I was with my ex for nearly 2 years we come from a culture and religion where marriage is the ultimate and we don't just date for fun. The whole relationship was a whirlwind and I'm not usually a trusting person but with him he was telling me he loved me a 2 week into the relationship. Needless to say the rest we moved very fast constant dates constant soppy I love youse and I really could be myself around him, he was my first real relationship at 25 he was 24.
Within maybe 2 months I noticed he would lie about stupid silly things which really bother me because I hate it when people lie I caught him out a few times and he would cry and say he couldn't live without me and I would always end up staying,, I had a bad feeling one time and contacted his ex girlfriend who said they were still in contact now I'm not sure whether she lied about that or whether he lied. Regardless I continued to be with him as he cried and said she was lying then I found he was sending pictures of other girls to his boys group chats with really horrendous messages on what he wanted to do to them and would say it's 'boys banter' it did get toxic and became a cycle of lies crying and me being moody. He was unemployed when I met him and I worked really hard to do his applications and prepped him for interviews which resulted in him getting the job he wanted. it wasn't all bad we had some really good times too and that led us to get the families involved to get married his family didn't like me because I was from a different caste and he essentially fought to get married to me. We were so close our deposits down on venues and everything and had our wedding in 5 months. Something in my gut wasn't right and I did some digging and found something else out and before you all start on me for going looking for issues I asked him numerous times to clarify everything so I could draw a line but he just wouldn't and I kept finding things out. I met him 2 days before dooms day and we talked about our honeymoon our wedding and I told him about some health issues I was having and under the care of neurology. He told me he loved me and would never leave me. 2 nights after we argued and I deleted him but this time was different he didn't contact me or anything the next day I contacted him and he was a different person blunt rude and dismissive I asked him to meet me so we could talk in person he came and was just different I was crying whilst he smirked and told me he needed space because it was all too toxic. That same night he messaged other women he met someone 3 weeks after me and told her he loved her within 2 weeks she was his auntys neighbour and his sister in laws friend who were suprise suprise from the same caste. 2 years on and they tied the knot I'm still not over it and people are sick of listening to me crying about it I'm sick of myself doing that all I've done this past 2 years is cry and miss him every day I'm at a point where I don't even want to be here anymore so I can avoid feeling like this. Not to mention I gained weight in the relationship and after due to emotional eating I haven't dates since I've been to therapy numerous holidays nothing works. I have adhd and awaiting medication for that but I feel like I'll never get over it whilst they got married and moved into their new house living their happily ever after

I was with my ex for nearly 2 years we come from a culture and religion where marriage is the ultimate and we don't just date for fun. The whole relationship was a whirlwind and I'm not usually a trusting person but with him he was telling me he loved me a 2 week into the relationship. Needless to say the rest we moved very fast constant dates constant soppy I love youse and I really could be myself around him, he was my first real relationship at 25 he was 24.
Within maybe 2 months I noticed he would lie about stupid silly things which really bother me because I hate it when people lie I caught him out a few times and he would cry and say he couldn't live without me and I would always end up staying,, I had a bad feeling one time and contacted his ex girlfriend who said they were still in contact now I'm not sure whether she lied about that or whether he lied. Regardless I continued to be with him as he cried and said she was lying then I found he was sending pictures of other girls to his boys group chats with really horrendous messages on what he wanted to do to them and would say it's 'boys banter' it did get toxic and became a cycle of lies crying and me being moody. He was unemployed when I met him and I worked really hard to do his applications and prepped him for interviews which resulted in him getting the job he wanted. it wasn't all bad we had some really good times too and that led us to get the families involved to get married his family didn't like me because I was from a different caste and he essentially fought to get married to me. We were so close our deposits down on venues and everything and had our wedding in 5 months. Something in my gut wasn't right and I did some digging and found something else out and before you all start on me for going looking for issues I asked him numerous times to clarify everything so I could draw a line but he just wouldn't and I kept finding things out. I met him 2 days before dooms day and we talked about our honeymoon our wedding and I told him about some health issues I was having and under the care of neurology. He told me he loved me and would never leave me. 2 nights after we argued and I deleted him but this time was different he didn't contact me or anything the next day I contacted him and he was a different person blunt rude and dismissive I asked him to meet me so we could talk in person he came and was just different I was crying whilst he smirked and told me he needed space because it was all too toxic. That same night he messaged other women he met someone 3 weeks after me and told her he loved her within 2 weeks she was his auntys neighbour and his sister in laws friend who were suprise suprise from the same caste. 2 years on and they tied the knot I'm still not over it and people are sick of listening to me crying about it I'm sick of myself doing that all I've done this past 2 years is cry and miss him every day I'm at a point where I don't even want to be here anymore so I can avoid feeling like this. Not to mention I gained weight in the relationship and after due to emotional eating I haven't dates since I've been to therapy numerous holidays nothing works. I have adhd and awaiting medication for that but I feel like I'll never get over it whilst they got married and moved into their new house living their happily ever after

The Fullmer County Records Department poated announcement that this year has had the highest number of quadruplets they have ever seen, with 8 lucky couples bringing home 4 babies each. Help them out by creating a list of names using the criteria below.

1. Addison and Melanie were only joking a little when they told their son Oliver he could give their new baby a cars name. The humour then faded when he not only held them to it (in a guilting way only a 6 year old can) but when they found out theyd need 4 child-appropriate car names. While their three sons and daughter all have names in the top 100 most popular names, they can thank their big brother for their unique middle names.
   
2. Mercedes Johnson lost her late husband, Jimmy, in a car accident but she gained four new babies to always keep his memory alive. She game her two daughters middle names that rhyme with her stepdaughter's Brynn and two sons middle names that rhyme with her stepson, John's name. All four of her children also have first names that start with J.
   
3. What happens when you add four baby boys to a math teacher and English teachers lives? For Eric and Damien Hodges, it equaled four of the cutest authomathematician namesakes youve ever met.
   
4. Greg Waldvogel figured agreeing to his wife naming their next child after someone from her favourite TV show so long as he couls name their first-born after his favourite football player, Tom Brady, despite her being a daughter. His wife, Rebecka, has never liked little Tommie's name but seems to have gotten the last laugh since her ultrasound showed that she not only gets to name their son after the queens on Rupaul's Drag Race, but she gets to name all four boys after the queens. Though Greg must admit, he is impressed that she managed to make their names work the way she did.
   
