I Want To Tell My Kids Their Mother Had An Exit Plan With Her Affair Partner Before She Passed

[@jackspring7709]

She didn't just have an "exit plan" with her AP: she had a plan with him to destroy OP's life.

[@sersastark]

This!!!

[@bhart3321]

Exactly so why shouldn't he expose her for the disgusting pos she is. That therapist can f*ck off with that nonsense. Why should he have to carry that especially knowing she planned on using those kids as pawns. If I were a teen I'd wanna know how little my parents thought of me.

[@amberdecerio]

Yep!! I feel like she got her karma.

[@me0on0utube]

And kids aren't stupid. Her attempts to make them turn on their father only made them suspicious of her

[@gwdzee]

@@me0on0utube Thank God they were suspicious. I know everyone was telling op not to tell the kids about their mom cheating on him, but I had alarm bells going off. I was thinking, at least ask the kids if they had met John or had their mom talked smack about him. She and that fuckboy planned to turn the kids against op for cryin' out loud! I was happily surprised when the kids went to op and brought it up themselves.

[@monicacurtis3986]

Story 1: It's reassuring that the kids weren't falling for the wife's tricks before the accident. Since they know, no need to keep the truth a secret.

[@paulman34340]

Made me laugh That instead of casting suspicion on the poster like she believes her plan would do. Instead she cast suspicion on herself. But man talk about karma As everyone said, it's painfully obvious.John was pretty much playing Her meaning.She nuked her family for absolutely No good reason other than Because she could And she was that narciassistic! I really do feel bad for the kids and the poster As I do feel bad for people in their situation who are like.Yeah, they lost the loved one just to find out the love One was a piece of garbage Who had they not died then and there was about to do something very bad to the person. Even if it was doomed to fail it's still not gonna change the fact that they did try to do something that messed up to someone their suppose to care about!

[@D-M-K-1-2]

Story 1: I remember reading a comment saying "just because she was a bad partner doesn't mean she was a bad parent." ..Uhh, she was actively trying to manipulate the children against their father. That does NOT sound like a good parent.

[@randomusername3873]

Yeah, she was just planning on nuking their lives, damaging their relationship with their father (something that notoriously has bad consequences) and gave the creep access to the house with the kids in The bar for mothers is incredibly low, lol😂

[@Azulakayes]

I firmly believe that bad partners make for bad parents because the callousness and contempt they display towards their partner, eventually will affect or be displayed to their children. Morality cannot be truly compartmentalized.

[@beeppboopp]

Everyone is talking about how this would be taken to their grave, they would NEVER tell the kids. But, I would feel utterly betrayed if I was not told how horrible of a person my mother was. I could understand waiting until they're older, but I can't understand at all completely denying them that info no mater what, even when they're adults. She was a bad mother and incredibly manipulative.

[@technicaldifficulties368]

There's varying levels of "bad partner". Some people tend to hyper focus and neglect their partner, or they just fall out of love but remain the relationship. These can be bad partners but good parents. And then there's this lady. Deliberately fucking up her kids lives to destroy her husband. That's a bad person.

[@pa-pa-plasma]

also, she *literally* had a habit of being on her phone while driving. it *killed* her. what if their kids had been in the car at the time?? I hope OP starts to recognize the red flags this woman was waving around so this shit doesn't happen again good lird

[@Detector1977]

s1: wife was an evil piece of trash. Not only did she cheat, but she treated her husband like garbage, trying to turn the kids against him and making plans to crush him.

[@tully6648]

Walking around with the knowledge that the wife you have to keep praising to others hated you that much has got to be so, so painful. I can’t even imagine.

[@katwiltz1134]

Scary woman a real mercenary a real mercenary

[@bhart3321]

​@@tully6648That's precisely why he should telling that "therapist" to piss off. Why should he have to carry that burden? If I were her kids (these are teens mind you fully capable of understanding the breadth of her actions) I'd wanna know how little she thought of us all. Her memories shouldn't be preserved she should face the true consequences, to be purposefully forgotten & lost to time.

[@cielbie8251]

@@bhart3321 She's dead. She cannot face any consequences, the only ones who'd be hurt at this point at the still living.

[@bhart3321]

@@cielbie8251 Who would've still been hurt badly if she had succeeded & faced legal consequences. All the more reason to expose her evil to the light so that those already hurt can begin to deal with it & move on with their lives in truth. We need to stop protecting aholes from themselves.

[@MissSchnurrbert]

My late boyfriend's mistress wrote me an email shortly after his death accusing me of being the reason they couldn't have been a "real" couple. She told me what a horrible person I was. That I had basically destroyed her life because I took away her chance with him. How she hated me and wished for me to die and so on. Mind you, this was a woman in her early 50s, "happily" married (according to Facebook) to her beloved husband (not my boyfriend) and mother of 2 grown kids.

[@jessbeingme8155]

Wow... If you dont mind me asking was it easier to move on knowing he cheated? And did anything happen with her afterwards?

[@MissSchnurrbert]

​ @jessbeingme8155 No problem, that happened over 15 years ago. In a way, it made it harder for me to let go. I was very angry with him for a long time and couldn't grieve. I first had to make peace with the fact that I would never be able to confront him about it. Fortunately, I never heard from her again. In hindsight I'm sorry that I didn't contact her husband, but at that time I just didn't have the strength to deal with that.

[@christopheraaron1255]

9:41 I saw that Cynthia had died on Facebook, so I wanted to come grab a bunch of shit that makes me look bad.

[@sugakookie7985]

...and the money don't forget the money she'd been embezzling from her family

[@trilbynhiss]

Ah, true love!

[@cardwitch91]

The woman he was banging is dead and he cares more about the money

[@Mario-SunshineGalaxy64]

OP should tell his kids about this John dude, he tried to break into the house and is after money, there’s no telling what he’s capable of. I mean, this is the same guy that conspired to ruin OP, he’s sounds like a threat.

[@Sherwoody]

There could be more than just the money. John already knows that the bank account was emptied. OP should be on the lookout for a flash drive that might have even more hidden eg. investments, real estate etc.

[@JoJoGranum]

Seriously. I think in the future a restraining order needs to be considered.

[@Lordofthelosers01]

OP should definitely inform the kids and family members. I think we all initially agreed that it wasn't a good idea to tell everyone that the wife was a cheater but now that John has entered the picture and is a potential threat i think this warrants letting everyone know. Who knows how he can twist the "business partner" narrative especially if he gets a lawyer involved.

