3 Hours Of Reddit Stories - My SIL Accused Me Of Being Ungrateful After A Trip With My Brother...

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
My seal accused me of being ungrateful after a trip
with my brother, claiming I owed her thanks for babysitting
her own kids. My twenty two f brother thirty five
and surprised me six months ago by planning a trip
to Scotland for my birthday. He knew I've never traveled
before and wanted to take me to my dream country.
Due to tight finances, it was just the two of us,
which I was okay with since at the time him

(00:20):
and I were close. For context, my brother is married
and has two kids under six. His wife, thirty four
f had said she was happy for me and didn't
mind holding down the fort for a week while we're
on the trip. Her and I have never been close,
and quite frankly, just tolerate each other for the sake
of keeping the peace. She's never been a fan of
how close my siblings are with each other. It all
comes down to growing up in different family dynamics. EMO. Anyway,

(00:43):
the trip was amazing and I loved every second of it.
I was on such a high when we came back
that I thanked my brother so many times for doing
this for me until he told me to shut up.
Lowell I thought everything was good and we resumed our
lives normally. Imagine my surprise when I get a text
three days after coming back from my sill telling me
off and calling me rude and ungrateful because I didn't

(01:03):
send her a text thanking her for babysitting on her
own and having to do everything around her house for
a whole week while I had fun with her husband. Yep,
that's exactly how she worded it. I was flabbergasted. This
is the same woman who smiled and told me to
have fun on my trip, and now she's berating me
for not thanking her for doing me a favor by
taking care of her kids for a week. Am I crazy?

(01:25):
Or is that totally irrational and just weird? I told
her I'm not sure taking care of your own children
is babysitting or doing someone else a favor, and she
blew up at me, calling me a terrible, ungrateful brat
and that I never show appreciation for anything. I was
so confused by all of this and called my brother,
but he doubled down and told me the trip wouldn't
have been possible had she not volunteered to take care
of their kids, so we can have fun, and that

(01:46):
I should be thanking her for doing it for me.
I was, and still am confused on why I need
to thank a mother for taking care of her own
kids anyway, to keep the peace, I told her thanks
for doing it, but she decided I wasn't being sincere
and convinced my brother to go low contact with me.
My siblings and my mum were confused by all of this,
but kept telling me to just bite my tongue and
not stir the pot any further. But I'm just hurt

(02:08):
and confused. My relationship with my brother has been strained
since and it's taking a toll on me. I just
need outside opinions because I'm genuinely confused on whether or
not I'm the asshole in this whole mess. This is
my first time posting, and English is not my first language,
so excuse any errors. Edit. I can't reply to everyone,
so let me clear up a few things I feel

(02:28):
I should have included. They do not share finances. She
has never spent any money on anything related to me. Also,
last year, she took a trip with her siblings abroad
as well, and no, I don't know if her siblings
thanked my brother for watching his kids. Finances were tight,
as my brother was paying out of his own pocket
and wouldn't have been able to take anyone else with us.
Pub this trip was a birthday gift, not a family trip,

(02:49):
so no one expected to join. I did thank them
both when I was first told about the trip, and
I asked my brother if he was sure it was
okay for us to go, and he assured me we
were set and I only needed to have fun. I
later learned that she didn't contribute anything to the trip
and said she wouldn't have wanted to take a trip
with me anyway. Hope this clears something's up. Update five
days later. Thank you to everyone for the insight on

(03:11):
my previous post. The post kind of blew up in
a way I wasn't expecting, and the responses were overwhelming,
but I now understand that I did not react correctly
to her texts. This is a long update since a
lot has happened. To clear up a few things before
I continue with the update. A lot of you are
fixated on the fact that I said finances are tight.
I didn't mean their overall finances. They have separate finances

(03:32):
and from my understanding. They only share finances when it
comes to their household and kids. Anything else they pay
from their own pockets and don't interfere in what they
spend their money on as long as the kids are
good and household is running smoothly. So since my brother
was paying for this trip on his own, he couldn't
take many people with him, as that would put a
bigger financial burden on his personal savings. They're doing fine financially.

(03:52):
They take family trips once a year. I did thank
them both when I was initially told about the trip.
My sill later made a snide comment about how this
was all my brother and she didn't contribute to the
trip at all. Last year, Syll and her siblings went
on their own trip while my brother took care of everything,
and he was fine with it. My family dynamic is
apparently confusing you guys, but we're five siblings that are

(04:13):
very close and hang out regularly and have a close
bond with our mom, especially since our dad passed away.
We are from an Asian country and the culture here
and the bonds between families are different from the West.
To those who said, maybe she's salty, I'm getting a
trip when I've never helped them out. I babysat my
sill's babies for five days a week for months, each
time her maternity leave ended, and each time they stopped

(04:33):
needing me to help out. Only my brother thanks me,
and that's fine with me. Sill has never thanked me
or my siblings for anything we do for them, she says.
The fact that we're so eager and willing to drop
everything to take care of each other is weird and unhealthy.
I did thank her once I realized I should just
keep the peace and tell her what she wanted to hear. Still,
she didn't accept my thank you after I made the
babysitting your own kid's comment. I understand I was an

(04:56):
ah for saying that now since a lot of you
have pointed out that it was rude and mother and
don't get it. But to be fair, her texts were
full of insults. She kept doubling down on the fact
that she was stuck babysitting because of me. Many of
you asked why I wasn't offered the ticket and went
on my own. In our culture, women, especially young ones,
don't travel on their own without either a family member

(05:16):
or their husbands. It's not about control, but more out
of protection for us, so going on my own wouldn't
have been an option. Onto the update strap in This
is a long one. So I talked with my mom
to better understand the situation since many of you said
I'm not a mother and don't get it, and she
said my sill worded it wrong, but maybe she just
wanted gratitude for helping my brother out because being a
parent isn't easy. I understand that I reacted to her

(05:39):
messages wrong when I could have just said a simple
thank you, but neither I or my mom understand why
she was so aggressive towards me in her texts. The
aggression is what made me become so defensive. I found
out from my siblings and my mom that my brother
only paid for the tickets and the accommodations, and that
my eldest brother is the one that provided the pocket
money for food and buying stuff on the trip, and
that my siblings chipped in but didn't want the credit

(06:00):
since my brother wanted this trip to be like a
thank you for helping them out so much with their
kids over the years, and that he had cleared it
with his wife and she had given him the go ahead.
She also told me that he had asked Syl if
she wanted to come with us on the trip and
leave their kids with my mom, who was fine with that,
but she declined as she and I aren't close and
it would have been weird for the both of us.
My mom told me that my brother actually asked her

(06:21):
to check in every day with Syll to make sure
all was well and to see if she needed anything.
She also said my brother asked Sill's sisters to check
on her as well. It turns out Sill had taken
the week off of work. I didn't know that, and
for four out of the seven days we were in Scotland,
she dropped her kids off at my mum's and the
other three days when my mom called, Sill said she
had her sisters with her and didn't need any help.

(06:41):
So what the hell was she so mad about. It's
clear to me that she wasn't abandoned by my brother,
as some of you suggested. My siblings initially wanted to
just keep the peace, but after I showed them my
Sill's texts, they were surprised and appalled by her words.
They thought this whole thing was a simple misunderstanding and
now understand that it had become bigger and that my
brother and I aren't taught. My sister decided to investigate

(07:02):
and called my brother to understand what happened, and it
turns out my sill told him that my mum and
siblings didn't check in on her at all, which is
a lie. My sister even dropped off food for them twice,
and that the kids were upset their dad left them
and were throwing tantrums all the time, also probably not true,
and that this wasn't what they had agreed on when
he told her about the trip months ago. He was
too busy trying to calm my Sill down to confirm

(07:24):
with the family whether or not it was true. My
sister then asked him if he'd seen the text his
wife had sent me, and he said he hadn't, but
that Sill told him she just asked me for a
simple thank you for all her hard work, and that
I blew up at her and told her she didn't
deserve anything since she didn't pay for the trip and
that she was entitled. He said he was hesitant about
believing that since he knows I'd never OUTRIGHTE disrespect someone
like that, even if I don't get along with them,

(07:45):
But she insisted that it happened and that she had
no reason to lie, and as her husband, she needed
his support, not his questioning, and that's why he sent
me the text saying I needed to thank her. My
sister then let my brother know about everything that happened
and told him more like demanded that they appologized to me,
which I didn't think was necessary. I just wanted my
brother to talk to me again, and he sounded upset

(08:05):
and told her he'll figure this out after talking to
his wife. Spoiler alert, it didn't go well. Sill and
my brother had a massive fight, and he demanded to
know why she lied and caused so much drama, and
she broke down and told him that he was too
close to me and my siblings and that she hated
how the whole family babied me I'm the youngest, and
that his siblings relationship with each other made her uncomfortable
and she just wanted him to put a little distance

(08:26):
between himself and us because her family isn't as close
to each other, and kept telling her our close dynamic
is weird and toxic. He told her her behavior is
unacceptable and that she caused a rift between not only
him and I, but also him and the rest of
his siblings as well, because now they're mad at him.
My brother did call me and he apologized for doubling
down on what his wife said. He said it was
already tense in their house and he was just trying

(08:47):
to keep the peace and be supportive, but he shouldn't
have treated me this way when deep down he knew
I wasn't at fault. He also let me know that
for the time being, Syl will go and see with
my siblings and I while they go to marriage counseling
and Sill goes to therapy because her behavior wasn't normal.
He sounded exhausted and defeated, and I just told him
we're all here for him if he needs us. He
made it clear that the NC is only for my

(09:08):
Sill and assured me he won't limit his contact with
me and apologized for doing so without even talking to
me first. I asked him if he'd like me to
reach out to her and apologize for what I said
and give her a sincere thank you, but he said no,
that it was never about the gratitude to begin with,
and that it's apparently a bigger issue between them that
they need to figure out on their own. That we
shouldn't contact Sill unless she reaches out first, as she

(09:28):
doesn't want to have any contact with us. He also
apologized for her language with me on the text, but
I told him not to worry about it. Safe to say,
Syl's relationship with us is never going to be the
same again after this, And to be honest, I wasn't
the biggest fan of hers, but I was civil and
polite to her in the past because my brother loves
her and we've never had any issues prior to this.
I do feel really guilty that all this happened because
of the trip planned for me, but my siblings keep

(09:50):
telling me it's not my fault. My mom says I
should have just thanked my Sill and kept the peace
instead of having this all blow up so much, But
my siblings told her that even if I had apologized,
it wouldn't have mattered, as my Sill would have found
something else to cause a problem. But they also told
me what a lot of you had mentioned in the comments,
that saying thank you was the polite thing to do,
and that taking care of kids full time is not
the same as babysitting them for a few hours, and

(10:12):
it would have been good to tell her she's appreciated.
But they understand that I don't have the understanding of
what it means to be a parent and that having
someone basically verbally attacked me wouldn't have made me reciprocate
with kindness. And I get it. I was ignorant about it,
and I acknowledge that there are a lot more details,
but that's the gist of it. Brother and Sill's marriage
is strained, and so is his relationship with us. But

(10:33):
I hope that everything works out. Okay. I really love
my brother and hate seeing him so defeated. Part of
me wishes we never went on that trip, because all
this drama is draining to clarify something. The only reason
I was questioning the whole I babysat my kids as
a favor to you is because I always see people
criticizing fathers who say that and calling them out because
kids are the parent's responsibility and not a chore or

(10:54):
a favor for anyone. I thought this applied to both
mothers and fathers, but perhaps I was mistaken because my
only point of re refference on this topic is what
I see on the internet, as I'm not a mom,
and since a lot of you have said I'm the
AH and that she deserved to thank you in a gift,
I messed up the thank you part. But I did
buy her a magnet for their fridge since she likes
to collect them. I went a little crazy and brought
back little souvenirs for myself and everyone else as well.

(11:16):
And it would have been weird and rude to give
her kids gifts and not her, so I got every
single family member a small Scottish theme present. I was
excited about being in Scotland. Lol. Thank you all for
your insights and advice. I really appreciate it. Whether you
thought I was or wasn't the AH, all your opinions
put things into perspective for me. Some comments were outright nasty, though,
and I didn't think name calling was productive or necessary,

(11:37):
but oh well, that's the Internet. Also, if you saw
the OG post on some podcast sub it's because my
friend saw my post and told me to post it
there because she's a fan of them and thinks the
podcasters would be entertained by it. I wasn't seeking out
validation from a different sub she was just excited by
the idea that her favorite podcast might read out a
post about someone. She knows. She's weird, but I love her,

(11:58):
so I did it. That's all. Now to the next
story story too. My ex wife and her wife want
my son to call her mom and adopt him to
move to Spain. I firmly oppose protecting my rights as
his father. Hyall throw away because my friends are not
completely aware of this current situation. I thirty five million,
was married to my ex wife thirty four f for

(12:20):
seven years. Two years ago, my ex wife came out
as lesbian. This came as a complete shock to me.
She and her partner were co workers who had an
affair since she joined the company a year before our divorce.
We have a son together, eight million. This came as
a complete shock to me. I was heartbroken and devastated.
I felt betrayed, as I had spent seven years of

(12:40):
my life with this woman and it all felt like
a lie now. When I confronted her, she told me
that she had to live her truth and that she
tried to suppress her identity because she didn't come to
terms with it till she met her partner. When I
asked whether she loved me, she told me that while
she loves me, it's different than how she loved her
new partner. This broke my heart even further. The divorce
was quick, as she did did not want anything from me,

(13:01):
and we agreed to a fifty to fifty split of custody,
but I decided to go no contact with her and
handle the custody transfer process through my sister twenty seven
f whom I moved in with. After the divorce, I
sold the house and we mutually agreed that the excess
money from the sale will be in a college fund
for our son in the future. I could not bear
to stay in that house anymore, as it kept reminding
me of her betrayal. For context, she introduced her partner

(13:24):
as her work friend, and I believed her. I had
no reason to suspect anything, and they had several girls' nights,
but I figured that they were probably using these as
cover for the affair. For six months, I was in
a depressive state because I didn't know where I went wrong.
But this is one of those scenarios that anything I
would have done, wouldn't have been able to make it better.
This made me even more depressed, and the fact that

(13:44):
all the vows and little things that she said at
our wedding were all just lies trying to keep up
a ruse made it even worse. The two people that
got me through this state was my sister, whom I
am eternally grateful for helping with her nephew and helping
me while maintaining her career. The other person that got
me through this was my college ex girlfriend. Around four
months after the divorce, we reconnected at a reunion and
she really helped through the worst of it as a friend.

(14:07):
Around a year after the divorce, we started officially dating
and I introduced her to my son. During all this time,
my ex's partner had been having limited interactions with my son.
This was not because of me saying anything, but my
ex wife wanted him to adjust to his new reality.
My son is in that weird age where he understands
what's going on, but he doesn't really understand what's actually
going on. If you know, you know, he understands that

(14:30):
mommy has a girlfriend and that me and his mom
are not together anymore. I'm pretty happy, considering we didn't
really talk to him about the LGBTQ plus stuff because
we had decided that we can talk about this when
he's a bit older. But I'm happy that he's come
to terms with the divorce. Around eight months ago, Max
said that she was officially moving in with her partner
and that she was engaged. At this point, I still

(14:50):
was in no contact except brief conversations that concerned our son.
She invited me to the wedding, but I declined. They
were planning to have a destination wedding in Spain, where
her girlfriend lives. She wanted to take our son to
the wedding and he would have to miss school for
a week since she wanted him to meet her girlfriend's
family as well. I told her that missing school for
a week does not make sense and that she should

(15:10):
plan her wedding when he has vacations, since she doesn't
have a fixed date yet. She argued that most likely
they won't have a date that will align with his
vacations and that they are getting married as soon as possible.
I relented and agreed, since I didn't want to interact
with her anymore, and it was well within her rights
to have her son at her wedding. The problem started
when my son came back after the wedding. He was
supposed to stay with me since we have a flexible

(15:32):
week and week out custody arrangement. She wanted to take
my son on her honeymoon so that he has a
chance to bond with his new stepmother. I told her
that she had already had two weeks with him since
she had custody for a week before the wedding, and
that I wanted to spend some father son time with him.
I told her that it is well within my rights
and that she should go spend some time with her
new wife. She argued that since our son's interactions with

(15:53):
her partner were limited because of her busy schedule, that
this was a great opportunity for them to bond. I
told her that she had two weeks for him to
get to know her partner. She said that they were
busy with the wedding and did not have time. I
told her that I had taken vacation days for us
to go to a motorcycle expo and build a lego set,
two things that my son absolutely loves. She kept arguing,

(16:14):
and I finally told her that the custody was placed
for a reason and that's the one thing I will
not negotiate on. She got angry at me and left
me and my son had a great experience. I even
got him one of those kid sized motorcycles since he
liked them so much. Over the next few weeks, we
returned back to our week in, week out routine. One day,
I find that my ex posted a photoshoot of them
and my son under a caption of hashtag lesbian mommies.

(16:37):
I thought that it was a post and it probably
meant nothing, but it was showing them as a family,
and something about that did not sit right with me.
When I got my son for the week, I asked
him if his mom was saying anything to him. He
relented a bit, but told me that his mother had
been trying to convince him to call her partner his mom.
This was a shock to me, as I never expected
my ex to do this. Then again, I've been wrong
about these things before. I asked him if that's something

(16:59):
he wanted, and he told me that he is much
more comfortable calling her by her first name and that
he feels weird with calling two people mom. I told
him it's okay, and that he shouldn't feel pressured to
do anything. I called my ex and asked her to
meet up because this was serious and I wanted to
discuss this. I confronted her about this, and she told
me that since her and her partner were married, it's
only natural for our son to have to have two

(17:20):
moms now. I told her that it's not okay for
her to try and convince him into calling her partner
as mom because she is not his mother, she doesn't
have an active parenting role in his life, and that
any major parenting decisions require the two of us. She
tried making an argument that since me and my girlfriend
were becoming serious now and that eventually I might want
him to start calling her mom. I told her, even
if we become serious, I won't try and convince our

(17:42):
son to start calling her mom because he already has
two parents and he doesn't need more. Then she dropped
the bombshell on me. She told me that she and
her partner were hoping that eventually down the line, they
can file for adoption. I'll still be able to visit
and see my son, but she wanted her and her
wife to have legal guardianship because they wanted to build
a new family with them. I told her absolutely not,
and that our partners have no say in our kids lives.

(18:05):
She accused me of being homophobic for denying her the
right to a complete family, and I told her, while
her life is her choice, our son's life has to
be a thing that we decide ourselves. I ended the
conversation there and told my son to tell me if
her mother tries to force him to do anything that
he doesn't want to do. Three weeks later, I found
out that my ex had enrolled him in Spanish lessons
that he told me that he hated doing. For context,

(18:26):
my ex is Latin and her partner is Spanish, so
they are more comfortable talking to each other in Spanish.
We made the decision to raise our son in English
because it made sense at the time, as she speaks
English better than Spanish and I don't speak any Spanish.
When I discussed this, she told me that she would
like her son to connect more to his heritage. I
said that I don't have any problem with that, but
we have tried this several times before when we were married,

(18:47):
and he had shown zero interest in it. She told
me that this time might be different since he will
have two Spanish speakers at home. I told her that
I am in favor of bilingualism because two languages are
always in advantage, especially for kids, but if he doesn't
want to do it, there is no reason to force
him to do it. Maybe try another language. She then
accuses me of denying our son his roots and goes
on a ti rate of accusing me of denying our

(19:09):
son his identity and coming back to me denying her
right to a family. My girlfriend usually stays out of
these matters, but she advised me to contact my lawyer
and see what they can actually do. My lawyer told
me that even if they send an adoption notice, I
can contest it, and it would take something exceptional like abandonment,
et cetera for my contest to get rejected. My ex
keeps posting our son as a part of her new family,

(19:30):
and it's honestly started to trigger me. Two weeks ago,
I interacted for the first time with my ex's new
wife after the divorce. She contacted me and asked to
meet up. She told me that my ex had finally
started to recover from the social trauma of coming out
and building a new life with her, and that I
am now getting in the way of happiness. She accused
me of being emotionless and uncaring through our divorce, and
how I guilt tripped her into agreeing to my demands

(19:52):
of fifty to fifty custody, and how I should just
agree to the eventual adoption in a few years because
she has always wanted a son, and that I will
still remain my son's dad and I can still visit him.
I told her that I don't care what her emotional
state was during the divorce, and that my demands were
fair even to the most irrational person. I told her
that if they want to create this image of a
perfect family, then they should have another kid that has

(20:13):
no connection to me. I feel like all this has
started to affect my son more than anything. He is
a lot less happier than he was just a few
months ago, as we had started to adjust to this
new reality. For context, since I know this is going
to come up eventually, the emotional trauma of my ex
coming out is basically the fact that her family effectively
disowned her after coming out. Her parents don't talk to

(20:33):
her anymore, while my son has plenty of interactions with
his maternal grandparents when he's with me. Those two combined
makes significantly more money than I do alone. However, my
ex wife makes less money than me, but her partner
is in a senior position, so she has more stability.
This is also an argument my ex wife used when
we discussed adoptions, since they can then send our son
to a private school and generally give him a better life.

