, just the two of us, creating a space where we could spend quality time together. I have grown to cherish these moments, appreciating the undivided attention and the chance to share all my thoughts and concerns with him. When Gigi discovered this, she wasn't pleased at all. She insisted that Dad should include Naomi in these outings, but fortunately, Dad stood his ground and refused. Before tying the knot with Kyle, we spent six wonderful years dating. During that

time, I introduced him to my parents during numerous family dinners. On one occasion, amidst the cheerful atmosphere, while we shared stories and enjoyed the meal, Gigi suddenly stopped eating and looked at the both of us intently. I looked at her curiously and she then boldly remarked that Kyle was too good looking for me. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, prompting my mother to inquire angrily about her remark. Gigi attempted to brush it off as a compliment to Kyle. However, Kyle was just as upset and stood up for me, expressing that she should not talk about us this way. He continued to tell her how fortunate he felt to be with someone like me.

His words brought a smile to my face, and I felt grateful for his support. The dinner continued after that, though Gigi's failed attempt at humor lingered like an uninvited guest. Returning home, her words continued to sting, lingering in my mind. It was undeniable that Kyle, standing at 6 feet 2 inches with a well-built physique from regular workouts, fit conventional standards of attractiveness. In contrast, I stood at 5 feet 5 inches and carried a bit of weight. Surprisingly, Kyle had never made me feel insecure about my body, our love life was healthy, and he never uttered a word about my weight. Despite this, my self-esteem sometimes took a hit, particularly when I noticed other girls admiring him. Gigi's comment that night hit close to home,

yet the knowledge that Kyle had immediately defended our relationship reassured me. Over the years, Gigi continued to make subtle yet hurtful comments about my appearance whenever we were left alone during my dinners with my dad at his place. Whether it was a remark on my choice of clothing or a sly comment about how I should consider hitting the gym more often, her words chipped away at my confidence. These comments, often disguised as concern or casual observations, created a persistent undercurrent of self-doubt. Kyle, whenever he overheard her remarks, always defended me. Besides Gigi, Naomi wasn't exactly friendly towards me either. She often acted overly familiar with Kyle,

getting uncomfortably close and making him uneasy. Despite Kyle expressing his discomfort to her multiple times, she continued to behave inappropriately with him whenever she she got a chance. On one Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends, during a truth and dare game, someone dared Naomi to sit on the person she liked the most. We assumed she would sit on her mother's lap, but she boldly walked up to my fiancé, pointing at him to indicate that she intended to sit on him. Kyle promptly stood up, refusing her request. I watched Naomi's face turn red in embarrassment as she knew everyone was watching her get turned down. I couldn't help but burst into laughter, realizing that Kyle would never reciprocate her interest, no matter how desperately she wanted it.

During the remainder of the Thanksgiving gathering, Naomi seemed visibly embarrassed by the ordeal. The atmosphere became a bit awkward, but Kyle and I brushed it off and continued enjoying the celebration with our friends and family. Now coming on to the story, as our big day drew nearer, I was filled with excitement and joy. Kyle and I were head over heels in love, eagerly anticipating the journey ahead. Despite my reservations, I extended an invitation to Gigi and Naomi at my dad's insistence. He assured me that if they caused any trouble, he would swiftly show them the door. Reluctantly, I agreed to my dad's request, hoping for the best on our special day.

On the day we were set to exchange our vows, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation. Surrounded by the love of friends and family, I was in the midst of getting ready my dress adorned, and my hair gracefully braided. My bridesmaids were all set to accompany me down the aisle. Yet, just when everything seemed perfect, Gigi barged into my dressing room, asking if she could talk to me privately. My mother told her to leave me alone as I needed time to be ready before it was time to walk down the aisle. Despite my efforts to maintain composure, Gigi persisted, emphasizing the head. she needed to share something crucial before what she perceived as a huge mistake. Growing weary of her persistence, I requested everyone to give us some privacy.

My mother looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I assured her that I would handle the situation with Gigi swiftly so that I could return to the preparations. My mother nodded understandingly and walked out, leaving Gigi and me alone. I turned to Gigi and told her she had two minutes to explain herself before I kicked her out of the room. Gigi, with an air of faux concern, conspiratorially pulled out multiple pictures and put them down on the table. She claimed that these pictures would change everything I knew about Kyle. I was shocked. I glanced at the photos, only to see Tom innocently chatting with a distant cousin at a restaurant.

Gigi told me that she had found Kyle talking to this mysterious woman while she was out for dinner last week and had snapped these pictures so that I wouldn't be surprised later to find out about his alleged infidelity. With an air of false concern, she urged me to reconsider the wedding, making it sound like I was about to make a huge mistake. I calmly took a deep breath and decided to play along with her games. Determined not to let her turn my wedding day into a nightmare, I opened the door and requested my mother to bring Kyle and my dad to my room. Gigi, under the impression that I was about to confront Kyle regarding his alleged affair, reassured me that everything would be fine once I confronted him. Little did she know, a different kind of confrontation awaited her. Kyle was a bit hesitant to enter my room as he didn't want to see me in my wedding dress.

But at this point, I didn't care about traditions anymore and urged him to come inside. As Kyle stepped into the room, Gigi wore a triumphant smirk, anticipating a confrontation. I gestured toward the pictures she had spread across the table and calmly asked Kyle if he could explain the images. He looked at the photos, a puzzled expression on his face. I could see Gigi reveling in the drama she had orchestrated. Kyle, maintaining his composure, explained that the woman in the pictures was his cousin, whom he had met for dinner last week. He clarified the context of each image, pointing out the family resemblance and the innocent nature of their conversation. Gigi's confident demeanor began to waver as Kyle's explanation dismantled her scheme.

My dad, who had joined us by then, listened intently. I could sense the frustration building in Gigi as her plan unraveled. In a moment of triumph, I turned to Gigi, revealing that the woman in the photos was indeed Kyle's distant cousin, who I had in fact met at one of his family events. I couldn't help but smirk as her face faltered, realizing that her attempt to ruin my wedding had failed miserably. My dad, who was listening to us silently, caught on to Gigi's deceit. He looked at me and asked if Gigi was the one who brought those pictures to me.

I nodded and explained how she disrupted my wedding preparations, attempting to claim that the man I was about to marry was having an affair. My dad, visibly upset, turned to Gigi and questioned why she would even consider pulling such a stunt. Gigi looked defeated and embarrassed at this point. My dad sternly demanded an explanation, and that's when she revealed her true intentions. Gigi claimed that I didn't deserve to marry someone like Kyle and claimed that we would never be happy together. She asserted that her daughter, Naomi, had fallen in love with Kyle over the years. We stared at her in disbelief as Gigi went on, insisting that Naomi, being more beautiful

than me, deserved to marry Kyle instead. She went on to explain that, over the years, she had attempted to plant negative thoughts about our relationship and our minds, but it had not worked. But when she saw Kyle with a mysterious woman, she saw an opportunity to finally break us up. At this point, we all stared at her as if she had completely lost her mind. My mom, already upset with her behavior, told my dad that this was unacceptable. In turn, my dad immediately agreed and sternly asked Gigi to leave immediately. She tried to protest, but my mother dragged her out of the room. Naomi stormed into the room, demanding answers.

as she sensed something was wrong. My dad then explained the deceitful actions of Gigi. Hearing this, Naomi then turned her attention to me and without a moment's pause started yelling at me. She launched into a barrage of accusations, blaming me for tearing her family apart. I remained calm, trying to explain the gravity of Gigi's deceit, but Naomi's anger only kept intensifying.

Naomi sneered, saying my relationship with Kyle was a sham, built on lies and her mother was right to try to break it off. While I tried to defend our love, she laughed it off, telling me that I was deluding myself. She reiterated that she deserved to be with Kyle, and he was only with me because he thought I was richer than her, given that I had a fancier job. At this point, Kyle, unable to contain his anger any longer,

stepped in. He sternly confronted her, setting the record straight. His words carried a mix of disappointment and firmness. as he rebuffed Naomi's advances. In no uncertain terms, he conveyed that he would never be interested in her and he thought he had made it very clear to her publicly several times. He pointed out that we were getting married and she and Gigi had no right to spoil our day. Naomi, now faced with opposition, hesitated for a moment, realizing that her attempts to sow discord were falling flat.

Throughout this confrontation, my father tried to act as a mediator, attempting to bring reason into the chaotic exchange. Despite Naomi's relentless accusations, he stood by my side, and eventually realizing that Naomi was not going to give up, he asked her to leave our wedding with Gigi. Naomi appeared taken aback by this unexpected turn, and a sense of satisfaction spread across my face.

After their embarrassing exit, I turned to Kyle, a mix of frustration and amusement on my face. We shared a knowing glance and he burst into laughter, looking at the innocent images that Gigi had twisted into something so devious. We were grateful that our relationship had weathered this bizarre storm. The wedding continued, unaffected by Gigi's ill-conceived interference. Our vows were exchanged, and the celebration with our loved ones resumed. It turned out to be a day filled with joy and laughter, just as we had dreamed about.

As the festivities continued, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Gigi's plan had backfired, and her attempt to cast out on my relationship had only strengthened the bond between Kyle and me. Kyle and I had a wonderful honeymoon. Since returning back home, I have been hearing from my dad that all is not well between Gigi and him. She thinks we were too harsh in kicking her out and blames me for embarrassing her in front of Kyle, mom, and dad. Naomi, too, has sent me several messages, claiming I am sick for embarrassing her mother, and continue. to warn me that I would never be happy with Kyle. This is starting to get to me so I would like to know Ida for exposing my dumb stepmother's allegations and then kicking her out of my wedding?

Update 1, it's been a few days since my last update. Apparently one of my bridesmaids, who was my cousin, Fiona, had overheard the entire conversation with Gigi and Naomi that day. She couldn't keep the shocking revelation to herself. Disturbed by what she had heard during the confrontation with Gigi and Naomi. she felt compelled to share it with a few close family members. As the news slowly spread, the collective disapproval grew, creating a ripple effect that reached the ears of other relatives. The story of their disruptive actions during my wedding became a topic of conversation within the

family, triggering a cascade of disapproval and disappointment. All of our relatives were as shocked as we were when we first found out about their deceitful scheme. The unanimous sentiment within the family is one of agreement that what Gigi and Naomi did to me was undeniably wrong. Gossip and shared indignation worked swiftly, causing the family to collectively shun Gigi and Naomi. I have received several concerned phone calls and messages from relatives, who were previously unaware of the disruptive events that unfolded during my wedding. Today, I invited my dad over dinner as I hadn't seen him since the wedding. When he arrived, I noticed how visibly different he looked, not like his usual self. During our meal, my dad opened up about how Gigi and Naomi were making

his life increasingly difficult. They were insistent that I owe them an apology for kicking them out. Kyle and I were shocked listening to how entitled they felt to get an apology for me when they had tried to ruin my wedding in the first place. It was a surreal moment, trying to comprehend their audacity. My dad sensing my frustration, expressed he was equally disappointed in their behavior. He is assured me that I owed no apology for protecting my wedding against their disruptive actions. It worried me to see Dad dealing with all the toxicity, so I shared my concerns with him. We both acknowledged that the constant conflicts with Gigi were taking a toll on his mental well-being. Dad also went on to reveal that Naomi was threatening us with legal actions,

claiming emotional distress from the wedding incident. It sounded absurd, and I couldn't help but laugh, but beneath the laughter, I recognized the strain their demands were putting on our family dynamics. I plan on confronting Naomi and Gigi regarding this and hopefully resolve it once and for all. Update 2 today I met up with Naomi and Gigi as I had mentioned earlier. I invited them both out for lunch at a cafe instead of my place. Kyle wanted to go with me but I insisted that this was something I needed to do on my own. As we sat down, the air was thick with tension. I calmly expressed my concerns about their actions during the wedding, emphasizing the hurt they caused. Gigi, however, remained defensive,

insisting that she stood by everything she had told me. She insisted that she was acting in Naomi's best interest. This really pissed me off and I retorted that Kyle was my husband now and I won't stand by their persistent disregard for our relationship. I pointed out that, at the very least, she could have apologized to me for how she interrupted my wedding day. The conversation quickly escalated into a heated exchange. Gigi, with a stubborn demeanor, refused to admit any wrongdoing, claiming she was only looking out for her daughter. Naomi, on the other hand, started accusing me of being insecure, suggesting that my reaction was fueled by my jealousy of her. This made me laugh in her face. I couldn't help but laugh, clarifying that I had never seen her as a competition.

I reminded her of my academic achievements, securing a scholarship, graduating from my dream. dream college, and landing a job that provided financial comfort. I expressed my frustration, emphasizing that, unlike her, I had a partner who genuinely loved me, and I didn't need to go behind someone's back to try and steal them. Naomi's face twisted with anger as she retorted, spewing hurtful words in my direction. She claimed that I was living in a fantasy if I thought Kyle truly loved me. She insinuated that he was only with me out of pity or convenience and that he deserves someone better. Her words were venomous, but I tried to maintain composure, refusing to let her undermine my relationship or tarnish my happiness. Gigi, standing beside Naomi,

couldn't resist adding her own bitter remarks. With a condescending tone, she questioned my ability to handle a marriage, implying that I was naive and inexperienced. If I remember her exact words were, honey, I don't know what Kyle sees in you. I mean, come on, a man like him with a woman like you? It's laughable. You might have a good job, but can you really keep a man like him satisfied? In the face of Gigi's spiteful remarks, I took a moment to collect myself, suppressing the anger bubbling within. I then responded that her opinions about my marriage were irrelevant. Kyle and I shared a deep connection that went beyond her shallow judgment so if she couldn't respect that, then it's best for us to part ways. Naomi, fueled by a mix of anger and

also accused me of being selfish, claiming that I had ruined her chance at happiness by marrying Kyle. As the argument intensified, Gigi played the victim card, asserting that my decision to kick them out was an overreaction. Despite my attempts to reason with them, it became evident that reasoning with them was futile. Their refusal to acknowledge their mistakes and the depth of their actions only fueled the intensity of our argument. It became clear that maintaining a relationship with individuals so hellbent on causing harm was untenable. The meeting ended on a sour note, with unresolved issues and lingering tension, leaving me with the realization that some conflicts are irreparable. Returning home, the weight of the confrontation pressed heavily on my shoulders, and I broke down in tears.

The emotional toll of the encounter left me drained, both physically and mentally. It wasn't just about Gigi and Naomi's disdain for me, it was also the understanding that my father was likely enduring a similar, if not more intense, emotional storm at his end. I have since talked with my mother and made the difficult decision to permanently cut ties with Gigi and Naomi. She was shocked hearing how much they had hurt me and wanted to go off on them. I stopped her emphasizing that they weren't worth our time or emotional energy. The toxicity they brought into our lives was not worth the emotional toll it took. I am choosing to prioritize my mental well-being and the stability of my marriage over their relentless negativity. It is a painful but necessary step toward a healthier,

happier life. Update 3, thank you for everyone's comments since my post. It's been two months since my last update and a lot has changed in our lives. Firstly, my dad and Gigi are now separated. As many foresaw, Gigi's refusal to acknowledge her mistakes, coupled with constant pressure and conflicts, took a toll on my dad. Consequently, he moved. out of their place and is consulting with lawyers to initiate divorce proceedings. After dad blocked her on all fronts, Gigi attempted to reach out to me, but I also blocked her, prompting her to call Kyle. He didn't pick up her calls knowingly so she sent a long message to him about how her daughter, Naomi, was heartbroken. Gigi blamed me for orchestrating

their separation and accused me of turning my dad against her. Kyle and I read the message together, shaking our heads at her attempt to shift blame. We didn't bother to reply to her and Kyle blocked her as well. As for my dad, since his separation, he seems lighter and happier. He's gradually finding peace away from the constant turmoil with Gigi and Naomi. Kyle and I have been there to support him through this challenging time. We have encouraged him to focus on his well-being and pursue activities that bring him joy. Despite the difficulties, it's heartening to see my dad rediscovering himself and embracing the freedom from toxic dynamics. A month ago, I went on a vacation with my mom to spend some time with her. Since the incident, she has been really worried about me and fuming at how they

treated me. This beach vacation was much needed as we strolled along the serene beaches, reminiscing about our joyful memories and discussing plans for the future. In the quiet moments of our vacation, surrounded by the comforting presence of my mother, I felt so much peace. It was a therapeutic reset, allowing us to strengthen our bond and cherish the moments of peace away from the chaos that Gigi and Naomi had brought into our lives. As I am writing this, I find myself feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for the love Kyle and I share. His unwavering support and understanding have been the pillars that have held me up through the storms. If I didn't have a supportive and loyal partner like him, I don't know what I would do. As I reflect on our journey, I am immensely thankful

for the joy he brings, the laughter we share, and the strength he provides in the face of challenges. Looking ahead, I look forward to embracing the prospect of spending the rest of my life with Kyle. You. I hope you enjoy this story. My partner's closest female friend mentioned she would not join us on our holiday if I accompanied. Consequently, he opted for her and all altered the destination of the trip without informing me, prompting me to leave his belongings behind. His house while he was gone. My boyfriend wanted to go on a vacation this summer to his mom's friend's house in Hawaii with me and his two best friends, 25m and 29F.

We had been planning on this all spring, and at some point, 25M dropped out of the trip, leaving just the three of us. For context, my boyfriend and I have been going out since November, and it's been serious. We had, and still have, been talking about moving in together and he has said, and I agree, that this is a long-term situation and that we are in it for good. In early June, once 25M unexpectedly dropped out of the trip, 29F called my boyfriend and told him that now that it was just the three of us, she didn't feel comfortable with me going on the trip, since she didn't know me that well and she didn't want to be a third wheel.

She said that if I were to go, she wouldn't go on the trip. Without telling me that this was happening, they changed the plans and made it a trip just the two of them and they changed the location to a beach in Costa Rica. I was trying to figure out when to ask for time off this summer and hadn't heard news about the plans, so I asked my boyfriend which week in August I should be setting aside for the Hawaii trip. He let me know that, actually, he had talked to his friend and that she didn't want to go if I were going, so he was going to go alone with her to Costa Rica. He said that we could go another week later maybe to Mexico City or something. I was upset and tried to talk with him about how the situation made me feel, especially since this wasn't a case of a separate trip being set up ahead of time, this was a case of me being invited and then uninvited from a week-long tropical vacation

with a girlfriend of his who I had never met before. We eventually decided to do a trip together to Copenhagen, which we have both wanted to visit, as some sort of compensation. I also asked to meet her so that I could feel more comfortable with the trip. We spent the 4th of July going to see her and her boyfriend in the city where they live, and although it was nice to put a face to a name, it was ultimately a very cold trip and she was not at all welcoming to me. My boyfriend remarked on how unfriendly she was, to both of us, he thought, and said that he was surprised that she didn't act warmly to me. I went out of my way to try get to know her and her boyfriend, I'm very outgoing and friendly and usually this one.

would be easy, but it didn't really click, even after several days. They were somewhat cold to each other as well, they bickered a little bit about their future in his own three-week trip without her that was scheduled for the same time as their trip, this had been scheduled before hours had. This had been my effort to feel better about the trip, so I told my boyfriend that I still didn't feel comfortable with things, and that I was feeling insulted by the way that it was handled. I had tried to make things smooth between all of us, and I asked him to please come up with something that could help me feel better about the trip. On a visit to his family, they asked about the trip and they were all shocked that he would

have arranged it this way, and let me know that they would have been furious if they were in my position, which triggered a fight in which I asked him to please help a strategy to make me feel better and more secure about them going together without me. He said that he would never do this kind of thing again, which feels like not much to offer, since this is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to begin with. He kind of offered to not go on the trip, but he had already paid for the tickets and made arrangements and I didn't want to stop their trip and be resented by both him and his best friend. He asked me to give him ideas of how to make me feel better and wanted me to just tell him what to do

installed and stalled until it was finally the day of the trip. He bought me a bag of peanut butter cups and I drove the two of them to the airport. I feel so disregarded and disrespected in this situation. I want to break up with him, but I don't. want to burn up something that has otherwise been really good. Update, I was really upset the day I dropped him off and he was texting me but I wasn't responding. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I didn't want to do anything at all in the state I was in. I waited until the next day, and then I sent him a thought out text letting him know that I didn't feel safe or loved in the way

the trip was handled and that I would be dropping his things off at his place and leaving his keys with the neighbor. He called but didn't leave any messages and then he messages. And then he messes me that he didn't understand. The rest of the week, he called and messaged me, but I couldn't bring myself to pick up or text back. On Thursday, I think that he realized that I was serious, and he asked me some questions about logistical things, I told him which neighbor his key was with, etc. When he got back and saw all his things at his place, he got pretty frantic and called and left me a long message. I was working all day, but also I still didn't want to respond. He asked me to explain because he didn't understand what was going on.

The next day, I sent another text making it clear that it was over, and he got upset and sent me a bunch of texts in a row about how he didn't understand why I was throwing away everything that we built. He left me a voicemail that was really angry that said he had no idea why I was upset and that he did not accept a breakup because he had no say in it and that he wanted me to tell him the evil story that I had made up about him to his face. I wasn't going to respond to him and I wanted to remain calm, but this upset me. So I sat down to write him this letter. It's long, so skip over if you want. I tried to call him but I started crying and told him I just sent him an email instead. This is what it said. The time that we have had a part has given me some good space and time to think.

I have had a chance to think about the things that are important for me in a relationship and I see that we should not be together. I am sorry that I have been asking for you to change things about your life that you shouldn't have to change at my or anyone's behest. From the very start, this trip was made in an insanely disrespectful way in which it started out from you being given an ultimatum by your female best friend who I had never met that either she goes or I go on this trip, and you picked her. You didn't offer to have her meet me. Theoretically I was your long-term partner, so this would have made a lot of sense, you

didn't encourage her to find someone else to come, and you didn't consult me at all. That's enough for most people to have a deal breaker, right there. However, I stayed. This is a person who you have a history with that is not entirely clear to me. Here is what I understand. Some bad rumors got started about the two of you in which you spent an entire night out with her on an asset trip while you were dating someone else. Nothing happened. The other thing I understand is that you were interested. interested in her romantically at some, theoretically other, point in that she started dating her boyfriend and that closed the door on things for you.

According to what I also understand, it took a long time for 29 F's boyfriend to feel comfortable with you being around, but you apparently worked to ultimately make him feel comfortable with you after I'm not sure how long. This is the completely unknown person who shut me out of a trip that I was originally going to go on, unilateral decision. You did not tell me this was happening until I asked when the trip to Hawaii would be. You purchase tickets in another very disrespectful situation in which I have cooked dinner and have guests present, and you choose to go into my room for well over an hour to select tickets with her.

And in which I repeatedly ask you to please come to dinner because you say it will just be a few more minutes each time. There is absolutely no reason for doing it at that time and in that situation, seeing is how she is in the same time zone as us and has a nine to five job. This makes me feel sick to my stomach. So, to make myself feel better about this whole arrangement, I tell you that I want to meet this person. On my request, we arrange a trip to go meet her and her boyfriend, a brief trip in which they are, and you explicitly agree, inexplicably cold.

The first conversation that we have is one in which 29F and her boyfriend argue about how she'd owned him while he was already in a relationship and got him to date her instead. You tell me about conversations that 29F has had with you recently in which it seems implied that there is some real instability in their long-term relationship, stuff about kids and dogs. I have a discussion in which I let you know that I see that and that it worries me. Meanwhile, I am still wanting all of this to work out for you and for me and for her. I, at this point, am planning on being with you for the long-term and see no benefit in telling you to not go on a trip with your best friend. I want it to work out. But each and every interaction surrounding this trip chips and chips and chips away at my ability to handle it.

The conversations that seem to go nowhere, etc. Your dad, your mom and your grandparents are all very surprised when we tell them about this trip. It is becoming very obvious that this is a dangerous trip to make with the fragility of our relationship. 29M, we had only been together for nine months. How long did it take before 29F's boyfriend was comfortable with you hanging around? Much less going on a one-on-one international tropical vacation in which he was uninvited because of your request. We go over it with, friend, at the rock climbing gym. We go over it in the car.

We go over it while we're booking our Airbnb for Copenhagen. We go over it when I tell you that I still feel uncomfortable and I do not feel good about the trip. Talk about repeatedly saying something. Although I ask for you to help me, you actually ask me instead to come up with what would make me feel better. Surprisingly, I have no ideas either. Ultimately, it appears that the original plan to meet at my place and hang out and do a U2 go on the trip has been cancelled, and 29F will be staying at my place, but not hanging out with us at all beforehand. You attribute it to you not bringing it up with her early enough.

This is apparently not something that was discussed even two nights before the trip. This upsets me. You do not know what to do. I don't blame you, at this point, it was well out of hand. I don't know what to do either. There is no good solution that I can think of besides waiting for the trip to be over. I tell you that either I have to get over it, or I have to break up with you, and that I don't want to break up with you. but my ability to get over it is rather worn down.

She arrives at my place very late, and we wake up the next morning for me to take the two of you to the airport. After all of this lead up, I know that you can tell how unhappy I am. I fully absolutely know you can tell how unhappy I am. You leave, and when I don't respond to your text messages, you text me to tell me that you hope I'm okay and you're going to bed. No call. The rest of the week was rough. My text to you was met with, essentially, I'm sorry you feel this way. You tell me that I'm being unfair.

There is no acknowledgement, and there still has been none, that this trip to a fucking honeymoon destination, as we have discussed before, could be a crazy and horrible thing to go through with, even with my quasi-blessing. This is not something that people in relationships have to deal with. This is not something that people in relationships have to deal with. This is not something that people in relationships do, besides 29F, I guess. In the end, all of this is to say that I have felt serious emotional needs go seriously unmet in a way that is a deal-breaker for me. There have been some wonderful, very positive times, but there has been an unnecessary amount

of heartache and suffering for me over things that come down to what I can only assume are personal differences. I cannot handle your relationship with 29F. And I suppose I could ask you to pick between her and me, but that's not what I want to do. I want you to have your best friend, and I want to leave. I did love you, but I am not about to fight this fight and hear you tell me that I'm crazy totally platonic everything is for the rest of my life. It seems like trying to convince someone to like different food, or to have a different favorite color. I am not happy in this, and I do not want to feel these feelings any longer. There is no need for this to be mutual. I do not need your permission to break up with you. He wrote me back an apologetic email in which he

accepted responsibility for most things without any argument. Except he denied anything that had to do with his relationship with her making me feel uncomfortable and he denied that I would not be able to handle their relationship. He said that the only thing that made their trip bad for me was my own perspective. I wrote him back that trust has to be built and that he put too much strained too early on a relationship in which we had not developed that trust. He agreed and apologized. For me, it ended on a pretty amicable note. But this style of relationship really doesn't work for me and I don't feel like his responses to me really healed or changed anything significantly. I stand by my decision at this point. In this story, fiancé refused to tell

her male best friend about our engagement. When I confronted her, she texted him I was engaged but not anymore right in front of me. My now ex-fiancee 30F and me, M27, got engaged three weeks ago. We've been dating for five years and I finally got the money to give her the wedding she wanted. Well, three days ago we were discussing our guest list and I asked if she wanted to invite her best friend, let's call him James M30. James lives in another state, but since they were friends for 10 years, I thought I could even pay for his travel expenses since it would be great to have her best friend at the wedding. She denied, saying that it would take a lot of work to bring him, and she wanted to be a family event. Countless times she mentioned that James was like family to her, so I insisted.

She got annoyed and said I didn't even told him we were engaged. That took me by surprise, I tried to ask why, but she started stonewalling me, and I left her alone. After a couple of hours, I tried to ask her again why she haven't told him we were engaged, and she still refused to tell me, and I admit, my insecurity got the better of me. In the past, James had confessed he had feelings for her, which she turned down and basically friends owned him. But by the way she told me, it always sounded like she had him as a backup, something not only me, but her exes realized.

She married him online, they always made they wow characters look like a couple, like wearing the same trans-mog and shit like that, when she had a fight with her exes, he was always there for her and etc. I told her that made me uncomfortable and if she was not planning to tell him, she might as well consider herself single, because I would not marry someone who couldn't be honest. Yes, I was pretty immature, but she did something even more immature, she texted him while showing me her phone something like, hey, just so you know, I was engaged, but not anymore and send it to him. I told her to pack her things and leave my house. Ever since she left, she has been calling me, but I refused to answer. My mom called me,

because she apparently called my mom, and said that I was an asshole for ending things for such a ridiculous thing. So, Ida. Update 1, Hey guys, I just got home after talking to my, still ex-fiancee, and since a lot of people asked for an update, here it is. But I want to clarify a few things. As commented on my original post, I pay for the house since I bought it before dating her and I asked her to move in, since it was close to her job. I work from home since I'm in tech, but she had to go to work, that's why I paid for her car, to help her commute, and honestly her salary is shit.

I was her partner, so I didn't see any problem. with that. I thought she was the one, despite everything. She is smart, funny, we had chemistry, but I felt betrayed. To the update. We met at a coffee shop on the premise we would discuss how to save our relationship, at least, that's what she thought. As soon as we sat down, I asked to see their messages. She got defensive immediately and told me she had deleted everything. I asked to see her phone anyway. She started to see her phone anyway. She started to to cry, ugly cry, asking me to stop. At that point I had already decided I was not going to be part of the relationship anymore, but damn, I was curious. It took a good 20 minutes for her to hand

me her phone. A lot of crying, even a waitress asking her if she was okay. So I read the messages. There wasn't any cheating like nudes being exchanged, them professing their love for each other, but what I read still stung. There was a lot of shit, talking about me. A lot. Texts and texts of them saying how terrible of a person I was, criticizing my hobbies, I like video games and pro wrestling, saying I wasn't a real man because of them and stuff like that. But there were two topics that caught my eye. One where she had told him I was having trouble getting hard and that was frustrating for her. And one where she was complaining about how she didn't want to be stuck in our relationship.

