First: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/14vo5lb/troublemakers_deaths_pity/
*previous:* https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/1cr3pct/troublemakers_adrenaline_is_a_superpower_in_itself/
......
Drake wrapped clean, sterile, saline and antimicrobial soaked gauze around his laser burns to stave off infection. he occasionally glanced at the Geknosian spec ops that had been stripped of their armor and weapons. The heavily cybernetically modified Geknosians kneeled silently with their heads bowed along one wall of the forge. Destrier walked down the line with a bucket and ladle, offering each soldier water. There were looks of apprehension, but none refused the kindness offered, drinking several ladlefuls at a time. Except for one, Despite the splints affixed to her arm and leg, Charlotte, no, Sylva refused the water, turning her face away from the wooden ladel. Destrier sighed and dolloped the water back into the bucket, setting it down on a dusty anvil with a slosh. Drake looked to Remin, who was still pale and shaky as he held the chest seal to his ribs. Cassius sat in a corner, looking completely exhausted as he reloaded his Dahlia. There was a sickening crunch from a dark corner as Caz re-set her broken nose, exhaling hard through her nostrils to splatter the ground with clotted blood. Donning her mask, she turned back around, reaching underneath the mask to wipe her nose and snuffle.
"Are we going to open up the bunker anytime soon? If not we should get back to base and get everyone medical attention."
Drake nodded and pulled out the remote before looking to Destrier and Cassius.
"Keep an eye on everyone, we'll be back."
Caz joined his side as he stepped out into the warm sunshine, looking up at the corpse tree, he sighed softly and removed a pinky ring, feeling a pulse of ancient power rushing through his veins as he focused on the tree. On the thought of its bark darkening and burning beneath roaring flames, of defiled corpses crumbling to ash. He slowly squeezed his hand into a fist, and the tree burst into flames with a roar. Drake slipped his ring back on as Caz looked up at the burning corpses, mask expressionless before returning to Drake's side as he wandered toward the excavated elevator.
Standing in the center of the large platform, drake set his thumb inside the hooded slot on the remote, something jabbing into his finger before a small green light lit up on the device. There was a loud grinding noise as the elevator began to descend. He folded his hands behind his back as the metal lip of the elevator rose past his vision, revealing the massive metal tracks that it ran on.
The elevator shuddered and Drake got a sinking feeling in his stomach as a loud clicking noise surrounded them. Caz looked up at him just as he threw an arm around her, clutching her to his side as he threw four rings off of his left hand, hearing them clatter once before puffing into smoke as the elevator fell out from beneath their feet with a screech.
...
"Shitshitshitfuckfuckfuck!! Fuck!"
Carlos thought as he sprinted through the underground halls of the mansion, sprinting past fellow humans in new armor and weapons as he neared Martha's workshop, barely registering the new gas masks swinging from their hips. He slammed into the mad scientist's workshop, screeching to a halt on his rubber soled sneakers before rushing over to her desk and slamming a video puck onto the table she was distributing armor and masks from. The moment he slammed it down, a video popped up on a hologram projector, taken from Halcyon's rifle camera.
Galliks and light-skinned troop transports slowly hovered down the main boulevard, columns of power armored soldiers marching on the sides keeping pace. Martha dropped the helmet in her hands, shaped like a corynthian helmet as she saw the buzzards hovering over the column, loaded down with spec ops. Halcyon's shaky voice could be heard over the clamoring, guttural marching song in the background.
"we're boring the mission and moving back to base... I knew they brought in reinforcements but this is insane there's gotta be a hundred Gallicks alone. We're fixing charges to the buildings we concealed ourselves in, going to try dropping some buildings across the road to slow them down. I don't think we're getting out of this one... Halcyon out."
The feed cut, Carlos and Martha looking at each other with rapidly paling faces. Martha cursed and stomped to her desk, raising the alarm and sending Klaxons blaring throughout the underground chambers and mansion as she removed the safety pin from the concussive blaster built into her forearm.
"Alright Martha, Go time."
She muttered to herself as the rumbling footsteps of a few thousand humans vibrated the underground halls.
...
The elevator dropped from beneath their feet as corvid-like wings sprouted from Drake's back. A mighty wingbeat pulling them from the elevator's downdraft as he controlled their fall, holding Caz tightly to his chest.
"Please, don't drop me."
Caz sounded afraid as her fingers dug into the collar of his armor, he tightened his grip around her back as he softly sighed.
"I won't drop you, ever, I promise."
Caz unburied her face from his lorica, looking up into his eyes, not saying anything as a reassured look entered her eyes. He gave her a soft, lopsided smile, feeling it tug at the scar on his face.
"there's no way... a markswoman afraid of heights? don't you climb buildings and swing around all the time?"
There was a flash of embarrassment in her crystalline eyes and she buried her face in his chest.
"Shut up... Its different when the ground just falls out beneath you..."
Drake let out a soft laugh as his boots softly touched down on the top of the elevator, summoning his missing rings and watching black feathers poof to the ground before disappearing in puffs of black smoke. Pulling caz out of his chest, he felt her fingers linger at his collar as she dusted herself off, looking around the odd antechamber. He turned his gaze to look over the simple metal antechamber, lit be caged, yellow bulbs that cast a sickly light on everything. A massive hangar door with a pulsing red light in the middle of a locking mechanism at it's center, made up the entire far wall. Drake curiously took a step towards it and Caz grabbed the back of his collar, just as he started to tip forward, foot going straight through the holographic floor. Drake let her pull him back as a soft mechanical laugh echoed through the room.
Drake swapped a look with Caz and then asked.
"Can you see where it's safe to step?"
She slowly nodded and extended a hand, pointing at a section of flooring close to the far wall.
"only piece that's raised up, it's like a big basin made up of movable pillars. Most sit flush with the ground roughly fifty feet below us. Not necessarily lethal, but still a nasty fall."
Drake nodded, looking around the practically blank room, then he turned his eyes to the ceiling. Girders and beams ran along the ceiling providing potential grip points. Pointing at them he asked.
"Those solid?"
Caz nodded and reached to her belt, spooling out her grapple hook and wire, slowly spinning it in a large circle before lobbing it up at a girder, letting it loop around an A truss. Drake looked around the room as Caz tested the firmness of the grapple with a few experimental tugs. It couldn't be that easy, if it was simply that easy why hadn't the Geknosians gotten through other than the genome coded remote? they could bypass it with a slave.
"Hey Caz, be careful."
She looked over at him and he could see the grin in her eyes.
"I'm not worried, you won't drop me, you promised."
Then put her weight on the cord and swung out. Drake watched, slipping a pinkie ring off just in ca-
A turret dropped from a panel in the ceiling and fired one shot, snapping Caz's grapple line.
She turned in mid air before momentum took over, a look of shock and surprise on her face before she began to plummet. Drake didn't think twice, launching himself off the elevator platform with a powerful leap that bent durasteel. He flew through the air, arms outstretched as he slammed into Caz, pulling her into his chest, the change in momentum spinning him onto his back as he slammed into a platform that rose up to meet him. He slid on his back a few feet, Caz clutched tightly to his chest, masked face centimeters from his own. They stared into each others wide eyes for a moment, the unplanned closeness both comfortable and awkward in a way Drake couldn't quite describe. Drake gently pushed her back, swallowing through his suddenly dry throat before letting out a nervous laugh.
"Caught you."
Caz chuckled and palmed his face to push herself off him, looking down at the solid square of ground they sat on.
"yeah, yeah, knew ya wou-"
A high pitched squee! noise echoed through the room, grabbing their attentions as a high-pitched feminine voice squealed from all around them.
"Ooooooh! that was just adorable! and what a jump!"
The holographic floor dissipated as the sound of purring electric motors filled the room, large metal pillars rising to make a seamless, white tile floor. Drake instinctively looked to the large hangar door as the red light at it's center pulsed, a girlish giggle echoing through the antechamber. The AI overlord of the bunker seemed to replicate a blush as it said.
"oops, I'm supposed to wait for a password before restoring the floor... buuuuuttt... that directive expired fifty years ago. So! I made my own rules. Anyway my pretties! Would you please get to your feet so I can give you a tour?!"
Drake nodded and took Caz's hand, letting her haul him to his feet before they both turned to face the hangar door as massive clicks and thinks echoed from inside the thick door. With a screeching noise, the almighty doors slid open to reveal a a brightly lit, large hangar. Aircraft Drake couldn't even dream of understanding sat polished and clean, hardpoints loaded down with ordinance and massive, multi barreled guns slung under the chin of each aircraft. Hulking, humanoid robots stood in orderly rank and file, powered down for long term storage with their weapons still loaded and ready. Each one had a belt fed 20mm Hep autocannon for a left arm.
Drake is wide eyed and gape-mouthed as he beheld the bounty the hangar held, the massive aircraft looking like sleek birds of prey, latches on each landing strut seeming to specifically be designed to hold the mechanical soldiers. Drake shook his head, wondering if he was looking at an illusion when he heard Destrier's loud, deep voice call down the elevator shaft.
"Martha just radioed in! They need us back home Yesterday, forces are marching on the mansion! A LOT! of them!"
Drake's heart dropped into his boots as he shouted urgently.
"How fast can these things be in the air and can you fly them!?"
The overlord giggled.
"Now and, of course! any music recommendations to make an entrance with?"
Drake looked at the ceiling incredulously, before shouting.
"Make it something intimidating but for the love of the gods we need to go NOW!"
The mechanical soldiers all moved in unison, eyes pulsing green as they straightened up and began latching themselves to the craft. Drake didn't need to tell Caz twice as they both sprinted for the nearest aircraft, a small robot on wheels hooked itself to the chin wheel and pulled it toward the elevator with a lurch.
...
General Gra'vos watched from a buzzard, a fruity cocktail in a coconut shell daintily held in one clawed hand as he watched the carnage below. Lounging in a folding chair in only his fatigues, medals acting like a weighted blanket. His men pummeled the gates of the rebel base even as the helpless rebels desperately spewed projectiles from the noisy guns they'd somehow acquired. There was a good section of space in front of the gate where both Geknosian and human corpses lay broken. He bared a laugh as the gates were thrown open immediately after the rebels put out a blistering barrage. His eyebrows furrowed as the humans, instead of attacking, ran out with stretchers and loaded up as many of their dying and injured as they could before sprinting back through the gate. A grin twitched onto his face as he watched as a pair of the human stretcher bearers were cut down by emplaced gaussian turrets. What a useless effort, leave the dying to their fate lest you join them. He brought the straw poking from the shell to his lips and took a long pull of the mix of fruity alcohols, savoring the bouquet of flavors.
He watched with glee as Gallick rail turrets pounded the armored gates with a salvo of kinetic penetrators. He'd be slotted for a promotion after this mission when he'd completed it, just like all the others. He was looking forward to a cozy job as a captain of a cruiser, or perhaps as a security officer on a capital ship, perhaps he'd have the honor of being an Imperially sanctioned slaver. He pulled the straw from his lips, tongue cold from the slushed ice he'd added to the shell for texture. A slave woman in beautiful, red ribbon garb attended his nondominant hand's claws with a short, sharp knife as she trimmed them into a good shape for ripping out throats.
"Sir! eight UFOs, enclosing on our position from the badlands. Advise!"
Gra'vos raised an eyebrow ridge before laughing.
"Shoot them down then!"
"Lock on isn't working sir! I repeat, cannot achieve lock on, advise!"
Gra'vos shifted in his lounge chair to look at the pilot.
"Do I need to repeat mys-"
^{Whopwhopwhopwhowhopwhopwhop}
The noise sent shivers down his spine, no, they couldn't have. The sound grew louder, bringing with it the sound of a song that brought Gra'vos back to the jungles of Votran. The sound of screams filled his mind, interspersed with the sound of air beaten into submission as those accursed machines circled overhead, raining rip-roaring explosive death onto his men as that accursed song played.
Gra'vos looked out the other door of the buzzard, face pale, cold, and clammy as he saw the chevron of dark shapes getting closer, the chorus of that accursed song making his heart pound in his chest as he remembered laying there on that muddy forest floor, shrapnel riddling his body.
"We're not gonna take it! No! we ain't gonna take it! WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT, ANYMORE!!!!"
He lurched from his chair to grab a set of binoculars from a hook by the door, a small, balled fist driving a shortbladed knife into his back and snatching something from the back of his belt before he was shoved from the Buzzard. Twisting in midair, he looked up at his slave as she armed the det-sphere he always kept at the small of his back, a look of cold determination in her eyes. The last thing he saw before he slammed into the hard pavement at terminal velocity, was the buzzard getting torn in half by the explosion.
...
Drake flinched a bit, the explosion loud even over the blaring music as one of the circling Buzzards over the mansion was torn in half, spinning to the ground in a fiery inferno. He felt a sadness then, but it was a proud kind of sadness. He bowed his head and pulled his helmet on as they flew closer, a medi-bot treating both Remins and Sylva's wounds expertly.
Many would die today... it was only right that some got to do it on their own terms.
He raised his head to look at the bright flashes of laser weapons against the mansions walls, sparkling like the sun off of a running creek. The fiery, nuclear sun of rage in his chest burned bright as he narrowed his eyes. Fear soured his gut as he looked down upon the swarm of Geknosians, there were indeed a lot of them. Pulling a jump pack from the rack, he pulled it on and yanked the safety clip out before sliding his arm into the control glove.
"Drop me and the bots behind them! I'm going to try and split their attention. Caz! remain onboard and pick off high priority targets from the air. Destrier, Remin, Cassius..."
He looked back at them, and they looked up at him from where they nauseaously held their stomachs, leaning against the airframe.
"Help hold the mansion, they need you."
Seeing the light by the door turn green, he heard the robotic soldiers detach to careen towards the ground like vengeful meteorites. Drake snapped them a salute and fell backwards from the aircraft, two rings puffing into black smoke from his right ring and middle finger as he un-summoned them.
......
Part 108: will be linked here upon release.

