Up next in 10
My Family Tried to Force Me Back With My Ex... While I Was Pregnant | Reddit Unheard Stories
0 views
Jul 20, 2025
#redditrelationship #aita #redditstories My Family Tried to Force Me Back With My Ex... While I Was Pregnant | Reddit Unheard Stories There are some family "interventions" that cross every imaginable line. When I agreed to a seemingly innocent lunch at my mom’s house, I didn’t expect to walk into a trap — one involving my estranged sister, my ex-fiancé, and a delusional plan to strip my husband of his parental rights… all because I was pregnant. This is the story of how my family’s obsession with my ex nearly destroyed everything I’ve built — and how I chose to protect my peace, my husband, and my baby at all costs. From six years of no contact, to my father divorcing my mother, to taking legal action against my own family, this story is a rollercoaster of manipulation, healing, and strength. 💬 Share your thoughts below — has your family ever crossed a line you couldn’t forgive? 👶🏽 Trigger Warnings: Family Estrangement, Emotional Manipulation, Pregnancy-Related Stress, Stalking 🔔 Subscribe for more real stories and healing journeys.
View Video Transcript
0:00
There are certain invitations in life
0:01
you just know deep in your gut are bad
0:04
news, a whisper of dread, a prickle on
0:07
your skin. A few weeks ago, that sixth
0:10
sense screamed at me when my mom invited
0:12
me over for lunch. But despite every
0:15
fiber of my being urging me to decline,
0:18
a lingering hope for normaly, for family
0:21
pulled me in. I visited anyway.
0:25
The moment I walked through the door,
0:27
the air congealed with an unspoken
0:29
tension. My eyes immediately landed on
0:32
two figures I hadn't expected. Two
0:34
ghosts from a painful past. My sister,
0:37
whom I'd gone no contact with 6 years
0:39
ago, and my ex- fiance Liam, who I also
0:43
broke up with 6 years ago.
0:45
The setup was instant, glaring,
0:48
undeniable.
0:49
I knew exactly what they were trying to
0:51
accomplish. My heart hammered against my
0:53
ribs. a desperate drum beat urging me to
0:56
escape.
0:57
I turned to walk out, but my sister's
1:00
husband, a broad-shouldered man with a
1:02
deceptively calm demeanor, blocked the
1:04
doorway. "Sit down," he said, his voice
1:07
low, firm. "For your own sake." A minute
1:11
later, my sister Lily spoke, and what
1:14
came out of her mouth was so utterly
1:15
unhinged, so far beyond the realm of
1:18
sane human interaction that I actually
1:20
doubled over in laughter. a raw,
1:23
incredulous cackle that bordered on
1:25
hysterical.
1:26
She declared that after hearing the
1:28
news, meaning my pregnancy, they all
1:30
felt I was making a profound mistake. It
1:33
was their solemn duty, she announced, to
1:36
prove that my ex, Liam, was the right
1:38
man for me. But it didn't stop there.
1:42
Oh, no. The true piesta resistance of
1:45
their delusional plan was that once my
1:47
baby was born, my husband, the man I
1:50
loved and who had been my unwavering
1:52
rock, should sign over his parental
1:54
rights to my ex, I didn't even get a
1:56
chance to respond.
1:58
Lily, with a self-righteous flourish,
2:01
began reading a saccharine pre-written
2:03
letter. It droned on about how Liam was
2:06
always the man for me, and how I had
2:09
torn our family apart by choosing not to
2:11
marry him years ago.
2:14
Perhaps 5 minutes into this agonizing
2:16
monologue, my brother Marcus arrived.
2:19
The air in the room, already thick with
2:21
manipulation, crackled with his fury. He
2:24
was angry beyond anything I've ever seen
2:26
before. Without a word, he stroed over,
2:29
grabbed my bag, and then, his voice
2:31
cutting through Lily's droning. He
2:33
looked at them all, his face a mask of
2:36
disgust. I am deeply disappointed and
2:38
disgusted in your actions," he stated,
2:41
his voice trembling with barely
2:42
contained rage. He practically hauled me
2:44
outside. We sat in his car, the silence
2:48
a stark contrast to the madness we just
2:50
escaped.
2:51
By then, I was just sobbing, the
2:54
adrenaline finally crashing, leaving me
2:56
rung out and vulnerable.