Yes, I was having problems in bed. Because I was sad because my father had passed away six months ago, and the stuck thing, I remember telling her that when we got married, if she wanted she could leave her job, and I would provide for both of us. I don't know if she took this the wrong way, but I guess it was related to that. I honestly don't know. By the time I gave her the phone back, she was already giving excuses on why she was saying those things to him, how he was like a therapist for her, and then she asked me don't you complain about

me to your friends. And I simply replied, no, I don't. She started crying again. I took a pretty deep breath and just said, just give me the ring back. I didn't have the ring with me, like some suggested. She hesitated a bit, but gave it to me anyway. I stood up and asked her to delete my number and to not bother me anymore. I called her mom and asked her to pick up her daughter's stuff at my place. Her mom is a good person, I'm just realizing I'm going to miss her as I write this. She understood why I decided to end it, but she didn't ask much, and to be honest, I'm glad she didn't. As for my mom, I didn't call her, I just blocked her for things unrelated to this post, I just realized she never had my back in anything. I was always trying to say,

an already failed moms and relationship. Before I leave, I just want to clarify. I was never against her having male friends, or any type of friends. People are going to cheat, friends or no friends. I remember my dad saying something to me when I was a teenager, he always said opportunity makes the thief, but I do not agree with that. Anyway, since I have the next two weeks off work, I'm going to figure what to do with the wedding money, drink some booze,

play games, and watch Monday Night Raw later. Peace. Edit, a couple of people are asking about the car. Is a 2015 Nissan Versa which she crashed two times, both times she rear-ended someone. Never liked the car, weak engine, the interior feels cheap and overall bad, so for all I care she can keep that piece of shit. I would have more luck throwing it off a cliff than selling it. Edit 2.

little update. Her mom called me a few hours ago to check on me and to ask when she could come and pick up X's stuff. We spoke about the car and she basically forbid me to let her daughter keep the car because, one, I paid for it. Two, X wouldn't be able to maintain it. So I'm going to keep the car until I'm able to sell it. God help me. Also, some people called the story fake, because they said I wasn't a real man for playing games, and yet they played wow. To be honest, that's on me, because I wasn't very clear. The real man thing was more about the pro wrestling hobby than the gaming hobby, but in some messages they clearly mocked me for playing some games, Life is Strange series, in one I remember James saying something like how could a grown-ass man play such a girly game

and cry. Yes, I cried playing Life is Strange. I also cried to RDR2, the I'm afraid scene still makes me emotional. I'm a crybaby, I guess. Also, I want to thank everyone who messaged me to talk about wrestling in games, it really helped me take my mind out of everything. I haven't replied to everyone, but I intend to. If anything happens, I'll let you guys know. Be good people. Update 2, hey guys. It's been a couple of days since I used this account to tell my story, and some things happened, but this is a positive update. First, I want to say thank you to everyone who reached out in my DMs and commented saying nice things, it felt really good and I appreciate y'all, some of you actually made me tear up with your kind messages. Second, I want to

express my gratitude for everyone who gave me advice, told their own story or just told me I was a cool guy, reading your messages before writing this felt amazing. I also want to say I thought about my engagement a lot, and I have no regrets whatsoever. Yeah, things ended badly and she was not a good person to me at the end, but I just don't hate her, nor do I wish for her to fail. We had good moments, I felt happy with her and again I really thought she was the one. Felling hatred was going to harm me more than her. To the update.

Her mom came to pick up her stuff and we talked for hours, it felt like therapy. I cried on her shoulders, we laughed, She expressed how much I meant to her family, and that I would be always welcome in her home. It felt so good to hear her say those things to me. Before she left she asked me if I wanted to ask about my ex, I got curious and asked how she was doing. Her words were she's trying to act stoic, but I know my daughter, she's not taking this well. I left it at that. She gave me a hug and left.

About the car, I'm going to donate it and get a tax right off. But to the thing I'm excited about, is that I'm going to Royal Rumble, I never even watched Raw or Smackdown Live. But now that I have the extra cash, I'm going to treat myself. Again, thank you all for reaching out, sorry to the people who love drama that this update doesn't have an unwanted pregnancy, a fight, chaos, or a plot twist. The truth is that my live is just really, really boring. Be kind people. I hope you enjoy this story. Close pal asked me to supervise that her child's nuptials as my mobility aid and respiratory device might disrupt pictures.

Consequently, 80 attendees celebrated in my absence and are holding me responsible. I was so happy to see a wedding invitation in my mailbox. I pulled it out and a little note fell out on an index card but I looked at the invitation first. It was truly beautiful and I immediately stuck it to my fridge like the work of art it was. It was addressed to my husband and me and I was being. beyond stoked. I love weddings. I tend to get teary-eyed and smile until my face hurts at the joy of new beginnings and all the love. I was even a wedding singer, that's how much I love them. I picked up the note card and read that and while my husband was invited, I'd be in another room helping to babysit

all the children there with several other female invitees. There's a special room for children at the church and that's where I'd be. For everything. I'd still need to dress for a wedding and case I wind up in any photos, but I'd be taking my reception meal with the children and I'd be with all the kids for the ceremony. Then there was a link for their gift registry. Oh, and the meals for my husband and myself would be $100 each and we have a link to pay it when we digitally are SVP. The first problem here is that I am disabled at 50 years old. Legally. I use oxygen. I use a walker when I need to walk long distances. I sometimes have to give up the walker entirely and use a wheelchair.

I'm not proud of it, but there it is. I could happily sit in a room and look at kids, but I'd be pretty useless to prevent child from choking or anything else that would require me to move quickly. Second, my husband isn't the one who has been friends with these people since childhood. I am. Why would he be invited to watch the ceremony and be part of the reception but not me? My husband said he'd happily watch the kids and let me attend the wedding and reception,

but the invitation specified that only other female invitees would be watching the kids, so I doubt they'd let him. Is this a normal thing at weddings now? Do you pick guests to babysit other guests' children? Should I call them up and explain my health situation even though they already know it and visit me during my multiple hospitalizations a year? I hate having to pull the health card, but honestly, what were they thinking? I confess that I feel offended and hurt that I'm nothing more than a babysitter to them who is expected to pay for my supper and babysit for free.

Would I be wrong to simply tell them we won't be able to attend and to find another sitter? And if we don't go, do we still send a gift? Updating to address some questions. I know these folks because my mom, RIP mom, and the bride's grandma were besties. So, I grew up with the bride's mom as an almost sister to me. We went to school together, graduated together, worked at the same place twice, and have been super close since. The bride is like a goddaughter. At least I thought she was. I'm gobsmacked here. The church where they are getting married is a Southern Baptist church. They aren't members.

None of us are overly religious. They just like the venue and booked it. I've never been inside, but it's lovely on the outside and apparently, it has a child. child care room that is big enough for a bunch of women and kids to hole up comfortably for a wedding and reception. We're all American. The groom's family is related to my family via marriage and the bride and groom met at my house at a cookout a few years ago. I've always been way closer to the bride's family, though. I knew that there had been a proposal. I got face-timed about 10 minutes after it happened and my husband and I cried and laughed and wished them well and oohed and awed over their story in the ring. I was expecting an invitation, sure, but not like this.

The last time I had lunch with the bride's mom, she told me they're inviting around 200 people so it'll be a large wedding with, I'm assuming, a ton of children. No, I don't hate kids. I love kids. I would have loved to have kids of my own, but my body just wouldn't do it. It took two miscarriages and a stillbirth to finally make me accept that it wouldn't happen for us. We are in the process of adult adopting two young adults that we brought into our home when we found out they were kicked out and homeless at 18.

They've lived with us for years and we're making it legal. They call us mom and pop and we're a family. I'm still considering my options. I've started and deleted multiple emails to the bride's mom. I'm a raw nerve right now and my tone isn't the kindest. I want to keep it all in writing so there can be no he said slash she said. I plan to ask if they incorrectly sent me the note about babysitting since they know I physically cannot do that. But every inception of the email led with oof, Donna?

So, I need to think about it some more. Smile, thanks for all the comments. I'm reading them all. Comment where op has replied, K-colon, I'm not proud of it, but there it is. Sorry to not reply to your initial question, but this comment caught my attention. I just wanted to let you know that you should actually be very proud of yourself and your body for pushing through and using the equipment that is needed to support your body well. Boop, thank you. So much.

I never expected this to be my reality at 50 years old. Never. I went from being so healthy and doing all kinds of sports, I rocked roller derby, and could swim like a fish. And love to play tennis, to this. and sometimes I feel like it's not even my own body I'm living in anymore. It's just not okay. Therapy is helping me accept it, but it's an uphill battle that I feel like I can't win. So thank you.

From the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Update 1, I spoke to my friend, the mother of the bride, and I'm pretty upset. I've been bawling for most of the day. She called and said that they were getting a lot of backlash from the wedding guests. No one wants to pay $100 for dinner and only three of the women asked were okay with babysitting. I told her I understood that the guests were upset because it's just tacky to one, be asked to pay and two, be told you are invited but only to babysit.

I told her I would not be a babysitter at all. No. Just no. She got mad and brought up how we were lifelong friends. She said I'd be helping them more by babysitting than I'd be helping by simply sitting in a pew watching. I reminded her that I couldn't physically help at all due to, you know, being legally disabled. She said they completely understood that and expected me to simply supervise the other sitters since they trusted me most. Again, I told her that I felt

it was insulting to be vol untold. Thanks, read it for that word, that I'd be babysitting and that I had no desire to do that, especially not dressed in formal wear. Then we got to the truth. She She said that she didn't know if I'd be in a wheelchair that day or require a walker. That's fair. I don't always know which one I'll need. She said that they wanted everyone in pews for the wedding video and me sitting in a wheelchair would make me stick out and ruin video slash photos. I said, if I need a wheelchair that day then I can move to a pew and my husband can put the wheelchair in another room or back in our car. I may not even need it that day.

Then she says, well, space is limited in the pews. You would take up the space of two people with your purse and oxygen tank, I said, no, I would not. I wouldn't bring a purse in and the oxygen tank either sits on my lap or between my feet. It's like a little backpack. Then she said, well, having you in oxygen in the photos would be distracting from the other people. And there you have it. Words were exchanged and she hung up on me. I haven't been removed from any social media yet, but I fully expect to be.

I already feel awful for being this way at only 50 years old. I didn't choose this. I didn't want this. If she thinks it's awful to having it photographed, just imagine living with it. Which is what I told her before she hung up on me. I'm devastated. Just devastated. Update 2. I'm not in the greatest headspace.

I don't think I've ever been less okay, honestly. I did not register to RSVP or communicate with them further. Until, another invitee got in touch with me and said that the mother of the bride, a person I thought of as basically my sister, was bad-mouthing me into the ground. I explained my side and our mutual friend was livid. They told the mother of the bride and the bride that they were wrong to want to exclude me because I might or might not need a wheelchair and would have oxygen on my face. I could remove the oxygen for photos, they told her.

So, the mother of the bride sent me a message saying, and I quote, Well, if you're going to be but heard about the aesthetic we want to achieve and try to turn other guests against us, then you can fucking come and sit in a pew. But not in photos. And we'll try to get the videographer to do edits to the wedding vid, too. But I won't forget how you made this difficult for us. I replied, how did I make it difficult other than existing? She replied, you clearly told about what I told you regarding your wheelchair and oxygen. And she's telling everyone else.

We're getting a ton of hate, I said. She asked me if I was attending and I told her no and explained why. I didn't lie to her. I told her exactly what you said. You didn't tell me not to tell anyone your reasons. If there are valid reasons to you then you shouldn't care who knows. So, I'm now blocked. By the bride, the mom, the dad, and the groom.

A friendship I've had my entire life is over. A goddaughter that I helped nurture and care for is just gone now. We paid for the bride's car insurance, gas, and cell phone all through high school and college because we wanted her focused on just her studies and not a part-time job. Her parents got her a car but insisted she work but her grades fell when she did and we helped her. And this is how they thank us. This is how they repay our kindness. I guess I'm a great friend when I'm giving money, but I'm not good enough to be seen.

I've felt like a burden my whole life and this has set me back so far. I'm just not okay. Apparently, my post went sort of viral because it was on Fox News and a site called Bored Panda. A few mutual friends reached out and asked if it was me and I admitted that it was. They were told something completely different about the situation. The bride's mother told them that I refused to come because of my health difficulties and that I was afraid I would ruin the wedding and decline the RSVP. She even claimed that she had been begging me to attend ever since the engagement happened

which was a bold-faced lie. I am the one who organized and paid for the after-engagement party so they could announce the happy news to everyone and I was clear to everyone that I couldn't wait to attend the wedding. So, I sent screenshots, photos of the invitation, and the note card telling me I'd be babysitting, and then the showdown where I was told I could sit in the pew and just be edited out of the video and would not be in any photos. I also posted it on Facebook and shared receipts there, too. Well, World War III has officially commenced.

Granted, I'm getting this all third and fourth hand, but here's the latest. Word has spread fast. Links to the news article have made it all over the place and I've been told that the few ladies who had agreed to babysit have backed out and asked if there was something wrong with them that would make the news. them not fit to sit in the pews or be in. Photos. And I think that's probably the case since two of them have unnatural hair coloring and the other has facial piercings.

The church that was booked as the venue has been notified and I'm hearing it's probably not going to happen there because the pastor's daughter is wheelchair bound after a car accident. He was going to officiate but now he says he's conflicted about it and the message it would send. My ex-friend and the bride have blown up my husband's phone because I blocked them after this went public. They blocked me first on all of the social media spots, and he let it go on for a few days to see what they had to say. He has blocked them, but the bulk of it is that I'm jealous

that I was never blessed with any children of my own, so that's why I'm ruining this for them. I'm hateful and vile and vindictive because I hate them for their clear health. I mentioned that the groom is related to me by marriage, right? That whole branch of the family tree has now divided itself with some on my side and some on the bride's side. The groom hasn't contacted us at all but his mother did and told me that I was wrong for sharing personal business and that I need to let the bride of her wedding how she wants it. I don't agree that I did anything wrong here. I can't help that I'm sick. They've made me feel like utter trash that should just be tossed into the landfill. I hurt. I literally ache because of this. So, hi Donna, my ex-best friend and

practical sister. If you're reading this, you devastated me. I'm not okay. I don't know that I'll ever be okay again. I invested time and money into both you and your daughter. I gave you both a home when your marriage was messed up and never charged you rent or asked for help with groceries or utilities. For over a year, you lived in our home and we paid your way so you are wrong to treat me this way. My oxygen mask and possible need for a wheelchair should be the last thing on either of your minds, because what matters most is that I, feeling as bad as I normally do, was still going to put on my best dress, make myself look presentable, plant a smile on my face through my pain, and show up for you like I always have. But I never, ever will again. If people

notice me in your photos at all, it would have been because I had the biggest and most proud of anyone there and they'd see the love I had for you radiating off the image. You will regret this one day when I'm gone and you realize that there are more important things in life than a perfect photo. Update 4. The wedding was today November 16, 2024. Friends rented a big cabin venue about 20 minutes from the wedding venue and everyone being asked to pay at the reception and babysit or serve the food. Yes, several people got invitations telling them they were invited, but would be serving food at the reception they paid to eat at. Got together at the cabin. Me included. I was on the fence about going because I really didn't want to sit there and talk about everything and rehash it, but that wasn't my experience at all.

I had a truly lovely time. My husband and I even danced to our wedding song. And I had mixed drinks. Quite a few so forgive me if this is typos. L.O.L. Two of the bridesmaids opted out of the wedding over mistreatment and, without anyone knowing, they sent letters to all the guests who had been invited to tell them what went down. with me and others being asked to babysit slash be servers. Those guests were given the address of the cabin. They were the two bridesmaids who addressed all the envelopes and still had the guest list

from what they told me. Anyway, we had a great time. There were about 80 of us before all was said and done, though I didn't take a head count. It was packed. Several people went to the wedding but didn't attend the reception. They refused to pay for their meal and came to our get-together and instead, including the two bridesmaids who told me all about what I was being called and the story of how I was trying to ruin their wedding because I was jealous of their good health. The bridesmaids who backed out of the wedding due to Bridezilla behavior were posting a ton of picks of all of us dancing and eating. We all chipped in dollar weeks ago for catering and booze, and was seen by my ex-bestie because she unblocked me, I unblocked her weeks ago in the hope

that she'd come around, much as I'm loath to admit it, and called me to tell me off again. I told her I didn't plan the alternate reception, but I was invited and came because they didn't care about my health or me ruining any photos, just me having a good time. Apparently, the wedding was ruined because of me. They had invited hundreds of people and the church wasn't even halfway full. And the reception had less than 30 people, so that's $3,000 the guests paid, when the food and liquor cost around $15,000 and it's my fault they're eating that cost now. They likened me to the Antichrist and the devil and claimed I had to be. be possessed to do this to a young girl in the groom. And he's a member of my family. I said, I didn't do anything. I told the truth and if the truth hurts you then maybe you were wrong to do it.

Did you consider that? She hung up on me and started calling others and demanding the address so they could come to the actual reception. No one gave it to her. I just got home at 11 p.m. It was a great day. I laughed. I even felt up to dancing a little, I had good news. I don't need my oxygen all the time now and just at night via CPAP or after exercise and I've been going to the pool and doing senior aquatics as much as I can, and it's helped so much with my breathing and my mobility. I can walk around the whole grocery store now without needing to sit down on my walker. I still use the walker for long periods due to dizziness from Meniere's disease, but I think I'm doing better. At least, I'm trying. I feel very proud of myself, friends, anyway, the wedding

still happened but they didn't have the numbers they expected and I've heard that someone suggested they donate the excess food instead of throwing it away but they didn't. Which sucks because I just know that firemen or police or the hospital or the homeless shelter would have been so happy to get it. I think I'm doing better mentally after today because everyone who talked to me told me it was wrong to exclude me because of my wheelchair or oxygen. I did have my walker with me today, but not my wheelchair or an oxygen tube. I had it in my car just in case I needed it and there were a couple of times I could have used it but I was determined not to be in any picks with it out of pure spite. I also wore the pretty dress I bought for the wedding and had many compliments.

I'm still hurt and angry and miss having that closeness with their family but I'm going to be okay. And that's a wrap. Next story, husband, with my cousin when I was postpartum. So I spent six years secretly planning my exit. Made him pay for my education, house, car, and surgery before leaving him. This has been my plan for six years. This is by far the craziest thing I've done and I can't believe I suffered all these years staying with this man just so I can survive financially. The start of our marriage was wonderful. We had two babies. After the second pregnancy he cheated on me with a very very close family member. He gave me a lazy apology and on top of that he complained about my body.

He also told me I was built like a refrigerator, mind you, I was four months postpartum at the time. I secretly saw a family lawyer. To sum it up for you, I would be screwed leaving him. We only had $25,000 and that being split up is basically nothing for me. No martial properties. No car. I didn't have a job. Literally nothing. I was a psalm. I applied for hundreds of jobs during the time and couldn't find employment anywhere so leaving was a bad decision for me financially speaking especially with two small babies. Also, alimony and child support wasn't going to be enough for me to live off of or survive with two babies with. So I let him believe that I forgave him and I continued being his wife.

The very first time he cheated on me it was with my cousin. Then he cheated again. He had a one-night stand with a random girl he met on a night out. He got so mad, I cheated back on him out of anger. OFC, he never found out I cheated. At least I'm smart about it unlike him. During the time in our marriage, I worked on getting my independence back. My husband paid for my trade school. It was a very expensive program, but he paid for everything. We moved and we bought a house with his income. He grew his money too during all this time. So he made far more money now. than he did when I originally wanted to leave him. I started working recently.

I have a career now. I'm so happy about that. I haven't filed for divorce yet. He has no idea of my plans. I'm excited. I finally get to leave him after six, almost seven years. Now I can walk away with at least $200,000 and we have martial assets now like the house

and the car he also paid off for me. Now I have my education and my own career. I've been working on my weight loss. I lost 66 pounds he paid for my tires epitied. I had a breast reduction and a breast lift. I look amazing, I don't doubt I'll probably get remarried eventually. Everything in my life is finally set and going the right way. Update November 3rd, 2024.

A lot of people here wanted an update the last time I posted. I wanted to update you guys and tell you that I did serve him. You know what's the funny part? He was honestly shocked that this happened as if he didn't do anything wrong. He told his parents on me because I'm really close with his parents and he thought they could persuade me to change my mind. His parents are sweet, however, they turned on me quickly and told me off for leaving their son. They let me know what he did was unacceptable, but what I'm doing is even worse by leaving him

and a family behind. My husband cursed me off after the divorce news. He also called me a gold digger and went on a rant about how women only want money and blah, blah, blah. He also called me a slut because I went out with my girls and boys who are my close friends and we went to the bar and celebrated my divorce before I told my husband about this. Anyways, we are in the middle of a divorce now. It's a process. We both still live in the marital home until further noticed as noticed by the attorney. We will both have the 50 to 50 custody, most likely a rotating schedule. One of my kids is taking the divorce really hard even though he knows what happened and he's

begging us to stay together and how he doesn't want us to get a divorce. Honestly, I did feel pretty bad after my son begged me not to divide up our family and to stay with their dad. But I know at the end of the day I need to be selfish and put my needs above everyone else's for once in my life. My son does hate me though, he won't talk to me and spends most of his time. with daddy. My other child is younger and doesn't fully understand what's going on and is just kind of brushing it off. My son just keeps saying he doesn't want divorced parents and he wants

us to stay together and he doesn't want step parents. My son is really taking it hard. He is also saying that he wants to spend most of his time with his father if I go through with the divorce and I just told him that's not how it's going to work and we will both spend time with him and he keeps saying it's not fair and he doesn't want to stay with. I hope you enjoy this. I hope you enjoy this story. Wicked stepmother sullied my countenance and made menacing gestures towards my infant. I reached my breaking point when she started experiencing memory loss and my spouse sided with her instead of us. My partner, a 28-year-old male, and I, 29F, are in a bit of a pickle with my brother-in-law, husband's brother. To be frank, my mill is really quite dependent on her sons.

A bit of backstory, it's been like this since their dad died. She's lived with us every since. We have a basement suite and she stick down there and keeps to herself for the most part until recently. We don't ask her for rent, but she pays $500 in groceries and it manages to cover a bit of utilities too. She had planned to go to see her sister in Toronto last month as she was in the hospital with some serious health problem had they can't figure out what from. My husband was supposed to drive her to the airport and it's an hour drive there and an hour drive back. Unfortunately, they missed the flight because of a snowstorm. The flight ended up cancelled anyways because of the weather. For whatever reason my mill couldn't figure out how to get the ticket reimbursed. We didn't want to

handhold her through it, so she ended up losing $800 in a ticket and now has to buy a new ticket to Toronto, but prices have now gone up, so she's looking at $1,300 in round-trip flights to Toronto. Well, my mill doesn't have $1,300, so my husband has already discussed splitting the cost with his brother, but we are all struggling financially and it's just not sustainable for us to continue living with her. She's constantly throwing out good food or leaving the milk out so it goes bad but I don't notice until it's too late. She's wasted probably $200 worth of groceries almost every month for the last five months and whenever I say something she gets defensive. For one, she spit in my face on more than one occasion. I texted my husband and he didn't really

do anything and he said that I must have said something to really piss her off. I had chicken thighs in the fridge that were marinating for dinner one day and when I went to prepare them for dinner, I found they were gone. Well, it was only me and her there. So I asked her if she had taken them out of the fridge and she straight up told me she threw them out. I said what? And then I told her they were for dinner and she said that they had been in there for a week and they were bad. I said I just bought those yesterday and they were marinating overnight for dinner today. Then she literally goes off on how I'm an ungrateful bitch and a spoiled brat and my husband should never have married me.

I told her she could get the hell out of the house if she thinks that because it's not even her house and she has no right to speak to me this way. Then she said that it's not my house either, it's my husbands. I just stood there dumbfounded, like couldn't even believe what just happened. Then she left the kitchen and went to her room. My husband texts me soon after and he asks me what just happened and what I said. to his mom. I called him because I didn't want to have a fight over text, and I tried to tell him what happened but he said I shouldn't be treating his mother like that. I asked her to watch our daughter because I had to go check the mailbox and it was too rainy to take her with me and it

would literally be like five minutes. Mill had been good with her up until this point and had been asking to hold her more and to help out more so I figured why not. But when I came back in, she was getting all angry with my daughter, like full on yelling at her, and my poor baby is just laying there on the floor crying, and honestly looked like she was going to get aggressive with her and hit her, so I ran right in and picked her up and Mill just walked away mumbling to herself. That was the end of having her alone with my baby. After that I left to my moms and told my husband what happened and he asked what the hell was going on and said that he doesn't want to act like a tyrant when he gets home. I told him I was staying with my mom until he got home. When he got

home I came back, but my mill told him that she didn't trust me and thought that I was trying to get rid of her. She even went so far as saying that I was poisoning her food and that's why she wasn't eating. When my husband and I were laying in bed, he told me all of this and had the audacity to ask if something was wrong between the two of us. I just expressed that I thought there was just too much feminine energy in the house and we had been getting on each other's nerves. But I said something felt off with her because of the way she was acting with our daughter. She wasn't safe around her. I told him it was either her or me and our daughter. But what she did to our daughter was the last straw for him, but he could have cared less about what she said to me. And

honestly, I didn't grow up in the best household. I've been called every name under the sun so I can handle her, but I'm not going to subject my daughter to that evil witch. So now my husband wants to rent a room for her, but in this economy, I don't think so. That would be $1,500 for a one-bedroom apartment in the city. And she doesn't drive. So it would just be us going out of our way to drive her places. When we talk to my bill, he says he can't afford it. Being a single guy, he's sort of struggling too to make ends meet.

He's a graphic designer so makes decent cash but like nothing extraordinary, and he hardly has any savings, but we don't want him to touch that. I'm also on maternity leave and get only 55% of my salary now. That's $745 every two weeks. We all are struggling and been trying to get a bigger house for a little bit now, but it's super difficult with the housing prices and the interest rates. Now I'm almost at a point where I'm okay to dip into our savings to get her a room somewhere if we were to split with my bill just because I legit need this which out of my house.

But he's saying he can't afford it. He has a two-bedroom condo. right now, so I suggested that Mill goes to live with him for a bit just so we all get a little break from each other and that $500 can go towards Bill's bills because it's less mouths to feed too. But he doesn't want to. He also said it would hinder him in the dating scene. He said, how am I going to bring a date back home if everything goes well? I'll have to call mom and tell her to stay in her room and be quiet and pretend she's not there. The brothers always paid everything for her together since their father died but my husband works away from

from home and leaves me and our baby with her. So I'm the one that's stuck with her day to day. Update 1, it's been a few months since I posted. We took matters into our own hands, and after many discussions, negotiations, and maybe even a therapy session, okay, not really, but it felt like it, we came up with a band-aid solution. We did the old switcheroo. That's right, we swapped living arrangements.

My brother-in-law reluctantly agreed to take in my mother-in-law. for a trial period. My husband actually advocated for me here. When he got home from work, I had some tough conversations with him about where I was at with his mother. It was to the point where his mother was nitpicking everything I did. She asked me to clean her bathroom. She even went so far as to blame me for things going missing and accused me of stealing money from her. My husband knew that I was at my wits end and ready to leave. She wasn't too happy at first. like not happy at all. She blamed it all on me at first and told my husband that I was just trying to get rid of her like old trash. But it had to happen. Tensions were rising.

I heard her say that damn baby want just shut up. Or that goddamn baby, I asked her if she had a problem and she actually said if you don't shut that baby up, I will. And well, that was that. Bill took her in. That happened for a few months until we realized that her memory was going and all of her aggression problems were probably due to that. He said she was wandering in his condominium complex and couldn't remember where she was or why she was there and she was getting really frustrated with people who would approach her. She actually slapped one lady but the lady didn't press charges because my brother begged the woman, like literally on his knees and gave her some big BS sob story that he has to take care of her and she's not doing well with the stress of her husband

dying, even though he died years before. My husband took her to the doctor because his brother said something was off and sure enough, she had failed whatever tests they do for memory. The doctor says that she has early onset dementia. He said this explains her irritability and her accusations towards me. Well, my husband took this as a she needs us now more than ever and his brother isn't equipped to take care of her. So he told her she could move back in with us. I said, if she's coming back, me and my daughter are out of there. Update 2, I followed your advice and grew a spine a little late.

Yeah, but I am gone now. Thank you for the harsh truth. Everyone husband decided to move his mom back in and so I moved out and I'm staying with my mom indefinitely and my mom served my STBX with the papers. We're getting a divorce comment. I completely understand what you're going through. My mother-in-law has dementia and moved in with us while I was pregnant, which caused a lot of stress on our marriage. And it was one of the hardest times in my life. My husband thought it would be a good idea for his mom to move in and help out after her husband died.

But I quickly realized it was just so we could take care of her. Her dementia isn't severe yet, but she is short-term memory loss and needs help with tasks like laundry and cooking and basic financial things. My husband works from home and I am a song, but now we also have to take care of his mom on top of our two dogs. It got so bad that the stress of it all caused me to go on bed rest for the last month of pregnancy. This meant my husband had to spread his attention for me to his mom to work during the day as I couldn't get up from bed. I could feel him starting to resent his mom. And at one point, I felt it directed to me too. Well, when our daughter finally decided to bless us with her presence, we, I'm finding my patience is running thin towards my mill.

I ended up getting an emergency C-section and she wants to. help, but she can't change diapers, feed the baby, she has back problems so holding her for too long causes her pain and back spasms, and she can't really cook food for us. When I was taking a shower, I left my daughter in her care, she was three months at the time, she started crying and my mill thought she was hungry so she tried to feed her porridge. Well, it's a miracle my daughter didn't choke to death. My mill claimed it was only a little bit and seemed really innocent about it, but I think she got the hint that I wasn't too happy with her. My husband had to take care of that one because

I wasn't comfortable reprimanding my mill given her dementia. This might turn into a crazy rant, but I'm just so irritated and burnt out by having my mill here. I can hardly speak to her and I get annoyed when she tries to help with my daughter. I feel like such an asshole, but my resentment is so strong because of how much stress she has caused me. It's also put a huge wedge in my marriage because my husband is extremely stressed out by her too. But I know that he feels bad because he feels the need to help her since it is his mother after all. Given all the stress, my husband and I had a huge blow up. He said that Mill wants to move back in with his brother and his wife because I have made her feel so unwelcome.

So I know how you feel up. I told him that he hasn't helped in this situation. I told him he should look in the mirror because he's constantly scolded her and raised his voice at her all the time for the littlest of things and he makes me look like a saint. I have never yelled at her or ever confronted her because that's just not something I would do. One, she's not my mother and two, she has dementia so it would be like trying to yell at a child who doesn't understand up from down. So now, I'm the bad guy. But I've gone to live with my sister. At least I'm out of there. They can have each other. Now on to the next story. Story two.

Caught my wife cheating on me, and although she thinks I will reconcile with her, but I served her with divorce papers. First time I've ever posted in something like this. Edit, I'm 36, she's 32. Married 4.5 years, together over seven years. No kids, wife and I have been distant for a while, sex initiated only by me, once a month. We had a happy marriage, never fought, but apparently there were a lot of issues was unaware of. I thought we were just in a sexual rut, but it was far deeper than I thought. After my therapist and a friend suggested she may be cheating,

I decided to check her cell while she was in the shower and found texts from another man. She immediately admitted to it and confessed everything. This was last Tuesday, a fair happened the Saturday before that. She has been talking to him romantically since November of last year, but known him for longer from work, he lives out of state and comes in town every few months. I feel stupid for wanting to see if we can work past it. She shows remorse, but no, I'm so sorry, I made a mistake. Can you forgive me and we can work this out? To be honest, that's what I want to hear. This is the love of my life.

Been together over seven years, married for 4.5 years. She was my person. This is so out of character it's unbelievable. She was cheated on in previous relationships and always told me, if you ever cheat, that's it. I'm gone. No explaining, no justifying, to talking. You'll wake up and I'll be gone and you'll never see me again. I made sure to never give her any inkling of me ever seeking anything outside of her. I gave up every female friend I had, let her know any time an ex reached out or said anything to me, etc. I never wanted her to ever even think I'd do it, out of respect for her. Her three best friends and her individual, individual therapist she's been seeing for years were completely shocked when she told them.

A month ago, I would never have entertained the idea she could do it. It was so absolutely something she couldn't do, I would imagine her becoming a bank robber before I could imagine her cheating. I've told a few close friends and my sister, that's it. She's told her three closest friends and therapist, and as far as I know, that's it. We went to our first marriage counseling session January 22nd. She slept with him for the first time January 27th, not even a fucking week after our first marriage counseling session. She saw her personal therapist yesterday, second time since she the affair, and went to a solo counseling session with our marriage counselor last night, I go solo tonight.