5. Linguaphiles Jodi and Trey Sutherland were thrilled to find out they would be adding four new little girls to their household. Lovers of all things language, particularly archaic ones, the pair agreed when they had their first baby, Ire Eustolia, to give all their children beautiful yet rare names so they could share some of the love for names that history buried. Through their four daughters, who all have names from ancient times like their big sister, we think theyve continued to achieve their mission.
   
6. Chase Lipiec was a little annoyed to admit that a political debate between his father and fiance, Rhea James, led to the names of their children. After becoming fed up with her father-in-law's blatant disregard for gender neutrality, she decided she not only was not going to have a gender reveal as her in-laws wanted but that all four babies would have gender neutral first and middle names. Sure enough, it wasnt until three weeks after their birth that it was revealed to the elder Lipiecs that they had three new granddaughters and a new grandson.
   
7. Lovers of old school rap and R&B music, Chelsea and David Barnes decided to name their all of their kids after the singers from their wedding playlist. Though the 2012 playlist is a little dated by music standards, their daughter Aaliyah Sadé will be sharing the name compliments with her two brothers and two sisters.
   
8. Hanleigh and Giordano Anastasi are avid travellers who are taking the next step in life by becoming parents. Though they didnt know the step would be so big and leave them scrambling to find enough names for their new litter, they still want to do the naming tradition of colour, American county, and a Sicilian name [a requirement of Gio's grandmother] that they had planned when they first started trying to create a family, even if the order gets switched around. Luckily, the full long names fit all four girls well, and there are plenty of nicknames to go around as well!
   

I’m not sure what to do. Me and my boyfriend are long distance and we’ve been doing good. But… if I show him some outfits I like or some pictures I wanna post on my socials.. he says it makes him uncomfortable and he doesn’t want me to wear or post what I show him. And the things aren’t bad, like I was wearing a strapless dress to a wedding, he didn’t like it and said it made him uncomfortable because it’s strapless and he knows im gonna look nice. The pictures I wanted to post, some showed a little cleavage and he said has uncomfortable with those ones, so I said okay, what about the ones with just my face, and he said “ I don’t know… “ when I asked why he said bc he knows that other people are gonna see the pictures and he knows I’m pretty so he’s jealous.
I ordered a dress today and the back of the dress was open and he told me that he doesn’t think it would look good on me. So I canceled the order and then felt very poorly of myself.. he realized I felt self conscious now so he said he only said that bc the back was open and it made him uncomfortable but didn’t wanna make me angry.
I’ve talked to him about all of this and that we need to work on it and he said okay but I have to keep an open mind about how he feels.. idk.. I just feel like it’s a little much at this point..

This is somewhat inspired by "that" post, but it got so off track due to the OP's attitude and tipping issues that I thought it best to discuss it separately.
"Who cares what they look like?" "They are perfectly edible" - These sorts of comments often get posted when people share images of ugly looking cookies.
Crumbl is selling you a four to five dollar cookie. At that price, they should both look and taste good. On what planet is it entitled to want them to come reasonably close to the picture? These are not intricately decorated gingerbread houses for five bucks. They are cookies.
(BTW, I order mine DELIVERY and they always look textbook perfect. Unfortunately, I found last week so subpar (pistachio, french toast, wedding cake, pb chocolate whatever) in terms of taste that I think I'm giving this place up. What I thought would be my favorite week in a long time turned out to be a huge disappointment. And Crumbl has been very disappointing lately. But that's not the point of this post.)
​

This thread is for individual style questions that you may have, especially those that don't warrant their own thread. We all want a diversified opinion, so feel free to answer any questions (of which you know the answer).
To get the best responses, remember that people cannot; look into your wardrobe, know what style you normally like or what words like affordable or practical mean to you so please include any relevant details such as your budget, where you live, what stores are available to you, etc.
Example questions:

• Are there any basic crewneck white t-shirts that are opaque and do not have cap sleeves for <$25 available in Australia?
• Is this dress and shoes suitable for an evening wedding with a cocktail dress code taking place in a [venue type]?
• If I like the outfits in this [imgur album / pinterest board], what are some specific items I can look into to start dressing like that, and brands with this look that carry plus sizes?
• Does this outfit look neater with the pants cuffed or uncuffed?

If you'd like to include a picture, you can now post pictures directly in the comments, without having to link an imgur album.