2:59
Marcus just kept saying, "I'm so sorry."
3:02
His hand rubbing my back in gentle
3:04
circles. I'm still unsure what exactly
3:07
transpired in that house after we left.
3:09
What volcanic argument erupted, but I
3:12
knew what I had to do. That night, with
3:14
a trembling resolve, I sent everybody
3:17
except my mom an email. Attached was my
3:20
lawyer's contact information and a
3:21
clear, concise statement. I do not wish
3:24
to be contacted by any of you ever
3:26
again. If you do, I will go to the
3:29
police. No one has contacted me directly
3:31
since, but I know from my dad that my
3:34
mom and Lily are hysterical.
3:36
They've been crying, raging, declaring
3:39
their fervent hope to repair things and
3:42
for Lily to be able to be in my baby's
3:44
life, perhaps even being a godmother.
3:47
My dad is staying with Marcus at the
3:49
moment, both of them staunchly on my
3:51
side. But some others in the family, the
3:53
more periphery members, are not. I've
3:56
even had mutual friends call me
3:58
genuinely worried about Lily's
3:59
well-being, asking me what happened.
4:03
Apparently, she's now spinning a
4:04
narrative that my husband is keeping me
4:06
away from my family. I despise having my
4:10
personal business aired in public, but
4:12
their lies and manipulation left me no
4:14
choice. I took the public route. I
4:17
posted a lengthy Facebook update about
4:19
everything that happened, screenshots
4:20
and all. Lily, her husband, and Liam are
4:23
being dragged through the mud online,
4:26
which even if it wasn't 100% intended, I
4:29
feel is entirely deserved. I started
4:31
dating Liam, my brother's best friend,
4:33
when I was 16. We were together through
4:35
high school, a sweet, innocent first
4:37
love. But when he proposed right after
4:40
graduation, I rejected it. I knew even
4:43
then with the clarity of youth that he
4:45
wasn't my forever.
4:48
This decision caused a massive eruption
4:50
within my family.
4:51
There was immense drama with everyone,
4:54
it seemed, urging me to reconsider.
4:57
You could have a long engagement, they
4:59
pleaded. Make a promise to reconcile. My
5:02
relationship with my brother Marcus,
5:04
who's 36, suffered for a while, a
5:07
strained silence hanging between us. But
5:10
the one with my sister Lily, who's 32,
5:13
never recovered.
5:15
She was absolutely convinced that Liam
5:17
was the best fit for me, my soulmate, my
5:20
destiny.
5:22
She became utterly unbearable,
5:24
especially when she started dating
5:26
Liam's brother, adding another layer of
5:29
unsettling proximity to the entire
5:31
situation. Liam was still invited
5:32
everywhere by my siblings, even to some
5:35
family holidays.
5:37
I didn't say anything, biting my tongue,
5:39
telling myself he was their friend, too,
5:41
and it wasn't my place to dictate their
5:43
friendships. That is, until Lily started
5:46
to actively, relentlessly push for us to
5:49
get back together.
5:51
She did everything, trying to set us up
5:53
on blind dates, cunningly arranging for
5:56
us to share a room during family
5:58
holidays, ensuring Liam was invited to
6:01
every single occasion, no matter how
6:03
small or intimate. After a while, I'd
6:06
had enough. I was exhausted by her
6:08
schemes, by the constant pressure. I
6:12
finally asked my parents to intervene.
6:14
They were clear with my siblings. Stop
6:16
inviting Liam to things. Stop allowing
6:19
him to tag along so much. It got
6:21
slightly better. While Marcus, to his
6:23
credit, backed off, Lily didn't. Not
6:26
really. She just got more subtle, more
6:28
insidious in her attempts. It all came
6:30
to a crashing halt when I met my now
6:32
husband, David, during a semester
6:34
abroad.
6:36
He was from another university, but the
6:38
same country, and we just clicked. It
6:41
was magical for me, a love that felt
6:44
effortless and pure, devoid of the toxic
6:47
undercurrents I'd grown accustomed to.
6:50
We got engaged after dating for a year.
6:52
My family surprisingly was very happy
6:55
for me, showering me with
6:57
congratulations and well-wishes.
6:59
All except my sister.
7:02
She kept insisting I was in the
7:03
honeymoon phase and would eventually
7:05
grow out of it. A bitter mantra she
7:07
repeated endlessly. I clearly didn't.
