Reddit Stories - Former spouse insisted I provide FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE for her OFFSPRING who has no

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #relationships #family #moneyissues #divorce #parentingSummary: Former spouse insisted I provide FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE for her OFFSPRING who has no. Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, relationships, family, moneyissues, divorce, parenting, financialassistance, former spouse, offspring, assistance, ex, children, support, obligations, finances, coparentingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Former spouse insisted I provide financial assistance for her offspring who has no biological connection to me. Subsequently, I discovered that my biological parent was aiding her in deceiving me through similar deceitful tactics she had employed previously. Using on my dad for years. A few months ago, my life took a turn I couldn't have predicted even in my wildest imagination. I had been divorced from my ex-wife, Rachel, for over two years.

We had no kids together, so I thought things were straightforward when we separated. I moved on, started focusing on my career, and didn't look back. However, that piece didn't last long because of one person, my mother. To give a bit of context, my mom has always had a domineering personality. Growing up, she had a say in every aspect of my life, from the clothes I wore to the friends I could hang out with. I figured her influence would diminish once I became an adult and got married. But if anything, it became worse. She meddled constantly in my relationship with Rachel. While I thought cutting ties with Rachel would

mean cutting out the drama, I underestimated my mother's persistence. About three months ago, out of nowhere, I started getting messages from Rachel. She claimed she needed financial help for her child or two-year-old son. A son I knew for a fact wasn't mine, since she got pregnant nearly a year after our divorce was finalized. At first, I ignored her messages. It wasn't my responsibility, plain and simple. Then, Rachel started to escalate. She threatened legal action, claiming I had some moral obligation to help her. Again, I brushed it off as desperation and moved on. The real shock came when my mother began echoing Rachel's demands. She called me incessantly, urging me to do the right thing. She even went so far as to threaten me, saying

she'd take me to court if I refused to pay. I couldn't wrap my head around why my own mother would side with my ex-wife, especially over something so absurd. At first, I thought my mom was simply being her usual controlling self. But something didn't sit right. Why? Why? was she so invested? And why was she acting like she had the authority to drag me to court over something that didn't concern her? It didn't make sense, and I decided I had to figure it out. That's when I overheard the conversation that changed everything. I had stopped by my mom's house unannounced to confront her about her behavior. As I entered, I heard her talking on the phone in the next room. I stayed out of sight and listened. The voice on the other end was

unmistakably Rachel's. They were deep in discussion about child support specifically, how they could manipulate me into paying for Rachel's son. My mother even admitted that she had been doing something similar with my father, her ex-husband, for years. She had been siphoning money from him under the pretence of supporting me, even though I was well into adulthood and financially independent. The whole situation was like a sick partnership. Rachel had somehow convinced my mom to advocate on her behalf by appealing to my mom's own shady tactics. My mom's logic was that if she could pull it off with my dad, Rachel could pull it off with me. They were using the same playbook of guilt-tripping and legal threats. At that moment,

I saw my mother in a new light, manipulative, greedy, and completely lacking in loyalty. I knew that I couldn't just sit with this and had to do something. If my mom had no problem exploiting my father all these years, she surely wouldn't think twice about doing the same to me. And Rachel? She was a willing accomplice. But uncovering the truth was just the beginning. What followed was a chaotic chain of events that felt like a bad soap opera. I decided I wouldn't let this go quietly. They wanted to play dirty. Fine. I could play just as dirty within the law. The first thing I did was start documenting everything. I saved every text, voicemail, and call log from Rachel and my mother.

I recorded every interaction where they tried to guilt-trip me into paying. The P.S. de resistance, of course, was the phone conversation I overheard between the two of them. It was crystal clear that they were colluding to extort me, using my past relationship with Rachel and my mother's status as family as leverage. I also decided to loop in my father. It wasn't an easy conversation to have. My dad and I have always had a complicated relationship, largely due to my mom's manipulative tendencies. But I couldn't keep this to myself, especially knowing how long he'd been her victim. I shared everything I had learned.

At first, he was shocked, then hurt, and finally, angry. For years, my mom had convinced him that he needed to support her financially for my sake. All the while, she had been funneling that money into her own lifestyle. And now, she was trying to teach Rachel the same scam. My dad hired his own lawyer to investigate the financial history between him and my mom. What they uncovered was staggering. Over the years, she had pocketed thousands under the guise of child-related expenses. She had used that money to fund vacations, by designer bags, and even pay off some of Rachel's bills during our marriage.

