So my (17m) bf and me (17m) are big on sentimental gifts rather than expensive gifts since we are young and saving up for college. Because of this, for valentine’s day I got him a picture book of us, a letter, and some small gifts. I was very surprised with what he got me because it was bigger than any other previous gift. However, I was slightly suspicious about the contents. He got me a weight loss journal (I’m a healthy weight and have never expressed an urge to lose weight), various chocolate nuts (he knows I hate nuts), a candle and a stuffed animal (these ones are normal). I just assumed the journal and nuts were an honest mistake. He also made me a very nice card where he cut out construction paper to make a cute arts and crafts for me which was my favorite gift. When asked about the weight loss journal, he claimed to not have not paid attention when he bought it.
Fast forward to recently, I was playing on his phone because mine was charging (we have each others passcodes and are okay with each other being on the others phone). Now I know it was probably an invasion of privacy but I decided to look up my name in his texts to see what he said about me to other people, just out of curiosity.
I found a conversation with his mother where he asks her to buy me a gift the day before valentine’s day. She asked what kind of candy I like and he didn’t respond (explaining the nuts). I also found out that she had made the card I liked so much. I completely understand if he couldn’t afford to get me anything but the fact that he couldn’t even bother to go to the store with his mom to pick out my gifts makes me feel so insulted. He couldn’t even be bothered to make a card for me. I thought that it was so thoughtful of him to take time and effort to do that for me, but finding out it was all his mother hurt me. I confronted him about it and he said that he had procrastinated until February 13 and didn’t get me anything himself.
Even though it was a few months ago, I still feel betrayed and saddened.
TLDR- my boyfriend couldn’t be bothered to get me a valentines gift, so his mom got it for him

So I have found the cutest little black kitten and im naming her iris, but the lady has been kind of odd idk if im just overthinking or not but anyways she said she would be ready end of June she was born middle to the end of April. That’s like typical time frame to get a kitten right? Also I’ve asked her to take some pictures around the 8th of may. She said she had just gotten surgery so I’ve been giving her some leeway with that but I haven’t gotten any updates nor pictures since. And I don’t want to bother her due to her surgery and recovery. Just not sure if she’s just planning on keeping her and just not telling me or what but im jus worrying a lot lol probably being ridiculous but idk I’ve waited about a year and a half to own an animal since my dog passed and I just need some advice what to do from here. Do I just wait and chill out or do I text her or ask for her daughters fb or number (she said she would ask her daughter to get some pictures since she’s helping her out due to the surgery)

The rift between them has caused a lot of tension in my family and now my mom wants to be in the life of her newborn grandson but refuses to address or try to mend things with my wife.
Little history: I probably introduced them too quickly. My grandmother was in town in south Florida about to move here from Illinois for a retirement community. My wife, girlfriend at the time, came with cookies or some form of baked goods like she usually does when visiting someone as a sign of affection and respect. Where it went wrong from here I have no idea. I suppose the initial crack was when wife scheduled a skitrip for her and I to have as a 1 year of dating anniversary present. We are not rich, this is a huge gift that made sense to her since I refused to let her pay rent. Our combines salaries are barely over 120k. So wife calls mom 6 months in advance because she is a planner for the sole purpose of asking my mom to watch one of our four dogs. Wife has already paid in full for the trip. Yet Mom decides it is a great idea to instead use the opportunity to hop on and take a family trip because it is the last time the family will have for a family vacation - I am the oldest of two boys and two stepsisters, my mom married the guy she left my father for who has twin girls of his own that were in the womb during the infidelity. Anyway mom completely takes over and decides to make our one year gift a family vacation, so she books tickets for a hotel nearby. Wife is bold but at the time not bold enough to stop my mom in her tracks for overstepping a boundary. At this time she still respected my mother and kind of let herself get steamrolled.
Probably skippable Family history: Now I have always had issues with my mother, resentment for leaving my father for my stepdad behind my own fathers back and constantly trying to keep brother and I from seeing “Disneyland dad who doesn’t do any of the work but gets all the fun.” my mother was very strict growing up, always bringing us to church and making my father feel guilty for not bringing brother and I on his weekend. So mom marries stepdad age 11, divorces him around 13 after asking me advice for her relationship and i encourage her to move out. Then remarries him and moves us back into his house age 15. Here I begin rebellion and normal teeenager stuff but stepdad won’t butt in because he isn’t my “biological father” so would have my mom intervene brother and i from behind the scenes. For example, I am young and messing around on the piano because music is important and I never had any formal training and mom comes in to tell me stepdad “wants to know when the concert is going to end because it is a little annoying.” Anyway, they have me prescribed adderall at 16 and in the parking lot holding my first prescription I am told that they would like me to move out and in with my father, who had chased us every time mom and stepdad moved several miles away (5 moves from age 5-15 all in one county). Anyway, brother and I are recovering alcoholics with (my) slipups triggered from interactions or visiting my mom, which mom claims is genetics from my father alone and has nothing to do with her. Maternal grandfather, mother, and I have some nasty temper problems which certainly are exacerbated by drinking (at least mine and moms).
Skitrip revelations: Wife and I are on the way to brothers graduation in Chicago, and wife has yet to reveal to me that my mother has taken over her massive investment of a couples ski vacation and it will now be a family vacation for mom, stepdad, brother, two stepsisters who are all getting out of gradschool. On the way to the airport I am told the news by future wife of my one year surprise. So I get upset and call my mom to call it off. She obliges my request and now holds resentment against me and now wife for “ruining her last family vacation.” Fine, whatever. Mother never says a word about it for months until we are out for a distant family members birthday dinner and at a table of about 8-10 people that are having a group conversation and gets real close to my wife’s ear and tells her privately along the lines of “you deprived our family of our last family vacation.” During this time my wife is frantically tapping my leg under the table because my mom can get a little aggressive. My mom saw this and later (privately to me) mocked her for doing it to my leg under the table.
Christmas blessings: Closer to Christmas maybe 2/3 weeks later we went to go see my mom and my mom had a couple drinks in her (not an alcoholic like brother and I just very sensitive to a couple glasses of wine and occasionally some hidden sips of wine or something) and invites my wife to Christmas church and out to dinner after because the family needs photos for a Christmas card and future wife “will be the photographer for it.” Now this can easily be a nothing comment but given the way my mom had been making future wife feel, it was taken as an insult. So wife declined church and showed up to family dinner just in time for photography session to be over.
The distance: Then mom moves to a fancy house up the coast and invites us up to visit. At first it is ok to bring the 4 dogs then the day before she says they will not have dogs at the house and we can easily find a sitter. 2 Dogs don’t get along, they need to be separated always as there has been two attacks on one from the other, so we can’t trust someone to come to the house and keep them separate and we won’t board 4 dogs it’s too expensive for us. Anyway we go back and forth being invited with the dogs then they retract the offer and say pick one dog to bring and leave the others and it’s just annoying, so we say forget it and don’t go. But my brother becomes engaged and decides to throw his engagement party at my mom’s new place near the beach. Great. First all the dogs are welcome, then day before they say it is too chaotic and she will pay for a small hotel room for one night for future wife and her dogs and my one (the attack dog) can stay in a crate at the house with me but I may not leave the dog to stay with her. And no reasonable cheap hotel in the area is going to accommodate 4 dogs. Anyway wife is stressed but feels obligated to come because I am the best man and I stay at the house while she checks her dogs into the hotel. Wife had made a cheesecake and brought it up in a separate car from me, 4 hour drive by the way, and night of.. my mom says no desserts for engagement party dinner, the dessert is themed or some crazy stuff. Wife shows up to dinner a little later and very flustered because of the situation plus I had relapsed on a bottle of whiskey a couple days prior to seeing my mom. Related, I don’t know. Anyway. Mom has had a couple drinks and future wife and I are talking about having children and religion comes up. Mom asks what we were thinking of doing about baptism or not and I jokingly said (guiltily to get on my moms nerves a bit) that he would have a bris and would love it if she would come to the bar mitzvah. now my wife’s mom was forced to convert from Catholicism to Judaism for her own mother in laws acceptance for a failed marriage so wife is not religious, but it hurt my wife and reasonably so when my mom replied “oh, son, I raised you better than that.” Still no acknowlegement of fault from that comment and mom thinks wife is “overly sensitive, dramatic, and childish” for wanting an apology for it.
Weddings: Future wife becomes current wife. We had gotten engaged on our next anniversary trip she planned for us. I proposed on our bike and barge through tulip season in holland with our feet in the water of the North Sea after a picnic in the dunes. her family business manufactures photo albums for professional photographers, so aside from our families all being divorced, estranged, difficult, and us trying to save money, we did not have a wedding, we just did the paperwork within a month of the proposal. I had already decided to have a baby with her before the trip so we were trying. 2 weeks before brothers wedding in Tennessee we become pregnant, so we break news immediately as to not steal limelight from brothers expensive wedding. Mom says she will cover cost of rental car so we can save money. Ok great. She books the tiny car and we pack it and head up the Smokey mountains to the cabins we are staying at. Two cabins for grooms family, one for his mother and one for his father, ten paces from each other: they havnt spoken but twice im since divorce in 1995 but through lawyers. Grandmother, mother, stepdad, 2 stepsisters and one boyfriend stayed in mom’s side. Wife and I stay at father’s side cabin with just his wife. His Wife’s 3 daughters and family’s stayed a town away down the mountain among extended family. Anyway, beautiful wedding takes place. My wife is sent into town to collect flowers and run errands for my mom which she happily obliged to since she is a solitary person and did not want wedding day drama. Day after, we are loading our rental sedan with our bags. Mom and grandma need a ride to the airport and our flight is before theirs so they will drop off the car for us 4 hours or so after we go to the airport 5 hours from current time. We’re loading the car. Stepcousin passed out in mother’s cabin night before and needed a ride. Disorganized brunch for 20 people is trying to be made. Father’s wife’s daughter books a reservation for 10 people which include her family, her sisters, me, my wife, dad, and their mom. My stepdad had left for home at this point as he had taken his own suv instead of flying with my mom and 90 year old grandma. So mom is trying to pack grandma in the car with bags and my wife and stepcousin. At this point mother asks stepmother if she and grandma are on reservation for the brunch. Stepmom says no they are not, she wasn’t sure of their plans. Mom says under her breath “fucking assholes, so typical,” and she goes into a bit of a rage to which my stepmom says here “it’s ok I will call and add you two it’s no big deal.” So we continue packing the car and realize we won’t all fit. So my wife tells my stepcousin to go ride with my father to the restaurant 10 minutes away we will meet you there. Mom says to wife, “no you go with the father.” Wife says “no I am going to ride with my husband” mom gets close to her face with her finger and says “this is my car, you can fucking Uber!” Wife is 6 weeks pregnant at this point and it all escalated from here. wife and mother start yelling at each other swearing at each other and we get into the car, mom behind wife who was in shotgun. 2 occasions on the trip I had to stop the car because mom had taken off her seatbelt to stand over the seat and scream in my wife’s face with so much vigor that spit came on to her face multiple times. I’m trying to tell them both to behave and mom sit down shut the f up. Mom is telling wife to get the f out of the car and find a ride, she has no right to speak because she’s “new here” (dating and living together for 3 years at this point). The following brunch she apologized in a crowd with a hushed voice at a table of 20 people trying to have a group conversation again privately to my wife “I’m sorry you get so upset” and my wife told her “that is not an apology.” The following several hours in the car with grandma and stepcousin and wife were some of the most uncomfortable moments of my life. At a gas station I pulled my mom aside and said I need ther to give a huge apology, that it was so nasty and inappropriate, my brother and I are used to abusive language and aggressive behavior but to my pregnant wife and any other human being it is disgusting and unacceptable. Sitting in the car was quiet for many hours until we got to the airport. No speaking about what happened just mom happy go lucky about Tennessee and Dollywood and wife and I in shock, cousin still half in the bag from a fun wedding, grandma 90 years old probably confused about what happened.
The family groupchat: Im waiting on an apology from my mother to my wife who is extremely hurt and expressed to my mom loads of time she needs to reach out and apologize. We’re not talking until she will do so. It is bugging me and keeping me up at night. My appendix flares up and I am admitted to the hospital with emergency appendectomy. Still pregnant Wife suggests I reach out to mom to let her know what’s going on. So I text mom I’m at the hospital and will have surgery. I send a pic or something that on my end says hasn’t gone through. Mom group texts our family group with stepdad, his daughters, brother and his wife, and grandma that I am in the hospital and attaches the pic I sent of me in there. Then she continues to rave about the success of her startup company and how they got FDA approved clinical trials finally completed or some pivotal moment that made the text about her. Wife and I are in a hospital so the picture comes up on moms end as unable to have been sent. Mom assumes that my wife has blocked her phone, so mom removes my wife from the chat. Wife is rushing home to take care of the dogs at this point and is not alerted on her phone, but on everyone else’s phone it clearly reads “(mom) has removed (wife) from the chat.” Immediately I text my mom and basically say how dare you do that to her she is the one who insisted I let you know out of respect and mom responds with blah blah she did this she did that I will not have it. So I go back to the family chat and remove mother. At this point I let everyone in the chat know what my mother has done and how she refuses to take responsibility for how she made my wife feel, address her feelings, apologize or do anything at all to reach out about the wedding incident or even inquire about the wellbeing of the pregnancy for her first grandchild. Stepdad finally steps in and tells me “enough.” Grandma says “shame on you.” I am dumbfounded. This is a hush hush family that hates to have anything out in the open and likes to maintain a picture perfect image. For examples; 1) I and wife were on the family Christmas card of a photo taken at the wedding that the whole world received except for wife and I. 2)brothers alcoholism was to remain hidden from the family as was his rehab treatment and how it affected his career. Now understand that they like to keep things quiet but that is not how I want to handle my problems, these things trigger alcohol use and violent outbursts on my part that I no longer wish to live through. Now appendectomy’s are pretty simple so I recovered quickly (it don’t rupture we just took it out). But during the time I was scheduled to be under anesthesia, stepdad reaches out to wife to have a chat and clear the air. Wife waits until I come to so i can be there and I hear the conversation. He claims to be here as a middleman like a business meeting to fix things once and for all. Wife and I are like wow great. He then proceeds to double down on my moms behalf that they will not be apologizing or meet any of her demands as she had already apologized as confirmed by 90yo grandma who was in the car and my mother herself. The term he used was stalemate to describe the situation. Wife and I are shocked but she has me keep quiet to show me what he will say. He proceeds to yell at her and they were screaming at each other, again steamrolling the conversation assuring us that he was down the middle yet maintains that mom has made a sufficient apology that needs to be accepted and wife needs to grow up and move on, then wishing her luck with the baby and a nice life. Next day I call stepdad to see how it went. He reassures me that he has done all he can and everything is back to normal. At this point I call him out and tell him I was conscious and explain to him what an apology is. But there is no dialogue with this guy like there is no dialogue with my mother. He proceeds to talk loudly over me like she does and basically call me a piece of shit for the amount he and mother have done for me. I speak to him first time like I never have before by calling him a hands off father and a pussy of a man who finally reaches out while he thinks I am under anesthesia to yell at my wife then pretend it’s cool, and I basically tell him he has never done a single thing for me to try and develop me into a man or nurture me as a child into an adult, but he thinks taking me on fishing trips and ski vacations are equivalent to love and nurturing growth and development just like my mom does. I reassure him that he has no right to talk about family being that he ruined his own as well as mine and couldn’t even tell my dad to his face that it was him who was sleeping with my mom behind his back when my dad came to him very upset as a friend when he got an anonymous phone tip at work one day. Then him and my mom laughed about it in court when my dad brought it up during the divorce. We ended with swearing and I felt very happy for finally giving my true feelings to him.
The birth: Months go by and nobody has said a thing. I can’t sleep at night seeing how much love I am getting from my father and his side for the baby, and my wife’s family, then thinking about how my own mother hasn’t reached out a single time. I’m dreaming about beating up my stepdad and it’s driving me mad. So weeks before the due date I reach out to my mom begging her to clear things up and apologize to my wife. Nothing. A week later i tell her how disappointed and abandoned I feel and want her in the family. Nothing. Baby comes a couple days early. Everyone is excited. Mom texts me begging for photos and to let everyone know. I tell her my brother and two stepsisters have received photos. I ask her to please reach out to wife she still needs to make amends for what’s happened between them and all she needs to do is reach out. Mom’s responses have been defensive, derisive, projecting, playing victim and referring to herself as a kicked puppy. Telling me my wife needs to apologize to her and making the conversation about mother son instead. She is beating around the bush. And she is sending me photos of my own baby that I did not send her. Her friends are congratulating me that I did not tell. Again she is pretending that everything is ok and it is not. She asked me to apologize to her husband for what I said on the phone that day. I said ok, watch this. So I sent the guy a message that was very apologetic and not passive aggressive or backhanded comments in any way. Still my mom won’t say anything.
Now: Baby is 6 days old. He is the best thing in my life and I wish my family were involved but it seems like I am living in a fantasy world where everyone can be happy together. I can be a jerk and have a terrible relationship with my mom, but I want more than anything to just feel loved enough where she can swallow her pride and make amends with my wife. Thats it. And she asked the other day to put a family group chat so everyone can be involved… for real? I know she is stressed with a high pressure job, but it seems heartless to me. She asks what big items she can get for the baby. Mom, baby is here we have everything for a couple months already. I said the biggest thing you can do is reach out and have a heart to heart with my wife so this rift can end and we can at least be cordial if you two can’t get along. I don’t think it will happen.