[@JW-vd4il]

That part was SO CREEPY! At first I thought he was going to show up not knowing she had died. But he knew and was trying to get in their house! I'd for sure look into filing a police report or pressing charges. It's not just dishonest but despicable and frightening. He has NO excuse for trying to get in when he knew she was dead.

[@paulastiles5507]

@@Lordofthelosers01Or he threatens/tries to kidnap the kids. There's no telling how far he'd go if he's trying to break into the house *after* he found out the wife had died.

[@iamalbertwesker2]

Story 1: Heard this one before, the balls on the AP in the update 😂

[@Sherwoody]

My first thought was that he was a grifter, and after he drained OP’s wife of money he would disappear with the cash leaving her high and dry.

[@TheLamrose]

That was my reaction, too!! I even said it out loud.😄

[@brandygiovinazzi3460]

This is the first time I've heard this one but my reaction was pretty similar. I'm just hoping that if anything else happens OP will update again.

[@elizabethescalante8114]

Balls, but no brains. 🤣🤣

[@elizabethescalante8114]

Balls, but no brains! 🤣🤣

[@MizTameRumors]

Oh I'm so glad the kids came to OP with it. And the absolute nerve of John just trying to walk right into OP's house.

[@cb9825]

Story 2 - Zoe had no right to object who Greg invited to his own house. The audacity 🙄

[@D-M-K-1-2]

Story 2: I understand not liking children/not wanting children, but I'm genuinely concerned about the people who make it their whole personality to actively despise children that have done nothing wrong.

[@katwiltz1134]

Doesn't deserve to breathe air in my opinion they lack something inside or they were badly parentified

[@bloodiedporcelain6320]

I'm totally in support of folks who don't want kids and chose to be child free, but actively hating them is as much a red flag for me as hating animals is.

[@robertx8020]

I don't believe she for real Either she has some kidphobia in which case she needs some serious help (because she could never leave her house as kids are everywhere OR she just doesn't like them and pushes her dislike to the extreme which makes her just as mad/crazy

[@GLoLChibs]

Them and the people who make being a parent their entire personality to the point its all they talk about it and push parenthood on others are all in the same vein

[@pippo17173]

​@bloodiedporcelain6320 ya like hating on kids all the time despite them not being issues to people is where I think the person has issues.

[@kristelneedtoknow3207]

Story one. It's very kind of John to give so much evidence to op for the upcoming lawsuit op will have against John and the affair. John's going to lose his shirt in the upcoming year. He couldn't just have left it alone.

[@maurer3d]

From the way John talked to the OP, I am willing to bet he is a conman, who was running a romance con on the wife. Conmen won't leave a dollar they think they earned.

[@ladyv5655]

Greed does that to a person.

[@Snowshowslow]

What exactly would you sue for? Most crimes don't have a "conspiracy to commit..." version if it was never actually completed and adultery isn't illegal.

[@maurer3d]

@@Snowshowslow The term sue, has two meanings in some countries calling the police and filing criminal charges is also called suing them. John committed at least 1 crime, that being attempted braking and entering. He knew he had no legal right to enter the house, then he lied about why he was there and tried to con his way in. Those charges alone are enough to trigger a wider investigation and get him jailed for at least a few days. If John is a conman like he sounds, more crimes will be found.

[@Snowshowslow]

@@maurer3d Ah okay. Where I live I don't think the police would show up for disturbing the peace (not sure you can call it breaking and entering when he tried to enter with a key) when the person already left. But if they have the capacity to launch a full scale investigation into that where you live, all the better.

[@chaudx]

Story 1: Just started hearing it, and already I can say screw what the therapist says, they deserve to know "oh it will shatter their image of their mother"yeah so what? The same mother who drafted a plan to TURN THEM AGAINST THEIR FATHER and take the house, money and stuff...also that was already stealing money from the family and stashing it for herself and her toy. They deserve to know that their mother wasn't a saint, also she died while texting and driving...she could have killed someone too.

[@katwiltz1134]

If you can't speak to your kids without the Betrayal that you feel then you shouldn't fucking speak to him because what you do is you make them responsible for validating your free freaking feelings like they're support animal get a therapist yeah they came to him and it was a time to talk to the kids to tell him the truth covering from for a parent always goes bad and that's what your whole comment sounded like more important to you to hate the dead wife then love the living kids. If anything like that happens to you I suggest you get a therapist before you make your kids your therapist

[@whitneybennett4857]

He wouldn't be making the kids his therapist. He'd be laying out the facts for them; you can do that in a way that's truthful without coming across as hateful or resentful and you don't have to spill every single detail. If she wasn't a good person, you don't have to nor would it even be right to allow them to grieve for her on the illusion that she was a good person. They have the right to know who she was as a human being and then they can decide for themselves whether or not they want to grieve for her as their mother. These aren't little kids we're talking about; one's 16 and the other's 18. @@katwiltz1134

[@ps9501]

@@katwiltz1134 His adult children need to know their mother wasn't a saint. In any up coming arguments your kids would bring up how "if mommy was here" She wasn't a good parent

[@ineedhoez]

Na... the mother is dead. There's absolutely no reason that the children need to know the details of their parents marriage. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

[@a3s1r1986]

Story 1: Thank God for cellphone addiction. It literally saved OP's life.

[@Alahyana]

Is amazing how frequent is, when a person dies, people discover affairs and even other families! My mom told me about a really old relative that died when she was a kid in the 60's, with his death they discovered he had two families, no one knew, not even his adult children and grandchildren from both families!

[@Russman67]

Story 2: Zoey is not in the same place as the rest of her college friends. While the rest of her friends are having children and in relationships, she's still "college Zoey". As much as they might like her as a person, sometimes you outgrow people. This seems like the case.

[@kp2223]

Wow that guy has some Balls to go and try and steal from o.P and family after the wife had died

[@Ospyro3em]

Imagine hating kids so much you make it your whole personality

[@etcetera1995]

Imagine feeling so pressured to reproduce even though you don't want kids to the point you see no other way to convince people you're serious about not wanting them.

[@RenaDeles]

@@etcetera1995 Congrats on the projection! Zoe saw the kid all of three times the trip and it ruined it for her? That's an extreme reaction for even the most childfree person, you can not want kids and remember their humans too.