Armed with this information, we decided to take legal action. My lawyer filed a motion to formally distance me from Rachel's child support claims. It included a declaration that I had no biological or legal ties to her child. My father, meanwhile, filed a lawsuit against my mother for fraudulent misrepresentation and misuse of funds. Both cases were strong, thanks to the mountain of evidence things came to a head when Rachel and my mom were served with legal notices. Rachel's claim for child support fell apart almost immediately. She had no proof linking me to her son, and the court dismissed her case before it even went to trial. My mom's situation, however, was more drawn out.

She tried to fight my dad's lawsuit, claiming she had done nothing wrong and that her actions were justified as a mother looking out for her child. But the evidence against her was overwhelming. During one of the hearings, my mom broke down and tried to pin everything. everything on Rachel, claiming she had been manipulated into helping her. It was a laughable attempt to dodge responsibility, especially considering the financial records that proved her schemes predated Rachel's involvement. In the end, my father was able to recover a significant portion of the money she had taken from him, and she was forced to publicly acknowledge her

wrongdoing. As for me, I cut ties with my mother entirely. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was necessary for my own insanity. I blocked her number, her emails, and even her social media accounts. I let the extended family know what had happened so they wouldn't buy into whatever sob story she was bound to spin. Even after all of this, I can't shake the feeling that I'm still missing something. Sure, I've taken the right steps to protect myself and my dad, but there's this nagging thought that my mom and Rachel might have more schemes up their sleeves. It's exhausting to think about, honestly. I keep wondering how people can even think this way, let alone act on it. For now, I've done everything I can to shut this mess down, but it's left me questioning a lot

of things. Have I gone too far by cutting my mom off entirely? Should I have tried harder to salvage some kind of relationship, or was this the only way to truly protect myself? And what about Rachel? Do you think someone like her will just give up, or should I brace myself for more drama. Have any of you dealt with something like this before? What worked for you? Update 1. I didn't expect my original post to blow up the way it did. I've been reading through the comments and I can't thank you all enough for the advice, the shared experiences, and even the tough love some of you gave me. It's been a lot to process, but your support has kept me grounded during what feels like the most chaotic time of my life. Since my last post, things have somehow gotten

even Messier. I thought Rachel and my mom would back off after being served with legal papers, but I underestimated just how stubborn and petty both of them can be. They've been doubling down on their efforts to stir up drama, and I've been forced to navigate a whole new set of problems because of it. Let me break it down. First off, Rachel isn't taking her legal loss gracefully. After her child support claim was dismissed, I figured she'd let it go and move on with her life. Instead, she's been running around telling anyone who will listen that I'm a deadbeat dad who's refusing to take responsibility for my son. She's posted about it on social media multiple times, tagging me in some of the posts and accusing me of abandoning her and her child.

The posts are full of lies, of course, but it's the kind of stuff that could easily ruin someone's reputation if people believed it. I've had co-workers and even old friends reach out to ask what's going on. Some of them believed Rachel's version of events at first, but, thankfully, I've been able to clear things up by explaining the situation and in some cases, showing them the legal documents proving I have no connection to her kid. Still, the whole thing has been embarrassing and stressful. It's like Rachel is trying to weaponize public opinion against me now that the legal system didn't work in her favor. On top of that, my mom has been ramping up her guilt trips. Even though she knows I'm done with her, she's still trying to manipulate me through other

family members. A couple of days ago, my aunt, my mom's sister, called me out of the blue. She told me my mom was devastated and didn't understand why I was being so cruel. She even tried to paint my mom as the victim, saying she was only trying to help Rachel because she thought it was the right thing to do. I explained everything to my aunt, including the recording of my mom's conversation with Rachel. My aunt was shocked and apologized for calling me out, but I could tell she still felt conflicted. My mom is a master manipulator, and she's been spinning this narrative that she's a selfless, misunderstood parent who's being unfairly punished for doing the right thing. It's frustrating to see how easily people fall for her act, even when the evidence is right

there. Then there's my dad. He's been incredibly supportive through all of this, but the situation has brought up a lot of unresolved pain for him. After years of being manipulated and taken advantage of by my mom, he's starting to question everything about their marriage and their divorce. He told me he feels foolish for not seeing through her lies sooner and guilty for letting her take advantage of him for so long. One of the more surprising developments is that my dad has started going through his old financial records to see just how much money my mom siphoned off over the years. He's found a few discrepancies already payments she claimed were for me but were actually for things like spa treatments and vacations. He's been working with his lawyer to figure out if