Hey all. I'm just trying to figure out what the cause might be of an occasional black screen (no text, no image, just all black, which has only been happening in multiplayer games (or maybe that's the only time I care enough about half a second).
For example, the game I was playing when it happened the past couple of times is Assetto Corsa Competizione, which is SDL only. It has only ever happened when I'm in multiplayer races, despite hours of single player play inbetween events.
I have the Xbox connected with a new 4k/120hz cable (more bandwidth than the TV can use). I changed the HDMI cable as a first part of my elimination process.
The Xbox is set to Gaming mode by default. Dolby Vision is enabled in the xbox settings.
I remember a while back on another game, Dolby Vision would turn on and off with a black screen in between (for roughly the same amount of time), but it was obvious as the picture returned accompanied by Dolby Vision text.
I was connected by WiFi and moved to a new CAT6 cable to eliminate packet loss or whatever.
The blackouts are not really replicatable under testing as the onset is seemingly random and can be after a long time.
Any ideas?
Cheers

So since iOS 17 has been around.. I’ve noticed that when playing remote play on my iPhone 14 (this also occurred on my iPhone 11 just as much) that if I exit the app to like respond to a text, look something up etc, my screen will be black when I come back to the remote play app.. this occurs I’d say, 85-90% of the time .. rarely does it NOT do this and go back to the game like normal ..
Something I’ve found out recently is that if I hold the ps button down to go to the Home Screen, that the picture will magically come back on.
What I’m wondering is, if anybody else experiences this and if there’s any way to fix it?
I’ve tried googling this issue but all I seem to find are connectivity issues.. which is not what I think is going on here (I have a wired ps5 and hi speed internet)

There has been alot of drama and idk if I'm in the wrong, i need some outside opinion.
For context- I (18f) has been been friends with pretti (17f) for over a year, we meet at school as i transferred here for m senior year of high school. From the start she has been little judgemental of everyone, she loves talking shit about people behind their back , specially her best friend with whom she is stuck like gule and acts like there can't be a better duo of friends in the whole damn school. They both pretty much are alike.
So the catch is pretti and her best friend are in different classes. In our class I'm one of the top students so pretti tries to hang out with me get the benefits of notes and other stuff, and yeah ik she talks shit about me as well. We take tutions together as well. She sometimes passss back handed comments about me , weather it be about my dress out looks or my lifestyle, she hates the fact that i come from a well known and rich family. She always seems to want the things i have and if we ever hang out she always wants me to pay. She even took one of the tshirt i bought for my boyfriend when i was shopping after classes as i had nothing to do that day. She wants me to bring my cars sometimes so we can go for a drive ( I travel by public transport as i wanna be independent) she often sents me pictures of things she wants and asks me to buy it for her.
Now coming to the incident that brings us to the title, few days ago i went to a fancy restaurant with my cousins for a family celebration and uploaded the pictures online, since then she has been nagging me to take them out there as well, she said "you know you got the money , what's the problem you should treat your friends as well yk". I ignored it few times but yesterday i blew up as she passed a comment that rubbed me the wrong way, she said " your father earns well but it is real because you never seem to spend it anywhere, like come on if my dad has that kind of money i will have all kind of trendy outfits and luxury a teenager can imagine of, you never even come to school in your car, and you keep posting about them all the time, are they even yours our you just rent is to show off?"
I had enough at that point and lashed out at her and said some unpleasant words, i can't say it all here but here is a part of it " do you think you are being so cool and funny by putting me down in front of others, oh yeah what else do u even have to be cool with, you should stop being entitled, jealous and envious b*tch so that you can have actually friends and like get a life fr bro, seriously you ask for thing from me all the damn time like don't you have ur freaking parents to provide for u, are they that broke? Why do you feel to entitled to have my money wtf should i pay for you and others all the time you are not entitled to anything and i don't owe you anything either you have no shame at all and yeah about my fathers earning , the amount ur dad earns in year is our monthly expenses so u better keep ur big mouth shut in the places it isn't required ".
Everyone agreed that i was right to say what i said but few say i was out of line.
Today she texted me said i shouldn't have embarrassed her in front of everyone and I'm the AH for that...