(20:55):
I don't know if this is a factor, but the
recent elections may have caused this because they are worried
that they might not be able to adopt soon. But
they don't want to adopt my son now, but in
a few years, so I doubt this to be true. Edit.
I posted an update now update hyll. It seems that
my draft went missing somehow, and I'm sorry for posting
a couple of empty blocks. Original post is here. It's

(21:16):
been crazy seeing everyone's reactions to the situation, and I
wanted to share a quick update with you all. First
of all, i'd like to clarify that my son and
I have been going to therapy since the divorce. He
was doing quite well until the whole mom saga happened.
My in laws disowned her after she came out. They
were not even aware about the affair when she came
out to them. They still spend time with my grandson

(21:36):
under the condition that they don't badmouth my ax and
don't preach their views to him. They agreed and said
that they valued a relationship with their grandson over any
political view they might hold. I have been a part
of every interaction that they have had with him because
I was worried they might say something. Thankfully, this has
not been the case. Her extended family has said to
me that they have all cut her off as well,

(21:57):
some for the affair and some for her being gayviutual
friends also cut her off because of the affair. All
our mutual friends were my work buddies and their spouses partners.
I did not ask them to do anything. They came
to the decision on their own. I was actually glad
when she told me that she had made a friend
on her own, as she used to complain about not
liking her colleagues. We all know how that turned out.

(22:19):
I'm pretty sure they're not planning to skip the country.
I have all my son's documents, and we decided it
during the divorce because she was still figuring out where
to go, and since I was moving in with my sister,
the chances of them getting misplaced were low. I have
also had no demands for any documents, and she returned
the passport to me when we came back. The whole
adoption thing probably stems from the fact that my son

(22:39):
has a very close relationship with his mother. The only
times he has really complained to me is when she
asked him to call her partner mom and that she
was making him do Spanish classes that he did not want.
We did everything for him equally during our marriage, but
I had to travel out of state to my parents
frequently during COVID because they were sick with pre existing
conditions and couldn't take care of themselves. My sister was

(23:00):
on an assignment abroad at that time. My sister also
agreed with this. Please let me know your thoughts. I
listened to people and contacted my lawyer, who is also
my friend. Today morning, he told me the same thing
as last time, and that it would take something really
unusual for the adoption process to go through, like child abandonment.
He also said that they a bunch of idiots that
have no idea how the law worked. He also told

(23:23):
me that if the whole we want to adopt him
is a real thing, and if she is talking shit
about me to my son and I could prove it,
I could get custody. This has not been the case,
as I've not heard my son say that his mom
says bad things about me. This brought me a sigh
of relief. I plan to contact my ex today with
the following conditions. We both install parenting apps and document
all interactions. No more mentioned to me or my son

(23:45):
regarding adoption or calling her partner mom. No more posting
images of my son as a part of their perfect
queer family, because frankly, I don't want my son photos
on the internet when he is so young and he
can decide what he wants when he is older. I
plan to talk to my ex and a couple of
Please let me know what you think about this final update.
Hi all, So I talked to my ex today. She

(24:07):
was busy yesterday and I wanted some more time to
gather my thoughts. When we met, I put forth my demands.
She told me that the parenting app idea seems fine
and that she has no problem with it. She got
sad When I told her to drop the idea of
adoption and call her partner mom as it's just not
going to happen, she told me that her family was
pressuring her to settle down. I proposed after a year

(24:27):
of dating, and I did not know this, and getting
pregnant so soon after getting married was not what she
had in mind. She got pregnant one and a half
years after getting married. Is that soon, IDK. She told
me that she was in the closet all her life
because of her parents, and that she thought marrying me
would cause her feelings to subside, and that she was
happy until she met her partner. She did go through
postpartum depression after giving birth, but I did not know that.

(24:50):
She didn't want to get pregnant so soon. She then
told me her wife and her that the reason they
wanted to adopt my son was because she wanted to
start new. She then said that she was never really
happy during our marriage and that with her new wife,
she could have the family she always dreamt of having.
She didn't want my son to grow up to resent
her for being a lesbian, as he doesn't have any
exposure to people like her apart from her and her partner. Look,

(25:12):
I have to be honest here. I don't know any
gay people, nor anyone in my friends or family is gay.
We never talked about these things because it simply doesn't
come up in our daily life. But that doesn't mean
me and my son have no idea who they are,
especially after the divorce. I told her that this is
not going to happen and that he has had a
lot of exposure to people from her community. I told
her that seems like a bullshit reason for separating my

(25:34):
son and me, and that she is making up some
random reason to make her seem like it is. After
some arguing, she told me the real reason why she
and her partner want to adopt my son reddit is
crazy for your their prediction abilities, Like, honestly, wow, Apparently
they wanted to adopt my son because her wife and
her are considering moving to Spain in a few years.
I told her that she can't do that and that

(25:54):
the legal framework supports me and my rights in both countries.
She told me she knew this and that's why they
wanted to get me to sign adoption. I told her
that she was crazy, that she in no way is
able to do this as she still need my permission
to take him out of the country as when she
did when they got married in Spain. I also read
a comment yesterday on the update and researched a bit
on the laws regarding this, so I know this is

(26:15):
not happening. She told me again that they have done
their research and that this was to see if I
would agree. In case I agreed, they would consider moving,
and in case I didn't because she doesn't want to
be separated from my son. I again emphasized that this
is not going to happen, and that if she tries
anything or says anything to my son, I will sue
for full custody. She got sad again and told me
that they wanted to check with me first. I told her,

(26:36):
in what world would you expect me to give you
and your wife full custody? First you divorce me, leave
me a woman, and then expect me to sign over
my child and act like nothing happened. I told her,
from this point on, we will document everything, every interaction
we have, and that if I even get a whiff
of you trying to pull something, I will sue for
full custody. She got a bit scared at the idea
of losing full custody AIGs she didn't really consider me

(26:57):
doing that, and she agreed. I then told her not
to paint this picture of a picture perfect queer family
that they are trying to do, because that is not
going to happen. Our son has a mom and a
dad that he spends half his time each with, not
two moms. He is not your affair partner's son. He
is your son and mine. If you want a child
with her, you can do so on your own. I

(27:17):
then told her that the courts are more likely to
side with me than you in this case because of
the thing you have been trying to do and the
fact that I work from home and spend more actual
time with him than you and your wife. I have
been trying for him to have a stable relationship with
both parents since the divorce because I don't want him
to reset either of us. But if you try to
remove me from his life, I will sue for full
custody and deal with any resentment he has for either

(27:38):
of us. I didn't want to argue anymore, and I
left the room. I secretly recorded the conversation because I
wanted to have proof in case anything happens in the future. Honestly, Reddit,
I have been very angry at my ex since the divorce.
I have not shown it around her and my son
because I don't want her to use this against me
in any way, and have been going to therapy, but
I am still internally angry. The comments she made today

(27:59):
about our marriage really hurt me even more. I have
spent seven years with this woman, and her betrayal still
makes me angry to this day. When I got home,
I contacted my lawyer friend and he again reiterated that
they would have to kidnap him. I asked him if
there was anything else we could do, and he said
that the current agreement is very thorough. We have made
sure of that. If I want full custody or not

(28:20):
as up to me. But I have to be sure
that I want to put me or my son through
the whole process. I don't want my son to grow
up without either of his parents, as that is just
not healthy for him. That is why I won't sue
for full custody now. If they are stupid enough to
kidnap him, I'm sure they are not, then the law
sides with me. Anyway. I know what position her partner
is at their workplace, so I know they are making

(28:40):
good money to leave it all behind for no good reason.
As for the passport thing, I have all his documents
and all things such as notifying travel, hospital visits, and
others are already in the signed custody agreement. We already
have a legal framework for all this. I am not
going to sue for full custody now because I don't
want that for my son. My ex wife is still
a good mother and loves him, and he enjoys spending

(29:01):
time with her. Plus, my son is the type of
person to openly voice out what he does not find
okay to me, so I will know if they continue
any of their nonsense. On a more positive note, y'all,
I'm not against Spanish lessons, but he doesn't like them.
I was just suggesting that he try some language he likes.
There are other languages out there. I didn't say it
to my ex then, but now I know that she
was trying for him to learn Spanish because of the

(29:23):
Spain thing. Thank you to everyone for their support. It
really helped me with understanding the problem. Holy shit, though
I didn't even consider her considering moving to Spain until
I read the comments, y'all are great at this. Now
to the next story. Story three, Am I the asshole
for not helping my sister who became homeless right after
giving birth to her baby with my soon to be

(29:44):
ex husband. My sister twenty four f and I twenty
six f were really close our whole lives, and we
moved away from our parents together when she was eighteen
and I was twenty. I met my soon to be
ex husband here and we got married, and my sister
stayed close. We spend a lot of time together. Then
a few months ago, I learned my sister was pregnant
and my husband was the father. I ended my marriage

(30:06):
to him immediately, and I told my sister I wanted
nothing more to do with her, and she was on
her own. I had some of her stuff at my
place and left it at my ex's place for her
for the rest of the pregnancy. They were living together,
and then he wouldn't let her back in. After the
baby was born. She called our parents from the hospital
and told them she had nowhere to go, that he
was looking for custody and didn't want her back, and
I wasn't answering her calls, so They called me, and

(30:28):
after I heard them explain what was going on, I
told them it wasn't my problem. They tried to argue,
but I wasn't having any of it. She got a
place at a shelter for single parents, and she's still
there several weeks on. With the custody dispute, she can't
move back to our parents, and I am still refusing
to help her out. My parents are angry because I
won't even take her calls or reply to any messages

(30:49):
she sent. I actually blocked her because I knew she
wouldn't stop. My parents don't know that part, but they're
telling me I should be ashamed of myself for turning
my back on her and the baby. I told my
parents I owe her and the baby nothing. I told
them it was just a shame she didn't choke on
his dick when they were sleeping together. Behind my back.
My parents called me disgusting for leaving them homeless, that

(31:10):
I have room and could help. Am I the asshole?
Now on to the next story. Story four. I was
a shadow to my sister's piano career, exploited as my
family's ATM. They even used my money for her secret
engagement party. I thirty five f am a senior investment
analyst for a major Manhattan firm. Yet to my family,
I am nothing more than a personal ATM. I've been

(31:32):
hesitant to tell this tale, but recent developments have compelled
me to seek outside viewpoints on a subject that has
dominated my life for years. Growing up, our entire family
revolved on my younger sister, thirty one f She was
a piano prodigy who began performing at the age of four.
My earliest memories are of helping Mom sixty two degrees
fahrenheit and Dad sixty five degrees fahrenheit, prepare for her recitals,

(31:56):
ensuring that everything was just right for their little star.
While other kids were learned to ride bikes or going
on playdates, I was learning how to iron performance costumes
and organize sheet music. Make sure your sister has everything
she needs for practice. Mom would say, barely looking up
from her phone as she recorded another video of my
sister's performance. Don't forget to cook dinner, we'll be late tonight.

(32:16):
Due to her master's class. By the age of eleven,
I was effectively controlling the home, laundry, cooking, cleaning. It
all fell on me because your sister needs to focus
on her music, was the incessant refrain. I recall the
day I won the state mathematics competition in eighth grade.
I went home clutching my award, only to find mom
furiously preparing for my sister's performance. That's nice, honey, she

(32:40):
commented distractedly. But could you please assist your sister practice.
She needs to perfect this piece for the Carnegie Hall
Youth showcase next month. The trophy wound up in a
box in my closet, alongside other forgotten accomplishments. The tendency
persisted throughout high school. While my sister traveled for competitions
and master lessons, I stayed at home and maintained flawless marks.

(33:02):
My parents paid thousands of dollars for my sister's private lessons,
special music camps, and custom made performance apparel. Meanwhile, I
had to fight for essential school materials. We need to
be practical. Dad would say, your sister's career development requires
all of our resources. I was not permitted to participate
in any after school events, since someone needed to be

(33:22):
present at home to prepare for my sister's night time
practice sessions. When I indicated an interest in joining the
debate team. Mom looked at me as if I had
suggested we burned down the home. How could you be
so selfish, she asked, Your sister needs a peaceful, encouraging
atmosphere to practice. You understand how crucial this is to
her future. Every family gathering became a recital. Relatives would

(33:44):
gather around the piano, gushing about my sister's skill as
I served refreshments and cleaned up afterwards. Such a helpful girl,
they'd say, patronizingly, before turning back to compliment my sister.
I learned to be invisible, moving softly through our house
like a ghost, ensuring that everything and properly, while drawing
no notice to myself. My parents only truly noticed me
when anything went wrong with my sister's routine. Then I

(34:07):
became visible, but just as a target for blame. If
she had a poor performance, it was because I had
not provided a calm setting for her practicing. If she
felt fatigued during a competition, it was because I hadn't
properly prepared her meals. During my senior year of high school,
I was admitted into several top universities on partial scholarships.
When I showed my parents the acceptance letters. Their reaction

(34:29):
was lukewarm at best. We can't help with any expenses,
Dad stated firmly during supper. Your sister's career development needs
all our resources. Besides, you're good with household management. Maybe
you should look into becoming a housekeeper. That's when our neighbors,
the Wilsons, intervened. They had seen me grow up and
how I helped at their little accounting office after school

(34:50):
while waiting for my sister's practices to finish. Missus Wilson
fifty five degrees fahrenheit at the time had always regarded
me as a second daughter, taking an interest in my
accomplishments and promoting my academic endeavors. They promised to help
with my education fees by establishing up a work study
program at their company. My parents didn't complain. They appeared
happy to have me taken care of so they could

(35:11):
concentrate only on my sister. When I attempted to talk
about my college plans, Mom cut me off. We trust
the Wilsons to handle it, she added, immediately returning to
her phone and organizing my sister's next appearances. Just make
sure this doesn't interfere with your responsibilities at home. The
Wilsons became my lifeline. Their encouragement extended beyond financial aid.

(35:33):
They demonstrated what it meant to be respected for my
own qualities and accomplishments. Missus Wilson attended my college orientation
when my parents were unable to come due to my
sister's summer music festival. Mister Wilson fifty seven million at
the time, educated me on financial management and sparked my
interest in investment research. Looking back, I understand the Wilson

(35:53):
saw something my parents didn't, a young woman with promise.
Beyond being someone's support network. They supported my education not
because they had to, but because they believed in me.
Their advice helped me get internships, which led to my
current career as a senior investment analyst. Throughout college, I
had little touch with my family, only traveling home for
important holidays. Each visit followed the same pattern, my sister

(36:16):
conducting court in the living room while I assisted in
the kitchen, listening to relatives praise her most recent accomplishments,
my own accomplishments Dean's List, accolades, internships at famous firms,
job offers were largely overlooked. Everything changed ten years ago
at what was supposed to be my sister's breakthrough moment.
She was preparing for the prestigious Chicago International Piano Competition,

(36:38):
which my parents were confident would propel her career to
new heights. They'd spent months working out every element, from
her performance pieces to her stage demeanor. Even her food
was methodically planned to keep her in top performing condition.
The injury occurred during an especially intensive practice session. She
was working on Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto Number three, a notoriously
difficult piece that she persisted on performing despite her teacher's objections.

(37:02):
I was at work when Mom called me, her voice
quivering with hysteria. Get to Northwestern Memorial asap. Your sister
her wrist. You must come right soon. I discovered them
in the er, Mom screaming violently, Dad pacing like a
caged animal, and my sister, pale and mute, cradling her
right wrist. The diagnosis was devastating significant tendon injury with

(37:23):
potential nerve involvement. The doctor's words sounded like hammers in
the sterile hospital room. Significant rehabilitation is required. Prognosis is
unknown professional performance might no longer be possible. The next
few months were a blur of specialists, second opinions, and
increasingly frantic attempts at treatment. My parents liquidated everything they could,

(37:44):
including Dad's prized vintage Mustang collection, mom's family antiques, and
even their retirement savings. They flew in European specialists, attempted
experimental treatments, and sought advice from alternative medicine practitioners, anything
that gave them hope. I watched their finances vanish as
they sought miraculous treatments. When their financial advisers suggested bankruptcy protection,

(38:05):
they looked at him as if he had suggested abandoning
their child. Money is just money, Dad said, our daughter's
talent is priceless. I saw he said daughter as he
normally does. Reality said in gradually, like a slow moving storm.
Despite multiple treatments, my sister's risk never recovered the strength
and flexibility required for professional performance. The physicians eventually verified

(38:27):
our fears. Her career as a concert pianist was ended.
It was more than simply the loss of a profession.
It was the dissolution of our entire family. Mythos. My
parents became older. In just a few months, Mom stopped
fixing her hair and cosmetics and spent days in her
bathrobe viewing footage of my sister's previous performances. Dad, who
had always been the family's rock, began missing appointments, bills,

(38:49):
and even food. Sometimes they appeared lost, as if their
identities were inextricably linked to my sister's musical career. That's
when their focus moved to me, but not in the
way I had secretly wanted for all those years. They
regarded me not as their daughter who could help them recover,
but as a financial answer to their escalating issues. I
had recently gotten a huge promotion at my firm, becoming

(39:11):
a senior analyst before the age of thirty, an accomplishment
that would have gone unnoticed if it hadn't come with
a substantial income rise. You're doing so well, Mom said,
on one of her first calls to me in months.
Her prideful tone was swiftly followed by, your sister needs
help with her medical bills, since you're in such a
good position now. The request was wrapped in layers of
remorse and obligation, given with the skillful manipulation that only

(39:34):
a mother can perform. At first, I agreed to make
a modest monthly donation of one thousand dollars to help
with my sister's therapy and living expenses. It appeared sensible,
even necessary. They were family, after all, and I was
finally able to give back. The thankfulness looked sincere. At first,
Mom phoned me on a regular basis to check on
my sister's progress, while Dad wrote awkward but emotional thank

(39:57):
you emails. But the requests kept coming, each one bigger
than the last, with increasingly convoluted excuses. My sister wanted
a new automobile because public transportation made her anxious. Following
the incident, my sister's recuperation was hampered by negative energy
in the house, which required repair. They required a family
vacation because emotional healing is just as important as physical therapy.

(40:20):
Then came the credit cards, just for emergencies, they said,
and I was added as an authorized user to their accounts.
Their concept of an emergency was surprisingly fluid. Shopping became
retail therapy. Costly restaurants were necessary for maintaining family bonds
during a crisis, and luxury spa retreats were considered essential
for recovery. Monthly expenses rose like ivy on a wall,

(40:42):
gradually at first, then abruptly overpowering. One thousand dollars became
two thousand dollars, and finally three thousand dollars. Each increment
was followed by detailed explanations and emotional manipulation after everything
we've done for you became their regular refrain, though I
couldn't recall exactly what they'd done. When I hesitated over
a particularly substantial request, Mom reminded me of all the

(41:04):
sacrifices they'd made, conveniently forgetting that those sacrifices were solely
for my sister. My buddy Rachel thirty five, f whom
I've known since college, was watching the situation with growing concern.
They're not treating you like family, she explained during our
weekly dinner at her parents restaurant. They're treating you like
an at M with legs. I dismissed her concerns at first,

(41:26):
making excuses about family commitments and filial duty, but her
comments stayed with me. Like Burrs, the Wilsons, my long
standing mentors, were also concerned. Missus Wilson took me aside
after our monthly lunch meeting. Honey, she began, her face
wrinkled with concern. This is not support, It is exploitation.
We didn't help you advance your job so you could

(41:47):
become your family's personal banker. The breaking point came last
week when I realized they had spent more than one
hundred twenty two thousand dollars on my sister's therapeutic shopping
spree without telling me. The expenses included designer clothes, spot treatments,
and a week end at a luxury resort, all explained
as necessary for her emotional recovery. When I tried to

(42:07):
talk about setting boundaries, Mom fell into tears and gave
an oscar worthy act about how I was abandoning the
family in our time of need. Later that night, Dad called.
His voice was gruff and disapproving, using the same authoritarian
tone that had kept me in line throughout my youth.
Your sister requires our assistance more than ever, he admonished,
How can you be so selfish when she's still trying

(42:28):
to find her way. We've raised you better than this.
The irony of his words, we raised you hit me
like a physical blow. Did they raise me? Or did I?
Raise myself under the influence of their obsession with my sister. Yesterday,
I received another credit card statement for one hundred fifteen
thousand dollars for a health retreat that I never approved.
When I called to inquire, my sister answered the phone.

(42:50):
You make so much money, she added, dismissively, with the
same arrogant tone I remembered from childhood. Stop being stingy.
You know, Mom and Dad need this to deal with
everything they've buen through because of me. I'm writing from
my office on the forty seventh level of our Manhattan building,
surrounded by the trappings of my success despite rather than
because of, my family's support. The chart on my second

(43:11):
monitor depicts my family's financial abuse in cold hard statistics.
Over the last year, they've spent more than one hundred
fifty thousand dollars of my money, which is more than
most families annual income. My financial consultant is concerned about
the implications for my long term financial security. My therapist
gently indicates that it is important to set hard boundaries.