Came home and was very, very distant. I asked her last night, do you still not know if you want to be with me? She said, I don't know. I asked, I would rather hear an I don't know than a no. But it's not a no currently, is it? She said, I don't want to have this conversation right now. I left it at that, said okay, and walked away and cried and drank for hours until I passed out. I'm going to solo counseling to the same marriage counselor tonight.

We have a group session booked on the 11th. It's looking more and more like our relationship won't survive this. That she just has zero drive to work on it. I'm devastated. I never, ever, ever thought this would happen. I knew we had grown a little distant, but not this. I'm so nervous for this session tonight. I feel like I'm going to be telling the therapist I want to work it out.

I can eventually forgive her, and she's just going to nod and smile, only for this group session to be her telling me that she wants out. I want this relationship to survive. I'm so scared. I'm sick. Edit, she says she has no desire to kill. continue to see this guy, talk to him, anything. I asked if she was using him. She said yes, she wanted to have control over something. She says she has not talked to him at all since and will

not talk to ever again. She is not seeking a relationship with him. But she's also not actively seeking repairing our relationship. She says she doesn't think I could ever forgive her. And that she doesn't think she could ever forgive herself. Edit, I sent a text from her phone. the night I found it to him that read, this is her husband. I've read the texts. He sent some responses the next day, but she says she has not replied to him once and has no plans to ever do so. Edit, I went to the marriage counselor tonight. My session was solo. Her session yesterday with the counselor was also solo. I told the MC I feel like she's done. She's not showing me any signs of wanting to work through it. I told her that I know she can't tell me what they talked about directly,

but that I know she's done with the relationship. She asked what I wanted. I told her I wanted an apology and her to say she wants to see if we can work through this, but I do not foresee that happening. Lots of other things said, but she did tell me to take some time to step back and really think if I was happy the past few years, and asked what I thought a divorce would look like. I feel like she was priming me for the separation. Feels bad man. Super edit. Most of this will go into a new post.

Just starting this here. She's been staying at her parents since last Wednesday. We did a joint counseling session Sunday together. The counselor asked what we were doing reconciling or separating. I motioned to my wife. She said separating. And the counselor asked trial separation. or separating to divorce.

She said to divorce. I knew it's what she was going to say, so I wasn't surprised. We had a long talk about why with the counselor. She is going through terrible guilt over what she did, but still doesn't want to work anything out with us. She's not talking to the other guy anymore either. She just wants out.

When we talked more, it was a lot of built-up little resentments that she never, and I'm not exaggerating when I say never. never brought up things like well i did all the cleaning i offered to get a maid service at least three times and she told me no not to do it she can do it she said she has to be the mental lead on things with planning yes because she is the one who plans the trips and events i'm not planning the dream vacation she's always wanted to do in europe that we did four months ago every trip aside from one we've done is to places she wanted to go to, and the one trip we did that she didn't plan, my sister set it up.

The counselor then said, well, what about the wedding? She didn't want to have a wedding, she just wanted to elope and you made her have a wedding and she did most of the planning and you weren't very present in planning. Okay, you got me there. I wanted the wedding, and so did her parents and my parents. She said she never felt like she could talk to me about these things. I asked why, she said she didn't know. I asked if I ever did anything to make her think that. Did I ever yell at her, cuss her, call her names, bang my fist on the table at her, anything to show her that she couldn't talk to me? She said no. Then said that has seen me get mad and frustrated and yell and cuss. I asked if any of that was ever directed towards her, she said no. And I said exactly, because I can separate a situation I am

angry at or frustrated with from one from my wife. And the counselor said, well, how is she supposed to know that? I told her because IT never happened. When I confronted her about the affair, even then didn't scream at her, cuss her, punched the drywall or anything. Yes, I spoke loudly and lots of how could you. And shit, but overall, probably one of the more calm affair confrontations you could imagine. Then I looked at the counselor and said, that's her proof that she could talk to me. So I said I feel like she never even tried. Every serious conversation we had, I had to bring it up and initiate the conversation. She never did.

I told her I would rather have had 10,000 difficult conversations than the one we're having now. But instead, she held everything inside. And when she finally let it out and told me she was having some feelings, we scheduled counseling three days later, and she was fucking someone else less than a week after that. I tell her that if she doesn't want to be together due to the guilt she has for what she did, and that she doesn't think I'll ever be able to forgive her, that's one thing. And that's something we can work on. Then I said if she wants to separate because you no longer love me, you don't see a future with me,

and you genuinely want a divorce, that's another thing. She said she doesn't want to be with me. I asked her, okay, so if I were to wave a magic wand, and have divorce papers ready for you to sign tomorrow, you'd sign them. I asked her this because I was actually going to pick up the divorce papers the next morning and get her to sign if the counseling session went the way I was expecting. She said, what? That's so soon. I don't know.

So I asked, if she wants a divorce, what's the difference in signing tomorrow, two weeks or two months? She just said she doesn't know. The session ends and we go back to our home to continue to talk and let her get more close to take to her parents. I asked her what she wants. She said she wants to be alone. I said, okay, alone and divorced. Or alone for a while and do a trial separation and file for divorce later if we can't reconcile after we take some time apart?

She says she doesn't know. So I tell her that that strings me along. That it's fucked up that she's the one who ruined everything by never talking to me, holding resentment she never told me about and having an affair and now she's the one with all the power. She says she doesn't have any power and doesn't want the power. And I told her I know she doesn't want it, but she has it. I just have to sit here and go along with whatever she wants. I tell her that I'll have the divorce papers tomorrow if she will sign them.

She says I can't have them made that quick. I said yes I can because I started last week. She says she has to read it first. I told her, of course, but it will be what we talked about when I first caught her cheating and said I would divorce her. I keep mine, she keeps hers, both accounts and debts. I presented her with the papers, she read through them, then said she needs to get them looked at. It's exactly what we agreed to. So I asked why she needs them looked at. I tell her if she just signs now, we're done, no more bullshit. We don't have to go back and forth and she doesn't have to pay a lawyer.

She admitted to having a lawyer she wants to look it over, but that the lawyer is. isn't on retainer. Still waiting on her lawyer to look it all over. Deep down I know that a separating is for the best. The infidelity, the wavering on her wanting kids or not, her emotional immaturity, her lack of communication, the complete betrayal and being treated like I'm not even a person anymore. But if she came back today and said she's sorry and wants to fix it, my dumb ass would probably say okay. I hope you enjoy this story. I sent a photo to my former partner. of me embracing my colleague after he attempted to return, pleading to wed me a year subsequent to leaving me at the wedding ceremony. Presently, he is weeping. To my parents to beg for a second

chance. I, 26F, was supposed to get married last year, but the wedding never ended up happening because, unfortunately, my groom made a run for it right before the ceremony was supposed to start, and never showed up. My ex-fiance, Garrett, 23M, and I had been together for three years before he proposed. We met through friends and got along very well. The first time we met, happened to be at a party hosted by one of our common friends. We discovered that we had a lot in common and ended up talking the entire evening, after which he asked me out. I said yes, we went out on a couple of dates and realized that we really liked each other. Within three months, we were officially in a relationship, and everything was going great. Six months in, we had introduced each other to our

families and a year later, we moved and together. We were in love, and I couldn't imagine anyone better for me than him. I was convinced that he was my soulmate, and everything was blissful for the three years that we were together. We did have occasional fights, but we would always make up, and it would never be too serious, so we had nothing to worry about. Our friends and family constantly commented on how great our relationship was, and I believed it, because honestly, we probably had the healthiest relationship ever. Anytime we had a problem or an issue, we would just talk to each other and sort it out. That's a promise that we had made to each other, that we would always talk things through and never give up on each other. So when he decided to propose, over a year ago,

I said yes, because everybody had their eyes on us, since it was a public event that he had organized for the proposal. But later on, when we were on our own, I decided to talk to him because in spite of the that we have for each other. I was still three years older than him and I know it's not a lot, but in our 20s, three years makes a huge difference. When I had met him, he had been 20 and I had been 23 and even. I had been kind of skeptical about dating him because he seemed young. Almost too young to be with me, and I was worried about what people would say, but he was just so charming and wonderful that I couldn't help but say yes because it just felt like it was meant to be. But marriage was a big deal and I didn't want him to sign up for something.

that he wasn't ready for yet just because it was the socially acceptable thing to do. So the night of our engagement, I sat him down and asked him if he was sure about this because I was ready to wait for a couple more years until he was a bit older and had made up his mind about marriage. It could very well be possible that three years later, maybe he wouldn't be on the same page about marriage and I didn't want that to ruin what we had. I was ready to wait for him and I wanted him to know that there was no pressure on him to get married as soon as we could, just because people believed that we had two. But he reassured me that he was ready for it,

and the only reason that he had proposed to me and asked me to marry him was because he wanted to, there was no pressure on him anyway. So I had spoken to him about this, but in spite of that, he ruined everything that we had. There was a gap of almost eight months between our engagement and our wedding, so he had eight months to tell me

that he had been having second thoughts about the wedding, instead of embarrassing me at the altar. But for the entirety of those months, he said nothing and just sat tight with his mouth shut. He pretended to be in love with me the entire time, and even in the last week, leading up to the wedding, he said nothing, and there was literally no way for me to know that he had been having second thoughts and didn't want to get married anymore.

It truly was an Academy Award-worthy performance. I have to give him that. And maybe, somewhere deep down, I also wanted to believe that he wouldn't abandon me, or do anything to jeopardize our relationship, which is why I turned a blind eye to a lot of subtle. small things. The science was really small, but I had noticed them. I just convinced myself that it was no big deal and everything would be fine. I also didn't want to seem like a crazy paranoid person,

making a big deal out of everything by bringing those things up. They were little things like he had stopped waiting for me to finish my meal before he got up from the dinner table, something that he would always do before since I was a slow eater. He also started slowly spending more time on the phone before bedtime, but before the engagement, we would always go to bed at the same time and keep our phones aside for some personal quality time. It was just small things like these that made me feel a little weird but I didn't bring it up with him because I didn't want to come off as paranoid or silly. He was getting married to me, I had the ring on my finger, so small things like these should not have mattered to me. That's what I told myself and convinced myself not to worry about

any of these things, and let it all slide. But other than that, there were no other sides, and I literally could never have predicted that he would have left me at the altar after everything that we had promised to each other. In the week leading up to the wedding, we were still going strong. He constantly kept telling me that he loved me and everything was normal. I couldn't even be bothered to notice small stuff anymore because I was just so excited to be married, but things shifted on the morning of the wedding. We were not supposed to see each other before. We were not supposed to see each other before the ceremony began, so we couldn't talk to each other, but in spite of that, he could have just talked to me the night before, and that would have been a lot more respectable than what he

actually did. I realized that something was really wrong right before I was supposed to walk down the aisle, but instead of taking me to the venue, my parents and the groomsmen came to my room to tell me that they had scanned the entire hotel. But Garrett was nowhere to be found and they had even checked the security footage where they had found out that he had actually left in the middle of the night before. I was still trying to give him the benefit of the doubt and I said that we could wait for a few hours just to see if he would come back, but he didn't. I had a mental breakdown when I realized it in the next couple of days. That night, he sent me a text message to explain himself. He told me that he wasn't sure if he wanted to do this anymore because he was

too young, he had been thinking about this for quite some time, and he had come to the conclusion that it was just not the right time for him to get married. He felt like he had a little. He felt like he had lot left to accomplish and achieve in his personal life before he settled down and started thinking about marriage, and I had been right, the discussion that we had on the night of our engagement is actually what made him reconsider what he was doing. But he couldn't talk to me about it later on because I was just so excited and he couldn't break my heart. He kept thinking that he would eventually have a change of heart himself, but that never happened and he kept waiting for it to get better, but he just kept getting more worried and paranoid about the future. And so, before he made another

a big mistake, he had decided to walk away from the altar and put an end to this, because he just couldn't marry me anymore for his own sake. And even if he did get married to me, it would just be for the sake of saving face, and then he would end up resenting me, which is not something he wanted to do. So he was ending it while we were standing in front of a bunch of people, and I was in my wedding dress. Clearly, that was the perfect time to have that discussion. I had so many things that I wanted to say to him after I read that text because I was. was hurt, I was upset, and I was so betrayed, but I chose to stay dignified because I couldn't let my emotions get the better of me. So I only decided to tell him that I accepted his decision,

and the only thing that I wanted from him was that he would have to pay for the entire event. And whatever money I had spent on the wedding so far, he would have to reimburse me for it, and that's the only way I would accept it. He agreed to it and that was it. As soon as I pressed send on that text, I literally broke down yet again, crying through the and it was complete chaos in my life after that. I don't even remember when I stopped crying, it must have been days after the incident. I didn't see him again, he didn't even come back home to collect his things, and I still have them in a box somewhere. After he had stood me up at the altar, I think my parents, my friends, and a few other relatives spent a good few days comforting

me while I cried my eyes out. They took me back to my house after they had made sure that he wasn't lurking around. When I checked my phone, I realized that he had blocked me everywhere and that just broke my heart even more. My parents stayed with me for a few weeks after the wedding and my friends were kind enough to come visit me every day. Even his friends, his groomsman, paid me a few visits just to see how I was doing and told me that they had cut him off entirely as well after the fiasco at the wedding because what he had done was not acceptable, but none of that mattered to me. I just wanted to move on and forget that I had even been involved with him because every time I thought about it, it made my heart hurt, and I couldn't take it anymore.

So I decided to take a break from everyone and everything and just took off. I went away on a tour of Asian countries for around six months and tried my best to forget about everything. And I have got to say, it helped a lot. I know that this is not something that is accessible to everyone, but I am a working woman myself and I have quite a lot of money saved up since I work in the field of investment banking, which is quite hectic but pays really well. Also, my dad is the CEO of his own business which is quite lucrative, so he helped me out with the funds as well, and after my really long vacation, I came back, feeling rejuvenated, and like a totally different person. I moved out of my old house and into a smaller studio apartment

so I could start afresh and things have been going well so far. I also started therapy because it was quite necessary for me to really heal and recover from my past relationship, and it was quite helpful. Everything was going well until last week when Garrett got back in touch with me to tell me why he did what he did. I had changed my number, but somehow, he got a hold of it. It was probably some friend of mine, who gave it to him and didn't tell me, which is a gross violation, and once I found out who it was, I'm definitely going to stop talking to them. But coming back to this, Garrett reached out to me and texted me after almost a year since the day of our wedding that never took place. He sent me a text, which said nothing, but it was just a hello, and it was from an unknown number so, of course, I responded asking who it was.

And then, he launched into his story and sent me a really long text about how sorry he was and how much he wanted to patch things up with me. He told me that the things he had said before he walked away were all true, and he had actually been getting cold feet in the month leading up to the wedding because he felt like everything was happening too fast, and he just wanted some more time. But now, almost a year had passed, and he was doing a much better career since he had received a promotion and was in a much better position now. So now, he felt like he had accomplished something, and being married was not the only thing that was going to define him. He told me that he had thought about it for a long time and he had come to the conclusion that he had seriously screwed our relationship up and I didn't deserve it. He told me

that he would like to give us a second chance, and was ready to get married to me now if I was still willing to accept it and take him back the way he is. It's just a bunch of baloney about how he was sorry and hadn't stopped thinking about me ever since he left. If that was really true, he would have at least tried to contact me once, but he didn't. He kept talking about how he was a different man now, but if that was the case, then he still wouldn't be yapping on about himself and completely ignoring what he had put me through. A year later, after receiving the 10th, he was a I realized how much progress I had made, because that message made me feel nothing but annoyance towards him, because it was such a pompous and disturbingly, insensitive and tone-deaf thing to have said to me.

To think that he was even in a position to suggest that he was ready to give us a second chance was so delusional and lacked awareness on so many levels that I realized what an idiot I had been with. I could have left it at that. I just ignored the message that he sent, but I did something which might have made me the awe. So last week, I decided to go out on a date with a co-worker of mine. He was new and had been working with us for only a month, but we had been talking a lot. It felt weird because I wasn't completely over Garrett, but I felt like it was about time that at least tried to move on from him, actively. I had healed emotionally and I had come to terms with the fact that he was never going to come back, and even if he did, I was not going to

take him back. But still, a teeny tiny part of me still hasn't been able to completely forget him, which is why I hadn't been out on any dates in the past few months. However, my coworker and I had been talking for several weeks now, and I really liked him. I wouldn't say that I have feelings for him or anything of the sort, but I definitely could see something happening between us, and I wanted to give myself a real chance at a relationship again because Garrett might have broken my heart. But I wasn't going to let that dictate every other relationship of my life. So, after a lot of deliberation, I said yes, when he asked me out and I had taken a bunch of photos with him when we went out on our date. It was a really classy and fun date

because first, we went out to a restaurant, and then, we went to a bar and got totally drunk, and sang karaoke with strangers. I had a picture with him where I was kissing him on the cheek, and both of us were pretty drunk in it. It was a cute picture and I knew that if Garrett saw it, he would lose his mind. So I decided to send it to him and then block him, just for the sake of it. I wanted him to feel bad, which is why I did it, and in hindsight, I probably shouldn't have done that because it just escalated the drama. After that text, I received a call from my parents and they were really concerned because apparently, Garrett had shown up at their house and was begging them to let him speak to me because I had blocked him and he didn't know how else to talk to me.

He was pretty desperate, and I could hear it in my mother's voice that she was. was very concerned because of the way that he was behaving. I could hear him in the background, he was wailing and acting like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I could hear my dad trying to calm him down with soothing words, but even that wasn't working and he kept insisting that he wanted to talk to me and fix things with me because he was just not going to let me give up on us so easily. I was quite alarmed by the way that he was behaving, which is why I agreed to talk to him. That, and also because I didn't want him to bother my parents anymore. Once my mother handed the phone to him, he started screaming at me hysterically and said

that I couldn't be with someone else. He was clearly unhinged at that moment, and I was even shocked. He insisted that he would rather have me be single than with someone else because he knew that the two of us were meant to be together and he wasn't going to let anybody else come between us. He was talking like a textbook psychopath and so, I had to hurriedly explain to him that I had just sent that photo to make him feel bad for what he did, and I'm actually still single and not seeing anybody, the guy in the picture was just a friend and we were drunk. He continued to cry for a couple of more minutes, but then he said he was relieved and he knew that I would never do that to him. I didn't really know what to say because it was really awkward,

so I just kept quiet. The truth is, I don't really know if I should classify myself as single or not because I'm kind of seeing my coworkers. He was just acting so crazy that I couldn't bring myself to tell him that I wasn't exactly single, but I wasn't exactly taken either. I just wanted him to get out of my parents' house because I was concerned about them. On the phone call, he went on talking about how he knew that he and I were soulmates and that I was going to forgive him for a stupid little mistake and take him back. He then told me that no matter how much time it took, he would make sure that I forgive him and he would wait around for me to come back. Before I could say anything, he apologized for bothering my parents and then handed the phone back to my

mother. I explained everything to my parents once he was out of the house and they thought that what I did was pretty out of order because I never know what people are going through and clearly, there is something wrong with Garrett. So I never should have sent that photo to him, even if what he did to me was wrong. I had no reason to stoop to his level and try and hurt him back and I should have just let it go because it was not worth the drama. They also believe that I need to be honest with Garrett, because clearly, he is unstable, and there's no telling what he might, or might not do any find out that I'm actually seeing somebody, and it happens to be the same guy that he was crying about. I'm bad and think that in order to prevent another mental breakdown, should just come

clean to him because when he finds out that I am actually seeing somebody and I had lied to him, things are going to be much worse. I don't owe it to him, but it's a decent thing to do, and it's also important for me to do right by my co-worker. I want to think that my parents are right but I also don't know if I want to talk to Garrett again because I have lost feelings for him. And I don't think that he is entitled to know anything about my life, let alone anything about my love life. He is simply not entitled to that information and his mental health is completely his business. I am not responsible for it. Just like he was not responsible for mine when he left me at the altar.

I'm just feeling very confused about what to do. I'd offer sending my ex-fiance a picture with the guy that I'm seeing to make him him feel jealous when he reached out to me after standing me up at our wedding? Update 1. Hi, guys. So, after a lot of thinking, I have decided that I'm not going to say anything to Garrett, my parents were wrong. I'm really not bound to tell him anything about my life. If he feels bad about it, then he can just continue to feel bad about it. It's not my problem. He had a psychotic meltdown. I feel bad for him, but that's the most that I can give him, my sympathy.

I'm not going to give him another chance. I think my parents were only overreacting that day because he went to their house, and they were very concerned about what they saw. It's obviously more difficult to not feel bad for somebody when you witness their mental breakdown firsthand. And that kind of explains why my parents were so kind to him because they couldn't help it. We are good people, after all. However, let me just reiterate this once again, it is simply not my problem.

It's just been one day since I put up my original post. Your response has already been so overwhelming that I have come to the conclusion already and I know what to do. I was just questioning myself for no reason. He was the woman who left me at the altar and that should have led to a much bigger mental breakdown than it did, but he didn't look back to check on me and see if I was doing fine. Instead, he actually blocked me everywhere and pretended that I never existed so why should I do anything different for him? I'm glad that I did what I did, I could have been less petty, but that wouldn't have been as much fun. And anyway, Garrett has a better career by now, so I think he should just focus on that instead of trying to get back with me and doing something that is just not possible anymore. Update 2. So I told my parents about my decision to not talk to Garrett and keep him blocked.

They were a bit resistant at first and said that I shouldn't do that, because that would probably lead to another breakdown. I finally found out about my relationship and I told him that that was his problem entirely, and I was not responsible for it. I explained everything to them calmly, and they seemed to understand. They told me that the only reason they were worried was because they didn't want something like that on my conscience because it takes a lot away from a person when they realize that the other is behind somebody else's depression and they are right. But that doesn't mean I'm going to go out of my way to be nice to somebody and think about

somebody who literally left me before my wedding and had no qualms about walking away from our relationship. That is not the kind of guy that I care about and I am simply done with Garrett. I want nothing to do with him anymore. Update 3. Hey, guys. So it's been two months since Garrett first reached out to me, and since then, he has tried several times to get back to me. He tried texting me from different numbers and emailing me, but I just ignored all of it. He even started talking to our again and begging them to put me in touch with him, just like he had done with my parents, but they refused. Nobody had any sympathy to spare for him after what he had done, and I, for one, am glad about it. He also tried to go back to my parents' place, but they nipped it in the bud this time

and told him that if he bothered them again, then they would call the cops on him, and that scared him enough to leave. He kept trying to reach me somehow, but I had made myself completely inaccessible to around a week ago. I also learned that. from a couple of my friends that he had been lying about doing better career-wise and that he had actually started a business of his own, which was flopping really bad. So that explains the breakdown that he had. Clearly, he was finding it very difficult to deal with his own failures and confront them. So he thought that coming back to me would give him a sense of accomplishment or whatever. I don't really know how stupid people think, so I don't understand the psychology behind it,

But I'm guessing that his business feeling is probably one of the reasons why he had that breakdown at my parents' place and was acting so psycho. Anyway, that's none of my business anymore and that's his problem to deal with. My co-worker and I are still seeing each other. And for those of you who were asking, yes, he is aware of my past, and he asked me out in spite of that. He knew that I had been dumped at my wedding just a year ago and that I hadn't entirely moved on from it, but he still wants to be with me, so we'll just see where this goes. We are taking it slow and steady right now, but I really like him and I think he likes me too. Some people might say that it's way too soon to tell or be sure of anything, but I took my time with Garrett and that turned out to be the wrong decision. So if I have learned anything from that

experience, it is that time means nothing. If somebody has great energy and you like them, you should just go for it without thinking about what other people might say. Garrett and I are perfect on paper and look how that turned out. So a lot of you guys mentioned that it was too soon for me to actually like somebody because it's just been a year since Garrett and I broke up, but I don't really care. I'm going to go with my gut this time and see how it works out. Update 4 hey, folks. I can't believe I'm back after almost four years and with such great news. But first things first, in my last update, almost four years ago, I mentioned that Garrett had given up trying to contact me. About two years later, when he found out that I was in a relationship with my co-worker, he had another breakdown and he actually showed up at my house in the middle of the night in a drunken

scene which woke up all the neighbors. When I tried to tell him to leave, he threw a beer bottle at me, but I dodged it and cursed me out. That was the point where I decided that I had had enough and I called the police, pressed charges against him, and then got a restraining order against him. since then and I think he moved away with his family a couple of months later. So that was that and I'm glad to be rid of him honestly. I am also glad that he stood me up on my wedding day and walked away from the altar because now, I'm married to the guy who is really my soulmate.

About a month ago, I got married to my co-worker, but I guess I should call him my husband now. He is everything that I dreamed of and even though my wedding was much smaller and much more intimate this time around, it was a huge success, because the groom didn't run away before the wedding. All jokes aside, I truly got lucky with him, and I hope that we keep making each other laugh and smile throughout the rest of our lives. I couldn't be happier. I hope you enjoy this story. Arrived home ahead of schedule on our special day to astonish my spouse with a present, only to discover my father engaging in an affair with her. Consequently, I promptly asked them to leave. And my dad said I was being dramatic and that these things just happen sometimes.

So three days ago I decided to leave work early because it was our anniversary, and I wanted to surprise Brooke with this necklace I'd been saving up for. It wasn't something crazy expensive, but something nice that she'd been looking at in the jewelry store window every time we walked past it. I thought it would be perfect because she never asks for anything and always says we should save money instead of spending it on her, but I wanted to do something special. for once. I got home around 2 p.m. and I was being all sneaky about it, parking down the street so she wouldn't see my car and using my key quietly because I wanted to surprise her. Maybe we could have a nice afternoon together before going out to dinner later, and I was actually excited about it, which feels so stupid now thinking back on it. The house was quiet when I walked in, and I thought maybe she was taking a nap or something because she'd been working extra shifts at the hospital

and coming home exhausted every day for the past few weeks. I figured she deserved the rest, so I was trying to be extra quiet as I walked through the living room toward our bedroom. But then I heard sounds coming from upstairs, and at first I thought maybe she was watching TV or something. But as I got closer to the stairs, I realized what I was hearing, and my stomach just dropped because those weren't TV sounds.

I knew exactly what was happening, but my brain couldn't process it yet, and I kept thinking maybe I was wrong and maybe it was something else entirely. I pushed the door open just enough to see inside, and I saw my dad on top of my wife in our bed. They were both completely naked and going at it like animals, and I just stood there frozen because what the hell do you even do in that situation? My dad is 58 years old and Brooke is 29, and they were having sex in my bed. I watched for maybe 10 seconds before my brain finally caught up with what my eyes were seeing. and I just lost it and started yelling.

I kicked that door open all the way and screamed, What the hell is going on here? They both jumped apart like they'd been electrocuted, and Brooke grabbed the sheets to cover herself. My dad just sat there naked and didn't even try to hide anything, and the look on his face wasn't shame or guilt or anything like that, but more like he was annoyed that I'd interrupted them. Brooke started crying immediately and saying,

It's not what it looks like, which is the dumbest thing anyone has ever said because what else could it possibly look like when you're naked in bed with someone else's husband and your father-in-law no less. I told her to shut up and get out of my house right now. My dad finally stood up and started putting his clothes on, and I asked him how long this had been going on. He just shrugged and said it doesn't matter now that I know, and that made me so angry I thought I was going to punch him right there. But instead I told him to get out and never come back. Brooke kept trying to talk to me and explain things and saying she was sorry and it was a mistake and all that garbage people say when they get caught doing something horrible.

But I wasn't listening because there's no explanation for what I saw and there's no excuse, and I told her she had one hour to pack her stuff and get out before I called the police. She asked where she was supposed to go, and I said I didn't care and that she should have thought about that before she decided to sleep with my dad in our bed. She started crying harder and saying she had nowhere to go, and I told her that wasn't my problem anymore. My dad left first and didn't say anything else to me, just walked out. I was more focused on getting Brooke out of my house and making sure she took all her stuff so I wouldn't have to see her again. She packed two suitcases and kept trying to talk to me while she was doing it, asking if we could work things out and go to counseling or something.

I just kept telling her no and to hurry up because I wanted to. her gone, and I meant it. There was no way I was ever going to forgive this or try to fix it. After she left, I just sat in my living room staring at the wall for hours. I couldn't think straight, and I kept expecting to wake up from this nightmare, but it was real. My marriage was over and my relationship with my dad was over, and I didn't know what to do next. I called in sick to work the next day and spent the whole day calling divorce lawyers. I found one who could see me that afternoon, and I told him everything. He said it was a pretty straightforward case since I had witnessed the adultery myself. Now I'm just waiting for the papers to be ready

so I can serve them to Brooke and get this whole mess over with and move on with my life. But everyone keeps telling me I should slow down and think about it more and maybe try to work things out, but they don't understand that there's nothing to work out. I'm not interested in trying to save a marriage with someone who would do this to me. My mom called me yesterday crying and asking what happened because my dad told her some story about how we had a fight but didn't tell her the real reason. She wants me to apologize to him and fix things, but I can't tell her what really happened because it would destroy her.

She's already dealing with her own health problems and doesn't need this stress. Brooke has been texting me constantly and leaving voicemails begging me to talk to her and saying she made a mistake and she loves me and wants to fix things. But I blocked her number today because I can't handle listening to her voice anymore, and I don't want to hear her excuses. I guess I'm posting this because I need someone to tell me I'm not crazy for wanting a divorce and that I'm doing the right thing by cutting them both out of my life completely. Because right now I feel like everyone thinks I should just forgive and forget,

but I can't and I won't. Update 1 Jesus Christ, this has been the worst few days of me. my life, and it just keeps getting worse. I don't know how much more of this I can take before I completely lose my mind and do something I'll regret later. So yesterday I went to my lawyer's office to sign the divorce papers, and he told me that Brooke had already been contacted by his office and she knows what's coming. She's been calling them trying to set up a meeting to discuss things, but I told them absolutely not and to just serve her the papers and get this moving because I don't want to sit in a room with her and listen to more lies and excuses.

When I got home from the lawyer, there was a car in my driveway, and when I walked up to my front door, my dad was sitting on my porch steps waiting for me. I wanted to leave, but this is my house, and he's the one who should be ashamed to show his face here. He stood up when he saw me and tried to act like nothing had happened and asked if we could talk. I told him there was nothing to talk about and he should leave before I called the police and had him removed for trespassing. But he didn't move and said we needed to clear the air about what happened. I asked him what there was to clear up since I saw everything with my own eyes,

and he said I was misunderstanding the situation and that it wasn't what I thought. I just started laughing because how stupid does he think I am, and what other explanation could there possibly be for what I witnessed. He said that Brooke had been coming to him for advice about our marriage and that she was unhappy and felt like I didn't pay enough attention to her. He said one thing led to another and it just happened, and they both felt terrible about it and didn't mean for it to go that far. I told him that was the biggest load of garbage I'd ever heard and that even if Brooke was unhappy, that didn't give either of them the right to betray me like that. I said he was supposed to be my

father and support me, not sleep with my wife behind my back. He got defensive then and said I was being dramatic and that these things happen sometimes, and that I should try to be more understanding because Brooke really does love me and she made a mistake, but that doesn't mean our marriage has to be over. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and I told him he was out of his mind if he thought I was going to forgive either of them and take Brooke back after what they did. I said he was the last person who should be giving me advice about my marriage since he destroyed it. Then he said something that made me so angry I saw red, and I don't even remember exactly what it was. But it was something about how maybe if I had been a better husband, Brooke wouldn't have needed to look elsewhere for attention.