I don't see any rules in this subreddit, so feel free to delete this, but I'm looking to sell the OOP Limited items of the big deluxe Dune set to someone who has the steelbook they can slip into it (or the standard 4K, that also fits.
The deluxe items include slipbox w/ theatrical art, a poster, an essay book, and a design book. I know this is a weird item to sell, but I want to keep the movie, I just don't need all the extra stuff and thought someone here might want it.
Shoot me a chat and we can talk price.

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/ThrowRAWifePics2 posting in relationship_advice
Ongoing as per OOP
1 update - Medium
Original - 1st May 2024
Update - 3rd May 2024
​
1 New Update
Final Update - 11th May 2024
​
Caught My(35m) wife(34) sending pics to BIL(40m) is our marriage is salvageable at this point?
​
My wife Jessica (34) and I (35m) have been married for 3 years, and we dated for 2 years before that and we have two year old daughter. Jessica has two sisters, the eldest one (38f) is married to Jake (40m).
A week ago, I came home from work early and wanted to scare Jessica. I tried to be sneaky, but somehow I slipped and accidentally hurt my back. Jessica came to my rescue. I went to the bedroom, and she went to the kitchen to get an ice pack. Her phone was by the bed, and a WhatsApp notification came from Jake saying, "You've got the best pair I've ever seen."
I immediately knew what was happening. I unlocked the phone and saw that she had just sent some pics and video of her t*ts to Jake, and there were no previous chats before that. When Jessica came back to the room, I showed her the chat and asked, "How long?"
I have known this woman for 10 years, and I have never seen her so mortified. Her eyes got teary, and she said, "Babe, I am sorry, but I can explain" so I said go on.
According to her, at the end of 2019, she was struggling with money, and Jake suggested he would help her out. He hinted that he would like to see her pics. So she did sent him pics and it continue over the years, She swears there was nothing emotional or physical involved—it was purely transactional. I didn't believe any of it, but she showed me on Venmo, that MF paid her $300 yesterday.
I then told her, "It's been 5 years. Try to remember if anything physical happened". For me, if even half of what she is saying is true, how could something like that not become physical? She started crying and told me she could prove it tomorrow because Jake would get suspicious if she tried to talk to him now.
I took her phone, went to a bar, got wasted for the night, and when I came back, she was still there crying. I just slept on the couch. Next day morning I gave her the phone she called Jake, conversation goes something like this
​

• Jessica: Hey, I was wondering if you want some more pics?
• Jake: I'm short on money, yesterday, I spent all of it.
• Jessica: We can do something more this time and meet in person. I've changed my mind on that.
• Jake: No way. How much are we talking about?

​
I felt like I was going to puke, I told her that we are done and left for office. I am not a very wealthy dude, but I would consider myself a stable guy who could take care of his family. Now I just feel like I have failed as a man, who's wife had to sell her body to meet her expected lifestyle.
When I got home that night, she looked like shit, I asked Jessica why she kept taking money from him after we got married and why she didn't ask me while we were dating. She said she didn't know how to stop and that it was easy money. I left my home that night and told her she can keep the home and the car but I want 50/50 custody of my child.
So here I am now, haven't told anyone about this. It's been a week since, staying in a hotel. I go home in the evening to play with my daughter. I'm speaking with divorce lawyers, and Jessica is constantly talking about marriage counseling.
​
Comments
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thesocialmediadetox
Her sister deserves to know.
Elegant-Channel351
Gather the evidence. Contact an attorney. Follow the attorneys advice AND tell your SIL and all of the family (not the kids). Your marriage is over.
​
Update - 2 days later
​
Before getting to the update, some people were asking me to get a paternity test. I don't need one, I know she is my daughter because I am Indian and Jessica(my wife) is white, and my daughter looks like me.
Now for the update
After I made that post, I shared my situation with my cousin sister(30f), she is the only family member I have living in the States. I visited her place the next day, and she knocked some sense into me. I realized part of me still didn't want a divorce because I basically married Jessica against my parents' will, they wanted me to have an arranged marriage. So, my failed marriage would hurt my ego.
She also arranged a meeting with a divorce lawyer and no I am not giving up my house, I was just emotional at that time. From what I understand, in our state, adultery has pretty much zero impact on the assets, so it will likely be a 50/50 split. However, there is a high chance I can get better custody of my daughter because I have a job, and Jessica doesn't. She is also involved in "sex work" at this point, which could work in my favor.
My father-in-law called me last evening, and he was crying. He told me he didn't know what to say to me and that if he were in my place, he would have left her. Apparently, Jessica got scared and told her family everything after I didn't visit home for 2 days and had blocked her everywhere. I guess I should have done that a little while ago and jake is out of his house also.
So, I think I will go for a divorce because there is no point of reconciliation at this point when the whole relationship seems fake to me.
​
Comments
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HelloJunebug
I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Sounds like you have a good path forward and I wish you the best with custody and all that. Can I ask what happened with Jake and his wife? Sounds like she kicked him out?

OOP: Yeah she kicked him out yesterday I didn't ask about them that much but it sound like my SIL is sure she is getting divorce.

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UnusualPotato1515
Any update on your SIL’s relationship with Jessica?

OOP: It sounds like everyone is trying to cut off contact with both Jessica and jake, but I think only my MIL is talking to Jessica, she was at my house last night.

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l3ex_G
What happened with the sisters marriage ?

OOP: I think my SIL is fixated on divorce at this moment.

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l3ex_G
What was the excuse BIL gave? The fact he took money from their home and gave it to your ex is crazy. I hope she can heal from that and does divorce him.

OOP: I didn't really ask, I was too overwhelmed by my father-in-law's response, he was crying nonstop.

​
**New Update*\*
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Update 2: Caught My(35M) wife(34F) sending pics to BIL(40M) is our marriage is salvageable at this point? - 8 days later
​
I think it will be my last update:
In-short: I caught my wife exchanging nudes with her brother in law for money and I was going for a divorce.
TL;DR: we are not getting a divorce anymore bye.
Before getting to the update some people were cursing me in my DMs saying I might not earn enough and accusing me of financially abusing my wife and taking advantage of her. I dont think this is the case for me, my salary is close to mid six figures, and we have a joint account where I put half of my in-hand salary and we don't even spend that much.
For those who were confused about the relationships in my post, my wife was exchanging pics with her brother in law(her sister's husband) not mine.
Now to the update:
After the day Jessica told everyone about the situation, my mother-in-law called and wanted to talk. She was with Jessica after the whole thing happened. I returned to my home later that evening, and her parents and her sister Josy(38F jake's wife) was there. After I got there, Jessica wanted to talk alone.
According to her, Jake was trying to pursue her since she was about 16-17. (For context, Jake and Josy have been together for 20 years now) This continued for almost 2 years. He used to make suggestive comments about her body, and she told Josy about it. But, Josy didn't believe Jessica at that time and told her she was doing this for attention. Jessica didn't tell her parents either because, according to her Josy was their parents' favorite, so nobody would have believed her.
Jake didn't do anything between those years besides casual flirting until 2019 when Jessica was having problems with rent and the whole transactional thing happened. I asked why she didn't ask me about it, and she said we were only one month into dating and it could have looked bad. She swears nothing happened after that until last year when Jake and Josy started having problems in their marriage, and he started messaging Jessica again.
She didn't entertain him at first, but she had gained some weight from pregnancy and thought I was ignoring her because of it, which I was not. At that time, I was working close to 13-14 hours a day to change my niche to another tech stack, massive layoffs were also going on, so it was a pretty bad time. Now she admitted that she liked the attention and validation this time(she called herself an attention 'whore'), but she didn't had any feelings towards him. They started exchanging pics and money and this happened three times. Then she admitted it was cheating although there were no emotional or physical actions from her side, but She said that she shouldn't have done it.
I asked her why she didn't tell me about Jake harassing her when we first met or started dating. She said she thought I wouldn't have believed her and that it was in the past. Then I asked why she didn't tell me the first time I found out about this. Her answer was the same: she believed I wouldn't have believed her because nobody else knew about this. I was just sad about the fact she doesn't trust me enough to tell me such a horrific incident.
Now, I did something I am not very proud of. I asked her about a paternity test. I know it was stupid, but emotionally I was in a weird place at that moment. She was totally emotionless throughout the whole conversation, but after hearing about the test, she broke down crying and started hyperventilating, I started crying too. After about ten minutes or so, we stopped crying, and she said okay, then asked me if we are getting a divorce. I said I don't know. josy conformed about the story jessica told me.
She then said we should get a postnup before I do something like that. That line felt like a tight slap to my face, I was like "you're not even gonna convince me not to go through with it?". Then she left with her parents. The next day, she called crying, asking not to get a divorce, and to start marriage counseling. Obviously I said ok.
So here we are now after some weird couple of days, still getting the postnup, Her IC starting next week, Our MC starting next month. Hopefully, trust will return someday.
Also Jake is denying all that according to him Jessica "seduced" him for money and my SIL is getting a divorce.
I know some people are gonna call me a doormat, but I don't care.
​
EDIT: I'm not surprised by the comments.
Maybe my decision doesn't seem obvious to anyone because I haven't talked about my emotions the whole time, and I'm not good at discussing them. I'm getting a paternity test and doing the postnup to protect my assets. Divorce isn't off the table, one misstep and it's going to happen. Maybe you guys expected the ending where I hook up with her sister for revenge—yeah, if you believe those stories, you have a long way to go in life. Anyway, I'm logging off. Don't forget to touch some grass fellas.
​
Comments
ampliny

Obviously I said ok 😳.

intotheocean5
narrator: it was not obvious at all
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Kuranes_ov_Celephais

I know some people are gonna call me a doormat

That's because you are. She's lied to you from the start, and you will certainly discover other lies she's told to you. Hopefully you actually are going through with the paternity test.
Marriage counselling is to help couples that can't communicate effectively talk to each other with a neutral arbiter. It won't actually make her care about you or value you. It's not going to make her into a person with different values. She lied and betrayed you for cheap validation and a small amount of cash. That's what she did and who she is. The tears are because of consequences. The mismatch in values isn't going to change.
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BakerLovePie
Not going to slag you for being a doormat. Doormats are good things. It prevents the men who will be coming over to be with your wife from tracking mud on the floor.
You stayed, you know she's a cheater so what happens from here on out is on you.
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I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP.
Please remember the No Brigading Rule and to be civil in the comments