7:10
And after many, many, many, I cannot
7:12
express enough how many fights and
7:14
relentless attempts to reunite me with
7:16
Liam, I simply let her know. I gave her
7:19
a final unequivocal warning. If she
7:22
pulled anything like that again, I would
7:25
stop talking to her. What did she do
7:27
after that clear warning, she made me a
7:29
bridesmaid.
7:31
And then, with breathtaking audacity,
7:34
she requested I spend all my time with
7:36
the bridal party, which of course
7:38
included Liam. And to top it all off,
7:41
she set up one of her friends as my
7:43
husband's date for the wedding. We
7:45
didn't realize the extent of her
7:47
sabotage until we were at the reception
7:49
and the poor unsuspecting girl tried to
7:52
make a pass at David. When I confronted
7:54
Lily, her chilling response was that
7:57
since we are not married, it was okay to
8:00
explore things with other people.
8:03
The sheer callousness of it, the blatant
8:05
disrespect for my relationship was a
8:07
final shattering blow. I left the party
8:09
immediately.
8:11
The next day, I spoke with my parents
8:13
and Marcus. I explained calmly but
8:15
firmly that while I wouldn't make them
8:17
choose, I would not talk to Lily ever
8:19
again. And if they tried to fix things
8:22
between us, if they mediated or
8:24
pressured me, I would simply cut contact
8:26
with them, too. My mom was devastated,
8:30
pleading, trying to negotiate. But my
8:32
dad and Marcus, seeing the unwavering
8:35
resolve in my eyes, said they would
8:37
respect my decision.
8:39
And apart from two attempts from my mom
8:41
early on, I haven't spoken, written, or
8:44
had any contact with Lily in the past 6
8:46
years. My sister has tried everything to
8:48
reconcile with me over these years.
8:50
Lavish gifts, dramatic tantrums, tearful
8:53
please.
8:55
But I simply don't talk to her at all.
8:58
If we're at a family event or dinner, I
9:00
act as if she doesn't exist.
9:03
At first, she made snarky comments,
9:05
tried to create drama, but since nobody
9:08
backed her up, since no one gave her the
9:10
validation she craved, she eventually
9:12
gave up. She did have a meltdown, a
9:15
truly spectacular one, when she was
9:17
informed she was invited to my wedding,
9:20
but would not be part of any
9:21
preparation.
9:23
Marcus says he feels incredibly guilty
9:25
for going along with their schemes for
9:27
so long, and his relationship with Liam
9:29
has suffered since.
9:31
They still talk, but they are not as
9:33
close anymore.
9:35
The toxicity has finally started to
9:37
spread through their friendships, too.
9:39
So, the state of my family so far. After
9:42
the intervention lunch and my subsequent
9:44
post, things escalated rapidly. I had a
9:48
conversation with my mother, who instead
9:50
of showing remorse, doubled down on her
9:52
delusion. She insists she knows best
9:56
that I am a bad person and that she will
9:58
be getting grandparent rights or even
10:01
custody of my child. I don't know what
10:04
bizarre legal advice she's receiving,
10:07
but I still panicked at the sheer
10:09
audacity of it. So, we sent her a formal
10:12
letter about it, a legal warning shot.
10:14
My dad, bless his heart, moved out
10:17
definitively.
10:19
He told my mom in no uncertain terms
10:21
that he could not sign on to her
10:23
terrorizing his kid. Marcus and his wife
10:26
also decided to go no contact with her.
10:29
I know it seems very sudden this mass
10:31
exodus, but I think I had underestimated
10:34
the level of despair and fury that my
10:36
brother and father felt after witnessing
10:38
that horrifying intervention attempt. My
10:41
husband David had spoken to them
10:43
afterward, telling them they had to
10:45
think very carefully about what they
10:46
truly appreciated in life to be kind and
10:49
receptive to everything, but that we
10:51
would not raise a kid in a toxic
10:53
environment.
10:55
This is one of the 32,716
10:58
337 reasons why I love my husband. He is
11:01
unwavering in his moral compass. David
11:04
is heartbroken about my mom and her
11:05
fakeness, her cruel deception.