That's when I completely lost it. I started yelling at him that this was his fault and not mine, and that he's a disgusting old man who took advantage of my wife. I told him he's not my father anymore and I never want to see him again, and I meant every word of it, and I still do. He tried to calm me down and said I was upset and not thinking clearly and that we're family and we need to work through this together. But I told him we stopped being family the moment he decided to sleep with Brooke, and that he made his choice and now he has to live with the consequences. I went inside and slammed the door and locked it, and he stayed out there for another ten minutes knocking and asking me to let him in so we could talk like adults. But I ignored him until he finally left, and I haven't heard from him since then. But this morning my mom called me crying and asking what's going on because my dad came home upset and told her that we had a big fight and

and that I was being unreasonable and refusing to talk to him. She wants to know what happened. I couldn't tell her the truth because she's 65 years old and has heart problems, and finding out that her husband cheated on her with her daughter-in-law would probably kill her. I don't want that on my conscience too, so I just told her that Dad and I had a disagreement and that I needed some space to cool off. She said she's never seen him this upset and that he loves me and wants to fix whatever went wrong between us. She asked me to please call him and work things out because family is the most important thing,

and we shouldn't let Pride get in the way of our relationship. It's killing me not to tell her what really happened because she deserves to know that her husband is a cheating bastard. But I can't be the one to break her heart like that, and I don't know what to do about it because keeping this secret is eating me alive. Brooke showed up at my work today too and tried to corner me in the parking lot when I was leaving. I saw her coming and tried to get in my car fast, but she ran over and started banging on my window begging me to talk to her. I rolled the window down just enough to tell her to leave me alone and that I didn't want to hear anything she had to say. But she kept talking anyway and saying

she was sorry and that it only happened twice and that she was confused and made a terrible mistake, but she loves me and wants to save our marriage. I asked her how long it had been going on, and she said it started about a month ago when she went to talk to my dad about some problems we'd been having. She said they got close and it just happened, but it didn't mean anything and she regretted it immediately. Then she said that the second time was the day I caught them and that she had tried to end it, but my dad convinced her to see him one more time, and that's when I came home early and found them. I told her I didn't care about the details and that two times or 20 times. It didn't matter because she still cheated and I was still.

filing for divorce. She started crying and saying she would do anything to fix this and that we could go to counseling and she would cut off all contact with my dad and we could move somewhere else and start over. But I told her it was too late for all that and that I didn't trust her anymore and never would. I drove away while she was still talking and left her standing in the parking lot crying, but I don't feel bad about it because she brought this on herself and she doesn't get to play the victim now when she's the one who destroyed everything. The divorce papers are getting served tomorrow, and my lawyer says once she signs them, we can probably have everything finalized within a few months since we don't have kids or complicated

assets to divide. I just want this to be over so I can start trying to move on with my life. I keep thinking about all the signs I missed and wondering how long this was really going on because now that I look back, there were things that seemed weird, but I trusted both of them and never suspected anything. I feel stupid for being so blind to what was happening right under my nose. Update 2. This situation keeps getting more messed up, and I'm starting to think it's never going to end and I'm going to be dealing with this drama for the rest of my life.

I just want everyone to leave me alone so I can process what happened and figure out how to move forward. Brooke got served the divorce papers yesterday morning, and by noon she was blowing up my phone with calls and texts. Even though I blocked her main number, she was using different numbers to get through, and I had to turn my phone off completely just to get some peace. When I turned it back on a few hours later, I had 17 missed calls and about 30 text messages from various numbers, and they were all from her begging me to reconsider and saying she would do anything to save our marriage and that she was getting help and wanted to prove she could change. One of the messages said she had quit her job at the hospital and was going to move back to her hometown to stay with her sister, and that she wouldn't contact me anymore if that's what I wanted. But she hoped I would change my mind and give her another chance to make things right.

I don't care where she goes or what she does as long as she signs the papers and gets out of my life permanently. I texted her back on one of the numbers and told her exactly that and that I wanted this divorce finalized as quickly as possible, and then I blocked all the numbers. she'd been using. But the real problem now is my mom because she came over to my house last night without calling first, and I could tell she'd been crying and she looked terrible. I knew something was wrong, but I wasn't prepared for what she told me. She said my dad had been acting strange for weeks and that she'd been worried about him, and that after our fight the other day, he'd been drinking more than usual and staying up all night. She was scared something was seriously wrong with him. Then she asked me again what our fight was about and said she knew it

had to be something major because we'd never gone this long without talking. She could tell there was more to the story than just a simple disagreement, and she needed to know what happened. I tried to give her the same vague answer I'd given before, but she wasn't buying it. She said she knew me too well and could tell when I was hiding something, and that she wasn't leaving until I told her the truth about what was going on. I felt trapped because I didn't want to lie to her anymore, but I also didn't want to be the one to destroy her world by telling her what my dad had done.

I sat there for probably five minutes trying to figure out what to say while she just stared at me waiting. Finally I told her that Dad had betrayed my trust in a way that I couldn't forgive and that it involved Brooke and our marriage problems. And that I couldn't give her more details than that because it would hurt her too much and she wouldn't want to know. She said she was a grown woman and could handle whatever I had to tell her, and that not knowing was worse than knowing. She kept pushing and pushing until I finally broke down and told her everything.

I watched her face change as I explained what I'd seen when I came home early and how I'd caught them in my bed together and how they'd both tried to act like it wasn't a big deal. I could see her heartbreaking right in front of me, and I felt terrible for being the one to cause her that pain. She didn't say anything for a long time and just sat there staring at her hands. I didn't know what to do, so I just waited. Finally she asked me if I was sure about what I saw, and I told her yes and that there was no doubt about what was happening. Then she started crying harder than I'd ever seen her cry, and she said she'd suspected something was wrong but never imagined it could be this. She said she didn't know how she was going to face him when she got home, and I told her she didn't have to go home if she didn't.

want to and that she could stay with me. She said no and that she needed to confront him and find out how long this had been going on and whether there had been others. I tried to talk her out of it because I didn't want her to put herself through that, but she was determined to get answers. She left around midnight, and I couldn't sleep all night because I kept thinking about what was happening at their house and wondering if I'd made the right choice by telling her and whether I should have just kept lying to protect her from the truth. This morning I got a call from my dad, and he was furious and started yelling at me immediately for telling my mom what happened and ruining his marriage and destroying our family.

I told him he was the one who ruined everything when he decided to sleep with my wife, and that mom deserved to know what kind of man she was married to, and that this was all his fault, not mine. But he kept screaming at me saying I was vindictive and cruel and that I'd gone too far. He said mom had kicked him out of the house and that she wasn't taking his calls and that he was staying at a motel, and it was all because of me and my big mouth, and that I was going to regret causing all this trouble and pain for everyone. I hung up on him while he was still yelling, and I don't feel bad about it because he brought this on himself and he doesn't get to blame me for the consequences of his own actions. If Mom kicked him out, then good for her because she deserves better than a cheating husband.

My lawyer called this afternoon and said Brooke had contacted them and wants to contest the divorce and try to work out a reconciliation. I told him absolutely not and that I want him to push for the fastest possible resolution, and that I don't care if she contests it and she's not going to win. He said that even if she contests it, the process will only take a few extra weeks and that her contesting it doesn't change the fact that the marriage is over, and that I'll get my divorce no matter what she tries to do to delay it. I feel like this whole thing is spiraling out of control and affecting way more people than it should, and I just want it to be over.

But every day there's some new drama or complication, and I'm exhausted from dealing with all of it and trying to keep my head above water. Final update I thought I was done with updates, but so much has happened in the last 24 hours that I need to get it all out because I'm still processing everything. I can't believe how crazy this situation has gotten and how many people are now involved in this mess. So yesterday after I posted my last update, my mom called me around dinner time, and she sounded. different, like she'd been crying but also like she was angry and determined. She asked if she could come over because she needed to talk to me about what she'd learned from confronting my dad. When she got to my house, she looked like she hadn't slept at all and her eyes were red and puffy, but she also seemed more sure of herself than I'd seen her in years. She sat down and told me that

after she kicked my dad out, she'd spent the day going through his things and checking his phone and computer. She said she'd found text messages between him and Brooke going back almost three months, and that it wasn't just two times like Brooke had told me but had been going on much longer. Some of the messages were explicit and disgusting and showed that they'd been planning to meet up whenever I was at work. She also found messages between my dad and at least two other women and evidence that he'd been cheating on her for years with multiple people. Brooke was just the latest one, and her whole marriage had been alive for probably the last. decade at least. I didn't know what to say because I was shocked that it was so much worse than I'd

thought. I felt terrible that my mom was going through this, but I was also angry that my dad had been lying and cheating for so long and that I'd never suspected anything. She said she was filing for divorce too and that she'd already contacted a lawyer, and that she was going to take him for everything he had and made sure he regretted every choice he'd made. I told her I supported whatever she decided to do and that she deserved so much better than him. Then she said something that surprised me and told me that she'd contacted Brooke. Brooke had agreed to come and meet with her today and figure out exactly what had been going on and when. I asked her if that was a good idea because Brooke was a liar and would probably

just try to manipulate her. Mom said she knew Brooke couldn't be trusted, but that she wanted to hear her side of things and see if she could get more information about my dad's other affairs. She said she was going to record the conversation on her phone so she'd have evidence for her divorce proceedings. I offered to go with her, but she said she wanted to handle it herself and that she needed to face this situation head on without anyone protecting her. I understood, but I was worried about her because she's not used to dealing with this kind of confrontation and drama. She left around 8 p.m. to meet Brooke, and I told her to call me if she needed anything and that I'd come pick her up if things went badly. She promised she would but said she felt strong enough

to handle whatever Brooke had to say. I couldn't concentrate on anything while she was gone and kept checking my phone every few minutes to see if she'd called or texted. I was starting to get really worried when she finally got back around 10 to 30 and came straight to my house instead of going home. When I opened the door, she looked different again, like she'd been through something intense but also like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She came in and sat down and told me that the meeting with Brooke had been eye-opening in ways she hadn't expected. She said Brooke had been completely honest with her about everything once she realized that mom already knew most of the details. Brooke had admitted the affair had been going on for three months and

that my dad had pursued her aggressively and convinced her that I didn't appreciate her and that their marriage was probably going to end anyway. Brooke had also told my mom about the other women she'd see my dad texting and had even shown her some screenshots she'd taken of his phone when she was suspicious that he was cheating on her too, which is ironic but whatever. But the biggest shock was that Brooke told my mom that my dad had been talking about leaving her and starting a relationship with Brooke officially. He'd been telling Brooke that he was going to file for divorce and that they could be together without sneaking around. Mom said that hearing that was actually a relief because it meant she didn't have to feel guilty about ending her

marriage since he was planning to end it anyway. It made her decision to divorce him feel even more right and justified. She also said that Brooke had broken down crying during their conversation and admitted that she knew what she'd done was terrible and that she regretted it and wished she could take it all back. But my dad had made her feel like I didn't love her anymore and that she was lonely and vulnerable. I told mom that I didn't care what Brooke's excuses were because there's no justification for what she did. Being lonely doesn't give someone the right to cheat with their husband's father, and Brooke was just trying to get sympathy and make herself look like a victim. Mom agreed with me and said she wasn't making excuses for Brooke, but that she could see how

my dad had manipulated the situation and taken advantage of Brooke's insecurities. She said he was the real villain in all of this because he was the older one who should have known better. The divorce papers are supposed to be finalized next week, and Brooke had stopped trying to contest it and has agreed to sign everything and get it over with. I think she finally realized that there's no coming back from this and that I'm never going to forgive her. My dad has been calling both me and my mom constantly, but we're both ignoring him. He's apparently getting desperate because he showed up at mom's house but she'd already changed the locks. She called the police when he wouldn't leave, and they told him to stay

away or he'd be arrested. I feel like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and that this nightmare is almost over. I'll be free to start rebuilding my life without all these toxic people in it, and I'm actually starting to feel hopeful about the future for the first time. I hope you enjoy this story. Discovered that my spouse was being unfaithful and my stepchild assisted in concealing the deception. Consequently, I utilized her educational savings for my own benefit, initiated legal proceedings to end the marriage and departed from them. They're begging me to reconcile. Hi, Reddit.

I need your help right now because I'm in a very bad situation with my stepdaughter and I have no idea what to do. So for context, I, 42F, have been with my soon-to-be ex-husband, David, 44M, for 15 years. And out of those 15 years, we have been married for 10 and I have loved him more than anybody. in this world. He also has a daughter, Stacy, 17F, from a previous relationship. He and Stacy's mother were never married, they had only had a short fling for about a couple of months, but then, she got pregnant and she decided to keep the baby but they had broken up just a couple of weeks before she realized she was pregnant. They had decided to have a cordial relationship after that

so they could co-parent the baby later and there were not really any feelings involved. However, she unfortunately passed away when Stacey was just six months old in a car accident. And after that, it was just him and his daughter. He had told me in the beginning of our relationship that he was not just looking for a wife, but he was also looking for somebody who would be a good mother to Stacey and I was up for it because I loved kids and she was really young at the time. Stacey was just two years old and I honestly didn't care that he had a daughter. I was ready to accept her as my own and raise her like that.

Right from the beginning, I had been very serious about our relationship and after five years of dating, we decided to get married. Our life had its ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I always thought that he loved me just as much as I loved him. I had absolutely no reason to believe that he might have been cheating on me because even up until a couple of months ago, we had been talking about celebrating our 10th marriage anniversary with a family trip to some exotic place and he had been pretty excited about it. People who cheat on their wives don't act that excited about a trip with their family, so I really hadn't seen this coming. Anyway, about six days ago, I found out that he had been cheating on me for the past seven months with his co-worker. I had just been at work,

minding my own business, when I received an email from said co-worker. It had all the details of their affair, and she had even attached proof of text conversations, phone calls, and even pictures of them together at places on days that he had told me he would be away for business trips. But those trips were really just romantic getaways with his affair partner, which I had no idea about. I was in shock when I received that email, and I went home immediately, not knowing what else to do. Nobody was at home at the time because Stacey was spending the day with her friend and David was at work. So I took the time to reread those emails very carefully once again because I did not want to have a breakdown at work and I realized that she had also a ten.

her phone number, in case I wanted to speak to her. She had told me that the reason she was doing this and coming clean to me about the affair was that she knew that David would never do that and she felt like I deserved to know the truth. Apparently, for the last few months, he had been promising her that he would tell me the truth and anything with me because she was not comfortable going around having an affair with a married man. I guess her conscience had kicked in all of a sudden or whatever but anyway, apparently

David had been promising her that he was going to tell me the truth, and I even had screenshots of that. She told her that he was going to end the marriage with me and be with her wholeheartedly now. She had believed him the first few times, but then, it had been almost three months and he still hadn't told me, so she had decided to take matters into her own hands and tell me the truth herself. After reading that email in its entirety, I decided to think about it for a while, and then, I went ahead and called her because the worst had already happened. I was still kind of in denial, so I felt that maybe speaking to her would make me realize that this was not some prank, it was really happening. So when I spoke to her, she started off by apologizing to me and said that she really did not have any intention of ruining my marriage, but she had just fallen in love with David and that's really the reason why she was telling me the truth.

And then, she went on to explain how the affair had started, how long it had been going on, and all the promises that he had made to her, which were the same promises that he had made to her, which were the same promises that he had made. to me in the initial stages of our relationship. My heart just kept breaking more and more with every word that she said to me, and by the end of that conversation, I was convinced that there could be nothing more heartbreaking than that conversation but then, she told me that apparently Stacey had also known about all of this all along and had been helping him cover up his tracks. That's what absolutely shattered me because in my head, I had always been Stacey's mother, and I had never thought of her as a stepdaughter. I had known that girl since she was two years old and had raised her as my own, so knowing that she had also betrayed me felt like the end of the world,

honestly. His coworker let me know that apparently, every time he would need to lie to me or cover up for me, Stacey would make up excuses for his absence and why he was not picking up his calls. In exchange for keeping her mouth shut, he would buy her several expensive gifts, and that explained a lot of things that had been happening recently like David had been totally spoiling her and that hadn't been the case before. But I just thought that he was doing well at work. which is why he was trying to buy her nice things. He had also given me a lot of jewelry and clothes, so I had just assumed that this new habit of giving us gifts so frequently

was because of how he was doing at work, but I guess not. Anyway, getting to know that Stacey had also been a part of this and had even met her father's affair partner several times and had kept it a secret from me all along, broke me even more than knowing that David had been cheating on me. So after that phone call, I decided to pack up my things and move out of that house because I just did not want to stay there anymore and wait for the two of them to come back home

because I felt betrayed and I just couldn't even stop crying. I did not want to give David the satisfaction of seeing me like that, so I packed up a couple of things and then drove to a hotel out of town and turned my phone off because I honestly did not want to be contacted by anybody. I was very upset that day and just drank myself to sleep in the hotel room. The next morning, I finally had to turn my phone back on because I had to call and sick to work and I realized that I had about a thousand unanswered texts and missed calls from David and Stacey, but I did not feel like responding to any of that. But I also noticed that I had one unread text from this guy at the car dealership whom I had been

talking to because I had been planning on buying a new car. The reason I had been holding back so far was that I wanted to save some more money before I purchased it since it was pretty expensive. And I also had that anniversary trip to look forward to, so I had been saving for that and Stacey's 17th birthday was also coming up, which is why. I had been thinking about gifting her a new car instead of buying one for myself. Anyway, when I saw that text, I remembered how I had been planning on giving Stacy a car for her birthday, and it just filled me with so much rage.

And in a moment of anger, I decided that I was just going to focus on making myself happy without caring about anybody else. The guy from the car dealership had texted me to ask me if I was still planning on buying the car that I had selected and so, on an impulse, I decided to go down to the place and bought myself a shiny new luxury car. I did not have any plans of buying that car since it was way out of my budget, but I did not need to worry because for the past 10 years, ever since I married David, I had been saving up and setting aside a college fund for my stepdaughter. I had decided to give Stacy access to that account as a surprise whenever announced which college she was going

to be attending and had been pretty excited about it, but now that I knew what had been going on for the past couple of months, I had no interest in surprising anybody apart from myself. So I used money from that account to buy myself a luxury car and then, I decided to drive it down to her house, and finally confront my husband and my stepdaughter. They tried to hug me and tell me how worried they were the entire night as soon as I showed up, but I didn't even give them a second. And I immediately announced that David's co-worker had reached out to me, and now, I knew the full truth of what had been going on behind my back and that I was really disappointed in both of them. Both of them looked really shocked and David at least had the sense not to say anything because he knew that the jig was up. Then, Stacey tried to talk to me and said that she was just trying to look out for her father and was confused because she did not know what to do. She started crying, saying that she had just been very confused because she loved us both equally and wanted us to be happy,

but I did not by that act at all because I thought she was old enough to know what was the right thing to do and she chose to do the wrong thing on purpose. Besides, I'm pretty sure that those gifts that she was receiving from her father helped her to stay quiet about this entire situation. I did not buy a word that she was saying, and I told her as much. I was very pissed off and quite upset, so I even announced that I was leaving David. And I think he should have seen it coming because I don't think anybody in my place would have decided to make it work, even after getting to know something like this. And then, I don't trust Stacy and I told her that even more than David, I was, was disappointed by what she had chosen to do. Husbands cheat all the time and it's not the first

or last time that this will happen to a woman. But I had always expected to have my back because even though we were not related by blood, I had never thought of her as my stepdaughter and had loved her, just like my blood, probably even more. And it was her lies and betrayal that had hurt me even more than what her father had done. So I had decided that the college fund that I had been setting aside for her all these past years was not something that she was worthy of anymore, and I would be leaving both of them behind now. It was not easy for me to say that, and I almost choked up because this had been my family for the past 15 years. But after telling her this, I decided to walk out without even giving them a chance to explain and went back to the hotel. They kept calling me, but I did not stop and they even

followed me out and I'm pretty sure they saw the new car I got and drove away as quickly as I could. After that, I had wanted to block them, but I just couldn't do it because emotionally, I'm still struggling to process whatever's going on with me. For the past five days, they have been trying really desperately to get back in touch with me and keep texting me almost every hour, keep trying to call me, but I just don't know what to say to them, so I just read all their messages and let it be. David had been trying to get me to forgive him for the first couple of days, but when he realized that it was pointless. He started trying to tell me that he was sorry about what he had done and knew that I deserved better, but he just wanted me to reconsider whatever was doing to Stacey because she was just a child and did not deserve to suffer because of what he had done. And even Stacey had been texting me along the same lines, trying to convince me that she had been wrong and she knew that, but she just wanted me to give her a second chance, and that she had always thought of me as her mother and terribly sorry about everything.

I had been ignoring all of that, but then, yesterday, I received a text for her. from David that said that he was sick of apologizing without any response and that he needed to know if I had any intention of coming back to the family or not. That really pissed me off because it was he who had messed up and now, he had no right to take that tone with me. So I texted him back immediately and said that I had already spoken to a lawyer and filed for divorce, which was not true. I was still trying to process everything and hadn't had the chance to speak to a lawyer yet, but he didn't need to know that. Then, he did not reply for about an hour, and when he finally finally did, he sent me a long message about how I was not just being selfish, but I was also the

villain, apparently, for choosing to act this way. He said that he was fine with me filing for a divorce and choosing to leave him, but the fact that I was also choosing to leave Stacy behind, just showed how selfish I was. He told me that apparently Stacy had been devastated ever since I had left and the fact that I had even said that I was going to get the college fund that I had been setting aside for her it really hit her hard because he had also known about this college fund, and that was the reason why he had not bothered to save up enough money. I do recall mentioning the college fund to him several times. He knew that I had been saving it to surprise Stacey,

but I did not know that he did not have any money status aside from her college tuition. Anyway, he told me I had said I was not going to give her access to the money. They had realized that they were in big trouble because he did not have any set aside and she had been thinking about going to college out of state, which would have been even more expensive. And she knows that she's going to get accepted in her. her college but now, there's a big question mark whether she's going to be able to go to the college of her choice or not because of the financial constraints. He thinks that I am a bad guy

for rubbing this in her face and saying that I won't let her have access to her college fund, even though I had been saving that money with the intention of giving it to her eventually, and the fact that I'm using this one little mistake against her to be selfish because he had seen my new car. It just doesn't make any sense to him, and he thinks that I should really reconsider this. Now, I feel very conflicted about what to do the way he's putting it. I don't feel comfortable being the person who snatches things away from kids just to teach them a lesson or to punish them because I've never been that. I don't want to be that parent. But at the same time, Stacey is not exactly a child and she knew what she was doing was wrong, I don't know.

I feel like she's disappointed me so what I'm doing is not exactly all that wrong. I'm just very confused. I'd have for telling my stepdaughter that I'm not going to be paying her college tuition anymore after I found out that she had been helping my husband cover up his affair for expensive gifts. Update 1, hey, I'm so sorry that I could not give you guys an update for the past two weeks. It's just that I had been really busy with work and with my lawyer, so there were a lot of things on my plate. But now, I have some time. So, first and foremost, let me just thank everybody who commented on my original post and showed

me so much love and support. I am really happy to know that people resonated with my story. I'm just really thankful, from the bottom of my heart. Knowing that there were people who were supporting me, even though they were complete strangers, made it a lot easier to deal with everything. So anyway, after David sent me that text and I made that post, I decided that I did not need to entertain any of this. Most of the comments on my post said the same thing, that I needed to block him and file for divorce as quickly as I could so that I could finally kick him out of my life. And that's what I did. Within the next couple of days, I had actually spoken to a lawyer and filed for divorce. I also decided that I did not because even if I had been her biological parent, I still

wouldn't have owed it to her to give her money for her to be able to go to her dream college. She should have thought about these things before she helped her father out with cheating on me. You can't stab me in the back and then expect me to turn around and give you. a smile. I'm sorry, it doesn't matter how old you are or who you are. It's just not how this works. Besides, the thing that David said about her being punished for what he had done, was not even accurate or true. She was being punished for what she had done and I made it very clear when I had spoken to them in person that last time that I went home, I was refusing to give her the college fund because she was the one who refused to do the right thing in the first place and her

father's affair, so it's for that and I think I'm being fair. If they want to be mad about it. They are completely welcome to do so, but I'm not going to entertain that and I really don't need to. Which is why I've blocked them and now, they have no access to me whatsoever. They are still trying to contact me by calling me through other numbers, trying to text me from other numbers, emailing me from fake accounts, and all of that, but it doesn't matter because all I do is just read these texts and emails and ignore all of it. Update 2, I finally received word about what was going to happen with the divorce and thankfully, is not contesting anything. So I hope that we are going to be able to have a peaceful and amicable divorce.

It has been almost three weeks since I found out that he had been cheating on me and life has really changed. I had been living in the hotel up until last week, but then, it was getting too expensive and even though I did have the money and the means to stay there for a couple of more weeks and months I wanted, I decided that I did not want to be wasteful. So I have moved in with a friend of mine and she's been gracious enough to let me stay with her until I am able to find an apartment of my own. I have also started considering therapy for myself because my friend is a licensed professional and she told me that it's really going to help me out in the long run, so I'm thinking about it. The biggest change perhaps, it's the fact that I have quit my job. It's a huge deal because I've been working nonstop for more than 20 years.

I think I started working as soon as I graduated from college and even before that, I have been working part-time, but I really think I need a break right now. I have enough money to do whatever I want and saving for all those 10 years is really going to come into handy now because I'm thinking about taking a break for a couple of months, realigning my life and starting my own business. That had always been the plan, but I had decided to delay it so that I would only start something of my own after Stacy had left for college and I did not really need to worry about money that much. But now, nobody is holding me back and I can do whatever I want, so that's the plan. I'm going to use these couple of months to build a business model and look for investors and all that jazz. I'm really excited for the future, even though I am still very upset about what's going on. I have spoken to my parents about the divorce. I hadn't let them know so far because I was still struggling to process it myself,

but now, after speaking to my parents, I made the announcement on social media as well. I did not mention any reason, I just stated that I was getting divorced and that was it. All my close friends and family members and what's going on anyway, and the only people that I really care about so it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. Life's been complicated for the past few weeks but now that the divorce proceedings are going to start and we are going to meet with the mediator in the next couple of days, I'm hoping to wrap this up and finally be able to move on for good. Hi, so David and I are going to meet with the mediator tomorrow.

It's weird, knowing that I'm going to have to see him after almost one month of having no contact with each other. And otherwise not already nervous and anxious enough for that meeting. Just half an hour ago, Stacey sent me an email. She had stopped sending me anything after two and a half weeks of no contact and I thought she was not interested in speaking to me anymore and had even assumed that this email would be about how she was and how she wanted to pay for her college tuition. But to my surprise, she sent me an entire apology. And this actually seemed genuine because she hadn't even mentioned anything about the funds or whatever. She had said that she was really genuinely apologetic for what she had done, that she had been selfish,

and hadn't even thought about how I would feel when I would finally find out the truth. She knew that she had broken my heart, even more than David had, and she didn't know if she would ever be able to make things right with me, but she genuinely meant it when she said that she had always looked up to me as a mother and she really did love me. She also explained that all those gifts that David had been giving her, she knew it was from a manipulator and she knew that as a fair partner had made it seem like she was doing it out of her own accord. But she still insisted that it was more because she had been manipulated into keeping her mouth shut rather than her actually wanting to keep secrets from me. I don't know what to believe, maybe she had actually been manipulated and that's why she hadn't

said anything to me. She insisted that she was confused and didn't know what to do because she knew that her father was doing the wrong thing and he kept buying her gifts only to buy her silence. But at the same time, it was her father and she did not want to go against him. However, in doing so, she was betraying me and she had been feeling very conflicted for the past couple of months. I want to believe her, I really do. But after everything that has happened, I really don't know. I was already feeling very anxious and jittery and after reading that email, I feel even more weird about everything.

I miss her terribly, and I also miss David, but I know that I need to learn to be able to live life on my own since I've learned the hard way that I can't just trust people, not even my closest ones. So I guess I'm going to have to keep up the no-contact rule. Update 4. So it's been a couple of months since my last update. The divorce is going to be finalized in a couple of weeks now, and finally going to be able to move on. The negotiations were pretty easy, the hard part was actually just having to to see him at those meetings. I don't know what I felt whenever I saw him, it was like a mixture of anger, hurt, and just an immeasurable sadness. But I got through it somehow, and now I'm done.

I've also been able to find a new apartment for myself and have moved. I've been living by myself for the past couple of weeks, and it's been nice. My friends and family visit me almost every other day to make sure that I'm doing all right, and I really think it's very sweet of them. I have company most of the time and I don't get to feel lonely, but I know that eventually, these visits are not going to remain as frequent as they are now, but I'm going to have to make my peace with the fact that I am a single woman now and I'm still trying to make my peace with it. I have also started therapy and it's going to take a while for me to accept and process everything that has happened, but I know I'm going to be able to do it somehow. I have had no contact with David since the last mediation session. However, even though it's not easy, it's been different. In my last update, I said something about an email that she had sent me and how she had stated that she had been manipulated. I couldn't bring myself to trust her back then because everything was just too fresh.

But recently, last week, I decided to reply to that email. She had been sending me emails after that as well. She did not mention anything about the college fund and would just keep me updated on what was going on in her life. It was more like a one-way street, where she would keep trying to talk to. to me, and I'd just shut her out. However, every time she would send me an email, my heart would break and I would just keep crying after reading because even though nothing sad was going on in her life, I just really missed the kid. So I decided to reach out to her and told her that I really missed her, nothing else. I still maintain that she was not getting the college part, but she

responded to that email saying that she didn't mind. She didn't deserve it anyway, and she had decided that she was going to go to a college near home and give up on her dream college because she didn't want to bother her father with a student loan. And anyway, even if she had asked him to apply for one and become a co-signer with her, he would have refused. He has been very clear on that front and they are going to have to make do with the money that they do have and he's going to help her out as much as he can. But she is also going to have to contribute and work her way through college like most of us have. And she's fine with that, or so she says. Anyway, we have been sending emails back and forth, and I told her that I would love to rebuild

the connection that I had with her, but I need my time because, after everything that has happened, I just can't process anything right now. And she understands that. She told me that I can take as much time as I need because she has betrayed my trust and she knows it. So I don't know what's going to happen from this point onwards, but I'm just hoping for the best, fingers crossed. I hope you enjoy this story.

sibling can find my unwell child in her chili cellar during his relative celebration, now father is excluding her from his inheritance and her spouse is preventing her from approaching. Their kid. A few days back, my son attended my nephew's birthday party and that's where everything went wrong. Both of them are eight years old, they go to the same school and a bunch of their friends were at this party. Before the party, he had been feeling a little under the weather, so I had asked him several times if he really, really wanted to go, but he had insisted that he felt fine enough to go. That's why I let him because he wasn't looking too bad, just a little tired.

I figured that being with his friends would make him feel better, so I dropped him off at my sister's place. Then, I went out to run some errands and catch a movie with my wife. In the meantime, for almost three hours, I kept trying to reach my sister, to ask if my son was doing all right. I had informed her already that he had not been feeling the best before the party, so I would probably call to check up on him, but every time I called, she would just ignore me and the phone kept ringing. I even texted my son on the emergency phone that he has, but later on, I found out that it had been confiscated by my sister at the beginning of the party itself because apparently, she has this strict no-screen policy in her house.