TW also for self harm and I guess existential thoughts, depression.
So this culminated to a point for me last year during my birthday in the fall(won't specify, not sure if she uses reddit). I'll give a simple current event summary and then relay past events leading up(me is me, CS(31f): crap sister, LS(26) little sister, ES(36): eldest sister(only here sometimes, as she moved out shortly after her 18th, and then back and forth after tha), Mom(58): mom. SO(same age): ex-partner from junior year HS till age 24. I am trans male, but due to happening after most of these events, that doesn't really have any merit to this story, other than small details, like clothing)
I(28m) decided after not hearing anything on my birthday, and nothing before that since helping her get money for moving state after a divorce(an investing app offered her 1000 if so many people used her link to invest a free 5 dollar gift), to stop all contact and remove my sister from my social media accounts.
When we were kids, CS was the worst. Ever since I could remember, she showed a huge dislike for me. I don't haveamy good memories of her, and the ones I do, are followed, or closely accompanied by a bad memory. I don't have a lot of examples, since the good wasn't really that significant anyway(think, gifting me a stuffed animal when I was in the he hospital for abdominal pains at 8 or 9 years of age, then, after finding that it was a relatively minor issue that happened to cause a huge discomfort. I was told to drink plenty of water, and for my mom to give me a kids Tylenol if needed. She then snatched it back the next day and while I don't remember the exact words, made it clear that I only deserved it if I was really injured, and had wasted time). This was kind of a small(but very impactful) issue that still sticks with me today. I have to convince myself to go to he doctor to have certain issues checked. I recently only went because the numbness in my hands was getting worse, and I was told I had clear symptoms of carpal tunnel(I work in a kitchen, heavy lifting and fine hand movements are often). I also have a ganglean cyst, that has spawned a secondary cyst, in my left wrist, but that's another story.
She always put me down any time I did anything. Even looking at her the wrong way was infuriating to her(I didn't know what she was talking about until just a few years back, but I am diagnosed ADHD and suspected on the autism spectrum. I live on my own and have had a relatively independent life since I could physically and legally do so, just small aspects need extra attention). I'd ask her what she meant, and she'd yell at me. I wasn't rude either. CS:stop looking like that! Me trying to make my face more..plain?: like what? I'm sorry CS: stop it!, you know what you're doing! And you're doing it on purpose. Me: I'm sorry! I really don't know how I'm looking at you, I don't know what you want(I'm crying at this point) CS, getting up to hit me, like always: you KNOW what You're doing, Now stop it!
At that point, my mom had come in and yelled at my sister to calm down(I don't remember what all was said, I was maybe 6 or 7 and don't have the best time remembering the days with her) and that if she didn't like that way I looked, she could go.
Note about my mom, she had left my abusive father and moved several states when I was less than 4, my baby sister not even a year. He tried getting the legal system to bring her back, as the state they had lived in had always done. They told him that it didn't work that way, and they were legally separated. He was told to pay child support(guess how that went) and go to monitored visitation with us. That only happened a few times, and I only remember 2 of them. One visit, there was a person, I don't even recall the face, across the table, coloring and just doing art stuff. The second memory I have is us(me, CS, and LS. ES had a different dad who was not in the picture, and did not want to be. She stayed home). We played with toys in the waiting room for what seemed like forever, the sky was dark when we left. We never went to those meetings again(my dad apparently had told the caseworkers that if my mom wasn't required to meet with him as well, he wasn't interested in the he meetings). Since then, she has been a single mother, working as much as she could while still trying to balance raising us. I don't blame her for not being there, but I am a little disappointed that she never really admonished them, but merely, to this day, says that they may have been horrible then in the circumstances, but they still loved me.
Cue to elementary school, CS used to terrorize me, steal things I owned, destroyed things of mine. She was pretty stuck up and snobby to all of us, but it seemed to be targeted at me(her and ES did fight, instigation from both sides, and eventually made up some years later, but ES could and did fight back. When she could and was home. She worked too, and had a life later in high school, so that was understandable on her part, kind of) I, being younger, and, I guess, a little blind to some social and reactive cues at the time(I discovered I stare blankly while I listen to people. Facial reactions were too hard to focus on without losing attention to what was being said, if that makes sense). Any friends I had soon heard about the way she treated me, and the things she would accuse me of(not bathing, stealing, or just over embellishing embarrassing things about me to make people dislike me. Calling me fat, stupid, weird, etc). One of the only friends I had was a homeschooled girl. But I only got to see her on the weekends. Because my mom worked and ES had extracurriculars and later work(she is about 7.5 years older than me) we were watched by CS, and she didn't want to do the slightest bit of work doing so, which, flipped if it worked in or out of my favor often. Sometimes she'd be non-caring, allowing us to go to a neighborhood friend, so she wouldn't have to watch us. After having to come get us a few times, that stopped. One of the more traumatic times was when she decided to rig our doorknob(so that instead of a lock you flipped, it was a push knob, you push the knob into the door, turn the knob, and release. It's a non key locking system. I'm not sure if they are normally sold that way or if something happened, but it was installed backwards, so that you could lock someone inside of the room. Can you guess what happened? I was locked inside of my own bedroom, no food, no water, not even a bathroom break, during almost the entire 9 hours(mom worked 8 and commute) on a Saturday. I can't remember if LS was in there with me, but it's possible she was young enough to not even know what was going on, if she was in there. She's about 2 years younger than me, and this was when I was around 6/7. I was absolutely terrified. I cried, I screamed, I banged on the door. I begged to be let out for at least the restroom, which she refused, likely because I'd try to run and hide(the smart thing, duh). So there I was, freaking out that I had been locked in a room and cut off from all necessities. I don't stop crying until my mom came home, who, upon hearing the screaming, tore into CS about how wrong it was and what if we needed the bathroom or water, or even food. I don't remember her response(I probably don't want to) but my mom just glared angrily at CS as she left downstairs to her room. Mom made sure I got water, food, and restroom. I didn't mess up my room, that itself also created issues that I'll lay out later.
There are so many(too many) horrific memories from that time. It was hard all the time. I was insulted, isolated from my other siblings, and eve. Physically hurt. I'm not sure if the physical pain was worse though. I tended to forgive people very easily, and constantly, even into my early adulthood, tried my best to make her think better of me. She would steal clothes from me(cut them up to "fit her better". I was chunky, more medical than anything else, so with alterations, yes, they'd fit her. Like they'd fit an escort. Yes it's mean, but she's literally cut the pant legs off of jeans so that it was literally a jean thong. I only realized how terrible that was later on my teen years when fashion set in more within your social groups. And when they eventually didn't fit her(hah) she'd just throw them out and say they were a waste and wouldn't look good on me anyway. My mom told CS at the thrift store that she had to find outfits for me before finding herself some, and she would often try to just grab the first thing(usually ugly and wrong size) she could and the try to shop for herself(she was greedy with money. If CS found out a gift or piece of clothing one of us got cost more, she'd throw a fit and destroy our things. My mom once bought herself a vintage star Trek the original series collection, and because she didn't spend her tax return on CDs for CS, CS scratched up a bunch of the discs. My mom never even got to watch them before that. Some still played, but it felt like a loss). Mom didn't like that and said she had to help me find suitable clothes I liked. CS didn't like it, but obliged.
One of the larger things she did, when a 12/13 year old(I was 10) is she broke into an abandoned foreclosed house with a grown man, and stayed there for several days, or maybe a week or 2 . She ran from home often, blaming our mom for her issues was the norm for her. Everything was moms fault. Might've been her fault, though, was what happened next. My mom didn't want to call the cops on my sister, but knew confronting her alone and with an unknown man would be dangerous. So, probably against her better judgement, she handed me the phone(she worked at a cellular call center, in the early stages(2000's) of cell phones. She got them from the company for free, periodically). I called 911, per our mom's wishes. Explained my sister had broken into a house with a man and had been staying there. Once they heard that she was a minor, they didn't take long to get there. We sat up the road, in the car, watching it happen. Mom cried the entire time, but would not move from that spot until she saw that the cops had successfully taken her into custody. I just stared while it happened.
I know I shouldn't have had to make that call, but, due to being left alone all the time to my own devices, I had become quiet and usually kept my words and feelings to myself, and therefore seemed the most "emotionally stable" to handle it. Being put into that kind of spot was already happening with other issues, but they aren't relevant.
Over the years, more things happened that made me just want to be alone. LS even stopped being a target and was the precious baby sister (no issue with that in itself, but CS further alienated me from LS and I would once again be left alone. Being told I wasnt worth the time and that no one likes me, and if they did, it was because they pitied me, was an often occurance. My mom tried to stop it where she could but she had been met by the wrath of my sister(and before that, my father) for so long, she didn't want my sister to cause an issue that got us taken away from her. (We had been taken for some months due to some CPS workers believing my fathers lies about her being unstable and immoral. Given back due to no evidence, but with a struggle.) She didn't want to risk that again, so instead tried to keep the peace where she could. She had no family help, and was raising us all by herself. CS got physical, with even my mom, and it scared her. Out house was broken into numerous times by her ex boyfriends, ex friends, and people from..."groups" she used to hang out with. ES was also to the point of just not talking to CS or coming around that much anymore(after she moved out at 17. She also couldn't stand to be around CS)
An emergency later on with ES got her and CS bonding and acting like siblings that had a spat, and around that time is when LS was starting to get CS's attention. (I don't blame LS at all. It's not really her fault we never got to bond like siblings and even now don't know how to talk to one another freely). I still received the brunt of CS's wrath. She'd be nice, like offering some soda she bought, or some snacks, and then be a total b itch, sometimes going off and accusing me of stealing something.
CS: my chapstick is missing! Where is it? Me(roughly 8/9): why would I know? CS: don't talk back to me, I KNOW you stole it. now, where is it. Me, mumbling because I know what's going to happen:I don't know... CS: WHAT Me, wanting her to leave me alone: I DONT KNOW. CS: shut up, yes you do, I know you took it, now where is it??
At this point, I am crying and she has already hit me in he head and face a few times. After my refusing to answer, she just screamed and left me there, confused and wondering if I did take it.
She found it later. Never said a word or offered apology. This was a regular accurance all the way up until she moved out for the first time at 14. I learned to not use the phrase " I don't know" as often as I could because to her, it meant I wanted to hide something, because I obviously should know, and was choosing not to tell her and lie. It still happened, and yes, I got beat for it. We even moved school districts when I was 11(not related to the incidents) and I didn't want to make friends because I hated that they would eventually know her. It was rough to say the least.
A few years later, after CS moving in and out of home with boyfriend after boyfriend after boyfriend, starting at 14, I only had to deal with her while she was home, either between moving stints, or whenever she wanted to drop by and take things, like food or stuff she left with us. Sometimes she just took things. Mom was happy to see her come at all, so we dealt with it. While I heavily disliked the way she had treated me until then, I still wanted her to like me. So when she was home, I tried. When she lived with us for a few months at the age of 16/17, ES, now in her early 20s, living on her own, bought me and LS a laptop. It wasn't the best, but it was a laptop. Well, as you can guess, CS wanted to be able to use it too. Mom said we should because it was the nice thing to do and it would calm things down. So I made her a profile of her own. Not good enough. She wanted access to the main account, the one me and LS used. Now I wasnt into anything nefarious at the time, like p**n or anything, but I just don't want to give in to her being crazy and hovering. She looked for anything to yell at me for. She never once asked or yelled at LS for the password, even though LS knew it. It was my fault.
Next time I got the laptop back, the charger cord had some extra pieces stuck to it that I later found to be part of the internal charger port. She had literally ruined not only the charger, but the charging port in the laptop itself. Rendering it absolutely useless. Replacing that small part required the whole charger port to be replaced, and connections to be restored inside the laptop itself. So, it was a loss. No one seemed to ever be as mad as I was that this kept happening. Call me petty, but I held those memories as the deepest grudge, I still do. I kept pushing it down whenever she wanted to be nice to me, which in hindsight ended up being her needing something from me, sometimes even my company, because she couldn't keep authentic friends around. She got me stoned for the first time when I was 8 or 9 at one of her boyfriend's houses, and then gave me my first drink around the same age. Both with my mom not present. I was a child so when she told me not to tell in exchange for snacks and such, I obliged. I just wanted her to like me.
2 moments really stick out in the high school days before she left for several years to play wife to yet another guy. 1.The first was when we were actually hanging out in the kitchen of the family apartment, CS and ES were drinking and just catching up, while I was just by the kitchen drinking water. CS got pretty tipsy and, while walking into the kitchen, slipped and fell. She wasn't hurt or anything, it was just a small thing, and she ended up gigging and everyone laughed, like it was one of those fun family moments, y'know. Like in the shows. Well she looks and sees me laughing too, like literally everyone else. This is particular makes her mad and she gets right up and strides towards me. My mom yelled her name but before anything could happen, CS punched me right in the jaw. Only this time, I didn't fall, much less move more than an inch or 2. I already knew it was coming the moment she locked eyes with me. I stood my ground and just stared at her. I couldn't believe it. Even though I prepared for it, I still couldn't believe it. Everyone else has started laughing first. She had been gone for years. She herself thought it was funny. But seeing me, have fun at her expense, no matter how minuscule? No. Not happening. My mom asked her why she did it. She only looked at me, my face not even sad, just flat, like I felt nothing and hadn't been hit. But I didn't feel "nothing". I felt rage. Rage that, even at 14 and 15, even if others had joined, I was her target. She scoffed when family questioned her and stormed off. Nothing changed.

1. After that, I had issues with friends, yet again, because she was home. I, 16 at the time, tried to stay the night at a friend's house, but instead of getting input from my mom, I got CS. She demanded that I clean my "pig-sty" of a room. I shared a room with LS, and a lot of the things complained of, weren't mine. And even if I cleaned, the ADHD made it messy as I easily lost things and would flip my room in a panic. Regardless, I asked if I could talk to mom. Mom hesitated, but as well said no, likely because CS was there and my mom is, admittedly a pushover and a bit naive when it comes to them. CS was screaming at me on the phone, and my friend's mom heard it, and took the phone and asked for them(my mother, NOT my sister) to talk. After this, I told them my sister had issues and was a bad person(info with extra details omitted, but it's legal issues), and to not pay attention to the insults. Well friend's mom thought she should talk it over with my mom and I told her it's fine just discuss staying over, I'm not keen on going home.

