…Or So I Thought!
Relationships end every day, that much is just a fact of life. Some end amicably, others end poorly, and then there are those that end in category-five-hurricane-level disaster. And within that last category, a select few can go down in history as competing for the very worst of the worst. Thanks to the good folks of the Reddit community, we now know some of the people from that select group.
A few people were brave enough to share their stories of the disaster break-ups they’ve been through, and to say that they’re enough to drive someone crazy would be an understatement. All breakups are at least a little heart-wrenching, but when an ex goes totally crazy, or weird, or both, wild things happen, and drama can escalate quickly. If you’ve got the stomach to hear about the most brutal ways people got their hearts broken, buckle up and don’t say you weren’t warned…
The Break-Up Song
I thought things were going incredibly well with me and my girlfriend of almost a year… until this happened, that is. My girlfriend had her step-sister (who was about the same age as she was) call my parents’ phone (didn’t have a cell phone then) to break up with me.
My dad answered, and she told him straight-up that it was over. He simply replied, “I think you want to talk to my son.” Looking back, I think it’s hilarious. Wasn’t so funny in the moment to get dumped through my dad, and without explanation, after almost a year together. Reddit user: bpelts
The Case Of The Missing Girlfriend
My girlfriend of a year broke up with me by sending a video of herself singing a breakup song that she wrote herself. It included a background dancer who was one of my good friends. I was at a party at the time she sent it, and I foolishly played it aloud for a bunch of people, instead of watching it for the first time on my own.
My intention was to make sure all my good pals could hear it, and rave about my super-talented girlfriend. Well, I guess they noticed her talent… but they heard my heart break too, which probably drowned out her music, to some degree. It was definitely the worst thing I’ve ever been through. Reddit user: beingDevisor
She Wanted My Brother
When I was 21, I came home from work and everything was gone. My girlfriend left a milk crate, a tiny TV, a trash can, and the box spring to the mattress. I didn’t actually know that she left me, so I called the cops and told them that someone stole everything…
Including my girlfriend. I was pretty hysterical, but the 911 operator was able to calm me down and inform me that my girlfriend most likely left me. Nothing hits you in the heart like getting a dose of heartbreak from a 911 operator. Reddit user: [redacted]
Never Coming Back
After three years of dating, my girlfriend (who I was very much in love with) decided to tell me that the only reason she continued to be with me was because she was in love with my older brother, and wanted to keep coming over to our house just so she could see him.
I decided to tell him about her real feelings, because after all, he’s my brother. He had no idea, and he definitely didn’t have those feelings for her. He was just as angry as I was (thankfully). Reddit user: [redacted]
She Had To Because He Couldn’t
We had been dating for two and a half years. I bought a plane ticket to Seattle for my boyfriend (we lived in NY) so he could go visit his family, because he hadn’t seen them in a while. When he left a week later, he said he was going to stay another two weeks.
Apparently his grandma wasn’t doing well. Two weeks turned into a phone call while I was at work (taking care of a special needs girl) saying he got a girl pregnant while there, and wasn’t coming back. Reddit user: HoodedJinX
Two Break-Ups, One Therapist
Four weeks before our big wedding (the wedding of my dreams), I had to do the breaking up for him because he just sat there hanging his head, not saying anything except “I’m sorry” and occasionally wiping his eyes as if he was crying. But his eyes were totally dry.
It was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. Looking back now, I’m so happy that it happened, because it let me see his true colors, and get out of that relationship. Such a coward. I might have missed out on the wedding of my dreams, but I definitely didn’t miss out on the man of my dreams. Reddit user: cakerton
With Tubes In His Chest
Back when I was in college, I had a girlfriend break up with me through my therapist. I was seeing this therapist to help me out with some anxiety that I was having. I came to therapy and was told by the therapist that my girlfriend didn’t want to see me anymore….
I told the therapist how unprofessional this was, and then broke up with my therapist. I felt much better after doing that. Reddit user: [redacted]
The Worst Kind Of Break-Up
One day, out of the blue, my girlfriend came into the room and told me it wasn’t working out and that we were over before running out of the room crying. I lay there stunned, unable to run after her due to the tubes in my chest. Yep, I was in the hospital….
And it was my first stay in the hospital, too. She came and dumped me…in the hospital. While I couldn’t even go after her. Reddit user: [redacted]
Right Back At Ya!
After dating a guy on and off from around the age of 15 to 19, I found out that I was pregnant. He hung up on me as soon as I told him and changed his phone number soon after. That was probably the most hurtful way I’ve been dumped.