My girlfriend and I have been together for 1 year, from Dec 2022 to Dec 2023. During that year things didn't go very smooth, we had a lot of fights, which were mainly caused by constant miscommunication of our needs and expectations. Our big fights occured approximately every 2 months. Inbetween those events, we had plenty of very good and happy times, with travelling, holidays together etc.
Eventually, the repeating negativity and issues that couldn't be resolved through talking anymore outweighed the little positive that was left, and she broke up in December 2023. After a month of being separated, where we both had time to reflect on what led to our breakup, I contacted her and we met. A month later we got back together (February 2024). Our new relationship made a 180 degree turn and things couldn't be better right now. Our relationship is healthier than ever, we communicate well, there's no fighting at all. (In our 1st RS we barely had sex more than once every 2 weeks, now it was daily)
During our "first" relationship, we didn't post any pictures together, we never talked about moving in together or introduced each other to the family. Now in our "second" try, we met each others families, we post pictures together and we plan for long term goals. The only thing that never left my mind, was the question if she met someone else, maybe slept with someone else during our time apart. I asked her openly and she said no she didn't.
Last night, she fell asleep in my bed, I was still working on my PC. I don't know her pin code, nor did I ever try checking her phone or asked her to show me anything, I had full trust in her at any given time. She fell asleep listening a Youtube Podcast, which meant her phone stayed unlocked. I took it away from the bed to bring it to the nightstand for charging. While holding it, this sudden urge of checking her phone in order to convince myself that nothing ever happened overcame me. So I checked her whatsapp conversation with her best friend, as I knew that they exchange about everything. I scrolled up to the days where she left me in December 2023 and read til the day we got back together.
I found out that she started texting and meeting this new guy, shortly before she officially broke up. They had a few dates and slept together. After we met again and talked about our past relationship, she broke everything off with him. This reassured me, because this meant that our relationship was more important to her in the end, but it also shocked me because she lied. This made my insecurity skyreocket, so I started digging deeper and looked at other chats...
I found out that shortly after we got together and we started having issues (around march 2023) here and there, she began hooking up with different men, sexting and exchanging pictures. These hookups and texts occured frequently every month or two, from february 2023 until she broke up with me. This included a married man that secretely had an affair with her, a DJ and some other profiles that were now blocked. None of these conversations or any new ones extended beyond 2023. Since we got back together she didn't text any guy, and told her best friend how happy she was with me, now that our relationship is on the right tracks. The married man seemed to be a long time friend of hers, that she occasionally hooked up with during the last few years while being single. She talked to him about our issues, showed him screenshots of our fights and was looking for comfort. She told him multiple times how she can't continue like that but doesn't have the strenght to break up. Many of the things that she complained to him about were actually things I did and they were indeed mostly my fault.
I am totally devastated, I know I shouldn't have done it and I'm ashamed of what I've done. It completely shattered anything that I believed was true about her. I didn't tell her anything or show any anger this morning as she left for work. I don't know what to do. I love her so much and everything is finally perfect since we "redirected" our relationship onto the right path. I'm not trying to defend or justify anything that she did, but I feel like her actions were linked to the things that didn't go well during that entire year.
Either I tell her that I checked her phone, which will lead to a breakup or I figure out a way to see the "old" and the "new" relationship as two separate events, since I couldn't find anything indicating that she's still seeing other people and being dishonest. On one hand, I don't know how to pretend as if I didn't know it, on the other hand I don't want to end this for something that is linked to a past relationship. This year we are invited to several weddings together, we booked our vacations, etc.
Please help me..

My girlfriend and I have been together for 1 year, from Dec 2022 to Dec 2023. During that year things didn't go very smooth, we had a lot of fights, which were mainly caused by constant miscommunication of our needs and expectations. Our big fights occured approximately every 2 months. Inbetween those events, we had plenty of very good and happy times, with travelling, holidays together etc.
Eventually, the repeating negativity and issues that couldn't be resolved through talking anymore outweighed the little positive that was left, and she broke up in December 2023. After a month of being separated, where we both had time to reflect on what led to our breakup, I contacted her and we met. A month later we got back together (February 2024). Our new relationship made a 180 degree turn and things couldn't be better right now. Our relationship is healthier than ever, we communicate well, there's no fighting at all. (In our 1st RS we barely had sex more than once every 2 weeks, now it was daily)
During our "first" relationship, we didn't post any pictures together, we never talked about moving in together or introduced each other to the family. Now in our "second" try, we met each others families, we post pictures together and we plan for long term goals. The only thing that never left my mind, was the question if she met someone else, maybe slept with someone else during our time apart. I asked her openly and she said no she didn't.
Last night, she fell asleep in my bed, I was still working on my PC. I don't know her pin code, nor did I ever try checking her phone or asked her to show me anything, I had full trust in her at any given time. She fell asleep listening a Youtube Podcast, which meant her phone stayed unlocked. I took it away from the bed to bring it to the nightstand for charging. While holding it, this sudden urge of checking her phone in order to convince myself that nothing ever happened overcame me. So I checked her whatsapp conversation with her best friend, as I knew that they exchange about everything. I scrolled up to the days where she left me in December 2023 and read til the day we got back together.
I found out that she started texting and meeting this new guy, shortly before she officially broke up. They had a few dates and slept together. After we met again and talked about our past relationship, she broke everything off with him. This reassured me, because this meant that our relationship was more important to her in the end, but it also shocked me because she lied. This made my insecurity skyreocket, so I started digging deeper and looked at other chats...
I found out that shortly after we got together and we started having issues (around march 2023) here and there, she began hooking up with different men, sexting and exchanging pictures. These hookups and texts occured frequently every month or two, from february 2023 until she broke up with me. This included a married man that secretely had an affair with her, a DJ and some other profiles that were now blocked. None of these conversations or any new ones extended beyond 2023. Since we got back together she didn't text any guy, and told her best friend how happy she was with me, now that our relationship is on the right tracks. The married man seemed to be a long time friend of hers, that she occasionally hooked up with during the last few years while being single. She talked to him about our issues, showed him screenshots of our fights and was looking for comfort. She told him multiple times how she can't continue like that but doesn't have the strenght to break up. Many of the things that she complained to him about were actually things I did and they were indeed mostly my fault.
I am totally devastated, I know I shouldn't have done it and I'm ashamed of what I've done. It completely shattered anything that I believed was true about her. I didn't tell her anything or show any anger this morning as she left for work. I don't know what to do. I love her so much and everything is finally perfect since we "redirected" our relationship onto the right path. I'm not trying to defend or justify anything that she did, but I feel like her actions were linked to the things that didn't go well during that entire year.
Either I tell her that I checked her phone, which will lead to a breakup or I figure out a way to see the "old" and the "new" relationship as two separate events, since I couldn't find anything indicating that she's still seeing other people and being dishonest. On one hand, I don't know how to pretend as if I didn't know it, on the other hand I don't want to end this for something that is linked to a past relationship. This year we are invited to several weddings together, we booked our vacations, etc.
Please help me..

I met her last year online randomly. We got really close real fast. It was unlike anything ever, just when I had completely given up hope for finding something like that in my mid 20s. She's still the best person I've ever known, words meant something to her. And we'd always talk to each other first thing in the morning. She was conventionally attractive but was shy initially, which was surprising to me. We felt attracted but the emotional bond was something else. We depended a lot on each other, almost carrying the other when either of us felt down. Made each other feel special, did bunch of lovey dovey things that I only saw in movies before.
She was going through a lot this Jan and shifted back to her hometown. Maybe found someone else? I'll never know. But she started getting more and more silent. Idk how so many promises and all those months, the familiarity didn't mean anything to her in the end. It affected me a lot. But now I'm worried for her, I haven't seen her anywhere online in months. She used to constantly change her profile pictures, even that stopped. She doesn't even use Letterboxd anymore. I did the foolish thing of trying to move on from her but I know there's no one like her for me. I wish I could at least hear that she's okay. I see dreams of her and hear her voice in them. It's not so easy to forget someone like that. The pain gets worse every passing day.