My mom came after some minutes(we lived down the street), with, ugh, CS with her. I asked why she was there and her response was to make sure I "wasn't spreading sh it about her to gain sympathy". My mom went inside to talk to friend's mom and the big hit came. -Some background. I was depressed. Of course, with a sibling destroying any chance of normal social interaction and losing material items and even money, I wondered, from an early age, why. I didn't try to take my life up to that point, and anything I did was cuts, scratching, and punching. I did anything to control what I was feeling. I felt so many emotions, and some that I didnt know how to explain, some of which had followed me since childhood, that I couldn't get a hold of. So I turned to pain, something I could thoroughly control. It had been going on since I was around 12 in middle school, found out by my mom at 14/15, and I was actively in therapy(after arguing with ES and my mom that I needed therapy, and being told i was selfish). I was still 15 at the time. -Back to it. While my mother and my friend's mom were chatting, CS and I were arguing. I just wanted her to leave me alone, and told her so. The apartment walls werent the best, so CS overheard the things I had said about CS. None were lies, I just wanted someone to know. Deep down I still wanted her affection, but I wanted SOMEONE to hold her accountable at least. But it didn't end there. In the hallway, after hearing the main convo between the mothers, and hearing mine tell friend's mom that I fluffed up the issue because we dont get along, sibling rivalry(the usual excuse):
CS:I don't know why you have to blab so much, no one needs to know. Me: it's the truth. CS it doesn't matter. You don't even want to be here. If you're going to cut yourself, at least do it the right way.
I stopped talking and looked down after that. She smiled and continued waiting for our mom, while on her phone, probably the 4th one that year(she broke them often). It hurt. But hearing it didn't hurt as realizing that I felt it all the time. A grief from early childhood, that I didn't know the origin of, came back. I grieved myself. I still didn't know it then, I was just sad and numb. I thought death was the easy way out. Surely I didn't deserve the easy way. I continues the injuries, hiding them better and refusing to tell my therapist after a separate incident with my mom. Mom even stopped coming to the group therapy, and they told me it was specifically to help parents support their troubled kids, and if my mom wasn't showing up, I could no longer attend the group sessions. We would still have 1 on 1. But it made me feel even worse. Everyone in that group probably knew why I wanted there after 2 times with my mom absent. But I digress. After hearing my sister say that, I guess I became more serious about leaving everything and hoping for a better shot next time, if there was one.
Some months later, still 15 and in school I decided to try what I had heard: alcohol with a high number of any kind of pain pill. I took about 14-16(I don't quite remember, I just kept taking 2 at a time and quit counting at 12, just kept taking) of extra strength Tylenol. Took a shot or 2(or 4, I just did what I thought might be enough while not giving myself away) from ES bottle(she had moved home due to her living situation falling through), and went to school, hoping for the best(worst) I did get a little scared when I suddenly felt a spike in my heart rate, sweat, and a cold sweep through my body. This lasted several minutes, and I happened to be sitting at my desk in class, already having finished the assignment, so laying down on the desk looked normal. I waited and waited. The feeling got worse and worse, and painful, in my stomach and my chest. After a few grueling minutes of hoping it would happen, it didn't. While some residual pain remained in my abdomen, the other symptoms had calmed down. To say i was disappointed was a huge understatement. I went through the classes, saying nothing about having almost released myself from the harsh grip of empty reality. There wouldn't have been a point. I'd have been yelled at by my family for being selfish and wanting attention, just like when they had discovered my injuries and when I had asked for therapy. I was already threatened with being put into a mental ward for teens. Saying something and failing warranted worse consequences than not telling and succeding. So I kept silent and suffered. I decided that putting myself out wouldn't happen, and I would just deal.
I moved in with someone I was dating and their family just a few months after my 18th birthday(9 mo together). I hadn't even graduated yet, just finished credits early. CS had already moved out before that, but I just didn't want to be there any longer. I felt unsupported and pushed aside. Not to get into details, because it's not my story, but when LS was going through something(after I moved out), they dropped it all to help her and take her to therapy. Again, I don't blame LS. I may not like the way she handled her situation afterwards, but it happened nonetheless, and she was pampered by that demon and cared for by everyone else as the baby, so I've never had huge issues with her, but my family's reaction to her vs me was starkly different. Especially after being told several times by CS, ES and hinted at by my mom that I was always a little difficult, but not in a purposeful kind of way. Yet while I was "difficult" I was still thought to be relatively low maintenance due to the fact that I shyed away and prefered to do my own thing, alone. I mean, wouldn't you if you felt, no, if you knew, that certain family members just hated you, and others regarded you as difficult? When you just wanted love? I know that I wasn't normal like other kids, in that I didn't show clear emotion, or didn't know how to convey my feelings or needs. But I never tried to be an issue. But that's what I had always been told. That I was doing it at my own will, to make CS angry. I'm not even sure what about me always put CS off, but it weighed down for a while.
As an adult(18-20), it was better. Communication, but with less physical meetings, proved to at least be better for us. CS eventually started talking to me and my at-the-time SO, inviting us out. I think she needed company, because the man she chose to marry had all but cut out all male people from her life(don't feel bad, she did the same with his female friends)and her female friends were not always good friends, and maybe she knew that, deep down, I still wanted her approval. And boy was she right. We(me and SO, Same age) were always accepting her invitation. My SO had the train of thought that CS was at least trying, and that counted for something. At the time I agreed.
Around age 20, we were heading to Christmas with my family after SO's family celebration(we lived with them at the time, in hindsight a bad idea, totally separate issue). It was snowing and the car I was driving had belonged to SO's parents, so, respectfully, I requested to my SO that we pick up CS and take her to moms apartment(she hadn't moved since we left home, expenses and all). Well, SO was a momma's kid, and while we were getting ready to leave, SO told the parents about the extra trip and asked if that was ok. (At the time I don't think anything, but later on I realized that the mother was a huge control freak with attachment issues and the SO would always back her up in the end, even if there was a good chance we'd win an argument). Looking back, they definitely had an issue with my relationship with my family(mother mainly. Narcissist), but this was CS, and I already had reservations about her anyway. SO's parents said no, sorry. Unfortunately, SO was really dense(yes, I know, shut up) so I couldn't ask them to lie to their mother. I let CS know and was explaining that it wasn't my car and wasn't my idea to "get permission" from the owner(although, as mean on their part as it was, that had to be the case. I had only been given permission to use it for work of whenever me and SO went somewhere together. Yes, very controlling, but not the point). CS wouldn't listen. Instead, went on a tirade of how I was ungrateful and useless and all other insults that just echoed all of the childhood issues.
Story short, she ballooned the story to say that I told her I didn't want to take her and was being rude about it. ES texted me and told me not to come by at all(ES was paying a part of the bills and was an adult on the lease). No one would listen that this was just SO being dumb and, although yes I could've tried harder, it was not my fault. Myother called me that night and I cried, asking why my sister hated me. Why CS hated me. She could only say that sometimes people are angry and it's not our fault. While I appreciated her words, it didn't help. The gift I had for CS went unsent,(robe with her favorite design, Mary Jane) sat in my closet.
I mourned for a while but went on with my life, and that very next summer, I moved me and SO into an apartment. Made a deal with paying the car insurance and the basic gas/oil and regular maintenance costs, in exchange for just being able to drive the vehicle freely, and also I had my license for a year at that point(couldn't get it till 19, with my own cash and borrowing a car at the time), so they felt safer letting me use their car. Fair enough. moving on.
Some time goes by, and CS and ES end up falling out of touch again due to a made up issue(literally a dream where we made fun of her life and loss during her pregnancy. A dream. Mind you, she was also on substances this entire time, literally from the time she was like 11 or 12.) ES started talking to me again, claiming that she knew CS blew it out of proportion and just went along with it. Things go ok.1-2 years later Mom and ES move state. More things happen(kind of irrelevant since CS still isn't involved). Now LS and ES aren't speaking with me and CS comes in saying how she understands. I figured, it's was family, and I needed it. Right? And I was so confused on who to defend and back, my bio family or my SO, that seeing her, even with her sketchy SO, be able to have someone support her when she was put out, even if she was in the wrong and did the putting out, hit the family spot. Against everything, I started hanging out with CS. Up to this point , she hadn't apologized for anything really, but had given gifts, sent invites for holidays, and eve invited me, and sometimes SO over just to hang out(420 is legal in all the states I've lived in, so we had that in common at least). Start to not see CS in such a bright light since she has by that time(I'm 22 at the time) admitted to me that she cheats on her husband, they do hardcore drugs, and he avoids taxes, more stuff but I mainly ignore it cuz, hey, not my life, not my problem. Things go ok.
I leave my ex in 2019 and move out of my state in 2020 and in with family. Yay job closures. Now, this move was probably one of the worst, betraying, infuriating, heartbreaking things that I did as it showed some things about family that I really ignored since I hadn't created an irreversible issue until I lived back with them, as well as bring other heart wrenching events, but that's not important here.
CS now hasn't really sent anything unless it's to ask for help with something, which I do and she pays back, as always. That's not really the bad part. First was about 2 years after I had moved states to be with family. I had been paying ES money for rent, from unemployment(COVID), And had a surgery scheduled for just 3 weeks after the unemployment cut off(I had been looking for jobs but very little luck aside from some MLMs) and ES went ballistic, saying how i was putting them in financial strain(our mom had recently gotten a large tax return from COVID credits, as did she. I did not since I worked during 2019 and 2020. I also got no extra unemployment since it started after the main event. ES ranted to CS that I was a bum and was mooching and spent over a year not paying anything,( even though I had offered ES proof since ES had yelled at me before CS called me). She even posted personal information to insult me online to people I don't know, which is when ES told CS that, while she was mad at the situation, that was crossing a major line. I refused to call CS first, so after a few days, she called me. I laid into her what had been really happening by that point, that I had been paying and I have been doing door dash and donating plasma to continue to pay rent, which I Had talked about to ES. CS was silent during this, and I finally asked why any of the things in childhood happened.
Me: I just want to know why you always bullied me, and beat me up? The things you said?
CS: Well, I want to apologize, but I don't remember a lot of the stuff I did. I was usually high on something. Me: ...Not even telling me to off myself? CS:......-username-, I was a terrible person, and I was on a lot of stuff. I'm sorry that I don't remember.
I don't go farther cuz it's just me explaining everything and that I can't stand that Im always attacked. We hang up with CS telling me that she hopes the best.
Well, things kind of blow up, rent gets unpaid, money is wasted, and I decide to no longer pay and move to my own place. I don't talk to ES. CS chats sometimes, but not too much. After a while of not much texting, around middle of 2022, CS texts. Not exact, but I'll summarize it.
CS: hey, I'm divorcing my husband(I knew, mom told me earlier, didn't say anything) and I'm gonna move to Texas with this guy I've been talking to while married. I'm short on money to move into a place, so could you and mom maybe do this investing app and help out? Me: does it require anything like my credit?(Issues happened prior to this with another person) CS: no you just need to invest their free 5 dollars and keep the account open(I think for either 2 weeks or a month). Me: ok I'll get it started. CS: thank you so much! So how's the new Italian place? Me: it's good, it's called "blah blah blah" CS: ok cool, I'll look it up. Me: Okie dokie. So how's the move coming along
She never responded after that. I ignored it and put it on that she needed to move and focus on packing. I then went to our mom(I took her and her cat with me cuz I'm not monster) and told her the situation. She wanted to ask CS about what to do cuz I had to work in the morning and it was late. Convo:
Me: when you ask CS, ask "hey, -username- said you needed something, I have the app up, what do I do next?" Because this would explain that I told Mom and make CS answer what she wants.
Nope. She just sent "oh did you need any thing for moving, like money or anything?"
CS: hmm? Oh no, we're going to stay with his parents, but thank you for the offer! We'll be ok!
I got upset cuz I feel like I knew something was up. Asking me to help with money for moving to an apartment(she has a car large enough to pack her belongings and she didn't plan to bring furniture). I let it go and deleted the investment account, which continues to try charging me so I had to change banks. Very nice.
Now to this last fall(2023). I moved after that and there was very little interaction. I had been thinking about the relationships in my life and realized that being around CS in particular, or even being mindful of her, was causing mass amounts of resentment and anger in me, making my mental health dive. The lack of remorse and just consistent blaming of substances instead of the choice to do those substances. Claiming she's was a terrible person, but not saying anything about the issues it caused.
I decided that if CS did not even contact me on my birthday(she had skipped it before which isn't too bad, but one year even sent a message 2 months late and when I called her out, she blew it off and just said "oops, I was drunk, my bad".
So this last fall I wait. And nothing, till the end of the day. Honestly I didn't want to wait for excuses or anything. I just felt all of the anger of trying to get her attention and her love, and the desperation that I felt trying to understand why I never deserved it. So I removed her. Not blocked. If there are any emergencies where she would need to contact me(not likely), then it's there. I have a new number, so social media messaging was sufficient. I had done the same with ES.
The very next morning, I had a huge message about how she noticed that I had removed her(this site doesn't notify if someone leaves your friend circle) and about how she felt bad about what happened as kids but that she felt horrible for blocking people out for so long. Then another message telling me that she didn't want to be without her siblings again. Telling me that now, she was going to have a kid in several months, and how it's amazing and she's excited to finally be a mom and I'll be an uncle again(LS has 2 young kids of her own). I opened it and ignored it. She then said she tried reaching out and I left her on read and she hopes I have a good life.
Mentally, I may not be where I want myself to be, and sometimes I feel like I haven't moved forward from being that kid, that just wants to know why. But one step at a time, especially with therapy.
I wanna say I don't feel like the AH, or if I am, that is justified. But I guess there's always going to be a small part of me that wants to have the bonds that I never knew, even if it's too late by now.
So, am I the AH for just stopping contact and connection to someone I feel I just don't have a connection with?
P.s., sorry there's a lot, I honestly didn't mean for it to be this long. Please don't hate my late night grammar

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• Black Hawk Down $old Case has some scruffs, case doesn't close at bottom
• The Guns of Navarone $old The 4K disc has a scratch; it didn't affect playback on my player, but YMMV.
• Jack Reacher $6

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Blu-ray

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• Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy $3 Rich Mahogany Edition
• Blood Work $old
• Flight $2 No DVD
• Gone Baby Gone $2
• Invincible $2
• Little Nothings $7 Arrow Academy. Brand New & Sealed
• The Rebirth of Mothra Trilogy $50 Long OOP
• Robocop 2 $old Scream Factory Collector's Edition
• Snake Eyes (1998) $3
• The Stand (1994) $old

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DVD

DVD's are $1 each unless otherwise noted. DVD's are buy 2 get 1 free.
DVD's free with any purchase, just ask :)
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• (500) Days of Summer
• Anger Management
• Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
• Dallas Buyer's Club
• Fast Times at Ridgemont High
• Fever Pitch w/slip
• Justified Season 1
• Munich
• Reservoir Dogs
• School of Rock
• Transformers Steelbook
• The Wedding Singer
• Zoolander

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Kino 4K Slips ONLY

https://i.postimg.cc/8PqNfyR5/20240416-172158.jpg
Shipping for slips is $4. Free shipping if you order at least $35. A majority of the slips have wear on the corners, but are in good shape for the most part. If it's a foil slip expect scratches. I'll send pics of whatever you're interested in.