It''s a crisp spring evening in Ancaster, Ontario. Tim Bosma bids his baby girl goodnight while his wife Charlene tidies up downstairs. Tim anxiously awaits the arrival of two strangers who've expressed interest in test-driving his Dodge Ram pickup truck.
Tim's been trying to sell the truck for months, hoping to make some extra cash for his young family. Little does he know, these prospective buyers have more sinister intentions than purchasing a vehicle. They have murder on their minds.
As the clock ticks past 9 PM, the appointed time for the meeting, Charlene urges Tim to accompany the strangers on the test drive. It's better to be cautious than to hand over the keys to unknown individuals. Finally, around 9 o'clock, two suspicious characters arrive on foot, appearing out of place in the rural setting.
Despite Charlene's apprehension, Tim joins the two men for what was supposed to be a brief test drive around the block. However, as hours pass with no sign of Tim or the truck, Charlene's unease grows. She senses that something is seriously amiss and promptly notifies the authorities of Tim's disappearance.
The subsequent investigation reveals startling details. The individuals who contacted Tim about the truck used a burner cell phone, leading the police to uncover their true identities. One of them, using the alias Lucas Bate, is identified as Dellen Millard, a wealthy heir with a penchant for thrill killings. Alongside his accomplice Mark Smich, Millard had been targeting owners of Dodge trucks.
The discovery of blood in Tim's truck transforms the case into a homicide investigation. Millard, with Tim's keys in his possession, is arrested, but there's still no sign of Tim. Meanwhile, a search of Smich's residence yields crucial evidence linking the duo to the disappearance of Laura Babcock, who had ties to Millard.
While combing through MARK SMICH’s residence, the police stumble upon two significant pieces of evidence. Firstly, they discover Laura Babcock’s iPad and duffle bag casually lying around in Smich’s bedroom. Now, who's Laura Babcock, you might ask? Well, buckle up because this tale is about to take a dramatic turn.
While Tim Bosma’s vanishing act is grabbing national attention, the authorities receive a distress call from Laura's frantic parents. Their daughter Laura has been missing for months, nearly a year before Tim's disappearance.
Laura's parents inform the police that their daughter used to be involved with none other than Dellen Millard – yes, the same guy behind the truck test-drive scheme. Records indicate that Laura made her last EIGHT calls to Millard before vanishing into thin air.
Suspicion mounts, and detectives delve into Laura’s disappearance, fearing the involvement of Millard and Smich. Laura, a former straight-A college student, had fallen into drug addiction in the months leading up to her disappearance. She was couch-surfing after being ousted by her parents, barely holding it together.
According to Laura’s ex-boyfriend, the last time he saw her, she was exchanging texts with Millard, attempting to arrange a rendezvous. But here's the twist: Millard already had a girlfriend named Christina at the time, who was well aware of his dalliance with Laura.
Unsurprisingly, Christina was furious about the love triangle and issued an ultimatum to Millard: "It’s me or her, you can’t have both." Allegedly, Millard assured Christina that he would "take care" of the Laura situation, and soon after, Laura vanished into thin air following a night with Millard.
Laura’s belongings found in Smich’s residence, coupled with cell phone records indicating her presence with Millard on the night of her disappearance, paint a grim picture. Furthermore, after arriving at Millard’s farm, Smich captured a photo of something wrapped in a blue tarp resembling a human body, which they later incinerated in a makeshift high-temperature furnace designed for cremating both animal and human remains.
The smoking gun, however, lies in their text exchanges. Millard brazenly asks Smich if they should cook "some meat" on the BBQ, followed by Smich’s search on the internet for the temperature at which cremation occurs, before they proceed to ignite their macabre torture chamber.
It becomes abundantly clear that Millard and Smich, the rich boy and his accomplice, are a diabolical duo. Laura was evidently not their first victim. As investigators delve deeper, they reopen the case of Millard’s father Wayne, whose death was initially deemed a suicide.
Upon further examination, it becomes evident that Wayne's death couldn't have been self-inflicted. There was no gunshot residue on Wayne’s hands, but his clothes were laden with it. Additionally, traces of the same firearm used in the other murders were found, a weapon recently purchased by Dellen Millard.
With mounting evidence, the authorities have enough to throw the book at Smich and Millard for the murders of Tim Bosma and Laura Babcock. Millard faces yet another life sentence for the death of his father.
While the families of the victims may never find closure, the conviction of these remorseless killers provides some solace. The streets of Canada are undoubtedly safer with Millard and Smich behind bars, serving multiple life sentences for their heinous crimes.
Sources: Serial Killer Dellen Millard
Millionaire Partyboy Goes on WILD Murder Spree

Hi.. first time creating a such a reddit post and reaching out - normally writing these things in journals but never spilling my gutts out to the internet for everyone to see. If abuse triggers you please do not read.
I'm (F) 21, and have been going through a lot from a young age - good and bad.
At 13, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and severe social anxiety two years on. This derived from some family trauma. I found out my father was cheating on my Mum through a series of inappropriate text messages between him and a student of his at the time - and I had to break the news to her (all I knew at the time was mum deserves to know the truth, even if it hurts).
I recieved a lot of physical abuse from my Dad, when he found out I told her and this was really the beginning of the end for school. Given, I was going to an all girls private school at the time, I went from being part of the "popular kids", to the outcast within a year. when I found out student counsellors and students had ended up gossiping about my situation around tea, this made me feel deeply ashamed and embarrassed to even turn up at school.
I remember on the days when I did, walking into class would be trully uncomfortable - it would go from chatter in the class and as soon as I entered the room, you could hear a pin drop. I remember sitting in IT class, and zoning out from the fact that I was physically and mentally abused that morning, to having my teacher yell at me for not paying enough attention. This was when I stormed out of class and never came back.
There were so many days I had to walk home with my heavy backpack in terrible weather because mum was just trying to keep her job and pay the bills and my father wasn't in the picture for three months at a time because he would be cheating and travelling with this other bitch of a woman (which I later found out through an SD card that I had found bundled under some papers in his room). He'd lie saying he's going to a "work conference" when in reality, he was busy trying to please a woman 30 years younger than him, who eventually left him back to Bangladesh, taking all of the money he gave her. It wasn't all his money mind you. He took $25,000 in life savings of mine AND well over $80,000 in my mothers shared account.. which I hadn't found out until 3 years later - this also included money I had worked hard for. She was a total scam artist and my stupid father fell into her scheming trap. I was so confused at the beginning - I remember crying and wondering why this was happening to me.. mum doesn't deserve this.. I was lost. I remember roaming the streets alone at night some days never coming back until the early hours of the morning. Wishing my life was different. Wishing I could run away. Wishing this was only a nightmare I'd eventually awake from.
I'd never know when he would turn up. He turned up one day to come and drop me off at school and on that day, I had dressed up but him being in the picture again sickened me to the point I dropped my bag and went back to my room. He then stormed towards my room, slammed open the door, picked me up by my neck and dragged me to the front door all the while telling me "you worthless child, you're going to hell for making me late, you bitch" - mind you.. it was still 8am in the morning. He never needed to be anywhere in the past which also lead to me finding out that the reason he was so angry was because I was making him late for picking up that bitches child and dropping him off at child care.
It got to the point were child services got into the picture. I remember the lady coming every Wednesday to check in to see if I was okay. This lead to mum losing days off work because she would have to stay home to make sure I was okay, otherwise I'd be sent off to foster care. She nearly lost her job because of being reported so many times by some racist and nasty bullies at work for tiny things.
I never liked the system. I never liked how they focussed on the victims more than dealing with the perpetrator that caused all the pain and trauma. It was all too much for me. I had fo grow up too soon and there were many times people much older than me would tell me "you're mature for your age".
Trauma. It always stays with you.. you carry it to your grave and it impacts all areas of your life - from relationships to work. I have fears of losing loved ones to this day which is ironic because, i'm actually alone. I no longer have friends like I once used to. I mask my emotions at work and at get-togethers. Even though I tell the truth about my emotions, I always end it with "but I'm okay though! Don't worry!"
I never really feel like I belong. I feel misunderstood. People in my past used to tell me they never would have known what was going on in my life if I didn't say because I am always so happy, and kind, trying to make everyone feel included and belong - it's in my nature to be that kind person.. but.. it also has it's downsides when people start taking advantage of it.. sigh* that's another story.. I'm just trying to come to terms with my past and move on. But sometimes things happen in life which make it bubble back to the surface. I'm trying my best. That's all I know.
I often feel like a burden. My family is overseas and I'm not really close to my half siblings (although we say happy-birthday or merry Christmas with the odd "how's it going", it's normally surface talk). I feel homesick from time to time when I miss my cousins and family overseas which I haven't seen since I was 14.
I often feel like I do not belong. I never understood alcohol or cigarettes and would often be left out because I didn't do those things - I did once.. in highschool a few years on through peer pressure, but it wasn't me. So I cut that phase pretty quickly.
The only place were I felt loved through these times were when I had my loving 9yo dog who passed away 3 days from now last year (who had to be put down in my arms because he also had incurable cancer of the spleen) . He was my world. Still is. He would be with me when times were extremely tough and no one was there.. he was my support. And now he's gone, I often feel totally alone.. talking to my walls because I don't want to put pressure on my mother who constantly complains of bills and finances. Not only a few months after my dog passed, we found out that my father is also sick with an incurable Cancer and the Doctors noted he only has 4 to 6 years to live. Yes.. although he was the cause of much of the trauma in my life, I cannot change the fact that he is my Father and it's difficult for me to comprehend the fact that he could be dead in three years.. I'm only 21.. it's just.. a lot to think about and a lot that has happened in a small space of time. I also have my own medical issues currently. Given I've been trying to manage my kidney pain for months now. I found out today that it will take a few months to recover which is good news. But ths pain is still very much there - it can get exhausting balancing two jobs and study with physical and mental pain honestly.. not to mention, I've exhausted my boyfriend of two years with my issues.. and I feel absolutely terrible for putting so much pressure on him from reaching out.. last night I had a terrible breakdown and since then over call he just told me "I'm exhausted".. I just.. I know he loves me.. but my negativity is all too much for him and I no longer want to reach out to him given he also has things he's dealing with.
Again, I have no friends.. so I didn't really know where to go for this. I do have a remote psychologist but I only have an hour to talk with her and time was up before it even got to resolving my current issues. I had to fill in the gaps of my trauma and what prompts my sadness and stress.. which is another thing I find frustrating.. there's just too much to say and not enough time.
There are so many gaps in what I've written.. so many things left unsaid.. but my story could cover too many pages for anyone read in a small amount of time. My life is pretty chaotic right now. I'm just trying to hold on to hope but it's hard sometimes. There are so many of us struggling out there I just wish we could come together and fight this you know.. anyway.. thank you for reading.

BACKGROUND INFO: My BF and I have been together monogamously for 4.5 years - I have never slept or been with anyone else, though I've fooled around - and we have been struggling with arguments & aggression. We have sex like once a month, if that. We broke up this past summer but kept texting back and forth, and this past fall regrouped and tried to be in a relationship again. My BF is the best person I've ever met and I love him very much, but we didn't accomplish our goals when getting back together and the fighting became worse. We may separate again.
STORY: About 2 weeks ago my BF and I met this guy at a family friend event. He approached me first and we chatted, and then my BF came and we all chatted. I didn't initially find him attractive and thought he dressed similar to people that I felt rejected by growing up. Among other info, he told us he was in a long distance relationship (I sensed some pain there, since he said he preferred it being long distance ?) and we later learned it had been for 3 years. He invited us to hang out with 2 other guys after the event and we all had a really great time. I spent more time with the guy than my BF (my BF was very drunk and loves to meet new people and socialize) and I was constantly laughing. I didn't *actually* realize until the train ride home that I was feeling some pretty heavy attraction bs. I didn't think I was "that kind of person" in the sense that 1. I'd have these sort of feelings while in a relationship with someone I love and 2. about someone like this (see below)
I liked things about him that were different than my BF: he's taller, has darker and thicker hair (like me), he's older, didn't seem to take himself as seriously, he's American (like me), he really liked my hometown which caught me up, so to speak (my BF doesn't), has a different career, grew up with many siblings (my BF is an only child), smokes weed like a few times a year, similar religious upbringing to me, comfort-oriented, etc. His friends said he was a really good athlete back in the day - I have never been or dated an athlete, I was an art school / theater person. And I'm sure others would say he's conventionally attractive. He seems really "normal / jock," he works with houses / real estate (?) but I feel like an outcast and I've always liked outcasts. During the family friend event, he told me a story about him cutting his and his siblings hair and I genuinely laughed a lot. Shortly after he told the story, I was looking at his face and I was just thinking.. huh.
At one point when we were alone together after the event he reeeally unexpectedly to me started singing some song, I gawked a little and my heart did something small. He saw my expression and chuckled. My BF is not musical and cringes at others singing - I can't sing when I'm around him (and I grew up musical). I also really dislike when people you just meet ask you what music you listen to, but when he asked me what I like to listen to it didn't bother me at all.
He asked me to squeeze in next to him to make room at one point, and I declined and said my BF could sit on my lap instead because I at least knew that I thought he was attractive. And he was looking at me a few times when he probably thought I didn't notice. But at some point when we were alone and laughing, he put his hand right around my wrist and like touch my shoulder or something a couple times. He did some other quirky things, too ex: I tried to record a video of my BF on my phone and he jumped into it, which really wasn't necessary lol. His friend come up to the two of us trying to give advice about parenting and said "You know, when you guys have kids -" and the guy jokingly said "When [my name] and I have kids together?" and I tried not to laugh. Later near a bar he beckoned me over, we spoke and then looked at me to try to initiate a link-arm-drink with me and I did it but we were just looking at each other and I just felt like.. I don't know man. He highly complimented me on a skill I had and he'd been really supportive the whole time. He also admired how I could hang out with a bunch of (random) guys with my BF - like not needing to only do date-dates with my BF. He asked my BF and I if we wanted to hangout longer and I wanted to, but it was late and my BF and I ultimately thought it was easier to go back home instead. Then, while I was with my BF he only asked for my BF's number, which felt appropriate. We hugged formally, left and on the train ride home my BF fell asleep and feelings hit me like a brick.
ONE WEEK LATER: I'd been trying to process this and how I'd misjudged myself (I also listened to every single song in my library like hours of music and I hadn't done that in years) - I spoke to my boyfriend about having sexual feelings for this guy. My BF is trying to handle the information, so I have yet to tell him other parts yet ex: me experiencing continued fantasies of - if my BF wanted to - having sex with both of them, or my BF just allowing me to have sex with that guy. I intensely want to smoke weed with him (which I also haven't done in years) and have sex with him.
I feel guilty, but I keep "uncontrollably" picturing him when I'm hanging out with my boyfriend. I have an urge to ask this guy if he's in an open relationship and sleep with him before I leave the city - my BF and I are moving away, potentially to separate locations. But I really don't know if I'd gain anything life changing from it. (P.S. I never gave any indication that my BF and I were having issues.)
What do you think? + What is happening to me, and what do I do?
TLDR: My boyfriend and I have been having relationship issues and talk about breaking up. We have sex once a month if that. We met this guy one time at an event recently in a troubled (?) long distance relationship, and I think we both know we find each other attractive. I started having sexual feelings for him & fantasies that I've wanted to act on even though I love my boyfriend and still don't exactly want to leave him. I'm leaving the area soon I don't know what my next course of action is, what is happening to me, and if the feelings should be acted upon.
Thank you very much!