Buckle up bc this story is WILD.
When I was 13 I learned I had an aunt (Sarah) I had never heard of. This was really strange bc my mom (Beth) had always seemed so close with her siblings. Sarah apparently left the picture when I was a baby and the reason is straight out of a tv drama.
Beth and Sarah grew up in a very religious household. My grandma had her hands full with 13 kids so Sarah (as the oldest) was more like a mother than a sister to Beth. Eventually Sarah got married and had 14 kids of her own, and Beth got especially close with her daughter Emma. Sarah was always very strict and frankly quite controlling with her kids as she wanted them to be the picture perfect religious family. If she felt a religious leader was being too lax, Sarah would simply stand up in the middle of the church meeting, leave with her massive family, and literally move houses to find a “more faithful” pastor.
When Emma was 18 she (unfortunately for Sarah) fell in love with a man, Robert. This was a problem for 2 reasons: 1) apparently Sarah already knew who she wanted Emma to marry and 2) Robert was in the military and Sarah believed that was immoral. Sarah told Emma she did not approve of Robert and wanted her to marry the guy she had picked out instead. After Emma refused, she suddenly went MISSING. My mom (Beth) and Robert tried to get in contact with her for weeks and no one knew where she was. When they would ask Sarah, Sarah deflected and told them not to ask questions. WHAT?! Beth, feeling that something was off started to feel like maybe Sarah might be using one of Beth’s other siblings to hide Emma. After all, everyone in the family was pretty scared of her. None of them would admit to it, but Beth realized that one sibling in particular, Lisa who lived across the country, sounded especially nervous on the phone. On a whim Beth decided to follow her hunch. She hopped on a plane and flew 7 states over to show up at Lisa’s doorstep without warning. Lisa was shocked when she opened the door and tried to close it quickly but not before Emma walked into view. Emma immediately burst into tears upon seeing Beth and begged to go home. Apparently, Sarah had woken Emma up in the middle of the night and ordered her to get into the car. With almost nothing packed with her, Sarah drove her to the airport, told her she would never see Robert again, and shipped her off to Lisa’s. Lisa was under strict instructions to not tell anyone of Emma’s whereabouts and Emma was not allowed to use any phones (landlines at the time) or anything that could be used as mail. My mom (Beth) just so happened to be the only family member rebellious enough to look for her against Sarah’s wishes.
Despite Lisa’s angry shouts, Beth took the sobbing Emma with her and flew back home to reunite her with Robert. Sarah. was. furious. Emma was disowned on the spot for her defiance, as was every one of her siblings that sided with her. Beth planned Emma and Robert’s wedding and she was disowned as well along with anyone else who attended.
Now, almost 30 years later, Sarah still refuses to speak to anyone who attended the wedding OR any of their posterity. The only time she came into the picture at all was to ask her mother (my grandmother) for her inheritance when my grandma was dying. She got the money and then never bothered to show up for the funeral.

I'm 18 and I met a guy on Hinge. I got Hinge just to look at the cute boys in Australia LOL, so I never planned on actually meeting up with anyone. After a while, I set my location to somewhere two hours away, still not planning to meet anyone. I ended up talking to this guy and he's 24. I told him I was a virgin and lived two hours away from where he was. After three weeks of talking all day everyday, we got to know each other somewhat pretty well (well enough to believe he wouldn't murder me lol). We followed each other on social media and even shared our location with each other.
After the three weeks, he drove two hours to pick me up then we drove back to his place. He took my virginity the first night and we had sex for five days, when I was with him for 7. He dropped me off yesterday afternoon and I haven't heard from him. People are saying he should've texted me by now if he was interested.
When he was driving me back home, he told me he wouldn't be texting me as much because he has work and he's just not a texting type of person. I also made a comment on how the drive was so long and he was crazy for driving so much to see me. He laughed and said, "Well do you think the drive was worth it?" and I said, "Well, more worth it for me since I'm not the one driving. Probably not so worth it for you". He laughed and then I asked, "Well, was it worth it for you?", then he made a comment on how I gave good head so it was pretty worth it. He also mentioned he couldn't do this drive often and I told him I'm not expecting him to.
Before we met up, he told his friends, his mom, and sister about me. He also told me that if we end up dating, the long drive wouldn't be such a big deal because if we were together, I could just stay with him longer. He also said that after the week we spend together, he'll text me and we can talk about if either of us want to continue seeing each other or not.
When I was with him, he'd compliment me, we'd take his dog to the park and sit and talk for hours, we hung out with his roommate for hours, he'd kiss my forehead and cheek randomly, wake me up by rubbing my back, cuddle me ALL DAY, hold my hand in the car, go grocery shopping, ask to see baby pictures of me, and he'd just do silly things and play around, acting like a kid, which makes me believe he has to like me.
I told my sister about him (she's 31) and she told me he's grooming me because I'm young, a virgin, and live far, so it's a perfect opportunity for him. She's sent me multiple paragraphs saying he's weird, disgusting, immature, a pedophile, and just wanted to take my virginity. She said he only acted so nice because that's how groomers groom people so well, just simply a part of his plan. I really don't think he groomed me or anything but I just can't get that thought out of my head because of course I wouldn't think he'd groom me if I'm being groomed, if that makes any sense.
So basically, he dropped me off yesterday and he hasn't texted me. I've looked at his location a few times and each time has said he's home or at his mom's house. I'm not sure if I should give him the benefit of the doubt and believe him when he said he was bad at texting or not. Everyone is telling me he just wanted to take my virginity then never talk to me again and it's really hurting my feelings because now I really like him and I want to see him again. I don't want to text him and seem vulnerable and weak because that's just embarrassing.
How long do guys usually take to text a girl after seeing her? Should I start moving on now? Would he have really done all those things if he didn't like me? If he doesn't like me, I'll just feel insecure and assume he thought I was fat or ugly or something. I just feel so upset and I can't think of anything else.