And even when he started feeling very sick and wanted his phone back to call me, she'd be declined. After almost three hours, when I was still not able to reach him, my wife and I started feeling a bit iffy about whatever was going on and since it was getting late, we decided to just drop by and pick him up. When we showed up at the house, people had already started leaving, and when we entered, there were just a few kids left. Surprisingly, our son was not in the living room with the rest of the kids, and when I asked my sister, she started looking very embarrassed all of a sudden. She asked both of us to stay in the living room and she would go get him, but I realized that there was something very fishy going on because why would my son not be in the living room

with the rest of the kids? So I followed her, even though she insisted that I should just stay in the living room. But I went after her with my wife, and while we were walking, she started explaining that during the party, my son had apparently started feeling very sick and wanted to call me. But she didn't believe him, she thought that he was just putting it on and seeking attention, because that's what kids do. So when he started insisting in nagging her, she got a bit upset with him and put him in time out in the basement. Because she thought that he was going to ruin her son's birthday party that she had been planning for weeks, she didn't let him call me and neither did she pick up my calls herself because she was too busy with the party.

And until we showed up, she had totally forgotten about him so that's why she had been looking so uneasy. Naturally, I lost my calm while she explained. explained everything, and I made her rush to the basement so she could open up and we could check on my son. Thankfully, he's all right now, but when we found him, he was sniffling constantly, shivering, and almost on the verge of unconsciousness and he had even vomited on the floor of the basement a bunch of times. We wasted no time in rushing him to the nearby hospital ER because even if there was nothing seriously wrong with him, we couldn't take that chance. My sister decided to get into her car and drive behind us, leaving her husband in charge of the other guests.

We had left through the kitchen door because I didn't have any time for questions, and even though I had asked my sister not to come to the hospital with us since she was the last person that I wanted to see, she still came along. While we were in the waiting area, she constantly kept apologizing to both of us, but we just ignored her. After a while, while the doctor was checking up on our son, I realized that my dad had shown up in the ER as well along with my brother-in-law. The two of them asked us what was going on. Apparently, my sister hadn't even told them what was happening but had informed her husband that she was in the hospital. After all the guests had left, they showed up, and my sister was about to tell them that everything was fine, but I went ahead full steam and told both of them what exactly had happened. I was very angry, I couldn't care less about how she came off in this incident, and naturally, both my father and her husband were horrified.

Apparently, she had lied to all the guests, telling them that my son had left through the kitchen exit and I had picked him up because he was feeling slightly under the weather, but it was nothing serious and nobody had to worry about him. And that seemed like a reasonable explanation, so nobody even suspected anything, because obviously what she had done was extremely crazy and it wouldn't have a very good. occurred to anyone. After I told them the truth, my brother-in-law started fighting with her and calling her crazy and all that, but my dad just went quiet for a couple of minutes. And then, he just turned to my sister, and he told her that he had been considering setting up a trust fund for both of us

and our future, but now, he would only be leaving everything to me and the grandkids. She wouldn't receive anything, and he would make sure of it. All of us were a bit shocked by this sudden declaration, and within a few seconds, my sister started crying but nobody sympathized with her. Now, it's been a couple of days, and my son is doing much better but he's still a little traumatized, so we're working on that by spending as much time as we can with him. In the past few days, though, my sister has also been begging me to fix everything and try to talk to our father because she thinks that this is way too harsh of a punishment for what she did. Even her husband is not talking to her right now and is actively keeping their kid away

from her. She has apologized at least a gazillion times by now, but I honestly don't care, she already did something horrible and she can't take it back. But in the back of my mind, I also feel a little weird about the fact that my dad has decided to cut her out of the trust fund because originally, he had only named his two grandkids and both of us were fine with it. But now, I'm included in it as well, and I'm the new beneficiary and I don't know, it just feels weird and I'm finding it hard to wrap my head around it. So basically what I want to know is, whipped her for letting my dad name me as a trust fund beneficiary, along with his grandkids, and leave my sister out of this for what she did?

Update 1. Hey, everyone. First of all, thank you so much for all the comments. My son is doing perfectly fine now and we are very grateful that so many people seem to care about him. We are also very thankful for all the concern and support. that has been shown to us in the comments, it's really sweet of you guys. Anyway, coming to what's been happening recently, I have decided to block my sister. It's been a week since the party now, and I think she should just count herself lucky that we

have decided not to pursue any sort of legal action against her or report her for this. Because I think we could very well do that, we just don't need that drama right now. It's going to take a lot of time and money to pursue this, and it's just not worth it. We have been throwing around the idea of reporting her to CPS, but that's only been a recent development. The reason I did not mention it in my previous post was because honestly, we were not even thinking about what to do about her. I was mostly just focused on my son and on the whole trust fund situation. It didn't even occur to me that I might have to report her and stuff, but I think it's a good idea to do that because she has a son herself, she sometimes has other kids over and I really don't

think that it's a good idea for her to have that going on right now. It's clear that there's something wrong with her at the moment. I don't know what it is, but normal people don't behave like this. So if I do report her to CPS, maybe they will suggest counseling or something and she will be able to deal with her stuff better in the future. In the long run, it'll be good for her. Also, a couple of people were asking me why I hadn't just blocked her in the beginning itself, and why I was letting her text me in the first place. Honestly, it was just a moment of weakness for me. After our mother passed away a few years ago, my dad, my sister, and I have become a very

close-knit unit. That's why I trusted her enough to leave my son with her at the birthday party and take off with my wife for the evening. If I hadn't trusted her, I would have spent the entire evening with them because I usually don't let my son spend time at anybody's house for hours without thinking it through. We have been very close for the past few years, so I was finding it a bit difficult to block her, especially when she was going through all this in her personal life as well. I am a father, but I'm also her brother, so I was feeling kind of sad for her,

while I was also feeling angry about what she had done to my son. So there were just a lot of conflicting feelings, and I felt very lost, so I hadn't blocked her yet, but now, I don't think that I need to entertain any of this. I don't even need to feel bad for her, even if it was an honest, mistake, it's just not one that people can afford to make with kids. These things can leave people scarred for life, and if she doesn't have the common sense to understand that, then maybe she shouldn't be having kids over at her house in the first place. Anyway, I'm going to speak to my dad today, and then, we might report her to CPS. It won't be easy, but I seriously

feel like this has to be done because what she did was really irresponsible and a horrible thing to do to anybody at all, not just a seven-year-old kid. And I can't let this go just because she's my sister, I probably wouldn't even have thought about reporting them twice had it been anybody else in her place, but only for her sake, we have been giving her the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, I don't think this is a situation where apologies can cut it. Update 2, so it has been a couple of hours since my last update and my wife and I just had dinner with my dad. We brought the topic up with him that we have been discussing the idea of

reporting my sister to CPS. I didn't know how he would react to that, because at the end of the day, she is still his daughter. And he might be upset with her, but I don't know if he would be okay with something like this because it's really serious. He thought about it for a while, I thought he was going to advise us against this, but in the end, he told us that we should do what we think is right. And if we think that we should report her to CPS, then by all means, we should go ahead. He was very frank about the whole situation and told us that even in the past, he had caught my sister being short with her own child many times. Most of the time, she would be very nice and calm, but sometimes,

she would just lose it over something very small and significant when he was over. And then, her son would cry and she would try to make it up to him, but it was clear that she had a few issues controlling her temper. With my son, it just got really ugly, and he had advised her several times to get some counseling, go to parenting classes, and just find a healthier way to deal with her because honestly, kids are going to be kids. Kids are going to screw up all the time, they're going to make a lot of mistakes and they will not be perfect and easy to deal with, but as parents, we can't afford to make them feel bad and scare them all the time. She said she would do something about it, but she never did, and after this incident, my dad decided that it was enough.

And he told us that he should have brought it up with her in a more serious way, but he never thought that things would come to something like this. I don't even blame him, because I don't think anybody could have thought that he would do something like this. We don't even assume that people can be capable of stuff like this until they do something like that. Anyway, the bottom line was that my dad told me to go ahead, and he thought that since it's our child, who had to go through something like this, it should be our decision entirely, and it was not even necessary to ask for advice on this.

But of course, there is going to be an investigation, and if he has asked anything, he's going to be truthful about everything, so that was a relief, and I really hope that my sister cooperates with CPS because that way, she'll be let off easy. And I'd honestly say that's the goal here, I don't want her to get in trouble,

I just want her to be better and learn something from this. I also spoke to my father about the trust fund, I told him that I have been feeling a bit uneasy about it since I knew that originally, it was intended just for the grandkids. But he told me that he had been thinking about adding me and my sister as beneficiaries as well for a while now, and he had been planning on surprising us with that information on Christmas. His business has been doing very well, and he ends up saving a lot of money because he has a pretty modest lifestyle and doesn't need much. So he thinks that it's fair enough for me to be added as a beneficiary and since it's his money, nobody can tell him what to do. Even if my sister does think it's unfair, she's just going to have to deal with it. Because the fact remains that what she did on the day of the party was simply not acceptable.

My father also pointed out the fact that it's not like she's not going to be able to survive on the money that she makes right now, she's a working woman, even her husband works, and they make a decent amount of money together. So she's going to be just fine, and he's going to be around for quite a while. So it's not like I'm going to be getting the money from the trust fund anytime soon since he is in pretty good health. That's going to happen way into the future, and I don't need to worry about it right now. After speaking to him about it, I felt a lot better and I don't feel that guilty anymore, and I really don't think that I had to feel guilty in the first place. It's not like I was doing anything wrong, I didn't coerce or force my father to do something like.

that. He did this of his own accord, and I'm not going to worry about this being unfair or whatever anymore. I'm just not going to stress myself about anything that I don't have to anymore because it's just not worth it. If my sister feels bad about any of this, tough luck, but she really should have thought things through. And that's all I have to say on this anymore. Anyway, I'm glad that I had dinner with my dad and spoke to him about all these things, because speaking to him really gave me a sense of clarity that I needed. Now, both my wife, and I know what to do, and we are going to go ahead and do it. We just hope that something good comes out of it, and the situation doesn't spiral out of control. I really do have my fingers crossed that my sister will

acknowledge her mistakes, show remorse, and take steps to rectify everything. Update 3, Hey, Guys. So after my last update, there were a lot of people who had said that there was no need me to report my sister to CPS anymore, because right now, my child was safe, and I didn't have to worry about anything. But like I said, this was not about getting my sister in trouble or getting revenge on her, this was just about doing the right thing. I knew that if she was truly and really apologetic about the situation, she would cooperate, and I knew that since my child was currently safe, CPS probably wouldn't take this very far since I had discussed it with a friend of mine who works with the organization closely, being a foster care worker.

And I had done my own research as well before taking a step like this because I knew that this could go wrong very quickly. But ultimately, this was about doing the right thing, since she has a kid of her own, and she has kids over sometimes as well. So I went ahead and reported her anyway, and of course, the caseworker who got in touch with us did ask us why there was such a delay, and we had to explain that since it was my sister that we were talking about, I had been confused about whether I should do this or not. But now, I was confident about my decision. It's been two weeks since then, and the caseworker has gotten in touch with my sister as well. He did speak to both my wife and I, we gave him a thorough account of whatever happened.

And then, my son was also spoken to separately and he was a bit nervous about it, but he did share everything that happened. We also showed her the medical records from the ER and the later visit to the doctor and confirmed that it had been an emergency because my son had a severe case of food poisoning. That was not my sister's fault, but even then, she should have taken it seriously then. After speaking to us, within six days, my sister received a visit and from what I'm hearing, she was cooperative and extremely apologetic. By the end, she was actually in tears, but she did make a big deal out of her emotions and stuck to the truth, showed the caseworker around the house and since the basement was not exactly a hazardous place, it was just really cold.

The caseworker told us that they were going to get in touch with their supervisor and let us know about the decision soon enough. We did try and get her to tell us what was going to happen, but she told us that that decision was not exactly up to her, she could only make recommendations, but she definitely would recommend that since my sister had been very cooperative and apologetic throughout the visit and from the initial investigation and findings. She could tell that while it was bad, it had probably been a one-time thing, so she would suggest counseling and parenting classes for my sister to her superior as per our request. Even though we don't know the decision yet, I'm hoping that that's what happens and this doesn't

go too far. Update 4. It's been a week and a half since my last update and a couple of days ago, the caseworker reached out to us again and said that a decision had been made, and thankfully, our suggestions were taken into account. My sister had shown that she really wanted to improve, and even her husband and son had said that while she does have issues with her temper, sometimes, something like this had only happened once, and they would try their best to make sure that it never happens again.

Taking all of that into account, it was decided that she would have to attend counseling sessions and parenting classes and under the situation was deemed to be better, she was not supposed to have any sort of unsupervised contact with my son. The last bit is already not happening, so we are fine with that. And about that, this has turned out exactly like what we had wanted, so we are thankful for that. The caseworker is going to stay in touch with us and my sister to monitor the family equation closely but for now, this is it.

I haven't spoken to my sister yet, nor has she tried to reach out to me, and it's the same with my brother-in-law as well. I don't even know if they are talking to each other yet, because the last that I had heard, he was not speaking to her and he was trying to keep their son away from her as well. But since he has stood by her during this time, I'm hoping that the situation is better in their home as of now. I have kept my father updated throughout the whole thing, and now that we finally have a decision, we are finally able to breathe again. Because this have been very stressful for all of us, not just my sister or me. This is probably the first time something like this has ever happened in our family,

and of course, we are not used to dealing with stuff like this, so until we had a decision, this was the only thing on our minds. But I'm happy that we were able to sort things out without much of a fuss, and mostly, I'm just glad that my sister has decided to seek help and improve herself. As for my son, he's pretty much back to normal. He's playing, laughing, jumping around and doing everything that kids his age do. At school, he's also hanging out with my nephew, regardless of the situation between me and my sister, and that's really the way it ideally

should be. Whatever the equation is between us currently, we have not let that affect the kids. I didn't speak about it earlier, because there were other important things to mention, but I think it's about time that I speak about this as well because there have been some questions about it. Since my kid and her son go to school together, it's natural that they will interact a lot, and they are quite close, which is why they have continued their relationship uninterrupted. I didn't have a problem with it at all when my son was coming back from school, wanting to go over to my nephew's place to play with him, I was just glad that they were blissfully unaware of everything that was going on with their parents.

But of course, I couldn't take him, so I had to disappoint him a bit there because I wasn't sure if my sister would want me there or not. However, apart from that, I was glad to know that they were keeping up their friendship. At first, I was not sure if my sister would appreciate her son hanging out with my son anymore, but even she hasn't had any problems with it, so I think we are at a place where we can let them be. And I think, even though they are really little, it's important to respect what they want as well. So when things get a little calmer, I think I'm finally going to go over to her place with my son and let the kids play together because my son has told me a bunch of times that he wants things to go back to how they were before, he wants to go over to his cousin's place and have to. hang out with him and he's not even scared of his aunt anymore. It's easy for him to forget about it, not so much for us, but for his sake, I will try to

talk to my sister and see if she would be open to the idea of them having played dates like they used to before. If not at her place, she can always have her husband drop off my nephew at my place, since we sometimes used to do that as well. Anyway, right now, I think we should just let things be, but in the future, I'm definitely going to try and do something about it because I don't want to disappoint my son. And I definitely don't want him to cut ties with his cousin, they are very close and I want them to keep this friendship up regardless of the family dynamics and all that. Update 5, hey, so it's been a couple of months.

My sister and I are not exactly back to normal, but I did speak to her about our children, and we have resumed our dates. Of course, she still doesn't have any unsupervised contact with my son, just like the caseworker had suggested, and we are making sure of it. She is also attending counseling sessions and parenting classes, and trying to bring her temper under control. She's also told me that she wasn't very happy when she found out that I had reported her to CPS, even though she had apologized to me, but she could understand why I did so, and she doesn't think things can go back to normal between us. But she's still going to try for the sake of our kids. And I agree with her,

I really don't think that things can go back to how they used to be, but for the sake of our kids, we are definitely going to try. She and her husband are also attending marriage counseling. My brother-in-law and I are on speaking terms again, so he told me about it and said that in the beginning, he had been very upset with her, he didn't want to talk to her or even let her around his son, but with time, he realized that this kind of silent treatment behavior is only going to hurt the family. So he decided to deal with it, and said, Since he doesn't want to get a divorce, they have decided to try and work things out. As of now, things are going well for them, and I really do feel happy for them.

My father and my sister have still not spoken to each other yet, he refuses to talk to her first, and she refuses to acknowledge his existence. I don't know what's going to happen there, but like I said, I'm not going to worry myself about anything that's not directly my concern. They are both adults, so if they want to work it out, they will do so. so. For now, I'm just grateful that things in the family are working out. I hope you enjoy this story. My guardians labeled me a useless individual and cut ties with me for dropping out of medical school. Many years later, they pleaded to attend my wedding upon discovering I was marrying a wealthy

person. Guy I 24F come from a very, very dysfunctional family. My family has always been toxic, and even though I had cut them off years ago, the issues I developed due to them still linger on and affect my day-to-day productivity. For some background, my father, 54M, graduated with top honors from some of the best universities during his time. It was there he met my mother, who was a stunning woman. She was a waitress in an upscale cafe during those times. They hit it off and got married. It was the classic case of a high-earning man marrying a quintessential beauty. Unfortunately, his paycheck and her looks did not guarantee compatibility.

Their marriage is a hot mess for anyone on the inside to witness. On the outside, they are this power couple that one can only dream of. Another thing about my father is that he is a misogynistic prick. For him, all a woman needs to be is pretty, good at household chores, and capable of producing babies. Lots and lots of babies. And my mother had to comply. They tried and tried but were unable to conceive naturally. My father believed there was something wrong with my mother because she couldn't get pregnant naturally.

My mother struggled with this for years, and he would refuse to take her to a doctor, believing women had been having babies without doctors for ages. Why couldn't she? From what I'd been told, my mom was miserable naturally so. Their marriage was at an all-time low, and my father was hell-bent on having a kid, in particular, a son. He was also unwilling to divorce my mother because he could not bear the thought of the societal ramifications. He was old-fashioned to the absolute core. Fortunately for my mother and unfortunately for my father they had one child, and that was me. My father was disgusted that after all

these years, what he got was a girl. The contempt was obvious. I remember being a kid and asking my mother why dad didn't like me. Every time, my mother came up with a new excuse as to why dad was pissy around me today. Gradually, I got used to it. Then the impossible happened. He started talking to me, engaging with me, trying to be my best friend. It was weird, and I was scared of him at first, but then I started loving the attention. I was the center of his world, and I loved every minute of it. But this wasn't because he had a sudden change of heart or wanted to be a good father and mend his ways. It took me a long time to realize this. He didn't get close to me for me, because I was his daughter. He did it because I was

smart. I got good grades in school, and I was bright. I used to understand quickly and draw connections. Most of my relatives and teachers kept saying I was a bright kid, that I was gifted. This was what he had always wanted a smart and gifted son. But he got a smart and gifted daughter. Suddenly, I was the apple of his eye. Nothing else mattered except me, and I had to work very hard and do great things in life. That was the cost of his love. I didn't know that at the beginning, but I gradually came to understand it. Whenever I did well in school, I was rewarded not just materially, but he made sure to take

time off from work and spend it with me. Whenever I didn't do as well, he would work extra hours, not come home on time, and not talk to me for days on end. I felt like the only way I could get my father to love me was by being a high achiever. It was psychologically and mentally abusive for me, but that was just how I was brought up, and there was nothing I could do to change it. My mother didn't intervene at all. She kept on watching from the sidelines, knowing full well how much all this impacted me. She didn't have the spine to help me out or take a stand. I was all alone. This went on for a very long time. My father had great dreams for me, and by extension, the family and his reputation.

He knew what my future looked like. He had decided everything for me, and I was expected to follow it to the T. When I was 12, he sat me down and told me it was his greatest wish to see me become a lawyer and then a senator. If I was a good daughter, I would do everything in my power to make his dream a reality. I was completely crushed that day. I still shiver when I recollect it and how stressed and anxious it made me. Everything from then on was about my law degree and my venture into politics. I wasn't even given the time or luxury to decide and develop my own interests.

My life was set in stone, and I couldn't change it. So I worked hard. I worked every single day to make my father's dream come true. I got into a great college on a scholarship after school, and Dad was so proud of me. He couldn't stop showing me off to the world. I was elated that I made him so proud of me. It was my dream come true because it was his dream come true. I left for college, and then everything changed.

I made friends, I was at ease because I wasn't at home, and that's when I found out that life wasn't about making every single moment about pleasing your parents and making them proud. There was more to me than my parents. In fact, there was supposed to be more to me than them. And then I went overboard. I stopped studying, I failed papers. It was like I was trying to live for all those 18 years in one go.

And, of course, I couldn't keep up with the course. I developed hobbies far removed from law. I got into badminton and I even started vlogging with a friend. A year into college, COVID hit. For an entire semester, we were locked inside our hostel rooms, and we had no classes because the online infrastructure wasn't working for everyone. It took time to get into the groove. During this time, my vlogging took off. My friend Kylie, 24F, and I got insanely popular, and our subscribers grew

multi-fold on several different platforms. I was disillusioned with my college, with my chosen career, and with my family. Plus, I felt extremely courageous because of all those years of repressed emotions. I focused all my energy on the vlog and TikTok. We even made an Instagram and got popular there, too. I wasn't interested in studying anymore, and I loved what I was doing. I stopped receiving calls from home. I didn't attend any online classes, started performing awfully, and it was a train wreck. But the channel had also started making money.

We were doing ads for products and getting small businesses as collaborators, so it was going well for us. I decided to drop out. I knew I would never excel at law, and I didn't have the stamina to push through my entire life for my dad. I also knew that even if I somehow became a lawyer, would hate my job and my life. In all honesty, I didn't give it much thought because I was on a spree of impulse, but I decided to drop out. I didn't even bother informing my parents because by then, I had begun hating them for eating away at my childhood and teenage years. I just wanted to be free of them and their expectations. The paperwork from the university took some time because of COVID, but I was finally free in a few weeks.

Kylie dropped out, too, and we rented a small place and started seriously working on our content. It was only after I dropped out that I informed my family because I didn't want them influencing my decision. It was a dumpster fire the minute I told them. I've never heard my dad yell such profanities, but well, there's a first time for everything, I guess. He first called me every name under the son, then blamed my mom for producing a kid like me, and then cursed all women. The inner misogynist was back. Maybe it was never gone. He had just kept it hidden because he wanted a daughter that excelled. He said I would be the biggest failure of the family and that he had no intention of with a useless piece of junk like me and disown me.

It was a horrible time for me emotionally, but later I realized it was for the best. I didn't have the energy or strength to cut him off myself, and I know if he hadn't done it, I'd still be stuck in the toxic cycle of living out my life for him. It was tough for us in the beginning, especially because of COVID. However, Kylie and I slowly built up the business and made a good, respectable brand name for ourselves. We're part of the travel side of content creation, and things got much better for us once COVID restrictions were lifted. We're now extremely successful and make more money than I could have ever imagined.

I'm happy with where I am in life. Two years ago, on a trip to South Africa, I met a guy. We hit it off instantly and got involved pretty quickly. We tried a long-distance relationship for a while, and then he came to the U.S. we've been rock-solid since the beginning, and it didn't take long for me to realize he was the one I would marry. He knows everything about my relationship with my parents and has been such a strong source of support

that I've finally come to understand what unconditional love actually feels like. He is also very supportive of my career, even though he has a white-collar job in a multinational corporation. However, he is none of the heirs my father had and respects my hard work and job. We're about to get married, and I think this news reached my parents, which is why they've been desperate to reconcile for a while. I put up the news of my engagement on social media, and I got a lot of traction on that post. I tagged my fiancé there, and I think that was how my family found out that this is a respectable guy with a respectable job, and I was doing the one thing a woman ought to do merry well.

Suddenly, I was the darling of my snake of a father again. He tried multiple ways to get in touch with me emails, texts, DMs, everything begging for a new beginning, asking me to bury the past and live this new part of life with my entire family. I could see through the bluff immediately, and there were many days I didn't even read let alone respond. He was desperate to get back in touch and be a part of my life and my fiancés again. I didn't like it at all. I didn't want him near me, but there was this wicked part of me thirsting for revenge and retribution for all those years I missed out on because of him. I spoke to my fiancé, and he said he was okay with whatever I wanted to do. All that mattered to him was that I shouldn't end up feeling worse about everything. We started our

wedding preparations, and I told my parents they were invited. My father was expecting to walk me down the aisle, but I told him he should be thankful he was getting an invitation in the first place. That shut him up real quick. I had my revenge prepared, and I was going to serve it cold. I didn't want any drama on my wedding day because it was one of the most important days of my life with the one person who taught me what true love was. So the wedding happened without a hitch, and it was beautiful. I got the ceremony I dreamed of. My father tried to act smart during the wedding by getting up in the middle of dinner to make but Kylie made him sit down. It was embarrassing for him but hilarious for me. My mother took me aside after the ceremony and

tried to give me marriage advice, but I told her to piss off because she was never a wife to my dad, she was just a slave. I told her the only reason I invited her was because dad begged and begged to be part of the wedding, and I wanted to be the bigger person, just like I had all my life. She left with tears in her eyes, but I didn't feel sorry for her at all. I cried such tears throughout my childhood, but she was never there to wipe them away. All she cared about was what Dad wanted, what he did, and how much he provided. Everything else, she accepted and wanted me to accept as well. Once the ceremony was over, I put my revenge plan into action.

The idea was to defame him in public. The only thing he was ever concerned about what was. was his reputation. So that's what I was going to attack and destroy. I would do it with no remorse because he showed no pity to a young girl who cried for days on end, apologizing profusely and begging her dad to talk to her, just because she got to be great on a stupid math test in eighth grade. Once I was back from my honeymoon, I decided to put up my wedding vlog on my channels. In the months leading up to the wedding, I had shared the entire planning process there, so the wedding video had to go up too. It was here that I played my cards. I started the video by saying this was the best

day of my life and that I was so happy to share it with the one person who taught me what love is. With this, I shared my entire life story with my viewers. I talked about the psychological abuse I faced at the hands of my father. I talked about how my mother never uttered a word and just watched me get punished repeatedly. It was a long and heartfelt section of the video, and I cried multiple times while shooting it. I then said this was why the bond one have with my husband is the most beautiful thing in the world to me and that I would never have been able to feel true love and support had it not been for him and Kylie. I put the video on social media and went to sleep. It turned out to be one of my highest watched videos. The engagement on it was crazy, and everyone

was calling out my parents for the shoddy job they'd done in the comments. It was cathartic to read those comments. I felt seen and validated. It was an emotional time for me, and seeing all those people come out to support me, to lighten my burden, and share my story made me feel I wasn't alone. The ramifications for my father were severe. He saw the video himself and called me, but I didn't answer. Then another call, then a third one. He had gone berserk. He wanted to do damage control as soon as possible, but I wasn't interested. He sent me texts and emails, asking me to call him ASAP, telling me to remove the video, but I didn't. I even made sure to personally send the link to every family member who couldn't attend the wedding,

just to let them know what mom and dad had been doing all this time. The meltdown was crazy. I didn't respond to his emails, but I engaged with my commenters regularly. That's when the real drama started. I guess my father got his friends to comment on my channel and report it. Suddenly, there was a barrage of comments about how children are always ungrateful and parents only want what's best for them. I knew it was my parents doing. The boomer language and tone of the comments were direct giveaways as to who was behind this nonsense.

I knew my work was done. I then deleted the video because it had done all the damage it could. I put up a post saying I had chosen to remove the video because of the negativity it was attracting. The negativity wasn't really affecting me, but I put it was. but I knew it had affected my parents, and that's what I wanted to achieve in the first place. I couldn't let them get away Scott-free for what they had done to me. It might seem petty to you. It might have been better if I'd moved on and put everything in the past.

What I did might have been unhealthy and toxic in its own way, but it was also deeply cathartic. It made me feel that I finally had a voice and that what I was screaming and yelling all my life wasn't in my head but real and painful. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. I had the choice between being selfish and being the bigger person. I chose the former, and I am not sorry for it. Update 1, my father tried getting in touch with my husband. Now, the thing about my fiancé is, he's been very supportive of whatever I wanted to do, but he would have preferred it didn't come to that.

He said it was absolutely my call as to how I proceeded with exposing my parents, but if he were to make the choice, he wouldn't have done what I did. When my father got in touch with him, he told me immediately. But when he saw how much that stressed me out, he said he'd deal with Dad on his own and that I needn't worry anymore. It turns out my father wanted his help to convince me to do some damage control. The poor man thought my marriage was like his that my husband would command me to do something, and I'd do it because that's just what wives do.

Apparently, my video reached a lot of people. While I'd send it to some family members myself, it somehow reached his workplace, and people started talking about it. Some younger employees began avoiding him, and he's had to do a lot of HR damage control. This has affected his productivity, mental health, and overall quality of life, and he wants me to intervene and make it right. My husband, Jake, for the purpose of this post because I can't keep writing my husband over and over again asked my dad what he had in mind and what he thought was the best way for me to remedy the situation. Dad said he expected me to release an apology video, saying I'd exaggerated for popularity and that my parents were the most

supportive parents I could have hoped for. He essentially wanted me to save his ass and sacrifice my entire career by retracting my statement. Jake said he'd talk to me and let him know, and then he'd blocked Dad's number as soon as the call ended. I'm not that. I'm not. I'm not sad because I know my father isn't capable of any kind of emotions, but I sure am appalled at his audacity. I'm obviously not going to do what he asks, and a part of me the petty part wants to make even this request public and make sure he's slandered even more. But I think by doing what I've already done, I've reawakened my past, and I don't want it to keep haunting me.

I had a long chat with Jake, and he says it's time for me to let it go not in the sense that I should forgive them, but that I should just stop associating with them, like I had been doing for the last five years. He said, withouting their treatment of me and their behavior to the public, I'd done what I had to and gotten my revenge. Now it's time to drop it and move forward. I agree with him, and that's what we've decided to do, but I can't shake the nagging feeling that they need to face much more in order to come even remotely close to the mental trauma they inflicted on me. I went through years of psychological abuse, and it can't be washed away with one video calling them out. Jake insists that allowing more of this to fester will ultimately spill over into our and despite what I claim, I'll continue to be affected.

He says I need to let karma take its course and not metal. He knows they'll have to face the consequences of what they've done, whether it be through me or someone else. I want to be the karma that bites them in the ass because I'm the one who had to tolerate it all. Nonetheless, I don't think my father will contact us again. If he tries, he'll soon figure out he's been blue. and that's an answer that requires no explanation. I'm just glad that the world he commands so much respect and now knows him for what he truly is. Update 2. My mother tried to get in touch with me.

I had blocked her too, so she called me from a different number. I answered, and when I realized it was her, I wanted to hang up, but she begged me to hear her out for five minutes and said she'd never call me again if that's what I wanted. She started off by apologizing for not standing up for me throughout my childhood. She said she was scared of dad and was completely dependent on him financially, which is why she didn't have the courage to stand up for herself or me. She knows she failed as a mother and that it's too late to ask for forgiveness, but she hopes I'll give her a chance to rectify and build a bond with me.