there's more he can recover, but it's been an emotionally draining process for him. In the middle of all this chaos, I've been trying to stay focused on protecting myself. After Rachel's Smear campaign on social media, my lawyer suggested filing a defamation claim. I wasn't sure at first it felt like adding fuel to the fire, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn't just let her drag my name through the mud without consequences. We're in the early stages of that process now, and while it feels like a lot to take on, I know it's the right move. I've also started documenting my interactions with extended family members who've been pulled into this mess. Some of them are genuinely trying to help, while others are clearly acting as mouthpieces

from my mom. One of my cousins, who I've always been close to, reached out to tell me my mom has been bad-mouthing me to the entire family. She's apparently been saying that I've turned my back on my family and that I'm letting my dad influence me because I resent her for the divorce. None of it is true, of course, but it's infuriating to see how far she's willing to go to protect her image. On a more positive note, I've gotten a lot closer to my dad throughout all of this. We've been having more honest conversations than we ever did before, and I think he's starting to see just how much of our strained relationship was a result of my mom's manipulations. It's bittersweet because I wish we'd been able to connect like this sooner, but I'm grateful

we're finally on the same page now. One unexpected twist in all of this is that Rachel's current partner, yes, the actual father of her child has reached out to me. He sent me a message on Facebook apologizing for Rachel's behavior and saying he had no idea she was trying to come after me for child support. He also told me he's been having issues with her because she's been pressuring him to step up and contribute more financially, even though he's already supporting their kid. I didn't respond to his message because I didn't want to get dragged into their drama, but it did make me wonder just how much of Rachel's behavior is driven by desperation versus malice. Not that it excuses anything she's done, but it's clear she's

burning bridges left and right, and I can't help but feel sorry for her son. Through all of this, I've been trying to take care of myself and not let the stress overwhelm me. I've started going to therapy again, which has been a huge help. My therapist has been helping me unpack the complicated emotions around cutting ties with my mom and dealing with the fallout from Rachel's actions. It's been tough, but I feel like I'm making progress. I'm also working on setting boundaries with my extended family. I've made it clear that I'm not interested in hearing excuses for my mom's behavior or being guilt-tripped into reconciling with her. Most of them have been supportive, but there are a few who still think I'm being too harsh and need to give her a chance

to explain herself. I honestly don't know what else there is to explain her actions speak for themselves. At this point, I'm trying to take things one day at a time. The legal battles are still ongoing, and I know it's going to take a while before everything is fully resolved. In the meantime, I'm focusing on rebuilding my life and surrounding myself with people who genuinely care about me. If you've made it this far, thank you for sticking with me through all of this. I've been reading through your comments and messages, and it's been such a comfort to know I'm not alone. If anyone has advice on how to deal with toxic family dynamics or smear campaigns, I'm all ears.

This whole experience has been a roller coaster, and I'm still trying to figure out how to navigate it without losing my sanity. I didn't think things could get messy, but I was so, so wrong. If you're reading this, buckle up what's happened in the past few days feels like something straight out of a bad TV drama. And yes, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Update 2. First, thank you all for the advice and encouragement after my last up.

update. It's been overwhelming to read all the stories from people who've dealt with similar situations and still managed to come out the other side. Honestly, it's been one of the only things keeping me sane. So, where do I even start? After Rachel's Smear campaign online, I thought the worst she could do was ruin my reputation. I mean, how much lower could she sink after publicly accusing me of being a deadbeat dad for a child that's not mine? Well, apparently, has a vindictive streak a mile wide because she decided to escalate in a way I didn't see coming. A couple of days ago, I got a call from my landlord. He said there had been a complaint about me from one of the neighbors. At first, I was confused because I generally keep to myself and don't

even know most of my neighbors. But then he dropped the bomb. Someone had anonymously accused me of being involved in illegal activities in my apartment. At that moment, I knew it had to be or my mom. The timing was way too suspicious. The landlord told me the police had been contacted, and they were planning to stop by to investigate the claim. I was furious but also panicked because the last thing I needed was cops showing up at my door based on a fake tip. I immediately called my lawyer, who told me to stay calm and not let them search my apartment without a warrant. He also suggested I install a security camera near my door in case Rachel or my mom decided to escalate further.