BACKGROUND INFO: My BF and I have been together monogamously for 4.5 years - I have never slept or been with anyone else, though I've fooled around - and we have been struggling with arguments & aggression. We have sex like once a month, if that. We broke up this past summer but kept texting back and forth, and this past fall regrouped and tried to be in a relationship again. My BF is the best person I've ever met and I love him very much, but we didn't accomplish our goals when getting back together and the fighting became worse. We may separate again.
STORY: About 2 weeks ago my BF and I met this guy at a family friend event. He approached me first and we chatted, and then my BF came and we all chatted. I didn't initially find him attractive and thought he dressed similar to people that I felt rejected by growing up. Among other info, he told us he was in a long distance relationship (I sensed some pain there, since he said he preferred it being long distance ?) and we later learned it had been for 3 years. He invited us to hang out with 2 other guys after the event and we all had a really great time. I spent more time with the guy than my BF (my BF was very drunk and loves to meet new people and socialize) and I was constantly laughing. I didn't *actually* realize until the train ride home that I was feeling some pretty heavy attraction bs. I didn't think I was "that kind of person" in the sense that 1. I'd have these sort of feelings while in a relationship with someone I love and 2. about someone like this (see below)
I liked things about him that were different than my BF: he's taller, has darker and thicker hair (like me), he's older, didn't seem to take himself as seriously, he's American (like me), he really liked my hometown which caught me up, so to speak (my BF doesn't), has a different career, grew up with many siblings (my BF is an only child), smokes weed like a few times a year, similar religious upbringing to me, comfort-oriented, etc. His friends said he was a really good athlete back in the day - I have never been or dated an athlete, I was an art school / theater person. And I'm sure others would say he's conventionally attractive. He seems really "normal / jock," he works with houses / real estate (?) but I feel like an outcast and I've always liked outcasts. During the family friend event, he told me a story about him cutting his and his siblings hair and I genuinely laughed a lot. Shortly after he told the story, I was looking at his face and I was just thinking.. huh.
At one point when we were alone together after the event he reeeally unexpectedly to me started singing some song, I gawked a little and my heart did something small. He saw my expression and chuckled. My BF is not musical and cringes at others singing - I can't sing when I'm around him (and I grew up musical). I also really dislike when people you just meet ask you what music you listen to, but when he asked me what I like to listen to it didn't bother me at all.
He asked me to squeeze in next to him to make room at one point, and I declined and said my BF could sit on my lap instead because I at least knew that I thought he was attractive. And he was looking at me a few times when he probably thought I didn't notice. But at some point when we were alone and laughing, he put his hand right around my wrist and like touch my shoulder or something a couple times. He did some other quirky things, too ex: I tried to record a video of my BF on my phone and he jumped into it, which really wasn't necessary lol. His friend come up to the two of us trying to give advice about parenting and said "You know, when you guys have kids -" and the guy jokingly said "When [my name] and I have kids together?" and I tried not to laugh. Later near a bar he beckoned me over, we spoke and then looked at me to try to initiate a link-arm-drink with me and I did it but we were just looking at each other and I just felt like.. I don't know man. He highly complimented me on a skill I had and he'd been really supportive the whole time. He also admired how I could hang out with a bunch of (random) guys with my BF - like not needing to only do date-dates with my BF. He asked my BF and I if we wanted to hangout longer and I wanted to, but it was late and my BF and I ultimately thought it was easier to go back home instead. Then, while I was with my BF he only asked for my BF's number, which felt appropriate. We hugged formally, left and on the train ride home my BF fell asleep and feelings hit me like a brick.
ONE WEEK LATER: I'd been trying to process this and how I'd misjudged myself (I also listened to every single song in my library like hours of music and I hadn't done that in years) - I spoke to my boyfriend about having sexual feelings for this guy. My BF is trying to handle the information, so I have yet to tell him other parts yet ex: me experiencing continued fantasies of - if my BF wanted to - having sex with both of them, or my BF just allowing me to have sex with that guy. I intensely want to smoke weed with him (which I also haven't done in years) and have sex with him.
I feel guilty, but I keep "uncontrollably" picturing him when I'm hanging out with my boyfriend. I have an urge to ask this guy if he's in an open relationship and sleep with him before I leave the city - my BF and I are moving away, potentially to separate locations. But I really don't know if I'd gain anything life changing from it. (P.S. I never gave any indication that my BF and I were having issues.)
What do you think? + What is happening to me, and what do I do?
TLDR: My boyfriend and I have been having relationship issues and talk about breaking up. We have sex once a month if that. We met this guy one time at an event recently in a troubled (?) long distance relationship, and I think we both know we find each other attractive. I started having sexual feelings for him & fantasies that I've wanted to act on even though I love my boyfriend and still don't exactly want to leave him. I'm leaving the area soon I don't know what my next course of action is, what is happening to me, and if the feelings should be acted upon.
Thank you very much!

Hi All -
Some background:
I (34m) and my wife (33f) have two boys ages 5 & 7. We’ve wanted a third child for a long time and have been trying for over two years. My wife unfortunately had two miscarriages and as the story goes; we were about to accept only having two kids and then we found out she was pregnant again!
My wife is at 11 weeks currently and we were beginning to plan to talk to our families since we had an ultra sound and had pictures and videos of the baby.
Enter Sister in Law (SIL): she is 43(f) with no children. She has struggled with fertility issues and miscarriages herself recently as she started pursuing trying to have children once she hit the age of 40. She and my wife have discussed going through miscarriages together. It’s just never happened for her and we feel awful for her and can empathize with her through our struggles as well - understanding we are fortunate to have two children already.
Understanding it is a sensitive topic, my wife called her sister to let her know that she was pregnant. SIL did not take it well - but we also asked that she keep it quiet as we wanted to tell both our parents together.
Mother’s Day was this past Sunday and we took my wife’s parents out to breakfast - at breakfast my father in law casually informs us that he knows we are expecting. SIL told them. On top of this, my wife’s parents don’t even offer a congratulations or any excitement. Apparently SIL is devastated.
To take this further, we find out today that MIL has opted to cancel our family vacation that was booked for the end of July. My wife is extremely upset, this was obviously not her intent. Her mother isn’t helping situations by quote texting my wife “I hope as a parent you never have to go through a situation that pulls a family apart that you created - we are both devastated with no resolution”
My wife is taking it as we delicately planned to tear the family apart by growing our family. It minimizes the struggles my wife suffered with miscarriages and my wife’s parents seem to be blindly acquiescing to SIL. It sapped all the joy out of announcing the pregnancy and is putting my wife vs her mother and sister.
I told my wife we will book a new vacation tonight for ourselves - but regardless I just feel like there was an extreme overreaction by SIL. My wife has been nothing but supportive of her sister’s struggles with infertility but can’t receive the same grace?
Really struggling with this one folks - just a lot to unpack.
TLDR: SIL with infertility issues canceled family vacation once she found out we were expecting. MIL adding fuel to the fire. Wife is prepared to go no contact with them all.

