Reddit Stories - The DEVOTED DECEPTION_ A Daily Ritual of OBSESSION_

Episode Date: June 8, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #obsession #dailyritual #deception #relationships #dramaSummary: In "The DEVOTED DECEPTION_ A Daily Ritual of OBSESSION_," a gripping tale unfolds as secrets and lies unravel a seemingly perfect relationship. The daily rituals of deception lead to obsession, testing the boundaries of trust and loyalty in unexpected ways.Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, obsession, dailyritual, deception, relationships, drama, secrets, lies, trust, loyalty, boundaries, twists, suspense, fiction, storytelling, characterdevelopment, plotdevelopmentBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

The young lady prepares coffee for her partner each day, presses his clothing, and attempted to perch on his knees once, but now he is enraged and desires to expel her. Out. Okay, so I, 47F, have been dating my boyfriend, 52M, for about two years now. We met in a grief counseling group after both of us lost our spouses. He lost his wife to cancer and I lost my husband in a car accident. meeting someone who understood that specific kind of grief was. I don't know, comforting I guess.

I wasn't looking for a relationship at all, but things just kind of happen naturally. For some background, I have two kids, my daughter, 19F, and my son, 16M. My boyfriend has a son, 17M, from his marriage. My son is pretty indifferent about the whole relationship, typical teenage boy who just grunts when asked anything and spends most of his time playing video games or hanging out with his friends. My boyfriend's son is actually really sweet though. When we first started dating, I was worried about how all the kids would get along, but it's been surprisingly okay.

The boys don't hang out much since they have different interests. My son is into gaming and my boyfriend's son is more into sports, but they're civil which is honestly all I can ask for at this point. I should probably mention that I'm a massage therapist, been doing it for about 15 years now, and my boyfriend is a funeral director. I know that sounds like a weird combo, but it works for us. He jokes that I handle the living bodies and he handles the dead ones. Dark humor, I know, but when you've both been through the shit we have, you find humor where you can. Everything in this relationship has been great so far. Our kids get along well enough,

we have similar values about money and raising kids, and we both understand each other's need for space sometimes. He's incredibly intelligent, like chess champion level smart and speaks six different languages, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and he's learning Mandarin. I still don't understand how someone so smart can be so clueless about some things, like when he leaves his laptop open when he goes to the bathroom and I can see he's been looking at engagement rings, L.O.L. Being a funeral director is actually perfect for him. He's very respectful and compassionate with grieving families, and I think his own experience with loss makes him especially good at his job. It's not the kind of profession most people would choose, but he says it helps him feel like he's providing comfort

during people's worst moments, which I can respect. We started off taking things really slow. For the first six months, we didn't even tell our kids we were dating. We just met up for coffee after our group sessions, then gradually started doing dinner, movies, that sort of thing. We were both careful not to introduce each other to our kids until we were sure this was something serious. I think that was the right approach, especially considering how fragile everyone was after losing a parent-slash-spouse. Anyway, this is where things get weird and why I'm posting here. My daughter absolutely adores my boyfriend. When we first started dating for real and I introduced them, I was honestly surprised how quickly they hit it off because she's extremely shy and

took her dad's death really hard. She barely spoke to anyone for months after it happened. Even before his death, she was always more of a daddy's girl and we had the usual mother-daughter tensions through her teen years. But with my boyfriend, she was actually talking and smiling again within minutes of meeting him. I didn't want to question it because I was just relieved to see her coming out of her shell, you know? But as time went on, I started noticing some stuff that made me uncomfortable. For starters, on Valentine's Day this year, he got me a beautiful bouquet of flowers, which was expected. But then he also got a single rose for my daughter. She still has it hanging upside down in her room to preserve it. At the time I thought it was sweet that he was including

her in the holiday, but now it sits weird with me. Like, who gives Valentine's gifts to their girlfriend's daughter. I mentioned it casually to my friend, and she said it was thoughtful, but her tone made me think she found it strange too. Then there's the morning routine. She gets up early every single morning to make him a latte before he goes to work. Like sets an alarm and everything just to make sure it's ready for him. She never did this kind of thing for her actual father, and she certainly doesn't do it for me. I mentioned it once like that so sweet of you to make coffee for him and she just shrugged and said he works hard and deserves it. Then at night when he gets home, she's waiting in the kitchen with a beer and a sandwich for him.