(43:32):
Rachel alternates between providing her guest room and volunteering to
tell my family where they can go in many languages.
Thanks to her worldwide business experience. But every time I
consider cutting them off, I remember the little girl who
simply wanted her parents to appreciate her accomplishments. The adolescent
who believed that if she worked hard enough, someone would
eventually recognize her as more than a support system. The

(43:53):
young woman who still hopes that her family would see
her as more than a resource. I'm currently at a crossroads,
confronting decisions I never intended to make. The Wilsons, who
have been more like parents to me than my own,
advise I should protect myself. Rachel provides practical assistance and
a secure place to ponder. My therapist discusses boundaries and
self respect, words that appear easy but bear the weight

(44:15):
of decades of familial relationships. I'm having trouble with questions
that don't seem to have any correct answers. Am I
being ruthless by considering financial constraints? Is it immoral to
one appreciation for my own achievements? Should I simply accept
that this is my job in the family, the dependable one,
the responsible one, the human at m I really don't

(44:35):
know any more. Update one. My world imploded yesterday when
I found on Instagram that My parents are presently in Hawaii,
not for a vacation, but for my sister's secret engagement party,
which they paid for with my credit card. During lunch,
I was aimlessly scrolling through my feed when I came
across a post from a mutual acquaintance that stopped me cold.
Paradise with the future wife. What's Josh engagement bliss the Hawaii.

(45:00):
There she was beaming on a beautiful beach, standing next
to her boyfriend now fiance, with our parents and his
family in the background. They had been there for three days.
I went three days without hearing a word from you.
Confused and hurt, I opened my banking app The charges
struck me like fists. First class flights to Honolulu cost
twenty four thousand, eight hundred dollars. Grand wea resort three

(45:23):
ocean view suites for twenty one thousand, six hundred dollars.
Additional expenses include a welcome meal, spa treatments, a sailing excursion,
and a private beachside dinner for twelve thousand dollars. My
hands shook as I dialed Mom's number. When she responded,
I could hear Hawaiian music and laughter in the background.
Oh honey, she explained casually. Your father and I just

(45:44):
decided to take a short break. You're aware of how
tough things have been lately. A short break at the
grand wea with my sister's fiance's complete family. That kind
of break cost more than fifty eight thousand dollars on
my credit card. Silence muffled voices. Then my sister got
on the phone, her remarks ouzing with entitlement. Listen, miss executive,

(46:06):
she snarled, you are not required here. You are no
longer family, but rather a walking ATM. Nobody wants to
hear about your valuable career as we celebrate my engagement.
I urged myself to be calm that ATM just paid
nearly sixty thousand dollars for your little party. She laughed coldly.
That's what you're good at, isn't it. Keep doing your

(46:26):
fancy job and we'll enjoy spending your money. It's the
only thing you're helpful for. Always was. The call went dead.
Within minutes. They had blocked me on all platforms. Mom
sent a final message that read, we're all tired of
your negative attitude and jealousy. Please leave us alone. You've
spoiled enough precious moments for your sister. Something cold and

(46:47):
hard solidified in my chest. My hands remained steady. When
I accessed my banking app. Each click felt like it
broke another link in the chain that had connected me
to their torture. Click. Hotel reservations are canceled. SPA packages
and excursions are canceled. Click return flight tickets have been canceled. Click.

(47:07):
Mom's card is permanently deactivated. The aftermath was immediate. My
phone burst with calls and messages. Mom, it's an emergency
call immediately. Dad says, fix this quickly. You are embarrassing
the family. Sister. You better get this right number Hawaii,

(47:27):
the future in laws, without a doubt. As the hours passed,
their tone changed. Mom said, sweetie, please, we can talk. Father.
We'll pay you back. Sister, stop being so petty. It
is my engagement. Then my sister sent out a social
media blast. I can't believe my own sister would spoil

(47:47):
the best time of my life. She has always been envious,
but this is a new low toxic. Family heartbroken. I'd
been quiet long enough. I shared everything green shots, credit card, statements,
and messages, the truth about their hidden celebration unapproved charges
and nasty statements. The tide shifted immediately. People rallied in

(48:11):
support as they realized the truth behind their carefully prepared narrative.
Mutual friends informed me of the consequences of my acts.
My parents needed to borrow money merely to purchase economy
flights home. They had to check out of the Grand
wea in front of other visitors. My sister had a
temper tantrum in the lobby, which ended up on TikTok.
The actual explosion occurred when the fiancees family discovered they

(48:33):
had been caught up in my family's web of deception.
They'd been promised a fully compensated luxury holiday, only to
find out they were part of a plot to exploit
the rich sister. The engagement itself is being called into question,
with the fiance's family questioning the entire arrangement. I am
writing this update from my friend Rachel's guest room. The
Wilsons have shown their support, reminding me that true family

(48:55):
does not treat you like an ATM. I have locked
all of my accounts and my lawyer ising cease and
desist letters. What is the most difficult part. I don't
feel anything there is no guilt, There's no sadness, just relief.
It's as if I finally laid down a burden I've
been carrying my entire life. Perhaps that is what freedom
feels like. Update two. My Hawaii post has had an

(49:18):
illuminating impact. What began as a family quarrel has revealed
years of deception to a much larger audience than planned.
Three days after my previous post, I received an email
from my sister's fiance's mother. We met in a quiet
cafe in Manhattan. We had no idea, she said, wrapping
her hands around her coffee cup. Your parents informed us

(49:39):
that they were wealthy financial managers and that your sister
was taking a sabbatical from her concert piano career. They
stated that this luxury vacation was a gift to both families.
She revealed specifics concerning my family's dishonesty. They portrayed themselves
as wealthy sophisticates, telling anecdotes about their great occupations and
my sister's temporary hiatus from performing. The realization struck their

(50:01):
family hard. James is devastated, She continued, not for the money,
but for the lies. He confronted my sister about using
my credit cards without authorization. She chuckled and stated, she's
my sister, Her money is family money. That evening, James
ended their engagement. I can't build a life with someone
who thinks it's ok to steal from and exclude their

(50:22):
own sister. He told her, he returned the ring and
walked away, his family fully supporting his decision. My sister's
reaction was explosive. She recorded a lengthy Instagram live tirade
blaming me for losing her chance at happiness, and when
that failed to get traction, she began contacting my colleagues,
spreading stories about how I abandoned my family during their
time of need. However, her efforts back fired. My documented

(50:45):
post had already made the rounds. People had seen the
credit card statements, read the texts, and recognized the pattern
of exploitation. Each fresh attack from her simply strengthened my narrative.
My parents professional consequences has been devastating. Dad's insulting customers
began to distance themselves. Mom's social position in her charity
circles plummeted, and their carefully cultivated image was broken. They've

(51:07):
been trying to reach me via every imaginable method, and
the tone of their messages alternates between appealing and demanding.
We are still your parents. You can't just cut us
off after all we've done for you. Your sister is devastated.
How can you be so cruel? We'll pay you back,
Just give us time. They showed up at my workplace yesterday.
Security turned them away, but not before mom made a

(51:29):
fuss in the lobby, wailing about her ungrateful daughter. My
colleagues have been quite sympathetic, with several sharing their own
experiences with family financial abuse. The Wilsons have been my
rock throughout this missus Wilson helped me update all of
my banking information and set up additional security measures, and
mister Wilson is aiding me and documenting every unlawful transaction

(51:49):
for possible legal action. Rachel's parents offered me their guest
house for as long as I needed it. Family doesn't
steal from family, Rachel's mom told me, and they certainly
don't exclue their own daughter from family celebrations while spending
her money. My sister's ex fiance's family has been surprisingly supportive,
openly defending my actions and sharing their own experiences with

(52:10):
my family's dishonesty. Their narrative has helped others understand the
full extent of the manipulation. My parents sent me a
big envelope to day, containing a promisory note for the
Hawaii expenses, as well as a letter about healing our
family bonds and moving forward together. They advised family therapy
and regular meals to help re establish trust. However, there
was no acknowledgment of their decades of emotional abuse, or

(52:33):
of how they'd methodically abused me while removing me from
the family. The letter spoke of misunderstandings, as if fifty
eight thousand dollars in illegal charges and a secret family
celebration were simple mistakes. I returned the letter unopened, accompanied
with a formal cease and desist notification from my lawyer.
Some extended family members have attempted to mediate They're still

(52:53):
your parents, they explain, family is family. But here's the thing.
They've never treated me like family. I was their housekeeper,
their ATM, their back up plan, never their daughter, sister
or true part of the family. I'm tired of being
the family bank, the unseen support system, and sacrificing my
financial and emotional security for people who see me as

(53:14):
nothing more than a resource to be used. For the
first time in my life, I am putting myself first.
My money is my money, my time is my time,
and my life is my life, which is extremely freeing.
Update three. It's been a month since my previous update,
and I finally accomplished something I never imagined possible, full tranquility.

(53:35):
Two weeks ago, my family made their final attempt at reconciliation,
arriving to my apartment with photo albums and recital programs.
The doorman refused to let them in, but they waited
in the lobby for hours. We just want a reminder
of the good times, mom told the doorman, flipping through
images of my sister's performances and pointing out shots where
I might be seen in the background, usually hauling equipment

(53:57):
or adjusting costumes. Dad attempted to contact my colleagues via LinkedIn.
We're worried about our daughter's mental health. He wrote, she's
cutting off her loving family over a simple misunderstanding about
shared finances. My co workers shared his mails to me,
along with comments justifying my behavior. My sister's current social
media technique has been to play the victim, creating videos

(54:19):
about toxic individualism and how money destroys families, while carefully
editing out the unauthorized charges and the secret engagement party. However,
the comment sections are brimming with folks who have shared
the entire narrative. The final straw came when they contacted
the Wilsons to make me see reason. Mister Wilson responded
quickly and emphatically, You've exploited her for years. Leave her alone.

(54:41):
I've changed my phone number, shut down my accounts, and
even pondered moving to another city. My therapist thinks I'm
finally recovering my life, and for the first time in years,
I feel liberated. They phone the Wilsons to help me
see reason. Mister Wilson's response was perfect. For thirty years,
I've seen you treat her as nothing more than a convenience.
She is finally appreciating herself as she should have been

(55:03):
regarded all along. My lawyer has written formal letters requesting
payback of all improper transactions, which totaled over two hundred
and eighty seven thousand dollars over three years. They claim
everything was agreed upon and that I'm rewriting history. The
bank's fraud Department disagrees and investigations are still ongoing. I've
moved to a new apartment in a secure building. My

(55:23):
mail has been rooted through a screening agency, my phone
number has changed, my email has rigorous filters, and my
social media profiles have been canceled or made private. Last week,
I was offered a partnership track position, and the managing
partner commented that my management of the family problem demonstrated
the kind of backbone they look for in a leader.
Without the continual drain of family expectations, I've been able

(55:45):
to focus on my profession. Rachel's parents have informally adopted me.
I have standing Sunday dinner invitations, and her mother keeps
accidentally cooking too much food. They urge that I attend
their annual Cape Cod vacation. Real family vacations don't involves stealing.
Rachel's father quipped as we organized the trip. Missus Wilson
has been helping me rediscover abandoned interests, and I've started

(56:08):
taking photography classes, which I couldn't do in high school
because it would have clashed with my sister's practice schedule.
The Wilsons are still my steady mentors. The extended family
is still pushing for reconciliation, But what about the holidays?
What happens when your parents are older? These queries used
to make me feel guilty. Now they just remind me
of how one sided our relationship was. My therapist pointed

(56:30):
out that my family's behavior follows a common pattern of
financial abuse, which is veiled by cultural expectations of familial obligation.
You're not breaking family bonds, I was told, you're breaking
free from exploitation. The most significant shift has occurred internally.
The worry that used to follow every phone contact, email,
and bank alert has vanished. I no longer flinch when

(56:52):
my phone calls or feel terrible about spending my own
money on myself. Last weekend, I bought an abstract painting
that spoke to me, and as I hung it, I
realized it was the first time I had bought something
solely for myself, rather than for someone else. My sister's
most recent post accuses me of being callous for abandoning family. Nevertheless,
I have not abandoned family. Rather, I have discovered my

(57:13):
true family. It's Rachel's parents asking about my day, and
they mean it. It's the Wilson's honoring my accomplishments without
expecting anything in return. My coworkers are the ones who
never hesitate to defend me. Sometimes I think of that
little girl who ironed concert dresses and made dinners to
get attention, and I wish I could tell her she
deserved more. That being useful is not synonymous with being loved.

(57:35):
The real family does not treat you like an ATM.
I'm not an ATM. I'm not a support system. I
am not a resource to be used. I am free.
Now to the next story five. My sister in law's
DNA kit to ruin my marriage backfired when her son's
test revealed shocking truths about her own family. I met
my husband, James in our late twenties, and we soon

(57:57):
fell in love. We married after two year years of
dating and have had a lovely and quiet life together
ever since. We welcomed our gorgeous kid, Nathan, and felt
like the ideal family. I felt nothing could separate us
until Sarah, my sister in law, decided to poke her
nose into our life. Sarah and I have never gotten along.
From the minute James introduced me to her, it was

(58:18):
evident that we were not going to get along. I'm
not saying I didn't try, but Sarah made no effort
to care. She accused me of wanting to overshadow her
at her wedding because I was dressed in a cream
colored gown. To clarify, Sarah intentionally chose cream colored outfits
for all of her bridesmaids. However, on her special day
it became about me stealing her spotlight. From then on,

(58:39):
it was a never ending game of sarcastic remarks, backhanded compliments,
and petty behavior. If I wore a new dress, Sarah
would say it's cute, but I liked it better when
I saw it in the store last year. If Nathan
accomplished something, she'd minimize it by comparing him to her
own son, Tommy. Despite this, James and I always attempted
to ignore Sarah's petty behavior. We wanted Nonathan and Tommy

(59:00):
to grow up as close as siblings. Things, however, took
a nasty turn this past Christmas when Sarah decided to
create havoc in an unexpected way. For Christmas, she gave
Nathan one of those popular DNA test kits. At first,
I didn't think much about it. Nathan has always been
interested in science and enjoyed knowing about his family history. Nonetheless,
it was not a typical present for a child. That night,

(59:23):
James approached me privately. He told me Sarah had made
some weird, almost cryptic comments to him, such as, it's
about time you got some answers, and the truth always
comes out. It didn't take long for me to put
the pieces together. Nathan has green eyes, whereas James and
I have brown ones. Of course, anyone with a basic
understanding of genetics is aware that recessive features such as

(59:44):
green eyes can pass down through generations. But Sarah had
been making subtle, passive, aggressive statements for years, implying that
James might not be Nathan's father. I was infuriated. Not
only was she awful to us, but she was also
involved with my son. We agreed to allow Nameathan to
take the test if he wanted to, knowing that the
findings would confirm what we already knew. Nathan is our

(01:00:05):
son and the test would reveal nothing more. Nathan was
enthusiastic about the science underlying the DNA test. He was
excited to learn about his lineage and family roots, so
we assisted him with the process and he completed the test. Meanwhile,
Sarah's son Tommy had been observing everything with great curiosity. Tommy,
a curious fourteen year old, decided he wanted to take

(01:00:27):
a DNA test too. Sarah's husband, Todd thought it would
make a good family activity, so they got a kit
for him as well. What began as harmless curiosity quickly
escalated into a family nightmare. Nathan received his results a
few weeks later. Everything was as expected. James was clearly
his father. But then we got the shock of our
lives when Tommy's results arrived. It was discovered that Tod

(01:00:49):
was not his biological father, Sarah had an affair, and
Tommy was not Tod's child. Todd was devastated. He had
reared Tommy as his own, unaware that Sarah had been
on faithful. To make matters worse, Todd sought a paternity
test for their younger daughter, who was just seven. The
results confirmed his greatest fears. He wasn't her father either.

(01:01:10):
Sarah's life was collapsing in front of her eyes, and
it was not a quiet or private collapse. The entire
family found out, and the consequences were harsh. Todd filed
for divorce and left the house within a few days.
The irony of the situation was hard to ignore. Sarah's
attempt to undermine my marriage exposed her own lies. Tommy
was the person who suffered the most. Nathan was also infected.

(01:01:33):
He and Tommy had always been close, and seeing his
cousin suffer through this upset him terribly. He began asking
questions about why Tommy's father was no longer present, and
it hurt my heart to hear how concerned he was
for his cousin. Sarah's life deteriorated over time. Todd pressed
for full custody of the children, seeking to limit Sarah's
involvement in their lives. Sarah was a wreck at family gatherings,

(01:01:55):
with a pale face and red eyes from crying. She
appeared defeated. Sarah kantacted me one day and requested assistance.
She wanted me to talk to Todd and persuade him
to lighten off on the custody agreement. She was trying
to save what was left of her relationship with her
children and turned to me for advice. At first, I
was stunned. How could she have the arrogance to ask

(01:02:15):
for my help after everything she had done to destroy
my marriage and cause havoc at every opportunity. At first,
I ignored her calls and refused to aid her, But
as the days passed, I found myself wondering about Tommy.
He was the real victim in all of this, Despite
the fact that none of it was his fault, he
bore the brunt of the pain. James, of course, warned
me to keep out of it. He was confident Sarah

(01:02:37):
had made her bed and would now have to lie
in it. Part of me wondered whether I could help
the youngsters involved find some serenity. It was not their
fault that their mother made poor decisions. So I'm at
a cross roads, confused about what to do. Should I
help Sarah or let her suffer the repercussions of her actions?
What would you do in my position? Update one. I
wanted to provide an update on what has occurred since

(01:02:59):
my previous post, and I hope it puts some light
on the complex situation we are dealing with. Sarah continues
phoning me and it's becoming exhausting. I expected her to
cool down or back off soon, but she hasn't. She's relentless.
On one especially horrible day, she called me three times
in a row, leaving lengthy, sobbing voicemails. I could hear
the despair in her voice, but I couldn't feel much pity.

(01:03:22):
At one point, my husband, James became so frustrated that
he couldn't take it any more. He called her himself.
James rarely loses his temper, so when he called, I
knew things had gotten out of hand. From across the room,
I could hear his voice as he snapped, telling her
he was tired of her insulting me and manipulating our family.
After that chat, things became worse. Sarah's tone changed again.

(01:03:45):
She began sending me multiple text messages, alternating between pleading
for my assistants and accusing me of attempting to ruin
her life. She was pleading for my help, telling me
how much she wanted me to talk to Todd and
repair things. The next thing I knew, she was calling
me manip alleging I was jealous of her and her
family and intended to destroy her marriage. Throughout all my
main focus has been the children. They are innocent in

(01:04:08):
all of this, but they are suffering the most. I
can't quit thinking about Tommy and Nathan. Tommy's real father's
identity must have been traumatic to him, and it's evident
he's having difficulty processing it. It's difficult for me to
see him suffer through this without being able to help. Nathan,
on the other hand, isn't sure what's going on, but
feels something isn't right. We have explained it to him,

(01:04:29):
but he is still too young to understand anything. We
had a family gathering a few days ago, and Nathan
wanted to play with Tommy like he did before. They
used to be quite close, inseparable actually. However, when Tommy arrived,
he was distant, quiet, and scarcely engaged with Nathan. Nathan
wanted to play with him, but I had to make excuses,
explaining that Tommy was weary. Meanwhile, Sarah continues to write

(01:04:52):
me these long theatrical notes. She messaged me yesterday stating
she felt betrayed by our family. I don't see how
someone who was unfaithful might feel betrayed, yet she still
appears unable to accept responsibility for her actions. It's always
someone else's fault, mine, James's, Todd's, and never hers. James
believes we should step in and assist Tommy, especially because

(01:05:14):
he and Nathan are so close. However, he is also
concerned about the ramifications of being too involved in Sarah's situation.
We've been trying to strike a delicate balance between supporting
the children and maintaining our personal tranquility, but it's been
more difficult than we expected. Todd has begun to contact James,
further complicating the situation. He's been trying to figure out

(01:05:34):
what happened and wanted to chat about it. James reluctantly
agreed to meet him for coffee. When he returned, he
appeared more conflicted than ever. Todd is naturally devastated. He
told James that he feels like his entire life has
been a lie, and he is now trying to figure
out how to co parent with Sarah after everything that
has occurred. Talking with Todd simply made James feel more torn.

(01:05:55):
Tod is a kind man who is only trying to
do his best for his children despite his awful situation.
After hearing Todd's point of view, James feels even more
divided about how to proceed. He wants to help, but
we both know that getting too involved will drag us
deeper into Sarah's chaos. It's difficult to determine what the
appropriate decision is. Every time I see Tommy, I have

(01:06:16):
an intense desire to help him. He's simply a child
caught up in this mess, and he doesn't deserve it.
Nathan continues asking why Tommy always appears so sad, and
it kills my heart that I can't give him an
honest reason. The more I think about it, the more
divided I am between wanting to intervene and being terrified
of being drawn into Sarah's tumultuous world. At the end
of the day, all I want is to safeguard the kids.