I don't think I've ever ordered something so fast in my life. Sure enough, later that evening, two police officers knocked on my door. They were polite but firm, saying they'd received a tip about possible illegal activity and needed to check things out. I explained the situation how I was dealing with an ex-wife and mother who had been harassing me and they seemed understanding. They didn't have a warrant, so I politely refused to let them in, but I explained. could tell they were skeptical. Thankfully, they left without further issue, but the whole experience

was nerve-wracking. I felt violated, even though they hadn't stepped foot inside. It's terrifying to think how easily someone can weaponize the system against you with nothing more than a phone call. The next day, I decided to take action. My lawyer helped me file a police report for harassment against both Rachel and my mom. I didn't have concrete proof that either of them had made the tip-off. but given everything else they'd done, it wasn't hard to connect the dots. At the very least, having a formal record of their behavior could help me if things escalated further. And, oh, they did. Two nights ago, someone tried to break into my car. I live in an apartment complex with a shared parking lot, and the only reason they didn't

succeed was because one of my neighbors spotted them and called security. The would-be thief ran off before they could be caught, but the timing was where they were too convenient to be a coincidence. When I went to check my car, I found a folded piece of paper tucked under the windshield wiper. It was a handwritten note that said, You think you're so smart, but you'll regret this. No signature, no other details. At this point, I'm convinced Rachel and my mom are working together again.

It wouldn't be the first time, and the note felt like something they'd come up with. My mom's M.O. has always been to guilt trip me into submission, while Rachel prefers more overt intimidation tactics. It's like they're trying to tag team me into giving up. My lawyer recommended installing a dash cam in my car and filing another police report for the attempted break-in. I also reached out to my building security team to ask for access to the parking lot footage. Unfortunately, the cameras didn't catch a clear view of the person, but I've added the report to the growing pile of evidence against them. Meanwhile, my dad has been dealing with his own drama.

My mom, in a last-ditch effort to salvage her reputation, sent him a letter claiming she'd been forced to act the way she did because he wasn't supportive enough during their marriage. She even hinted that she might countersue him for emotional damages, which is absurd. My dad's lawyer isn't too worried about it. He says it's a classic scare tactic with no legal standing, but it's been upsetting for my dad nonetheless. One bright spot in all of this chaos has been the support I've received for my dad and a few close friends.

My dad and I have been talking almost every day, and it feels like we're finally building the kind of relationship we should have had years ago. He's even offered to help cover some of my legal fees, though I've insisted on handling it myself. As for my friends, they've been incredible. In fact, all of this drama actually led me to connect with. with Rachel's sister, who she hadn't talked to for years, like even before our divorce. Well, she had some things to tell me.

Turns out, Rachel has a history of financial issues, unpaid debts, and a couple of minor fraud charges that were dropped. These cases didn't go anywhere either, but it paints a pretty clear picture of her pattern of behavior. Now, I feel more determined than ever to see this through. Rachel and my mom might think they can bully me into submission, but I'm going to done playing their games. I've tightened my security, documented everything, and surrounded myself with people I trust. Still, I can't help but feel a bit paranoid. Every time my phone

buzzes or I hear a knock at the door, my heart skips a beat. I've started double-checking all my locks before going to bed, and I'm constantly looking over my shoulder when I'm out in public. It's exhausting, but I know I have to stay vigilant. To top it all off, my mom Mom has been reaching out to some of my friends, trying to paint me as the ungrateful son who's abandoned his family. Luckily, most of my friends see through her BS, but it's still frustrating to know she's out there spreading lies. So now, I have a few questions for you all.

How do you deal with the paranoia that comes with being targeted like this? Have you ever had to file harassment charges against someone close to you? And for anyone who's gone no contact with a toxic parent, how do you handle the fallout when they try to pull others into their drama. I'm trying to stay strong, but it feels like this battle is far from over. Thanks for sticking with me through all of this I'll keep you updated as things progress. Update 3, it's been a little over a week since my last update, and honestly, I can finally breathe. I'm not saying everything is perfect, but for the first time in what feels like

forever, I think I can see the light at the end of this tunnel. So much has happened since I last wrote, and I want to share how things finally unraveled and, surprisingly, came to a head in ways I didn't expect. After the car break-in and the constant harassment, I decided I couldn't just wait for the next attack. I needed to confront this head on. At the time, I didn't know how exactly, but I was sick of living in fear, sick of wondering when Rachel or my mom would pull another stunt. It wasn't just draining it was completely taking over my life. Then, something. unexpected happened. Out of nowhere, I got a message on Facebook from a guy named Chris. His name didn't ring a bell at first, but his message made it clear why he was reaching out.

He said he was the father of Rachel's child and that he'd only recently found out about all the drama she had been causing. Apparently, she had been feeding him lies too, claiming she had no financial support and that I had abandoned her during her pregnancy, none of which made sense to him because, as he put it, you weren't even in the picture. when we got together. At first, I thought it might be some kind of trap or ploy Rachel had cooked up, but after talking to him it became clear he was genuinely blindsided by her behavior. Chris told me he'd started piecing things together when Rachel suddenly became obsessed with money.