I get not wanting a baby or not being ready to be a part of the baby’s life, but you don’t have to go MIA just because you found out. Reddit user: [redacted]
Facebook Revelations
My ex dumped me the day before finals week (we were both pre-meds). I found out later through mutual friends that he was using me just to hook up and for help with lab reports. He definitely had some insecurity issues with me because he was used to being the “smarter” one in relationships.
But I can’t get over the fact that he tried to sabotage me by dumping me the day before finals; I did nothing to deserve that. Joke’s on him, it was a straight A semester for me. Reddit user: sugarfreeme
With A Birthday Card
I got suspicious when my girlfriend started to get really distant around me. When she broke up with me, I decided to investigate because she told me her Facebook password two years earlier when she said she had nothing to hide from me. Her phone was clean because all the lovey-dovey stuff and meet-up plans were on Facebook messenger.
I found three months worth of stuff. I told a shared friend what I found, and the shared friend (who already knew about it) informed the recent ex of my findings. Hell hath no fury like that of a super defensive girl who just got her secret exposed. She couldn’t believe that I remembered the password from a conversation that long ago.
She was insistent that I maliciously hacked into Facebook’s servers using some coding voodoo because I am a programmer. I informed her other boyfriend that I existed and he dumped her immediately. Reddit user: Brandino144
Our Vacation Money
My sister got broken up with in her birthday card. Yes, her boyfriend at the time literally gave her a birthday card in which he wrote the words “I want to break up.” It happened in middle school; later that day, our brother and I pushed the guy around a bit.
You can’t really argue that it was a thoughtful gesture to offer a birthday card if you’re gonna do it like that. Reddit user: Joegodownthehole
He Needed Her More
My now ex-boyfriend stole the money I thought we’d been saving for a vacation and ditched me the night before our anniversary, pocketing all the money that I (not him, of course) had spent so long earning. Three months of taking extra shifts went to waste, as well as a three-year relationship. Screw him though!
This all happened a few weeks ago, and I’ve already started saving up for my own, ex-free vacation. Reddit user: Thisisright344
The Ugly Person…
My girlfriend left me for my best friend who “needed her more than I did.” Then, in an effort to feel less guilty, she actually went ahead and told me that I was an awful boyfriend and that everything was my fault and we could have been happy if I was better.
I don’t think she understood how much she hurt me, and now I’m still depressed and lonely. Reddit user: [redacted]
Mr. Blank
I was dating this girl for a couple of months and one day, out of nowhere, she told me she was getting married. Apparently, she was in a sub/dom relationship of some sort, and she was told to date someone ugly to humiliate herself. I don’t think I’m ugly, but that certainly took the wind out of my sails for a bit.
Thankfully we weren’t together long or that little tidbit might have hurt me a heck of a lot more. Reddit user: Invader_Ark
You Know….?
We were together for years before I moved. A month after, she slept with a guy thirty times, starting before I left. I forgave her and when she visited, we had a great time. We got intimate, and she told me the guy had a disease and they weren’t safe. I still hooked up with her, mostly to show my still unconditional love and acceptance.
But she said “I love you and want to be with you. But I need to keep seeing Mr. Blank until I move.” Sure. Three days later, she dumped me. Reddit user: Frontsidegrind
Choosing Between Two Guys
After having talked to this girl for about six months, and never having hooked up that whole time that we were talking, we finally got down to it one night. In the middle of the act, she looked at me and said, “You know I don’t care about you, right?”
That was the only time I’ve ever stopped right in the middle and left. Here I was, developing all these feelings that I thought were mutual, only to be hit with that. Who does that, seriously? Reddit user: [redacted]
No More Katie
My then-girlfriend wasn’t sure if she wanted to be with me or another guy, so she slept with him to “try him out,” as she put it. Apparently, he had the better bedroom game, so she dumped me the next day. I never would have known, but her friend told me everything. She thought I knew and was making fun of me.
She was more concerned about having betrayed her dumb friend’s confidence, than about my feelings of being mocked and belittled. Birds of a feather and all that. Reddit user: thudly
Right In The Middle Of It
This happened to a friend of mine. Her boyfriend got a job in another state, so she moved with him and they got a place together. On their fridge, they had those letter magnet things that spelled out Jeff loves Katie. One day she got home and saw that he had changed the name Katie to some other girl’s name.