(01:06:38):
Tommy and Nathan deserve more, and it hurts to see
them suffer as a result of their parents' sins. I
don't know what the future holds, but I'm hoping we
can find a way to resolve this without causing further harm.
I'll keep you updated on what occurs, and once again,
thank you for your ongoing support. Update two. A lot
has transpired in the last several days, so brace yourself.

(01:06:59):
It's been a lot for all of us, and I'm
not sure how much more I can take first and foremost,
Sarah chose to proceed with an official medical paternity test.
She was dissatisfied with the results of the home DNA kit,
arguing it was not a reputable source for making such
a critical decision. To be fair, home tests have a
margin of error, and I suppose she was hanging on
to what little hope she had left. However, the results

(01:07:22):
did not change. The medical paternity test verified the previous
one's results. Tod is not Tommy's or his daughter's father.
Sarah simply dug herself an even deeper hole. I was
not surprised by the conclusion, but there was no space
for uncertainty. Todd, in particular appeared to be bracing himself
for the worst. Yet when the medical results arrived, I

(01:07:42):
could tell he was still devastated. He appeared crushed, as
if the last fiber of hope he'd been holding on
to had been wrenched away. He had previously told James
that he didn't expect any miracles, but there was always
a small part of him that hoped the test was incorrect.
Tod became more withdrawn after receiving the news. Tod apparently
began researching after obtaining the results and tracked down the

(01:08:02):
individual with whom Sarah was allegedly having an affair. Todd
told James that this man was Sarah's co worker. He
had suspected their relationship for a long time, but Sarah
always dismissed it, claiming it was only work related. Todd
now understood everything. He remembered Sarah and this man being
abnormally close, attending work parties together and messaging late into
the night. She was continuously making explanations, assuring Todd that

(01:08:26):
it was something innocent. But suddenly it seemed that all
of our suspicions were being confirmed. Todd decided to face him.
He traced him down to his residence and entered without
alerting anyone. Todd, according to what I learned later, was
not in a healthy mental state. He was upset, angry,
and searching for answers. Things suddenly got out of control.
The man initially disputed everything, but Todd refused to accept it.

(01:08:50):
It quickly escalated into a shouting confrontation, and it wasn't
long before it became physical. Neighbors heard the disturbance and
phone the cops. By the time authorities arrived, Todd and
the man had been bruised. Todd was arrested for assault
and now faces prosecution. It's a mess. James had to
travel to the police station to assist Todd. He posted bond,

(01:09:10):
but Tod is now facing major legal issues. He claims
that the fight was provoked, but this will be difficult
to prove in court. This whole thing is spiraling out
of hand, and I can't help but believe it's all
because of Sarah's decision to keep the truth hidden for
so long. Tod is breaking down and it's heartbreaking to
witness someone who has always so collected breakdown like this. Meanwhile,

(01:09:31):
Sarah is urgently trying to contain the damage, but it's
far too late. Tod has petitioned for full custody of
the children. Sarah is in a panic. She's trying to
persuade everyone that Tod is the problem, referring to him
as a psychopath and citing the fight as proof of
his instability and danger. She's frightened Todd will take the
kids away, and she's lashing out at everybody who doesn't

(01:09:51):
support her. Tod has been talking of moving to another
state with the kids to put some distance between them
and Sarah. He believes that children deserve a fresh start
away from the Mayhem, but I am not sure. I
appreciate his desire to protect kids, but separating them from
everything they know could be more harmful than beneficial. Legally,
it will be a difficult battle. When I last saw Sarah,

(01:10:13):
she looked like she hadn't slept in days. Her eyes
were red and swollen, and she kept saying that everything
was coming apart, that everyone was attempting to take her
children away. It seemed as if she were experiencing a
panic attack. Even so, she continues to regard herself as
the victim in all of this. At this point, I
believe we have no choice but to become involved. We're

(01:10:33):
already caught up in this mess, whether we like it
or not. James believes we should back Todd and assist
him with the legal issues he is experiencing, especially since
Todd appears to be the more stable father in all
of this, which I think is a great idea. I'll
keep you posted as things go, but for the time being,
we're simply holding on and hoping for a resolution that
doesn't absolutely wreck these children's lives. Update three. I have

(01:10:55):
a lot to say regarding all that has transpired since
my last post. First, let le discussed Tod and the
man Sarah had an affair with. You already know how
Todd was detained after the confrontation became physical. Initially we
believe Tod might face significant assault charges, but the man
opted not to press charges. Tod told us that this
man wants to disassociate himself from the entire affair. He

(01:11:17):
undoubtedly realized that getting engaged may make matters worse for him,
both personally and professionally. Although this individual admitted to the
affair when the police arrived, he has since severed relations
with both Todd and Sarah. In some ways, that chapter
of the story has come to an end, which I
believe is for the best. Tod does not need to
continue battling with someone who clearly has no regard for

(01:11:38):
the consequences of his actions. Many people have questioned me
about Tommy's sister and why I haven't said more about her.
She's like Nathan. She's been informed what's going on, but
doesn't completely comprehend it. Outwardly, she does not appear to
be as impacted. Deep down, I believe she is mourning
in her own way, but she has not voiced it
as much as Tommy has. Tommy is older and more mature,

(01:12:00):
so he understands what's going on, and it appears to
be hitting him harder. That's why I've focused more on him.
Even though both children are plainly victims of their mother's behavior,
James and I are here to support both of them,
regardless of who their parents are. Tommy's situation has deteriorated significantly.
Some students at his school have started bullying him, which
has resulted in fights. It doesn't help that Sarah is

(01:12:22):
flooding his mind with beliefs that everything is his father's fault.
Tommy knows his mother cheated on Tod and that Tod
is not his real father. Despite this, Sarah has told
him she did it because Tod was mean to her.
This demonstrates that she would sooner ruin and divide her
family than fight for it. That is, in my opinion,
an awful thing to say. Todd thus far has fought

(01:12:43):
for his children. All he wants is to get away
from Sarah, which anyone can understand given how manipulative, devious,
and unfaithful she is. I don't understand how the person
who caused so much pain and turmoil, can portray herself
as a victim while continuing to damage the lives of others.
But I suppose it's in her nature. She did what
she did because she is a horrible person who would

(01:13:03):
continue to act this way to the end, hoping to
gain something from it all to make herself feel better.
This is yet another reason why James and I believe
a child should not grow up with an unfaithful parent.
It is the worst possible model and influence for proper upbringing.
We hope Tod gets complete custody because if Tommy continues
to be affected by his mother, things will not go
well for him. His younger sister will suffer considerably more

(01:13:25):
because she is still young and does not completely comprehend
what is going on. Over time, Sarah is likely to
manipulate her and turn her against Todd. There's also a
potential she'll end up acting like Sarah, believing her actions
weren't that horrible, and blaming others. At this time, both
James and I are completely on Tod's side and the
children's as well. First, Todd truly wants to be a

(01:13:46):
good father to them, but we also believe that neither Sarah,
nor the original father is what the children need. Their
best hope right now is with Tod and will help
all three of them in any way we can. Even
the whole of James family, including my in laws, is
on on Tod's side. Sarah's parents are not pleased with
what she has done. For example, the other day, we
chose not to attend a family gathering. On the one hand,

(01:14:09):
we had another commitment, but we also wanted to escape
the turmoil surrounding Sarah, and it was hard to watch
Nathan go through everything Tommy is going through. At the occasion,
Sarah began with her customary monologue, attempting to portray Tod
as the story's villain, but my father in law intervened
and told her to stop because she was only inflicting
more harm and sorrow to everyone. He pointed at Tommy,

(01:14:30):
who was sitting across the room, and asked, don't you
understand the consequences of your mistakes. Don't you see how
you're still hurting everyone, your children and we do not
deserve this. Accept your mistakes and behave maturely. My mother
in law then went on to say that she had
not trained her to act this way and hoped her
granddaughter would not follow in her footsteps. Sarah threatened to

(01:14:51):
leave the event with the children, but no one in
the family supported her decision. My father in law said
she could leave if she wished, but the grandchildren would stay.
He told her that both kids needed to stay away
from the commotion she had started and was still causing
around her, and that he would bring them back later.
Sarah left and the children stayed to play. Later, my
father in law called Tod to invite him to spend

(01:15:13):
the day with them, and he didn't hesitate. My father
in law reported the kids seemed considerably better, but it
wasn't a miracle cure. Still, being separated from their mother
is the greatest thing for them right now, because her
poison is hurting them, something no one in the family wants,
except obviously Sarah. Sarah doesn't appear to care about her children,
only about how she is seen in not losing anything.

(01:15:35):
A true mother would not use these games to harm
her children. Instead, she would endeavor to protect them from everything. However,
a mother would not have cheated on her spouse. Still
here we are update four with the newest developments involving
my sister in law and her children. Better times are
on the horizon for this family to begin. My sister

(01:15:55):
in law discovered Tod had been invited to my in
law's house after she had departed, and she was not pleased.
She went to my in law's house and challenged them
because she believes they should be on her side rather
than Todd's. My in law stated that they would always
side with the children in this case, and that if
Tod was beneficial to them, they would support him. This
in some ways fueled Sarah's rage. After shouting, she grabbed

(01:16:17):
an item from the front garden and flung it at
her parents car window. To summarize, it's a distinct issue.
My father in law suit her and she had to
pay for the window. I mention this because it is
relevant to the custody case. Later on, Tod's divorce went
fairly smoothly. There was ample evidence that Sarah had been unfaithful. Therefore,
Tod came out top in the divorce. However, no one

(01:16:39):
really wins in a divorce, especially one prompted by infidelity.
At the very least, Sarah could not take any more
from Todd than she already had. I wouldn't say it
was easy to obtain full custody of the children. Quite
the reverse. But I'll tell you what happened. Todd won.
It wasn't simple because Todd is not the children's biological father.
He did, however, seat after months of judicial proceedings, some

(01:17:02):
family members, including James and my in laws, testified to
Sarah's character. The car window incident did not help her case,
nor did the fact that the judge was willing to
contemplate handing complete custody to the father rather than the mother,
which is unusual. The final nail in the coffin was
the biological father's actions. This father simply showed up for
selfish reasons to avoid paying Sarah's child support if she

(01:17:24):
had custody of the children. Sarah no longer has custody,
so she has no grounds to sue him because she
has no child related expenses. I'm not sure Todd can
demand anything from his biological father, but he hasn't indicated
to us he intends to. According to my understanding, the
biological father formally gave up his parental rights as if
it were an adoption. I'd like to add that I

(01:17:45):
haven't followed every aspect of the case, so this is
only my basic idea. The crucial issue here is that
Todd has custody of both children. This has already begun
to have results, particularly for Tommy and his sister, who
have started therapy. Sarah can see her children, but only
with supervision. My in laws, on the other hand, can
see the kids any time they want, as long as

(01:18:07):
Todd makes the decision, and so can we. This has
also benefited Nathan, who is now able to play with
Tommy as previously. There is still much work to be done,
but things are gradually returning to normal, which is all
that matters. I'm not sure what to tell you about Sarah.
I haven't had much communication with her in a while.
I blocked her and haven't heard anything from her since.

(01:18:27):
She sends sporadic messages to her parents and James. But
their relationship is pretty icy right now, and I'm not
sure if it will ever change. Now to the next story. Six.
My siblings receive luxurious gifts, but I receive body wash
for our birthdays. Now that I'm moving out, everything is
coming apart. I am a twenty five year old woman
living with my parents. I have two siblings, Joseph and

(01:18:50):
Katrina as the oldest. I was the first to begin employment.
For a long period, just my father and I work
to support the family. My mother was either ill or
two weary to work. Over the years, I've realized that
her condition is self inflicted. She would rather sit on
the couch all day watching TV and overeating than work.
I gave up trying to convince her to start working

(01:19:11):
A long time ago. My brother and sister began working
shortly after finishing school. Unfortunately, they were unable to hold
their jobs for long. My brother was a robber, and
my sister blamed her lack of employment on her mental condition.
The temporary financial comfort we felt when they started working
did not endure. I eventually had to take on additional
shifts at work, knowing I couldn't rely on them. I

(01:19:33):
worked hard to move forward in my company. Now I
make more than most individuals my age. Many people compliment
me on my accomplishments, yet I feel like an impostor
when I look back, I have not done anything for myself.
Seventy percent of my earnings goes toward home expenses, leaving
me with only thirty percent. That quantity barely meets my needs.
On top of that, there is always an unforeseen expense

(01:19:55):
at the end of the month that I must cover.
I work so much that I rarely come home, and
when I do, it's a nightmare. At least I get
paid for my job, but no one pays me to
clean the house. I need to clean, do laundry, wash dishes,
and make sure we have adequate groceries. My mother and
sister barely contribute. My mother spends the entire day watching television,
whilst my sister locks herself in her room and only

(01:20:18):
comes out to hang out with her friends or get
into trouble. I can't ask my father or brother for
aid because they adhere to traditional gender norms. This is
the type of family I come from. Although I disagreed
with those ideals, I felt I had no choice because
I was living in their home. Every time I tried
to speak up, my mother told me to find my
own place. She understands that I cannot afford my own

(01:20:39):
house while also supporting the family. She also considers my
heart is too sensitive to leave them to fend for themselves,
or so she believes. None of this is the reason
I am writing this piece. It isn't even the reason
I'm so frustrated. My frustration stems from the fact that
my parents have once again demonstrated their preference for my
brothers over me. It was my birthday two days ago.

(01:21:00):
My gift body wash. Yes, body wash. You might think
I am ungrateful, but Katrina celebrated her birthday last month.
She had a lavish surprise party that we couldn't afford.
I had to take on more consulting work to help
pay for it. This came after my father said he
had enough money to pay for the party, after I
initially declined. After the party, he approached me with a

(01:21:21):
sob tale about miscalculating expenses. He also told me that
he had borrowed from bad people and was frightened they
would harm us. To protect my family, I chose to
pay for the party. I was very disappointed because they
constantly do this, whether it's a holiday or a birthday.
They always prioritized my siblings gifts before my own. This year,
my brother received a new gaming system as a gift,

(01:21:43):
while my sister received a certificate for our city's most
costly spa, and me I received body wash. After everything
I've done for this family is body wash, all I deserve.
I'm not sure why, but this time I was rather offended.
Every time they did this, I found a method to
get around it. I persuaded myself they didn't mean it
that they adored and valued me. However, I believe it

(01:22:05):
is time to quit telling myself lies. That body wash
was the final straw. I exploded after receiving it. I
was unable to restrain myself. I got a tremendous lump
in my throat, and my wrath overtook me. I asked
them why I couldn't throw a big celebration like Katrina
and Joseph. All I got was body shampoo, not even
a good cake. My father became enraged and asked why

(01:22:26):
I was being so disrespectful when I understood their financial predicament.
At that point, I began laughing and asked him how
he could say it with a straight face. He was
the one who went into debt to ensure Katrina had
a spectacular birthday celebration, but he couldn't afford more than
twenty dollars for mine. I was tired of being treated differently.
At that point, I had to inquire whether I was adopted?

(01:22:47):
Is that why they treated me? Like a stranger. I
work hard at my job, come home and take care
of everyone, but all I receive is body wash. They
must be kidding. My mother started crying at that point,
saying she hated it when I had these little outbursts,
So it's all right for her to have emotions, but
when I display mine, I'm disrespectful to the family. That

(01:23:08):
is exactly what I interpreted from her comment. She has
hundreds of various emotions during the day, and we are
expected to tolerate them. But if I get outraged over
something legitimate, I'm labeled theatrical. Fine. I decided to quit
arguing and go to my room. When they tried calling,
I pretended to be asleep. I sat there for the
entire time, just thinking I was really unhappy. Even though

(01:23:31):
I keep myself busy all the time, I am unable
to fall asleep. My thoughts center on how sad I am.
Most people my age are buying their first car, getting married,
or purchasing a home. I see some of them at
work doing just that, even though they earn less than me.
I am envious. Despite being ahead in my job, I
am far behind in life. I have no identity or

(01:23:52):
purpose in this world. My only purpose is to serve
these ungrateful people. Now that I think about it, how
did I allow them to treat me this way? It
had been going on for so long that I had
no idea they were taking advantage of me. My thoughts
on this have grown extremely apparent as a result of
the event with my birthday gift. Now I understand I
don't want things to stay this way forever. Something needs

(01:24:14):
to change. I feel like I'm accomplishing nothing with my life,
and I'd like to know what I can do to
alter that to have my own purpose. Update one. I
did it. I moved out two months after my original post.
I can't believe I moved out only two months after
the birthday incident. My apartment is small and sparsely furnished,
but it is mine. Do you want to know the
first thing I did after I finished moving, I lay

(01:24:36):
in my bed for hours, with no one phoning me
to repair any minor issue. It was an odd sensation.
I had no idea that resting in bed could be
so cathartic. You're undoubtedly wondering how I moved, especially given
my controlling family. It was not easy, but I completed it. First,
I took their counsel and began setting boundaries. I merely
paid the bare minimum for household bills and save the remainder.

(01:24:59):
I also took on more shifts at work and saved
the money. When my parents inquired about the money, I
explained that it would be included in my year end bonus.
It was difficult, but as soon as I gathered enough
for the deposit, I told them to go to hell
and moved into my new apartment. Once I had picked
which apartment to rent, I informed my parents that I
was leaving. It wasn't a pleasant conversation. They were enraged

(01:25:21):
and inquired whether living with them was indeed that horrible.
I assured them it wasn't about them, but about me.
I was getting older and needed to get more independence.
I couldn't do it if I kept living with them. Besides,
Mom had always said I should get my own apartment.
Of course, my mother was offended by my reply and
labeled it snarky. She claimed to want only the best
for me, but I mocked everything she said. I realized

(01:25:44):
I couldn't win that fight, so I apologized and went on.
My family was very resistant to my desire to emigrate,
but there was nothing they could do. I'd already signed
my lease and was prepared to go in protest. None
of them helped me pack. I had to approach a
couple co workers for assistance. Janet and Lisa, two acquaintances
from separate divisions at work, were the only ones who

(01:26:04):
were aware of my predicament at home. When I told
them I was relocating, they jumped for delight. When I
requested for aid with a move, they were more than
happy to help. We completed transferring everything a few days ago,
and now I am in my practically empty apartment. I
don't have much, yet I'm satisfied. I can't wait to
start living independently. Update two. I've been living in my

(01:26:26):
apartment for more than a month. It's been a tough month,
but I'm happier than ever or was until a few
hours ago. Let me quickly recap what transpired over the
last month. I've been furnishing my flat and even had
a housewarming party. Also, now that I have my evenings free,
I've begun to get out with friends and even meet
new individuals through them. It is wonderful to finally have

(01:26:46):
a social life after so long without one. Honestly, I
think I'm finally living for myself. Aside from developing a
social life, I've started dating someone Lisa introduced me to.
In the past, I never went out with anyone since
I didn't have time. My family was continuously disrupting my
plans with some sort of emergency, But now that I
live farther away, they can't do that. You're probably wondering

(01:27:10):
how my connection with my family has fared over the
last month. Actually, none of them had messaged me at
all throughout this time. They've been unusually quiet, which has
been disconcerting at times. I considered messaging them, but I
stopped myself. I feel like I'm usually the one to
break the ice and apologize after our disagreements. I do
not want to be that way anymore. I want to

(01:27:31):
be treated with the same respect as any other member
of the family, so I opted not to reach out
for a while, I felt our relationship had ended. That
was until my mother contacted me this afternoon when I
was at work. I was astonished to see her name
on the screen, but I responded as soon as I
picked up. She asked, where's the check. At first, I
was perplexed because I had no idea what check she

(01:27:52):
was referring to. Had she forgotten that I wasn't living
with them anymore? What were her thoughts? Anyway? She wondered
how I expected them to function without my assistance. I
told her that she had too, healthy, capable children who
could help pay the expenses. They've had a month to
look for work. What have they been doing during that time?
She then questioned how I could be so inconsiderate to

(01:28:14):
my sibling's plight. So I questioned her how I could
feel sympathy for a criminal and a lazy girl. They
damaged their own job possibilities. Couldn't they learn from me
and persevere? I told my mother that I was not
going to send anything and that they needed to make
their own plans. Then I hung up. She contacted me
numerous more times, but I did not respond. Later, my

(01:28:35):
father called and tried to reprimand me, but I hung up.
I couldn't believe what I had done. I had never
cut someone off while they were speaking before, but to
be honest, the last month has been so tranquil, and
reconnecting with them has reminded me of how tumultuous my
life once was. I don't think I want to upset
my peace by reintroducing them into my life. I wish
they had remained silent. They should have cut me off

(01:28:57):
and left me alone, because in reality, I was never
actually a part of the family. Now I see that
they only wanted me for as long as I could
provide for them. I was living an unsustainable lifestyle because
I was always there to support others. But now that's over.
I have hit my limit. It is time for me
to focus on myself. I should have done this long ago.
They have attempted to make me feel bad, but it

(01:29:20):
isn't working. I believe it's because I'm now immune to it.
Update three. Honestly, I'm not sure what's wrong with my family.
I can't believe I am related to such strange individuals.
I knew they were capable of going to extremes to
achieve their goals, but this is too much. I'm not
going to be patient with them. After this, They're about
to witness a side of me they didn't realize existed.