[@Ospyro3em]

@etcetera1995 at what point in the story does it say she was ever pressured to have kids? I don't want kids either, but that doesn't mean I go around acting like kids have to stay a mile radius away from me. The issue isn't that she doesn't want kids, it's that she's acting like kids must not share the same air as her

[@hodgeelmwood8677]

There's an interesting dynamic in that, because a lot of people turn into moms and dads (it's mostly the moms, though) and make THAT their whole personality. Nothing wrong with having kids, but when they are ALL you talk about and you never go anywhere without them, it becomes very tedious for your childfree friends. But that's when those friends need to move on, and in this story, Zoe was being a bitch. She sounds like a very unhappy person, not because she doesn't have kids, but because she expected nothing to change in the years after college. That's unrealistic.

[@Ospyro3em]

@hodgeelmwood8677 unfortunately, I've seen more than my fair share of people who have become a mum and literally that's all they talk about on social media- oversharing to the point that their poor kids can't can't even sneeze with it being plastered all over their social media page 😅 But yeah, it does sound like Zoe is trying to cling too hard to her carefree college days.

[@MidnaNightengale]

So for story one, so long as OP didn't accidentally hit save when he saw the document, believe it or not, their Wife's Google Drive account is all the evidence OP needs to protect themselves. OP just needs to give the Court access if it comes to that. The last modified date will prove OP didn't fabricate it.

[@elainapowell5237]

Even if he did save it, google drive has version history and records past document versions

[@MidnaNightengale]

@@elainapowell5237 That's a good point, I didn't think about that because I don't use it often.

[@myounakami]

@@elainapowell5237 Kind of? I've noticed over the past year or two of working on group documents that the version history feature doesn't always work as intended; more than once, the history showed the most recent editor as the sole editor for the latest version on both Word Documents and PowerPoint presentations.

[@Mewse1203]

​@elainapowell5237 exactly! I was gonna say the same thing. If I was OP I'd call the cops to report John's attempted burglary.

[@musicdaydreams2506]

Story 2: friendships change as life progresses. People get into relationships, get married, have kids, move for jobs, have health issues. Friendships we had in our early 20s can be maintained but all parties need to realize the dynamics of their friendships will change throughout the years. If you can’t accept it, the friendship won’t last.

[@mogulmade]

There are calm ways to tell hard news to children but they should be told. So many people are burdened with carrying the deceit of the deceased. Why should the surviving party be forced to act like they're greaving over someone who was a pos. People advise not to tell the kids, but is there ever a right time? After they've turned the dead into a martyr is certainly not. I am not preserving your reputation after your death. "You didn't mourn mom enough..." "You were so cold when mom died"... "You moved on so quickly. Did you even love Dad?" Spare yourself.

[@TheRockinDonkey]

As long as you’re not laying the burden of your pain on the children, I think it’s appropriate to be honest with them, because your behavior will betray your feelings and make you look bad absent that information.

[@PuppyKatt]

Story 2: Zoe has proven, beyond a reasonable doubt, that she is nobody's friend unless she can manipulate and control them, and call the shots. Time for nc.

[@phoenixsky6124]

If she was planning to turn the kids against you she has already started laying that ground work.

[@kimberlyterasaki4843]

Story 1: Imagine having the audacity as an affair partner to visit the home of the woman you were cheating with and ask the husband you were helping her turn her kids against to give him money that SHE stole. The absolute gall.

[@AndyyWithAY]

I feel bad for OP and the kids but hard to feel sorry for a cheater who repeatedly risked other people's lives being a distracted driver. Then this heifer lied about writing a book and wanted to destroy kid's relationship with OP. The kids can know later, but now is not the right time

[@MarionHogan-m5i]

The update was amazing, the kids knew already!

[@Sherwoody]

She was writing a story, but it was one of deceit.

[@mysticaccy]

My exact thoughts... Good riddance? Before she stole more money

[@bendrui]

She's definitely a Darwin Award winner. I knew she was dangerously selfish when OP mentioned her phone habit. I'm glad she's gone before she killed anyone else.

[@Lolieif]

Honestly, as a cf person, I kinda understand what’s probably driving the woman from story 2. It’s really hard when everyone in your life becomes a parent and suddenly changes drastically as a person. You end up grieving a lot of relationships for what feels like nothing. But *holy shit* the way she’s dealing with that is crazy. You aren’t entitled to your friends not changing their priorities, and you absolutely can’t let your ‘hatred of kids’ ever affect your treatment of them. She needs therapy, and to make some new friends if she can’t handle how her old ones have changed.

[@user-blob]

THIS.

[@AYEwhatido]

Story 1 that John dude have a lot of AUDACITY!!! Like he tried to enter his house. Why would OP’s wife have given him a key to their marital home 🤯

[@KCohere33]

I can’t understand people who are so rabidly hateful against children. Do they forget they once were one of those?

[@ineedhoez]

Most of us weren't hateful children

[@hodgeelmwood8677]

That's really irrelevant. It's how everyone starts in life and isn't a special condition. Some people just don't have any maternal or paternal instinct, or don't enjoy being around kids because of the way those kids behave. Many, many people don't seem to be bringing up their kids to be good citizens or even considerate of others. So many parents are uninvolved in their children's lives, and as a result, their kids are unpleasant to be around. The difference in Zoe's case was that she was nasty about it. She could've skipped this trip or just grow up and realize that her friends' lives had changed. Time for her to move on and make other childfree friends.

[@KCohere33]

@@hodgeelmwood8677 Obviously I don’t think it’s irrelevant. My point is that these people don’t seem to have any empathy for children so they forget what it’s like to be one. What if someone treated them like they don’t belong on this wart just because they are still young children?

[@AzathothLives]

The older I get, the more I despise kids. Still, I keep that hate to myself and don't make it other people's problem. Plus, my sister has kids, and they're adorable. So I can confidently say that only 'most' kids are annoying little terrors.