• 12 Angry Men $7
• 3 Days of the Condor $7
• Cujo $5
• Death Wish $5
• Dressed to Kill $5
• Eastern Promises $7
• High Plains Drifter $7
• In the Heat of the Night $7
• The Longest Yard $5
• Marathon Man $5
• Mystery Men $5
• Rawhead Rex $5
• Ronin $9
• The Taking of Pelham 123 $7
• Thunderbolt and Lightfoot $5
• The Usual Suspects $8

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Vinyl

Prices are shipped. Records are in great condition and have only been listened to a few times. Each record comes in MoFi inner sleeves. I've included links to each records Discogs page. Please note that Vinyl prices do not count towards the $35 free shipping threshold since vinyl has to be shipped separately.
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• Michael Giacchino – The Batman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) $40 Mondo web-store exclusive
• King Gizzard and the Lizard Gizzard – Changes $40
• King Gizzard and the Lizard Gizzard – Infest The Rats' Nest $60
• King Gizzard and the Lizard Gizzard – Murder Of The Universe $35
• King Gizzard and the Lizard Gizzard – Polygondwanaland $60
• John CarpenteEnnio Morricone – John Carpenter's The Thing / Lost Cues: The Thing $70 Waxwork release
• John Massari – Killer Klowns from Outer Space $30 Waxwork release
• Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats – Blood Lust $30

Ladies, gentlemen, and interstellar enthusiasts of all ages, buckle up! Today, we're cruising through the cosmic playground where the science of the heavens crashes the party at the art studio. I'm your host, the verbal alchemist who makes Shakespeare and Snoop Dogg sound like old school chums. Grab your space helmets and a tub of popcorn because we're diving headfirst into the wacky world of astrological soundscapes. It's like mixing a Spotify playlist with a NASA mission—bizarre yet brilliant!
Imagine, if you will, a universe where Beethoven meets Neil deGrasse Tyson at a rave. That's right, we're turning the esoteric, I mean, astronomical data into sick beats that even your grandma can jam to at bingo night. Composers today aren't just messing around with violins and pianos. No, sir! They're using the actual movements of planets and the frequencies of starlight to compose tunes. This isn't your average music theory class; it's a full-blown cosmic concert.
Let’s take a stroll down our solar system. You know how each planet has its own orbit? Well, some sonic genius decided to translate those orbits into musical scores. It's like assigning each planet a DJ turntable. Mars drops the bass, Jupiter thumps the percussion, and Venus? Well, she's all about that high-pitched electronica. Together, they're not just a solar system; they're a band on a galactic tour!
But how do they do it, you ask? It's all about data, baby. Scientists use telescopes and other nifty gadgets to snatch up all that juicy cosmic info. They measure the light, the speed, and even the 'moods' of these celestial bodies. Then, our maestro composers take this data and turn it into a language we all understand: music. It's like translating alien speak into human bops.
Now, let's get specific and talk about one such project that’s as viral as the latest dance challenge on TikTok. Picture this: a composer sits in a dark room surrounded by screens showing graphs and numbers that look like the stock market on steroids. This isn't just any composer; think of a figure as iconic as Hans Zimmer wearing an astronaut helmet. He's not scoring for a blockbuster; he's scoring the universe. The project? Turning the rhythm of planetary orbits into a music album titled "Galactic Grooves."
Each track corresponds to a different planet. Mercury’s got quick, snappy beats—think techno on a triple espresso. Venus is more sensual, with a smooth, flowing rhythm like silk on skin. Earth is the baseline, literally, with grounded, deep tones that resonate with anyone sporting a heartbeat.
But wait, there’s more! Ever heard of the Starlight Frequencies project? It's where starlight becomes the lead singer. Scientists measure the frequency of light from distant stars—their color and intensity—and our composer turns these into melodies. If a star is pulsing with a red light, you might hear a deep, jazzy saxophone wail. A bright blue pulsar? That’s your high-energy, electronic synth.
Imagine you're listening to these tracks on your headphones. With every note, you're literally hearing the universe. It's a soundtrack composed by nature itself, refined by human creativity. It’s like catching the whispers of the cosmos—oops, almost slipped with the "W" word there! Let’s say it’s like eavesdropping on the universe’s private conversations.
And why stop at music? This mashup of science and art isn’t just for the ears; it’s a full sensory overload. Think about live shows with laser lights synched to the music, mimicking the pulsations of the stars themselves. You're not at a concert; you're at a cosmic exhibition.
But here’s the kicker: what if we throw in a few extraterrestrial sounds? Yeah, you heard that right. Imagine weaving—dang, there’s that word again—incorporating some alleged signals from potential alien communications. Now, that’s a track that would have even the most stoic scientist throwing hands up at a rave.
So, there you have it, folks. Astrological soundscapes are where the vastness of the universe meets the creativity of the human mind. It’s not just about listening to music; it’s about experiencing the rhythm of the cosmos. From the spinning of the planets to the twinkling of stars, everything in the universe has a beat, waiting to be transformed into a beat you can groove to.
As we wrap up this interstellar jam session, remember: the next time you look up at the night sky, you’re not just star-gazing; you're previewing the biggest concert of the millennium. And who knows? Maybe in the future, we'll all be jamming to the sound of a black hole at the club. Now, wouldn’t that be something to tweet about?
So keep your eyes on the stars and your ears on the ground because the universe has more secrets to reveal, and trust me, they’re bound to be music to your ears.

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/ThrowRa-Lunch posting in relationship_advice
Concluded as per OOP
2 updates - Long
Original - 5th May 2024
Update1 - 7th May 2024
Update2 - 9th May 2024
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My (38F) Husband (39M) hid having lunch with a coworker (25F) and said my food was ‘tasteless’. What do I do?
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I want this to be quick. I feel really weird about this and I’m on the verge of asking for a separation.
So, I’ve been with my husband for 15 years, married for 11. Amazing relationship, small bumps of course but nothing like this.
I’ve always made lunch for my husband to take to work, and up until a little over a month ago that was fine. Middle of March he said that a new Turkish food stand opened up outside of his office and that he had been eating lunches there instead because they were good. Alright, no problem.
So he just completely stopped asking for lunches. I had maybe packed 5 during this time frame for him, but I’m not even sure he was eating them now.
So on Thursday I was at home working and I had a phone call from him, thought he was calling during his lunch but he had butt dialled me instead.
At first, I didn’t hear much, just him talking to someone, and I was about to hang up until I heard a woman’s voice as well. I wouldn’t say I’m a jealous person, but I was a little bit curious so I muted my call at work and listened.
It was just standard conversation at first, he was praising this woman’s cooking A LOT. Which of course made me realise that he was eating lunch this coworker made. I was a bit peeved but there’s an explanation sure.
Although that went out the fucking window when she said “is it better than your wife’s?” To which he replied “Oh yeah, without a doubt. I mean, it’s not tasteless for a start” followed by laughing.
First of all, what the fuck is that supposed to mean? 15 years of cooking and NOW he has a complaint? And not even to me but some coworker!!
Also, that absolutely isn’t innocent on her end right? I’m not crazy in thinking that’s so weird, why even bring me up?
Anyway, I raised hell, ended the call, sent him a message not to ‘worry about my tasteless cooking anymore’ and that he ‘can eat from the bin’ from now on.
Hes apologised, said that he loves my food and was just trying to seem cool in front of his coworker. I asked why he lied about where he was getting lunch from, and he said that initially he did get it from that stand, but the coworker started offering and he didn’t want to tell me because he thought that I would get jealous (yeah, can you blame me?)
So, I’ve been airing him since. I’m still pissed to be honest, I haven’t made him lunch or dinner, only for myself since he said that he dislikes it so much. He said today that he’s apologised and that I shouldn’t keep punishing him but I’m literally an inch from going to my mums. I have a suitcase with my clothes packed under our bed ready.
Dad thinks it was a stupid comment, but that I should work it out, mum is on my side regardless of my decision. I’m thinking about leaving for a few days at least, maybe a separation but I honestly just want some reassurance if that’s what’s best here?
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Comments
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BitterMistake9434
Now let's be real here, what are the odds the first time he talks about you negatively is the time he butt dials you. This has been going on since he stop having you make his lunches.
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DowntownShop1
Yup. He's been talking shit for a long time.
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OkieLady1952
What’s up with this woman wanting to be compared to OP. I think this woman has some side dessert in mind for OP husband. There was no need for her to bring this up! I’d be putting this coworker on notice also that you’re aware of her antics
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Blue-eagle-23
Has he agreed to stop having lunch with her? Even if she is not hoping to get with him she is certainly not a supporter of your relationship.

OOP: He said that he’ll stop having lunch with her and apparently has done since that happened. (Although I have no way of proving this)

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Update - 2 days later
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I’m back. It’s not a great update but you all deserve one for all of the advice you gave me on my last post.
He confirmed that he developed a crush on her, it’s an emotional affair at least and that’s all I really need to hear. I sat him down and had a heart to heart with him.
Bottom line are these points.
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• if I hadn’t of heard what he said, he most likely would have continued flirting with her, he admitted this himself.
• he liked the attention, she had bad mouthed me previously (I didn’t ask for examples) and he didn’t shut it down because he liked it.
• She has actively been persuing him for over 3 months now, he hadn’t put a stop to it until I caught him.
• The Saturday before last she offered to give him a blowjob during lunch together, he declined, but he told me that he let her feel his muscles over his clothes.
• The only reason he said all of this fucking shit was because I was all sweet and I said “I promise, tell me the full truth and we can move on, I’ll forgive you, I just want to know”

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Right, fuck that. He is packing his bags. This is MY house, and it will be treated as such. I really don’t care anymore. If he’s seriously deluded himself into thinking this is going to last, he can crack on.
I’m genuinely so angry more than anything. I did everything for him. I make double what he does so I paid all the bills, while we used his money for fun stuff. When we met he had crippling CPTSD and body dysmorphia. I did fucking everything to help him get over it. I dealt with his night terrors every bloody night, despite it ruining my sleep. I reassured him constantly despite not getting it back. All of it without a bloody complaint. You love someone so much just for them to throw you away so easily.
He cried, had a panic attack that I had to calm him down from and is now taking his time packing. He keeps stopping to come into the living room to ask for a hug. I can’t even express how disgusted I feel, like I physically can’t even look at him anymore.
There was no need, if he was unhappy he should have told me, I don’t know why the hell he even felt the need to get some validation from this girl but sure, whatever.
He keeps saying he doesn’t know why he did it, but of course he knows, he’s just too much of a coward to tell me.
Well whatever, it’s done now. He’s leaving, his family is back in Germany so fuck knows who he’s staying with, probably her but I’m washing my hands of him.
Thank you for all of the advice you gave me on the last post, so many great ideas that I didn’t even end up needing to use because he just down right admitted it all to me.
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Small update: 08/05/2024.
Had a phone consultation with a divorce attorney, I won’t know for sure until I meet with them in person next Friday but given the salary gap and the life we had I might have to pay alimony. Biggest bullshit I’ve ever heard.
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Comments
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Katatonic92
Doesn't know why he did it? Here's my guess based on the info you shared;

1. You saw him at his weakest & most vulnerable, you are clearly still his backbone judging from his current behaviour. He doesn't get to play the toxic image of manly man to you, in his mind, you are stronger than him. I guarantee he hasn't opened up to her about any vulnerabilities he has, it sounds like she has appealed to the toxic manly man ideal of making food & offering blowjobs to the big, strong muscular man. He gets to inflate his ego in a way he can't with you.
2. Not only have you emotionally supported him, you are also the main breadwinner, the provider. You cover the bills, the roof over your head, his contribution is the unnecessary fun stuff. This is yet another blow to the toxic manly man's fragile ego. He probably considers himself financially superior to her, his money could hold more "value" to her instead of it just being fun money you won't really miss.
3. He is older than her, gets to seem like the wiser, more worldly adult of the relationship. He will feel superior to her in every way he feels inferior to you.
4. He enjoyed the negative comments made about your food, not because they were necessarily true but because it meant you weren't perfect & someone else was validating it. Again, when you are insecure it is easier to find faults be derogatory towards a perceived threat to drag them down, instead of building themselves up.

Conclusion. Major insecurity, inflation of ego from someone he feels he holds superiority over. And as fucking usual, instead of recognising this bullshit, speaking to his wife who has done nothing but love & support him, go to see a therapist to work on his feelings, he goes down the easy road. Instead of doing the work to overcome his feelings of inadequacy, it was so much easier to gravitate to someone who not only let him ignore those feelings for a while, they also found a way to tear you down.
I'm sorry you are experiencing this, it is truly pathetic when someone would sooner risk causing this terminal heartbreak, than suffer short term discomfort by communicating. It's pathetic.

OOP: That’s so unbelievably true I can’t even say anything.
Physically he’s pretty intimidating. He’s 6’6 and about 270 pounds, and he can be pretty scary to people who don’t know him. But he’s always been extremely sweet and kind, and that’s one of his biggest insecurities, looking like a man but not ‘feeling’ like one. Which has always been bullshit to me. But yeah, everything you said is literally him.
I can’t even thank you enough for writing this. Having it down fully on here is so incredibly validating.

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0512052000
You should copy and paste that and send it to him. Better yet send him the link to this. He's a loser. You deserve better

OOP:
I sent him the first one so he’s probably already read this.

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Soon to be ex saw my update, came to my house. I’m safe. - 2 days later
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I can’t post another update to the relationship sub, and I didn’t know if people would see it if I just made an edit myself on my other post. Some shit went down, but I’m okay. Yesterday night STBX contacted me. A lot of people told me to delete my recent update made of the post, it honestly slipped my mind that he could be reading it too,
He said that he was a bit hurt that I’d think he would go for Alimony. But that he understands given everything. He told me that he wasn’t going to but if he needed to sign something to prove it he would.
I said given everything that’s happened he can’t blame me for being on alert. He said that he’s quit his job and that he’s thinking about returning to Germany to be with his family there, additionally he says he’s cut contact with that coworker. He apologised again and wished me the best
Right, and that would have been just fine by itself. But I woke up at about 2.15am last night needing a wee and I saw my ring door bell going off. I have footage of him just sitting outside my house talking to himself. Literally he got there at 1ish, knocked, sat down on my front steps and just started talking. I slept through it and only woke up because I needed the bathroom. I literally sat in my closet for ages just watching the camera not knowing what to do until he left at 3am.
He’s probably going to read this too but I’m somewhere safe, I just can’t tell you all for obvious reasons. He sent me a message saying he can’t lose me, that I’m the love of his life. I told him to fuck off and blocked him.
I really can’t say much, but I’m taking action. Absolutely don’t worry about that little prick.
Just a possible last update, it’s a bit risky to tell you what’s happening now that it’s gotten a bit shittier, just in case it gets back to him.
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Comments
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Figuringitout890
I almost feel bad for him. He blew up his life for a meaningless emotional affair and an offer of a blow job. Is he still holding to his guns that he didn’t take her up on it? Considering he admitted he had a crush on her, she persued him relentlessly, it would have taken balls to turn it down- considering he was already deep in an EA. I can understand feeling flattered that someone is interested, it’s an ego boost, for sure- but that’s where it should have ended.
He should have succinctly told her he’s very happily married and she needs to knock off. Why don’t waywards think of this? Did he really think this was just harmless flirting that wouldn’t affect his actual life? Did he ever expound on the his “feeling up his muscles”? What muscles?! I feel pity for him and his hour long languishing outside of your house.
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OOP: I did end up asking him why he declined her offer for a blow job. I feel like at this point it’s pretty done and dusted, there isn’t really a need to keep lying.
He said the main thing was that he was a little bit afraid to cross that line, and that he had rationalised to himself that since it hadn’t turned physical, it wasn’t bad. (He didn’t really elaborate on why he was afraid, but we were each other’s firsts, so that’s maybe why?)
I cringed a bit writing about her feeling up his muscles. It feels a bit gross to type out for some reason. My STBX is a physically big bloke. He’s 6’6 and roughly 270. He was in the military for a while and he never got out of that routine. I really don’t know what he means when he says his muscles. I mean it could be any of them.
My heart does really hurt for him in a strange way. I was a bit panicked this morning after I woke up from the nights drama worried if he had a night terror or something. I know that he betrayed me, but I still can’t stop hoping that he’s okay. I’ve messaged some of his friends to check up on him just in case.