(01:29:42):
It had been two days since my relatives began pestering
me for money. I've repeatedly told them that I'm not
giving them anything they need to devise their own plan.
If they can't pay their bills, how can they expect
me to support them when I already have my own expenses.
It's totally irresponsible and irrational. I've been ignoring them for
the past twenty four hours, concentrating on purchasing additional furnishings

(01:30:03):
for my flat. It's finally beginning to look like a house,
and I'm really pleased with myself. I can't believe I
now have items to call my own. Unfortunately, I can't
truly appreciate this success because they've been so obnoxious. I've
ignored them the entire time, which is presumably why they
decided to come to my residence. Yes, they came to
my flat last night while I was hosting a little gathering.

(01:30:25):
Here's what happened. Yesterday was a Friday night, and a
few of my pals wanted to go out, but I
was too exhausted. Lisa and Janet agreed, so we planned
a book and wine night at my apartment. Two more
girls joined us, and we were having a terrific time
until there was a disturbance outside the door. I live
in a quiet apartment community, so this was concerning. We

(01:30:45):
attempted to ignore it, but it became louder and soon
reached my door. When I opened it, my sister, father
and brother were arguing with the building manager. They demanded
to be allowed into my apartment since they were family.
I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. I informed them
manager that I knew them, but they were not welcome.
My father looked hurt and claimed he only wanted to talk.
I asked him to look at the time, which was

(01:31:07):
ten p m. I informed them that if they wanted
to see me, they could have called ahead. Also, how
did they know where I lived. That's when my sister
stepped in, stating she learned from a friend who had
seen me at the complex. Then she looked around and
noted that I was living large. She asked why she
couldn't live with me. I looked at her like she
was insane. Why would I want to live with someone

(01:31:28):
who is so lazy? I would have to feed her
and clean up after her. I have not forgotten the
dynamics of the previous few years. I told them to
go because they were not welcome, particularly at that hour.
My father refused, saying they wouldn't go unless I spoke
with them. I informed him that I was not interested
in talking, especially since I had guests. Then my brother

(01:31:48):
began ranting at the top of his lungs, addressing my
friends and calling me a useless sister. He then forced
his way into my flat and started verbally assaulting me.
Between him, my sister, and my father, I felt completely overwhelmed. Meanwhile,
my friend sat stunned watching this horrific show. Things only
got worse. My father and brother began rifling through my

(01:32:08):
belongings and turning them upside down. I cried because I
saw them treat my possessions so disrespectfully. I implored them
to stop, but they did not listen. They said I
was to blame and demanded a check. That is until
security arrived. It turned out that Janet had gone to
contact security as soon as my father and brother began
disrupting the calm. When security arrived, my father and brother

(01:32:31):
refused to go and attempted to resist. That was a
major mistake, since the uproar became so loud that they
had to call the cops. My father and brother are
currently in jail for trespassing in my flat and disrupting
the peace. They will not be released until Monday, and
I have already filed charges. I am bringing them to
court over this. They've gone too far and I'm not
going to let them get away with it. This marks

(01:32:53):
the end. They've gone too far, and I'm not going
to let them drag me farther into their mess. Update four.
I wanted to pose an update sooner because it has
been four months, but I chose to wait until everything
was resolved. Now that the trial has ended, I can
finally tell you everything. I think many of you will
be relieved to know that my family received what they deserved.
Starting with my brother. The judge was harsh on him

(01:33:15):
because he had previously shoplifted and is a repeat offender.
He was sentenced to one year in prison. Unfortunately, this
will remain on his record, making it even more difficult
for him to establish a future for himself. But honestly,
given the way he's been spending his life, he had
little chance. I'm hoping that his time in jail would
straighten him out and help him set priorities. I've seen

(01:33:36):
folks considerably younger than him who have significantly more structured lives.
My father had to pay a fee to the court
and is currently on probation. If he even receives a
traffic ticket, he's done. He needs to be really cautious
for a time, otherwise he'll wind himself in jail. Both
the judge and the city take these transgressions very seriously,
which is why they have met with severe punishments. Now

(01:33:58):
about my mother, years of goloe utany and idleness have
now caught up with her. She is at high risk
of heart disease due to her poor lifestyle. Because of
how quickly her health is deteriorating, doctors estimate she has
less than two years if she does not make radical adjustments.
Knowing her, she probably doesn't care because she believes she
will live forever. I tried for years to convince her

(01:34:18):
to eat healthier, but she never listened, so I gave up.
If her high cholesterol does not kill her, my sister
most likely will. Speaking of my sister, she's been the
talk of the town lately, and not for the right reasons.
Since money has been tied and no one is funding
her lifestyle longer, she decided to take matters into her
own hands. She somehow became acquainted with the wrong crowd,

(01:34:39):
girls who were rumored to be selling certain items on
the street corner. It is both unlawful and highly harmful.
I heard about a week ago that she had been
detained for doing something questionable. I wouldn't be surprised if
she ends herself in a physically perilous situation as a
result of her chosen route. People have asked me to
speak with her, but she chose this life honestly. She
probably think thinks I'm stupid for working an honest job.

(01:35:02):
No insult to anyone in that business, but I've witnessed
what some of these girls go through. There is no
happy ending in sight for her, only substance misuse, additional
jail term and perilous situations. My mother has fallen multiple
times as a result of the stress that Katrina has caused.
But Katrina still lives with our parents, so they are
enabling her conduct by allowing her to be there. Even

(01:35:23):
though she is making money, she is definitely not spending
it appropriately or paying her responsibilities. You are undoubtedly wondering
how I know all this. I found out from a
credible source. My parents are now receiving food stamps, and
my father's working hours have been decreased. He spends most
of his time at home with my mother and Katrina.
I can only imagine how hungry every one must be

(01:35:43):
in that house right now. But it isn't all for them.
In addition, they must compensate for the damage they caused
to my flat. I was able to recover the items
they damaged, but they still need to pay the money
the judge ordered. I feel sad for them, but not
enough to intervene in help. It's what it is. They
made their decisions and now they must live with the consequences.

(01:36:04):
Update five. I have an update on several recent events,
and the truth is that my family is falling deeper
into the troubles that, as I frequently repeat, they made
for themselves. They are the type of people who try
to dig themselves out of a hole. I'm not sure
if there is a way back for them, but I
do know that it is not my obligation to get
them out of the holes they've dug themselves, and they
keep getting deeper. To begin with, my father, who was

(01:36:27):
supposed to pay for the damage he and my brother
committed in my apartment, just did not do it. Many
of the comments I received in my last update predicted
this outcome, and they were correct. The worst part is
that this time he didn't even try. He made no
effort to demonstrate his willingness to comply with the judge's instruction. However,
the judge was correct when he cautioned that any failure

(01:36:48):
would result in his return to prison. A sneeze may
land him in jail, which is exactly what occurred. It
wasn't a real sneeze, but the fact that he didn't
pay what was ordered resulted in a trip to jail.
I discovered a few days ago that he is currently
serving time there. The irony of the situation is that
my father was, in theory, the only one working in
that house. I'm not sure how my mother will cope

(01:37:10):
without him now that he's in prison. The last time
I spoke with someone close to the family, they said
there was almost no food in the house given my
mother's health issues. This is really frightening, But to be honest,
all I feel is a frigid remoteness from the entire thing.
For years, I was the one who kept that house afloat,
and they emotionally and financially abused me. They are now

(01:37:31):
paying the price for their own recklessness on top of that,
my mother is alone in the house, not only because
my father is in jail, but also because my brother
and sister are now behind bars. My brother had already
been in jail for a while, as you may recall,
but now my sister has joined him. Yes, her business
venture ended just as expected. She was arrested. Everyone saw

(01:37:52):
it coming except her. Her condition worsened when she began
using an addition to selling, leaving her even more vulnerable
and without much judgment. An undercover detective caught her in
the act, putting an end to her attempt to maintain
an unsustainable lifestyle. Now she's a waiting trial, but I
don't think she'll come out unscathed. The worst aspect is
that she cannot afford professional counsel. Therefore she is represented

(01:38:14):
by a public defender. I do not mean to be unkind,
but I do not see much hope for her. As
for my mother, I honestly don't know what will happen
to her life. Now. She is staying in the house
that previously housed five people, but it is now completely empty.
My father is in prison, my sister is a waiting trial,
and my brother has already served time. The house is emptied,

(01:38:35):
and the saddest thing is that she has no one
to care for her. For years, she did nothing but
rely on others to bring her money and food. She
can scarcely leave the house any more due to her
health difficulties. I'm not sure how she'll survive. I know
they get food stamps, but that isn't enough to survive on.
In short, my family has entirely disintegrated. All I have

(01:38:55):
left is my peace, and while it may sound harsh,
I do not regret having removed myself. Update six. I
feel horrible for having to deliver bad news, but it's
no longer my bad news, it's my family's. Despite the
fact that everything is unfolding in slow motion, I can't
help but feel relieved that I am not personally involved
in this disaster. To begin, I have finally regained my money.

(01:39:17):
It wasn't an easy process and is expected. My father
didn't have the money to pay me. The only reason
Dad ultimately did was because my mother had to take
out a loan to bail him out of jail. The
fact that my father was in jail for contempt made
matters even more problematic, but she eventually received the money
after considerable work. Of course, it was not her own idea,
but rather my mother's desperate desire to get my father

(01:39:39):
out of jail. My father's release from jail is arguably
the only bright aspect of this predicament. During this period,
my mother had been living with a relative while attempting
to resolve my father's legal issues. She left the house
for an extended period of time, and, as one might imagine,
it was abandoned. Now the neighborhood we lived in was
never ideal, particularly for leaving a house unsecured. Apparently it

(01:40:02):
has been vandalized and completely looted. The most worrisome aspect
is that, according to what I've been informed, there are
people living there now, people who, from what I understand,
may be previous clients of my sister. The fact that
people are squatting within the house is only the beginning
of the problem. Still, if my parents are able to
remove them, which I doubt will be easy, I'm not
sure whether what remains is still a house. It bothers

(01:40:25):
me to think about the state of the place I
once called home, especially since I put so much time
and effort into keeping it up when I was still
living there. But at the end of the day. It
is no longer my home, it's not in my name,
and it's not my responsibility to solve it. My parents
will have to face this on their own. My siblings
continue to serve their sentences. There have been little updates

(01:40:46):
on that front. What surprises me the most about all
of this is how quickly the situation deteriorated after my departure.
It's as if my departure was the final nail in
the coffin of a scenario that was already decaying from
within now to the next story. Seven, my boyfriend dumped
me over red flags. His best friend made up. He
begged to return, but I made him confront her before

(01:41:08):
cutting him off. I twenty three F had been with
my boyfriend Eric twenty four M for about eight months.
Eric had never had a long term relationship before, and
most of his ex girl friends were flings that lasted
only three or four months. Naturally, I love to believe
that this relationship was meaningful for him, but a few
days ago I discovered that may not be the case.

(01:41:29):
Eric's best buddy, Olivia twenty four F has been his
neighbor for more than fourteen years. They met when they
were ten years old and have remained inseparable since. They
attended the same school, college, and now work in the
same place. When I say best friend, I mean it.
Eric never does anything without consulting Olivia first. Even the
decision to date me was not totally his own. He

(01:41:51):
later told me that every lady he'd ever dated had
to get Olivia's approval first. If Olivia asked him to
end the relationship, he would. I believe this explosed means
why his previous relationships failed. Eric only told me about
this four months into our relationship, stating he believed it
was time. I had already become strongly attached to him,
so I chose to stay. Yes, I understand bad decision.

(01:42:14):
If I had known about his unusual need for Olivia sooner,
I would not have gone on a first date with him.
My relationship with Olivia wasn't terrible, at least not until recently.
Olivia and I met numerous times, and while we were polite,
I had the impression she wanted to quietly show me
that Eric would always be hers first. When it was
just the three of us. She made me feel alienated
and uncomfortable. Initially, I made every attempt to befriend her,

(01:42:38):
but my efforts were futile. It appeared that she had
already made up her mind against me. To make matters worse,
I unintentionally made it into a competition between ourselves. She
wasn't going to take it lying down. Finally, around five
days ago, something occurred. I was feeling quite ill, and
because I work away from home, I didn't have someone
to look after me. My roommate was on a trip,

(01:42:59):
leaving me completely alone. Normally I wouldn't rely on a mail,
but this time I called my boyfriend and asked him
to come over and help me out. He was apprehensive
at first, but I assumed it was because he didn't
want to catch whatever I had. So I told him
it was only a stomach illness and he will be okay.
But even so he appeared reluctant. I asked him what

(01:43:19):
was going on, and he said he was going to
watch a movie and then have lunch with Olivia. He
was unsure whether he'd be able to make it. I
was already sick and not feeling well, and Eric was
prioritizing Olivia over me. I had always understood that if
it came down to it, he would choose Olivia over me,
but it still hurt. I became incredibly furious off and
told him he should date Olivia instead, then hung up.

(01:43:41):
I didn't answer any of his calls after that. An
hour later, Eric arrived and apologized for what he did.
I was relieved when he arrived, because, honestly, if he hadn't,
I would have ended our relationship. He informed me that
he had canceled his arrangements with Olivia and even brought
me home made soup that day. I felt really positive
about him. We spent the day together and by the

(01:44:03):
time he left that night, I was feeling much better.
But I had no idea my actions would have ramifications.
Eric stopped contacting me the very following day, no calls
or text for the entire day. I panicked a little,
thinking something horrible had happened to him. I tried to
contact him throughout the day but had no luck. At
approximately midnight, he called me back. He talked in an

(01:44:25):
entirely different tone, serious, even upset. After inquiring if I
felt better, he suggested I sit down. Then he broke
up with me. At first, I assumed it was a joke,
but he kept talking. He said It was difficult for
him to come to this conclusion, but he had finally
understood that my conduct was nothing but a bunch of
red flags and that he couldn't stay with me any longer.

(01:44:46):
I was completely confused. As far as I was concerned,
I had not done or said anything to him that
would have raised a red flag, at least not knowingly.
I had always strived to be a decent person and
a good girl friend. This was a major shock for me.
I didn't know what to say, so I remained silent
as he informed me he couldn't be with me anymore.
Then he hung up. The suddenness of it all astounded me.

(01:45:08):
We had just had such a nice time together the
day before, and now he was telling us we were
overdue for red flags. It didn't make sense. I ended
up weeping myself to sleep that night because I couldn't
contact or text him for help. After we broke up,
he blocked me everywhere. There was no way for me
to receive closure or an explanation. Eric didn't even have
the decency to break up with me in person, despite

(01:45:30):
how long we'd been dating. He also did not provide
a good explanation for the next two days. I was
extremely distraught and preoccupied at work and when completing housework.
I just couldn't accept that it had ended so quickly.
I kept repeating our last few exchanges in my thoughts,
trying to figure out what had prompted him to suggest
that I had a lot of red flags. But I
couldn't come up with anything. The Olivia factor had not

(01:45:53):
even occurred to me because I hadn't seen her in
a few weeks and had forgotten how much she dominated
Eric's life. Anyway, this night I finally got a call
from Eric. I was taken aback because I hadn't expected it.
I had just started to digest our separation, so it
felt quite sudden. I answered the phone and he immediately
began apologizing. He didn't even give me the opportunity to

(01:46:13):
say anything. At first. He sounded hysterical, so I let
him vent. He said he didn't want to break up
with me. Olivia was the one who made him do it.
Apparently she disliked the fact that I forced him to
cancel plans with her and convinced him that it was
a red sign. She even brought up a few of
other seemingly innocuous things I do to depict me as
a giant red flag. Eric said he had fallen for it. Olivia,

(01:46:36):
he claimed, had fed him a series of lies, alleging
that I was attempting to build a rift between them
and that this was a warning sign. She also distorted
things like me preparing meals I like, or buying clothes
for him that I believed he'd look beautiful in making
them appear as manipulative efforts to control his life. I
couldn't believe anyone would fall for such rubbish, let alone
break up over it. But Eric was probably an idiot.

(01:46:58):
He then apologized for everything and begged me to accept
him back. He claimed he was willing to do whatever
it required. My blood was boiling, so I said nothing.
For a time, I struggled to keep my rage under control.
All this time, I blamed myself for the break up,
believing it was my responsibility. But now I see that
was all Olivia's doing, and she was most likely fine

(01:47:18):
with it. I should have expected her to try anything
to get back at me, After all, I had stolen
Eric from right beneath her nose when I was sick.
His decision to care for me and cancel our plans
must have made her perceive me as a competitor. She
couldn't have it, so she made sure we broke up.
Everything suddenly made clear. Eric was pleading with me over
the phone, imploring me to accept him back. He even

(01:47:41):
had the arrogance to say that Olivia would no longer
be a problem because he would keep our connection a
secret from her. I was appalled. Even after all had transpired,
he couldn't realize how much Olivia was in charge of
his life. If he had broken up with me for
another reason, I might have considered taking him back, but
I couldn't believe he ditched me over something alone Livia
had said without considering for himself. Eric was clearly an imbecile.

(01:48:04):
Whether or not he kept our relationship covert, Olivia would
maintain control over him, and he would continue to do
anything she wanted, like a puppet. What upset me even
more was Eric's refusal to recognize that Olivia might not
have his best interests at heart. He was even willing
to hide our relationship in order to keep their so
called friendship. This was a huge red flag for me.
I had no intention of getting back to him. I

(01:48:27):
had already made up my mind the moment he revealed
the true reason for the breakup. I'd cried enough for
this person and he didn't deserve it. But I couldn't
just let it go without trying to put Olivia in
her place. That's why I did something so selfish and manipulative,
and while I'm not proud of it, I believe it
was necessary. Last night, I told my boyfriend that I
would only get back with him if he notified Olivia

(01:48:48):
about his decision and confronted her for controlling his life.
He'd have to inform her that she wasn't his employer
and that he'd be getting back with me regardless of
her Only if he did that would I contemplate getting
back together, because if Olivia humiliated me, I would undoubtedly
reciprocate the favor. When I told Eric what I wanted
him to do, he was horrified and tried to persuade
me to reconsider, stating it was excessive and unneeded. He

(01:49:11):
protested for a long trying to get out of it,
but I was determined. I informed him that I would
only respond if he texted her what I had asked.
Otherwise he may say farewell and remain broken up. After
a few more minutes of fighting, Eric finally gave in.
He sent Olivia those texts and even provided me with
a screenshot as proof. I instantly hung up and blocked him.

(01:49:32):
I knew it was petty and cruel, but I couldn't
help it. I'd been upset over the past three days
about our breakup, and this was the least I could
do to feel some sense of justice. AITA, Am I
the asshole for forcing Eric to send Olivia those texts,
especially since I had no intention of responding in the
first place. Update one, It's been two days since I

(01:49:52):
spoke with Eric and he hasn't been able to reach
me since Olivia is unable to contact me since I
have also blocked her. I initially felt felt awful about
what I forced Eric to do, but after reading the
replies below, I realized I don't have a good reason
to feel that way. Eric had a choice, and he
chose to send Olivia those texts because he wanted to
be with me rather than her. It's not like I

(01:50:13):
held him at gunpoint. He did exactly what he desired. Yes,
lying to him about getting back together was wrong. I
accept it, but I don't believe what I did was
as horrible as what had happened to me. He didn't
think twice before convincing me that I was the red
flag in our relationship, when it was truly him all along.
He did everything his so called BFF requested him to do,
regardless of how it affected me or his own life.

(01:50:36):
He had no idea how bad I felt. Throughout the
time we were apart, I had no answers and started
overthinking what I'd done, which just made me more puzzled.
So forgive me if I don't feel too awful about
what I did. I haven't told anyone about my break
up with Eric yet, but I assume i'll have to
start shortly. Only a few hours earlier, one of my
friends invited Eric and me to her birthday celebration. When

(01:50:57):
I arrived without him, I will have to explain his absence.
I'm dreading that part because I'm not sure what I'll
say when people ask why we broke up, especially since
we were happy on the surface. I'll have to come
up with something, but that's okay. At the very least,
I am done with that relationship. Update two, Hello everyone,
it's been over a week since I broke up with Eric.