She'd been pressuring him to take on more financial responsibility, claiming she was carrying everything on her own. She hadn't told him about her attempts to get child support for me until very recently when she let it slip during an argument. To say he was furious was an understatement. He admitted that their relationship had been rocky for a while, but learning she'd been actively trying to scam me and dragging him into it was the final straw for him. He asked if I'd be willing to meet in person to discuss everything,

and after running it by my lawyer, I agreed. Meeting Chris was surreal. He seemed like a decent enough guy, and it was clear he was just as fed up with Rachel as I was. We compared notes on what we both knew, and I showed him the messages and evidence I had collected. He was horrified, especially when I told him about the anonymous tip to the police and the car break-in. He told me he had no idea Rachel was capable of this kind of behavior, but looking back, he could see the red flags he'd ignored. The most interesting part of our conversation, though, was when he mentioned my mom.

Apparently, Rachel had been bragging to him about how she had my mom. wrapped around her finger. She claimed my mom was helping her because they both had something to gain. Rachel would get financial help for her son, and my mom would get revenge on my dad and me for cutting her off. Hearing that was like a gut punch. I knew my mom was manipulative, but I still couldn't wrap my head around how far she was willing to go to hurt me. It was one thing to be controlling and selfish, but teaming up with Rachel, of all people. It felt like a whole new level of betrayal. After meeting with Chris, I decided it was time to confront both Rachel and my mom directly. I didn't want to give them the chance to play dumb or

twist the story I just wanted the truth and, hopefully, a way to finally put this nightmare behind me. First, I went to Rachel. I wasn't sure how she'd react to seeing me show up at her door, but I didn't care. She looked completely caught off guard when she opened the door, and before she could say anything, I told her I had spoken to Chris and knew everything. For the first time since this whole mess started, she didn't have a snarky comeback or some manipulative excuse. She just stood there, speechless. I laid it all out the fake child support claims, the police tip, the car break in, everything. I told her I had enough evidence to file harassment charges against her and that Chris was ready to back me up if it came to that. Her face

went pale, and she finally broke down, admitting that she'd been desperate for money and thought I'd be an easy target. She even tried to apologize, but I wasn't having it. I told her that while I wasn't planning to press charges yet, I would if she ever tried to contact me again. Then came the harder part, confronting my mom. I hadn't seen her since the legal notices were served, and honestly, I wasn't sure how the conversation would go. Part of me was still hoping she'd show some kind of remorse or at least admit she'd gone too far. Instead, when I showed up at her house, she acted like nothing had happened. She tried to brush me off, saying she was too busy to talk, but I wasn't leaving without answers. I told her I knew about her plan with Rachel

and that I wasn't going to let her manipulate me or anyone else anymore. At first, she tried to deny it, but when I mentioned the conversation I overheard at her house, she realized she was cornered. That's when the floodgates opened. My mom didn't apologize or even try to justify her actions instead, she turned the blame on me. She accused me of abandoning her and claimed everything she did was out of love, to teach me a lesson for turning my back on family. It was the most twisted logic I'd ever heard, and it only solidified my decision to cut her out of my life.

I told her, plain and simple, that I was done. Done with her lies, her manipulation, and her toxic behavior, I walked out of that house feeling a mix of anger, sadness, and relief. It's hard to fully explain, but in that moment, I felt like I was finally taking control of my life. Since then, things have started to settle down. Chris and I have kept in touch, and he's been working on setting up a custody arrangement with Rachel that ensures their son is taken care of without enabling her behavior. As for my mom, I haven't heard from her since our confrontation, and I intend to keep it that way. I've also taken steps to protect myself moving forward. My lawyer helped me put together a formal no-contact letter for both Rachel and my mom, which essentially makes it clear

that any further attempts to harass me will result in legal action. I've also installed security cameras around my apartment and in my car, just in case. I can't say this has been an easy journey, but I feel like I've finally reclaimed some sense of peace. For the first time in months, I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder or waiting for the next disaster. It's not the ending I wanted it's messy, painful, and full of broken relationships, but it's the one I needed to move forward. So, to everyone who's been here till now, thank you. Your advice and support have meant the world to me, and I hope my story can serve as a reminder to trust your instincts and stand up for yourself, no matter how

how hard it gets. I'm still processing everything, but I know I've made the right choices to protect myself and the people who truly care about me. And with that, I'm finally closing the book on this chapter of my life.