He wasn’t the most mature guy in the world. That was seriously his method of breaking up with her. Reddit user: [redacted]
War Or Love?
My boyfriend moved to a different state, so I decided to be brave and fly on a plane for the first time to visit him for my birthday. I stayed a whole week with him, and we had a good time. We even went paragliding. On the last day I was there, we started with some intimacy.
I noticed something was off with the way he was acting. I asked what was up and he just flat-out broke up with me. That was a very sad flight home. Reddit user: Letmechooseanameomg
A String Of Bad Relationships
I was coming back from my second deployment to Iraq and was unable to contact my wife for a few months leading up to my return. When I landed (which is the first time we got a phone signal), I still couldn’t get her. I checked my messages and got one. She said she was cheating on me and wanted a divorce. I immediately called her mom. She had apparently told her family that I wasn’t deployed and that I had met a girl and ran off with her.
Needless to say I told her mom the truth, and she was really upset and kicked her daughter out of the house immediately. I filed for divorce shortly thereafter. You think you know someone, until you don’t. Reddit user: [redacted]
A Bad Birthday
I can’t really decide what the worst one was for me. The first one tried to get me falsely convicted of a crime. And the second one changed her relationship status on Facebook and blocked me. The third one got me to help her move into a shared apartment with her best friend, then dumped me for said friend.
Turns out I don’t have a very good track record. But at least I’ve got some pretty entertaining stories, I guess. Reddit user: Starfall669
On A Google Doc!
I woke up on my birthday (my 17th, I think it was) to a text that said, “We need to talk.” It turned out that I got dumped for my friend. I was lucky enough to meet another girl the same day. I brought her to my birthday party, and I figured all would be well.
After a while, I realized that I hadn’t seen her around, so I asked about it. Turns out she left with another guy. Happy birthday to me! Reddit user: [redacted]
She Kept The Ring, Though
This didn’t happen to me, but to a friend. She wasn’t the one being dumped, but rather the person doing the dumping. She broke up with her high school boyfriend over a shared Google Doc. Yes, she colored the text and everything. It was on a group project, so there were quite a few people on it too.
No one really talked about it from the group. It just sort of happened and we all ignored it. Reddit user: thinking-b4-do
He Wants To Be Free
I dated a girl for about two years, and we lived together for one of those years. I proposed and had a year-long engagement, then a huge wedding; the wedding ring cost around $4k. Anyway, two months to the day after the wedding, she said she “wasn’t the marrying type,” and wanted a divorce.
She kept the ring though. And the kicker? She’s getting married to someone else this summer. Reddit user: JustNameHimPichael
On Her Birthday
On our 19th anniversary, he sent me flowers and a card that said, “It has been 19 amazing years. I can’t wait to see what the next 19 bring. I love you.” One week later, he told me that he didn’t want to be married anymore because he didn’t love me like he did when we were 21.
He wanted to “be free” and “have fun.” Then he moved out and within a month had spent $9,000 at exotic “dance” clubs. I’m still trying to understand what happened, or who this person was that I was married to for the majority of my life. Reddit user: Wide_Ocelot
I Could Hear Them
We dated for about four months, had a really intense connection, were texting every day and talking on the phone usually twice a week. One day, I left for a weekend vacation. He knew I liked my space, so I didn’t hear from him. I returned home, texted him that I was back, and a day later I got a break-up text: “It’s not working out. Sorry about the bad timing.”
What was the bad timing, you ask? Well, aside from having my first time with him four days prior, it was my birthday. Reddit user: dontbitelee
The Retreat
I called my girlfriend at the time on the phone, and she answered the call right before it was going to go to voicemail. After we were done talking (which was a very quick conversation), I didn’t hang up, and she thought she did. She set the phone down and continued to hook up with her ex-boyfriend.
I could hear the two of them in the act. Not exactly the sort of background noise I wanted to hear, but I needed to hear it so that I’d never forget that type of pain if ever I got weak and tried to be with her again. Reddit user: [redacted]
Two Birds, One Stone
We dated all the way through high school, and after graduation, she went on a two-week retreat with her temple (Buddhist). After those two weeks, she rocked up on my doorstep with a guy behind her. She declared that it’s over, as she’s found the love of her life; the guy, to his merit, looked very embarrassed and almost apologetic.
Six years later, they’re married, and he’s a good bloke when I occasionally run into them for whatever reason, so I guess she was right at least. Reddit user: Tymical
The Song
My ex threw a party and invited his and my good friends. When we were all a drink or two in, I was wondering what the occasion for the party was. He flatly replied, “I’m breaking up with you, but also wanted to party with friends tonight, so two birds, one stone.”