Author’s Note:
Upvotes and comments go a long way in helping me reach a larger audience <3
First
Inside GB-2
“Huh, that wasn’t there before,” Ron said, pointing to a new hole in the wall – another passageway.
Henry turned to look where Ron pointed. Sure enough, there was a new doorway. It must’ve been a section that opened after they restored the power. “Huh, yeah. Let’s check it out.”
He went through, finding a short hallway past it and another room just beyond. Henry signaled for his team to form up, preparing to breach. As they stepped in, they found themselves in a brightly lit room filled with various types of furniture – empty pedestals, comfortable-looking single couches, and empty desks with opened cabinets.
Henry stepped further into the room, eyeing the oddly arranged furniture. The single couches were lined up in neat rows, all facing the same direction – towards the empty desks. It was like some sort of waiting room, but for what?
“Is it just me, or are these couches set up weird?” Isaac asked, voicing the question on everyone’s mind. “I mean, who lines up a bunch of single couches like this?”
“Strange, indeed,” Sera agreed. “They seem arranged as though for spectators, yet naught lies before them to behold.”
Like a movie theater, Henry thought. However, there weren’t any screens or holograms to watch. If there was a clue, it would probably be within the couches themselves.
Dr. Anderson approached one of the desks. “Perhaps this was some sort of office or workspace? The desks and cabinets certainly suggest that.”
Isaac then decided to touch one of the seats, eliciting no reaction. He pushed further, sitting down on one of them. At that point, the couch began to adjust its form to better suit Isaac’s envirosuit, as if able to optimize its comfort for the user. Then, a nozzle slowly stretched up from the seat’s headrest area, stopping just short of Isaac’s neck. “Woah!” Isaac bolted up as the nozzle bonked against his helmet.
“Neural interface, maybe?” Henry wondered. “I think we should leave this to the researchers… unless you wanna volunteer as a lab rat?”
“Hell nah,” Isaac vigorously declined the offer. “Hey, there isn’t anything on my helmet is there?”
Henry dusted off the back of Isaac’s helmet with his glove. “Nope, you’re clear. Just gotta hope it ain’t grey goo.”
He could see the dread and uncertainty through Isaac’s visor. Henry gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Well, think about it this way: if it really was grey goo, it would’ve gotten to us – or the Spiranids, for that matter – long ago. C’mon, let’s secure the next room.”
With a nod, Isaac fell in line behind Henry as they moved towards the doorway leading to the adjacent room. Peeking inside, it couldn’t be further from the rest of the room’s they had encountered so far; not at all what they could’ve possibly expected inside an ancient, high-tech alien facility. It was expansive, with a layout that reminded Henry of a high-end restaurant. Comfortable booths lined the walls, while tables of varying sizes filled the central space. The furniture looked almost human – perhaps even indistinguishably so.
The room was tinted with a soft, cozy yellow light. The warm and inviting ambiance felt soothing compared to the clinical feel of the previous areas. The lighting, combined with the plush booths and elegant tables, gave Henry a nostalgic impression.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Ryan remarked. “Think they got any cheesecakes?”
If it wasn’t for the alien decor and helping of sleek devices scattered around the room, Henry would’ve thought they were back home. Hell, there was even a bar, filled with exotic liquors that could probably fetch millions at an auction – or give them the trip of their lives. Beside it however was something unusual. Where he might’ve expected a path leading to the kitchen, he instead found a wall with a slight, rectangular-shaped recess that was just big enough for a tray.
He glanced at Isaac, who returned a knowing look. “Replicators,” Isaac said.
Henry smirked. “Personally, I’m partial to synthesizer, but to each their own.”
They gathered around the wall, which didn’t seem to respond to their presence. Taps on the wall didn’t seem to do anything, either. Henry considered probing further, but decided against it. “Alright, let’s not take any chances. We’ll make a note of this for the research teams to analyze later. Let’s keep looking around.”
Henry split apart from the others, pairing with Ron as they continued to walk around the room. They soon came across another doorway on the far side of the room, which opened up into a short corridor that led into multiple sets of doors. Each had a symbol on the wall beside the doors – one that depicted the basic figure of a person.
Ron pushed open one of the doors, taking a peek inside. “Looks like even the Gatebuilders needed restrooms.”
Finally! “Alright, let’s take a quick break here. Bring everyone else over.”
Thankfully, the amenities within were easily comparable to those of modern society. The toilet looked like a toilet, and the sink resembled a sink. Even in a space as mundane as this though, the Gatebuilder’s technology was evident: self-cleaning surfaces and enough technology to put a high-quality Japanese bidet toilet to shame. At least, that was just from the look of things. Henry didn’t think now would be the best time to check whether the restroom had ass-washing robots or not.
After a few minutes, Henry regrouped with the rest of the team around a central table in the ‘restaurant’. Dr. Anderson was already present, his archaeological kit opened and a spread of alien items organized on the table.
“Ah, Captain!” Dr. Anderson noticed him approaching. “We found cabinets that weren’t empty. Most of the artifacts appear to be personal effects.” He held up a necklace, emphasizing his point. “Jewelry, memorabilia, and some other artifacts that I – admittedly – can’t quite describe.”
Dr. Anderson pointed his pickup tool at a small disc laid out on a padded mat. “It hasn’t shown any active properties yet. It’s rather peculiar; it seems to be a solid disc. Lightweight, unblemished surface, no visible markings or etchings.”
“Have you tried touching it directly?” Henry asked.
Dr. Anderson frowned, manipulating the claws of his pickup tool. “Well, not directly.” Catching the implications in Henry’s query, he continued, “I’ve checked for radiation, toxins – all clear. While I’d advise against direct contact, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t the least bit curious.”
Henry nodded. Yeah, the Doc was probably right, but what was discovery without risk? He reached out and picked it up, rotating it in his hands. As his gloved fingers brushed against the surface, the disc suddenly emitted a soft glow.
Henry flinched slightly, almost dropping the disc in surprised. As he fumbled with it, the disc seemed to respond to his touch. Suddenly, a series of objects materialized on the table, appearing out of thin air.
“Oh, shit!” Ron exclaimed. “It just… spawned a bunch of stuff!”
Henry stared at the new items. Several containers, probably holding some kind of food, were still sealed tight and impossibly effective at insulating its contents. It was crazy to think that the food inside might still be hot after who knows how long.
Next to the containers was a bracelet. Possibly normal, possibly enchanted or integrated with technology they couldn’t hope to understand. There was also a bottle of some bright blue liquid – probably for drinking, but there was no way to be sure until Perdue tested it. And then there was the picture, showing a strikingly human couple, holding each other underneath a gorgeous alien sky. It reminded him of memorabilia people would sometimes keep in their wallets, though why humans were there was a mystery.
The last object the disc spat out was a thin, transparent sheet. Coincidentally, it was about the same size as a smartphone. If he had to guess, it probably had the same function as one, too.
“Incredible,” Dr. Anderson gawked at the items. “The disc must be the Gatebuilders’ version of a wallet, somehow using dimensional storage technology!”
“Akin to the Holding Bags,” Kelmithus noticed. He peered into his own Holding Bag, his expression indicating that he was connecting the dots. “Fascinating!”
Dr. Anderson then inspected the image, his face reflecting the same confusion Henry felt when he first saw it. While they continued to sort through the items, Henry explored the sheet further. The moment he tapped the screen, a holographic interface sprung into existence above it.
What he had initially thought was a simple hologram was something far more advanced, almost indistinguishable from reality itself. Almost instantly, they were surrounded by mountains and valleys, details springing up to form a realistic, three-dimensional map.
It was like a pocket holodeck. The only anchors the projection had were the various icons and pockets of text floating around – and the fact that the hologram was transparent enough for him to see his surroundings and his teammates.
Sera seemed to be the most shocked out of all of them. He couldn’t blame her. The sight was surprising enough for himself, who was even familiar with the concept through sci-fi; how much more alien would it seem to someone from – effectively – the past?
“I’ve not beheld such a spell… ever!” she exclaimed softly, pausing to gather her thoughts. “Hold on…” she continued, pointing to the distant peaks. “Why, yon mountain range! Does it not strike you as familiar?”
“Huh?” Ron squinted at it. “Does it?”
“No, yeah, it does!” Isaac said. “Shit, uh, is that the Ovinne Mountain Range?”
Henry brought up the file for the Ovinne Mountain Range on his visor, comparing it to the hologram. “Huh, yeah, it is. What’s a map of that doing in here, though?”
Dr. Anderson raised his hands in the air and spread them apart, mimicking a zoom. Lucky for them, the alien tech seemed to understand what they were going for. Now up close and in full detail, the Ovinne Mountain Range dominated the room. Somewhere in the mountains, an icon that looked like a pair of glasses sat right on top of a Gatebuilder tower, barely poking out of the mountainside.
Ryan crossed his arms as he scrutinized the hologram. “Is this what, Find My iPhone?”
“Hmm… rather likely,” Dr. Anderson agreed. “This device must be some sort of Locator.”
“Locator, huh?” Having this clue was an incredible breakthrough, but he noticed something else. “And right where the Ovinne Mountain Campaign’s supposedly taking place, at that.”
“Indeed, that you mention it, such alignment is surely noteworthy,” Kelmithus remarked. His voice took on a more excited note, “Be it fate, perhaps?”
Henry smirked. “Hah, you’re sounding a bit like Sera, now. Well, looks like fate’s telling us where to go next. Let’s pack this up and head back.”
They carefully stowed the various artifacts in their holding bags, Henry holding on to the Locator. They made their way back to the locker room where they first entered, everyone excited for the next step in their mission.
Henry stepped through the airlock first, emerging on the other side. As he did so, a faint sound caught his attention. It was distant, muffled, but definitely not a sound that belonged to this facility. He wanted to take off the envirosuit, but it seemed that had to wait.
Ron came through the airlock after him. “Bro, you think –”
Henry held up a hand, stopping him short. He raised his weapon, picking up on the ‘something’s not right’ vibe.
Activating his infrared vision and using the laser mounted on his M7, Henry searched for signs of thermal distortions, just like he’d done back at Duke Vancor’s mansion. Ron did the same. As the rest of the team emerged from the airlock, they quickly caught on to the situation. Without a word, they joined them in securing the room.
After clearing the locker room, Henry signaled to move on to the lab next door. It was just as empty as the locker room, but now the sounds were more audible, definitely coming from the hallway just outside. Instructing his team to hold still, he crept toward the doorway to investigate.
He peeked around the corner, and felt his stomach drop. There, in the main hallway, was a group of soldiers. They were decked out in distinctive black armor and cloaks. They had no identifiable markings or insignia on their armor, but it was obvious – these were Nobians.
Henry pulled back, returning to his team. “Contact outside. At least a dozen Nobians securing the hallway.”
Ron’s expression grew serious. “Shit. Any idea on their entry point?”
Henry positioned himself behind a desk, aiming his weapon at the doorway. “Probably the same way we came in.”
“Main corridor’s the only play, huh?” Ryan said.
The main hallway only had one line of sight, and it just happened to be the only way out. Well, the only one they could reasonably access. The facility probably had other exits or fancy teleporters, but they’d already scoured the area for the former and wouldn’t be able to figure out the latter.
“Dozen hostiles doesn’t seem like a lot,” Isaac pointed out, taking out another Black Hornet from his bag. “We’re still good on ammo, too.”
Ron shook his head. “Dozen? Yeah, a dozen that we can see.”
“Owens is right,” Henry agreed. “We can’t confirm their numbers outright. If I had to guess, it would probably be at least fifty. Manageable, but I’d prefer that to be our last resort.”
“How might we fare with a disturbance?” Sera offered.
Kelmithus gripped his staff. “I might conjure an echo of noise distant hence. It shan’t last, but it can afford us enough time for our escape.”
Kelmithus’ plan seemed like it could work, but only if the Nobians didn’t know they were here. “No,” Henry disagreed. “They’ve seen our MRAPs outside. We’d get surrounded.”
“How about negotiation?” Dr. Anderson suggested, a hopeful note in his voice.
“Negotiation? With the Nobians?” Kelmithus questioned.
They all knew what the Nobians were like. It really did come off as a ridiculous idea, but what if Dr. Anderson was right? The archaeologist defended himself, “I know, I know. However, we have yet to confirm their hostility, and it would not serve us well to initiate hostilities with the Nobians.”
Taking in the silence as contemplation, he continued, “If talks break down, we hold our ground here. It’s not ideal, but we’ll control the engagement area and prevent them from flanking us.”
Henry reviewed the situation again. 12 hostiles, but they should expect the worse, so at least 50 hostiles plus failed negotiations. Holding the only way out, they were likely spread out between the hallway, the cave system, and possibly even the forest outside. Dr. Anderson’s plan was solid, but he had a few minor qualms. In particular, holding the line meant possibly exhausting themselves in a battle of attrition.
“Alright. We’ll open with negotiations. I’m skeptical, but it's worth a shot. Should that fail, we can’t engage in a drawn-out conflict. We’ll disrupt their positions and quickly move to the cave outside.”
“Smoke grenades and flashbangs,” Ryan muttered.
“Affirmative,” Henry said, nodding in agreement. “If we can’t see them, we’ll level the playing field so they can’t see us.”
“Captain,” Kelmithus quickly interjected, “Bid me aid your efforts. I’ve insight enough to create fog. I’ve learned from our encounter with the Sentinel Lindwyrm.”
“You can replicate that heavy fog?” Ron asked.
Kelmithus held up his palm, producing an opaque puff of steam to prove his point. “Indeed so, Lieutenant. Adequately do these envirosuits shield us, that I might harness more extreme temperatures for more effective casting.”
Henry was impressed with how quickly the archmage grasped such a concept. “Good. Yen, get that drone into the cave. We’ll hold for updates.”
Yen nodded, carrying out Henry’s order silently. The drone’s feed directly streamed to their HUDs, and after a few minutes, Isaac looked up. “Done.”
Henry analyzed the data. They had visual confirmation of a dozen Nobians inside the facility itself and a staggering forty outside, both in the cave and around the cave entrance. It was an assumption, but there probably weren’t many cloaked soldiers past the hallway. He sighed; the worst-case scenario would have them facing a hundred men in total.
It was a challenge, but the drone’s intel granted them a critical tactical advantage. He analyzed his minimap, selecting and sharing a route with minimal enemy contact. “After clearing the facility’s entrance, we’ll proceed along the designated path. Upon exit, I’ll deploy a flare to signal our movement to the MRAPs for extraction. We will then rendezvous with Zulu-9 and coordinate with air support before re-engaging to secure the site.”
His team nodded, fully on board with the plan. He took a deep breath to steel himself before checking his watch – 16:24. “Alright, time to show ourselves.”
Letting his M7 sling over his chest, Henry prepared two flash grenades – one in each hand – before stepping out. With his team in tow, he moved to the center of the hallway, catching the attention of one of the Nobian patrols.
“Attention, Nobian forces! We request parley. I am Captain Donnager of Alpha Team, Tier 6 Adventurer. We are on an official quest sanctioned by the Adventurer’s Guild. We have no intention of hostilities and seek to discuss our presence and objectives to ensure mutual understanding.”
As Henry’s words echoed through the hallway, the Nobian soldiers snapped into action. He heard the sounds of bowstring being drawn taut and the rasp of metal as swords cleared their scabbards. His hands tightened around the flash grenades.
He kept his gaze steady, projecting a sense of calm; of confidence – enough to convince the Nobians that even outnumbered, he and his team were still no match for them. More soldiers joined the patrol, until all twelve of the previously identified Nobians were upon them. They kept their distance, but Henry could feel the tension boiling.
Just as the standoff seemed to reach a critical point, the air in front of them seemed to fold outward from itself, like watching the effects of gravitational lensing on light. A figure coalesced from the distortion – so this is what invisibility magic looked like.
The man was broad-shouldered and tall, seeing eye-to-eye with him, even despite the extra inches in height the envirosuit gave. As the last wisps of the cloaking magic faded away, Henry found himself staring into a pair of piercing gray eyes that seemed to bore into his very soul.
The newcomer had an angular face and was clad in black armor with a different sheen than the black armor of his comrades. Silver trimmings and an insignia emblazoned on his chestplate – a dagger through a swirl of mist – differentiated his status. A cloak of the same dark hue billowed behind him as he walked forward and drew his sword.
Keeping his sword to the side, he stopped a respectable ten meters away from Henry. “I am Carvus Alnect Virelius, Umber Vicearch of the Order of the Shadow.” He then pointed his sword at Henry, declaring, “Of desecrating sovereign Nobian territory, you stand accused.”
As Carvus spoke, more soldiers materialized alongside him, shimmering into existence as they dropped their cloaking spells. Henry had expected this to happen, but seeing it play out still sent a chill down his spine. How many more were still lying in wait?
The Vicearch kept his weapon on Henry, eyes narrowing. “Commander unto commander, I offer a choice: cede your Holding Bags, that secure passage may be granted unto you. Refuse, and you shall be declared as spies and enemies of the Nobian Empire, your lives forfeit to swift execution.”
READ 2 WEEKS AHEAD: Season Finale Chapter 17 is now available for Tier 2 Manifest Fantasy Patrons and higher!
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TL;DR boyfriend sexted his girl work friend the day after we split up for two weeks. They still communicate now that we are back together. She also hit on him while we were together. He says he doesn’t have feelings for her but the texts exchanged with each other say otherwise.
My bf and I have been seeing eachother for a year now. We were previously struggling and decided to break up. It only lasted two weeks. We have be going solid for 4 months after our break up.
Backstory: Recently, I noticed my boyfriend frequently discussing his female friend who helped him land a job. I asked if they ever had a thing, he said he used to have a crush on her when they first met 5 years ago, they hooked up once and have remained friends ever since. One day he showed me a video the girl sent him. It was the girls mom saying that she should go for matty and she wrote DTF?
That alarmed me but I suppressed the feelings for a while until she helped him get a job. During this time, they were conversing a lot more and he was very thankful of her, as he should be.
However it still was bothering me how much they were texting and that he I couldn’t stop thinking about that video.
So I when through his phone. I discovered sexual texts from him to her saying he wanting to sleep with her the day after we break up.
I also found texts from her to him while we WERE together saying “break up with her and date me” and “ I want to kiss you” “I’m prettier than her”. He joked with her and said they would be drunks together (I guess they used to party together). He was sending her the same pictures he would send me, and sometimes calling her pet names similar to what he would say to me (not honey or love but other cute names).
I confronted him about it. He said I can’t be mad because we were broken up at the time . He also dismissed it as drunken loneliness. he said he doesn’t have feelings for her and she has a bf now. I asked him why he joked around with her when she told him to date her and not say no he is with me. He said he didn’t want to upset her.
They still text often and make plans to hang out but never do. However now they work together and go to lunch.
Him and I are still together, happy. Except for this. These texts happened more than 3 months ago and I’m just seeing them now. I’m hurt he didn’t tell me about this, what else he might hide from me and if something will progress from just friends as now they work together.
He insists on their continued friendship because she did him a favor and got him this job. I told him I don’t feel comfortable if they hang out alone. He said he wouldn’t but it’s almost impossible since they work together now.
He also was furious I went through his phone. He said I was mentally ill for invading his privacy, said I’m the one who has issues, that I create my own miserable and paranoia, that I make up things in my head that aren’t true.
He then brought up all the shitty things I did in the relationship and said it’s not fair. We both were Unfaithful in our relationship in the early months but now we have been dating for a year. We are practically sober as these occurrences and the majority of our problems were created from booze. We are doing well at work, talking about moving in together and starting a family.
But this is really eating me up. I feel disrespected.
He says he doesn’t have feelings for her but it’s hard to believe when both parties showed interest and now work together, still communicate everyday.
He is upset with me for these accusations and has been distant. He said I need to get over it or leave. He says the only thing that is pulling us a part is me.
I don’t know if I’m over reacting like he says but I’m hurt and angry on how defensive and anger he got about this. He says I need to get off my meds because I’m delusional.
Should I just believe him and let them carry on? Or is this a ticking time bomb? I need a third person view here please help.