11:09
He says she will never get anything from
11:10
him as much as revenge goes. He and
11:13
Lily's husband, who to his credit, seems
11:16
to be re-evaluating his alliances after
11:18
that lunch, even talked to my
11:20
mother-in-law about her initial
11:21
comments, doubting my story and made her
11:24
understand why it was very out of line.
11:27
As many of you assumed, she is a very
11:30
loving mom from a loving family. And
11:32
once she had the full picture, she was
11:34
nothing but supportive.
11:37
My dad and Marcus keep apologizing for
11:39
any role they played in this extended
11:40
nightmare.
11:42
My dad can't believe it went to this
11:44
point. He says it is still surreal for
11:46
him. Regardless, they support me no
11:49
matter what and say they are willing to
11:52
help me fight whatever ridiculous legal
11:53
battle my mom or Lily try to instigate.
11:56
Marcus and his wife sat my nephews down
11:58
and with age appropriate care explained
12:01
that grandma was ill and had tried to
12:04
hurt Auntie Diamond and the little
12:06
cousin. They explained that Grandma
12:08
would not be part of their lives
12:10
anymore, but that doesn't mean she
12:12
doesn't love them.
12:14
It was really hard, but the kids are
12:16
smart. They were also told their other
12:19
aunt, Lily, was no longer in their life,
12:22
but surprisingly they don't seem to care
12:24
as much. Not just because of me, but
12:27
simply because she isn't exactly great
12:29
with them either. Often absorbed in her
12:31
own drama. My mom lost it when she was
12:33
informed about this. Claiming she had
12:35
rights and would get to see her
12:36
grandchildren, another empty threat. My
12:39
dad is actively looking for a permanent
12:41
place, but will stay with us until
12:42
January, mainly due to Marcus'
12:45
mother-in-law coming to visit and us
12:46
having the space. He is really sad. has
12:50
called divorce lawyers, already moved
12:52
bank accounts, and done everything
12:54
necessary to disentangle his life from
12:56
my mother's. He has been getting
12:58
countless emails, messages, and calls
13:00
from my mom, but he doesn't reply to
13:02
anything.
13:04
His lawyer advised him not to block her
13:06
right now to keep a record. He even
13:09
considered forgiving her for a fleeting
13:11
moment. But then a couple of days after
13:13
my last post here, I got a huge spike in
13:16
my blood pressure because she decided to
13:18
come to my place with Lily. Lily had
13:20
never even been to my home before. My
13:23
mom knew I didn't want her there. But I
13:26
guess that doesn't matter to her
13:27
anymore. My cleaning lady, who has been
13:29
with us for decades and knows my mom,
13:32
let them in as I hadn't had the chance
13:34
to inform her she was no longer allowed.
13:37
I was just coming home from some errands
13:39
and saw their car.
13:41
This time I didn't even get out. I
13:45
called all of my relatives and David's
13:47
sister was the closest. She confronted
13:49
them, told them they either leave or I
13:51
call the police for trespassing. They
13:53
left.
13:55
I started feeling unwell and we went to
13:57
the doctor. They told me all the
13:59
excitement and stress were not good for
14:00
the baby and I needed to start relaxing
14:03
or it would hurt the baby. My dad went
14:05
home with Marcus, my uncle, and David,
14:07
and took every single thing he could
14:09
think of from the house.
14:11
David says Lily was there, too,
14:13
screaming at him that he had destroyed
14:15
her family.
14:17
My dad, with a calm fury, told my mom
14:20
and Lily that they almost killed the
14:21
baby and that he also didn't want to
14:24
talk to any of them ever again. Lily
14:27
kept sending messages to Marcus, begging
14:29
for help, but it's not happening. I am
14:32
devastated and very sad for my nephew
14:35
since he is losing so much of his family
14:37
because his mother has some wacky ideas.
14:39
But it is what it is. As per the custody
14:42
and grandparent rights my mom wants to
14:43
throw around so much, my lawyer sent her
14:46
a letter stating she caused harm to my
14:48
health and the baby and if she keeps
14:50
harassing me, it will become an official
14:52
legal matter. Marcus also sent her a
14:54
letter using her harassment of me as the
14:56
legal basis. Both mom and Lily have
14:59
refused to go to therapy. They might be
15:01
mentally ill, but with all of this
15:03
coming to light, it is obvious they have
15:06
been in agreement, a twisted pact for a
15:09
very long time. I will focus on spending
15:12
the holidays with my actual family being
15:15
healthy and continuing therapy. We all,
15:18
Marcus, David, Dad, and even David's
15:21
family, changed our numbers, got new
15:23
electronics, and notified employers,
15:26
friends, and the police.