(SELLING) Prices are firm NO Bundle deals. Please add up your own total. 🔹️🔹️Once the Code has been sent, there is no refund. Please know what you own before you buy🔹️🔹️
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I accept PayPal FF, Zelle, Venmo, Cash App and Amazon gift card

Warning now, this is kinda all over the place but I’m just really upset right now.
To start, I (25 female) and my partner (27 male), are set to get married. However, my stepmom has gave my dad an ultimatum that if he attends my wedding she will leave him.
There is some background history between me and her but we have since buried the hatchet if you will. We have talked it out and moved on, at least I had thought. This woman has physically and mentally attacked me while my father watched and didn’t say anything to her. I didn’t lay a hand back on her nor say anything back to her. I promise. I’m not a person full of hate. I’m a people pleaser unfortunately.
She thinks I’m always out to get her or “take my dad away from him”. When she came into the picture she thought me and my dad were oddly close. She raise her daughter without the dad in the picture. Me and my dad got close after him and mom divorced cause I was all he had left. We had always been close as I was always his little girl until she came around. It’s almost like she’s jealous of the bond me and my dad had that has now been broken because of her. She post about me on social media and it’s not nice stuff that even my friends and family have sent messages asking if she is making stuff up cause it’s so out of left field for my character. They all know what she says isn’t true and she wants everyone to feel guilty for her. Her Facebook friends degrade me and puts her on this platform. I have absolutely done nothing to provoke this and have never met her friends in person. They are attacking someone who they don’t even know.
Now back to the issue at hand, the wedding ultimatum. She is apparently mad I did not give them a personal invitation? I am not doing actual paper invites. I have made a website link and social media invites that got sent to EVERYONE. not just them. My mom and stepdad, aunts and uncles, grandparents all got the same invitation. They wasn’t mad about it at all. No one is mad about it but her. My father is not allowed to have a conversation with me about anything without her around. She controls every aspect of his life. Having a conversation with them is not really the easiest thing ever cause she just attacks me. I’m not a bad person. I swear on everything I have done everything in my power to keep the peace and be kind. I live on my own and am self sufficient. However my dad does have my important documents and papers in his safe at his house. Papers like my car titles and such. He also does have some of my stuff stored at his house like my highschool memorabilia, childhood books and pictures and baby clothes.
How do I navigate this situation? I really don’t wanna loose my dad but I don’t want to sacrifice myself for it. Do I let everything go and just wait for her follow through to see who my dad chooses? Either his wife (who gave him the ultimatum and ran everyone in the family off) or his daughter. Pls give responses asappppp I have to see them soon and I’m just utterly lost and devastated.

Synopsis:
An engineer in another world—blending science and magic to achieve greatness in a world where skills and levels reign supreme.
—
Ethan was just a plain old engineer, but everything changed when he was reborn into a world of skills, levels, and magic. With his advanced knowledge far ahead of the time period he finds himself in, this new reincarnated life will be much different than his last, especially because he can construct, deconstruct, and reconstruct runes—something no one else can do.
But with royal politics, looming tax collectors, a mountain of debt, dungeon incursions, cults, and hostile fantasy races mixing together into a cocktail of bullshit that threatens to bury his dreams; Ethan must bridge the gap between steel and sorcery to grow stronger.
First < Previous Next >