(01:51:18):
I assumed that blocking Eric and his BFF Olivia would
mean that I'd never have to interact with them again. Unfortunately,
this was not the case. This morning, I received a
call from a number I did not know. Naturally, I
let it ring the first time, but when they called again,
I responded. It was Olivia on the phone. As soon
as I heard her voice, I was prepared to hang

(01:51:39):
up because I had absolutely no desire to chat with her.
But then she warned that if I hung up, it
would only reveal that I was a coward, and frightened
to confront her. I should not have let it affect me,
but it did, so I stayed on the call. Olivia
then went on to say terrible things about me right
in front of my face. She called me a variety
of names for what I'd done, including a sneaky little lie,

(01:52:00):
and expressed her relief that Eric and I had split
up since he was too good for me. Then she
called me the B word, which really irritated me, and
I snapped. I told her just what I thought of her.
I told her she was nothing more than Eric's back
up girlfriend and would most likely spend her entire life
trying to keep other girls away from him so she
could have him all to herself. I believe I struck
a nerve with that one, because as soon as I

(01:52:22):
said it, she began fumbling and sounding like she was
about to cry. I took advantage of that and went
even further. I informed her that she could scream at
me all she wanted, but Eric had the option not
to send her those texts. It was his decision, and
he chose me over her. That was the final straw.
On the other end, I could hear her start crying.
I didn't feel sorry for her because she'd called to

(01:52:43):
make me feel awful, but here she was crying. I'm
not sure if she and Eric are still on speaking terms,
but I hope she runs to him and complains about
what I said. If they come after me again, I'd
love to put both of them in their place and
remind them that I'm not someone they can mess with
and get away with it. They aren't the only ones
who have the right to damage other sentiments. They need
to realize that if they're comfortable handing it out, they

(01:53:06):
should be equally comfortable receiving it. Update number three, Hey there,
Olivia called me two days ago and the conversation ended
horribly for her. Like I stated, I was hoping Eric
would confront me about it so I could tell them
both off. That finally occurred today. The person who introduced
us was hosting a party and we were both invited.

(01:53:27):
She was unaware that Eric and I had ended our relationship.
Eric entered the party about an hour in, accompanied by Olivia.
They both appeared ready to battle. I drew my friend
aside and recounted the entire issue to her. I even
offered to depart early in case things went wrong. While
I wanted to cause a spectacle, I didn't want it
to happen on my friend's birthday and steal the spotlight
from her. It would not have been nice, but my

(01:53:49):
friend suggested I stay. She admitted that she wouldn't mind
if we confronted one other at the party because she
wanted to see the drama play out in person, especially
after what I told her. I had the decency to
ignore Eric and Olivia, since if anyone was going to
start a fight, it had to be them. I was
classier than that, but when it came to teaching them
their place, I was willing to fall to their level.

(01:54:10):
Eric approached me about a half hour after they arrived
at the party while I was speaking with another guy.
I wasn't flirting, just making normal small talk. I believe
he simply wanted an excuse to put me down, because
he walked up and loudly stated that I had already
moved on from him. He then called me a cheater
and a phony in front of everyone. Olivia appeared behind
him with a malicious smirk. I swear I wanted to

(01:54:33):
slap that nasty smile off her face, but I managed
to restrain myself. Eric was spouting crap right in my face,
even bringing up the phone call from a few days ago.
He said I was mistaken about Olivia being the backup,
since in fact I was the backup and not worth dating.
I laughed in his face, since, if I recall correctly,
he was the one who came crawling back to me

(01:54:53):
just days after dumping me over what Olivia had told him.
He'd had his say. Now it was my chance to
reveal him and his loving for who they really were.
I told him that both he and Olivia were much
below my level. He should have counted himself lucky that
he could persuade me to date him in the first place.
As far as I was concerned, he was Olivia's spineless puppet,
and no other woman would want him. At the very least,

(01:55:15):
I was willing to give him a chance, but he
blew that as well. Furthermore, his so called BFF was
depressed and insecure enough to want to end our relationship
simply because he spent a day with me while I
was unwell. She even utilized a new phone number to
reach me, indicating how essential I was to her. Honestly,
her acts betrayed her insecurity and pitiful nature. They were
an ideal compliment for one another. I genuinely hoped they

(01:55:38):
got together, because no one should have to cope with
individuals like them. By then, the party had come to
a halt. Everyone stared at us silently. Eric had nothing
to say and simply stared at me. Olivia, without a
clear response, began flinging expletives at me. She got up
in my personal space, plainly trying to get me to
punch her so she could retaliate, but I maintained my calm.

(01:56:00):
I didn't even want to touch her. Eric decided to
leave when she began to have a breakdown. They obviously
did not want to be any more ashamed than they
already were. Once again, their pitiful little attempt to humiliate
me had failed. Eric had to literally drag Olivia away
because she refused to accept defeat. After they went, my
friend approached me, told me how awesome I was, and

(01:56:21):
we all laughed about what occurred. We resumed partying and
finished the evening on a high note with cocktails and
a delicious dinner. I'm pleased with what happened because I
got the closure I needed. Update four. Hey everyone, here's
a little update. I just found out that Olivia and
Eric are finally together. L L. It's been three months
since our little altercation at the party, and I guess

(01:56:41):
they recognized I was correct. No other reasonable person would
put up with them separately, so they chose to date
each other instead. I heard this from a friend of
a friend, as I no longer communicate with any of them.
As for me, I'm seeing a new guy who is
exactly my type. I hope this works and that he
doesn't have a psycho best friend that he hasn't told
me about. Now to the next story. Eight. My toxic

(01:57:05):
best friend overstepped by claiming mate of honor disrupted wedding
plans and planned her wedding on my date to create chaos.
Original post. Some background info about this girl, let's call
her Jess. At this point in her life, she's kind
of a hot mess. She's one of those people who
airs everything on Facebook, who has a new love of
my life every month and a new best friend every

(01:57:26):
few months. Her relationships and friendships usually end terribly, with
both sides hating each other. How did I become her
best friend? Well, she hasn't always been this way. She
was relatively normal five years ago when I met her,
save for the normal early twenties drama. But in the
last two years she's lost her mom to cancer and
her grandpa to old age, and she doesn't have any

(01:57:46):
other family. She dropped out of school and found out
her boyfriend at the time was cheating on her. After
the breakup, I was acting like a shoulder to cry
on since she had pretty much hit rock bottom. A
few months later, she was telling everyone how close we were,
started tagging me as her best friend. A few months
ago I got engaged. Unbeknownst to me, she started telling

(01:58:06):
everyone she was my maid of honor, even though I've
always planned on making my sister my maid of honor,
but this was right after Jess's mom had died, so
I just improvised and said I would have two maid
of honors. It's still not what I would have liked,
but I literally couldn't bring myself to tell this poor girl,
I don't consider her my best friend. That was my
first mistake. About a month after I got engaged, she

(01:58:27):
met a guy. Two weeks later, she was engaged. A
week later, she was married. A month later, she was
divorced separated. I don't know if it's legal yet. I
don't know if anything was legal, but she changed her
last name and is still going by that, so I'm
guessing it was legal. Ever since the divorce, my own
wedding planning has become unbearable. She is constantly telling me

(01:58:48):
how marriage doesn't work, love can't save things, et cetera,
et cetera, and criticizes how much I'm spending on my
wedding when she had hers for a few hundred Vegas wedding.
It's gotten to the point where she's rude to the
vents I'm meeting with, but she gets really upset when
I don't take her to meetings since she's the maid
of honor. So I'm at the point where I just
want to cut her out of the wedding, like I
should have done in the first place. However, when I

(01:59:11):
confess this to a mutual friend, my friend let me
know to be careful because Jess can be really vindictive.
When she found out her ex from a few years
ago was getting married, she tried to contact the bride
and tell her he was cheating on her. He wasn't.
One of her last besties was fired from her job
because Jess made multiple email accounts and regularly contacted customer
service complaining about her. And since she knows so much

(01:59:33):
info about my wedding already, I'm really terrified that she'll
somehow try to sabotage it. So basically, I don't know
what to do at this point. I feel like this
wedding is getting away from me, But I also don't
know if it would be less painful to keep her
a part of it, because it would save me all
the drama. I don't know what she's capable of, so
I'm really worried that she'll somehow make everything harder for
me if I don't just grin and bear it. Help

(01:59:55):
clutter girl I've been comforting through traumatic times turns out
to be batshit crazy, and now I think she's going
to ruin my wedding if I don't go with the flow.
Relevant comments comment one to add it might be a
good idea to have passwords with your vendors to confirm
your identity. Oh p, thank you for the advice. I
was actually considering the password thing, but I don't know
if that's taking things too far. I guess I'm kind

(02:00:18):
of worried about vendors resenting me for being high maintenance.
But I hear about Bridezilla's mom Zillah's in Lawzilla's all
the time, so hopefully this isn't the worst they've seen.
Comment too, Jesus just told her, Jess, you knew him
for three weeks before you married him. What in the
ever loving fuck did you think was going to happen?
If I've only been seeing a girl for three weeks,

(02:00:38):
I won't even poop with her in a half mile radius. Ope. Seriously,
The week before the wedding was everyone kindly saying, ah,
you sure you've known him for awfully short time? And
she responded everyone's jealous because they can't be us. Yeah.
Comment three sounds like you need to have a very
uncomfortable talk with this girl. Tell her what you told

(02:00:59):
us here and let her know her her negative attitude
has no place in planning your wedding. You're sorry things
aren't working out for her, but she is not allowed
to pile this stuff on you. Tell her that you
cannot have her as a maid of honor, and since
she seems to think so negatively about marriage, you wouldn't
expect her to do this up to you if you
even let her attend the wedding as a guest. Oh,
oh my god. I haven't even thought about explaining how

(02:01:20):
her negative attitude towards marriage could be the excuse for
not having her in the wedding party. That sounds ridiculously logical,
but I've been blinded by a flurry of crazy. Thank
you update guys, this went full blown crazy before I
could have a conversation with Jess, she confronted me about it.
Apparently the mutual I confided in let the whole story leak,

(02:01:41):
and a twisted, more dramatic version made its way back
to Jess. Shit meet a fan. It was an hour
or two of me trying to explain to Jess in
a somewhat calm manner that I felt she had overstepped
her boundaries and it was really taking a mental toll
on me, while she yelled about what a terrible friend
I was, and how she's tired of putting all of
her faith in the wrong people, and how she was
tired of trying her best to be a good maid

(02:02:02):
of honor. I made the mistake of pointing out that
I had never asked her to be my maid of
honor in the first place, and she responded with, well,
then I must be delusional. The first step is admitting
you have a problem, so progress. Needless to say, we
aren't on speaking terms. Shortly after that, I took all
of your advice and called all of my wedding vendors
and let them know that my fiance and I were

(02:02:23):
going to be the only people making any decisions and
set up a confirmation word with them. Apparently this shit
happens a lot, because nobody even asked why I accidentally
forgot to contact the bakery making our cake. But luckily
they called me and asked if I was certain I
wanted to cancel the wedding cake. Apparently there was a
voicemail left on their machine. Wonder how that happened. Here's
where things get really nuts. A few weeks after our

(02:02:45):
blow up, she apparently met some guy who was the
love of her life. A few weeks after that, they're engaged.
I can't make this shit up. She did it again.
Then our mutual friends get invitations for her wedding, which
is the same date as mine, but since they had
RSVP for my wedding, a lot of them couldn't make it.
A few days before her wedding, they have to cancel

(02:03:05):
because he's already married, and you know what, so is she.
I guess she never got officially divorced from that first
quickie wedding, so, as far as I know, no wedding
actually happened. I have no idea if they still plan to.
I'm just glad to be away from that circus. But anyways,
I got married a few weeks ago. Everything was wonderful,
the weather was great, and everyone present was a joy
to be around, except maybe my uncle, who gets a

(02:03:27):
little too dancy when he's drunk, but you know, family.
Thank you to everyone who responded, and to everyone letting
me know I'm not helping matters by going with the flow.
I will be actively practicing caution when making friends by
running from crazy and not comforting it. Relevant comments comment
one anyone else think mutual friends are kind of shitty?

(02:03:47):
She was the one who told O P to be
careful about Jess, Yet she decided it would be a
good idea to blab about what OP told her, knowing
full well it would get back to Jess now. Instead
of telling Jess on her own terms, OP got ambushed instead.
O P I actually asked her about it a few
days after the blow up. Her defense was that she
didn't actually tell Jess. She told another mutual friend of ours,

(02:04:08):
who told someone else, who told someone else who told Jess,
So technically it wasn't her fault, which is how by
the time it got to Jess the story was somewhere
along the lines of o MG, bubble sex one is
telling every one your ruining her life and sabotaging the wedding.
All of us met at work. We all worked at
the same restaurant long ago, and it was always a
drama filled place. A lot of the same people still

(02:04:30):
work there and still thrive off of the drama. I'm
thinking it's time for me to move on from that
specific crowd. Cliques are fun in middle school. In your twenties,
not so much. Comment too. I will be actively practicing
caution when making friends by running from crazy and not
comforting it. I'd like to nominate the first candidate for
your new policy, the mutual friend who somehow let the

(02:04:52):
story leak and repeated to Jess a twisted, more dramatic
version of what you had confided in her OP. I've
decided a distance myself from that crowd. We're at different
points in our lives and I just don't find gossiping
all that fun. My real besties from high school, who
were all bridesmaids, have all grown up and we would
never pull this crap. Comment three. I bet Jess was

(02:05:13):
never actually getting married this time. It was just a
plot to ensure at least some of your friends didn't
make your wedding OOP. I suspect that as well, but
since she's done it before, I wouldn't be surprised if
she actually went through with it. I'm assuming they were
both trying to get divorced before the wedding and realized
they wouldn't be able to in time, because you know,
some stuff takes time and can't be erased in a jiffy,

(02:05:35):
so they couldn't do it. I get the feeling this
guy is either really stupid or just as crazy as
she is, so at least they've found each other. Now
to the next story. Nine, Am I the asshole for
refusing to help my father and stepmother and telling them
they deserve the karma hitting them hard right now? So,
when I was around sixteen, my father forty four million,

(02:05:55):
began seeing my stepmother, Julia thirty million, and they married
two years later. Just to clarify, this woman never liked me.
She's the reason I was kicked out of my house
at nineteen. Since then, I haven't spoken with either my
father or her until a few days ago when my
father arrived at my place to talk. I'll get to
that later, but first I need to explain what went

(02:06:15):
wrong so you can see who Julia truly is. My
mother died when I was just nine years old. My
father had been another relationship since then, but he was
completely committed to Julia from the start. She moved in
with us within a few months, even though she was
only a few years older than me, she required me
to address her as mom. At the time, I was
sixteen and she was twenty four, we were just eight

(02:06:37):
years apart in age. I never called her mom or
saw her as maternal since I thought it was inappropriate.
Even if she had been older, I doubt I would
have addressed her as mom because my biological mother had
died only six years earlier. I wasn't prepared to start
calling someone else mom and replacing her so quickly. Furthermore,
when Julia made her request, she had only been with

(02:06:58):
my father for eight months. They might take their relationship
at their own pace, but that didn't mean I had
to accept her into my life at the same rate,
especially since she hadn't tried to get along with me.
I calmly informed her that I would not feel comfortable
referring to her as my mother because I did not
feel linked to her or saw her as a maternal figure.
I don't believe I was impolite, but she began to

(02:07:18):
pick on me for no apparent reason. After that, she
would either be extremely hostile or completely ignore me. It
was strange, and it was evident that I refused to
address her as mom. I never understood why it was
important to her. As far as I was concerned, my
father adored her and had totally accepted her as his companion.
That should have been enough, but she was fixated on
being my mother. She even behaved like she was, albeit

(02:07:41):
not in a good or compassionate manner. She would order
me around and pretend to have authority over me. It
was as if she wanted to establish herself as a
capable mother figure. This behavior bothered me. I'd remind her
that she wasn't my mother and didn't need to be
so involved in my life since I wasn't ready to
give her the responsibility she'd complained to my father. We'd
argue and things would become uncomfortable, but in the end,

(02:08:04):
my father and I loved each other enough to reconcile
despite Julia. This was how we spent nearly four years
after they married. I assumed Julia would start acting normally
because she no longer had any reason to be insecure. However,
their marriage made her even more determined to become my mother.
A few months after their wedding, she sat me down
for the same conversation. This time, she said she would

(02:08:25):
love it if I called her mom, since now that
she and my father are married, it will help complete
our family. She required that I acknowledge her as my
mother before anything could happen. By then, i'd seen her
true colors. I couldn't believe she had the arrogance to
demand that I call her mom after mistreating me for
the previous four years. I wasn't especially pleased with their
marriage because I knew she didn't like me, and to

(02:08:47):
be honest, I didn't care for her either. I've never
been one to mince things, and at eighteen, I made
that abundantly plain to her. After the way she had
treated me over the previous four years, I had no
desire to accept her as my mother or a sin
her in realizing her dream of a perfect family. I
advised her to concentrate on being married to my father
and stop worrying about becoming my mother because it was pitiful.

(02:09:08):
I informed her that I already had a mother whom
I adored, and that just because she died in an
accident didn't mean the post was open. In very straightforward
and respectful terms, I told her that I was not
going to replace my mother and that she should stop trying.
I also added that her fixation with being my mother
was strange, scary, and completely unappreciated, especially given how brutally

(02:09:29):
she had treated me simply because I refused to call
her mom. I'm not proud of it because it wasn't
very nice, but I did hint that her obsession was
psychologically abnormal. That remark evidently irritated her, since she stopped
speaking to me entirely following that chat. It was as
if I didn't exist for her. At the time, I
didn't think it was an issue. In fact, I was
relieved when she eventually decided to stop bothering me. About

(02:09:52):
a year later, I understood she had used that time
to turn my father against me. It happened so gradually
that I didn't realize my father was distant himself until
it was too late. When I realized, I attempted to
fix things. I tried multiple times to bond with him,
hanging out, talking and reconnecting, but he was either too
busy or constantly with Julia. I recognized that his priorities

(02:10:14):
had evolved after his second marriage, and I attempted to
give them space, but it backfired because Julia took up
all of his available space in life. Things only got
worse after I moved away to college. Whatever little communication
I had with my father was vanishing as well. It
felt dreadful, and I knew I needed to do something
about it. One weekend, I planned to surprise my father

(02:10:35):
by going home. I anticipated him to be pleased, but
he appeared annoyed. He informed me he had planned to
go out to dinner with Julia, but now that I
was home, he couldn't do so. I found this quite
offensive and challenged him about his actions. I told him
he was acting aloof and strange, and it pained me
that he wasn't even pleased with my surprise visit. I
conveyed that it felt like he no longer cared about me.