It's like something out of a 1950s housewife handbook. She literally waits by the window sometimes to see his car pull up. One time, she even ironed his shirts for him. I came home and found her in the laundry room with his work shirts all hanging up and she was carefully pressing each one. When I asked what she was doing, she said, said his shirts looked wrinkled and I know he likes to look professional. He has a freaking dry cleaning service for his work clothes.

They don't need ironing. The thing that really pissed me off was when she bought him this expensive ergonomic computer chair with massaging rollers on it for his home office. I am a fucking masseuse. That's literally my job. I can take care of this man's back problems just fine with my own two hands. I don't need to be replaced by some goddamn chair. I couldn't help but feel like she was trying to one-up me somehow.

When I asked her about it, she just said, oh, but this way he can sit comfortably while he's working at home. I wanted to scream. Do you know how much those chairs cost? She spent nearly all of her savings from her part-time job on it. Who does that for their mom's boyfriend? There have been other things too. Like how she always laughs extra hard at his jokes, even the dumb ones. or how she's suddenly interested in classical music because he mentioned once that he likes Mozart.

She downloaded a bunch of classical music playlists and now that's all she listens to. She never showed any interest in that kind of music before. Or the time she baked him a birthday cake from scratch even though I had already ordered his favorite cake from the bakery. She stayed up all night to make it and was so proud when she presented it to him. I felt like such a jerk because of course he had to eat a piece of both of the cakes and tell us they were both amazing. The whole thing just felt like a competition I didn't sign up for. I finally sat her down and asked point-blank why she keeps doing all this stuff for him.

She just said she likes him. I pushed for more details, and she started listing things off, he's nice, he's smart, he's funny, he's interesting to talk to, he listens when I talk, blah, blah, blah. But what really stuck out to me was when she said and I love the way he dresses. This is where I need to rewind a bit. My boyfriend wears suits every day because of his job. Nice black suits with ties. When I first started dating him, my daughter would always refer to him as that sharp-dressed man.

She'd ask stuff like, are you going to see that sharp-dressed man again? Or when do I get to meet your sharp-dressed man, Mom? At the time, I thought it was just her way of showing approval. She's always said she wants to marry a man in a suit someday. so I figured she was just happy I found someone who fits that image. She even started watching all these old movies with men in suits, Carrie Grant films, James Bond, stuff like that. She changed her phone wallpaper to a picture of Don Draper from Mad Men.

It was weird, but I didn't think much of it. But now I'm starting to wonder if there's more to it. Like maybe she's developed some kind of crush on him? I've tried to brush it off because that feels gross to even think about, but the evidence is kind of piling up. We just bought a house together a few months back. It's a big step, and I'm fully invested in this relationship. I love this man, and I know he loves me.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm pretty sure he's planning to propose soon based on his browser history. Again, how can someone so smart be so bad at covering their tracks? The house is nice, not huge but big enough for all of us. My daughter and son each have their own rooms, and there's a guest room for when my boyfriend's son stays over. He lives primarily with his mom but visits every other weekend. We've been slowly making it our own, painting and getting new furniture and all that stuff. My boyfriend and I are sharing the master bedroom, of course. I laughed it off, but it was starting to get annoying.

Then there was the time she accidentally walked in on him in the bathroom. He was just washing his hands, thank God. but she didn't apologize or seem embarrassed at all. Just stood there for a moment before saying, Oh, sorry in a way that didn't sound sorry at all. When I brought it up later, she claimed the door wasn't fully closed and she didn't realize he was in there.

But our bathroom door sticks a bit so you have to pull it hard to close it. There's no way it wasn't obvious someone was in there. Anyway, this all came to a head last night. We were watching a movie in the living room, me, my boyfriend, and my daughter. My son was at a friend's house for some gaming thing. My daughter went to the kitchen to get drinks for everyone, and when she came back,

she handed my boyfriend his beer and then. Tried to sit in his lap. I say tried because my boyfriend immediately pushed her off and told her in this really angry voice that what she did was completely inappropriate. They both looked completely shocked, him at what she did, and her at his reaction. Then he just stormed upstairs to our bedroom. I followed him up to talk about what happened. He was pissed.