Chapter 02

-1-
Roland cursed under his breath as he trudged down the muddy path toward Lord Theodore's manor. The late early morning sun cast long shadows, painting the desolate landscape in an even bleaker light.
Why was it only him who had to deal with Lord Theodore's bullshit? Just last night, Roland had to take care of all the complaints from the bar he'd found Lord Theodore at. Not to mention, he had to pay compensation to the wenches from his own personal funds.
And that wasn't even half the things he'd done yesterday alone.
After all, Lord Theodore was either busy abusing his power and bullying the people of the town, gambling, drinking, getting wasted with his face stuck up a prostitute, or doing his fourth favorite activity which, naturally, was a combination of the latter three. The man wasn't the brightest, but he wasn't quite dumb enough to avoid dealing with the problems the town of Holden faced.
Roland shook his head when he made it to the estate gates. As expected, there were guards, servants, and soldiers dashing left and right, but he was ignored. It was time to beg Lord Theodore to attend to his duties. None dared stop him, for he was a [Knight] appointed to Lord Theodore by his father—Lord Alexander Lockheart—and an acting advisor while said lord was being, well, his usual idiotic and selfish self.
So, Roland did what he had to; he moved past them all, and made for Lord Theodore's sleeping quarters where a handful of maids were all fussing about like hens with their heads chopped off.
Lord Theodore's quarters were not large by noble standards, but impressive all the same. Lavish and gaudy, just as he expected. Tapestries and drapes were hung up high all about the walls, and on the ground, there were expensive fur carpets.
After moving past the maids and butlers who were currently shuffling about like a horde of ants whose nest was threatened by a boar, he stopped before a silk drape that barred the way to Lord Theodore's bedchambers.
"Lord Theodore," he called.
Silence.
"Lord Theodore?"
Nothing.
Feeling a little annoyed, Roland frowned. "Lord Theodore," he called again. "With all due respect, are you presently attired?"
Nothing but a muffled sound came from the other side. Roland grimaced, and looked up at the ceiling in exasperation before dropping his hand and tugging the curtain aside. The inside of the bedchamber wasn't much to look at. Just your average nobleman's bedroom with a canopy bed big enough to fit twelve women side-by-side.
Most did, in fact, do just that.
A bookshelf stood on each wall, and at the far end was another drape that led to an enclosed balcony where he had the gall to throw his used clothes through during summer.
"Greetings, my lord," Roland said.
Lord Theodore, however, didn't answer.
He sat in front of a full-length mirror on the dresser. He had this listless sort of look, like he just didn't know how to deal with things. It wasn't an expression he'd ever seen on the man's face.
"Lord Theodore, are you well?" Roland inquired, a sliver of unease creeping into his voice. Though he found the young lord childish—given he was barely eighteen years old—Lord Theodore was his responsibility. He'd been Roland's responsibility when he was a little brat, and even now.
Theodore gave a startled response. "Ah, Roland? Yes, I am quite well."
"My lord, with all due respect, I implore you to be truthful. Has something transpired?"
Roland was anxious now. While he harbored no particular fondness for Lord Theodore, a sworn oath bound him to protect and care for the Baron. Granted, his master, Lord Theodore's own father, had afforded him considerable autonomy within Holden's borders—heck, he could even go as far as beating up Lord Theodore without consequences, if Roland deemed it reasonable and necessary—but his code of honor held oaths sacred. The son of the house Varian would rather lose an arm and his birthright than break a single [Oath] made.
"No, truly, I'm fine."
"If that is the case," Roland acknowledged with a curt nod, "then I bear news."
Lord Theodore furrowed his brow. "Good news, I trust?"
"I'm afraid not," Roland sighed. "Yesterday, our patrol in the Deadwoods encountered a band of brigands...…"
Lord Theodore's frown deepened. "While banditry is a common occurrence, it often heralds further troubles. Elaborate, Roland."
"Indeed, my lord," Roland continued, "these brigands weren't merely causing a ruckus. Apparently, they were engaged in combat with a rather formidable creature, vaguely humanoid in form."
Lord Theodore's posture stiffened. "Vaguely humanoid? Can you provide further details?"
Roland shook his head. "Limited information, I'm afraid. Only reports of unnatural speed reached our ears; it appeared to be engaged with wolves. Both fled upon human-contact, however."
Lord Theodore stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Did our men prevail against the brigands? And this creature—surely Captain..." he paused, searching for the man's name.
"Thomas," Roland supplied.
"Ah, yes, Thomas. Holden is geographically close to the Deadwoods. Sir Thomas wouldn't simply abandon such a threat near the bordertowns, would he? He and I may not see eye to eye on certain matters, but... surely he wouldn't leave such a threat unaddressed." Lord Theodore said.
Roland hesitated. "Captain Thomas chose to bypass us and directly inform the Crown of their discovery. He remained tight-lipped regarding specifics despite repeated inquiries."
Lord Theodore hummed thoughtfully. "If Thomas deems it worthy of the Crown's attention, then it surpasses our jurisdiction. Let's hope for their swift and decisive action. What of the brigands? Eliminated, I presume?"
"So it seems," Roland replied. "All but one met their demise. The sole survivor remains in a cell, though maddened beyond reason."
"I see. Is that for now?" Lord Theodore leaned back in his chair.
"Not quite, my lord. We've had a recent outbreak of the Blight, and we suspect it was an intentional spread. Unfortunately, the culprit remains unidentified."
Theodore's expression morphed into one of genuine shock. "Are these two seemingly unrelated issues connected, perhaps?" He asked.
"It appears to be the case, my lord." A sigh escaped Roland's lips. The Blight—a magical sickness that eats away at your life force, causes lethargy, nausea, and kills you, all while your body radiates a pervasive foul odor. It had recently taken hold on a few people of Holden. Why or how, Roland did not know.
"Those afflicted have been quarantined in a secure location far from Holden to prevent further contagion. Our physicians are doing their utmost to manage them. However, several have died already, and the remaining victims exhibit signs of feral behavior—meaning, they have already entered the late stage, I'm afraid. It's become imperative that they remain under quarantine, lest they either bite other humans—given there's hunger for raw flesh in the late stage—or they could infect the crops, causing them to decay. Consequently, the farmers, understandably anxious, have retreated into their homes."
They were likely waiting for their lord, incompetent as he may be, to deal with the situation. Yet, he had his hand up a wench's skirt more than actually trying to fix the issues... What can I do with him? Roland sighed.
Lord Theodore rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Roland."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Do you think the Merchant Guild would let me have another loan?"
Roland's lips thinned into a line, but he shook his head. "Regrettably, my lord, they would not. The Merchants' Guild has been cautious lately. There was this whole unpleasant affair with a prominent [Merchant Lord] named Bertram, you might know the name. Used to flaunt more gold jewelry than some of the highborn nobles. Turns out, he was embezzling.
"Apparently, he manipulated the Guild's books for months. Inflated trade contracts with nonexistent suppliers from faraway lands, siphoned off the extra profit into his own pockets. Clever, gotta give him that. Even forged shipping manifests to keep it all looking legit.
"Nasty business, that. Apparently, the esteemed Lord Bertram decided a little vacation was in order after everything, and wouldn't you know it, he packed a rather hefty sum from the Guild's coffers along for the ride as well. We're talking a near royal-wedding-sized dowry here, my lord. Vanished, all of it.