It was a long and emotional call, and we were both crying by the end. Even though she failed me as a mother, as a grown woman, I can understand her predicament. My father was too big of a bully, and it took nerves of steel to stand up to him. I told her I wasn't ready for a relationship now and that I didn't feel comfortable diving into a mother-daughter relationship with her, but I was willing to give her a chance. I made it abundantly clear that it would take a lot for us to have a cordial relationship because, despite the situation, she was the adult, and it was her job to protect me. I never had that from her, and I'd never felt emotionally or psychologically safe around her, and that's bound to reflect now.

She was okay with whatever I wanted and didn't make any demands. We've decided to stay in contact. I talked to her a little, and I'll take my time to see if I want a deeper relationship with her. I've made it clear that this is between her and me and that I want nothing to do with my father. I'm only willing to give her a chance. I'm not extending this grace to my father, and I don't plan to, ever. I've told her not to tell him we're talking because all he'll do is pressure her into making me set his public image straight, and I'm not interested in that. For now, the secrecy is maintained, and I hope it stays that way. Jake has asked me to be cautious about her because she has a history of being flaky and easily influenced by others. Somehow, this time around, I have a good feeling about her, and I think this might be the start of a new relationship.

I'm not jumping into this equation right away, but I sincerely hope it works out. I'd love it if we could mend things and move forward, at least cordially, because she was as much a victim of the circumstances as I was. Update 3, I should have listened to all the advice on Reddit. I was too optimistic about it all, even though most of you said my mother only came back at my father's behest. You were right, and she has completely betrayed my trust. We were in touch for about a month, which is when I felt comfortable enough to meet her. I decided to meet at a cafe not far from my place. I told Jake I wanted to do this alone, but I still needed him around in case I wanted to bolt.

And that's what happened. She was already there when I arrived, and she wasn't alone. Dad was with her. Part of me wanted to leave right then, but I decided to talk to them. My father immediately started hounding me, and I felt, felt terribly cornered. My mother, again, didn't say a single word. My father went on and on about how he was a great parent and that I remembered everything incorrectly. Fifteen minutes in, I dropped an SOS to Jake and went home. Needless to say, my mother is blocked again, and no

power on earth will reverse this. She has broken my trust for the umpteenth time, and I am done with both of them. I cannot take any more of this gaslighting and torture. 18 years of it are enough to last me a lifetime. Jake and Kylie have been my support through it all. And I'm glad Kylie and I have another exciting work trip coming up. We're going to cover two Balkan countries, that's all I can share with you, and we're busy preparing for that. It'll be a good change from the mess of the last few months.

Now, I know I'll never regret not giving them a chance. My parents have proven, once again, they're not capable of being trusted, and there's no way I'll ever feel safe with them. That chapter of my life is over, and I've decided not to take their toxicity with me into the future. Thanks, Reddit, for all your advice and input. I should have listened, but well, it is what it is. I hope you enjoy this story. Sibling prohibited my child with mobility challenges from attending her marriage ceremony because she believed he would disrupt the pictures. When her spouse learned about this situation many months afterward, she accused me of causing problems in their marital relationship. Hey, everyone. So I'm 35, female, and my sister Carol,

name changed, is 29, female, and she got married about four months ago. I was, unfortunately, not invited to the wedding and neither was the rest of my family. It was very disappointing for me because all my life, Carol and I have always been close, but for some reason, around the time of her wedding, she started turning into a total bridezilla. If I'm being honest, she started acting very differently as soon as she had a ring on her finger, and within a couple of months, around the time the invitations were being sent out, she contacted me to let me know that I wouldn't be receiving one because of my son's wheelchair condition. It was incredibly insensitive and disrespectful of her, so I didn't even make a big deal out of it or anybody. I just decided to cut her out of my life

completely after that incident. I have two kids, my 12-year-old son. I have two kids, my 12-year-old son, and my eight-year-old daughter and both of them had been pretty close with their aunt, so this had been a huge shock to me. My son had been in an accident about two years ago and unfortunately, he has been in a wheelchair ever since because of the severity of his injuries. He has been undergoing physiotherapy, and we are hopeful that one day, he'll be able to walk unaided once again. But until then, he has the wheelchair and I think people should be respectful of that.

And when Carol called me up a couple of months ago and told me that she had made up her mind that she was not going to be inviting me and the rest of my family to the wedding because of my son, I realized that she and I have turned into very different people, and there was no going back after this. I had obviously been very surprised because even the explanation that she had offered for something like this was just so lame and stupid. She had told me that she was concerned about how her wedding photos would turn out if my son was invited because she believed that him being in that wheelchair would ruin the pictures. I mean, there was a pretty easy solution to that. She could just asked the photographer to avoid including my son in the pictures if that's really what she wanted.

But I did not bother to make that suggestion because even that, in itself, was pretty insensitive and a horrible way to think. So after that phone call with her, I told her that I was completely fine with not being invited to the wedding and I left it at that. After that, I didn't really mention that to anyone apart from my husband because I knew that if I spoke about this to other people, there would be a lot of drama and that's something that I wanted to avoid, given the sensitive nature of the topic. I didn't want my son to be dragged into any of this, so I let it go. In the months leading up to the wedding, even though I knew that I wasn't invited, I put up a happy front whenever I was around my parents and Carol. She did the same as well, so people were

quite surprised when I did not turn up at her wedding and a lot of folks reached out to me to ask why I hadn't been there. Even then, I did not tell anybody the truth and I just told them that my father-in-law had fallen really ill and our family needed to be there for him, so I couldn't attend. And nobody asked any further questions, including my parents and my brother-in-law, Kevin. Things only came to light recently, when all of us reunited for my cousin's engagement party. Since we were all in one place, Kevin decided to corner my husband and me at one point and told us that he had been really disappointed that we hadn't turned up at the wedding, and neither had we shown up afterward. He said that he could understand that my father,

in-law was unwell and that's why I couldn't attend, but he expressed his disappointment with the fact that even after the wedding, we hadn't bothered to interact with them and since we had had a good relationship, he couldn't understand this behavior. And that was true, Kevin and I had always been on good terms in the past since Carol had been with him for almost four years before they decided to get married. So just like my husband, even he had pretty much become a part of the family and we had been good friends. I tried to apologize to him and tell him that we would make it up to him somehow because I did not want to talk about the real reason that I hadn't attended or been in touch with them and I kept trying to dismiss it, but he wouldn't budge. He insisted that he knew for a fact that there was something wrong and he wanted to know if he had been the one who had done something to offend us or whatever.

Kevin is a generally sweet guy, so after a certain point, my husband and I just decided that we were going to tell him the truth about the real reason we had decided not to attend because he deserved an explanation. Also, I really didn't want him to think that he had messed up somehow and that's why we hadn't attended because then, he would end up blaming himself. So I told him about the phone call that I had received from Carol a couple of months before their wedding and how she had told me that she did not want me there with the rest of my family because of my son. I told him that I did not want to create any drama before the wedding, which is why I'd kept it all to myself for the past few months and since I'm really sensitive about my son,

it was difficult for me to even talk about this. He was shocked when I told him the reason and he told me that he could totally understand why I hadn't brought it up with anyone and why I'd chosen to stay away from Carol ever since this happened. Kevin even went on to apologize to me on his wife's behalf and told me that if he had any idea

that she was going to say something like this, he would have put a stop to it before she could even consider making that phone call. He was extremely apologetic about the whole thing and for the rest of the party. I could see that Carol was shooting me dirty, looks because the entire time after our conversation, Kevin was sitting with me and my husband and ignoring her. He was by our side the entire time, and I could tell that he was very disturbed

by what he had just learned. I don't even blame him, even I would be really horrified if I had found out that my partner had been acting this way with their own sister. Anyway, after the party was over, all of us headed home and I really didn't think that I would have to discuss this again so soon, but here we are. Yesterday, almost three days after the party, my parents called me and told me that they had found out the real reason why I hadn't attended my sister's wedding and said that they did not want to get involved in this but they just wanted to warn me that Carol was extremely upset because ever since I told Kevin the truth. He has been insisting that she go for therapy because he believes that she is extremely cruel and heartless. They have been fighting nonstop because Carol thinks that she did the right thing because otherwise, her wedding would have been a bust, which is just a really stupid thing to think. And I'm definitely with Kevin on this, I do agree that she's really cruel.

My parents said that they did not want to take any sides, but they just wanted me to know that she was blaming me for sabotaging her wedding by telling Kevin what had happened all those months ago and trying to turn him against me just to get revenge. I personally think that it's ridiculous that she's blaming me and my parents did say that they did not want to take any sides at least four or five times starting our conversation, but for some reason, it does feel like they agree with Carol and that's why they had called me to tell me. about how she was feeling in the first place. I have spoken to my husband about it and he doesn't think that I have anything to feel sorry about, but I just want to get a second opinion. I'd offer telling my sister's husband the real reason why I hadn't attended their wedding and throwing her under the bus. Update 1, hey, so I decided to talk to my parents about this situation in general because

it was really bugging me that they had tried so hard to make it seem like they were not going to, and yet, in spite of that, they had made it a point to reach out to me and tell me about what Carol was going through, even though they really didn't have to do that. If Carol had wanted me to know, she could have just reached out to me herself, and we would have dealt with it amongst ourselves. If my parents did not want to get involved, they could have just chosen not to get involved at all. I don't know why, but it just felt like a tactic to make me feel guilty for telling Kevin the truth and creating trouble in their marriage. So I decided to ask them about their intentions and just confront them because I needed to know what was going on.

So I visited them earlier today and I told them what had been going on in my mind. Initially, they denied everything and they just told me that they did not want their two daughters to be fighting so they just thought that they would tell me what was going on with Carol and maybe I would take the initiative to sort it out. That was also very confusing because if they really wanted somebody to take the initiative to sort it out or whatever, it meant that they were indirectly getting involved. and they could have told Carol to try and talk to me instead of coming to me themselves, so that really did not make sense to me and the fact that they were trying to manipulate me was

really annoying. So I told them to be honest with me because I'm not a fool and I could figure out what they were thinking. After that, my parents decided that they were going, to be honest, and told me that a part of them did believe that it was kind of my fault for telling Kevin the truth because I really did not have any reason to do so. months have passed since that incident and everyone is over it now, so I had no reason to dig it all back up and create trouble in her otherwise happy marriage just to get back at her. I found that very offensive because honestly, I had no such intention of creating trouble in her marriage or whatever. I was not going to gain anything from doing something like that,

and it was insulting that my parents also thought that I was trying to do that. I didn't mind that Carol was trying to make it look like that because obviously, she was the one who had created the situation so she was going to do whatever it took to make herself look like the victim. So I expected this from her, but not from my parents, especially after they kept harping on about how they did not want to pick sides. I got really upset, and I told my parents that if this was what they thought of me, it was very obvious that they were on Carroll's side and not on mine. I also told him that it was really insensitive of them to think that I was the bad guy for telling Kevin the truth and completely overlooking the truth itself, which was just horrible.

I also told them that I wouldn't have told Kevin the truth if he hadn't insisted on getting to know what had gone wrong that day, but now since everything was out anyway. At least I knew where my parents' priorities were. They did not seem to care in the slightest about the fact that their younger daughter had said that she did not want their grandson at her wedding for something that was totally out of his control. My parents knew for a fact that I was really sensitive about my son and his injuries because that was a really traumatic time for the entire family. and for them not to care about something like this, it was just crazy and I couldn't believe that they were being so nonchalant about it and trying to make me look like I was overreacting. They tried to argue with me and tell me that they did care about their grandson, but ultimately, it was Carol's wedding and if she didn't want our family there because of the wheelchair situation,

they couldn't help it and they believed that she was perfectly within her rights to not invite certain people. And I do agree with that, she was perfectly within her rights to not invite us, but I'm also perfectly within my rights to take offense at that. And if I decided that I was going to distance myself from her and never speak to her again because of this, even that was completely fine. Most importantly, if I decided that I was going to tell her husband what she had done to prevent us from attending the wedding,

even that should be totally fine with everyone because if she had made a decision, she should have the guts to stand by it. My parents started telling me that I was making a huge deal out of this and told me that I had no reason to talk to Kevin about what had happened and create drama out of nothing, even after I brought up all these valid points. After that, I did not see any reason to continue talking to them, and I just left because it was obvious that they were picking sides now and I just didn't want any part of it.

I came back home about an hour ago and discussed this with my husband and he told me that he was glad that I had decided to take a stand for myself, not just by confronting my parents today, but also by telling Kevin the truth earlier. So now, nobody else's opinion matters to me. anymore. Update 2, I had blocked Carol everywhere recently because I really did not want her to be able to contact me. It's been about a week since the party and three days since I had my fight with my parents. Currently, everyone is blocked because I'm really not interested in speaking to any of them. Everyone except for Kevin, of course. He and I haven't spoken yet since the party but I don't see any reason to block him either. Anyway, since I had blocked everyone, Carol decided to reach

out to my son on Instagram and tell him to put her in touch with me because she needed to discuss certain things with me. I was not very happy about it when I found out from my son that she had reached out to him. He was also pretty confused himself because for the past couple of months, we have hardly even spoken about or spoken to his aunt and even though he doesn't know exactly what had gone wrong, he still has a slight clue that things are not well between us. He might be a kid, but he's really bright and picks up on all these things, and in the past few months, he has asked me about what's going on with me and my sister several times and I've always managed to dodge the topic. But this time, he started to insist on finding out what was going on

because Carol had mentioned that I had blocked her and my son knew that it was an extreme step, so he told me that he really needed to know what was going on. At first, I thought that I wasn't going to tell him, but then, I decided not to keep any secrets from him. So I told him about the real reason that we had skipped his aunt's wedding, and I knew that it would hurt him, but I couldn't hide things like this from him forever. And I was also kind of afraid that if I didn't tell him, he might have found out some other way because even if they can't get to me, they can still get to my son. He's turning 13 in a few months, so I thought that he was old enough to figure out whether he wanted to maintain a relationship with his aunt after this or not on his own.

I wanted him to be able to make that choice and so, I thought it would be better to just let him know. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect after I told him what his aunt had said because I know that even if I'm the one who's very sensitive about the injury and stuff, he's obviously going to be ten times more sensitive about it himself. Surprisingly, though, he took it quite sportingly. He told me that he was really thankful that I had kept this information from him for such a long time, even though he kept insisting on finding out. And he also thanked me for letting him know at this point since the curiosity of the entire situation had kind of been getting on his nerves. But now that he knows the real reason that we had skipped his aunt's wedding and hadn't

been in touch with her for so long, he can totally understand why I had blocked her. I obviously tried my best to make sure that he was fine because I did not want him to feel like he was being rejected by his family and I even had a lot of second thoughts about telling him in the first place because I felt like I had burdened him with this unnecessary information. But the more that I spoke to him, the more I realized that my son was a lot more mature than I thought and he told me that eventually, he definitely would have found out somehow because this fallout seems like something the family isn't going to be easily able to move on from. He also told me that maybe other children in his position wouldn't have liked to hear something

like this, but he preferred honesty because he has dealt with enough trauma for a lifetime so far. This kind of petty behavior doesn't really phase him anymore. Hearing him talk about this and putting on such a brave face, even though I knew for a fact that him and Carol used to get along earlier, made me really happy because I knew that my husband and I had raised him right. So I'm honestly very glad that I decided to be honest and transparent with him at this point. Ever since this has happened, I've tried to gauge if he's actually okay with everything or if he's just putting on a front for our sake, and it seems like he really doesn't care what his aunt thinks. I know that deep down, he must be hurting a little at least, but we are all

there for him. Obviously, I love him, his dad loves him and most importantly, his sister is always there for him. He has friends who have never left his side and have always tried to include him in everything. His teachers are also exceptionally kind to him, and I know that with time, all his wounds will heal. Be it the physical ones or the emotional ones, I know that he will be just fine. And even if he isn't, we will all still be there for him and that's something that I'm certain about. Update 3 Hey. So before I start talking about what has happened, I would just like to address some concerns that people had about my decision to tell my son the truth. My son and I have always had a very open and transparent relationship and my parents, my husband, and I believe

that honesty really is the way to go. For his benefit, I had tried my best to hide the truth from him for a really long time because I didn't want to hurt him, but now that he had insisted upon it, I felt obliged to tell him because even if he hadn't found out from us, he might have spoken to his grandparents or whatever and eventually. Things like this do tend to come out in ugly ways. And it would have been much worse if Carol herself had decided to tell him, and it wouldn't have been unlikely because she had already reached out to him to tell him that I had blocked her so who knows? She might have gone ahead and told him the reason for our fight as well because she clearly didn't have any qualms about dragging him into something that he was not involved in. And I know

that she doesn't have the sensitivity to deal with these things, so it was better for him to hear it from us rather than anyone else. I stand by the decision that I have made, and as long as my family is fine with it, I think it's okay to have dealt with it the way that I chose to. Anyway, now coming to what happened with Carol this evening, my family, and I had all been at home and Carol showed up all of a sudden. I knew that there was some drama about to go down, so I decided to send my kids to hang out with the neighbors because in case Carol decided to say anything weird, I didn't want them to be able to hear it. As soon as the kids had left, she started telling me that she was very upset about my decision to talk to Kevin about what had happened and said that I had no reason

to do that. She said that she thought it was really vindictive and petty of me. And now, because of me, she hadn't even been able to speak to Kevin properly for the past couple of days because he refused to entertain any discussion with her until she agreed to go to therapy. Every time that she tried to talk to him and explain herself, he would just end the discussion or walk away from it or it would inevitably end up in a fight and she was getting sick of it. She also felt that he had gotten sick of her as well and had started actively avoiding her by coming back home as late as possible, just so that he wouldn't have to interact with her after work. Personally, I really didn't see anything wrong with what he was doing, and I probably would have acted the same way. and after she was done venting, I told her that none of this was my fault. I refused to be held responsible for something that I hadn't done and I told her that if she

had just been a good person, she wouldn't have had to be worried about her own actions. It was her guilty conscience that she was projecting onto me by calling me vindictive, petty and vengeful, and whatnot. Deep down, she knew that she was the one who had messed up, but she was not ready to accept it, so she was trying to make me out to be the bad guy here and pinning the entire blame of the situation on me. I thought that she was going to argue more after that and she seemed ready to come up with some reply, but all of a sudden, she just broke down and started sobbing on my couch. My husband and I were both really surprised because we definitely didn't expect that we just stood there awkwardly while she cried because we didn't even know what to do.

It was so unexpected. Eventually, I decided to go and sit beside her but did not console her or say anything. I just sat there beside her and waited for her to calm down a little. And then, eventually, she started apologizing and told me that I was right and she had realized a while ago that it had been really insensitive and disrespectful of her to say what she had said. Also, the reason that she had been taking it so hard was because now that Kevin knew the truth, he had decided to put their plans of having a baby on hold indefinitely and that's why he wanted her to go to therapy because he thought that the way that she had treated her nephew was so heartless. He couldn't trust her to be a good mother right now.

That had really shattered her because she had been totally ready to become a mother and had been looking forward to it ever since she got married. But now, it seems quite unlikely to happen anytime soon in the future and that's why she's been so frustrated and angry about everything. And instead of facing the situation, she had been trying to run away from it and find a scapegoat of sorts. So far, it had been me, but the more that she thought about it, the more she failed to find anybody to blame but herself for how things had turned out and she told me that she was really sorry about everything. At that point, I didn't know what to say, because I had been expecting another huge fight, but she was apologizing to us now.

So eventually, my husband and I just looked at each other and told her that we did forgive her, but we really would suggest she get therapy because obviously, her behavior in the recent past had been quite unreasonable and disturbing. It really wasn't like her to act like this and maybe Kevin did have a point. She was probably not ready to be a mother yet. It was harsh, but to the point. And then, she cried some more after that, and I finally did console her a little because I felt bad for her, but after that, while she was leaving, I told her that I would still like to stay no contact for a while.

I wasn't over everything that had happened and I guess she understood that, so she just didn't say anything about it and told me that she would keep her distance from me. I don't know what's going to happen in the future if we are ever going to be able to reconcile or not, but for now, I'm content with how things are. I haven't spoken to my parents since I had my fight with them, and even if I do end up reconciling with my sister, I don't think I'll be doing the same with them. With my parents, it was never a very clear-cut case of a golden child,

but they did have a soft spot for Carol always, and they tried to keep it subtle. But over the years, I have picked up on certain things, and I know that, according to them, since I'm older, I'm always supposed to make all these sacrifices and do all the forgiving and just be generally more lenient, but I don't think I'm going to be playing that role anymore. For me, nothing is more important than my family and by that, I mean my husband and my kids. So if people don't value them, it means that they don't value me because we are one unit and I'm not forgiving anybody who has been disrespectful towards my son anytime soon. After his aunt had left, I did tell him that she had apologized for whatever she had said,

and now, it's up to my son, whether he wants to forgive her or not. He did tell me that it doesn't bother him, whether she apologized or not, because he had decided that he's not going to let anything affect him in the first place, so the apology really doesn't make any difference and he's fine with whatever. I think that's a nice and chill way to go about it, but he's still young, so I don't know how long he'll feel that way. Update 4 Hey

So there has been a huge development and I've been sharing it everywhere So I decided to share it here as well It's been three years since I posted my last update and recently My son has been able to start walking with the help of crutches He still needs some help getting better, slowly, but surely Of course, he still does need the wheelchair when he gets exhausted But we have been told that we can hope for more progress eventually and maybe someday soon he'll be able to walk again without any help.

It is a really exciting time for our family and we are overjoyed. Carol and I are not exactly in touch constantly like we used to be earlier, but we do speak sometimes. Like recently, I did reach out to her to congratulate her on the baby and a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to congratulate me on the progress that my son had made when I shared it on social media. Yeah, she finally had a baby with Kevin, they had been in counseling and were gradually able to work things out. Things are not the same between us anymore, but she has apologized to both me and my son

and maybe someday we will be able to go back to how we used to be. But this works for now. My parents and I are still not on talking terms and I'm totally fine with that, I'm happy with my life. And now that my son is getting better, I'm even happier than before. I hope you enjoy this story. My spouse attributed his infidelity to me because of my lingerie. We, female, 35, and male, 36, have been wed for just shy of two months, in a relationship for four years. I adore, adored him very much and I thought he loved me too. Besides the usual quarrel and disagreements about dull and mundane tasks were good. He never complained about anything? Never. Our sex life was amazing and he told me so very often. He even texted me, while we were at work,

of NSFW stuff that made me blush in my office. Anyway, Friday I had only a one morning meeting, my colleagues, and I went for lunch afterward and then we decided to go home. We checked with our supervisor and she said it was fine. And that's when I found my husband with another woman in our bed. I started running away in shock and he couldn't really leave the apartment before putting his clothes on. Enough time for me to take the elevator alone.

He's been calling and texting me all weekend. I met my brothers. My brother and my sister-in-law don't know the details just that my husband was cheating. This morning my husband came knocking. He begged for an audience and asked my brother to let him speak to me. My brother asked me if I wanted him to kick my husband out, but I told him that now I wasn't in total shock anymore. Maybe I should just hear him out.

My brother, Sill, and my baby nephew left for brunch. My husband looked like he has been crying the whole week. has been crying the whole weekend and wanted to hug me. I told him to stay on his side of the kitchen island and not to come nearer or I would scream. He started first with a half apology and later explained why he was cheating on me. I never made effort for him. I'm always wearing comfortable underwear and never the sexy type. That's a turn off for him. He felt like I didn't really care. I was stunned and didn't understand what he meant. Why didn't you tell me this? Why not try to buy sexy lingerie as many men do for their wives. He said he didn't want to offend me by

suggesting that my underwear was dull and a turn off, so it was basically my fault that you cheated. He didn't say no, just looked at me crying his eyes out. I tried to remember what the girl was wearing. I couldn't remember because my eyes went blurry the second I saw them. He asked me what I wanted to do, that we could fix this. He asked me if I wanted to know more about the woman in my bed. She meant nothing. I interrupted him immediately and told him that I was good. Then to get him out, I told him I needed time to think, even though I already made up my mind. I just didn't want him to stay longer to try to talk and argue and cry more. He is left now. I don't know what to feel. I never knew underwear was this big of a deal in relationships. I love cotton, neutral colors,

mostly CK Basic, I have a very large chest and honestly, any sexy bra is just a pain in the ass having a whole day always trying to adjust my boobs in the cups. Big-breasted girls will recognize my issue, dealing with all the unsolicited glaring from guys and even girls, when wearing underwear that shows the shape. Plus I don't feel unsexy in my very comfortable undies at all, not once, I love my body, I work out one, five, two hours a day and I'm very confident in my own skin. and how could he say that he wasn't satisfied with our sex life when we were intimate at least four times a week? Was it all a lie when he said that I drove him crazy and how I could turn him on with one look at him? I will never understand men. He gave me a false sense of confidence. And why did I catch them now? Couldn't I just do it two months ago? Now I need to find lawyers and start a fin-gy process that will take two years of my life, at least, FCKUK,K, really if you're

NGFCU. I hope you get F-Ked by Karma wearing a sexy red lace G-string. Update, my husband blamed his cheating on me because of my underwear. Hi everyone. Since I got so much support last time I was here, I'm back for more attention. I didn't find my story anywhere, but thank goodness I still had the draft on my phone. I have it on my page. I have spoken to a lawyer and unfortunately a nullment isn't an option for us even though we have been married for this short period of time. So I filed for divorce instead. My husband was so angry about it, so angry,

he thought I was moving on too fast with everything and without even properly hearing him out. What more does he have to say? He texted me that this couldn't just be it? That he won't kiss me again? The last time he held and kissed me, he didn't know it was going to be the last time where he wouldn't have let go,

but then he wouldn't be able to FCK Miss Sexy Panties, would he? Because he was in my bed with her a couple of hours after our last kiss, rolling eyes face. He's not the only one thinking that I'm moving too fast though. My family is reserved about it, but I have sensed that they also agreed with my husband about giving it more time. My brother even told me that I was welcomed in his home as long as I wanted so I didn't need to make any rash decisions. This hurt me. My mother-in-law called me a few times and she apologized and asked how I was doing. Yes, but she had ulterior motives too. She is worried about the financial part of the divorce. She asked me whether I thought being

married for under two months would make me entitled to my husband's property. I don't know if I can take half when we've been married such a short period of time. I still haven't met my lawyer yet, so I don't know anything about division of property. My husband bought us the apartment we live in, also he owns some other properties that we rent out in a small lake cottage. I kind of understand where she's coming from since I myself don't feel that I'm entitled to half. Now to what my husband did yesterday. As I said my husband is very angry with me and yesterday I knew the full extent of it. I received a delivery to my brother's house.

A beautiful gift wrapped box, inside beautiful lace. Underwear, my size. Thank goodness my brother and sister-in-law were out. on their usual walk and Sunday brunch because I broke down crying. And I cried for two hours straight. After I calmed down I knew that my husband, after coming to his senses, would regret his very petty actions and would start reaching out to me. When my brother came home, I told him that I was going to visit my best friend and that he

couldn't tell my husband where I was. My brother knew something was wrong because my eyes were still swollen but he respected my wishes that I didn't want to talk about the details. So embarrassing, I just told him my husband did something hurtful and that he would try to apologize once he calmed down. I was right because my husband went to my brother's house asking about me because I wasn't picking up or answer him. He called and sent me at least 50 messages. I didn't read any because I had muted my phone. I also called in sick. Today my husband apparently showed up to my workplace hoping he would see me there. I'm so devastated and angry, I start to

start crying the moment I'm alone. Why did he think he needed to hurt me even more? Wasn't cheating on my in my own bed in the place I felt the safest, my home, enough humiliation for my husband? Why does he hate me so much? Just because I followed my broken heart and filed for divorce? I thought he knew me, I thought he knew I always followed my heart or I wouldn't have married him in the first place. I was so close to putting the underwear on and blast Instagram with pictures of me in them, or better yet in my CK gray cotton ones, I'm happy I came to my senses and put my phone aside. Is the pain I'm feeling ever going to go away? Okay, I did something petty, I made an IG story with my CK, face not shown, with Beyonce cozy as background music. I know I'm going to

regret it because of the pettiness, but right now I feel a rush. About the underwear I received yesterday, I'm not going to burn or return them or cut them, I'm going to use them next time I'm having sex. That's probably what my husband intended for me to do with them, I'm going to oblige. I'm not American, in my country it doesn't matter if he had the property before or after we got married. Everything we own together or separately is joint property and will be divided 50 to 50. My husband doesn't seem bothered by this yet. I think he's busy trying to figure out how to stop the divorce altogether RN. His family, on the other hand, are more outspoken about the division of the assets.

They're also trying for an annulment. Last petty update I have now spoken to my husband. We talked about the practical things and I told him that from now on he could talk to my lawyer. He asked me if he could see and talk to me in person. I said no. He then told me that he knew my IG story was for him. He said he was sorry for what he made me feel. He always thought I was beautiful and it never had anything to do with my underwear.

I said I know. He apologized for sending me the lingerie. He said he was angry with me when he did it. I said I know. He asked me to burn or throw them away because I'm beautiful even wearing a potato sack. I told him that I was going to use them the next time I have sex, and I will remember him and thank him for the confidence boost. He went silent for a few moments and then said, I deserve this, I guess.

I have cried since this morning. I feel like a child fighting a petty fight, but I'm done now, nothing more to say. Now on to another story. Am I the jerk for being mad at my parents that they got my older brother a car for his 18th birthday and not on mine, and then causing the whole family to be up in arms about it till they came through? Okay, I know the title sounds like I'm spoiled, but hear me out, my brother, 20, got a car for his 18th birthday, not a new car or anything. It was a 20-year-old Lexus that was in pretty good shape, and he rubbed it in my face for the rest of the time he was in senior year of high school.

Compared with my brother I get just as good of grades as he does, better in some cases even, I worked my hardest in the hope of fairness. I even did some volunteering cleaning up garbage in my local area. Then my 18th birthday came and went a few weeks ago, and the only thing I wanted, the only thing I was hoping for was a car. I wasn't expecting something like a new car, or a sporty car, just something reliable like my brother got. The party wasn't anything like my brother's 18th.

For his 18th my mom baked the cake herself. It was a delicious layered chocolate pudding cake. I got a sheet cake from the supermarket. For his they got a DJ. For mine it was my dad's old boombox with a couple of mixed CDs. We went through whole party, and I figured my parents might have just been waiting to spring a surprise gift on me, but that didn't happen. I asked them as things were wrapping up why there was no car when my brother got one, and they said that they felt like he worked harder for it. I asked what he did that I didn't do,

because I did all of that and more. My grandma was nearby and heard everything, and then she asked them why as well. She ended up lecturing my parents that she was very, very, very disappointed them for showing favoritism. Then she proceeded to announce to everyone still there that my parents thought it fine to get their firstborn son a car and DJ, but not their second, and then she even pointed out how much harder my parents tried for my brother's 18th birthday than they had for mine. My uncle was the first to stand up and say something. Then everyone else who'd not left yet, I ended up just walking away and going to my room to sit and think, I got a few I'm sorry calls from relatives, and my grandparents convinced me to go out with them for the evening, but when I

got back my parents were pissed and told me I'd shamed them to the whole family. I just walked past them. Because I didn't want to fight, the next few weeks went by with the silent treatment between us. But then a few days ago, my parents suddenly surprised me with a white 98 Subaru legacy that runs great. They practically threw the keys and the title in an envelope at me and said to have fun, I got the car. And they're paying for insurance for the next six months like they did for my brother. I know a car isn't really a right, but a privilege, so I feel like I'm a I've essentially blackmailed my parents into getting me one. Am I the jerk for how all this played out?