[@ineedhoez]

@hodgeelmwood8677 @hodgeelmwood8677 so the reason why most people can't stand children these days is because of the changes in parenting styles. To be quite frank, people hate kids because parents have abdicated their responsibility to parent and have focused on making their children happy rather than raising responsible, well-adjusted, and productive adults. The focus is on trying to give their children all of the things they didn't have in the hopes of making themselves feel good. Children need structure, discipline, stability, freedom to explore, learn, grow, and love, and guidance. Children today or are not given structure and discipline. For example, if I spit on my mother and call my mother a b****, I would not be alive today to have this conversation. I have seen numerous children engage in these activities. Parents these days refuse to properly parent their children. They're scared of their children, and the children essentially run the homes. Even if the children aren't poorly behaved, most people are in kid-centric marriages. I'm 40, and I grew up at a time where I walked to school as a kindergartener. My parents took great care of us, but they did not call us and monitor our every movement. We stayed outside until the street lights came on. We understood responsibility and consequences. My parents didn't need to beat me to get me to behave, but I knew that an ass whooping was a possibility. Kids today are treated as equals, even though they do not have the mental capacity to make decisions like an adult, and they are not legally responsible for their actions like an adult. The parents' lives revolve completely around the children. I've literally heard parents say that they are scared to discipline their children because the child would call CPS. I've actually heard someone say that taking a child's cell phone has a form of child abuse. People don't hate children they hate poorly behaved children. The root cause of the issue is codependent parents who use their children to fill their emotional voids. Codependents fail to discipline and hold boundaries with the children. Codependents raise narcissistic children because the codependent tries to make the child happy instead of parenting. You are going to be an entitled self-indulgent sob, when you grow up in a world where your parental figures did everything to try to please you instead of parenting you.

[@brokenmask333]

Story 1: NTA And based off all the evidence op found, it was actually lucky his wife died. She was really going to screw him over

[@Girl-Supersonicboy]

S2's Zoe is one of those "anti-children" that I absolutely hate. You can 'not like' kids, but this type of behavior is so horrible. I totally believe Zoe has some feels for Tim, and knowing he dropped her is a bit of poetic justice 😂

[@KidaRosado]

Yeah, Im heavily uncomfortable around kids that can’t take care of themselves but Im aware that is a me problem and that my brother and his family deserve to all come along on vacations or visit with them. As long as they don’t expect me to be the main caretaker or watcher of their kids I deal with my emotions as best I can without bothering them. The only time that has happened was when my mom became too sick when my nephew was visiting alone and I had a near panic attack but did my best to watch them whilst my brother was on the 3ish hour car ride down to pick him back up. Im somewhat better now that he is older thus learning to communicate and take care of himself more.

[@Rose-yt5hi]

For real. I’m not a huge fan of kids, but they’re just small humans. In Zoe’s shoes, if having a peaceful vacation was more important to me than seeing old friends, I’d take that as a sign that maybe I’d outgrown the friendship rather than as an excuse to throw an entitled tantrum. To be honest, she sounds kind of like a huge baby herself. lol. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t like kids-she can’t stand the competition. 😂

[@lexiburrows8127]

@@Rose-yt5hi Zoe sounds like one of those people who want to stay stuck at the Student level for the rest of their lives and hate other people growing up and moving on.

[@Sherwoody]

@@lexiburrows8127 I agree. Her friend group is growing up and she wants everyone to stay the same. Their goals are changing while she is still stuck at the young and free stage and wants her friends there too. It is nice at that age when you can get away for a couple of days without the kids. Of course we do that all the time now that our kids are grown and have their own families and for us every day is Saturday.

[@savageinkstudios2969]

St1- these comments are so unrelatable to me. Grief is so much easier for me to handle if i have a reason to be angry with the person im greiving. Even as a child i was like that. In OPs kids situation, knowing that information would have helped me get past the grief easier. Also, the number of parents who are so cavalier about just lying to their kids about the family they are in... is so nots no wonder nobody trusts their families anymore.

[@randomusername3873]

Right? How could someone trust a parent after finding out they hid stuff like this

[@kristlthompson4721]

It breaks my heart that OP is still upset about keeping Sam away from Zoe. He should instead look at it as doing his son a favor by keeping him away from her toxicity.

[@aawyfroggy723]

Yeah no op needs to get the police involved, take the plan to them and point out how this gross man had a key to your home where your kids are. Get a protection order, a restraining order, a massive eff off pair of dogs idk but it literally makes my brain itch to even think about someone like that having such access to a home. He could have come in whenever he wanted, with whatever and whoever he wanted at any time. It literally sounds like the start of a Mr Ballen episode like nope nope nope.

[@maurer3d]

Well the OP had already changed the locks.

[@ladyv5655]

Yes, it is fortunate that OP had the presence of mind to change the locks and secure her money. But, yes, there is probably something in the house that John wants. I hope OP puts up security cameras and consults a lawyer.

[@Sherwoody]

@@ladyv5655 I’m thinking thumb drive, a notebook with bank account numbers etc.

[@paulastiles5507]

@@maurer3dYeah, OP acted like a boss as soon as he realized what she'd done. Considering his one big question to Reddit was whether or not to tell his kids, I think protecting them, not revenge on his wife or John, was what kicked him into gear from 0 to 60 so fast. John was giving off sooooo many Robert Mitchum-from-Night of the Hunter vibes in that update. Good for OP, listening to his gut.

[@DarkCrystalSage]

Story 2: Childfree here myself, I don't like kids at all, HOWEVER! I'm going on a trip with my mom and her friends who do have kids, now here's the thing: Just because I don't like kids, doesn't mean I'm going to be a jerkwad to them. I'm going to humor the kiddos that my mom's friends are bringing; we're going on a Disney cruise so you can expect I'm going to ask about princesses and let them talk about their favorite movies wile smiling and nodding. And if I've had enough "That's great sweetie, and I'd love to continue talking about Frozen 2 but I'm going to do this adult trivia game, we can talk about princesses another time." and then leave. Basically what I'm saying is there's no reason at all for Zoe in Story 2 to be a CU next tuesday

[@JW-vd4il]

@DarkCrystalSage A Disney Cruise WOW you are going into the belly of the beast! 😂 And clearly have a good attitude about it. I am also purposely child-free but I do like children and enjoy being with them.... sometimes! Sometimes I can super enjoy them, sometimes just listen to the stuff they want to talk about even though I don't care. 😁 But either way it is up to ME whether to choose vacations or plans with kids or without. I'm certainly not expecting no kids anywhere when I'm not in the mood. Yeah, I'll skip that party or vacation if I'm wanting adults-only time. jeez, some people just make things so hard when it's just not. I almost feel bad for that woman. But just ALMOST. Besides whatever weird problem she clearly has she also just doesn't understand politeness and choices. Even if there were no kids, not everybody is always doing what you want to do. what the heck? Enjoy your cruise, DarkCrystalSage gal-friend! I do NOT envy you! 😂❤

[@DarkCrystalSage]

@@JW-vd4il Well have I got good news for you! The Disney Cruise has everything for everyone! You can drop your kid at the kid places, there's family activities, and best part? ADULT ONLY AREAS LIKE AN ADULT ONLY POOL! The Cast members enforce those suckers! Belly of the Beast I may be in, but! I will have escape routes :D [Plus I love Disney Cruiseline since they're pretty chill and I like visiting the islands. Last time I went it was for Marvel Day at Sea and I did a Pirate Tour on one of the islands. It was a lot of fun. Plus, best part about vacationing with friends? You don't have to spend every second with them so chances are I'm seeing mom's friends' kids in the stateroom and meal times.

