This is a throwaway account because I need to vent about the most devastating period of my life. I (26M) was engaged to Chrissie (29F), a woman I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. We were together for six years, and our families were close—mine adored her, and hers welcomed me warmly.
Everything fell apart when Chrissie announced she was pregnant. Instead of telling me first, she went to my mother, who wasted no time spreading the news. I was frustrated that Chrissie didn’t share it with me first, but she brushed it off, saying she couldn’t contain her excitement. My family immediately pressured me into proposing, so I bought a $1,000 refurbished diamond ring and took Chrissie out for a romantic dinner to pop the question. She said yes, and I started planning a wedding.
But something changed after the proposal. Chrissie became distant, spending more time on her phone and guarding it jealously. She claimed it was hormones or planning for her baby shower, but her behavior felt off. At her baby shower, hosted by my mom, she received lavish gifts—including an expensive stroller. On the surface, everything seemed fine, but Chrissie’s coldness toward me worsened.
When I confided in my best friend, he pointed out red flags I had ignored for years. He urged me to check her phone for signs of cheating. Late one night, I unlocked her phone while she slept and found everything—explicit texts, photos, and admissions of an affair with her coworker, who also happened to be her high school boyfriend. The texts revealed not only that the baby was his, but also that they’d planned to put my name on the birth certificate to avoid suspicion and later divorce me for alimony.
I confronted Chrissie with the evidence. She initially tried to lie, claiming it was just “emotional.” When I didn’t buy it, she packed her things and left without any remorse, as if she no longer had to pretend. The fallout was immediate and devastating.
Chrissie got ahead of the story, telling everyone—including my family—that I had cheated on her. My own mother called to berate me, saying I was “guilty until proven innocent,” and then blocked my number. When I went to their house to explain, my father sucker-punched me, and Chrissie sat on their couch, fake-crying while my mother comforted her. I was barred from Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, while Chrissie played the victim and enjoyed the holidays with my family.
I spent Christmas alone, eating reheated supermarket chicken and crying. No one in my family believed me except for a few close friends who saw the screenshots I had gathered. Even at work, I was called into HR because Chrissie had spread rumors there too. Thankfully, I had evidence to clear my name, but the damage to my reputation was already done.
I consulted a lawyer and demanded a defamation lawsuit and a paternity test. Chrissie eventually admitted the baby wasn’t mine. She confessed that she never loved me, only dating me as a rebound after a bad breakup. She also admitted to framing me because it was easier than taking responsibility for her actions.
After intense pressure, Chrissie came clean to my family, but the damage was irreversible. My parents were horrified, but their apologies couldn’t undo the fact that they had cut me out of their lives during the holidays. My father, who had returned my Christmas gifts and donated them, tried to retrieve them, but the damage was done.
Chrissie and her affair partner quit their jobs and moved away after losing everything. Her family apologized to me, but they’re still supporting her because of the baby. My family tried to make amends with offers of a second Christmas, but I couldn’t accept it.
This entire experience has left me angry, betrayed, and unsure how to trust again. I wanted to share my story not for pity, but because I needed to get it out. It’s going to take a long time to heal from this.