Edit, I would like to clarify a few things. My parents make pretty good money. And also don't go out of their way to live lavishly by choice. They've always been moderate in everything they buy or do. Though if anything is stretching their finances, it's my brother's college tuition. He got a partial scholarship and my parents are paying the rest. I don't and never intended to ask for the same treatment on that.

I want to work and pay my own student loans. Now that I have the car, I'm already looking into getting a part-time job. This also isn't a gender thing as I'm male like my brother. The bill of sale for the car I got says my parents paid $1,600 for it. My brother's car cost them about $3,000 plus if I remember, but I don't see it as a money issue. I actually really love the Subaru and told my parents so. They did not share my enthusiasm. I also did try to talk about a car with my parents a few times last year,

but they always dodged the conversations about the topic. I figured if I talked about it too much, it'd ruin it, and so I stopped. I would have felt like a brat to keep talking about getting an imaginary car, so I learned to just stay silent and hope. I can't go stay with my grandparents because they live in a one-bedroom condo. There isn't enough room for other people. After all their kids grew up, my grandparents decided to downsize to make their eventual retirement easier. Also my grandparents know all of the details already,

and they tell me that I didn't do anything wrong, and were already planning on confronting my parents quietly over the car issue, but they took the chance to take care of the matter when they heard me asking my parents about it, as for my brother's 18th birthday party. It was held in 2020 during basically the height of the pandemic. Honestly, we shouldn't have had a big party like that at the time, but my parents insisted, as for my brother himself, he barely speaks to me, even before he left for college. He didn't show up for my 18th birthday party, and I figured that's just because he's busy with college. and he's not even in the same state as us anymore. Honestly, I haven't seen or heard from him since Christmas, and even then the most I got out of him was a mild greeting. I did thank my parents for the car, enthusiastically thanked them even,

but they barely said a word to me after giving me the Subaru, and when I thank my parents. They brushed me off and just went inside, it kind of gave off the vibe that they were letting a brat play with his new toy, which was pretty upsetting, and one of the reasons I made this post, edit two, there was one more thing I forgot to say, I was really hoping to get the car

because I literally couldn't get a part-time job without one. We don't live in the city, and we're 10 miles from the nearest public bus stop. I've always had to get rides to go anywhere. Now that I have the Subaru, I intend to look for a part-time after-school job as soon as I can, edit three, since it came up in so many messages,

I want to clarify that when I went to talk to my parents after the party. It wasn't in front of the rest of the family, I intentionally spoke with them in another room and was supposed to be out of earshot of everyone else there, but my grandma eavesdropped and then barged in to start lecturing my parents about their actions, and that's what caused the crap storm to start, update to my parents. Getting my brother a car on his 18th birthday and not mine, since I couldn't update in our slash Ida.

I came here to do it. This is my original post link I've not logged onto this account in roughly five months, so now I can tell you all the rest of what happened before college starts, but before that. There's some things I want to get out of the way from previous, commenters in Missager, I literally needed a car because there was no way for me to get a job without one, I had no personal transportation, and live over 10 miles from the nearest bus stop. So for those who kept telling me to give the car back because they think I was either too spoiled

and to accept life is unfair, or that I shouldn't take handouts, or I shouldn't accept gifts from crappy parents, etc. Please just stop. My inbox was so crammed full when I logged back on that it took some time to go through it all. It doesn't really matter anyway, though. I did get a part-time job that later went full-time for the summer after I graduated, but three weeks into working part-time. The Subaru blew the head gasket while on the highway at like 45 miles an hour, the temp gauge redlined and I had to pull over and call for help. My grandparents took a look at the car and found that someone had ran a lot of gasket sealer in it, and it was still in the coolant. The car was basically band-aided back together before my parents bought it, and was then barely

hanging on by a thread, it drove great, and I was never pushing the car hard as I'm kind of a slow driver. My parents claimed no prior knowledge of the problem. But their only real reaction was to shrug and say it was karma for making them get me the car in the first place. Well, that was a mistake because my grandparents were right there to witness that, and they tore into my parents like none other. My grandma told me to go wait in my room and let them sort this out. It was two hours before I was called back into the living room. My parents were on the couch and both, they'd both been metaphorically hit by a truck, my uncle and two other relatives were there now too, my grandparents had gotten it out of them that when they bought the car. They just looked for the

cheapest thing they could find close in the area that still ran, and bought it no questions asked. They didn't even bother to inspect the car, let alone properly read the ad for it. My uncle who knows a thing or two about cars told me that the engine would basically need to be rebuilt because the head gasket worked the block, and it had cost more than the car's worth to fix it. I had to call into work and tell them I was unable to make it in because my car was dead. They understood and basically put me on a sort of unpaid leave for the moment. Now I want to point out that what happens next I had no involvement with, my grandparents just told me to chill for a while and let them and my parents take care of this, and they did. A few days later they came back with a

1999 Honda Civic hatchback with 180.000.000 miles on it. It was white like my Subaru was, and drives great. It's not all we'll drive like the Subaru was, but it's great on the road and gets better gas mileage. There was also a list of all recent repairs done to the car, things like a new radiator and stuff. My uncle also went over the car

before giving it the okay. I thanked everyone profusely. My parents, though, at all the elation of Ben Stein on Ball I am, they said very little and just walked away. There wasn't even that vibe they had last time of acting like they were giving a new toy to a brat, if I could put it to words. The way they acted was just pure defeat.

The Subaru got resold later for $400 since that was the best we could get for it with the blown head gasket, and that money was put into my savings. That's only one half of what happened, though. You see, when I said I did better in school than my brother, I wasn't kidding. My brother got a 30% scholarship after he finished high school, while I got a 50% one, not at the same college of course, but at one comparably good that was also closer, to say my parents were shocked as an understatement. of course they just both looked unhappy as soon as the shock wore off. I decided it wouldn't be a good idea to poke the bear by asking them about it, but my grandma thought otherwise and poked that bear, and I mean really poked it. First she asked if my parents were happy for me, and they claimed they were, but really didn't

show in their attitudes, so my grandparents finally asked what their problem was. Why did they dislike me, their second son was doing great, and even went above expectations, and they can't be happy about it, did they want me to fail? Were they hoping I'd fail? What is the deal? My mother looked really upset, and my father couldn't look me in the eyes. They both meekly said they were happy for me. And managed to say they want me to take the world by storm when I go to college, and even said they'll help pay some of my tuition as well, just like they are for my brother. My grandparents both sharply said that they better keep their word, because there should never have been any favoritism, period. I thanked my parents for their

help. Got a light if not limp handshake from my father and a very stiff hug for my mother. It all felt so forced. I was, and still am extremely thankful for the car and the tuition, but my parents just drained the room of all emotion. I ended up asking if my grandparents knew what it was that made my parents act this way. I asked if I was an accidental pregnancy or something, and they gave me the it's time we told you look. Well, I'm not adopted like so many asked, but I was unplanned, sort of, you see, my parents wanted both a girl and a boy, but got two boys instead. My brother came out as a boy, so my parents were really hoping to get a girl on the next go. And they had a prior agreement to stop after two kids. They never got a girl. My grandma told me they refused to find out my gender till after I was born. They were convinced I'd be born female, and they bought a lot of baby stuff for a girl, and they didn't get a girl. My grandma said I ended up using all of my brother's hand me downs till I was three years old because my parents had bought so much girl stuff in advance that they couldn't use, so I was just a disappointment to them from the time I was born. My grandparents said that they know my parents are screwed up. But they've been the way they are for so long now that there's no point in expecting them to change.

Since then my parents hadn't spoken to me much about college. In fact, they ignore the subject as much as they can, and thanks to some of the warnings I got from people who messaged me making me paranoid. I called the college I've been accepted to and made sure to tell them that if anyone calls or emails pretending to be me, or my parents call trying to say I'm not coming, then to call me for a double or even triple check if anything like that happens. I mean, I kind of doubt my parents would do that sort of thing. Especially after everything that's happened, but I felt like playing it safe was the better option,

though there was something that I really didn't expect to happen, and that was my brother calling me, he called me out of the blue to talk, he said our grandparents called and told him everything. He told me he was sorry for what happened in his own way, and he hopes that once I'm on my own, I won't need to ever come back. He actually admitted to me that when he finishes college, he's going to stay in the state he's in because he likes it there. Our parents I do know actually really want him to come back when he gets his degree.

But it looks like that's not happening. I said I don't blame him, and I may do the same. The rest of the conversation was a bit awkward because we aren't really used to speaking to each other much anymore. My grandparents and the rest of the family held a surprise party for me over the weekend. And they made it almost like a repeat of my. brother's 18th birthday, there was a DJ, and a big chocolate cake my grandma made, I couldn't thank them all enough, my parents attended the party, but they were like wallflowers the entire time.

They didn't say or do much, just stayed sitting at a far table in the corner and drank beer quietly. The look of defeat they had was even greater now. I think the party wasn't just to congratulate me, but to also rub in my parents' faces that they should have done better, because the rest of the family have made their disappointment in them clear. They seemed like they wanted to leave the party for a while. Can't say I blame them. They were being humiliated into staying where they were. My grandma said that you're never too old to be taught a lesson in humility. As for my personal life, my part-time job went to full-time after high school, and I've been working hard to build my savings before I leave for college. I made minimum wage, but a job is a job. And I want to leave it

with my best effort put in before my two weeks' notice are up. I doubt I'm going to be coming back here to make another update, and after my first post I'm just so tired of all the negative comments, about 95% of the comments on my original post were positive, and I want to thank all of those who had nice things to say. You people rock, but the negative comments were so bad that I found it to be mentally draining. Some of the people who commented such negativity honestly feel like they've got worse issues than me, lots of projecting maybe, if anyone had something harsh, but constructive to say, that was fine. But some people just raged at me like they were foaming at the mouth, I really don't want more of that. I hope you enjoy this story.

Father missed my commencement ceremony in favor of a trip with his recent romantic partner, so I decided to sever ties with him. However, half a year later, he appeared seeking assistance following legal action from her. Him for $30,000. Hi, so I, 22F, cut my father out of my life, six months back, when he decided to skip my graduation ceremony, even after promising for months that he would be there, no matter what. I might have even forgiven him if he had skipped it due to some actual emergency, but he skipped it because he was out for a vacation with his new girlfriend and her son. So at my graduation ceremony, it was just me, my mom, and my brother, and he didn't even have the courtesy to inform me beforehand. So she and I kept waiting for him to respond to my phone calls and messages before the ceremony. and when he finally did, he told me that he was not even in the country.

Apparently, he and his girlfriend were celebrating one year of being together and so, they felt like they deserved a break from their work and everything, which is why they had taken off. He told me that my graduation ceremony had completely slipped his mind, but I did not believe it. I know for a fact that he remembered it, but chose not to attend on purpose. Of course, after something like that, I did not want him to be part of my life anymore and when, After he returned from his vacation, he tried to get in touch with me, I told him that I did not want to speak to him anymore. Since then, we have not been on talking terms and it's been six months. Initially, he tried to visit me a couple of times, but I made it very clear to him that he was not welcome in my home anymore and after that, he stopped trying to make things right with me.

But all of a sudden, last week, he showed up yet again in this time. It was to ask me for my help because apparently, he has been slammed with a lawsuit by his, girlfriend and he needs me to testify in his favor. When he showed up last week, I refused to open the door to him because so far, he hasn't apologized to me even once, he just keeps trying to justify everything. But then, he told me that it was an emergency and then, out of curiosity, when I decided to give him a chance to speak, he explained the entire situation to me. I'll try to keep it short, basically, Nina, his girlfriend, had been away for the weekend with a couple of her friends and she had left her son behind with my dad. He had promised her that he would take care of him, but unfortunately, there was a little bit of a mishap. And now, Nina is demanding that he pay her about $30,000

in reparations because her son is apparently traumatized, but my father doesn't think that he owes her that much, especially since he's not even the biological father. So he needs me to testify in case this goes to court, which he thinks it might since it'll be vital coming from his daughter. But I refused, due to a couple of reasons. The first one being that I do think that the situation is kind of his fault, even though I don't fully agree that he owes her that much money. However, I know that Nina's son has autism, and even though it's not very obvious, it's still a thing.

Besides, he's just eight years old and given the circumstances. I don't think it was wise for my father to have taken his attention off of him. My father had a meeting with a prospective investor in the evening while Nina was away, so even though he had promised her that he would keep an eye on her son, he decided to prioritize his meeting and the kid to go outside and play in the backyard. My dad's house has a huge tree in the backyard and for whatever reason, Nina's son tried to climb up, even though he had very little experience of climbing trees before, and since it was the evening, it was also pretty dark. Unfortunately, he was able to get pretty far but then,

he slipped and fell from quite a height. Luckily, he did not break anything, but he had a concussion and my father discovered him only after the meeting. He was scared of how Nina might react, so he did not inform her that day and even told her son not to tell his mother anything about their ER visit. But that incident just slipped out, and after Nina came back, she ended up finding out about it anyway. Naturally, she was very upset, and they ended up getting into a huge fight, after which she moved out and a few days later, she and her lawyer served him with the lawsuit. Personally, I don't think Nina did anything wrong and I'm completely on her side on this one. I really don't think that I can stand by my father, and I told him that my advice to him would be to just suck it up and give her the money because he owes it to her.

Another reason why I did not want to commit to him that I would testify in his favor if this does go to court, is because I still haven't forgotten that we haven't been in touch for the past six months and it's been because of his behavior. He can't just randomly show up at my house one day and expect me to help him out. So I made it very clear to him that I was not going to be testifying in his favor, and he got very upset with me because of that. He told me that being his daughter, I should be more understanding of him instead of being so selfish. The fact that he called me selfish really got on my nerves and I lost it with him after that, and I ended up saying a lot of things to him out of anger.

I told him that, even though six months had passed since he ailed to show up at my graduation ceremony, he had still not apologized to me, even once, and all that he had tried to do was justify what he had done. It obviously showed me how little he cared about me and since we have always had a very I told him that I am sort of glad that he chose not to apologize to me or speak to me in the past six months because it just made everything easier for me and now, I don't have to pretend with him anymore. I told him that I'm happier without him in my life and I'm sure that Nina and her son will be better off without him too, so he should just pay her the money and end this because there is no way I'm going to be supporting him in any case.

And then, before I could ask him to leave, he just turned around and left without another word. I did not think this was a big deal because honestly, I was really upset and I didn't even know what he had been expecting. Anyway, three days after that, my mother called me, and after some small talk, she asked me about the fight with my dad and I told her everything. She told me that my father had spoken to her as well, and even though they are not exactly the best of friends, he had expressed how disappointed and let down he had felt when I had said that I was better off without him in my life. My mom told me that when he had called her up, he had been crying and that came as a bit of a shock to me because my dad is not the kind of guy who cries easily.

But apparently, since this is too personal to be shared with any of his friends, he spoke to my mother and told her that he is really struggling financially right now because he quit his job a couple of months ago and is relying on his savings right now because he's planning on starting his own business. And now, with the lawsuit and everything, he has to think about double the expenses that he had factored in and all his finances have been thrown off. Besides, if he ends up losing, there is a very real chance that because of the settlement that Nina is asking for, he might not be able to start his business at all any time soon and that'll be huge trouble for him. So he stands a chance to lose everything that has worked so hard

and he's already pretty stressed out because of that, which is why what I said about him made him even more upset. My mother didn't say anything about what I should do, but ever since I found out about the fact that he had called her up and cried, I feel really guilty. I'm not sure if I should feel guilty, but I just do, so I am here for some clarity right now. You're here for telling my father that I am better off without him in my life?

Update 1, hey, so I have made up my mind. I don't think I'm going to apologize to my mind. father because while I can understand that he is going through a tough situation right now, I don't think he has earned my apology. Besides, even he hasn't apologized to me for skipping my graduation so he could go on that trip with Nina and her son. Even in the beginning, when I had expressed how upset I was that he hadn't even bothered to let me know until the very last minute and had given me false hopes for months, he had only tried to defend himself. As I had already mentioned in my original post, my father and I do not share a good relationship anyway.

and this was pretty much the last straw for me. So I don't think that I'm doing the wrong thing by choosing to stay away from him. I even told my mom about it, and she told me that this is between me and my dad, so she has no opinions on it. She can understand why I'm choosing not to apologize and she wants me to know that it's going to cost my relationship with my dad, but if I'm ready to deal with that, then it's fine. She has maintained a pretty neutral stance on this and I respect that. Contrary to popular belief, no, guys, she hasn't been pressuring me to apologize to him, and I was the only one who had been feeling guilty.

She did not say anything to make me feel guilty. I'm sorry if it came off that way in my original post. And yeah, my parents are still in touch, because even though I'm grown up now, I still have my 14-year-old brother and they are co-parenting him. So they have to stay in contact and that is why my father had decided to call my mother up and talk to her about me and what whatever I had said to him. Even apart from that, their divorce had been a mutual one, and there is no bad blood between them. So it's quite understandable that he had decided to speak to my mother about it. I can assure you guys that he was not trying to turn my mother against me, and even if he

had, it was not going to work. Anyway, I thought about the situation for a really long time, and I spoke to a couple of people about it too, and eventually, I just decided that I had nothing to feel bad about because ultimately, He had screwed up. Not just with me, but also with Nina and her son. So whatever he was going through right now, it was his own fault. And now, coming to what exactly he had been saying to me to defend himself instead of apologizing for skipping my graduation.

This was not directly relevant to the situation, so I hadn't gone into the details, but since a lot of you want to know exactly what happened, here it is. About three months before my graduation, I started asking my dad if he would be free. to attend or not because he's usually really busy with work. As I had said, he had recently quit his job, so he was working on building his business model, speaking to investors, and all that jazz. This is why he was hardly ever available. So I had to keep reminding him and asking him about whether he would be present at the ceremony or not and he constantly told me that he definitely would be there. So naturally, I had expected him to be there after he had promised it to me.

But then, when I started trying to call him on the morning of my graduation ceremony and he chose to respond to me after almost an hour, just to tell me that he was not even in the country and was on vacation with Nina and her son, it broke my heart. That day, I did not want to ruin the vibe of the event so I didn't even argue with him, I just hung up and blocked him. Even later, when I did unblock him, I expected him to apologize to me, but he just kept justifying everything, telling me that it had all slipped his mind, even though I knew it was. not possible. Even two weeks before the event, I had asked him if he would be there and he had said yes. So how was it possible that it had just slipped his mind? And even if, for a moment, I decided to entertain the possibility that maybe he had actually it still didn't make sense that he had the time to go out with Nina and her son but he didn't have enough time to spare for us. Because in the past couple of months, even my brother has hardly ever visited him, even though according to the custody arrangement, he is supposed to spend alternate weeks with our dad, but my father had been canceling that too. At least with my brother, he had spent

some time when my brother was younger because both of them were really into sports. Unfortunately, I don't have any common interests with my dad, which is why I have always been very distant from him. But I have always tried my very best to include him in my life. He was the one who never showed any interest, and now, he has even started distancing himself from my brother. It hurts all of us, and even my mother has tried to fix the situation. But there's only so much one can do. Even after missing my graduation, he kept making excuses for himself and trying to defend what he had done

by saying that he was too busy with work and that's why he had forgotten. And then later on, he started telling me that he and Nina had been working really hard, so he deserved a break and I couldn't hold that against him, which is just much worse as an excuse. The bottom line is, he has failed both his children and that's why I don't feel very inclined to apologize to him or feel sorry for him. All of this has been a choice. He's definitely not a victim in any sense of the word. Update 2. So, because I'm not talking to my dad and he's also been blocked for a really long time, he decided to continue speaking to my mother about this.

My mother is usually a very non-confrontational person, which is why she maintained a neutral stance on this all along. She had made it clear that she did not want to get involved. She only passed on the message to me because she was just casually sharing her conversation with my dad with me. She did not intend on pressuring me to apologize to him or whatever, but now, my father is trying to get her to do that and she's not on board with it. It has been more than a week since he visited me and I haven't been speaking to him, so even though he was behaving normally in the initial few days, a couple of days ago, he started pestering my mother. This morning, she called me and she sounded really annoyed, so she told me that my dad had apparently been calling and

texting her nonstop for the past couple of days, and he was trying to get her to convince me to testify in his favor, in case this went to court because right now, they are trying to sort it out in mediation. But both of them are getting stuck in things are not looking too good. But my mother has been telling him that she does not want to get involved, that this is between me and my dad and she doesn't want any part of it. He just doesn't get it, though, and apparently, last evening, they got into a really ugly fight. And even my mother ended up telling me. telling my dad off about how he had been behaving, and that she wasn't surprised that I had decided to cut him out of my life and was not going to help him out because he had never put in the hard

work to build a relationship with me in the first place. So now, he couldn't just expect me to bend over backward for him, that was unfair and unreasonable of him. On top of that, his expectation that my mother would step in and convince me to testify in his favor when I had made it so clear that I did not want to do it. was unreasonable too because at least she was just trying to be neutral and keep things peaceful between the two of them. But given the circumstances, she had every reason to be upset with him too because he had been extremely absent from his children's lives for a really long time now. My mother had been trying to be patient and understanding with my father because even though they were divorced now, she still had to raise my brother with him.

And even before that, they had been together for a really long time, so she was trying to keep things amicable until now. But after their fight last evening, she really read him the riot act and told him that he had no right to be demanding anything from any of us because he had barely even been there for anybody in the past. He had some sort of a relationship with my brother at least but with me? Forget about it. He had never even tried and my mother told him that she had been trying to keep her opinions to herself because she did not want to make the situation worse for either of us, in case we wanted to work on it at some point. But now, she could see that even if I were open to working things out with my father, it would never work because my dad was too selfish and alluded to even see that. That's why he hadn't even been there for me at my graduation ceremony,

in spite of promising me for months that he would be there. His priorities had always been different. At first it had been his family and now, even though he is with somebody different, it's still difficult for him to prioritize his loved ones. That's why Nina had to dump him and that's why. why he was getting sued right now because even now, he couldn't even be bothered to live up to his promises and look after a literal child for a couple of hours. He got defensive once again and told my mother that he was just trying to build a life for himself and be successful, it was not a

crime. My mother ended up telling him that while it was not a crime, he was doing all of this at the cost of his family and loved ones, so he needed to stop pretending to be the victim. If anything, he was the victim of his own actions, and he couldn't just expect everyone to be sympathetic towards him when he didn't have any empathy for anybody else. Then, she just disconnected the phone call and blocked him. She didn't want to bother me last night, so she did not call me but this morning, she felt like she had to talk to somebody about it. And my brother is too young to discuss these things, so she spoke to me.

Just like me, she had also been feeling guilty for yelling at my dad, even though he was was going through so much already. And I reassured her that she hadn't done anything wrong. He has been bringing this on to himself all along. So we really don't need to feel bad for him right now. Update 3. So, it has been two weeks since my last update. Last week, my mother decided to speak to my father about my brother's custody arrangement.

After a really long discussion with me and my brother, we came to the conclusion that at this point, it would be better for my brother to stay with my mother full time. As it is, my father did not seem very interested in having a relationship with him because for the last couple of months, like I had mentioned earlier, he had been canceling on my brother quite frequently. They hardly even got to see each other anymore and even when my brother would stay at my he said that my dad would always be busy with work and he would much rather stay with my mother throughout because visiting his father, at this point, was just an unnecessary inconvenience for him now. It was harsh but true and after hearing him out, my mother decided that she was going to see. speak to a lawyer and revise the arrangement. There's no need to do it formally because I'm pretty sure that my dad wouldn't have minded anyway, since he hasn't even asked about my brother in the past couple of weeks and neither has he seen him. But my mom wanted to go through with it legally because

my brother is still 14 and there's still four years to go before he is an adult. She doesn't want to leave anything up to chance, so just to be on the safe side, she's going through the trouble of speaking to a lawyer about this. And I totally get it. She's just looking out for my brother. She's just looking out for my brother and herself. She is even being lenient enough to let my father have visitation rights, even though, in my opinion, right now he totally doesn't even deserve it because of how emotionally distant he has been from everyone. My brother wasn't happy that this was going to happen, but even he agreed that it had done because of how complicated things had become. Anyway, her terms seemed fair enough, so she has already spoken to a lawyer, but just so that

she doesn't end up blindsiding my father, she decided to tell him about her decision as well. For that, she needed to unblock him and speak to him on the phone and that did not go well. After she spoke to him on the phone and informed him about her decision, he started yelling at her and accusing her of trying to turn all his children against him. He said that the reason I was no longer on speaking terms with him was because of her apparently, which was just absurd because it is definitely because of my father himself. My mother has nothing to do with it, but my dad said that if my mom had at least tried to talk some sense into me, maybe I wouldn't have acted like this.

I thought it was really stupid of him to say that, but anyway, my mother did not want to drag out the fight so she just hung up as soon as he started yelling at her and she thought that it would be the end of the fight, but of course not. The day after that phone call, he showed up at my mom's house and started demanding an explanation as to what she was doing.

She refused to let him in, and he had a full-blown meltdown on the front porch after trying to kick the door out of anger for almost three whole minutes. My mother found that really scary, so she ended up calling the cops and now, she's even considering getting a restraining order against him because he is clearly unstable. It's sad, but it has to be done. On top of that, he hadn't even left me out of this and sent me a message from a burner phone,

saying that I was an ungrateful and useless daughter, and he was disgusted that he had to be related to somebody like me. In that message, he said that he was really glad that he had never bothered to build a relationship with me because it would clearly not have been worth it since I don't understand what it means to be grateful to people for whatever they have done for us. I don't understand what he was going on about because whatever he had done for me as a father was the bare minimum. If he is talking about raising me, he was hardly even there for the job. And he can't say that he was too busy working, which is why he never had time for me. My mother was a working woman too, and yet, she always seemed to

find time for her children. The truth was, he's just never been ready to have a family and even now, he's not ready. I don't have to be grateful to him for anything. Whatever he did for me as a parent was what he was bound to do, and as soon as I turned 18, he practically forgot that I was his daughter. So he was only there for me out of obligation, not because he loved me as his daughter. And since that's the case, he has no right to complain that I don't value him as my father because he was hardly ever there for me anyway. Hi, so it has been a couple of weeks since my last update and my dad decided not to fight her for my brother's custody. About two weeks after my last update, my dad reached out to my mother through his lawyer and said that he was ready to agree to the terms of the custody

arrangement. She was a bit taken aback but then, she received a message from my father via email, saying that he just didn't want to have any drama in his life anymore. So he was ready to agree to whatever she thought fit and even in the future, if she didn't want their son to be seeing him anymore, she was free to arrange that as well. It was very depressing to read that email because honestly, it painted him like the biggest victim on this planet. And that was really not the situation right now. He was just having to face the consequences of his own actions. But anyway, my mother decided not to reply to it and indulge him. She ignored it, but she has that message saved, so in the future, if he tries to do anything funny, she will have that. In the same email, he had also mentioned that he had

agreed to Nina's terms as well and was paying her the settlement that she had wanted so that wouldn't end up going to court. The last part of that message, I think he sent that to both me and my mother. And I'm guessing he sent that to Nina as well, just from the tone of it, but I'm not sure because she and I are not close so I can't find out. Anyway, the last paragraph from that email is something that he also sent to me, and it basically said that he didn't want us reaching out to him ever again because now, he only wanted to focus on his business and he didn't want our drama ruining and disrupting his life again. He said he's done with us females and the drama that we bring for no reason, so he wants us to stay away for the sake of his own peace. And the way he put that,

makes me think that he probably sent that to Nina as well, but anyway, he is some gut sending that to us after he created so much drama for no reason. It's crazy. how delusional he is that even after so much has happened, he literally cannot see that he is the problem here and not us. My mom and I actually ended up having a good laugh at his audacity to say that he doesn't us to contact him again as if we were the ones disrupting his life in the first place. Anyway, it doesn't matter because the only person this kind of behavior is going to harm is himself. I'm happy with my life, and so is my mother and even my brother doesn't seem to care anymore. He can stay alone, for all I care. We don't care enough to be a part of his life anymore

and I was right all along. We truly are better off without him. I hope you enjoy this story. Father missed my commencement ceremony to go on a trip with his recent partner, so I ended contact with him. However, half a year later, he appeared seeking my assistance following her decision to take legal action. Him for $30,000. Hi, so I. So I. 22F, cut my father out of my life, six months back, when he decided to skip my graduation ceremony, even after promising for months that he would be there, no matter what. I might have even forgiven him if he had skipped it due to some actual emergency, but he skipped it because he was out for a vacation with his new girlfriend and her son.

So at my graduation ceremony, it was just me, my mom, and my brother, and he didn't even have the courtesy to inform me beforehand. So she and I kept waiting for him to respond. to my phone calls and messages before the ceremony, and when he finally did, he told me that he was not even in the country. Apparently, he and his girlfriend were celebrating one year of being together and so, they felt like they deserved a break from their work in everything, which is why they had taken off. He told me that my graduation ceremony had completely slipped his mind, but I did not believe it. I know for a fact that he remembered it, but chose not to attend on purpose. Of course, after something like that, I did not want him to be part of my life anymore and when, after he returned from his vacation,

he tried to get in touch with me, I told him that I did not want to speak to him anymore. Since then, we have not been on talking terms and it's been six months. Initially, he tried to visit me a couple of times, but I made it very clear to him that he was not welcome in my home anymore and after that, he stopped trying to make things right with me. But all of a sudden, last week, he showed up yet again in this time, it was to ask me for my help because apparently, he has been slammed with a lawsuit by his girlfriend and he needs me to testify in his favor. When he showed up last week, I refused to open the door to him because so far, he hasn't apologized to me even once, he just keeps trying to justify everything. But then,

he told me that it was an emergency and then, out of curiosity, when I decided to give him a chance to speak, he explained the entire situation to me. I'll try to keep it short, basically, Nina, his girlfriend, had been away for the weekend with a couple of her friends and she had left her son behind with my dad. He had promised her that he would take care of him but unfortunately, there was a little bit of a mishap. And now, Nina is demanding that he pay her about $30,000 in reparations because her son is apparently traumatized but my father doesn't think that he owes her that much, especially since he's not even the biological father. So he needs me to testify in case this goes to court, which he thinks it might since it'll be vital coming from his daughter.

But I refused, due to a couple of reasons. The first one being that I do think that the situation is kind of his fault, even though I don't fully agree that he owes her that much money. However, I know that Nina's son has autism, and even though it's not very obvious, it's still a thing. Besides, he's just eight years old and given the circumstances, I don't think it was wise for my father to have taken his attention off of him. My father had a meeting with a prospective investor in the evening while Nina was away. so even though he had promised her that he would keep an eye on her son, he decided to prioritize his meeting and the kid to go outside and play in the backyard.