[@mgen278]

Story 1: Ap was scamming the wife too. Once she left the OP & got her kids, AP was going to take the money & dip.

[@Wander85942]

They really picked some weird lies to cover up an affair.

[@Solarstormflare]

I think the book one while despicable to lie about was actually quite clever since by the time the book would be done she planned to be out of there

[@godzillakungfu]

Story 1. People: Don’t tell the kids. Kids: Stop crying dad mom might be a cheater. It’s a case by case basis, but the lie “kids don’t need adult business” is a half truth. Sometimes they do need to know in an age appropriate manner.

[@msmaam2040]

Story 1 is the prime example of kids are more smart and observant than you think they are. Good thing that OP is quick to think of changing the locks and moving the money.

[@Kimberly_Sparkles]

Story 1: OP needs to do nothing with John's story. Cynthia died and OP is her next of kin. John has no rights to an investment that wasn't executed and no rights to keep 100% of a mutual account if they have one. If he had access to it on his own, he wouldn't need to go through the home.

[@ironman_546]

Honestly I disagree with most people. He should tell his kids because he doesn't deserve to bare that burden in secret. The OP shouldn't omit the truth on a dead cheaters behalf because then OP carries all the pain of loneliness. A burden shared is a burden halved, and the heartbreak is on the now-dead mother, not the living person who told the truth.

[@katwiltz1134]

Although I might agree with the outcome you are no kind of fucking parent if you drag your kids into Downing mommy's last days you're the parent you need to act like it. You want to talk to somebody get a therapist meanwhile having your ears open in case your kids want to talk they're not your friends they're not your support animal they're your kids

[@vegaskullkid4503]

I agree with this whole heartedly. Op shouldn't have to bear this alone and his kids have a right to know what their mother was going to/in the process of doing.

[@QueenOfTheZombieApocalypse]

I think it worked out well, but if it hadn’t turned out that the kids already knew I disagree that he should have told them to split his burden. I agree he should have told somebody (friend, family, etc) so he could talk about and vent his own feelings, but it’s not the kids role.

[@momochan8920]

Right?! As an 18 year old I would really want to know

[@Snowshowslow]

I can see why people cautioned against telling the kids in this phase of grief, but they were very callous against OP. "There's no need"? Really? Of course there is a need to tell someone, this is a humongous thing to carry around with you. I'm glad it was possible to talk to the kids in the end, but otherwise it would have had to be other close people.

[@animetibs]

waking up to mark makes every day a good day

[@Number-vt1fl]

Don't protect her memory. She doesn't deserve it.

[@errantwinds-up8uu]

I laughed when you said "whew, no Marks" 😅 I also have a fairly common name and when it shows up in reddit stories it's like "oh no, not again..."

[@crowmisfits]

3:26 "It is hard to be mad at someone dead, especially someone everyone else in your life is grieving and praising as a wonderful wife and mother" As the family scapegoat, that's how I felt when my mom died. I didn't care that she was dead but felt like I had to act sad for everyone else's benefit. I couldn't even think of anything nice to say about her when the pastor asked me about her so he could write whatever he was going to say during the funeral service.

[@Graves933]

Story 1: Ive never lost a parent but for me personally id rather have all the horrible stuff happen at once so i dont have to relive it. I can only think that eventually once you come to terms with her passing telling them that she was cheating would rip the bandaid off and make it worse but thats just for me 😢

[@Davtwan]

Zoe sounds like she never grew up out of college life. What a sad shell of a person.

[@des1279]

Wow that's incredibly hard to go through. The grief and pain of losing your wife, then finding all that out, jfc I couldn't do it.

[@Trespacd]

They’re old enough to know and she was evil enough for them to feel close to nothing for her memory

[@paperpager1249]

Story 1: I lost my dad tragically when I was 14, and I was only about to start my first day of high school a couple weeks before he died. My mom only started telling me information that wasn’t the greatest about my dad until at least a couple years after his passing. Such as what he did in the process of their divorce when I was 7, or how he didn’t believe in (at least avoided) doctors and medicine- which is a reason that led to his passing. I do believe the kids deserve to know, but not right now. They need time to grieve, maybe until they’re at least in college or out of high school. After the update: while it’s very soon after her passing, I’m glad OP doesn’t have to deal with this huge secret to his kids. I do hope the kids are still able to grieve and in therapy. I feel like this was a good time to tell them because they were the ones who initiated the topic, keeping it secret probably would’ve made them more suspicious. They both had their own boundaries on the evidence, so OP was able to share what he knew if either one (like the eldest) was determined to see it. This is just an awful time, I hope the best for OP and his kids.

[@PuppyKatt]

The most wonderful song in the universe is children laughing and having safe fun.

[@AndyyWithAY]

5 days is long time! Most people don't have anyone who they trust with their very young kid for that long. It's not Zoe's house or trip. Why is she running 💩 Zoe seems like a misogynist. Why is the single dad the exception? OP is a man, yes,, but she was awful to his wife

[@randomusername3873]

Why do people act like telling the kids is some sort of bad thing for them? They could easily stop grieving by finding out the truth

[@whitneybennett4857]

And they're freaking teenagers! One is even a legal adult! It's not like they're little kids having to come to terms with the fact that they're never going to see Mommy again. I'm sure they realize that a dead POS is still a POS.

[@ineedhoez]

This is the most toxic thing I think I've ever read. They lost their mother. The marriage is separate from the parent-child relationship.