(02:10:57):
In despair, I lashed out at Julia, accusing her of
turning him against me. This evolved into a full fledged argument.
My father told me that he knew I had something
against Julia since the beginning. He said Julia wasn't attempting
to turn him against me, but rather I was trying
to turn him against her. He accused me of trying
to brainwash him into thinking Julia was the bad guy,

(02:11:18):
despite the fact that she had done everything she could
to win me over. According to him, I was the
one who turned down her attempts to bond because I
did not want to betray my mother. He even suggested
my mother would be upset with my behavior. My father
informed me that making up tales about Julia to build
a wedge between them would not succeed. Over time, I
saw that Julia was gradually changing the narrative, telling my

(02:11:40):
father that I had been ignoring and mistreating her from
the beginning. Whenever my father was around, she was nothing
but lovely, leading him to believe she was incapable of
being mean to any one. He gradually came to believe
her account of events. He assumed I was causing issues
because I couldn't accept Julia as his wife or come
to terms with his departure. This was far from the truth,
but my explanation fell on deaf ears. He accused me

(02:12:03):
of attempting to sabotage their relationship and lying about Julia.
Then he issued an ultimatum, either I start respecting Julia,
call her mom and accept their relationship, or I leave.
When my father said this, I didn't bother to argue.
I hadn't unpacked anything yet, so I grabbed my bags
and marched out, never looking back. After that, I went
directly to my uncle's place. He was the closest relative

(02:12:25):
I had. He's my mother's older brother and has always
had a warm spot for me. I knew that no
matter what challenges I had, he would assist me. At
the time, I hadn't told my uncle much about Julia.
I already knew he didn't like her or support my
father's connection with her. Part of this was due to
his loyalty to my mother, and part of it was
because he thought the age difference between my father and

(02:12:46):
Julia was too great. I didn't want him to detest
my father any more than he already did, so I
kept quiet. However, after I was kicked out, I told
everything to him. He was infuriated. He told me that
I had done the right thing by refus using to
call her mom, and that Julia was a complete nutcase.
He also called my father an absolute moron for believing
all of her falsehoods. Once he realized the truth, he

(02:13:09):
told me that he would take care of everything. He
offered to cover all of my expenditures, including college tuition,
which had previously been my father's burden. He also said
that if I ever needed a place to stay, I
could always come to him. Even after I graduated, he
promised to help me out. True to his word, he
supported me every step of the way and has become
more of a father to me over the last six

(02:13:30):
years than my biological father ever was. As I previously stated,
I have not had touch with my father or Julia
in six years. No one else in the family has.
After I told my uncle everything, he was so enraged
that he told everyone. I didn't ask him to do anything,
but he was too angry to worry about the implications.
He notified both my mother's and father's side of the

(02:13:51):
family about the incident. According to what I've heard, no
one has contacted my father or Julia since I was
kicked out, as they were all against what had transpired.
According to my uncle, several individuals attempted to persuade my
father to listen, but he refused. He accused me of
lying and said they should not trust me. Fortunately, my
family knows I am not the person my father and

(02:14:12):
Julia portrayed me to be. As a result, my father
and Julia have been forced into extreme isolation. However, I
doubt they care because they have not contacted any one
in the last six years. On the other hand, I'm
doing well for myself. Following graduation from college, I began
in turning at my uncle's real estate firm. I eventually
obtained my real estate license and relocated earlier this year

(02:14:35):
from my former apartment to a much larger one in
a more desirable location. I am no longer concerned about
my finances. I've even started paying my uncle back, despite
his insistence that he doesn't want anything from me. My
financial situation is crucial because I believe it is what
prompted my father to contact me again. Karma seemed to
have caught up with him and Julia. A few months

(02:14:56):
after giving birth, Julia was engaged in a horrific accident.
She is currently bedridden and unable to move. My dad
paid me a visit a few days ago. During our talk,
I discovered that he had quit his job a few
years before to start his own firm. Unfortunately, things haven't
been going well because the epidemic struck shortly after he started.
He has been experiencing financial difficulties. Furthermore, Julia refused to work,

(02:15:20):
leaving him with sole responsibility for financial management. This circumstance
is not surprising to me. Julia quit her work shortly
after they got married, which he chose to disregard. Things
got even more difficult financially when she found she was
pregnant and decided to keep the kid. She gave birth
approximately six months ago. Then last month, she was involved

(02:15:40):
in a horrific accident while driving herself home from lunch
with her friends. She totaled the automobile due to icy
roads and a little too much champagne. Fortunately she was
not charged, but it doesn't matter because she severely hurt
herself and is now bedridden, unable to move as she heals.
My father is in a bad situation because their medical
insurance does not cover her hiring a nurse. He needs

(02:16:01):
to pay for one out of pocket because he can't
stay at home to care for Julia and must work
to prevent bankruptcy. Meanwhile, they'd been leaving their kid with
Julia's parents, but her parents just informed my father that
they couldn't watch the child every day because they needed
to live their own life. This resulted in a dispute
between my father and Julia's parents, with him accusing them
of being greedy as a result, they refused to look

(02:16:23):
after the baby anymore. My father, now out of alternatives,
admitted he had no one else to turn to, and
chose to contact me for assistance. When he paid me
a visit, he recounted everything in the hopes that I
would intervene without hesitation. I declined, I'm not good around
newborn's and I definitely didn't want anything to do with
Julia's child. Given how much agony the two of them

(02:16:44):
had given me in the past, I refused to allow
myself to be used to solving their problems. I told
my dad that while it was good to see him,
I was no longer here to serve his purpose. He
became enraged, claiming he had gone to considerable lengths to
obtain my contact information. From him his statements, I deduced
that he must have pestered some relatives until they informed
him where I lived. I didn't think this was a

(02:17:05):
great attempt, and his entitlement simply made me angry. I
reminded him that when I needed him the most, when
I begged him to believe me, he had refused. He
chose Julia over me, and now I'm choosing myself over him.
Despite my repeated requests, he refused to leave. I finally
lost my patience. I warned him that if he didn't leave,
I would contact the cops, which would end horribly for him.

(02:17:28):
In a heated exchange, I informed him I had no
sympathy for him and was not interested in assisting or
forgiving him. I said he and Julia deserved all they
were going through. After all, Julia had continually lied about me,
portraying me as the monster. My father had decided to
trust her falsehoods and prioritize her ludicrous requests, even to
the point of kicking me out. Instead of believing his

(02:17:50):
own daughter, he favored his wife and her unreasonable expectations.
When I said that, he looked shocked and swiftly departed
without saying anything. I now feel guilty about what they
are going through. I know it's bad, and I'm not
sure if I should have stated they deserved it. Maybe
they do, maybe they don't. I'm not the judge. Still
the guilt weighs on me at it. I called my

(02:18:11):
uncle to tell him of my father's visit. He spoke
with a few relatives and confirmed that my father had
reportedly been contacting everyone after many years searching for my location.
Most people had not responded, but one family on my
father's side, who isn't very close to me, felt sorry
for him and provided him my contact information and address.
So I was correct. My father did not go to

(02:18:32):
the great lengths that he stated. He was only attempting
to make me feel bad. Update one. I'd like to
thank everyone who commented on my post. It was a
lengthy post and I have not discussed it in depth
with anyone other than my uncle. It was good to
finally get everything off my chest, particularly regarding Julia. Her
actions deeply traumatized me when I was younger. Based on

(02:18:53):
the remarks, I believe I was correct in stating that
Julia may have had some mental health issues. Her eagerness
for me to embrace her as my mother was overwhelming.
That being said, I can only infer it. I cannot
diagnose her. However, I believe she would benefit greatly from
seeing a psychiatrist to determine what was driving her conduct.
It seems ridiculous for her to act the way she

(02:19:14):
did simply because I refused to call her or accept
her as my mother. Throughout my father's relationship with Julia,
I tried to make explanations for his behavior. I knew
he loved her, so I tried not to make a scene,
but it didn't seem to matter. He didn't care. When
it came down to it. He chose Julia above me,
his biological daughter, so he had the guts to come

(02:19:35):
up at my house after six years of no communication,
asking me to assist him out. Even now, I know
he was not sincerely sorry. He just apologized because he
wanted my aid, not because he truly meant it. In reaction,
I have taken precautions to protect myself. I've upgraded security
measures around my house in case he shows up again.
If he does and refuses to leave when I ask,

(02:19:57):
I will contact the cops right away. Ideally, I'd prefer
that he not show up at all, but I realized
that's wishful thinking. He's going to come back and attempt
to get me to help him again. He already has
my contact details. He had been contacting me for the
past few days, but I blocked him after a few hours.
It's been nearly five days since his visit, and I
presume he's been taking his time. However, I have a

(02:20:19):
feeling he'll come up again, just so you know. I'm
not afraid of what he may do. It's just that
I'm already emotionally spent and I don't want a long
argument with him. That is why I am taking every
precaution to avoid protracted chats and have him depart as
soon as possible. I'm hoping that when I see him again,
it won't be too emotionally draining. Update two Two days ago,

(02:20:40):
I posted here that I was confident my father would return.
Actually he did. He waited a week since our last
meeting and came up to day when I spotted him
standing outside and ringing the doorbell. I told him over
the intercom that I didn't want to speak to him.
I had just gotten home from work, so I was
exhausted and not in the mood to deal with him.
When he refused to go, I grabbed my phone, contacted

(02:21:01):
the cops and reported him for trespassing. He couldn't hear
me from inside and had no idea i'd contacted the police.
Until they arrived, he waited outside my door, beating on
it and complaining that I was being too hard on him.
He stated. Julia admitted to making everything up and that
they were both deeply remorseful for everything. He explained that
all they could do now was apologize and hope for

(02:21:22):
the best, as they couldn't go back in time to
fix things. He insisted, I give them some leniency, especially
given what they're going through. I couldn't believe that. Even
after discovering Julia had lied to him, prompting him to
kick me out, he became defensive. Rather than admitting his sins.
He was taking the entire issue so nonchalantly, which was annoying. However,
I maintained my composure and did not speak to him. Thankfully,

(02:21:45):
the cops arrived shortly because his what can we do
about it now? Attitude was really getting on my nerves.
It was especially distressing because he had wrecked his relationship
with his own daughter due to Julia's lives and still
couldn't hold her accountable. When the cops arrived, he lost
control and began yelling at me, claiming I had lost
my mind and had no right to call the cops
on my own father. I didn't care. I described the

(02:22:08):
entire thing to the cops. I doubt he will face
any charges, but I hope this teaches him a lesson.
He did not physically resist being dragged away, but he
did stare at me the entire time. I could see
he was mortified, but I didn't mind. I was so
pleased that he was being removed and that I would
no longer have to deal with him. It may sound callous,
but after today, seeing how little he appeared to care

(02:22:29):
that Julia lied and ruined our relationship, I feel validated.
What I mentioned was completely accurate. He and Julia deserved
each other, and more importantly, they earned everything that was
happening to them. Perhaps the small one didn't deserve it, though.
The only person I feel sorry for in this circumstance
is my half brother. There's not much I can do
about it but hope for the best. I sincerely hope

(02:22:51):
for the best for him, at least since I have
nothing against him. He's merely a youngster who has no
idea what his parents are like. I'm praying that he
doesn't get caught up in all of this commotion and
has to suffer as a result. If he does, he
will be the second child Julia and my father have
failed after me. Update three. After the officers took him away,

(02:23:11):
my father did not contact me for over three weeks.
Then a few days ago, I got an SMS accusing
me of being awful. The message stated that I was
a terrible person and that they regretted reaching out to
me in the first place. It stated they were ridiculous
to expect me to understand their situation because I've always
been a selfish brat who didn't care about anyone else.
According to the book, Selfishness, not Julia damaged my connection

(02:23:35):
with my father. The message came from a number I
didn't recognize, so I assumed it was my father or Julia.
It doesn't matter. That was the last I heard from them,
and they haven't contacted me again since. Interestingly, I heard
about my father and Julia again today. My uncle called
to tell me that a few cousins on my father's
side had notified him of their current position. Apparently, my

(02:23:57):
father and Julia are now living separately because he has
been when requested to leave his home, Julia's parents have
moved into care for her and the baby. According to
my uncle, my father considered leaving the infant in foster
care until they could get back on their feet. Julia
became outraged and threatened to divorce him, although he was
able to calm her down, she was still so enraged
that she had him kicked out of the house while

(02:24:18):
she healed. I find it amusing that after kicking me out,
he is now experiencing the same situation. One thing is certain,
Julia has a mental health problem. Normal people do not
behave in such extremes. That being said, I don't have
to worry about it because she's no longer in my life.
I just think it's funny that my father is going
through this, and I felt compelled to share. This is

(02:24:39):
really his karma. Now to the next story. Ten. My
father secretly took out seventy three thousand dollars in loans
under my name, ruined my credit, and left me with
the debt. Now I must decide whether to file charges.
Original post I twenty one graduated from university with my
undergrad in twenty twenty four. At the time graduating, I

(02:25:00):
thought that I had around ten thousand of federal student loans. Recently,
my mom left my emotionally abusive father, leaving just her,
me and my sibling by ourselves. I was happy at
this decision until I found out that the ten thousand
dollars of debt I thought I was in was actually
far more than that. I knew that throughout my first
year of university he had taken out some private student
loans for me. I was told by my father that

(02:25:23):
since I was only eighteen at the time, the bank
we loaned from wouldn't allow me to pull out loans
since I didn't have good credit. He told me that
he would be able to take out these student loans
under my mother's name, and that he'd pay them off
as soon as I'm done with school. I found out
recently that the loans were in fact under my name,
with my mom just as a co signer. Also that
the loans were far more than was needed to pay
for my tuition. She did not know this either. Btw,

(02:25:46):
he had taken out a total of forty eight thousand
dollars in private student loans under my name. I remember
signing for these. He did not forge my signature. When
I asked exactly what I was signing for or more
details about everything, he told me stop asking questions and
just trust me. Every time I tried to push for answers,
I got that response. I trusted him. I trusted that

(02:26:07):
he would not screw me over. I had trusted him
to help build my credit when I turned eighteen. I
found out now that he's completely messed up my credit too.
My TransUnion score is six hundred sixty nine and my
Equifax scores five hundred seventy seven. He used my tuition
money for rent and bills. I do not know what
he used the money he got from my credit cards for.

(02:26:27):
Throughout the past few years, he had convinced us that
he was making a lot of money from his job.
I now realized that he was likely lying about that
and just secretly screwing me over and my mom too,
since he's also messed up her credit. I have three
closed credit cards that are in debt. I think one
is six thousand and fifty five dollars balance two thousand,
two hundred fifty dollars credit limit with six thousand, fifty

(02:26:48):
five dollars due. The second is twelve thousand, eight hundred
sixty four dollars reported balance one thousand credit limit with
zero dollars due. Does this second one mean that I
don't have to pay off the balance? The third one
is six thousand, two hundred twenty eight dollars balance six
thousand dollars credit limit with seven hundred fourteen dollars due.
From what I have looked up, it seems like I

(02:27:08):
owe a little over thirty five thousand dollars in credit
card debt. I also know that he's messed up my
sibling's credit too, I'm not sure by how much. I
haven't had the chance to look into that. Also, I
think it's important to note that he currently owes three
different family members over two hundred thousand dollars. I found
this out this week too. Flash forward to now. I've
found out about these loans a few days ago. I

(02:27:31):
now have a total of fifty eight thousand dollars in
student loan debt in addition to my credit debt. My
first student loan payment is due in less than three weeks.
I need advice. I don't want to take legal action
against him. I don't want him to end up in jail.
He is currently helping us by paying for our rent
and car, even though my mom has left him. My
mom doesn't currently have a job, though she is looking,

(02:27:53):
and my job doesn't make nearly enough to provide for
ourselves without his help. In August, I will start a
higher paying job and possibly pick up a second job
to pay off my debt. So I could ask him
to just send me money every month instead of paying
for rent in the car. I could use that money
to help pay off the debt. As of right now,
I am not worried about my federal student loans. The

(02:28:13):
minimum payment is doable, and I will receive around fourteen
thousand dollars of tuition reimbursement in March April, so that
will help. Should I consolidate the private loans, should I refinance,
I've briefly considered filing for bankruptcy since I have no assets,
but I know that's probably a bad idea. Is there
a way for me to not have to deal with
this debt without landing him in a lot of trouble?

(02:28:34):
Relevant comments? Did OP know what they signed? Oop? It
was an electronic signature for the loan, where you use
the mouse to draw out your signature. He called me
over to sign it on his laptop. At the time,
I still thought that the money would be under my
mother's name. I also did not know how much money
it would be. Comment or won. I don't want to
take legal action against him, Okay, then you're going to

(02:28:56):
have to pay the loans or declare bankruptcy comment or two.
I don't want to take legal action against him. I
don't want him to end up in jail. You need
to get past this because he doesn't care what he
does to you, and he isn't only hurting you. He
is hurting and taking advantage of a lot of people
and is actively ruining your futures to benefit himself. He
is currently helping us by paying for our rent and

(02:29:17):
car even though my mom has left him. He isn't
helping you. He is providing just enough to hope you
don't take action against him, and the money is money
he owes you, not that he is using to support
you out of care for you and your family. He
is not helping He is using money he took from
you and others to pay for that. You are paying
for that help in the form of increasing debt, not him,

(02:29:38):
And if he doesn't face serious repercussions for his actions,
he is going to keep doing it and you will
never get out of the increasing debt. He'll continue to
saddle you and everyone else with. At the very least,
you need to make sure you and your siblings credit
is locked down now to prevent him from taking out
new cards. And loans under your names. But you really
really need to just report him to the police so
you can remove that debt. Why are you s so

(02:30:00):
worried about ruining his life when he isn't worried about
ruining the lives of you, your siblings, and everyone else
he has taken advantage of. If anyone ruins his life,
it will be him by his own actions. Update Editor's
note remove the top part of the post, as it
is a rehash of the original post. Update. After reading
all these responses and talking with some close friends of mine,

(02:30:20):
I see that the best thing to do is file
against him. I brought up the topic to my mother
last night, and she, being very religious, said no, don't
do that. God wouldn't want you to harm another person
like this, let alone your own father. She said that
she'd rather take on the private student loan debt by
refinancing and transferring it to her, but honestly, that wouldn't
remove the credit card debt, and it'd leave her with

(02:30:41):
the debt instead. I don't think that's a good choice.
I think that if I file against my dad, my
mother will kick me out. So if I file, I
will already be prepared to move out. That being said,
I currently only have two thousand dollars saved up from work,
and that will not be enough to move out on
my own. I'd need more money to get a car,
place an over Y're all survive. I just moved to

(02:31:01):
the city I am in less than a year ago,
so I don't have many people to rely on here.
My boyfriend offered to let me live at his family's house,
but I'd still need to be able to travel to
and from work, and I don't want to overstay my welcome.
I also don't have the option to move because I
have to work in the state of Florida to qualify
for my university's tuition reimbursement. In March. I have over
fourteen thousand dollars of tuition reimbursement coming in. My best

(02:31:24):
bet would be to wait till March and then leave.
It breaks my heart to do this because I could
be disowned by every person in my family, but I
can't let myself live with this debt. Prior to this,
I thought I only had ten thousand dollars worth of debt,
and with that I could have easily lived a good
life and paid it off quickly. I'm still not one
hundred percent set on this decision, but I do realize
that it is the logical thing to do. I want

(02:31:45):
to speak with my sibling to see how much debt
my father put them in, and to see if they'd
want a file two. I also want to speak with
a lawyer or someone more knowledgeable than me about this.
Does anyone have any advice based on this? Update? Update
number two in response to the comments I've gone my
mom's religious comments are obviously ridiculous, but I'm mostly looking
for help with how to file or what to expect.

(02:32:07):
I have records showing twenty three thousand dollars of refunds
went to a bank account he controlled. I didn't see
a dime of that money, and I think he used
it to pay for a vacation. NGL relevant comments. Is
it possible for OOP to find a new place or
rent near their job? Oop? I'm a substitute teacher. I
work at different schools around the county, so it wouldn't
be possible for me to get a job near work. Unfortunately,

(02:32:29):
How did Op's father get involved in OP signing the
documents with their mother? Ohop, all I did was sign
he filled out everything. Now I understand looking back that
I was stupid for signing without asking. But after some
further looking into things, I see that the amount of
money I was refunded by my school was an insane
amount and not an amount I could have spent by

(02:32:50):
myself in one semester aka twelve thousand extra refunded in
a semester where my tuition was only two thousand. He
must have used that money himself on non education related thing. Also,
the credit cards I did not sign for. I didn't
even know that you signed for credit cards. He did
that all himself. Commoner one, It sounds to me like

(02:33:10):
both your mom and your dad are in this together,
and that if you don't file against them, they will
come out ahead and you will come out behind. Commoner two.
God didn't want your mom to leave your dad either,
but she did so she doesn't have a leg to
stand on when is preaching to you. Report him to
anyone you can. Also, if you were under eighteen years old,
you can't be held responsible for any contracts. Now to

(02:33:35):
the next story. Eleven. I grew up overshadowed by the
Golden child. She tried to seduce my husband. We exposed her,
and my mother framed me refusing her faults. Hello everyone,
I need some help and maybe a place to rant.
This will be a long one, so please bear with me.
I thirty three f have always had a problematic connection

(02:33:55):
with my younger sister, Julia thirty f Julia is our
family's golden child, which has caused me grief since we
were little. Growing up, our parents always preferred Julia. She
was the beautiful, talented, and all around perfect person. Meanwhile,
I was the older sister who consistently fell short of
their expectations. My earliest memories include occasions when I felt

(02:34:17):
invisible next to her. One memory strikes out so vividly.
I was about eight years old and it was my birthday.
I'd been looking forward to it for weeks, fantasizing about
the cake, the gifts, and the attention. But as soon
as Julia entered the room, everyone's attention went to her.
She was just five at the time, but she had
a talent for stealing the show. She began singing a

(02:34:38):
song she had learned in kindergarten, and everyone applauded completely
forgetting that it was my special day. My parents didn't
notice the tears welling up in my eyes as I
watched them adore her. This was a pattern that continued
throughout our childhood. Julia received the greatest clothes, the most attention,
and all of the compliments. I recall feeling pleased of
myself after receiving a bee on a math test. However,

(02:35:00):
when I presented it to my parents, they only glanced
at it before asking Julia about her day. She had
colored a picture at school, and that was considered more impressive.
The hardest aspect was that Julia was well aware of
her position within the family. She wasn't a malevolent child,
but she knew how to use circumstances to her advantage.
If we ever fought, as siblings do, she would scream

(02:35:21):
and run to our parents, who would always support her side.
I was always the one that got scolded. Regardless of
the situation. The dynamics remained rather stable as we grew older.
Julia excelled in whatever she did. She was a straight
a student, a star athlete, and eventually a social butterfly
with a large network of friends. In contrast, I suffered

(02:35:41):
both intellectually and socially. I was shy, introverted, and had
difficulty establishing friends. Our parents frequently compared us, always adversely
to me. Why can't you be more like Julia? Was
a constant refrain in our home. High school was really stressful.
Julia was a freshman when I was a senior, and
she rapidly gained popularity. She joined the cheerleading squad, was

(02:36:03):
chosen class president, and boys wanted to date her. I
was the nerdy senior who rarely had any friends and
spent the most of his time in the library. She
seemed to be the center of my existence. One incident
from high school still bothers me. There was a major
dance coming up, and I had finally worked up the
guts to ask a boy I like to go with me.
To my astonishment and happiness, he replied yes, But a

(02:36:25):
week before the dance he canceled, claiming he had invited
someone else. Someone else turned out to be Julia. She
had no idea I had asked him, but it didn't matter.
She got to go to the dance with him, whilst
I stayed at home, devastated and alone. After high school,
I attended a local community college, while Julia received a
scholarship to a prominent university. Our parents were understandably pleased

(02:36:47):
of her, but it hurt to see how little they
cared about my accomplishments. I worked two jobs to pay
for my tuition, but Julia's expenses were covered by our parents.
They paid her many visits, attended her college functions, and
were continued positive about her progress. Meanwhile, I had to
fend for myself, both emotionally and financially. I eventually earned
a nursing degree, while Julia went to law school. By then,

(02:37:11):
I had learned not to seek my parents' approval. I
moved out, obtained a job, and attempted to establish a
life for myself, but the agony of those early years
never left me. Julia and I remained in touch, but
our connection was strained. She was always the successful, attractive sister,
but I was just myself. Fast forward a few years,
I met a beautiful man named Alex, and we married.