"The details are still murky, but rumor has it Bertram might have gotten tangled with pirates operating from the Broken Isles. One of the [Pirate Kings], perhaps—or most likely. So, the Merchants' Guild has been refraining from giving out loans. And, my apologies to say this, my lord, but you're a high-risk individual, and you already have quite the debt with them... They wouldn't want to give more."
Lord Theodore already had a mountain of debt on his name... The interest rate was more than what Lord Theodore could pay off even if the crops did better than planned. Given that the Adventurers' Guild of this sector had been rather short on manpower lately due to a dungeon incursion in the town, Corinth, lying beside theirs and given that Lord Theodore had a tendency for tax evasion and then laundering… Yeah, they were royally fucked. Even if in this situation, Lord Theodore wanted a loan for himself... Roland just gave up. Maybe it was time to return to his master, Lord Theodore's father, and just ask him to appoint him somewhere else—he couldn't deal with this scumbag anymore, not in his current state.
"I see, they wouldn't. Not surprising. It seems I'm going to have to hire a [Necromancer] by my lonesome."
Roland blinked. "That's..." a shock, Roland stopped himself from saying. [Necromancers] cost a hefty sum, and given that Lord Theodore was already under debt and likely the financial situation of Holden was anything but optimal, hiring a [Necromancer] would've put a huge dent in Holden's already meager reserves. However, Roland hadn't imagined, not in his wildest dreams, that Lord Theodore would be employing one by his lonesome.
Throughout his life, Roland had known this man to not even spare a thought to anything that wasn't his immediate self-gratification, or his amusement and satisfaction. How was the wastrel noble suddenly going to change?
"My lord, my apologies for asking, but why do you require a [Necromancer's] assistance?" Roland finally asked, schooling his shocked expression.
"Oh, I have some... theories regarding the Blight." Lord Theodore grinned. "And a [Necromancer] might just be someone who we need in order to solve this problem once and for all."
Roland was shocked to his core, once more. "But, my lord, the treatment for the Blight isn't something common folk can afford? So, how...?"
"Nonsense, Roland. Forget that rudimentary concoction they peddle as a cure. I envision a more... permanent solution. Issue a commission at the Adventurers' Guild—a [Necromancer] or perhaps a [Witch], their talents are equally suited for this task."
"Yes, my lord." Roland bowed, failing to comprehend what Lord Theodore was planning on doing.
-2-
When Roland left, Ethan found it easier to relax. The stiff, aristocratic manners these people employed were rather annoying to bear with. No, they were rather hard to imitate, more accurately. Because despite his efforts, he'd still found it hard to match their ways, but it was doable. Not good enough, yet, but doable.
"How should I, going forward, act, then?" he muttered. "Because if I've understood a single thing, it is this: Theo's character as I know it now will ruin any chance of me, well, earning anything, be that respect, wealth, power, or all three. Should I continue as him, then, or completely overhaul Theodore's character and pretend it's some epiphany? A spiritual enlightenment, perhaps?"
Ethan shook his head. Whatever it may be, he wasn't planning on being like Theo. Let's go with a gradual change in mannerism.
First, however, he needed to deal with the Blight issue. Which would be easily dealt with—all he had to do was pay the [Necromancer], or [Witch], from his own pouch. Then, he needed to figure out this town's financial status and everything else in order to organize a working infrastructure and create new financial opportunities. Afterwards, he could move onto his 'character', if that is indeed what his situation required. There's a lot to do.
Before everything, however, a bath.
After all, he reeked of sweat and alcohol, among other not-so pleasant scents.
...
It took no more than a few minutes for a handful of servants to prepare the bath. Hot water steamed inside the spacious tub as soap bubbles glistened—soap that was far too expensive for the common folk. Despite being a luxury, its quality was arguably trash. Regardless, this was all the people had in this world. A strong scent of lavender permeated the air and tickled his nose as he undressed. A few maids had prepared for his comfort and placed a silken bathrobe alongside a set of towels on a small table near the bathtub before he'd dismissed them, ordering them to inform the kitchen staff that he would like his meal soon.
Ethan relaxed his shoulders, took the robe with one hand, and tossed it carelessly nearby. It was fine silk. Ethan shook his head before proceeding with an easy grace into the water. It was hot. Yet, Ethan felt rather cold, despite the heat. It helped him relax, and with it, the stiff persona that was Lord Theodore faded.
Ethan sank deeper, letting his long blond locks loose. A quick thought made him bring his hand forward. What if... he could make a fire? Just a little one, like a candle flame. How cool would that be? He focused, willing a tiny spark to appear on his fingertip. Nothing. Just a sputter and a fizzle.
"Hmm," he mumbled, undeterred. "Maybe I need to practice."
He doubted it was just understanding. After all, the skill [Elemental Spells] had given him the barest hints of the basics of how to create a basic spark of flame. He lacked control over mana. [Magic Perception] allowed him to view his mana—flowing, fast-moving streams and spiraling, coiling vortexes. It was chaotic; it was a mess! Maybe if he calmed it down, he could actually make something happen?
Easier said than done, he quickly learned. When he moved it, it took no less effort than bending metal with brute force. The feeling was there, and the will, too. Just the act of 'moving' it alone was a herculean effort. It seemed nigh impossible.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong?
Humming, Ethan looked through the snippets of memories he'd gotten from Theodore. The memories, he found, weren't entirely useless; as his mind drifted back and forth from those flashes, he did remember something Theodore had seen last night... There! A memory from last night—a drunk mage at the bar, showing off with a fireball for some girl who didn't seem too impressed.
"Let's see how that trick works," Ethan grinned.
With [Magic Perception], he saw how the spell flowed. The "spell" was, in a way, forced outwards into reality through the use of symbols he quickly recognized as runes—at least that was what he assumed after seeing the fireball.
Ethan could easily recall the shape of the rune that'd appeared before the fire took form on top of the mage's hand.
I'm pretty sure it's not possible to view runes. I assume, at least, from what little fragments of memories I got from Theo. Anyway, let's move my mana in the shape, then.
He imagined the shape on top of his hand and willed the mana to pour into it. Soon, rune motes started forming out of thin air, ripping into reality. Forming into a shape he willed, a rune burned brightly and loudly atop his palm. As he drew his hand forward, flames burst into life, flickering before fizzling out.
[Basic Magic Script] — Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2!
Congratulations! You have gained skill: [Basic Rune Creation]!
"Whoa." Ethan stared at his hand, a wide grin splitting his face. So that's how it works! Runes, huh? That's awesome! Ethan felt like a child again. He couldn't wait to try again, this time with a smaller flame, as it appeared that a fireball was far too much for his lacking skill and control. Magic... it was epic stuff!
Before that, however, he looked at the new skill he'd gained.
~Basic Rune Creation – Level 1~
Type: Active
Effect: You have grasped the fundamental concept of using runes to channel and shape your mana for basic magical effects. The Connection between two of your skill—[Magic Perception] and [Basic Magic Script]—has resulted in the creation of a new skill. You can now create simple runes that allow for the manipulation of elemental energy on a small scale. As your skill level increases, you will be able to create more complex runes, allowing for more powerful and versatile spells. You may also learn to combine runes for even greater magical effects.
