Our protagonist and his ex-wife parted ways three years ago, their split marred by betrayal and heartbreak. Yet, despite the emotional scars, they managed to maintain a 50/50 custody split for their son, a lively 13-month-old boy. As time passed, the man found himself caring for a child whose interests and needs evolved rapidly, mirroring the natural growth of adolescence. Meanwhile, the legal storm brewing around the lawsuit seemed to have little to do with the ex-wife — instead, it was about actions taken that no longer affected their personal lives directly, but still rippled into their shared world.
As he reflects on the journey from heartbreak to current challenges, one question remains: how will this story unfold? With his cool-headed approach and a focus on what truly matters—his son—the future looks uncertain but hopeful. The twists and turns of his story serve as a reminder that life after divorce isn’t the end but rather a new chapter filled with hurdles, hope, and the resilience to keep moving forward.
My ex and I divorced three years ago. She was cheating, but at this point I don’t care about the relationship anymore. The pending lawsuit has nothing to do with her or him, but rather their actions.
My ex and I have a son 13m that we split time with 50/50. He’s a great kid that interests have changed a lot tbh as I imagine more kids/teenagers tend to do through the years.
One thing my son was heavily into at some point was legos. He use to play with them all the time, and personally I think they’re a great toy for different reasons. I use to love playing them with him, and to this day I still collect boxes that I leave unopened as a collection.
Well when my ex and I divorced she got with someone who loved legos more I guess? From what I know he loves making creations and building the sets in. I don’t care.. seems cool. He does one thing I think is very very weird..
He uses crazy glue so the sets can’t break or pieces can’t be lost. It seems so weird to me.
The issue is, I was out of town for all of three days last week for medical reasons, and my son wanted to get his ps4 so he could play it at his moms. This isn’t out of the ordinary at all and he has a key, so he let me know he would be stopping over for it.
I told him to have fun when I saw him on the entry camera. My wife’s husband was with him which was a no-no. I told him via speaker to not go in and to wait on the porch.
He flinched but walked in any way. I sent my ex a text telling her to call him and tell him he’s one minute away from a cop call. He left my home with a bag in hand which I didn’t think much of because my son had his games too.
Well my son texted me later that evening and said he didn’t know it at the time but he’s pretty sure SD took some of my sets. These are all old sets and two are worth big money. When I got home I confirmed the missing sets and called my ex.
She had no idea but he admired he took them but it was so son could have the sets to complete his collection… my son doesn’t even like legos anymore and told his mom he wouldn’t steal from me.
My wife asked how much it would cost to replace them and unfortunately it’s more than their savings. Actually, it would take their house down payment plus more. I told them if they didn’t pay in two weeks I was suing and pressing charges.
The price in the sets makes it a felony.
My ex and her husband are saving for a house which would give my son more space when he’s there, but those sets were going help pay for his education someday or a home of his own. I filed the police report and have talked to a lawyer and we’re moving forward with the suit.
Everyone is calling me a joke because they are just toys, but I don’t get it. They are worth real money.. I’m not rich guys. I needed those to help with my sons future… but again taking this money does deny my son things at his moms house.
AITA here??
Edit* I’ve been asked to add these facts.
The sets have been opened which more than half their worth, and one was glued together. The damage was done already.
The stolen items are:
Kings Castle Milk truck Lego land train Carousel And the glued one was a Star Wars snow speeder.
Some of these are one piece of a larger set. So if you lose one of five, you lose the value of one produce plus the value of the set as a whole.
Second edit*
Ex wife and boyfriend are the same as ex boyfriend.. I’m just a bad writer.
Third/final edit for this post*
I know I haven’t been here much but I have read many of your comments and taken them to heart. I know my spelling is poor guys, and I apologize for the format. Calling me names in my private message was not called for, and I am not a scalper.
I enjoy buying these sets and do not intend to sell all of them, but I want my son to go to college and not worry about debt, so I want to sell the ones that I can to help. I never had the smarts for higher education but my son is not me, and I love him and want him to do better.
Around 4:00 PM I called the local state police and met at their facility. I gave them all I had and gave my statement.