(02:37:33):
For the first time in my life, I felt truly
appreciated and cherished. Alex was aware of my family dynamics
and was really helpful. He helped me realize my own
worth beyond the shadows cast by my parents and sister.
We purchased a home and I began to feel like
I could finally leave the past behind. But Julia returned
to my life in an unexpected way. She had completed

(02:37:54):
law school and was working for a respected firm. She
became engaged to a man who seemed perfect in every aspect.
Our parents were ecstatic and couldn't stop talking about the
forthcoming wedding. I tried to be pleased for her, but
old feelings of inadequacy and hatred came back. Julia asked
me to be her maid of honor. I was taken aback.
We weren't friends, and I questioned why she would want

(02:38:15):
me in such an important capacity, but she insisted on
rebuilding our connection. I reluctantly consented, believing that this would
be an opportunity to repair old hurts. The wedding preparations
were a nightmare. Julia was a bridezilla, demanding and domineering.
Every choice had to go via her, and she frequently
rejected my thoughts and proposals. It was evident that she

(02:38:37):
had not changed much. She still desired to be the
center of attention, but I gritted my teeth and went
along with it, hoping to support her and even gain
some of her favor. Next came the bridal shower. It
was a spectacular event, hosted by our parents and attended
by Julia's numerous friends and colleagues. I felt out of
place and uncomfortable, but I kept a brave face. During

(02:38:58):
the event, our mother delivered to speech praising Julia to
the skies. She stated how proud they were of her
accomplishments and how attractive she appeared. I stood there, feeling
invisible yet again. But then something unexpected occurred. Julia seized
the microphone and began speaking. She thanked everyone for attending,
then turned to face me. Her response was, I want

(02:39:19):
to take a moment to acknowledge my sister, who has
always been there for me. I know I haven't always
shown it, but I appreciate everything she's done. She's strong, kind,
and an amazing person. I'm lucky to have her as
my sister. I was stunned. Julia has never publicly recognized
me like this before. Tears welled up in my eyes,
and for a little minute, I believed our relationship could alter.

(02:39:41):
Perhaps this was a tipping point. However, the goodwill was
short lived. Julia called me in a panic about a
week before her wedding. She had misplaced the family heirloom
necklace that our grandmother had given us, and she was
scheduled to wear it on her wedding day. She was hysterical,
and I dashed over to assist her in finding it.
We flipped her place upside down and still couldn't find it.

(02:40:02):
Two days later, Julia called me again, accusing me of
stealing the necklace. She claimed I must have taken it
out of jealousy. I was astonished and hurt. All I
had done was attempt to help her, and now she
was accusing me of stealing. Of course, our parents believed her,
as they usually did with Julia. I was devastated. Eventually,
Julia discovered the necklace in a drawer she had forgotten about,

(02:40:24):
but the damage had already occurred. She never apologized for
accusing me, and neither did our parents. The wedding went on,
but I felt like an outsider in my own family.
After the wedding catastrophe, Alex and I chose to concentrate
on our respective lives and families. Alex, who had always
been technologically inclined, began researching ways to make money online.

(02:40:45):
Initially it was a side venture, but he quickly discovered
a great formula and began earning thousands of dollars. Within
a year, his web projects were bringing in tens of thousands,
and our financial situation had much improved. With our newly
acquired fortune, we purchased to stunning mansion in a famous area.
Alex surprised me with a Bugatti as a symbol of
our success, and we soon had two beautiful children. Life

(02:41:08):
was great, or so it appeared. However, my parents remained
unconcerned about our accomplishments. Despite Julia's recent marital issues. They
paid her periodic visits and were more engaged in her life.
Julia had been living on her own since her marriage
ended and was struggling with her work. She had been
laid off from a top legal firm and was struggling
to make ends meet. Her jealousy grew worse when she

(02:41:29):
saw our success. She came over one day claiming to
want to reconnect and spend time with her nieces and nephew.
Initially I believed her. I assumed she was sincerely attempting
to restore our shattered relationship. However, it did not take
long to learn her genuine objectives. She started dropping up
unannounced often, when Alex was home alone, she would dress

(02:41:50):
provocatively and make subtle flirty comments to him. Alex, being
the faithful spouse he is, quickly informed me of her behavior.
We were both stunned and outraged by her conduct. Rather
than address her immediately, we devised a strategy to reveal
her true colors. We installed hidden cameras in the living
room and other public locations to catch her in the act.
It wasn't long until we obtained the evidence we required.

(02:42:12):
Julia made her move. One day, while I was supposed
to be outrunning errands. She approached Alex, placed her hand
on his arm, and whispered provocative things into his ear.
Come on, Alex, she said, you deserve someone who truly
appreciates you, someone like me. Alex played along just long
enough to keep her talking. Julia, you need to stop.

(02:42:33):
I love my wife and this is incredibly inappropriate, but
Julia persisted, leaning closer. She doesn't have to know. It'll
be our little secret. That was the moment we'd been
waiting for. Alex forcibly pushed her away, saying, Julia, I'm serious.
You need to leave. This is wrong on so many levels.
We documented the entire event on camera. With the proof

(02:42:55):
in hand, we decided to take action. First, we convened
a family meeting, which included Julia's husband, who had been
unaware of her activities. When everyone had gathered, we showed
the video. The room was silent. As the video aired,
Julia's husband's face became red with rage, and my parents
were completely astonished. The video concluded with a tense silence

(02:43:17):
before Julia's husband stood up. Julia, how could you, after everything,
you try to seduce your own sister's husband. His voice
was full of surprise and hurt. Julia stammered, attempting to
come up with an excuse, but there was no disputing
what we had witnessed. Our parents looked at her, disappointed
and disgusted. Julia. We trusted you, We always believed you

(02:43:38):
were the better daughter, but this, this is beyond forgiveness,
my mother replied, her voice cracking. My dad shook his head.
You've brought shame to our family. I don't even know
who you are anymore. Julia's husband promptly filed for divorce.
He left that same day, accompanied by their two children.
My parents, who had always elevated Julia to a pedestal

(02:43:59):
were four to confront the truth of her behavior. They
moved away from her, unable to look at her in
the same manner again. Julia's world came crashing down. She
has lost her husband, her children, and the support of
our parents. She tried to reach out to me, but
I couldn't bring myself to forgive her that readily. The
scars were too fresh and the treachery was too severe.

(02:44:20):
Alex and I continued to construct our lives together stronger
than ever. Julia's betrayal, however terrible, had eventually brought us together.
We knew we could handle anything as long as we
had each other. Life went on, but the scars from
the past remained. My parents, who had always preferred Julia,
struggled to accept her conduct. They visited less frequently, and

(02:44:41):
when they did, it was evident that they were still
dealing with their disappointment. They attempted to appear normal, but
the strain was evident. Julia, on the other hand, was
attempting to gather up the pieces of her broken existence.
She had lost her work and was struggling financially. Her
attempts to reconnect with her husband had been unsuccessful, and
he had filed for full custody of their children. She

(02:45:02):
was alone and desperate. One day, she appeared at our door,
looking more ragged and broken than I had ever seen her.
She pleaded with me to let her in so she
could explain. Despite my better judgment, I agreed. She sat
at our kitchen table, tears flowing down her cheeks, admitting everything.
I'm so sorry, she wailed. I've been jealous of you

(02:45:22):
for so long. I saw how happy you were, how successful,
and I couldn't stand it. I thought if I could
take Alex away, i'd feel better. But I was wrong.
I've lost everything. Her words struck me hard. For so long,
I had regarded Julia as the favored one, the one
who had everything. I never realized how deep her insecurities went.

(02:45:43):
I felt sympathy and hatred, but mostly I was tired,
tired of the drama, the suffering, and the never ending
cycle of rivalry and animosity. I don't know what to say, Julia,
I said, You've hurt me in ways I can't even
begin to describe. But I can't keep living with this anger.
It's poisoning me, and it's poisoning our family. Julia nodded,

(02:46:04):
tears still running down her cheeks. I understand. I don't
expect you to forgive me right away. I just I
just wanted you to know how sorry I am. We
sat quietly for a while, the weight of our common
history hanging thick in the air. Julia eventually went, leaving
me to my own thoughts. Could I ever really forgive her?
Could we ever get past this? In the weeks that followed,

(02:46:26):
I concentrated on my family and my personal recovery. Alex
was a rock for me every step of the process.
We discussed Julia, the past, and what the future might hold.
I slowly began to let go of some of my
anger and bitterness. I recognized that holding on to it
was not benefiting anyone, least of all myself. Julia continued
to struggle, but she started to make changes. She began

(02:46:49):
going to therapy, getting a job, and rebuilding her relationship
with her kids. It wasn't easy, and there were failures
along the road, but she was making an effort, which
was something My parents remained distant. The golden child had
fallen and they had no idea how to deal with it.
They continued to see Julia on occasion, but it was
evident that nothing would ever be the same. They came

(02:47:10):
to see us less and less, and when they did,
the tension was evident. It seemed as if they didn't
know how to interact to me without the usual dynamic
of favoritism. One sunny afternoon, as I watched my children
play in our lovely garden, I realized something profound. Despite everything,
I was content. I had a nice husband, wonderful children,
and a life I was pleased with. Julia's axe had

(02:47:33):
been painful, but they had also brought me to a
place of strength and resilience. In the end, life continued.
The scars of the past would never be completely healed,
but they did not have to define the future. Julia
and I started to restore our connection gradually and cautiously.
It wasn't perfect and never will be, but it was
a start. For the time being, I've decided to focus

(02:47:54):
on the now in the future. The past had its purpose,
but it no longer kept me captive. Alex and I
can continued to create a life together, full of love, laughter,
and the occasional struggle. Our beautiful home exceeded all of
our expectations. The mansion was huge, beautiful, and ideal for
raising a family. The children enjoyed their new rooms and
the wide backyard where they could play. Alex and I

(02:48:16):
were happier than ever, and for a while it appeared
that we had put the turmoil behind. Part three, an
unexpected turn, life seems to have settled into a peaceful rhythm.
Julia and I worked hard on our relationship, and it
gradually began to improve. She apologized sincerely, and I noticed
a true improvement in her behavior. We began meeting for coffee,

(02:48:37):
discussing our lives, and even planned family outings together. It
was a relief to finally feel like I had a
sister I could count on. Meanwhile, Alex's career sword He
accepted an early retirement option from his software employer, which
came with a large compensation. We were now financially secure,
beyond our wildest expectations, and Alex was excited to spend

(02:48:57):
more time with the family and work on personal projects. However,
the piece we had worked so hard for was quickly broken.
My mother, who had always preferred Julia, appeared reluctant to
accept the changes in our family dynamic. She couldn't get
the suspicion that I had set Julia up with the
video evidence. The thought persisted in her head, and she
became increasingly aloof and hostile. One morning, while I was

(02:49:19):
preparing breakfast, the cops appeared at our door with a
search warrant. They discovered other items in our garage that
I had never seen before, including pieces from a stolen
car that had been reported missing months before. I was
stunned as they handcuffed me and hauled me into custody.
I kept thinking that it was a terrible mistake. Alex,
who was on a business trip, rushed home as soon
as he received the news. He quickly engaged one of

(02:49:42):
the top criminal defense attorneys in the country, Rachel Hargrove,
a talented but pricey barrister. Rachel assured us that she
would get to the bottom of things and clear my name.
The court date arrived soon. Rachel worked tirelessly in the
days leading up to the trial, going over every detail
and questioning every but who may provide information. During our investigations,

(02:50:03):
we discovered the awful truth my own mother had planned
the entire plot. Apparently, my mother had underworld friends who
helped her obtain the stolen car parts. She had planted
them in our garage, attempting to tarnish my reputation and,
in her warped manner, teach me a lesson for what
she saw as my betrayal of Julia. She refused to
recognize that her golden child was at fault, instead believing

(02:50:25):
that I was the manipulator. The trial was tough. The
prosecution presented their case, convinced that they had sufficient evidence
to convict me, but Rachel was prepared. She provided irrefutable
evidence that the car parts had been installed in our
garage without our knowledge. She also called a witness, one
of my mother's accomplices, who claimed that my mother had
coordinated the entire operation. It barely took the jury two

(02:50:48):
hours to deliberate. They judged me not guilty of all accusations.
I was free, but the ordeal had left a lasting scar.
My mother, however, was not so fortunate. The judge sentenced
heard of five years in jail for fraud and conspiracy.
The judge made it clear that her conduct were both
illegal and morally abhorrent. The court room became hushed as
the verdict was read. My mother's expression was one of

(02:51:11):
shock and rage. She never expected her scheme would fail,
so spectacularly. As they dragged her away, she gave me
a hateful look. It was a sad moment, but I
knew justice had been done. Following the trial, our family
was left to pick up the pieces. Julia was horrified
by our mother's behavior and suffered from emotions of guilt
and humiliation. She relied on me for support, and for

(02:51:33):
the first time, I felt like the elder sister, the protector.
Alex and I took some time to recover from our tragedy.
We spent more time with our children, making positive memories
and ensuring they felt safe and loved. Our bond grew deeper,
and we recognized that no matter what obstacles we faced,
we'd always have each other. Julia, determined to atone for
our mother's sins, worked tirelessly to reconstruct her life. She

(02:51:56):
acquired a new job and began dating again. She stayed
close to us, enjoying the family support she had previously
taken for granted. My father struggled to accept my mother's infidelity.
He had always been more passive, matching her powerful demeanor,
but this occurrence shocked him to the core. He paid
her a visit in prison, but their connection remained difficult

(02:52:17):
and distant. Life ultimately discovered a new normal. Our family
gatherings were tiny, but they were full of true love
and connection. We honestly discussed the past, our faults, and
the lessons we'd learned. It wasn't flawless, but it was authentic,
which was enough. Through it all, Alex was my rock.
His constant encouragement and affection kept me going even on

(02:52:38):
the worst days. His early retirement allowed Dad to spend
more time with us, and he launched a new business
that matched his technical knowledge with his desire to serve others.
We shifted our focus to the future, instilling new traditions
and ensuring our children grew up in a loving and
supportive atmosphere. The past would continue to be a part
of our tale, but it no longer defined us. Five

(02:52:59):
years had gone since the traumatic circumstances that led to
my mother's imprisonment. Throughout those years, our lives gradually returned
to a state of normalcy. Alex and I continued to prosper,
Our children grew up happy and loved, and Julia became
a vital part of our family. Having entirely repaired our
previously shattered connection. Despite the anguish of the past, we

(02:53:19):
were able to construct a tranquil and pleasant existence. Our
family gatherings, while smaller, were filled with laughter and genuine connection.
We frequently reminisced on the past, appreciating the lessons learned
and the strength we found in one another. However, the
serenity we had established was shattered once more when my
mother was freed from prison. She had served her sentence,

(02:53:39):
but her bitterness and animosity had not subsided. She was
a different woman, now elderly and virtually blind, but her
hatred for me had grown even deeper. Unbeknownst to us,
my mother was scheming her retribution. She believed I had
destroyed her life and wanted to hold me accountable. One
fateful day, she took a shotgun from a nearby farm
and started out to get me. Her objective was to

(02:54:00):
catch me off surprise and take my life. I had
no notion how dangerous the situation was. It was a
bright afternoon and I had taken the kids to the park.
Alex was out running errands while Julia was at work.
I was sitting on a bench watching my children play
when I suddenly felt a searing pain. I turned to
see my mother standing a few feet away, her shotgun

(02:54:21):
pointed directly at me. Her expression was a mix of
wrath and determination. She screamed something incoherent and fired several
bullets in rapid succession, despite her fading eyesight and weak hands.
Two rounds reached their target. One impacted me in the buttocks,
while the other damaged my right leg. The pain was intense,
and I collapsed to the floor, unable to move. Bystanders

(02:54:42):
phoned the police after they heard gunfire. When my mother
saw the commotion and realized her plan had failed, she
attempted to run, but was swiftly captured by authorities. She
was detained and eventually charged with attempted murder, which resulted
in a ten year prison sentence. I was brought to
the hospital and had surgery to remove the bullets fix
the damage. The doctors told Alex and Julia that I

(02:55:03):
would recover completely, but the physical and emotional scars would
take a long time to heal. Throughout my three week
hospital stay, Alex never left my side. He was my rock,
offering constant support and strength. Julia came every day, bringing
me my favorite delicacies and lifting my spirits with her stories.
And laughs. Their devotion and dedication were the pillars that

(02:55:23):
helped me get through the hardest times. During those long,
peaceful hours in the hospital, I had plenty of time
to think about all that had transpired. My mother's actions
left me feeling shocked and betrayed, which was significant. I
couldn't comprehend how she let her anger for me consume
her to the point that she attempted to kill me.
Despite the anguish and bewilderment, there was a strong sense
of appreciation. I was alive and I had a loving

(02:55:46):
family who supported me through thick and thin. Writing this
piece is my way of absorbing what has transpired. It's
a chance for me to express my gratitude to every
one who has helped me along the path, who has
offered encouraging words when I needed them the most. Your
support has meant everything to me. The atmosphere in the
court room was tight during my mother's trial. The prosecution

(02:56:06):
provided information about her crime, and the evidence against her
was overwhelming. My mother sat there a shell of her
former self, but the rage and bitterness in her eyes
were clear. She displayed no sorrow, only icy determination, which
exacerbated the already awful situation. The jury did not take
long to deliberate. Given the clear evidence of her deliberate actions,

(02:56:27):
they convicted her of attempted murder. The judge sentenced her
to life in prison, highlighting the gravity of her conduct
and the breach of trust in our family. As she
was carried away, I felt a mixture of relief and sadness.
This was my mother, the woman who once looked after me,
now damned by her own hatred and actions. Life after
the trial was a lengthy process of recovery. The physical

(02:56:49):
wounds began to heal, but the emotional scars were deeper.
Alex was great throughout it all, his constant support and love,
providing me the strength I required. He balanced his work
and caring for the chick children, ensuring that they understood
what had happened in a way that preserved their innocence.
Julia was similarly amazing. Despite her own troubled connection with
our mother, she supported me and offered comfort and understanding.

(02:57:12):
She had really changed, and our friendship was stronger than ever.
We relied on one another, finding solace in our common
experiences and hope for a brighter future. During my recovery,
Alex and I had many long chats about our lives
and our goals for the future. We choose to focus
on providing a stable, loving atmosphere for our children, making
them feel safe and valued. Our house became a haven

(02:57:34):
for laughter, love, and the warmth of family. The community's
support was overwhelming. Friends, neighbors, and even strangers sent warm
words and gestures. It reminded me of people's goodness and
helped me restore my trust in humanity. I received numerous
comments from people who had followed our tale, expressing their
encouragement and sharing their own stories of overcoming adversity. Three

(02:57:56):
weeks after the incident, I felt strong enough to compose
this post a chance for me to express my gratitude
to everyone who has helped me along the path, who
has offered encouraging words when I needed them the most.
Your support has meant everything to me. Most of all,
I'd like to thank my husband, Alex and my sister Julia. Alex,
You've been my rock, my strength, and my greatest love.

(02:58:18):
Your constant support and love have helped me get through
the toughest moments. Julia, You've taught me what true forgiveness
and redemption look like. Our bond has never been stronger,
and I am grateful every day for the sister you
have become. Life is unexpected and the future is constantly unknown.
But with the love and support of those that matter most,
I'm confident I can tackle whatever comes my way. Thank

(02:58:40):
you for taking part in my adventure. As I look ahead,
I am filled with hope. My mother's acts, however painful,
did not break me. They have helped me become stronger
and more resilient. I am resolved to live a life
filled with love, kindness, and compassion, and to instill in
my children the value of forgiveness and family. Thank you

(02:59:05):
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