I realize that the pictures hid the text so here is it so you can read it. Does anyone know???

In the Kmanga official translation both Naomi and his mom talk with an accent.
It's mostly just dropping the "g", "e" and "o" at the end of words or using "yer" instead of "you're/your" and similar stuff.
But does anyone know if they talk in an accent in Japanese. Is it the kansai accent?? Bc in English they talk more like (to generalize) what I imagine US southerners or country people to sound like.
So is there anyone that knows their specific dialect/accent in Japanese or did Kmanga just add that for them to stick out a bit more?

I've read a lot of these posts, but I've never made one before, I'm sorry for formatting. Names changed for anonymity.
I (21f) and my mom (50f) have a weird relationship, as do my sisters (26f) and (19f). This post is mainly about me, Sis (19f), and Mom.
A little background: I love my mom, but she's a little crazy. A hardcore Christian who thinks the rapture is near, that yoga opens you to demons, and a bunch of outlandish things. She also has a hard time taking accountability. Most of her apologizes are not real apologies and lack accountability. I.E 'I'm sorry you felt that way... I was young and thought I knew everything too... I'm sorry you think I'm a terrible mother...etc' None of us have ever called her a bad mom, she raised all of us alone and wasn't around a lot because she was working two jobs. I recognize that struggle, I appreciate it everyday because I am who I am because of it, but it doesn't give her a free pass to act the way she does.
Now onto the main issue: Mom enjoys 21+ drinks a little more than most people do, but I don't know if I'd classify her as an alcoholic. She's not getting drunk EVERY day, but it's enough that we've (me and Sis) have noticed an uptick in the number of drinks and the amount of days that she drinks. Sis, doesn't live at home anymore, but I do now since school is out for the summer. When my older sister, we'll call her L, was visiting the weekend before last, Mom got drunk at home. We went out to dinner the following night and she got drunk again. And again the next night. When Mom drinks, she gets loud, doesn't know what personal space is, and doesn't really have a filter, and I know that happens with most people. But this is like turned up to a hundred for Mom.
All three of us (me, Sis, and L) were annoyed, but L ignored it, I tried to keep Mom calm, and Sis was more vocal. When dinner ended we went back to Sis's house and played with the cats, but I'm allergic and hadn't take any allergy medicine, so we had to leave shortly after getting some group pics. When me and L got back to Mom's, we had to pour her into bed, which is normally a job left to me. Convince Mom to not sleep in her jeans, get her water with ice, and make sure the fan is on in her room so she can sleep well. Mom also likes to get up and then lay back down a couple times until she's finally out. L and I went to bed after going through old family pictures and keepsakes.
After L left back for her home in a different state the Monday morning after "the drunk weekend", so it was just me and Mom in the house. Well Monday night mom went to her friend's house and I was home just watching TV when she came in at around 10:00 pm. I came down to the kitchen, where she was unloading the dishwasher and asked her how her night was. She was slurring her words a little bit, so I figured she was just a little tired cause drunk driving was not my first assumption. It should've been.
The conversation as follows: Me: "Are you drunk?!" Mom: "Duh." Me: "Please tell me you're joking." Mom: "No, but I waited until I wasn't REALLY drunk."
We then got into a screaming match, mostly me yelling at her and I did call her stupid, which I feel a little guilty about. Not enough to feel THAT bad though. After I'd said my piece, I went up to my room and locked the door because I know Mom's MO from previous fights. You think it's done, but five minutes later she'll open the door and start arguing again. Which is exactly what she tried to do. She told me to unlock the door but I refused, so she yelled through the door. She tried to make herself into the victim and said she knows that we all (me and sisters) hate her, think that she's a disappointment, and so on and so forth. (I took a video in case she tried to come in.)
When I tried to talk to her through the door, I didn't get an answer and went to her room to find her lying down in the dark. I reiterated that what she did was stupid, that she could've killed someone or even herself. I told her that if she ever did it again, I'd call the police myself. Then I asked her why she didn't call me. She said she didn't want her friend to be right, that she was gonna need me to pick her up. I got even more angry and texted my sisters. I didn't send them the video, but I did send it to my best friend.
That's where I might've messed up. I know Sis, she holds grudges worse than any of us. But I was so angry and felt like they had the right to know.
Well, Mother's Day rolled around, L FaceTimed Mom, I was home, so I gave her the gift I'd gotten her. Sis never contacted Mom and I guessed the drunk driving incident had something to do with it. Mom kept contacting Sis even after I told her not to, because Sis is also the type that needs to cool down before she comes around. I felt guilty because I knew that what I told them was probably what caused this whole mess.
This morning, my mom came into my room sobbing and woke me up by yelling "You told Sis! That's why she isn't talking to me!"
I said I was sorry, that I didn't mean to cause trouble, but they had the right to know. She was close to hyperventilating, so I told her to sit down and breathe. I looked at the messages and Mom has been texting and calling Sis for three days straight multiple times a day. Which is what I told her NOT to do. Nowhere in the messages did Sis say she she was no longer speaking to Mom, all she said is she is changing her number and she will call her when shes ready. I wont be giving Sis's new number to Mom, nor will I be defending Mom's actions to her. But I feel like a major AH because if I hadn't texted my sisters, everything would be fine.
I don't know what to do or how to fix this, and I can't be the reason Mom loses contact with Sis. That guilt will eat me alive. Any advice will be much appreciated. Thank you