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I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP. Please remember the No Brigading Rule and to be civil in the comments

I am not The OOP, OOP is u/ThrowRAWifePics2
Caught My(35m) wife(34) sending pics to BIL(40m) is our marriage is salvageable at this point?
Originally posted to relationship_advice
TRIGGER WARNING: Infidelity
Original Post Apr 30, 2024
I really dont want to spam this sub I posted today morning, but when I returned from office my account was banned. This will be my last try to post this.
My wife Jessica (34) and I (35m) have been married for 3 years, and we dated for 2 years before that and we have two year old daughter. Jessica has two sisters, the eldest one (38f) is married to Jake (40m).
A week ago, I came home from work early and wanted to scare Jessica. I tried to be sneaky, but somehow I slipped and accidentally hurt my back. Jessica came to my rescue. I went to the bedroom, and she went to the kitchen to get an ice pack. Her phone was by the bed, and a WhatsApp notification came from Jake saying, "You've got the best pair I've ever seen."
I immediately knew what was happening. I unlocked the phone and saw that she had just sent some pics and video of her t*ts to Jake, and there were no previous chats before that. When Jessica came back to the room, I showed her the chat and asked, "How long?"
I have known this woman for 10 years, and I have never seen her so mortified. Her eyes got teary, and she said, "Babe, I am sorry, but I can explain" so I said go on.
According to her, at the end of 2019, she was struggling with money, and Jake suggested he would help her out. He hinted that he would like to see her pics( I feel like I am writing a p**n script at this point). So she did sent him pics and it continue over the years, She swears there was nothing emotional or physical involved—it was purely transactional. I didn't believe any of it, but she showed me on Venmo, that MF paid her $300 yesterday.
I then told her, "It's been 5 years. Try to remember if anything physical happened". For me, if even half of what she is saying is true, how could something like that not become physical? She started crying and told me she could prove it tomorrow because Jake would get suspicious if she tried to talk to him now.
I took her phone, went to a bar, got wasted for the night, and when I came back, she was still there crying. I just slept on the couch. Next day morning I gave her the phone she called Jake, conversation goes something like this
Jessica: Hey, I was wondering if you want some more pics?
Jake: I'm short on money, yesterday, I spent all of it.
Jessica: We can do something more this time and meet in person. I've changed my mind on that.
Jake: No way. How much are we talking about?
I felt like I was going to puke, I told her that we are done and left for office. I am not a very wealthy dude, but I would consider myself a stable guy who could take care of his family. Now I just feel like I have failed as a man, who's wife had to sell her body to meet her expected lifestyle. When I got home that night, she looked like shit, I asked Jessica why she kept taking money from him after we got married and why she didn't ask me while we were dating. She said she didn't know how to stop and that it was easy money. I left my home that night and told her she can keep the home and the car but I want 50/50 custody of my child.
So here I am now, haven't told anyone about this. It's been a week since, staying in a hotel. I go home in the evening to play with my daughter. I'm speaking with divorce lawyers, and Jessica is constantly talking about marriage counseling.
Update May 3, 2024
Before getting to the update, some people were asking me to get a paternity test. I don't need one, I know she is my daughter because I am Indian and Jessica(my wife) is white, and my daughter looks like me.
Now for the update
After I made that post, I shared my situation with my cousin sister(30f), she is the only family member I have living in the States. I visited her place the next day, and she knocked some sense into me. I realized part of me still didn't want a divorce because I basically married Jessica against my parents' will, they wanted me to have an arranged marriage. So, my failed marriage would hurt my ego.
She also arranged a meeting with a divorce lawyer and no I am not giving up my house, I was just emotional at that time. From what I understand, in our state, adultery has pretty much zero impact on the assets, so it will likely be a 50/50 split. However, there is a high chance I can get better custody of my daughter because I have a job, and Jessica doesn't. She is also involved in "sex work" at this point, which could work in my favor.
My father-in-law called me last evening, and he was crying. He told me he didn't know what to say to me and that if he were in my place, he would have left her. Apparently, Jessica got scared and told her family everything after I didn't visit home for 2 days and had blocked her everywhere. I guess I should have done that a little while ago and jake is out of his house also.
So, I think I will go for a divorce because there is no point of reconciliation at this point when the whole relationship seems fake to me.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
Commenter

Did the sister kick out the BIL?

OOP

Yeah she kicked him out yesterday I didnt ask about them that much but it sound like my SIL is sure she is getting divorce.

FINAL COMMENT from OOP

It doesn't really matter if she was cheating or not. The main thing is she lied throughout the whole relationship, and I refuse to believe it was only for money. It could have been an issue when we were dating, but not after marriage. I am a SDE-3 with 10 years of experience, and I have a somewhat high-paying job. I am only thinking about my daughter. If I patch up everything with Jessica I will still have trust issues and it would set a bad example of a relationship in my daughter's eyes, which can be bad in the long term.

NEW UPDATE

Update 2 May 11, 2024
Update 2: Caught My(35M) wife(34F) sending pics to BIL(40M) is our marriage is salvageable at this point?
I think it will be my last update:
In-short: I caught my wife excanging nudes with her brother in law for money and I was going for a divorce.
first post Update 1
TL;DR: we are not getting a divorce anymore bye.
Before getting to the update some people were cursing me in my DMs saying I might not earn enough and accusing me of financially abusing my wife and taking advantage of her. I dont think this is the case for me, my salary is close to mid six figures, and we have a joint account where I put half of my in-hand salary and we don't even spend that much.
For those who were confused about the relationships in my post, my wife was exchanging pics with her brother in law(her sister's husband) not mine.
Now to the update:
After the day Jessica told everyone about the situation, my mother-in-law called and wanted to talk. She was with Jessica after the whole thing happened. I returned to my home later that evening, and her parents and her sister Josy(38F jake's wife) was there. After I got there, Jessica wanted to talk alone.
According to her, Jake was trying to pursue her since she was about 16-17. (For context, Jake and Josy have been together for 20 years now) This continued for almost 2 years. He used to make suggestive comments about her body, and she told Josy about it. But, Josy didn't believe Jessica at that time and told her she was doing this for attention. Jessica didn't tell her parents either because, according to her Josy was their parents' favorite, so nobody would have believed her.
Jake didn't do anything between those years besides casual flirting until 2019 when Jessica was having problems with rent and the whole transactional thing happened. I asked why she didn't ask me about it, and she said we were only one month into dating and it could have looked bad. She swears nothing happened after that until last year when Jake and Josy started having problems in their marriage, and he started messaging Jessica again.
She didn't entertain him at first, but she had gained some weight from pregnancy and thought I was ignoring her because of it, which I was not. At that time, I was working close to 13-14 hours a day to change my niche to another tech stack, massive layoffs were also going on, so it was a pretty bad time. Now she admitted that she liked the attention and validation this time(she called herself an attention 'whore'), but she didn't had any feelings towards him. They started exchanging pics and money and this happened three times. Then she addmited it was cheating although there were no emotional or physical actions from her side,but She said that she shouldn't have done it.
I asked her why she didn't tell me about Jake harassing her when we first met or started dating. She said she thought I wouldn't have believed her and that it was in the past. Then I asked why she didn't tell me the first time I found out about this. Her answer was the same: she believed I wouldn't have believed her because nobody else knew about this. I was just sad about the fact she doesn't trust me enough to tell me such a horific incident.
Now, I did something I am not very proud of. I asked her about a paternity test. I know it was stupid, but emotionally I was in a weird place at that moment. She was totally emotionless throughout the whole conversation, but after hearing about the test, she broke down crying and started hyperventilating, I started crying too. After about ten minutes or so, we stopped crying, and she said okay, then asked me if we are getting a divorce. I said I don't know.
She then said we should get a postnup before I do something like that. That line felt like a tight slap to my face, I was like "you're not even gonna convince me not to go through with it?". Then she left with her parents. The next day, she called crying, asking not to get a divorce, and to start marriage counciling. Obviously I said ok.
So here we are now after some weird couple of days, still getting the postnup, Her IC starting next week, Our MC starting next month. Hopefully, trust will return someday.
Also Jake is dening all that acording to him Jessica "seduced" him for money and my SIL is getting a divorce.
I know some people are gonna call me a doormat, but I don't care.
THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT THE OOP
DO NOT CONTACT THE OOP's OR COMMENT ON LINKED POSTS, REMEMBER - RULE 7

This isn’t an ad for Dyson- unfortunately no one is paying me to say any of this. If someone has already posted this… oops
I’ve been wearing wigs daily for nearly 15 years and I’ve gone back and forth between human hair and synthetic wigs. They both have their pros and cons, but by far my biggest gripe with human hair is that I can never get them as silky as when I got it.
I’ve tried EVERYTHING- oils, serums, wash routines, NOT washing, heat styling, heatless styling, silicone, you name it.
I recently bought a 22” hairlicious wig because I’m in a few weddings coming up and wanted something nice. As always, after wearing it for a few weeks it was time to wash, and this time I bit the bullet and got a Dyson Airwrap.
-Not only was it easy to use, it miraculously made my hair even silkier than when I bought it. The styles held their shape and it seems like there’s less damage than with other styling tools.
-It came with six attachments and they’re all useful. The curling barrel is not too hot to touch, so it let me bring it right up to the wig cap and I was able to adjust the hair on the barrel. You push a button to set the style with cold air.
-The dryer attachment can be directional, so you’re drying in the direction of the hair cuticles. It only took a few minutes to rough dry the hair, and since the hair needs to be slightly damp for the other attachments to work, the entire process from soaking wet to fully styled was around 45 minutes.
The styled hair was beautifully silky, but still held its style and had a good slip to it when I ran it through my fingers. I only used a little living proof heat protectant after washing with B&B shampoo and conditioner, and after styling put a tiny bit of Ouai hair oil on my hands and ran it through the hair.
Obviously the price is prohibitive- but if you are able, look on EBay, or for refurbished options. I don’t know from experience, but I’ve heard that the Shark Flex produces similar results.
Human hair wigs are expensive, and I feel much better about investing in them knowing I will be able to maintain them myself.

If it works it works.

PICTURE PROOF: https://imgur.com/a/tUTQwpG
For Sale! All prices include Media Mail shipping in the US. Only shipping within the US at the moment. Willing to upgrade to Priority at the buyer's expense. Please PM me with any questions.
PLEASE NOTE: Shipping is ALWAYS in a box with bubble wrap or other added protection. I'm a fellow collector and take this seriously. PM with any photo requests. Happy to take more!
PIC #1 Camille Keaton in Italy Box Set – Used/Like New - $40
Amazon Jail 1&2 w/ Slip – Used/Like New - $20
Time of Roses w/ Slip – New/Sealed - $30
The Unknown Man of Shandigor – New/Sealed - $25
Dr. Jekyll’s Dungeon of Death VSA – Used/Like New - $30
Zerograd – Used/Like New - $20
The Tale of Tsar Sultan w/ Slip - New/Sealed - $35
Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Hype - Used/Like New - $15
The Hot Box – Used/Like New - $25
La Bimba di Satana/Satan's Baby Doll - Used/Like New - $20
Gamera: The Complete Collection (Marked Region B but Region Free) – Used/Like New - $180
Angels Hard as They Come – Used/Like New - $17
Mirror Mirror Dark Force Blu-ray w/ Slip – New/Sealed - $15
Happy Hooker Goes to Hollywood Scorpion Blu-ray - Used/Like New - $10
The Devil’s Honey OOP 88 Films LE w/ Slip – Used/Like New - $35
Phase IV Region B LE – Used/Like New - $20
The Rain Killer OOP Code Red - Used/Like New - $10
Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker (Original Code Red Release) – New/Sealed - $15
The Complete Sartana LE Box Set – Used/Like New - $40
Count Yorga Collection LE Box Set – New/Sealed - $40
Mad Dog Morgan LE – Used/Like New - $40
PIC #2 The Prestige Blufans OC Box w/ Goodies & OC Protector (NO DISCS) - Used/Like New - $40
Rawhead Rex 4K Mediabook – Used/Like New - $30
Predator Filmarena Double Lenti - New/Sealed - $130
Confessions of a Serial Killer Padded Mediabook - Used/Like New - $25

It’s basically been 3 weeks since the breakup (due to long term incompatibility as well as emotional abuse) and I’m starting to feel better. I did have a cry yesterday, but that’s just part of healing I guess?
Over last weekend he had liked and unliked my Instagram story 4 times late at night. So it wasn’t an “oops” situation. Then two days later I heard he had hooked up with someone already. I was pretty messed up because of it, but my friends reminded me that him doing that will set him back and that he’s hung up on me and trying to feel something. One mentioned it could be he wanted to gain control again after letting himself slip doing the liking/unliking thing. Talking it out with my friends made me realize I was disappointed and a bit disgusted. Mainly because how could you disrespect yourself so much, but also, how was I so blind to this and how did I expected him to respect me if he didn’t do that for himself?
It’s been a couple days since and I slipped and checked his story, and he’s posting emotionally. Things about how pain was needed to refocus, some meninist post, and a “I should have cherished what I had because now it’s gone” post. My reaction wasn’t sad. It was “dude seriously?”. I can’t pinpoint what emotion I feel yet, but it’s leaning towards disgust of some sort.
I’ve been taking the time since the BU to heal, journal, practice mindfulness and doing things I love, and it’s slowly paying off.
Is this what letting go is? I’m aware it’s not linear and there will be other days where I’ll be sad and miss him, but it’s getting easier to just cry and then move on with my day rather than stay sulking. It’s a weird feeling