I mean, it kinda was a really epic party. But you don’t usually party about your own breakup. Reddit user: CrybabyPuppy
I Was The Other Woman
In high school, I had an ex who didn’t even say he was breaking up with me, he just sent me a song, and that was that. I don’t remember the song. All I remember is something in the lyrics being like, “I would chew my arm off to get away from you.”
Cool. Thanks. I wish I could remember what the song was, because I’d probably laugh about it now. Reddit user LoveableKits
She Knew Before She Did It
My boyfriend answered his phone immediately after we had finished making love. While standing next to my bed, still butt naked, I heard him say, “You’re beautiful and you know I love you.” He was talking to his girlfriend, who was studying abroad in Ecuador and had no idea about me.
Apparently I was the other woman. This was three months into our relationship and I had no idea. Reddit user: velvetmagnus
He Took The Dog Too
We’d been together for three years. She borrowed several hundred dollars from me a week before, knowing the whole time that she was going to do this. When she broke up with me, all she did was tell me that she didn’t love me anymore. No discussion, no explanation, nothing.
She then kept the break-up secret, moved to another city, mooched off my friends, trashed their apartment, and nearly killed their dog. Reddit user: [redacted]
She Met Someone New
My then boyfriend had too much to drink after a marathon on St. Patrick’s Day. On the way home, he decided to make a stop at a lawyer’s office and break in, causing over $30,000 in damages and threatening the arresting officers. He was convicted, dishonorably discharged, and I supported him through it all because I loved him.
But then he decided to move back home, broke up with me, and less than a month later was dating a high school girl. Oh, and he took the dog we got together and that I had helped pay for and train. Reddit user: emmny
A Vacation And A Breakup
I started dating this girl, and I thought we hit it off really well. One weekend, she went out with some friends for a girls’ night out. I tried to call her the next day to go out, no answer; no biggie, she was probably sleeping. But I didn’t hear back from her for two days. She then sent me a text apologizing and telling me she would call that afternoon.
Another day went by before she finally called and told me she met someone else on the weekend and that they had moved in together. It was pretty rough. Reddit user: K1mm
Vanessa Is Single…
We dated for four years. We went to the beach with my family that weekend and all drove in the same car. He and I rode in the backseat on the way home, and I fell asleep on his shoulder. I woke up to a text from him saying he was dumping me. So not only did we treat this guy to a free vacation, but he had the audacity to dump me while I was asleep.
And it was through a text, in front of my parents, while we were all trapped in a car for the next 3 hours. Looking back, it was hilarious, but I definitely didn’t think so at the time. Reddit user: [redacted]
A Hickey Before A Breakup
I was taken one day to a very romantic spot right where two rivers met. It was nighttime, with the full moon and stars reflecting off the water. My then boyfriend looked me right in the eyes and said, “So, I feel like I’ve been leading you on, and I have.
Vanessa is single now, and I really like her.” I’m sure you can guess that my name isn’t Vanessa. Reddit user: Fred_the_skeleton
The Ol’ Switcheroo
I was heading on a weekend trip to visit my friend at his college. The night before, I was hanging out with my girlfriend, and she says, “I have never given a hickey before, can I give you one?” I said sure, why not, and she went to town sucking on me like a bloodthirsty vampire. She left me with the biggest hickey I have ever seen on someone. The following day, I left to go visit my friend, and on the way there, she called and broke up with me.
She left me single and with a hideous mark of her territory on my neck. Needless to say, no rebounds occurred; I am pretty sure hickeys deter other girls. Reddit user: kevincredible22
Sorry About Your Aunt…
My girlfriend cheated on me with some guy at a party. She begged and begged me not to break up with her and to forgive her. She said she just made a mistake and that she had drunk too much. I didn’t break up with her. I called her the next day to talk a bit more. She told me that it wasn’t going to work out between us.
Why? Because she couldn’t be with a guy who would put up with cheaters, because it meant I would cheat on her and that I didn’t have enough self-respect. Reddit user: Downvotesdarksouls
In the ninth grade, I received a note from my girlfriend. She told me that I was a great guy, but she wanted to break up because she was into my best friend. She ended the note with a P.S. Sorry about your aunt. This was an aunt of mine who died that very same morning.
Honestly, that was probably the worst day of my life until that point, bar none. Just completely miserable. Reddit user: [redacted]