I am a failure, I have this immense feeling of guilt, and I feel absolutely gutted to the core.
When I was pregnant I had GD so I got more growth ultrasounds and my LO was always in the >99th percentile for head size. I didn't really think anything of it as large heads run in my family. My grandpa, uncle, aunt, 3 boy cousins, and my sister were all born with large heads.
My LO has been progressing really well. He was born strong - could already support his neck, and has been growing like a weed and packing on the pounds. He can now lift his head during tummy time and support himself for minutes at a time - which is ahead of schedule. He moves constantly, really only sits still to eat. He's 8.5weeks.
Anyways I was taking pictures a few days ago of my LO doing tummy time on my husband's chest. As I was looking back at the pictures I couldn't help but notice how his head shape had changed in such a short amount of time. He always had a prominent brow but now it was like The Brain from pinky and the brain, round shaped with a very prominent brow.
So I googled this, assuming it was just a phase all babies go through and I was wondering when they start to grow out of it. What I came across was something called frontal bossing. My babies forehead looks text book to the picture. I started looking into causes and see Vitamin D deficiency - Rickets and my heart sank. I'm sitting here absolutely shattered, I completely forgot about these Vitamin D supplements. I have been neglecting these for 2 whole months. He maybe got 3 bottles in the first week and then nothing. I live in the Midwest, we have not been outside a whole lot and when we do he is pretty well shaded for walks.
I started looking at his body and his arms and legs looked bowed. I can't unsee the protruding forehead which cannot be cured, its there forever - the damage is done. I am sitting just sobbing writing this right now at the idea I caused this deformity on him. It makes me absolutely sick to my stomach at how ignorant and just stupid I have been to forget these, something so simple. It's one thing to make a mistake and mess up your own life, but to have actively caused this in my LO is something I can never forgive myself for. I am terrified to tell my husband about this. Terrified for his 2 month apt in a few days I don't even want anyone's sympathy, it is so undeserving.
I obviously started the drops and we have been sitting outside a bit each morning, but the damage I caused will always be staring me back for as long as I live, and I don't know how I can ever live with myself. We tried for 7 years to have a child, and now I wish it had never happened, I hate myself. I would give anything under the sun to go back in time.
To be clear, I have not had much anxiety through PP. I am actually extremely laid back and had the mentality that cave men raised children so it's going to be ok. But the idea that I could have created an easily avoidable deformity is something that is hard to swallow. It's one thing if I just didn't know about the drops - mistakes happen, but to actively forget for this long and only to he reminded because I noticed something pecular that is directly caused by what I neglected is hard to rationalize.

Me (39F) and my ex husband (39M) divorced a few years ago. We have three kids together.
I will admit that the divorce was due to my infidelity. I was in an almost 2 year relationship with someone i thought i was in love with. My ex husband found out and confronted me, i was tired of living a lie, and i confessed which i think he should have given me some credit for. I did not try to lie, and also told him it was not the first time i had had an affair because i wanted to be honest with him. I ended up leaving the house for two weeks and went to visit my cousin in another state. After a couple of weeks, he asked if i wanted to try couples counseling. He didnt want the family split up and deal with disrupting their lives, the kids were all teenagers and would be adults soon, could we wait until they were 18. I told him no, i had made my choice. To be fair, we had been living seperate lives for about 5 years prior to the divorce (seperate bedrooms, didnt eat dinner together, totally seperate lives). So it wasnt like we both didnt see this coming but he was still pretty upset.
He was very amicable during the divorce, but I do have regrets. The man i was seeing didnt end up leaving his wife, and in my affair fog (and guilt) i gave my ex husband everything. The house, car, didnt ask for alimony, didnt request child support, just that he pay the expenses for our kids extra curriculars. I do regret not asking for child support because i am now trying to support myself and kids with only my income.
Anyway, during most of my divorce my ex was fine. We had a shared birthday party, i was allowed to come to the house whenever i wanted. It was great.
My ex husband met someone a couple of weeks before our divorce was finalized, so we were still married. She didnt reach out to try and meet me so i found her at a basketball game and introduced myself. She smiled and said hi and told me her name and then returned to her conversation. Completely ignoring me which I felt was disrespectful. I let it go.
Immediately after our divorce was finalized my ex shut down. He stopped running to grab things for me when i needed them (prior to this hed run and grab me stuff for work if i couldnt leave). He stopped responding to my friendly texts, wouldnt help me move when i was moving to a new apartment from my old one, I showed up to the house at one point and he text me after that he doesnt want me in his house anymore (it was my house for almost 15 years and my kids live there half the month). I truly felt like this was his new girlfriend, because everything was fine up until she showed up in the picture.
A few months later I find out she has kids. I was extremely upset because i was not told any of this about her. I knew nothing about her at all from him. On top of that, i found out she is not the primary parent. Her kids live with their dad 80% of the year apparently. I admit i did react harshly (as any parent would do when they find out this info) and texted my ex that i was very upset as he never told me she had kids and i did tell him that due to her custody arrangement i was concerned she was a child abuser and i told him i would like sole custody of our children and would be contacting an attorney. I did this, but a background check on her came up clean so i did not proceed (im still not convinced on this because just because she didnt get caught doesnt mean it didnt happen) but after that things got sour. I tried explaining that I was only concerned about my kids but he didn’t care.
A year goes by and one of my friends said she had seen her and she looks pregnant. Turns out this genius accidentally knocked her up. I texted him and asked if they were expecting and he said yes. I did fly off the handle because I was not told this by him. I had to find out through the grapevine. I was humiliated because i had no idea. They had a huge gender reveal with all of my kids and her kids and were actually celebrating this. So my kids are being taught that getting someone pregnant after a year is acceptable. I understand accidents happen but it should be presented that way and not with a party with my kids present.
At this point im concerned for my kids safety, but i figured it was the first relationship post divorce and he would probably leave her soon enough anyway. But now shes went and got pregnant so shes going to be around my kids permanently. I told him again i wanted her away from my kids because she could be dangerous and i know nothing about her and she has not even attempted to get to know me to make me feel more comfortable. i told him those concerns that she doesnt want to get to know me and obviously has cast judgement on me for my past. That is the only reason i could think that she wouldnt try to get to know me or respect me enough to talk to me in public. I also told him my concerns that everything was fine in our coparenting relationship until he met her.
My ex told me “she hasnt judged you. She is offended because you have repeatedly called her a child abuser and have told people that she is dangerous to be around children. Some of the kids friends wont even come over to our house anymore and youve humiliated her. The custody arrangement she has is because her ex moved away while she was in PA school and she knew she couldn’t give them the life they would have with their dad during that time. A child abuser would not be getting their kids every summer and every holiday. You also get upset and tell me she doesn’t care about our kids because she wont drive them to school. Shes too scared to be alone around them because of your accusations, and shes also tried to not make the situation worse by stepping on your toes”.
I am frustrated because he doesnt seem to understand where i am coming from. ANY mother would be concerned about this given her custody arrangement and i am being treated like im a monster by him. I have a right as a mother to know who is around my kids.
Im frustrated because i see pictures of them taking just her kids to the childrens zoo. I confronted him on this and he said he didnt think our teenagers would want to go to a petting zoo, so he took them during my custody time, but next time would invite all the kids.
Its been a few years now, theyre still together, and i feel like she has started majorly overstepping. She sent me a message with concerns about my daughters mental health and told me that i should try talking to her when she goes back home because she was “concerned”. This is the only time shes ever initiated contact with me and its about my kids (i dont need his girlfriend contacting me about my kids, he needs to). At the time i didnt see any issue with my daughters mental health so i ignored it. A few months later, i get the same thing. That shes “genuinely concerned” about her mental health as my daughter seems to be depressed, shes torn the house apart, and some of the little things she says are indicating she might be depressed and it is “presenting as anger”. At the time i thought my daughter just had severe anger problems and i didn’t need some random girl messaging me about MY children. I flipped out and threatened to sue her if she contacted me again because at this point two texts about the same thing was excessive and I felt harassed. My daughter ultimately did get diagnosed with major depressive disorder and is on medication now and is doing well, after her guidance counselor reached out to me (which is who it should have come from to begin with, or her dad, but not the girl my ex husband is playing house with).
Theyre now engaged, and i still feel like he cares way more about the child they had together (and her kids) than the children we share together. Ive talked to my kids about moving in with me full time and told them they do not deserve the way their dad is treating them and acting as if he replaced them. They said no, they like the arrangement theyve had over the years and he coaches their sports teams so that would be weird anyway. I agreed with that and let it go.
I just want to know if anyone else has ever been in my shoes or advice on how to move foreward. I want my coparenting relationship back, but no matter how friendly i am to my ex he sends me one word answers. Never responds to my “how are you” texts. Only responds to me if its about the kids (and sometimes will respond to them about the texts i send. If one of the kids needs money he sends it directly to them and doesnt even acknowledge my text message). I do feel like he is being coached by his fiance and that she has turned him against me, and with her in the picture for the foreseeable future i am worried it will never change. Its clear she does not like me and i think shes making him hate me too and i dont know how to move foreward. All of my divorced friends seem to have great coparenting relationships and this whole thing is so embarassing that i just tell them my ex and i are still best friends but with the way im treated in public at the kids games it feels like they probably know that isnt true. They arent rude to me but just act as if i do not exist. At one point my ex pinned all of this on me, stating that my affair broke any friendship that we could have potentially had after the divorce and that there was no chance of his girlfriend ever forgiving me after the “slander” I committed (i didnt, i just expressed my concerns to him and a few of the parents on my kids teams).
I just want to know how to mend things with my ex. If i had known things would get this bad i would have just stuck it out for another few years.
To make things worse, they sold the house that i let my ex keep in the divorce and it had appreciated a lot. He didnt give me a single dime but they did buy a nice new house and she just got a brand new car. My friends all feel bad for me because they dont feel like i deserve this, im living in my friends rental home and sharing a car with my 17 year old because mine broke down. Not a dime of child support. But him and his fiance dont seem to care at all. And im starting to feel like she encouraged him to keep playing nice until the divorce was signed and he got every asset we shared together.