15:28
We also started therapy, both individual
15:31
and family therapy.
15:33
My dad and Marcus feel extreme guilt
15:35
over the situation, even if I have truly
15:38
forgiven them. But we are healing as a
15:40
unit, rebuilding our foundation on trust
15:43
and respect. My sister and mom insist
15:46
they are not wrong and don't need
15:48
therapy. My dad made a new will in which
15:51
my sister's son gets a trust fund and
15:52
some inheritance, but Lily herself gets
15:55
only a token amount.
15:57
He is truly done with her. A final
16:00
definitive severing of ties. I initially
16:03
felt bad for her, but I decided to focus
16:05
my energy on my baby.
16:07
She is here now. A beautiful tiny
16:10
blessing, and we are so grateful.
16:13
It's not the experience I thought I'd
16:15
have with my mom not around, but so many
16:18
friends and family members have truly
16:20
surprised us with their love and
16:21
support. By the end, we were so paranoid
16:24
about who might still be feeding info to
16:26
my mom and Lily that we started testing
16:28
some people we were unsure of, telling
16:30
them I was going into labor at odd
16:32
times. It worked like a charm.
16:35
We discovered who was still leaking
16:37
information and cut them out. The rest
16:39
understood when we explained the
16:40
reasoning behind our extreme measures.
16:43
My ex, whom my friends now
16:45
affectionately call Bates, as in Norman
16:47
Bates for his creepy obsession, went
16:50
around saying the baby was his, claiming
16:52
we'd been having a torid affair due to
16:54
my undying love for him. Nobody believes
16:57
him anymore, but it still made David
16:59
contact Bates's employer and tell them
17:01
about all the craziness. Long story
17:04
short, Bates was put on suspension
17:05
pending an internal review. I'm almost
17:08
positive he will be fired as they've
17:10
asked us for more and more information
17:12
and seem genuinely apologetic. My mom
17:14
has tried to find us, but all the people
17:16
who know of our new location have gone
17:19
no contact with her. My dad's lawyer
17:22
sent her a letter stating that due to
17:23
her instability, all correspondence will
17:26
now be through lawyers. It has been just
17:29
us and my dad because I felt so bad for
17:32
him being alone through all of this.
17:34
He has promised he will be fine and that
17:36
nothing is my fault. But I still feel
17:39
awful for what he's gone through.
17:42
He has been the best babysitter, feeder,
17:45
diaper changer in the universe, an
17:47
absolute champion.
17:49
My nephews are loving as always, and my
17:51
dad even got a visit with Lily's son. It
17:54
came about because she kept making
17:56
videos threatening to hurt herself if
17:58
David didn't stop alienating her family.
18:00
So, my dad emailed her about seeing her
18:02
son and told her he would call the
18:04
police about her threats, which seems to
18:07
have stopped that particular line of
18:08
manipulation. Lastly, someone brought up
18:11
that I had given Bates false hope in the
18:13
past. It couldn't be further from the
18:15
truth. I spent years uncomfortable,
18:18
thinking he would just move on.
18:21
Then, after I finally spoke up and met
18:23
David, I spent such a long time fighting
18:26
Lily about him. I even had a very long
18:29
engagement with David, which is why I
18:31
married after Lily.
18:33
I still love my mom and sister, the idea
18:36
of them, the memories of a healthier
18:38
past. But I choose a healthy life for me
18:41
and my family over that toxic love. We
18:44
officially moved into a new house with
18:46
my dad moving into the guest house. We
18:49
had many discussions both in and outside
18:51
therapy, and we decided that while it
18:53
would be good for him to be with us, we
18:55
all still need our space.
18:58
We are still renting out the old place
18:59
and will be deciding what to do later.