Like, more angry than I've ever seen him. He started saying that my daughter should start looking for somewhere else to stay, that this had been building for a while, and that he wasn't comfortable having her in the house anymore. He said there had been other incidents I hadn't noticed where she'd get too close to him or touch his arm or shoulder unnecessarily. I panicked and told him about the sharp-dressed man thing and suggested that maybe if he just wore normal clothes outside of work, she wouldn't act so weird

around him. I said maybe the suits were giving her the wrong idea or something. He told me I was being ridiculous and turned away from me. We went to bed without resolving anything. This morning, I tried to make him breakfast as a peace offering, but he just left, said he was going to McDonald's instead. He texted me from the parking lot saying we're going to have a serious talk when he gets home. I don't know what to think or do. I don't want to lose him, but I don't want my daughter to be kicked out either. I know suggesting he changed his clothes was stupid, but I was desperate and it just came out. Am I the asshole here?

Should I have noticed this weird behavior sooner? What do I even do now? Update, my phone has been buzzing non-stop with notifications. Thanks to everyone who commented, even the ones calling me a shit wife. I probably deserve that. A lot of you jumped to some pretty wild conclusions. No, my boyfriend isn't sleeping with my daughter. No, he hasn't been grooming her.

And for those of you saying I'm in denial, well, you were partially right, but not in the way you think. Before I get into what happened, I want to address some of the comments. Yes, I realize now that suggesting he change how he dresses was a stupid thing to say. I was panicking and it just came out. And to the person who asked why I didn't confront my daughter sooner, I guess I was hoping it was just a phase or something. I don't know. I fucked up, okay?

Anyway, so my boyfriend came home eventually and we had our serious talk. It turns out there was a whole lot I didn't know about. An entire shit shows worth of stuff, actually. My boyfriend showed me several disturbing text messages my daughter had sent him over the past few months. Nothing explicitly sexual or propositioning, but weird stuff like I miss you sent at 2 a.m., or are you awake? Followed by a bunch of messages about how she can't sleep

and wishes she had someone to talk to. There were also messages like you look nice today and thanks for listening to me yesterday. No one understands me like you do. He showed me how he always responded appropriately, with stuff like you should try to get some sleep or I'm glad we could talk, but remember your mom is always there for you.

you too. He never encouraged anything inappropriate, which was a relief to see. But that wasn't even the worst part. Apparently my daughter had confided in him about a close friendship she had with her basketball coach right after her dad died. From what my boyfriend told me, this friendship was extremely inappropriate and likely involved some form of grooming or abuse. The coach was in his 30s and would text her at all hours, drive her home from practice, and give her special attention. She was 17 at the time, so technically still a minor. My boyfriend kept this secret because my daughter begged him not to tell me, and he didn't want to break her trust when she was already vulnerable. I was incredibly hurt hearing all this. I mean, I'm her mother. I should have

been the one she came to with this. But at the same time, I understand why she might have felt more comfortable talking to someone else, especially a male figure she trusted. And I get why my boyfriend didn't tell me, he was in an impossible position. Break her trust when she was finally opening up to someone, or keep something important from me. According to my boyfriend, my daughter has basically been treating him like a private therapist for months. He said he thought all the favors, the coffee, the beer, the chair, were just her way of showing gratitude for lending an ear. He didn't realize she might have developed inappropriate feelings until the lap incident. He said he should have seen the signs earlier, but he was trying so hard to be

a supportive figure in her life that he missed the warning signals. As we talked more, other things started to make sense. Like how she would always find ways to get him alone to talk. Offering to help him with yard work or asking him questions about his job when I wasn't around. He said he thought she was just interested in getting to know him better, but now he realizes she was creating opportunities for one-on-one time. He apologized for jumping straight to kicking her out and admitted he reacted from shock and discomfort. He said he doesn't actually want her to leave, but he does think we need to establish some firm boundaries and maybe get her some professional help. I apologize too for the stupid comments about his suits. It was a comment