[@whitneybennett4857]

Not in this case. She was planning on turning her own kids against her husband and willingly engage in parental alienation. That's NOT a good mother; that's a selfish, spiteful human being and a horrible mother. @@ineedhoez

[@danganryanne9499]

@@whitneybennett4857 Don’t try to reason with them, I saw from a comment of theirs that when OP said that ‘he was happy to talk about this with other than his therapist’ they said emotional incest They also said that they not his emotional support animals and that he needs to get adult friends and that parents who tell information to their children want to alienate their children from the parent and get them to hate them and do the children could fuse with them emotionally and called it abusive I’ll even get their comment

[@danganryanne9499]

@@whitneybennett4857 This was the person's comment " it's nice to have someone else to talk to this about that's not my therapist"

[@danganryanne9499]

The title gives off that is an hard situation

[@immortalsofar5314]

"It's not the despair, I can handle that. It's the hope I can't stand." - John Cleese, Clockwise. In this case, the cruellest thing to do with the guy is hold out the hope that he'll get the money while dangling the fear of being found out. Get his contact info, you can't find the account but you'll go through her laptop with a fine tooth comb, the hard drive's crashed but you'll get it forensically examined, you have a friend at the FBI who will look into her movements to find where she might have put it etc.

[@onepieceisking5493]

Story 1, update. I actually doubt that john was grieving given how he tried to get the money and clear his trail. He immediately went to lawyer up because he knew the possibility of op knowing everything or could find out. But all he's going to do is open a can worms for himself by trying to go the legal route to clear his tracks. The judge is not going to take nice to that and he will only get himself in deep trouble. Specially when that money wasn't his to begin with and the fact he even had a plan with that witch to destroy op let alone had tried to get into op's house.

[@Mia-dt3gl]

Karma is real.

[@Weirdandwonderfull19]

Story 2- NTA. I'm not fond of children, I don't particularly enjoy spending time around them. That said, they're still people, they deserve to be treated as such. This friends behaviour is ridiculous, she is throwing more of a tantrum than a child would. As I said, I dislike kids, but I think I would rather spend that trip with OPs kid rather than that "Zoe" 😬. The kid is probably more mature. Kids exist, deal with it! I don't understand how people are so extreme with the whole "I don't like kids" thing, to the point it makes people around them with kids miserable. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and smile for the sake of the people you care about. You don't have to be best friends with a child, just don't treat them badly.

[@floraposteschild4184]

Story 1: well, the good thing is Cynthia didn't take anyone else with her with her reckless driving. I've heard several "cheating spouse pretends to be writing a book" reddit stories now -- is it going to be the new "building an art room"? Don't tell the children now, but in a few years, when they're grown up. (If they hadn't known already.) OP should not have to carry this burden for the rest of his life.

[@paulastiles5507]

It sounded like an absolutely terrible book, too.

[@AutumnFire1414]

Story 1: If the children had been younger and OP couldn't share the truth about his deceased wife, he could have told the kids that mom was being stalked and harassed by some guy named John and if some strange man tries to talk to them about their mom to run away for their own safety and inform someone. Who knows if John wouldn't try to harm OP's kids in his desperation to steal the money from OP? Once they were older, OP could tell them the truth. It's nice that OP's daughter was comfortable and ready to hear the truth. OP can still warn his kids that John is a danger to them.

[@Yeahno-ey3rb]

Story 1: I'm glad that the choice was taken from OP, the daughter suspected something was going on. If no one knew, I would've kept the secret to the grave. The AP had the guts to show up at the house and try to get in???? I honestly thing OP needs to investigate this further as well as get a lawyer. Glad OP changed the locks on the doors quickly because who knows what would've happened.

[@frozenheart7133]

Just from the title I'm thinking "do you want them to think you murdered them?" My grandma was in an "accident" while divorcing my grandpa. We all have always believed he cut her brakes or something. She survived.

[@RisetoStrength]

Why is it women always initiate divorce? I think divorce should be discouraged. No alimony under any circumstances.

[@alexvalentine5091]

@@RisetoStrengthbot

[@tazhienunurbusinezz1703]

​@@RisetoStrengthWomen still are the ones who initiate divorce in cases where the man has straight up left & is engaged to another woman. The reason women are the ones who initiate is because they do literally everything anyway. If these women left it to the men to fill out the divorce papers, they'd still be married to someone who has started a whole other family. Women are the ones who initiate because men cannot be bothered. It's laziness & weaponized incompetence.

[@fallingawayfromthenorm]

⁠@@RisetoStrengthMen initiate divorce too. It’s not just one gender filing for divorce. It’s no secret that men tend to file for divorce when their wives are sick long-term and/or dying.

[@Nathan_Bookwurm]

@think-eh3fm why? It's fair they get allimony. They're always the ones having to put their career on hold for the children and taking up more childcare/household chore responsibilities. And just cuz they're the ones initiating doesn't make them being weak or in the wrong. Life is long, tons of things happen, people change, there's so many valid reasons to go for a divorce. Stop saying such empty things like "you shouldn't divorce", it doesn't concern you a single bit what someone else does with their life. Good on them for seeking happiness rather than staying in an unhappy marriage.

[@iononcantomascrivo]

The second story: OP is right to cut Zoe off. He would always be walking on eggshells, doing his best to not trigger one of her immature meltdowns for the remainder of their friendship had he chosen not to end it. Unfortunately, this type of toxic dynamic is rather common. I knew someone just like Zoe. Let's call her Molly. In this case, Molly was an entitled parent who thought having kids absolved her of respecting boundaries, up to and including that the word no being a complete sentence and totally avoiding any sense of accountability. If Molly didn't get her way, she would flip out, much like a spoiled toddler. I got tired of doing everything I could to keep the peace and the friendship afloat. To give you an example of what Molly's temperament was like, it could change at the drop of a hat. She operated under the very narcissistic belief that while she wasn't always right, she never believed she was wrong. She truly believed that she knew everything and that whatever fell out of her mouth was irrefutable hard facts instead of completely unfounded ignorant opinions. Any pushback from me or anyone else would result in Sally going full DARVO. Her favorite game was to insult, devalue, minimize the other person's feelings, go silent treatment and then trash talk the other person like they were the butthole while she played the sad, pathetic victim. For clarity, Molly was middle-aged, had a nearly grown daughter and a middle school-aged son. Yet she often behaved like she was nothing more than an overgrown grade school mean girl who never mentally or emotionally matured past the age of 11. Similarly, when I want no-contact with Molly after one too many blow ups, she tried get one last dig in but found that I blocked her on everything including changing my number. Showing how deeply unhinged Molly was, she had the nerve to Google my widowed disabled senior citizen mother's phone number and called her up looking for me. Mom doesn't play and Molly was roasted to the point that she probably had third degree burns by the time call was over. Still, getting a verbal slap down didn't stop her from pursuing being heard. She called up a mutual friend and ranted until she lost her voice. She begged my mutual friend (whom I was able to after much prodding convince him to cut off contact with Molly) to spy on me to see if I was talking about her. He refused stating she wasn't that interesting and was treated to one of her stage-four, five-alarm meltdowns. That was his first indicator that Molly wasn't quite right.