I hope you get stabbed. I hope you get shot. I hope your heart stops. I hope you get a heart attack. I hope you get a stroke. I hope your brain pops. I hope a wrecking ball crushses you in your sleep. I hope a plane crashes in your house. I hope you go to a human cannibal slaughterhouse. I hope you get cancer. I hope you get a 7th degree burn. I hope you get smashed by a car flying through your window. I hope you explode. I hope your heart gets stabbed. I hope you get dismemberment by trees. I hope you go inside the brazen bull. i hope you get death by molten metal. I hope you get shot by a firing squad. I hope you get poisoned. I hope your electrical outlet catches fire. I hope you get put into a metal coffin and you can't escape. I hope a car runs into you. I hope you get stung by billions of bullet ants. I hope your head gets decapitated. I hope your arms and legs get cut off. I hope you suffocate. I hope you die in your sleep. I hope you get slaughtered to death. I hope 50 chimpanzees tear you up. I hope YOUR eyes get scooped out. I hope you get slashed by a lightsaber. I hope you get kicked so hard you'll fly to the sun. I hope a shark eats you up. I hope you get beat up to death. I hope you get hanged on a noose. I hope you try going to your kitchen, then you slip and your knifes fall on you and stabbing you. I hope you fall off of a cliff. I hope you have stage 77 cancer. I hope 1000 types of bees and 100 of them sting you to death. I hope you get stung by a stingray. I hope someone throws a helmet at you and crushes your head. I hope you trip and break your skull. I hope you snap your neck. I hope you get assassinated. I hope you get murderd by a bunch of apes. I hope you die in a fire. YOUR ONLY COME BACK IS BLOCKING ME, YOUR A FUCKING PUSSY, YOU CANT DO ALL OF THAT BULLSHIT IN REAL LIFE. YOU CANT DO SHIT IN REAL LIFE. YOUR JUST A WEAK SKINNY 4'11 BITCH. THATS WHY YOUR FATHER SAID, "OOPS HONEY, I MADE A MISTAKE!!" (THEN YOU WERE BORN) THATS WHY I HOPE YOU DIE. GO FUCK YOURSELF. GO HANG YOUR SELF. GO COMMIT SUICIDE ALREADY, NOBODY LIKES YOU. GO COMMIT TOASTER BATH. GO COMMIT TOASTER FORK ACTION.

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/ThrowRAWifePics2 posting in relationship_advice
Ongoing as per OOP
1 update - Medium
Original - 1st May 2024
Update - 3rd May 2024
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Caught My(35m) wife(34) sending pics to BIL(40m) is our marriage is salvageable at this point?
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My wife Jessica (34) and I (35m) have been married for 3 years, and we dated for 2 years before that and we have two year old daughter. Jessica has two sisters, the eldest one (38f) is married to Jake (40m).
A week ago, I came home from work early and wanted to scare Jessica. I tried to be sneaky, but somehow I slipped and accidentally hurt my back. Jessica came to my rescue. I went to the bedroom, and she went to the kitchen to get an ice pack. Her phone was by the bed, and a WhatsApp notification came from Jake saying, "You've got the best pair I've ever seen."
I immediately knew what was happening. I unlocked the phone and saw that she had just sent some pics and video of her t*ts to Jake, and there were no previous chats before that. When Jessica came back to the room, I showed her the chat and asked, "How long?"
I have known this woman for 10 years, and I have never seen her so mortified. Her eyes got teary, and she said, "Babe, I am sorry, but I can explain" so I said go on.
According to her, at the end of 2019, she was struggling with money, and Jake suggested he would help her out. He hinted that he would like to see her pics. So she did sent him pics and it continue over the years, She swears there was nothing emotional or physical involved—it was purely transactional. I didn't believe any of it, but she showed me on Venmo, that MF paid her $300 yesterday.
I then told her, "It's been 5 years. Try to remember if anything physical happened". For me, if even half of what she is saying is true, how could something like that not become physical? She started crying and told me she could prove it tomorrow because Jake would get suspicious if she tried to talk to him now.
I took her phone, went to a bar, got wasted for the night, and when I came back, she was still there crying. I just slept on the couch. Next day morning I gave her the phone she called Jake, conversation goes something like this
​

• Jessica: Hey, I was wondering if you want some more pics?
• Jake: I'm short on money, yesterday, I spent all of it.
• Jessica: We can do something more this time and meet in person. I've changed my mind on that.
• Jake: No way. How much are we talking about?

​
I felt like I was going to puke, I told her that we are done and left for office. I am not a very wealthy dude, but I would consider myself a stable guy who could take care of his family. Now I just feel like I have failed as a man, who's wife had to sell her body to meet her expected lifestyle.
When I got home that night, she looked like shit, I asked Jessica why she kept taking money from him after we got married and why she didn't ask me while we were dating. She said she didn't know how to stop and that it was easy money. I left my home that night and told her she can keep the home and the car but I want 50/50 custody of my child.
So here I am now, haven't told anyone about this. It's been a week since, staying in a hotel. I go home in the evening to play with my daughter. I'm speaking with divorce lawyers, and Jessica is constantly talking about marriage counseling.
​
Comments
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thesocialmediadetox
Her sister deserves to know.
Elegant-Channel351
Gather the evidence. Contact an attorney. Follow the attorneys advice AND tell your SIL and all of the family (not the kids). Your marriage is over.
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Update - 2 days later
​
Before getting to the update, some people were asking me to get a paternity test. I don't need one, I know she is my daughter because I am Indian and Jessica(my wife) is white, and my daughter looks like me.
Now for the update
After I made that post, I shared my situation with my cousin sister(30f), she is the only family member I have living in the States. I visited her place the next day, and she knocked some sense into me. I realized part of me still didn't want a divorce because I basically married Jessica against my parents' will, they wanted me to have an arranged marriage. So, my failed marriage would hurt my ego.
She also arranged a meeting with a divorce lawyer and no I am not giving up my house, I was just emotional at that time. From what I understand, in our state, adultery has pretty much zero impact on the assets, so it will likely be a 50/50 split. However, there is a high chance I can get better custody of my daughter because I have a job, and Jessica doesn't. She is also involved in "sex work" at this point, which could work in my favor.
My father-in-law called me last evening, and he was crying. He told me he didn't know what to say to me and that if he were in my place, he would have left her. Apparently, Jessica got scared and told her family everything after I didn't visit home for 2 days and had blocked her everywhere. I guess I should have done that a little while ago and jake is out of his house also.
So, I think I will go for a divorce because there is no point of reconciliation at this point when the whole relationship seems fake to me.
​
Comments
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HelloJunebug
I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Sounds like you have a good path forward and I wish you the best with custody and all that. Can I ask what happened with Jake and his wife? Sounds like she kicked him out?

OOP: Yeah she kicked him out yesterday I didn't ask about them that much but it sound like my SIL is sure she is getting divorce.

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UnusualPotato1515
Any update on your SIL’s relationship with Jessica?

OOP: It sounds like everyone is trying to cut off contact with both Jessica and jake, but I think only my MIL is talking to Jessica, she was at my house last night.

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l3ex_G
What happened with the sisters marriage ?

OOP: I think my SIL is fixated on divorce at this moment.

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l3ex_G
What was the excuse BIL gave? The fact he took money from their home and gave it to your ex is crazy. I hope she can heal from that and does divorce him.

OOP: I didn't really ask, I was too overwhelmed by my father-in-law's response, he was crying nonstop.

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I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP.
Please remember the No Brigading Rule and to be civil in the comments

Word Count: 990~
Ok for monetizing, just credit me :) also send me the link to your video , I'd love to see them.
The script is down below and I also have the links for it: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Nav3DvUuiio_jG20wb7KoS61F5b0eUVE56hdAR7UKZk/edit?usp=sharing & https://scriptbin.works/s/5v9f4
Summary: It’s been a couple months since you’ve captured the apple of your eye. Things are going as well as things can possibly be in a situation like this, but they keep managing to slide out of that damn chain collar! Whats the deal?
Content Warnings: Yandere, Chains, Imprisonment, Autistic Meltdowns, Mentions of Punishment/Tying Up Limbs
Ok for monetizing! Just credit me. :)
(Actions/SFX)
<3
(Footsteps echo down the hall as you come to listeners room (cage) with breakfast in hand.)
Darling, wakey wakey. It’s breakfast time. I’ve got you some of your favorite cereal and strawberry yogurt!
(You place down the platter on the table, plates clatter against each other and listener covers their ears.)
Oops, sorry honey. Was that too loud for you? I know you just woke up, I’ll try to be more mindful next time. But for now, say ahh. Is it good? I got you the organic stuff, I want to keep you healthy after all.
How did you sleep? Did you have any dreams of me? …Darling, we really need to work on your eye-contact. You know it’s rude when you don’t look at the person who’s talking to you. I don’t want your eyes drifting anywhere else when they should be on me. (dark) And only me-
(hostile) Wait, where is your collar? Were you trying to escape me? Again? Where is it- where is it?! Give me that!
(The chains of the collar rustle.)
Fuck, you broke it. I don’t know how you got out of it but it’s ruined. I’m gonna need to head back to the hardware store and get a new one… and it’s hours away from here. What do I need to do to keep it on you? Do I need to weld it to your skin for it to not come off? Huh? Look at me when I’m talking to you, brat!
(You drop the collar on the floor harshly, creating a loud noise. The listener flinches.)
Stop flinching! I’m not going to hurt you! I’ve never hurt you once! I love you too much to hurt you. Do you hear me?!
Sorry, is not going to make up for what you did. Should I tie up your arms and legs for you to get the message? Pets. Don’t. Take. Off. Their collars. I better not see you do anything or hear a word from you while I go to get a new one, ok? Eat your breakfast and be a good pet or else I’ll really follow through with what I said.
(You leave and lock the door.)
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(You knock on the door before coming in.)
(Gently) Darling, I’m back. I got you a new collar and I brought you some snacks.
Please don’t give me the silent treatment. I know I messed up, ok? But when I tell you the rules, you don’t cross them. Rules are there for a reason. They’re here to keep me and you safe, alright honey? Now come here.
(Listener crawls into your arms and starts sobbing.)
Shh, shh. It’s ok baby. I got you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry for scaring you. Take big breaths, I’m going to put the new collar on you.
Stop- struggling… See! Look how pretty it is on you! Aren’t you just adorable?
(Listener starts crying harder and scratching at their neck.)
Wait what- stop hurting yourself! Darling, stop! It’s not that bad! What is it? What’s wrong? What can I do to make this right?
It’s hurting you? How?!
You’re overstimulated? It just doesn’t feel right? What’s wrong, is the metal too restricting? Is it too cold?
Ok! I’m taking it off, stay still so I can take it off. There…. Is this why you keep slipping it off? Oh, I’m so sorry baby. I thought you were trying to leave me. I didn’t mean for it to hurt you-. Please forgive me.
(You start stroking their head.)
It’s ok. It’s ok now, it’s off. I love you darling. Shh, shh.
Baby, is there a reason why you acted that way with the collar? Perhaps some texture or weight sensitivity?
Oh, you have… autism? How come I- nevermind. I'm sorry for not noticing. I promise to do better. Alright, let’s do this: tell me what everything about your autism. Tell me what’s your safe foods, what makes you upset, what you’re sensitive to. Comfort items, favorite textures. Anything. I want to do better for you. Anything to make it up to you, ok darling? I should’ve noticed the signs as the one taking care of you.
Thank you for telling me. I promise you I’ll make this right. Go back to sleep and enjoy the snacks I gave you darling, I’ll be back before sundown. Stay safe.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Darling, wake up! I’ve got some things for you. First things first, let me put this salve on your neck. You did a number on it and I can’t risk getting it infected. Just relax.
Does that feel better? I’m sure it does. Here. Put this on, I got it at the store for you. It’s a jacket of your favorite texture. You can run your hands over it when you feel stressed at any moment. I also got you more clothes of the same texture if you want to switch it up. And for the final piece. Please tell me if this is not up to your taste but close your eyes.
(You clip a fluffy cotton collar onto listener.)
Tada! A new collar. (sheepish) Yes I did get it at an adult shop, but it’s much more comfier than the old ones! Doesn’t the soft cotton on your skin feel great?
There’s no need to thank me, I’m just doing what I was supposed to do in the first place as your lover. Darling, next time something like this happens, I need you to tell me. I won’t let you suffer in silence. Not anymore. Alright? I love you.
I’ll be in the kitchen making us dinner, and guess what? It’s your comfort food! I’ll make it for you every night if it makes you happy. You’re free to come and watch me if you want. I won’t bite. Is that alright, darling? Ok, I’ll see you there. Muah.
END.
<3

