When two people get married, they usually believe they’ll be together forever. But sometimes, forever ends much sooner than expected. And while some couples manage to part ways peacefully, others become such bitter enemies that it makes you wonder how they ever fell in love in the first place.
Recently, one Threads user asked divorce lawyers to share the cruelest things they’ve seen spouses do to their ex-partners. Legal professionals and regular folks alike responded with jaw-dropping stories. We’ve rounded up some of the most shocking ones below.
Trigger warning: this article contains sensitive content that may be upsetting to some readers.
#1

I was on dialysis. Fighting for my life. My 2 boys were with me when I was constantly in the hospital. He filed a motion for sole custody-hearing was on a Monday and I had just stepped down from ICU that weekend before. I AMA discharged and went straight from the hospital to court in a wheelchair and an uber. Hospital bands still on my wrist. A deputy escorted me into the hearing. I couldn’t walk. When that judge heard the motion, saw me, he almost raised the roof off the courthouse. Dismissed!
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23points
#2

Not a divorce lawyer, but when my children were 2 under 2 I took a bad fall in the backyard and sprained both of my ankles at the same time.
After 24 hours of caring for me and the kids he was “fed up” with being home and in demand and went to the bar.
I had to crawl on my hands and knees to get around the house to care for my babies while my feet healed. (He would go to work then to the bar before coming home after their bedtime.)
Today is the 7 year anniversary of when I left him.
After 24 hours of caring for me and the kids he was “fed up” with being home and in demand and went to the bar.
I had to crawl on my hands and knees to get around the house to care for my babies while my feet healed. (He would go to work then to the bar before coming home after their bedtime.)
Today is the 7 year anniversary of when I left him.
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20points
#3

The divorce took 3 years and 50K. The house was signed over to me. Me and our 3 kids lived in the home. He got one final day to get his personal belongings. When I came back to the house he and his 5 brothers had removed every kitchen appliance, central vac, water softener system, garage openers, cabinets, sinks, etc. They left a nonfunctioning shell. The judge issued a warrant for his arrest. His mother went to the courthouse to talk to the judge.
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16points
#4

I knew a lady at my local YMCA. Hadn’t seen her in weeks. When I finally saw her again, she looked extremely thin, frail and very troubled. She had a sad aura. I asked her what was going on. She replied with a sad smile: “life”.
I learnt later on that she found out she had a very aggressive cancer and while she was at the hospital dealing with it, her husband of 25 years sold their house and filed for divorce stating that he was not going to be broke because of her.
I learnt later on that she found out she had a very aggressive cancer and while she was at the hospital dealing with it, her husband of 25 years sold their house and filed for divorce stating that he was not going to be broke because of her.
15points
#5

A friend of mine was going through a divorce. Went to the husband’s house to discuss something she left there in an ambulance and a coma. He waited days to inform anyone that she was in the hospital. She passed away 3 weeks later and he had her cremated without telling her kids. Didn’t give them a chance for a service or final goodbyes.
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15points
#6

Not married but a couple had a baby then broke up. The baby passed. The man refused to help mom pay for funeral costs claiming it wasn’t his. She got a DNA test & got him added to her paperwork postmortem. Then he said he still wouldn’t pay for it because he’s not required to take care of a child after passing. And now she can’t even get the cemetery to allow her to bury the child because now that he’s the legal parent, the cemetery requires him to sign off & he refuses. Baby has been in the morgue. He told he could change his mind if she rekindles their relationship. So she is taking him back to court.
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14points
#7

This one is very personal. I was kidnapped with my now ex husband and little 2 yo daughter in my home country. We were driving at night and got intercepted. He tried to back up and get away. We get stuck. He opens the door and runs leaving us behind with the kidnappers. He got caught and they beat him up badly for leaving his family behind. We made it out of it in one piece. Now we are divorced and he hasn’t seen her in 9 years. I filed for sole custody and won. He’s mad he’s forced to pay CS.
14points
#8

Hide the fact that he had a vasectomy causing her to go through years of infertility treatments.
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14points
#9

My dad quit his job, and then claimed he was too depressed about his divorce to be able to work just to get out of child support payments. He got his friends to lie for him in the proceedings. He got to keep the house and all his savings, and then flew one of his many girlfriends to the Bahamas for a vacation, and then took her and her kids to Disney, when my mom and I were living with food insecurity.
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14points
#10

I’m not a lawyer, but this is me: My ex husband brainwashed our daughter into hating me when she was 15. Fast forward to last March (she was 24) he tells me that she’s in the hospital very sick, drs just dx her with Autoimmune Hepatitis. 2 days later, she passed away. She was unconscious the entire time I was there. We never got the chance to reconnect. I hope he thinks about this every day for the rest of his life.
13points
#11

Parents split when I was 12, finalized the divorce when I was 14. ‘Father’ went and closed every utility attached to the house: water, electric, phone, then went to the bank with his roach infested sister to fraudulently close their joint account.
God put someone from church, family & family friends in each place that stopped the disconnects & bank fraud called my Mom and held those accounts open until she opened them in her name. And yes, Mom outlived him by 10 years.
God put someone from church, family & family friends in each place that stopped the disconnects & bank fraud called my Mom and held those accounts open until she opened them in her name. And yes, Mom outlived him by 10 years.
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13points
#12