[@kaylawest2088]

It is stories like the first one that absolutely make me hate the phrase "Don't speak ill of the dead." Some people are just horrible people. Death doesn't change that.

[@TheDarwinProject1]

I am also as a childfree millennial who makes an exception for my niece & nephew. In the last story , I don't think OP should regret the effort he & his wife made to keep their child & Zoe apart. He is right that his toddler is not toxic, but Zoe 1000% is/was! It was still a very good choice to keep her & her nasty comments from your child &, frankly, yourselves.

[@mbyerly9680]

The lover in the first story is a real winner. He just finds out OP's wife has died, and his first thought is the money in her escape account. What a loving person. Those of us who never paired up/married or had kids know that sooner or later we'll be left behind in the haze of a life nothing like ours. It's been inevitable for many years. It's improved in recent years, but the possibility is very real. Add to that dynamic that Angie is toxic and self-absorbed, and she will be left behind.

[@Noromyx]

Story 2: I will never understand the audacity and entitlement of childfree people to expect that no child would, or should, ever be in their presence.

[@user-blob]

IKR! Almost as bad as when parents inflict their children on other people 😁

[@BraveryWing26]

I am so glad EVERYONE called out Zoe in the end and dropped her as a friend.

[@YourShadowKeeper]

Story 1: I find it incredibly interesting that the affair partner when speaking with OP didn't offer condolences to him and his kids, or even talk about how grief-stricken or even sad he was finding out that his "business partner" passed away suddenly. He just asked for the money OP's cheating wife had set aside. Sounds to me like he was working a sad pathetic married woman for all she was worth and now that she's dead he's moving on to his next target. Hell, his "business trip to Germany" could've actually been him spending time with the next target.

[@theseeker9442]

OP should tell his kids when they are ready but he should absolutely tell them when the time comes. Itll help the kids understand that while their mother was their mother she wasnt perfect and not to sing her praises around their father who was being cheated on

[@alexvalentine5091]

Story 1 update: The audacity of John 🙄

[@TheRealKingddg]

The genuine gall

[@Sherwoody]

John came back for the money, not for his partner in crime. I have a feeling that there’s more than just a few thousand in the bank that he wants. He came to the house for a reason.

[@alexvalentine5091]

@@Sherwoody I know. It’s just the fact that we find out that the money he’s trying to get is OP’s MONEY. I don’t doubt he knew where it was coming from

[@jamestown8398]

Cheaters and affair-partners frequently have main character syndrome.

[@Imolos]

Let’s hope karma will deal with John also

[@KatieB33]

Story 1. Sometimes it’s not a good idea to destroy someone’s memory because you have to share. My father recently passed away and my younger sister HAD to tell my older step sister something that forced her to run and vomit. I was thankful my father had a new family that understood him and accepted him with all his faults. They loved him so much and I feel she tarnished his memory unnecessarily 😢

[@alejondromaestas4166]

For story One. My father died when I was really little. Honestly I have no memory of my father. But my mom, aunts and paternal grandparents eased me into the whole picture of my father. When I was younger it was telling me the my dad loved me, fun stories of him, that when him and I had similar interest. Eventually when I started getting older and when I have started asking more complicated questions about him, I started getting more of the negative about him. I say that because I feel like the kids need to know about their mom (I know the kids knew in the update). My feelings about my father are complicated, but it's helpful to know that your parents weren't perfect. That they were flawed, flawed till the last moment or flawed in ways we couldn't see. I don't think you should spring it onto the kids. Like what my family did, it should be gradual. After the grief, when people start asking, the more complicated questions, they should get the real answers. Maybe my 2 cents can help someone. Hope whoever reads this has an amazing day, week, life.

[@gigga143]

S1: I feel so bad for OP, I don’t know how you tell them these things. On one hand I feel like they should know because otherwise when the dad moves on or doesn’t want to honor the mom all the time he’ll be seen as a bad person, or he’ll have to play pretend and lie to everyone which can’t be good for him mentally but then I wonder how this will mentally affect the kids.- After the update, I’m glad the teens know and wow, that AP has some audacity.

[@slothdance2020]

My husband and I are child-free and not super keen on kids. Zoey is insane! Her dislike for children is not your problem, she could not go, or just make the best of it for the weekend if she really cared about you as people. If she cared about you at all, she would accept your kids. She doesn't have to love them, but she can be an adult and be a good friend.

[@MorganVsTheInternet]

2- NTA, the trip already included kids and if she wanted a child-free trip she could've stayed home!

[@Sherwoody]

Zoe wants to keep re-living her college days. Just a guess here, but most of her conversations probably start with “Hey, remember when”, or “let’s do this again like we used to”.

[@keijogirl]

S1: Wow, the balls on the AP to try the door. Hope he gets less than nothing from this family he tried to destroy.

[@KE-hr4sb]

S1: I really hope John tries to sue for the “business funds and documents.” The fucking audacity, trying to take OP’s wife, OP’s kids, OP’s money and OP’s house, then trying to *let himself in knowing the wife was dead!* Even before, I was of the opinion that OP should tell the kids in some capacity, because what if they got upset that he moved on, or wasn’t grieving as long as they were? They could have blamed him. I’m so glad they came to him with their suspicions.

[@vero_sr_g800]

Story 2: Zoe is just plane rude. That being said some ppl actually have a fear of children. One of my friends that I met at a former job has OCD she never disclosed it. We worked at a retial store over night and at times they offered OT when the store was open and more than one occasion I saw her speeding walking away from playful toddlers and turn into another aisle with a little panic on her face. She later disclosed to me that she had OCD and most of her routines and thoughts happen at home but she has a fear being around children. Our other friend has 2 children and wanted to hang out with her. She finally told her about her OCD and our friend was totally ok with it and they eventually worked with her and her therapist to help her be around her children. They are best friends now and she can be around our friends children most of the time. My friend with OCD now works at a private dog rescue. She doesn't volunteer at adoption events but is with the dogs at the ranch and getting them ready for adoption.