made out of denial and panic, and I feel like an idiot for suggesting something so ridiculous. Of course his clothes aren't the problem. I was just grasping at straws because I didn't want to face the real issue. After talking with my boyfriend for what felt like ours, I sat my daughter down for an extremely uncomfortable but necessary conversation about boundaries. She'd been hiding in her room since the incident, only coming out when she thought no one was around. As soon as I brought up the lap incident, she burst into tears and started apologizing over and over. She swore she didn't mean anything weird by it and that she just felt comfortable around him. I asked her directly if she had feelings for him, and she got defensive, saying you, no, that's gross, he's old but her

face was bright red and she couldn't look me in the eye. I explained that regardless of her intentions, sitting on a grown man's lap at her age was inappropriate, especially when that man is her mother's boyfriend. I told her that some of her other behaviors had been making both of us uncomfortable too. She just kept crying and saying she was sorry. I didn't tell her that I know about the basketball coach because I don't want her to feel betrayed by my boyfriend. I'm hoping a professional will be able to help her talk about it in a more controlled environment. Because yes, therapy is happening. I should have insisted on it right after her father died, but both my kids said they didn't want it, and I didn't want to force it on them. That was clearly a mistake.

When I suggested therapy, she actually seemed relieved. She admitted she's been having trouble sleeping and thinking clearly since her dad died. She said talking to my boyfriend helped because he gets it in a way other people don't. I told her I understand that connection, but that there are proper boundaries that need to be respected. She nodded and agreed to go to therapy. I did ask her about the suit thing, just out of curiosity. She got this dreamy look on her face and said Dad never dressed up. He was always in T-shirts and jeans. I just think men in suits look more.

I don't know, together. Like they have their life figured out. It was actually kind of sad to hear. I think she's been looking for someone to replace her dad, and my boyfriend's professional appearance gave her this false idea of security or something. But so help me God, if that motherfucking basketball coach ever shows his face in our hometown again and my daughter asks why I'm in jail, I guess I'll have to tell her then that I know all about what happened. For now, though, her healing is my priority. And yes, I did look him up to make sure he's not still coaching at her old school.

He's not, thank God. Apparently he moved to another state. Probably running from something, the sick bastard. My boyfriend and I have made up, and no one is getting kicked out of the house, but things are still pretty awkward. My daughter has basically quarantined herself in the basement. She only comes up for food when no one else is around. When she does see my boyfriend, she practically runs in the other direction. It's uncomfortable but probably necessary for now.

My son remains completely oblivious to all of this drama. He asked why everyone was being weird at dinner the other night. and I just told him we had a disagreement. He shrugged and went back to his phone. Sometimes I envy teenage boys and their ability to ignore emotional tension. My boyfriend is trying to give my daughter space while still being supportive, which is a tough balance to strike. He suggested that for now, he only have serious conversations with her when I'm present,

to avoid any misunderstandings. I think that's smart. For now, we all just need some time and space to process everything. My boyfriend has already helped me find some good therapists in our area who specialize in grief and trauma. I've scheduled an appointment for next week. I don't know how this is all going to play out, and it still feels like walking on eggshells around here, but at least everything is out in the open now. Well, almost everything.

As for my relationship, we're taking things one day at a time. The ring shopping is probably on hold for a while, and that's okay. We need to make sure our blended family is on solid ground before taking that next step. Thanks for the reality check, I guess. I'll update again if anything major changes, but honestly I'm hoping for some boring normalcy for a while. Just regular family stuff like arguing over whose turn it is to do the dishes or what movie to watch on Friday night. Edit, thank you for all the supportive comments. For those asking about my daughter's friends, yes, she has a few close friends from high.

school, but they all went to different colleges so they don't see each other as much anymore. She's taking online classes from the community college while working part-time at a coffee shop, so she's not meeting many new people. That's another issue we need to address, getting her more involved with people her own age. And no, I haven't confronted the basketball coach and don't plan to. As much as I'd like to destroy him, my focus needs to be on my daughter's healing right now. Maybe someday when she's ready, we can talk about reporting him, but I'm not going to force that before she's ready to deal with it. And thank you to the person who suggested family game nights as a way to ease the tension. We actually tried that last night, just a simple card game, and it was still awkward but better than everyone avoiding each other.

Baby steps, I guess.