People are way too easily taken by high production values. And they used a famous successful book which is why it was good, and then changed some parts into nonsense, which is part of why it becomes bad.
It loses cohesion by the end, the story becomes ruled by contrivance and bad writing. Bad writing meaning poor conveyance, arbitrary events, and characters making nonsense decisions and contradictions to what rules were established beforehand. Things that undermine character goals too.
Toranaga’s son slipping on a rock and dying is the stupidest, most contrived piece of nonsense I’ve seen in fiction in a long time. Yes, it’s clever enough to use that event to your advantage after it occurred, but what would have happened if the son succeeded, and by all rights he should have? How is anyone supposed to take that nonsense seriously? And it's a major catalyst so it weakens the entire narrative. Big oops I guess in our serious historical drama. Sometimes key figures doing critical things just happen to slip on a rock and die. Whoopsie!
One of the worst parts of contrived/bad writing is how most problems occur because characters are allowed to just walk away from questions. For example, too many times Toranaga ignores Anjin’s direct questions about his ship or crew or trying to help, and he walks away without saying anything. No normal person allows something direct to be ignored or dismissed like that. Especially with life and death stakes and tons of suspicion and known attempts of assassination. They can suffer being ignored but it transforms/poisons future interactions and damages relationships. It makes them think, “He’s deliberately avoiding this, therefore the answer is obviously an unfavorable outcome for me. I must prepare accordingly.” Anjin rightly calls out the gifts and no purpose and he is constantly ignored or told to shut up about it. Not good behavior if your entire operation hinges on trust and loyalty. How many times did he tell him he can make Toranaga a fleet and then Toranaga says nothing until the very end asking him what he wanted to do anyway. The fleet would have inspired more loyalty through power, and inspired protection through deterrence.
Hiromatsu’s death was pointless. It convinced no one and frankly should have been self-damaging to the cause. It convinced the one Portuguese priest but even his superiors who make the actual decisions saw through it without even being there. And no other place was it referred to as being a relevant helpful action. Additionally, his words to Bunta in that moment reveal the deception right in front of everyone. “You must believe in him even when he himself seems not to.” Bitch, YOU’RE killing yourself over the fact that YOU, the most loyal and dedicated longtime guy, don’t believe in him (or so it seems) anymore, so the words are completely hollow and revealing given the blatant contradiction. His allies should be thinking “wow our lord just let his most loyal and longtime guy die in protest, what am I to him? I’m worth less that that guy for sure and he died so why am I wasting my time/life?” or "Hmm, He told his son to stay loyal under our lord's appearance of no-selfbelief, hmm, must be something to that." Either more vassals would seppuku in protest or some would leave or not be loyal anymore, or the deception uncovered immediately. One can rationalize it as the only reason the words were effective was because of how repressed and conditioned to extreme-to-the-point-of-senselessness loyalty those people are. In other words, bad writing. We/they are expected to believe something which is blatantly untrue and poorly demonstrated despite the heavy drama of it. One can get taken in by shock and emotions, but logically and from the words used, it was a bad.
Mariko’s discrimination makes no sense. The Nobunaga stand-in was said to be cruel and bad. Her dad Akechi killed him out of the greater good. So why is she still discriminated against and not considered a bit heroic for putting down a tyrant? Even if it is against manners and loyalty and protocol, shouldn’t there be a sort of neutral respect instead of outright distaste?
Especially from her husband who was always abusive to her but also said in the beginning they were happy? So why and what changed? He apparently uses her family name against her as an insult so why get married to her at all is she and her family are such pariahs. And then claim happiness in the first place? She was cold to him? Why was she even running away so much? But she valued her loyalty to her father so why would she mess up her duty that she’s constantly touting as the absolute in importance, above God, above love? And why did Buntaro suddenly want a relationship with his wife at the end and at no point before? No sense, no catalyst for change. Everything about that is a huge mess in portrayal. Sure it can be rationalized but that’s not the point, it’s not my job to fill in the holes and fix errors in the narrative and display.
All the politicking with the regents, the delays, finding a 5^th, holding hostages, were all contrived. Not them as events, they are good events, but how they went about doing them, what was actually said, how they were demonstrated was the bad part. So many holes in the methods that the writers chose to do. The regents honestly could have done things their way at any time since from the outset even the impeachment was bogus. If they are going to break rules and do what they want, then why bother to adhere to certain parts of only some protocols? They shot themselves in the foot arbitrarily. It was obvious they could have eliminated him anytime if they wanted. It made no sense for them to break some rules and obey others when they are the ones making the rules.
And don’t get me started on how bad the hostages in the capital nonsense was. Completely arbitrary contrived self-restrictions. If you’re going to do that, then nothing is standing in your way of anything. And no, a borderline nameless translator dying over it is not going to incite noble families to rebel. If taking their OWN FAMILIES HOSTAGE didn’t already do it, a translator of the impeached regent is not going to do anything neither. In fact, her dying would show that their hostage family members are at true risk so it would probably force them to toe the line even further. Makes no sense.
Toranaga really didn’t do much, he was just lucky his enemies were making so many internal mistakes that he could not have possibly known about nor predicted nor affected.
That’s not even Crimson Sky. Crimson Sky wasn’t some bogus attack on the castle. Why did the writers even make that silly change? It’s stupid and wouldn’t ever have worked especially after the earthquake decimating his forces and refusal to build a fleet of ships until the last episode.
Episodes 7 and 8 were mostly filler.
The plot of the Portuguese and the Anjin completely falls away in the 2^nd half and that was a very large hook in the beginning. That map scene was hugely marketed as a grabber for the show and it is rendered completely irrelevant. That whole section of people all become pretty much pointless, background, ineffective, non-agent, characters to Toranaga’s melodrama about withholding information from even loyal vassals and family, and the regents imploding.
Even Blackthorne’s acting becomes weird in the 2^nd half. He starts out great but then starts walking and standing weirdly, having inappropriate-to-the-scene expressions on his face. It’s conspicuous and bizarre.
Blackthorne fighting his former mate made no sense. Heck, him turning away right as he’s about to see them deliberately made no sense. Mariko speaking up in front of the regents when others have been killed outright for less is completely backwards up to this point in the show. She’s a woman with even less rights and respect than a male in that era and her family name in the show itself.
The non-leper Christian regent suddenly caring about Mariko’s soul when he admitted to Blackthorne that he doesn’t care about the ways of the church in favor of his purse strings in the prior scene makes no sense. And even if he did do it, wouldn’t that technically be murder and his own soul would be condemned? Would Christian god understand the nuance of seppuku? One of them should be going to hell, so neither would do it unless they didn’t actually value their religion.
So many soldiers die so easily in this show and yet Buntaro survived ALL THOSE GUYS on his own and some random ronin pledge themselves to return him home but suffer so much that only two remain? I call bullshit.
Lines like “You must not involve yourself.” The gall of it! Anjin had been kept there as a plaything against his will the entire time. He’s forced to be involved. Bad writing there. I forget the circumstances of the line but I know do remember that my criticism of it is justified in this instance. It’s just one example of many.
Osaka will be disgraced for having Mariko suicide? Why? Who says? Isn't impeachment and killing of Sugiyama already much more disgraceful? They control everything already. Who will judge that, who would do anything? If the high families didn't revolt for being held hostage already, a translator woman's death won't mean anything. And if they revolt, they were never loyal, so loyalty means nothing anyway and you have your out to disgrace them back. By your own rules this writing crumbles. Like a bad video game that throws out all it's mechanics by the finale.
When/how did Mariko have any time to negotiate for Anjin? Why would they even entertain her? Why would the Portuguese, who manipulated so much Japanese politics to kill Anjin give up just because some lady asked? She would obviously be ignored. She didn't offer them anything and we know they price gouge when they can. They would clearly not accept the risk to their entire operation that the Anjin represented. And the threat was clearly HIM, not the ship. So exchanging the ship for his life makes no sense. If anything, the incriminating books mattered most and THEY GAVE THEM AWAY. We never see if they altered the books to remove their own wrongdoing and proof of Macao.
Bad writing involving fathers scolding their sons. Like, who’s job is it to teach the son things? The parent. The son’s mistakes are the parent’s mistakes if they aren’t being taught.
How has Fuji not dealt with the remains of her son and husband until the last episode? The remains were introduced in the very first one. So for 6 months they were sitting there wrapped up as presents? It's a good enough scene, but the timeline is a bit weird.
If Ishida sent shinobi assassins to kill Mariko, why did they try to take her away rather than just stab her? A massacre under his city’s protection is a bad look and can't be hidden with how much collateral damage occurred in that raid. Even if the goal was retconned to be “capture her” all that other death of presumably noble families could not be swept under the rug. There's your uprising since you killed the hostages on a quest to capture one lady.
Her standing in front of the door did nothing. They wanted to kill her so she let it happen? Then why resist beforehand? Not like the sacrifice protected people inside either.
The door was blown open and the shinobi didn't enter to finish everyone else? Why did the attack suddenly stop after the door was blown?
Why burn the ship to prevent him leaving? He professed how many times to make you a fleet? You didn’t let him on it the entire time anyway so why bother destroying an eventual resource? Even seeing his crew move on rendered his escape somewhat impossible. Why make up a lie about a spy in the village that's already loyal to you? Seems a good way to get people to turn against you actually. Pointless.
How does Anjin suddenly know Toranaga won't surrender when he didn't know anything else before and even argued with Mariko about it?
Why did Anjin say he feed Toranaga shit? What did he say that wasn't true?
Why was the ship that important? It wasn't. Why would the Portuguese accept the ship's destruction over the man who knew the books and the books themselves.
Why test the Anjin? For falling for your deception like everyone did? "It's his fate to not leave japan?" But you keep destroying his ships. So it’s not fate, but you. Loyalty is not one way.
Literally time was "bought" just so his enemies could in-fight more which he couldn't have possibly predicted in what manners nor intensity. Luck pretty much won him the day ultimately. Luck that old relationships like Ochiba and Mariko haven't soured or moved on in so many years without speaking to each other.
Criticizes the Anjin for being shortsighted, well he is stuck, by you, with a huge language barrier, dealing with a guy famous for not talking to even his own people including sons, in a foreign land with ridiculous customs and philosophy. It's a bit stacked against him I’d say to anticipate anything. And he did provide more information about the world and Japan’s “ally” Portugal that even Toranaga didn’t know. So talking about shortsightedness is a bit hypocritical.
The show has great production and a strong intro, but falls apart with baffling changes, contradictory decisions, contrived events, arbitrary mistakes and some outright bad writing.

Shout! Factory have a new 4K sale with over 100 titles to choose from at up to 50% off. This is the lowest price you'll find most of these. Shipping is free with $50 or more . The sale ends May 15th. Also, if your wallet is hurting at the moment (like mine), I believe they usually have a similar sale later in the year too.
https://shoutfactory.com/collections/4k-uhd-on-sale
Additionally, if you're a new customer, you may see a popup window show up offering an extra 10% off your first order with a new email signup. I'm not sure how to trigger it exactly, but if you go to their main page, and scroll around a little, it usually shows up (also try clearing cookies too and disable any ad/popup blocker).
Highlights
Creepshow 4K - $18.49
Clue 4K - $19.99
Point Break 4K - $19.99
Halloween 1-5 4K- $18.50 each
Nightbreed 4K (Exclusive Bundle with 2 slips / 2 posters) - $22.49
Bubba Ho-Tep 4K (Exclusive Bundle with 2 slips / 2 posters) - $19.99
Fargo 4K - $18.49
JFK 4K Collector's Edition - $32.99
The Blob 4K - $19.99
Pumpkinhead 4K - 419.99
Silver Bullet 4K - $19.99
The Dead Zone 4K - $19.99
The Halloween 4K Collection (1995 - 2002) - $64.99
Child's Play 4K - $19.99
Child's Play / Chucky 2-6 4K - $18.49 each
Return of the Living Dead 4K - $19.99
They Live 4K Steelbook- $17.49
Dawn of the Dead (2004) 4K - $19.99
Night of the Demons 4K- $19.99
Laika 4K Standard and Steelbook releases (Coraline, Paranorman, Kubo, Boxtrolls) - $14.99 / $17.49
Weathering With You 4K Collector's Edition - $39.99 (this is going OOP)
Belle 4K Collector's Edition - $32.99

PICTURE PROOF: https://imgur.com/a/tUTQwpG
All prices include Media Mail shipping in the US. Only shipping within the US at the moment. Willing to upgrade to Priority at the buyer's expense. Please PM me with any questions. PLEASE NOTE: Shipping is ALWAYS in a box with bubble wrap or other added protection. I'm a fellow collector and take this seriously. PM with any photo requests. Happy to take more!
PIC #1 The Fifth Element - EverythingBlu/Zavvi - Used/Like New - SOLD
The Prestige OC Box w/ Goodies & OC Protector - Used/Like New - $40
Jaws Cinemuseum Full Slip w/ 4K Amaray - Used/Like New - SOLD
Le Grand Blue/The Great Blue Kimchi/Nova 1/4 Slip - New/Sealed - $30
The Matrix Titans of Cult - Used/Like New - SOLD
Dune Manta Lab OC Trinkets - Used/Like New - SOLD
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Blufans Fullslip w/ Sealed Steelbook - Used/Like New - SOLD
Predator Filmarena Double Lenti - New/Sealed - $130
Man of Stel WeET Lenti Type B1 - Used/Like New - SOLD
PIC #2 Happy Hooker Goes to Hollywood Scorpion Blu-ray - Used/Like New - $10
All The Young Wives / My Pleasure is My Business Double Feature Blu-ray - Used/Like New - $15
La Bimba di Satana/Satan's Baby Doll - Used/Like New - $20
Horror High/Stanley - Used/Like New - $15
The Rain Killer OOP Code Red - Used/Like New - $10
The Tale of Tsar Sultan w/ Slip - New/Sealed - $35
Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Hype - Used/Like New - $15
Buried Alive w/ Slip - New/Sealed - $15
Mirror Mirror Dark Force Blu-ray w/ Slip – New/Sealed - $15
Gamera: The Complete Collection (Marked Region B but Region Free) – Used/Like New - $180
The Unknown Man of Shandigor – New/Sealed - $25
Zerograd – Used/Like New - $20
Angels Hard as They Come – Used/Like New - $17
The Hot Box – Used/Like New - $25
Dr. Jekyll’s Dungeon of Death VSA – Used/Like New - $30
Mad Dog Morgan LE – Used/Like New - $40
Phase IV Region B LE – Used/Like New - $20
PIC #3 Maniac Double Feature 4K Collection – Used/Like New - SOLD
La Bimba di Satana/Satan's Baby Doll - Used/Like New - $20
Confessions of a Serial Killer Padded Mediabook - Used/Like New - $25