Me (39F) and my ex husband (39M) divorced a few years ago. We have three kids together.
I will admit that the divorce was due to my infidelity. I was in an almost 2 year relationship with someone i thought i was in love with. My ex husband found out and confronted me, i was tired of living a lie, and i confessed which i think he should have given me some credit for. I did not try to lie, and also told him it was not the first time i had had an affair because i wanted to be honest with him. I ended up leaving the house for two weeks and went to visit my cousin in another state. After a couple of weeks, he asked if i wanted to try couples counseling. He didnt want the family split up and deal with disrupting their lives, the kids were all teenagers and would be adults soon, could we wait until they were 18. I told him no, i had made my choice. To be fair, we had been living seperate lives for about 5 years prior to the divorce (seperate bedrooms, didnt eat dinner together, totally seperate lives). So it wasnt like we both didnt see this coming but he was still pretty upset.
He was very amicable during the divorce, but I do have regrets. The man i was seeing didnt end up leaving his wife, and in my affair fog (and guilt) i gave my ex husband everything. The house, car, didnt ask for alimony, didnt request child support, just that he pay the expenses for our kids extra curriculars. I do regret not asking for child support because i am now trying to support myself and kids with only my income.
Anyway, during most of my divorce my ex was fine. We had a shared birthday party, i was allowed to come to the house whenever i wanted. It was great.
My ex husband met someone a couple of weeks before our divorce was finalized, so we were still married. She didnt reach out to try and meet me so i found her at a basketball game and introduced myself. She smiled and said hi and told me her name and then returned to her conversation. Completely ignoring me which I felt was disrespectful. I let it go.
Immediately after our divorce was finalized my ex shut down. He stopped running to grab things for me when i needed them (prior to this hed run and grab me stuff for work if i couldnt leave). He stopped responding to my friendly texts, wouldnt help me move when i was moving to a new apartment from my old one, I showed up to the house at one point and he text me after that he doesnt want me in his house anymore (it was my house for almost 15 years and my kids live there half the month). I truly felt like this was his new girlfriend, because everything was fine up until she showed up in the picture.
A few months later I find out she has kids. I was extremely upset because i was not told any of this about her. I knew nothing about her at all from him. On top of that, i found out she is not the primary parent. Her kids live with their dad 80% of the year apparently. I admit i did react harshly (as any parent would do when they find out this info) and texted my ex that i was very upset as he never told me she had kids and i did tell him that due to her custody arrangement i was concerned she was a child abuser and i told him i would like sole custody of our children and would be contacting an attorney. I did this, but a background check on her came up clean so i did not proceed (im still not convinced on this because just because she didnt get caught doesnt mean it didnt happen) but after that things got sour. I tried explaining that I was only concerned about my kids but he didn’t care.
A year goes by and one of my friends said she had seen her and she looks pregnant. Turns out this genius accidentally knocked her up. I texted him and asked if they were expecting and he said yes. I did fly off the handle because I was not told this by him. I had to find out through the grapevine. I was humiliated because i had no idea. They had a huge gender reveal with all of my kids and her kids and were actually celebrating this. So my kids are being taught that getting someone pregnant after a year is acceptable. I understand accidents happen but it should be presented that way and not with a party with my kids present.
At this point im concerned for my kids safety, but i figured it was the first relationship post divorce and he would probably leave her soon enough anyway. But now shes went and got pregnant so shes going to be around my kids permanently. I told him again i wanted her away from my kids because she could be dangerous and i know nothing about her and she has not even attempted to get to know me to make me feel more comfortable. i told him those concerns that she doesnt want to get to know me and obviously has cast judgement on me for my past. That is the only reason i could think that she wouldnt try to get to know me or respect me enough to talk to me in public. I also told him my concerns that everything was fine in our coparenting relationship until he met her.
My ex told me “she hasnt judged you. She is offended because you have repeatedly called her a child abuser and have told people that she is dangerous to be around children. Some of the kids friends wont even come over to our house anymore and youve humiliated her. The custody arrangement she has is because her ex moved away while she was in PA school and she knew she couldn’t give them the life they would have with their dad during that time. A child abuser would not be getting their kids every summer and every holiday. You also get upset and tell me she doesn’t care about our kids because she wont drive them to school. Shes too scared to be alone around them because of your accusations, and shes also tried to not make the situation worse by stepping on your toes”.
I am frustrated because he doesnt seem to understand where i am coming from. ANY mother would be concerned about this given her custody arrangement and i am being treated like im a monster by him. I have a right as a mother to know who is around my kids.
Im frustrated because i see pictures of them taking just her kids to the childrens zoo. I confronted him on this and he said he didnt think our teenagers would want to go to a petting zoo, so he took them during my custody time, but next time would invite all the kids.
Its been a few years now, theyre still together, and i feel like she has started majorly overstepping. She sent me a message with concerns about my daughters mental health and told me that i should try talking to her when she goes back home because she was “concerned”. This is the only time shes ever initiated contact with me and its about my kids (i dont need his girlfriend contacting me about my kids, he needs to). At the time i didnt see any issue with my daughters mental health so i ignored it. A few months later, i get the same thing. That shes “genuinely concerned” about her mental health as my daughter seems to be depressed, shes torn the house apart, and some of the little things she says are indicating she might be depressed and it is “presenting as anger”. At the time i thought my daughter just had severe anger problems and i didn’t need some random girl messaging me about MY children. I flipped out and threatened to sue her if she contacted me again because at this point two texts about the same thing was excessive and I felt harassed. My daughter ultimately did get diagnosed with major depressive disorder and is on medication now and is doing well, after her guidance counselor reached out to me (which is who it should have come from to begin with, or her dad, but not the girl my ex husband is playing house with).
Theyre now engaged, and i still feel like he cares way more about the child they had together (and her kids) than the children we share together. Ive talked to my kids about moving in with me full time and told them they do not deserve the way their dad is treating them and acting as if he replaced them. They said no, they like the arrangement theyve had over the years and he coaches their sports teams so that would be weird anyway. I agreed with that and let it go.
I just want to know if anyone else has ever been in my shoes or advice on how to move foreward. I want my coparenting relationship back, but no matter how friendly i am to my ex he sends me one word answers. Never responds to my “how are you” texts. Only responds to me if its about the kids (and sometimes will respond to them about the texts i send. If one of the kids needs money he sends it directly to them and doesnt even acknowledge my text message). I do feel like he is being coached by his fiance and that she has turned him against me, and with her in the picture for the foreseeable future i am worried it will never change. Its clear she does not like me and i think shes making him hate me too and i dont know how to move foreward. All of my divorced friends seem to have great coparenting relationships and this whole thing is so embarassing that i just tell them my ex and i are still best friends but with the way im treated in public at the kids games it feels like they probably know that isnt true. I just want to know how to mend things with my ex. If i had known things would get this bad i would have just stuck it out for another few years.

My boyfriend (27 M) and I (26 F) have been dating for 2.5 years. I misplaced my phone a couple days ago and he let me borrow his work phone in case of emergency. He texted me on his work phone from his personal phone, so I opened the message and saw a text from 1.5 years ago that he had sent himself of another woman naked. I also found the photo saved in his hidden album on the work phone. I asked him who it was and he said it was his friend's ex girlfriend. He told me that he was out drinking with his friends and one of them pulled the photo up. He asked his friend to send the photo to him, and the next morning he sent it to his work phone to hide it from me. He says that he had seen the girl's "thirst traps" on instagram and that it felt cool to see what was underneath her clothes. He says that he didn't realize how disrespectful and upsetting it would be for me and that he only looked at the photo a couple of times and then forgot about it. He said he originally kept it in case he was ever having a "big boob craving" but never jerked off to it because it felt disrespectful. I asked him why he couldn't just look up big boob porn if he was having that "craving" and he said it feels more disrespectful to watch porn than to look at a picture of a girl you know and that "it's just different when you know the person." He has always shouted his loyalty for me from the rooftops and this does seem like a one-off situation, but it bothers me that the photo was still on his phone after a year and a half. He swears that he forgot it was there and hasn't looked at it in a year.
I told the girl in the photo about the situation and she is disgusted by her ex, but confirmed that she barely knows my boyfriend and did not send the photo to him.
Side note: We have had big trust issues in the past with him gambling huge amounts of money and lying about it, but he joined gamblers anonymous 6 months ago and has seemed to be making a lot of positive changes since then. Other than the gambling and lying and this new information, he is the perfect person for me. He is kind and thoughtful and we have a lot of fun together and fit perfectly into each other's lives. He loves me very much, but has no sense of priorities, discipline, or consequences.
AITAH if I end our relationship over this?

So I (20f) went to babysit my cousin Lisa (fake name 13f) over the weekend. Around noon my cousin asked me to look at a pimple on her back. Lisa explained that her mother my aunt wanted her to leave it alone, but over the past week it’s became pain to lean against anything.
I agreed and had her sit at the dining table. When I pulled up her shirt I saw a giant hamster sized pimple on her back. It was so swollen and had a white tip meaning it was ready to pop. Now I’ve suffered with bad acne all my life but this was new even to me. I suggested to take a picture and send it to her mother before doing anything. Lisa agreed but still wanted me yo do something about it.
And I agreed that if her mother didn’t text me back in a few hours then I’ll pop it myself.
Well I sent the picture and texted my aunt explaining that I planned on popping it if she didn’t get back to me by 2.
She did not get back to me.
So I grabbed a box of Alcohol wipes, bandages and q-tips along with a blue diabetic needle the small ones to help test your blood sugar. If you know you know. Anyways I explained what I was gonna do before I leaned Lisa against the dining table and cleaned the area. Before taking the needle and punctured the pimple puss immediately started pouring out. I took a q-tip and whipped up some puss smelling it before leaning in and sniffing the pimple it self. Luckily there was no smell.
I continued squeezing the puss out saying there was a lot would be an understatement. Eventually I stopped after a minute because of Lisa’s begging do to the pain. So I stopped and cleaned her back again before touching the pimple feeling something hard still under her skin. I apologize to Lisa before violating pushing down on her back and removing a hard piece of puss. Blood began to drip from the bigger hole so I cleaned it again before putting on a bandage.
Lisa complained about soreness and took an aleve from the bathroom.
Her mother came home three hours later. She immediately went to check on her daughter but when Lisa explained what happened my aunt lost it.
It turned into a huge argument where my aunt accused me of being immature and stupid for preforming a medical procedure with her permission.
I explained to my aunt that I’ve done it before on my self and that it was safe.
She went on to scream that I was supposed to be the adult in this situation. And Lisa had no idea what she was getting into. I just left arguing with my aunt is like fighting a brick wall.
I talked to my mom about it today and she said I should’ve just apologized. All I wanted to do was help Lisa if I ignored her I felt that would translate to me not caring. Now I wanna know if I’m the asshole for helping Lisa?

Hi everyone, I just found this subreddit and I am grateful for this community here. I feel a bit embarrassed to talk to my friends about this. I have been doing therapy as well which has been immensely helpful.
I recently left my partner of 3 years for many reasons. It was an amicable breakup. But I’m struggling with all of the realizations I’ve been having post breakup, especially regarding his porn use and masturbation habits.
I am horrified upon realizing how much I put up with in this regard. My ex has a very specific fetish, feederism, and I suspect that he has an addiction to the porn. We found a way to incorporate the fetish into our sex life in a way that I enjoyed, but I did have some mild baseline anxiety that I would never be willing to become morbidly and dangerously obese to fulfill his desires. He never pressured me in this regard, but I knew what he likes as his type and it made me feel weird.
I am wondering if anyone else experienced their partner doing this. My partner was extremely careless about his porn usage. He would leave multiple tabs of it open on his phone and computer, so every time we went to watch a movie or he showed me something on the browser I would see flashes of images of women with gigantic bellies stuffing themselves. The first time it happened I called him out and gave him a bit of a hard time about not “cleaning up” after himself, and how I didn’t consent to seeing the porn images, and he got totally defensive and accused me of kink shaming him, his defense being that what he looks at is very soft core with barely any sex or nudity. That’s besides the point though. Also, he accidentally sent porn links to family members via text multiple times. I felt humiliated on his behalf, and also at the idea that I am the partner, so his parents know what weird fetishes we are engaging in with our sex life?? He seemed to think it was no big deal and referred to him being caught watching porn multiple times as a teen so they “already know what he’s into”. 🤮 I caught him multiple times looking at these images when we were hanging out together. One time he accidentally posted a nude picture of me on instagram.
One time when he was over for the day and we were both working remotely in separate rooms, he initiated sex and I turned him down because I was very busy. 10 minutes later, there was a knock on the door and I went to answer it, it was someone delivering a package. He was in my living room (I share the house with a roommate), pants fully down, bare assed jerking it to porn on the couch. He started ugly crying because the door had swung open and the post lady saw it all, he was embarrassed. I WAS EMBARRASSED!
Multiple times he woke me up in the middle of the night because he was shaking the bed from jerking off and looking at porn. One time he woke me up at 5 am to ask ME if I knew where his phone was because he wanted to look at porn. These scenarios caused our biggest fights
I’m so horrified I put up with this behaviour. I am a survivor of SA and his actions elicited the fawn response from me. Thank you for reading 😭