My son is with me starting tonight so when I picked him up I sent him into GameStop and called his mom. I told her I had filed charges and I asked the cop to call me when everything was done so I could give him the opportunity to turn himself in.
I wanted to be better than he treated me. I’ll save her reaction for a real update btw—- can someone please tell me how to update because I don’t really understand the steps in the main notes.
I told my son when we got home what I did and why. My son said that I did the right thing because he didn’t want his step dad to think it was ok to do it again, and if he didn’t go to jail he’d rather be her away from him so it isn’t weird.
Conclusion
In the end, this story is a powerful reminder that life keeps moving forward, no matter what challenges come our way. The man who once faced heartbreak and betrayal learned to adapt, focusing on his most precious treasure—his son. As the legal issues and personal changes unfold, his unwavering dedication to his child’s well-being stands as a testament to the strength of a parent’s love and resilience.
While the lawsuit and the evolving interests of his teenager add layers of complexity, they also highlight the importance of staying grounded and flexible. Sometimes, the most unexpected events push us to grow in ways we never imagined. For him, the journey is far from over, but with each step, he proves that even amidst chaos, hope and determination can carve out a path towards a brighter future.
This story leaves us with a simple but profound message: no matter how turbulent life gets, focusing on what truly matters—love, family, and resilience—can help us navigate through the storm. Sometimes, the ending is just the beginning of a new chapter, full of possibilities and promise. Keep watching, because this real-life story is far from over, and the best is yet to come.
Here’s how people reacted:
Make sure your son knows why you are doing this in case his mom tries to twist the story.
As for denying things at his mom’s house, it might be a good idea to deny him the shitty role model his step-dad seems to be.
I hate this phrase but don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time comes to mind. You’re not doing this to them. Him STEALING is what caused his situation
Toys – especially older toys – are incredibly valuable. There are individual Magic cards worth over $3000. There are vintage dolls worth over $1000.
It really doesn’t matter whether your stolen property was legos, jewelry, or cash. The law is that one person doesn’t get to take property from another person
He walked into your house *after you told him to wait outside* and stole your property. Property that was an investment for your sons future. The only person to blame here is the ex’s boyfriend.
Here’s a question though, why can’t they just bring them back? Did they do something to ruin the sets?
But thats easy to say when im not the one being sued and i dont know the people personally.
I think its a good idea to sue not just because of the money but because it sets a very clear boundary and thats sometimes what people like this need. And they are going to be in your life forever.
I dont care that its “just toys” and neither will a judge.
Oh and they are both definitely assholes. For going into your house when you set a boundary and then STEALING FROM YOU. Wtf.
He’s a thief and if you wanted to have the courts address custody, him stealing from you in front of your son would likely be a solid opening for your lawyer.
He shouldn’t be around your kid if he’s going to teach him to be a criminal.
You’re entirely in the right to pursue full legal remedy here.
You told him to not enter your house. He did so anyway, and stole from you. Actions have consequences. It doesn’t matter what it was, he stole. He can reap what he has sowed.
He’s used the fact you weren’t home to steal them, thinking because he’s married to your sons mother you’ll let it slide… exactly because if you don’t, they can blame you for hurting your son.
You are NTA. Be careful not to “extort them” ask only for the sets returned in the condition they were taken.
I definitely feel you’re NTA here as you had specific rules for the ex’s husband not to go into your house, but I say skip the suing and work something out with them for repayment. Seems like lawyer fees would be worth more than the legos for you in the long run.
NTA. It doesn’t matter what the items were and the relationship in which you knew this person. Bottom line: they stole 5.5k worth of your property. If saving up for a house meant so much, you wouldn’t steal in the first place.
What did he do, rush home and speed glue everything together??
1. Definitely sue and get your money back. He isn’t sorry and will do it again.
2. Get more custody of your son. I worry your ex and her partner will punish your so for the fallout.
3. Get therapy for your son. Your ex and her partner will likely badmouth you. It may helpful to have a therapist help him see that it’s his Mom and her partner that are wrong.