Ethan stared. Reading the description was a quick matter of concentration. It took him by surprise, however, when he realized it. Rune creation? Huh. Does that mean I can create anything? The thought alone was exciting. What about rune motes? Rune motes were fragments of runes, combining certain fragments could result in a full rune. I saw them congregating into the shape of a rune, but is it possible to just create rune motes and not a full rune? I should try.
Regardless of his thoughts, it was creation—
—and Ethan loved creation. Even as a child, he had never gotten tired of tinkering with things. He still recalled the time he'd gotten his first Lego set. Just putting random pieces together with no thought for a bigger picture—he'd loved that. He'd loved doing all sorts of stuff with Legos, creating different castles or other complex structures, but it was building something completely random and ridiculous, yet unique nonetheless, which gave him the most sense of satisfaction. It was fun. It was a hobby—a hobby that ignited in him a fire of passion for innovation.
It was then the thought of being a civil engineer had sprung up in his mind. To put it simply, a civil engineer is responsible for planning, designing, and constructing buildings. Though, that was just a general term. Ethan would have been perfectly happy had he chosen that. Unfortunately, his father had wanted him to become a boxer, instead.
The man wanted to become one himself in his prime, but due to health issues, he'd quit right before making it to a big league. He'd hoped his son would achieve what he couldn't and bring victory for the family. Even though Ethan hadn't exactly planned boxing as his future, but who could refuse the pressure his old man put on him? Especially when he'd been just a little boy?
It was another matter entirely that Ethan fell in love with boxing, too, as it made him feel alive. The sensation of a punching bag slamming against his fists? Nothing quite made his blood boil like that.
And oh, fighting in the ring. There was just something about the sport Ethan couldn't resist.
Something about creation, fighting, and experiencing a bit of both, had Ethan wishing he could try the other options that lay in front of him now.
Could he make a real spaceship, in this world?
It sounded silly as fuck and he knew it. Nonetheless, the temptation was still there, hovering and nagging at the edge of his mind, as ridiculous as his previous thoughts might have been.
Spaceships are cool, dammit.
That thought suddenly gave Ethan pause. "Let's just return to practice."
This time, fire flickered atop his fingertips for a second longer.
Another second was added on top of that after his third try.
The light was dim. However, it did mean something: improvement.
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2!
Grinning like an idiot, Ethan sank deeper into the hot bath water and brought his other hand up to repeat the exercise for the next half an hour or so, occasionally reading a notification that would come every now and then.
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 2 -> Lvl 3!
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 3 -> Lvl 4!
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 4 -> Lvl 5!
But no matter what, he couldn't get it to level up to level 6, nor could he level up [Basic Magic Script] from level 2 to 3.
Why not, though? I'm doing—
"Don't rush," he chided himself. "Your control is pitiful, shaping is trash, and your spellcasting is akin to tossing stones into the sea without even knowing how to make it bounce—guesswork is all you are, but it's a good start, I suppose."
As he set a handful of candle-like flames afloat on all five of his fingers, his lips quirked into a wide smirk. It was only a party trick. For now, that is. I need to find more about magic and learn. I've been winging it.
That was true; he didn't understand anything about magic. All he'd done so far was try to emulate the rune he'd seen in the memory snippet through the help of [Magic Perception] and cast a few party tricks. Was that impressive? He had literally no comparison to base off of, thus why he knew he needed to learn more.
Theodore's memories proved to be useless in this regard, too. His father hadn't found him worthy enough to be assigned a mage as a tutor. Theodore was a disappointment through and through, and that's why he'd been sent to rule the bordertowns.
He could cast the spell, yes, but he didn't understand the underlying concepts that fueled the magic or what the process was.
-3-
Ethan descended down the stairs that would lead him to the dining room where breakfast had already been laid out for him. Two maids were present as well. It was a feast of the likes he'd only ever read in fairy tales. Fried, scrambled, boiled eggs. Different shapes, sizes, and cuts. Cakes and pies in varying quantities and sizes. Grilled meat, smoked and salted. How could he ever eat everything alone?
Ethan exhaled and then dove in; however, he still maintained decorum as it was imperative to do so given that he was a noble now. Regardless, once done, he made it to the meeting room given that he had some people to meet today.
"Barely breaking even," Ethan muttered, flicking the parchment in his hand. He frowned at the financial situation of Holden, the town he was in charge of. The bordertowns consisted of a series of towns lying on the periphery of the borders. Each town was a barony in name, and nobles—especially troublesome nobles—were often sent here to practice ruling and to make them accustomed to how the common folk lived, so they could empathize with the people they ruled.
With how many bandits the region had had lately, the Blight, debt, tax, and interest that'd ramped up, Ethan's current situation was mind-fucking at best and a keg waiting to explode at worst.
I don't want to deal with Theo's issues.
Not only was this whole situation something Ethan did not want in the slightest, a whole can of worms that were Theo's problems was thrust into his hands. Ethan had held no fantasies of getting isekai'd. That was suicide in his books. He'd have been more than happy to die and meet oblivion. But now that he was here…
Leaning back into his chair, Ethan rubbed his eyes. Yeah, he needed to deal with everything and make the best of his situation to live a comfortable life. When Roland returned with a man in tow, Ethan hummed.
The man was young, younger than Roland, even. Black hair and sharp green eyes. He held himself high with confidence and Ethan recognized him instantly. Isn't he that mage from the bar?
"My lord," Roland bowed. "I have brought a [Necromancer] as per your command."
The [Necromancer] bowed and with a thin smile said, "Pleased to be at your service, my lord. The name's Jack."
Hm. So he wasn't a mage but a [Necromancer].
"Likewise," Ethan replied with a nod, then leaned forward, smiling. "Say, Jack, would you like to be part of a business opportunity?
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As I lose weight my once huge belly is shrinking. I had terrible stretching with my first child and the skin won't firm up no matter what I do. My doctor said we'd address skin removal when I'm closer to goal weight which will take at least 8 more months. My question is shapewear? How do I figure out what to buy? All the pictures show women that don't have a big flap and I don't know where to look. There are so many brands and price ranges I'm totally overwhelmed.

My long distance boyfriend M(26) who i’ve F (26) been dating for 8 months has a lot of pictures of his late wife in his bedroom, who passed away 2.5 years ago and I have yet to see any pictures of him and I up in his room. I have been to his house once but never in his bedroom since he lives with his parents. He typically comes to visit me. Sometimes when I FaceTime him I see the huge wedding picture over his bed frame. When he notices the picture is visible in the FaceTime frame he moves his camera down, so it’s no longer visible. There was another time the camera was accidentally facing the dresser where I saw multiple pictures of him and his late wife which I am okay with because they are smaller images, the huge one over his bed was just a lot. He has told me he has made his peace with the situation. Although, the huge one over the bed frame made me feel a bit uneasy. We have talked about moving in together in about a year and he mentioned us living in the house that him and his late wife lived in once. I do agree that it is a good idea financially since the house is paid off but I am unsure what to do or how I feel. Any advice?
TL;DR - My boyfriend (26) has pictures of his late wife in his room and I feel uneasy about it.