19:02
My dad has the grandchildren altogether
19:04
about three times a week now. He still
19:07
has to see Lily's kids separately since
19:09
she refused to let him take the kids
19:11
unless she knew where he lived, which to
19:13
be fair is a normal thing. But
19:15
considering she is crazy, we don't want
19:18
her anywhere near our new home. My mom
19:21
complained to the lawyers about how
19:22
unfair it is that my dad still gets to
19:24
see all the grandchildren, but there is
19:26
nothing she can do about it. About a
19:28
month ago, my dad told me he had a
19:31
confession and my stomach started
19:32
hurting. Dear reader, he pays for my
19:35
nephews Lily's son's schooling and
19:38
babysitting, which is why she still
19:40
allows him to see him. He felt so guilty
19:43
for hiding it and didn't want to keep
19:45
secrets from us.
19:47
I assured him it was nothing wrong and
19:49
to please not feel bad. He was doing it
19:52
for his grandson, a noble act despite
19:55
Lily's actions.
19:57
On Mother's Day, my dad got an email
20:00
with a link to an Instagram account. It
20:03
was a pathetic, rageinducing, sad video
20:05
about my mom and how most of her family
20:08
has abandoned her and how much of a
20:10
Saint Lily is for being there for her. I
20:13
just sent it to the lawyer. My dad
20:16
officially filed for divorce in May, and
20:18
the process is still ongoing.
20:21
My mom insists he is wrong, but my dad
20:24
said he'd rather drink bleach than go
20:25
back to her, so I think that is final.
20:28
Marcus and David took my dad out for
20:29
Father's Day and had a blast. Lily
20:32
posted many, many, many things that day
20:34
trying to provoke, but they managed to
20:36
block my dad from even learning about it
20:39
because we wanted him to enjoy his day.
20:41
They also did a camping trip with the
20:43
kids. Aka went to a hotel, got a suite,
20:46
and put a tent in the middle for the
20:47
kids and a little teepee for the baby.
20:50
Honestly, having the baby is one of the
20:52
best things that has happened to me. And
20:53
seeing David be the amazing father I
20:55
knew he would be makes me so incredibly
20:58
happy. It is tiring, but we have so much
21:02
support. I feel grateful beyond anything
21:05
because I have my rocks on my side.
21:07
Marcus and I now get to have a little
21:09
calendar for sharing things.
21:12
All the kids get to do things that are
21:14
age appropriate. And if they want to, we
21:17
want to let them all know they do not
21:19
need to hang out with people they
21:20
dislike and their voices matter. Right
21:24
now, they are all obsessed with the baby
21:27
and say they are her protectors. We have
21:30
little gettogethers, brunches, etc.
21:32
Honestly,
21:34
having family time is now a pleasure and
21:36
not a headache without Lily there.
21:39
I know it's wrong to say, but she just
21:41
sucks the positivity out of the room. My
21:43
mother-in-law also loves having time
21:45
with the baby and stays in the guest
21:47
room about once a week. She asked
21:49
politely and said she didn't want to
21:51
take the baby for sleepovers or
21:52
anything. I feel respected and heard by
21:55
her, which is a stark contrast to my own
21:58
mother.
22:00
And yes, I have broken down sometimes
22:01
because I miss my mom a lot. I miss the
22:04
mom I had or thought I had, not the one
22:07
that told me I would be a terrible
22:08
mother or was a hateful woman.
22:11
My therapist says it's a marathon and to
22:14
focus on the good. Speaking about good,
22:16
Bates was terminated from his job. Not
22:19
only that, but his reputation in his
22:21
industry was not only damaged, but
22:23
nuclear level damaged. So was his
22:26
brothers. But because his brother isn't
22:27
in an industry that cares as much about
22:29
reputation, he still has his job as far
22:32
as I know. Bates sent me two more very
22:35
long handwritten rambling single-paced
22:38
letters. Each about 12 pages
22:40
double-sided about how hurt he is that
22:42
I'm denying him what's his and how David
22:45
is so threatened by him that he had to
22:47
destroy him professionally because he
22:49
wouldn't be able to destroy anything
22:51
else. I said seemed because I didn't
22:54
read them. My lawyer did and gave me a
22:57
summary. I also heard from the
22:59
grapevine, "No, I don't ask people. They
23:02
just tell me since they know he's
23:04
stalking me." That the mother of his
23:06
other children moved and he didn't even
23:08
care, saying it was for the best. This
23:12
man doesn't even care about his own kids
23:13
and wants to play family with my baby
23:15
and me. Sadly, he won't be homeless or
23:18
anything because mommy already let him
23:19
move back in with her.