– I’m Going to Live with My Dad – The Man You Took from Me. I Don’t Love You! – My Own Daughter Told Me This. My thirteen-year-old daughter spent her summer holiday with her grandmother in the countryside. Although my ex-husband and I have been divorced for years, I have never interfered with his family. His mother was always a lovely lady, and I trusted her to care for my daughter. Kate’s father and I divorced five years ago, after he fell in love with someone else – his new partner claimed she was pregnant, and he left me for her. During the divorce process, it turned out she wasn’t pregnant at all. My husband tried to change his mind and persuade me to postpone the divorce. I didn’t demand child maintenance as he gave up his share of the flat. We didn’t sign any maintenance agreements, since my ex-husband trusted my decency. I tried to avoid arguments with my ex for our child’s sake, but sometimes they happened. Once he took our daughter for two days and then changed his mind, bringing her back that same evening when I was already two hundred miles away. Another time, he promised to pick her up, and she waited all day, only for him not to call or show up. I always had an amicable relationship with my former mother-in-law, who was career-focused and not interested in her son or granddaughter. But after retiring a few years ago, she found time for Kate. This summer, everything went wrong and my daughter’s return from her grandmother’s became the start of a family war. Along with Kate, my ex’s younger brother and his much younger pregnant wife were there for the holiday. The new wife had heard an alternative story about my divorce – supposedly, I’d cheated and was caught in the act several times. Alina, the new wife, didn’t hesitate to tell my thirteen-year-old what kind of mother I’d been. My daughter wouldn’t believe her father’s assurances, so she confronted her grandmother for answers. Sergei stood his ground, and his mother, not wanting to undermine his authority, took his side. I didn’t understand why my ex was so quick to drop our daughter at home and leave. She stormed in and immediately accused me of destroying our family. ‘I’m going to live with my dad—the man you stole from me. I hate you!’ my own daughter shouted. I tried to explain it was all lies, but she refused to listen. She declared if I wouldn’t let her live with her dad, she’d run away anyway. ‘If you want to live with your father, that’s your right—so let’s get you ready,’ I replied. I left her at the doorstep, waited briefly, and left. They’d made their own mess; it was theirs to fix. The next morning, I took a day off work and flew to my friend’s house, thinking: ‘To hell with this…’ My ex called and bombarded me with messages, accusing me of abandoning our child in favour of him, and now that our daughter was terrorising his pregnant wife. I replied just once: Tell our daughter the truth about why we divorced. Later, my former mother-in-law started pestering me about why I made her choose between her son and granddaughter. She insisted Kate would cope with a little deception, but her pregnant daughter-in-law would be furious if the truth came out, and any harm to her unborn child would be on my conscience. What stunned me was her twisted logic: she wasn’t sorry for her granddaughter, but for her son’s marriage, which began with a lie. ‘I won’t take my daughter back until you tell her the truth,’ I told her. The drama escalated daily, but I refused to take my daughter back until she knew the truth. My ex tried to dodge responsibility, insisting I collect our daughter, but nothing changed. After returning from my friend’s, I had to rent a flat so my ex wouldn’t dump my daughter and her belongings at my door. It’s almost the end of summer and things aren’t solved. If my ex and his mother won’t tell my daughter the truth, they’ll be taking her to school themselves, because I refuse to live with a child who only feels hatred towards me!

Im going to live with my dad, the one you took away from me. I dont love you! Thats what my own daughter said to me today.

My daughter, Emily, is thirteen now, and this summer she spent her holiday at her grandmothers cottage in the countryside. Although my ex-husband and I have been divorced for years, Ive always let her see his side of the family whenever she wished. His mother, Margaret, was truly lovely, and Ive always trusted her to care for Emily properly.

Family Troubles

Emilys father, Thomas, and I separated five years ago. Hed fallen in love with someone else, and when his new girlfriend announced she was pregnant, he decided immediately that our marriage was over. Yet, midway through the divorce, it became clear that she wasnt actually pregnant at all.

Thomas quickly tried to backtrack and convinced me to delay the process. I never asked for child maintenance, because hed signed over his share of our flat in Manchester to me. We never formalised any child support, and he trusted me not to make any unreasonable demands.

I tried hard not to argue with my ex, for Emilys sake. Yet, sometimes it was unavoidable. Once, hed promised to take Emily for two nights, changed his mind, and dropped her back off the same eveningonly I was already 125 miles away on a work trip and had to rush home unexpectedly. Another time, he promised over the phone to pick her up that day, and she waited all afternoon. He didnt even bother to ring and let her know his plans had changed.

Margaret and I always got on well. In truth, she was never particularly invested in either her son or granddaughter; her work always came first. But a few years ago, Margaret retired, and suddenly she had plenty of time for Emily.

This year, however, everything unravelled. Emilys return from the countryside felt like the start of a battle. Besides Emily, Thomass brother and his twenty-year-old pregnant wife were visiting that summer. The new wife seemed to know a very creative version of my divorce with Thomas, which suited her. According to her, I had cheated on Thomascaught multiple times, supposedly.

Alison didnt hesitate to inform her thirteen-year-old niece about what sort of mother she thought I was. Emily didnt believe her fathers reassurances and went to her grandmother for answers. Thomas, stubborn as ever, stuck to his story, and Margaret, not wanting to undermine his authority, supported him.

At the time, I couldnt understand why Thomas dropped Emily off and hurried away. Emily stormed into the flat, and hardly through the door, she began accusing me of tearing the family apart.
Im going to live with my dad, the one you took from me. I hate you! she yelled.

I tried to explain that it was all lies, but she refused to listen, threatening to run away to him if I didnt let her go.
If youre set on living with your dad, thats your choice. Lets do this properly, I replied.

I left Emily at their doorstep, waited a few minutes, and left. They had created this mess themselves, so it was their job to sort it out. The next morning, I took the day off work and headed straight to my best friend Sarahs with just one thoughtTo hell with it all

My ex soon bombarded me with calls and angry texts. He blamed me for abandoning Emily for him, and now claimed she was making his pregnant wifes life a misery. I replied to his messages just once, suggesting he simply tell Emily the truth about our divorce.

Not much later, Margaret arrived, asking me why I was forcing her to choose between her son and granddaughter. She said Emily was old enough to handle a small deception, but if the pregnant wife learned the truth, shed be furious andif anything happened to the babyit would be on my conscience.

The logic floored me: she didnt care for Emilys feelings, just her sons marriage, which started with a lie.
I wont take Emily back until youve told her the truth, I told Margaret.

The situation heated up by the day, but I stood my ground. I refused to bring Emily home until she had the facts. Thomas kept trying to dodge his responsibility, insisting I should just take Emily in so things could be as before.

After that visit to Sarah, I had to rent a new flat, just to be sure Thomas wouldnt turn up and leave Emily and her belongings at my door in a fit of pique. Now, summer is nearly over and nothing is settled. If Thomas and Margaret wont tell Emily the truth, they can take her to school themselves. I am not willing to live with a child whose heart is full of nothing but hatred towards me!