My dad's house has a huge tree in the backyard and for whatever reason, Nina's son tried to climb up, even though he had very little experience of climbing trees before, and since it was the evening, it was also pretty dark. Unfortunately, he was able to get pretty far but then, he slipped and fell from quite a height. Luckily, he did not break anything, but he had a concussion. and my father discovered him only after the meeting. He was scared of how Nina might react, so he did not inform her that day

and even told her son not to tell his mother anything about their ER visit. But that incident just slipped out, and after Nina came back, she ended up finding out about it anyway. Naturally, she was very upset, and they ended up getting into a huge fight, after which she moved out and a few days later,

she and her lawyer served him with the lawsuit. Personally, I don't think Nina did anything wrong. and I'm completely on her side on this one. I really don't think that I can stand by my father, and I told him that my advice to him would be to just suck it up and give her the money because he owes it to her. Another reason why I did not want to commit to him that I would testify in his favor if this does go to court,

is because I still haven't forgotten that we haven't been in touch for the past six months and it's been because of his behavior. He can't just randomly show up at my house one day and expect me to help him out. So I made it very clear to him that I was not going to be testifying in his favor, and he got very upset with me because of that. He told me that being his daughter, I should be more understanding of him instead of being so selfish. The fact that he called me selfish really got on my nerves and I lost it with him after that, and I ended up saying a

lot of things to him out of anger. I told him that, even though six months had passed since he ailed to show up at my graduation ceremony, he had still not apologized to me, even once, and all that he had tried to do was justify what he had done. It obviously showed me how little he cared about me and since we have always had a very I told him that I am sort of glad that he chose not to apologize to me or speak to me in the past six months because it just made everything easier for me and now, I don't have to pretend with him anymore. I told him that I'm happier without him in my life and I'm sure that Nina and her son will be better off without him too, so he should just pay her the money and end this because there is no way I'm going to be supporting him in any case.

and then, before I could ask him to leave, he just turned around and left without another word. I did not think this was a big deal because honestly, I was really upset and I didn't even know what he had been expecting. Anyway, three days after that, my mother called me, and after some small talk, she asked me about the fight with my dad and I told her everything. She told me that my father had spoken to her as well, and even though they are not exactly the best of friends, he had expressed how disappointed and let down he had felt when I had said that I was better off without him in my life. My mom told me that when he had called her up, he had been crying and that came as a bit of a shock to me because my dad is not the kind of guy who cries easily. But apparently, since this

is too personal to be shared with any of his friends, he spoke to my mother and told her that he is really struggling financially right now because he quit his job a couple of months ago and is relying on his savings right now because he's planning on starting his own business. And now, with the lawsuit and everything, he has to think about double the expenses that he had factored in and all his finances have been thrown off. Besides, if he ends up losing, there is a very real chance that because of the settlement that Nina is asking for, he might not be able to start his business at all any time soon and that'll be huge trouble for him. So he stands a chance to lose everything that has worked so hard and he's already pretty stressed out because of that, which is why what I said about him made him even more upset. My mother didn't say anything about what I should do, but ever since I found out about the fact that he had called her up and cried, I feel really guilty. I'm not sure if I should feel guilty, but I just do, so I am here for some clarity right now.

You're here for telling my father that I am better off without him in my life? Update 1, hey, so I have made up my mind. I don't think I'm going to apologize to my father because while I can understand that he is going through a tough situation right now, I don't think he has earned my apology. Besides, even he hasn't apologized to me for skipping my graduation so he could go on that trip with Nina and her son. Even in the beginning, when I had expressed how upset I was that he hadn't even bothered to let me know until the very last minute and had given me false hopes for months, he had only tried to defend himself. As I had already mentioned in my original post, my father and I do not share a good relationship anyway, and this was pretty much the last straw for me. so I don't think that I'm doing the wrong thing by choosing to stay away from him.

I even told my mom about it and she told me that this is between me and my dad, so she has no opinions on it. She can understand why I'm choosing not to apologize and she wants me to know that it's going to cost my relationship with my dad, but if I'm ready to deal with that, then it's fine. She has maintained a pretty neutral stance on this and I respect that. Contrary to popular belief, no, guys, she hasn't been pressuring me to apologize to him, and I was the only one who had been feeling guilty. She did not say anything to make me feel guilty. I'm sorry if it came off that way in my original post. And yeah, my parents

are still in touch, because even though I'm grown up now, I still have my 14-year-old brother and they are co-parenting him. So they have to stay in contact and that is why my father had decided to call my mother up and talk to her about me and whatever I had said to him. Even apart from that, their divorce had been a mutual one, and there is no bad blood between them. So it's quite understandable that he had decided to speak to my mother about it. I can assure you guys that he was not trying to turn my mother against me, and even if he had, it was not going to work. Anyway, I thought about the situation for a really long time,

and I spoke to a couple of people about it too, and eventually, I just decided that I had nothing to feel bad about because ultimately, he had screwed up. not just with me, but also with Nina and her son. So whatever he was going through right now, it was his own fault. And now, coming to what exactly he had been saying to me to defend himself instead of apologizing for skipping my graduation. This was not directly relevant to the situation, so I hadn't gone into the details, but since a lot of you want to know exactly what happened, here it is.

About three months before my graduation, I started asking my dad if he would be free to attend or not because he's usually really busy with work. As I had said, he had recently quit his job, so he was working on building his business model, speaking to investors, and all that jazz. This is why he was hardly ever available. So I had to keep reminding him and asking him about whether he would be present at the ceremony or not, and he constantly told me that he definitely would be there. So naturally, I had expected him to be there after he had promised it to me. But then, when I started trying to call him on the morning of my graduation ceremony and he chose to respond to me after almost an hour, just to tell me that he was not even in the country and was on vacation

with Nina and her son, it broke my heart. That day, I did not want to ruin the vibe of the event so I didn't even argue with him, I just hung up and blocked him. Even later, when I did unblock him, I expected him to apologize to me, but he just kept justifying everything, telling me that it had all slipped his mind, even though I knew it was not possible. Even two weeks before the event, I had asked him if he would be there and he had said yes. So how was it possible that it had just slipped his mind? And even if, for a moment, I decided to entertain the possibility that maybe he had actually it still didn't make sense that he had the time to go out with Nina and her son, but he didn't have enough time to spare for us. Because in the past couple of months, even my brother has

hardly ever visited him, even though according to the custody arrangement, he is supposed to spend alternate weeks with our dad but my father had been canceling that too. At least with my brother, he had spent some time when my brother was younger because both of them were really into sports. Unfortunately, I don't have any common interests with my dad, which is why I have always been very distant from him. But I have always tried my very best to include him in my life. He was the one who never showed any interest, and now, he has even started disdemeanor. He has even started distancing himself from my brother. It hurts all of us, and even my mother has tried to fix the situation. But there's only so much one can do. Even after missing my graduation, he kept

making excuses for himself and trying to defend what he had done by saying that he was too busy with work and that's why he had forgotten. And then later on, he started telling me that he and Nina had been working really hard, so he deserved a break and I couldn't hold that against him, which is just much worse as an excuse. The bottom line is, he has failed both his children and that's why I don't feel very inclined to apologize to him or feel sorry for him. All of this has been a choice. He's definitely not a victim in any sense of the word. Update 2. So, because I'm not talking to my dad and he's also been blocked for a really long time, he decided to continue speaking to my mother about this. My mother is usually a very non-confrontational

person, which is why she maintained a neutral stance on this all along. She had made it clear that she did not want to get involved, she only passed on the message to me because she was just casually sharing her conversation with my dad with me. She did not intend on pressuring me to apologize to him or whatever, but now, my father is trying to get her to do that and she's not on board with it. It has been more than a week since he visited me and I haven't been speaking to him, so even though he was behaving normally in the initial few days, a couple of days ago, he started pestering my mother. This morning, she called me and she sounded really annoyed, So she told me that my dad had apparently been calling and texting her nonstop for the past couple of days,

and he was trying to get her to convince me to testify in his favor, in case this went to court because right now, they are trying to sort it out in mediation. But both of them are getting stuck and things are not looking too good. But my mother has been telling him that she does not want to get involved, that this is between me and my dad and she doesn't want any part of it. He just doesn't get it, though, and apparently, last evening, they got into a really ugly fight. And even my mother ended up telling my dad off about how he had been behaving, and that she wasn't surprised that I had decided to cut him out of my life and was not going to help him out because he had never put in the hard work to build a relationship with me in the first place.

So now, he couldn't just expect me to bend over backward for him, that was unfair and unreasonable of him. On top of that, his expectation that my mother would step in and convince me to testify in his favor when I had made it so clear that I did not want to do it. was unreasonable too because at least she was just trying to be neutral and keep things peaceful between the two of them. But given the circumstances, she had every reason to be upset with him too because he had been extremely absent from his children's lives for a really long time now. My mother had been trying to be patient and understanding with my father because even though they were divorced now, she still had to raise my brother with him. And even before that, they had been together for a really long time, so she was trying to keep things amicable until now.

But after their fight last evening, she really read him the riot act and told him that he had no right to be demanding anything from any of us because he had barely even been there for anybody in the past. He had some sort of a relationship with my brother at least but with me? Forget about it. He had never even tried and my mother told him that she had been trying to keep her opinions to herself because she did not want to make the situation worse for either of us, in case we wanted to work on it at some point. But now, she could see that even if I were open to working things out with my father, it would never work because my dad was too selfish and alluded to even see that. That's why he hadn't even been there for me at my graduation ceremony, in spite of promising me for months that he would be there.

His priorities had always been different. At first it had been his family and now, even though he is with somebody different, it's still difficult for him to prioritize his loved ones. That's why Nina had to dump him and that's why. why he was getting sued right now because even now, he couldn't even be bothered to live up to his promises and look after a literal child for a couple of hours. He got defensive once again and told my mother that he was just trying to build a life for himself and be successful, it was not a crime. My mother ended up telling him that while it was not a crime, he was doing all of this

at the cost of his family and loved ones, so he needed to stop pretending to be the victim. If anything, he was the victim of his own actions, and he couldn't just expect everyone to be sympathetic towards him when he didn't have any empathy for anybody else. Then, she just disconnected the phone call and blocked him. She didn't want to bother me last night, so she did not call me but this morning, she felt like she had to talk to somebody about it. And my brother is too young to discuss these things, so she spoke to me. Just like me, she had also been feeling guilty for yelling at my dad, even though he was going

through so much already. And I reassured her that she hadn't done anything wrong, he has been. been bringing this on to himself all along. So we really don't need to feel bad for him right now. Update 3. So, it has been two weeks since my last update. Last week, my mother decided to speak to my father about my brother's custody arrangement. After a really long discussion with me and my brother, we came to the conclusion that at this point, it would be better for my brother to stay with my mother full time. As it is, my father did not seem very interested in having a relationship with him because for the last couple of months, like I had mentioned earlier, he had been canceling on my brother

quite frequently. They hardly even got to see each other anymore and even when my brother would stay at my that my dad would always be busy with work and he would much rather stay with my mother throughout because visiting his father at this point was just an unnecessary inconvenience for him now. It was harsh but true and after hearing him out, my mother decided that she was going to speak to a lawyer and revise the arrangement. There's no need to do it formally because I'm pretty sure that that my dad wouldn't have minded anyway, since he hasn't even asked about my brother in the past couple of weeks and neither has he seen him. But my mom wanted to go through with it legally because my brother is still 14 and there's still four years to go before he is an adult. She doesn't want to

leave anything up to chance, so just to be on the safe side, she's going through the trouble of speaking to a lawyer about this. And I totally get it, she's just looking out for my brother and herself. She is even being lenient enough to let my father have visitation rights, even though, in my opinion, right now he totally doesn't even deserve it because of how emotionally distant he has been from everyone. My brother wasn't happy that this was going to happen, but even he agreed that it had done because of how complicated things had become. Anyway, her terms seemed fair enough, so she has already spoken to a lawyer, but just so that she doesn't end up blindsiding my father, she decided to tell him about her decision as well. For that, she needed to unblock him and speak to him on the phone and that did not go well. After she spoke to him on the phone and informed him about her decision, he started yelling at her and accusing her of trying to turn all his children against him.

He said that the reason I was no longer on speaking terms with him was because of her apparently, which was just absurd because it is definitely because of my father himself. My mother has nothing to do with it, but my dad said that if my mom had at least tried to talk some sense into me, maybe I wouldn't have acted like this. I thought it was really stupid of him to say that, but anyway, my mother did not want to drag out the fight so she just hung up as soon as he started yelling at her and she thought that it would be the end of the fight,

but of course not. The day after that phone call, he showed up at my mom's house and started demanding an explanation as to what she was doing. She refused to let him in, and he had a full-blown meltdown on the front porch after trying to kick the door out of anger for almost three whole minutes. My mother found that really scary, so she ended up calling the cops and now, she's even considering

getting a restraining order against him because he is clearly unstable. It's sad, but it has to be done. On top of that, he hadn't even left me out of this and sent me a message from a burner phone, saying that I was an ungrateful and useless daughter, and he was disgusted that he had to be related to somebody like me. In that message, he said that he was really glad that he had never bothered to build a relationship with me because it would clearly not have been worth it since I don't understand what it means to be grateful to people for whatever they have done for us. I don't understand what he was going on

about because whatever he had done for me as a father was the bare minimum. If he is talking about raising me, he was hardly even there for the job. And he can't say that he was too busy working, which is why he never had time for me. My mother was a working woman too, and yet, she always seemed to find time for her children. The truth was, he's just never been ready to have a family and even now, he's not ready. I don't have to be grateful to him for anything. Whatever he did for me as a parent was what he was bound to do, and as soon as I turned 18, he practically forgot that I was his daughter. So he was only there for me out of obligation, not because he loved me as his daughter. And since that's the case, he has no right to complain that I don't value him as my father because he was

hardly ever there for me anyway. Hi, so it has been a couple of weeks since my last update and my dad decided not to fight her for my brother's custody. About two weeks after my last update, my dad reached out to my mother through his lawyer and said that he was ready to agree to the terms of the custody arrangement. She was a bit taken aback but then, she received a message from my father via email, saying that he just didn't want to have any drama in his life anymore. So he was ready to agree to whatever she thought fit and even in the few If she didn't want their son to be seeing him anymore, she was free to arrange that as well. It was very depressing to read that email because honestly, it painted him like the biggest victim on this

planet. And that was really not the situation right now. He was just having to face the consequences of his own actions. But anyway, my mother decided not to reply to it and indulge him. She ignored it, but she has that message saved, so in the future, if he tries to do anything funny, she will have that. In the same email, he had also mentioned that he had agreed to Nina's terms as well and was paying her the settlement that she had wanted so that wouldn't end up going to court. The last part of that message, I think he sent that to both me and my mother. And I'm guessing he sent that to Nina as well, just from the tone of it, but I'm not sure because she and I are not close so I can't find out. Anyway, the last paragraph from that email is something that he

also sent to me, and it basically said that he didn't want us reaching out to him ever again because now, he only wanted to focus on his business and he didn't want our drama ruining and disrupting his life again. He said he's done with us females and the drama that we bring for no reason, so he wants us to stay away for the sake of his own peace. And the way he put that, makes me think that he probably sent that to Nina as well, but anyway, he is some gut sending that to us after he created so much drama for no reason. It's crazy how delusional he is that even after so much has happened, he literally cannot see that he is the problem here and not us. My mom and I actually ended up having a good laugh at his audacity to say that he doesn't us to contact him again as if we were the ones

disrupting his life in the first place. Anyway, it doesn't matter because the only person this kind of behavior is going to harm is himself. I'm happy with my life, and so is my mother and even my brother doesn't seem to care anymore. He can stay alone, for all I care. We don't care enough to be a part of his life anymore and I was right all along. We truly are better off without him. I hope you enjoy this story. Spouse passed away due to illness and I discovered a note in which she instructed my stepchild to feign affection towards me in exchange for financial gain, prompting me to discontinue providing financial support to assess the situation. His recent kindness was real, For months ago, I lost my wife of eight years to lung cancer.

She fought the disease for almost three years before it finally took her. Throughout this entire process, my relationship with your son from her previous marriage has been complicated, to say the least. This is what I need to talk about today. My stepson, Michael, was 11 when I first met him. His father had passed away in a car accident when Michael was only six, and by the time I entered the picture, he was still processing that loss. From day one, Michael made it clear he didn't want me around. My wife and I dated for about a year and a half before getting married,

but that time didn't soften his stance toward me. The situation was made more difficult by Michael's paternal grandparents, George and Patricia. They were heavily involved in Michael's life after their son's death. They had provided tremendous support to my wife when she suddenly became a single parent, helping with child care while she worked to stabilize their finances. My wife had been between jobs when her first husband died, and even with life insurance, their finances had taken a serious hit. Because of this history, my wife felt indebted to George and Patricia. They had been there for her and Michael during their darkest times. Plus, they were Michael's last connection to his father, so cutting them out was never an option, even though they

clearly disliked me. They thought my wife had moved on too quickly, despite the fact that she had waited four years after her husband's death before dating again. The first time I met George and Patricia was at Michael's school play. I extended my hand to George, but he looked at it and turned away. Patricia gave me a cold nod before focusing her attention entirely on Michael. My wife whispered an apology, but I told her it was fine. I understood their protective instincts toward their grandson, but their behavior continued this way for years. After we got married, I took on all the responsibilities of a father. I drove Michael to school, helped with homework, attended his soccer games, cooked meals,

and did everything else a parent does. But Michael rarely showed any appreciation. He'd often remind me that I wasn't his real dad whenever I tried to enforce household rules or discipline. I remember one particular incident when Michael. was 13. He had stayed out past his curfew with friends, and when he finally came home, I told him he was grounded for the weekend. He threw his backpack on the floor and said, You can't ground me. You're not my dad. When my wife backed me up, Michael stormed off to his room and called his grandparents.

Twenty minutes later, I received an angry call from George telling me I had no right to discipline his grandson. These types of incidents happen regularly over the years. My wife always stood up for me, but her hands were tied in many ways. She couldn't simply cut off George and Patricia, who continued to undermine our relationship by telling Michael that I was trying to replace his father. I understood Michael was going through a difficult time, adjusting to new family dynamics while still grieving his father. I tried to be patient, but as the years passed, his coldness toward me didn't improve. When Michael was 15, he refused to join us on a family vacation, choosing instead to stay with his grandparents. My wife was heartbroken, but she didn't force

the issue. That week, while we were away, George and Patricia took Michael to visit his father's grave and then to all of his father's favorite places. When we returned, Michael was even more distant than before. By the time Michael reached high school, things settled into a pattern of mutual tolerance. He stopped being openly hostile but remained distant and formal. He spent more time with friends than at home, which reduced our conflicts. I continued fulfilling parental duties without expecting much in return, accepting that this might be as good as our relationship would get. We developed an unspoken routine. I would cook dinner, and Michael would eat quickly and retreat to his room. On weekends, he would leave early and return late. We rarely

had conversations beyond basic necessity. My wife tried repeatedly to bridge the gap between us, organizing family activities or dinners, but these efforts usually ended with Michael finding an excuse to leave early or not participate at all. Three years ago, my wife was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer. The diagnosis turned our lives upside down. For the first year, she continued working while undergoing treatment, but eventually, her condition deteriorated to the point where she had to quit. I became the sole provider, managing all our finances and her medical care. The day we received the diagnosis, Michael actually sat in the same room with me for more than in three hours as we processed the news. There was no conversation, but for once, we shared a space without tension.

That moment of unity was short-lived, however, as Michael soon retreated back to his usual patterns of avoidance. We had some savings, and our health insurance covered most of the treatment costs, but there were still significant out-of-pocket expenses. On top of that, Michael was preparing for college. Despite our financial situation, he insisted on attending an expensive university across the country rather than the state school where he'd received a partial scholarship. When my wife tried to explain our financial constraints, Michael accused her of not caring about his future. The argument left her exhausted and in tears. Her treatment was particularly aggressive that month, and she didn't have the strength for seeing her distress was unbearable.

My wife was too ill to handle the conflict, so I took Michael aside and made him an offer. I would cover his tuition and living expenses if he promised not to cause any stress for his mother. He could have whatever education he wanted as long as he maintained peace at home. Michael agreed immediately. He took my offer a step further by requesting an off-campus apartment instead of the more affordable dorm accommodation. He claimed the dorms were too noisy for studying, though I later discovered from his social media that he was hosting parties regularly.

After some argument, I gave in, mainly because I lacked the energy to fight about it. To his credit, Michael upheld. held his end of the bargain. He was genuinely kind to his mother during her final years. Whether this was because of our agreement or because he truly cared about her comfort didn't matter to me. Seeing my wife happy in her final days was all that counted. During his visits home, Michael would spend hours sitting with his mother, watching her favorite shows, or just talking. He brought her small gifts from school and took photos to show her his life there. These moments gave my wife tremendous joy. When she was too weak to leave her bed, he would bring his laptop and

show her virtual tours of museum she had always wanted to visit. My wife never knew about our arrangement. As far as she was concerned, it was George and Patricia who were covering Michael's education expenses. I never corrected this misunderstanding because I didn't want to cause her any additional stress. She passed away believing that her son and I had naturally improved our relationship. As my wife's condition worsened, I took a leave of absence from work to care for her full time. The medical bills continued to mount, and I had to dip into our retirement savings. Michael's tuition and apartment were additional financial burdens, but I never mentioned this to my wife. She had enough to worry about. Michael flew home when his mother's health took a sharp

decline. For the entire week before she passed, he mostly avoided me, which was a our usual pattern of interaction. He would sit with his mother while I prepared meals or handled medications, then leave the room when I entered. We maintained this dance of avoidance even as we both watched the person we loved slip away. The day before her funeral, something unexpected happened. Michael approached me in the kitchen where I was making calls to funeral attendees. He stood awkwardly for a moment before saying, thank you for taking care of her. Then he broke down, and hugged me. I was already struggling to process my grief, and his sudden display of emotion caught me off guard. I hugged him back, and we cried together. In that moment, our years of

tension seemed to dissolve in our shared grief. After this incident, Michael's attitude toward me changed dramatically. He helped with funeral arrangements and stayed by my side during the service, something I never expected. The next day, he apologized for his past behavior. He was a lot of acknowledging that he had treated me unfairly. He explained that he had been scared of losing his connection to his father and had misdirected his anger at me. He admitted that recently, his behavior had worsened because he was terrified of becoming an orphan and losing his second parent.

He had lashed out at me, demanding financial support while deliberately being cold because it was easier than confronting his fears. I told him I understood and suggested that moving forward, we could try to build a better relationship. I explained that I never wanted to replace his father but hoped we could at least be friendly with each other. From that day, Michael's behavior toward me improved remarkably. He stayed for three weeks after the funeral before returning to university,

and we actually had some pleasant conversations. He helped around the house without being asked and even cooked dinner twice, something he had never done before. Even after returning to school, he called regular. and flew back every few weekends to visit. During these visits, we would go for drives or watch sports together. He started asking about my work and sharing details about his classes. We weren't exactly close, but compared to our previous relationship, this was a dramatic improvement. I believed we were finally developing the relationship I had always hoped for, until last week

when I accidentally discovered something troubling. While Michael was showering during one of his visits home, I went to his room to borrow a phone charger. A folded piece of paper was sticking out of his backpack. I recognized my wife's handwriting immediately, despite the shaky script that characterized her writing in her final months. I know I shouldn't have read it, but I couldn't resist. The letter was wrinkled and worn, as if it had been read many times. In it, my wife had expressed how happy she was that Michael had finally made peace with her illness

and had been spending quality time with her. The first paragraph focused on their relationship, but the second paragraph discussed me. My wife had written that Michael should try to repair his relationship with me after she was gone. She mentioned that since she had become too ill to work, we had struggled financially, and while George and Patricia might help him now, they wouldn't be around forever.

She suggested that building a connection with me would be in his best interest, as I was kind-hearted and would take care of him. She urged him to not burn bridges with the only parental figure he would have left. What disturbed me wasn't the content of the letter but the fact that the entire second paragraph about me had angry pen marks crossing it out. The paper was torn in places where the pen had pressed too hard, suggesting Michael had reacted with intense anger to that section of the letter. There were even small holes in the paper where the pen had punctured through. When Michael came out of the shower, I confronted him about the letter. He stopped in the doorway of his room, a look of shock spreading across his face when he saw the paper in my hands.

For a moment, he didn't speak. Where did you find that? He finally asked, it was sticking out of your backpack. I recognized your mother's handwriting, I replied. Michael sat on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his damp hair. He explained that when his mother's lawyer had given him the letter shortly after her death, he had been upset by the suggestion that he should make amends with me for financial reasons. The idea that his relationship with me should be motivated by practical considerations

rather than genuine affection had angered him. But after reflection, he had decided to follow his mother's advice anyway, which is why he had approached me before the funeral. He claimed that the crossed-out paragraph was a reflection of his initial reaction, not his current feelings. At first, I was just doing what mom wanted, he had. He is. admitted. But over these past months, I've realized she was right about you. Not because of money, but because you've always been there, even when I made it hard for you. He admitted that initially, his change in behavior was calculated, but claimed that over time, he had developed genuine affection for me. He begged me not to misinterpret the crossed-out paragraph, saying he had marked

it during his initial angry reaction but had since changed his perspective. I looked at his face, trying to determine if he was being truthful. After years of coldness followed by a sudden change that coincided with more potential financial need, I found it difficult to trust his words completely. I told Michael the first needed time to process this information and asked him to stay with his grandparents until his flight back to university the next day. He protested, crying and insisting his affection was now genuine, but I maintained that I needed space.

He continued to plead his case, following me from room to room until I firmly repeated my request. Reluctantly, he packed his things and left. After two days of consideration, I thought of a test to determine whether Michael's newfound warmth was sincere or merely motivated by financial interests. I texted him saying I was willing to forgive the past, but from now on, he would need to arrange his own funding for tuition and living expenses. With just two years of university remaining, this wasn't an unreasonable request. Many students worked through college or take out loans.

What Michael didn't know was that my wife and I had a joint will that wouldn't be disclosed until both of us passed away. Contrary to what my wife had implied in her letter, we had set aside money specifically for Michael's future, along with some family jewelry. I had also included him in my portion of the will, since I have no close family members to leave my assets to. But Michael was unaware of this provision. His response to my text was immediate and persistent. Within minutes, he called, but I let it go to voicemail. He then sent a flurry of texts, each more desperate than the last. Over the next week, he sent hundreds of

messages begging me to reconsider. He claimed he truly didn't care about the money but was too overwhelmed by grief to handle the additional stress of financial independence. Please don't do this, one message read. I can't handle losing mom and dealing with this too. I need your support right now, another said, I know I was terrible to you for years, but I'm trying to make it right. Please don't pull the rug out from under me now. The volume and desperation of his messages made me question my approach.

Was I being too harsh? Was this test just a form of punishment for years of rejection? I started wondering if my test was too harsh or manipulative. I was also struggling with my own grief, and this situation was only adding to my burden. For several days, I didn't respond to his messages, unsure of how to proceed. After consulting with a few trusted friends, I decided to stand firm. If Michael genuinely wanted a relationship with me, he would understand why I would understand why, I had doubts after years of coldness followed by a sudden change that coincided with potential

financial need. One friend pointed out that even if Michael's change of heart was initially motivated by financial considerations, the fact that he was now panicking might indicate he truly valued our improved relationship, regardless of how it started. I messaged him explaining that while I was sorry about the situation, my decision was final. I offered emotional support but maintained that financially, he would need to become self-sufficient. I made it clear that if he accepted these terms, we could continue building our relationship. If not, that would tell me everything I needed to know. Seven days passed without a response.

Michael was scheduled to visit that weekend, and normally I would purchase his flight tickets, but this time I didn't. I wondered if he would still come without the financial incentive. To my surprise, Michael did arrive. that weekend, having purchased his own ticket. When I opened the door, he immediately hugged me, tears streaming down his face. The raw emotion of the moment affected me too, reminding me that regardless of our complicated history, we were both grieving the same person. His clothes were wrinkled, as if he had packed in a hurry, and there were dark circles under

his eyes. He looked exhausted. I invited him in, and we had an honest conversation. He ignited. He acknowledged that my suspicions were reasonable given our history and his reaction to the letter. He admitted that seeing the paragraph about me had initially angered him because it felt like his mother was pushing him toward me for practical rather than emotional reasons. However, after reflecting on the situation for the past seven days, he had realized that what I was asking wasn't unreasonable. He told me he was grateful I had even forgiven him after how poorly he had treated me over the years. While the prospect of financial independence was daunting, he understood it was necessary for both of us to move forward with a clean slate. I revealed to Michael that, contrary to what his mother had implied, there was money set aside for him and our will. I offered to help him access some of those funds until he found employment, but to my surprise, he declined.

He insisted on doing this independently, saying he needed to prove to himself and to me that his change of heart was genuine. I've been dependent on others my whole life, he said. First mom, then you, and my grandparents. Maybe it's time I learned to stand on my own. I respected his decision, and we spent the rest of the weekend making plans for his job search. For the first time, I felt a sense of pride in him that wasn't clouded by obligation or duty. Three days later, I received an angry call from George and Patricia. They berated me for cutting off Michael financially and forcing him to work through college.

I tried explaining that this was a mutual decision and that I had even offered to help him with the money his mother had left him, but they wouldn't listen. They accused me of being selfish and hoarding all the money for myself. You've just been waiting for a chance to abandon him, George shouted over the phone. You never wanted him in the first place. Patricia chimed in, his mother would be ashamed of you. After everything our family has been through, this is how you treat her son. After they refused to let me explain, I hung up and blocked their numbers. I then called Michael to understand what had happened.

He explained that he had casually mentioned to his grandparents that he was looking for a job because he had decided to become financially independent. They had offered to increase his allowance, but he had declined, saying this was something he needed to do himself. George and Patricia had immediately assumed I had forced this change and were demanding I continue supporting Michael as I had for the past two years. I told Michael the first didn't feel I owed his grandparents an explanation, this was between him and me.

If he was comfortable with our arrangement, their opinion didn't matter to me. Michael apologized for the misunderstanding and offered to speak with his grandparents, but I suggested he'd focus on his studies and job search instead. Their reaction, while unpleasant, had an unexpected benefit, I no longer felt obligated to maintain contact with them. As for my relationship with Michael, it was finally evolving into something genuine, built on mutual respect rather than obligation or financial dependence. But still I am a bit curious idea for testing my stepson's loyalty after finding a concerning letter. Has update one it's been three weeks since my last post. I've spoken with my brother. I've spoken with my

and a therapist about my situation, which has helped me process my feelings about this whole situation. My brother pointed out something I hadn't considered, that by pushing Michael toward independence, I might actually be giving him the best gift possible, self-reliance. My therapist helped me work through my own grief and guilt, reminding me that setting boundaries isn't the same as abandonment. Michael has been back to visit twice. During his first visit, he brought news that he had secured a part-time job. The pay isn't substantial, but it covers some of his daily expenses. He's also applied for a resident advisor position for next semester, which would provide free housing and a small stipend. We spent that weekend looking over his

budget together. Even with his new job, he's still short for tuition. I reminded him about the money his mother had set aside, but again, he declined. Instead, he's applied for additional scholarships and is considering a student loan for the remainder. His determination to handle this on his own continues to surprise me. During his second visit, Michael brought a folder containing all the scholarship applications he had submitted. There were nearly 20 of them, each requiring essays and recommendations. He had organized everything meticulously, with spreadsheets tracking deadlines and requirements. This level of responsibility was something I had never seen.

seen from him before. What's been most surprising is Michael's reaction to his grandparents' behavior. He called them directly after learning what they were doing and told them in no uncertain terms to stop interfering. According to Michael, the conversation didn't go well. They accused him of being brainwashed by me and threatened to cut off his allowance if he didn't come to his senses. Michael told them they could keep their money, further strengthening my belief that his change of heart is genuine. He later told me that standing up to his grandparents was something he should have done years ago, especially when they were undermining my relationship with his mother. They always made me feel like I had to choose between you and my dad's memory,

he admitted during our conversation. I never realized how unfair that was until now.