[@AlexRising_]

Story 2: I don’t think Zoe hates kids. Zoe hates that children require greater care and attention than an adult would, and as a result, her friends who are parents can’t choose to go somewhere or do something with her on a whim. She doesn’t hate kids. She hates that she gets deprioritized in favor of children because she can care for herself.

[@hodgeelmwood8677]

I get what you're saying, but she was nasty about it, too.

[@heatherdickau5335]

Zoe has made her whole personality about hating children to look special. It has backfired because it has made it epically annoying and hateful.

[@liabowden8526]

Uhm, are we sure John didn't murder the wife with that "accident".... OP might be in danger.

[@PuppyKatt]

Story 1: I am sorry for your loss. You must be truly confused, not knowing whether to grieve the accidental loss of your wife, or be angry of her actions. I am glad that your daughter had her suspicions, and is fully supporting you. I suspect that your son is well aware, also, and is not done trying to sort his own feelings about the accident and the affair. Good luck to you and your children, and to h3ll with John.

[@CreepyBlueAnimals84]

Story 1: It's interesting that OPs wife died before she managed to destroy his life. I'm not trying to take death and loss lightly but it seems like the universe helped to stop a manipulative, lying CU Next Tuesday before she could set her little plan in motion. That's a bit of full fledged karma right there!!! Story 2: Zoe sucks!! Not for disliking kids. They're not all angels, but don't crush on a man with a kid you already hate!! She'd end up being the evil Stepmother we read so much about on Reddit pushing the kids out of their father's life.

[@MarkNarrations]

[@broken_queer_but_fighting8589]

🧇🧇🤗🤗💜💜

[@danganryanne9499]

Scrumptious 🤤🤤

[@nekorei2023]

Hi waffle gang :)

[@TH-hy9kr]

Greetings and 🧇🧇🧇 ❤

[@FizzledDreams11]

Ello!!! Thank you for doing this every day! You rock! I love when you go on your own tangents 😂 they're even better than the reddit stories sometimes

[@mairaaromero9284]

Story 1 HE did chance the locos, that's why Jhon did not get in the house.

[@jackwatt8988]

1: I'm firmly in the camp of never telling the kids. It's the father's job to shelter them from these things. Their mother is dead, there is absolutely no benefit to the kids to tell them. All it could do is hurt them. OP needs to be an adult and keep it to himself, forever. He has the chance to preserve his childrens' memory of their mother, and he should do that, even if it causes him more pain.

[@paulastiles5507]

Story #1: I think OP is right to hold off on telling the kids. At the very least, he needs to wrap his own head around the news and come to terms with it before making any decisions about telling them (though it's possible they already know. I did). That said, I have concerns about John being in the wind. After the update: So, the kids did know because Mumsy was already working on trying to alienate them from OP. Good that it was already backfiring on her even before she died. That thing with John was scary. OP should definitely report that and warn the kids. I agree with the commenters who think he may have been engaging in a love scam on the dead wife. Wow, she sure got in deep.

[@christinesinclair6938]

S1: Saw this story before. I think it's hilarious that the kids knew but didn't know how to tell OP1 and OP1 found out but didn't know how to tell the kids. Now they're all on the same page about that awful woman. Since the kids know, OP1 should be blunt with anyone who tries to valorize that cheating piece of garbage. Also, about the AP showing up. He definitely has balls to do so. S2: NTA Saw this before. The "friend" is not one and every long out grew that twit but didn't know how to cut her loose until this final straw. You can't make "I hate kids" your whole personality without consequences.

[@dwtardisallonsy]

Art history prof here: your pronunciation of damnatio memoriae was just fine

[@Dustin81]

Story1: John is lucky Op found him before he came in or he much have been subject to what happens to burglars. The balls to say he will be contacting his lawyer after trying to go into someone else's house without permission.

[@Mewse1203]

Story 1: I would call the police and report John for his attempted burglary because that's what that was. Whether he had permission from her to begin with West desert matter because she's dead. That permission ended when her life did...m

[@jamestown8398]

I strongly believe that knowing the truth is always better than not knowing. He should tell them at some point, but perhaps waiting a year or two would be better.

[@veezopolis]

He tried to just... walk in? Into his dead affair partners house? What was the best case scenario?

[@JoJoGranum]

Kids can be more aware than most take them for, especially teenaged kids. They knew, they just didn’t want to hurt their father with the news. OP’s kids need to be informed that the AP tried to come into their home uninvited. OP should consult a lawyer and a restraining order should be considered. This is creepy behaviour on the part of the AP.

[@vegaskullkid4503]

I've the first story before and I think the kids have a right to know. I think he should've told them even if they didn't know because they picked up on what their mother was doing and would've found out on their own eventually so hearing it from their father would soften it for them, I think. Also this woman was just absolutely terrible with how she was not only cheating on her husband but was also trying to turn her children against him. It's tragic what happened to her but it doesn't change how she truly was at the end of the day. The kids even suspected something was going on so them hearing about what their mom was doing wasn't too much of a shock which is sad. I hope Op and his kids are able to heal from this and live happy and loving lives. I also hope that Affair Partner gets a swift kick to the nards

[@bonniehalf-elven]

Story 1: I had to go back and listen again when all the commenters told OP to change the locks. He'd already done that. That's why John's key didn't work. Story 2: Reminds me of this Christmas. I am childless by choice. Christmas mostly consisted of my family refereeing my two grand nephews. I don't hate kids, but It was pretty chaotic and exhausting. I'm thankful that two days later, my brother, SIL and our mom got together for a quiet dinner, where we played cards afterward. That's the way to do it. The boys' mom does my hair, so I get to talk to her without the boys around, too.

[@FizzledDreams11]

Yesssss!! 🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤ To get me thru this work day!! Thanks Mark! Look forward to these vids every single day!

[@benbraden9133]

Story 1 is so cruel. I empathise SO hard with wanting to get what little revenge I could against that evil woman by destroying her memory. But knowing it would do nothing but damage the kids while they mourned? And bring them upset regardless of the age they are when they find out? There’s literally no way to satisfy those feelings while still being a responsible parent and that’s soul destroying

[@Vikabro]

When I saw the title I thought she was simply planning on leaving and ghosting the OP. Not to destroy his life.

[@MarionHogan-m5i]

Poor Zoe is cutting herself off from the rest of the human race