My husbands ex. Not anywhere near as bad as some of these, but they were together for about 10 years. Had two kitties; one who was mainly hers, one who was mainly his. After they separated, he moved out, and she kept the cats while he figured out his living situation so she could keep their apartment. Without telling him, she went and had his cat put to sleep for no reason. That was about 13 years ago, and I can tell it still hurts him. He keeps a photo of Fat Cat on his desk to this day.
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13points
#13

What caused the divorce: we had been trying to conceive. I have fertility issues and struggled to get pregnant. I ended up finally getting pregnant. We were so excited and happy until one day I was at work. I started bleeding, then more bleeding. I called my husband and told him what was happening and that I was scared and wanted him to come get me to take me to the hospital. That child says “I just really don’t feel like leaving the house today.” So I ended up going to the hospital. Alone. I find out I’m no longer pregnant and am actively miscarrying. Alone. I get in my car and call him to tell him the news and all he says is “are you okay?” No I’m not okay. “Okay well are you coming home now?” Yup. See you soon. Bye. That was the moment I realized I needed to get out. I needed to leave and never look back.
Oh and the best part is after we separated, we were still living together. He threatened to throw all my belongings outside our apartment and lock me out because I wanted to go on a date with another guy. One night, he started saying pretty scary things. I started recording him on my phone. He got angry and came at me trying to get my phone away from me. Grabbed me by my wrists, drug me across the floor. Grabbed my arms, left marks. Tried to destroy my bedroom. All because he didn’t want me capturing the disturbing things he was saying.
Oh and the best part is after we separated, we were still living together. He threatened to throw all my belongings outside our apartment and lock me out because I wanted to go on a date with another guy. One night, he started saying pretty scary things. I started recording him on my phone. He got angry and came at me trying to get my phone away from me. Grabbed me by my wrists, drug me across the floor. Grabbed my arms, left marks. Tried to destroy my bedroom. All because he didn’t want me capturing the disturbing things he was saying.
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12points
#14

My story doesn’t compare but…While going through my divorce my ex promised that he would pay the mortgage on the house until the divorce was finalized. On that day as we walked out of the courtroom he handed me a foreclosure notice.
He never paid it. And I had less than a week before the house was to be sold at auction. Less than a week to find a new home for me and our 3 kids. AND it was during the holiday season.
He never paid it. And I had less than a week before the house was to be sold at auction. Less than a week to find a new home for me and our 3 kids. AND it was during the holiday season.
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12points
#15

Funeral director here: husband became even more violent when she developed cancer. He broke her arm during one fight while she was on chemo. He dragged out the divorce proceedings hoping she’d pass away first and it wouldn’t matter. He convinced the judge that seeing mom sick would be traumatic to the kids. When she passed, she hadn’t seen them in four months.
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11points
#16

I knew a lady, early 40's, who was pregnant w twins... 8 months or so. She was taking care of her mom who was sick...went over one day like usual & mom passed away in her arms... She goes home to her husband, stressed obv- finds him in bed w her daughter (before him). Daughter & stepdad move out & get MARRIED. she gets disowned basically... Stress of that day sent her into labor; 1 passed right away & other one a few days later.
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11points
#17

My wife promised me for 2 years she wasn't going to leave me for my best friend & lied to our relationship therapist about it.
4 days after she told me she was leaving me for him she had him beat me up (I still don't know why). I had a broken jaw, broken nose, & a missing tooth. She was there & watched him beat me up. She left in his car without saying a word to me.
6 months later I served her with divorce papers. I would have done it sooner if I could have.
4 days after she told me she was leaving me for him she had him beat me up (I still don't know why). I had a broken jaw, broken nose, & a missing tooth. She was there & watched him beat me up. She left in his car without saying a word to me.
6 months later I served her with divorce papers. I would have done it sooner if I could have.
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11points
#18

My ex was violent physically, mentally, emotionally. I only stayed because I got pregnant. The baby was stillborn..  he moved his best friend in and his very pregnant wife from Thailand 2 days later. I was secretly saving money to escape.. he stole it. I did escape.. but it took years to recover. But watching a pregnant stranger make plans for her baby in your house mentally ruined me. The cruelty.
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11points
#19

My ex stole my car last year in January, I rode a bike all year until I crashed in the snow. He and his lawyer have engineered the family court process I haven’t seen or heard from my children in 80 weeks. Lastly he stole at least $60,000 pre settlement. His lawyer moonlights as a legislator. I wish they would both perish on a hill of fire ants.
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10points
#20

My (ex) husband abandoned me and our children in Disney World. Flew to Denver, turned off his phone, didn’t give an explanation, and refused marriage counseling. When I did finally hear from him, he said “It’s over. We’re done.”
So, when me and our kids got home, I DoorDashed packing supplies and threw EVERYTHING he owned into boxes. They were outside in the driveway when he finally returned from Denver.
We’ve now been separated for 5 months and I’m still in shock.
So, when me and our kids got home, I DoorDashed packing supplies and threw EVERYTHING he owned into boxes. They were outside in the driveway when he finally returned from Denver.
We’ve now been separated for 5 months and I’m still in shock.
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9points


