AITA for not forgiving my female cousin for helping my ex cheat?

r/

To be honest, I just wanted to put my past all behind me and forget about it. However, my aunt will be visiting my city this weekend to attend a sermon, and bringing her daughter, Kaylee, with her. I’ve been dreading it all week and whenever the topic of us potentially meeting or hanging completely infuriates me.

For context, we’re both the same age, and I meet my ex through Kaylee. Without going much into detail, meeting my ex was the worst mistake of my life. Not only was he a pedophile for dating me when I was only 16 while he just turned 20. He was also verbally, emotionally, and sexually abusive by coercing and SA’ing me in my sleep. The one year I was trapped by this man was my rock bottom, I fell hard in school, was constantly depressed and suicidal, and felt truly isolated from the help and therapy I needed because I had to block all of my friends. The breaking point was when I found the hundreds of text messages of him cheating on me with multiple girls across all possible platform imaginable. I was heartbroken, especially since I had stayed loyal to him all this time while not receiving the same grace.

With no one to turn to, I bawled my eyes out to Kaylee, mentioning the texts and photos I found. When I specifically mentioned a girl with blonde hair, Kaylee began laughing and told me she knew who I was talking about. “Is this the girl?” She asked, sending me a selfie of the exact girl from his photo. She then told me how my ex had told his plans to cheat on me, which Kaylee neither stopped or had told me. This was months ago and she had waited all this time until now to tell me. I cried and asked to know why she wouldn’t tell me, she simply said “Y’all are both my friends, and I’m not a snitch”. …I was her freaking cousin, her own blood, we used to make disgusting love potions together, have sleepover, built a tiny cabin during the summers, and bonded over whatever dumb stuff we found funny as kids. This horrible man, who she have only met once in real life, whom she met through snap chat and has not had one meaningful conversation with, is on the same level of importance to her as me. Yet, I never confronted her, I never called on her bullshit and decided to cut contact with her after the break up.

Fast-forward to the present day, I had moved to her state about a month ago. The breakup was last year, but it felt like a lifetime ago with how much I’ve been thriving, living, learning, and maturing. To welcome me, Kaylee and her family went to pay a visit. When I saw her again, I did not make a big fuss, I was friendly, and cordial because I did not want to cause tension between my father and his sister (Kaylee’s mother). We did some catching up, and once again, I found out that my ex and her had been texting all along. Bad mouthing me, stalking me, her justifying what he did and feeding into his delusions that I still had feelings for him. I found out how an old friend of mine from high school had even reached out to him to talk behind my back. I should have said something then, about how horrible she is as a person, how much I despised her, expose her true colors even though it’s not much of a secret to our family. However, I took the high road and brushed it off like it didn’t bother me.

That night, I reached out to my old high school friend, we had a long conversation about why she did what she did. Although it doesn’t justify or dismiss her actions, because she had knew the full scope of what my ex had did, I decided to forgive her for taking accountability and we both became great friends once more. However, I will never ever forgive Kaylee, not in this life, not in any lifetime where she is my acquaintance. I had never hold a grudge before, because I don’t like having hate in my heart. I had forgiven anyone that had did me dirty, my best friend who had backstabbed me, the girl who had talk shit to my abuser, but I could not forgive someone who is out to hurt me, their own family and had never once muttered an apology or acted remorseful.

While Kaylee’s family is oblivious to my hatred towards their daughter, there were other families who knew. My older siblings and another auntie, who said they never liked Kaylee and thought she was a horrible kid and brings shame to the family. My father, who knew but doesn’t voice his opinion on “teenage business”, and my mother, who told me to just let it go. My mother’s words honestly felt like a stab, I told her about Kaylee’s betrayal with so much pain in my voice, but being the peace keeper she is, doesn’t make it clear who’s side she is on. It is never a competition and I don’t want to tear my family apart over this, but knowing that one family member had already betrayed me, I don’t need another.

I know I’ve been rambling for too long. I’m honestly writing like a maniac right now with all the anger built up in my chest and tears in my eyes. I’ve not told anyone all of this for so long that I just can’t help it. The mention of Kaylee’s name, and recalling what my ex have done to me refresh old wounds that never truly healed. I don’t want to see her this weekend, I never wanted to see her again, whether it be my graduation, my wedding, holidays or even on my death bed. My mother makes it sounds like I’m crazy for holding this grudge for something so “trivial” but she never heard the full story, of what my ex did, of how Kaylee is still doing me dirty until this day. AITA for not forgiving my cousin?

Comments

  1. Sufficient_Grape_913 Avatar

    You are absolutely not the a**hole. Kaylee betrayed you on multiple levels and showed zero remorse. Blood relation doesn’t excuse enabling abuse or staying silent when someone is being harmed. You’re allowed to protect your peace.

  2. BLUNTandtruthful58 Avatar

    Permanent no contact with her and anyone else that’s not on your side they’re not warranty to be on your life if they’re going to be on Kaylee’s side💢

    Save yourself the mental health get rid of all the toxic thorns and block them all from your phone and social medias 

    NTA 

  3. miyuki_m Avatar

    NTA. You are NOT holding a grudge. That’s what others will call it. I call it seeing her for who she is and not wanting someone like that in your life. She is not loyal, she talks shit about you behind your back, and she is maintaining a relationship with someone who treated you like garbage.

    Cutting contact with someone like that is not holding a grudge. It’s protecting yourself from someone who does not respect you, does not deserve a place in your life, and is just a generally terrible human being.

  4. whatsittooya Avatar

    NTA!

    Anyone who can still be friends with an abuser after finding out about the abuse but also knowing it was happening and not trying to help is just a shit person. Knowing the abuser is also a pedo makes them both deserving of being introduced to a woodchipper feet first. Protect yourself and cut all contact. Family isn’t blood it is the people in your life that are there for you when no one else is.

  5. StealthyPiku Avatar

    NTA – I’m sorry you had to go through all this. That she laughed at your situation says it all, really. You can only protect yourself by distancing yourself from her, as she can’t be trusted.

    Try to turn your emotions towards her into indifference, don’t let her keep any power over you.

  6. Temporary-Laugh-227 Avatar

    Wow with family like this who needs enemies! Blocked her and be polite but don’t engage.. I think it’s called grey rocking.

  7. Ivan23live Avatar

    The last part about what your mom said, how you felt about it, I can relate to that. What your mom said hurt me hearing it.

  8. shaylgarcia Avatar

    You need to tell your mom the WHOLE story. She is reacting with the limited information she has. Just because this piece of crap is your cousin doesn’t mean you have to forgive her or have a relationship with her. If you forgive her, it’s only so you can have peace in your heart. It doesn’t mean you need to ever see her again. I have family that has done me wrong and I choose to forgive them for my own peace. However, I do not allow them anywhere near my life. If someone did to my daughter what she did to you, I would not allow them in my home. I would have no qualms about telling her mom exactly why either. Your mom is working from the info she has, so give her more to work with.

  9. Mysterious_Light1231 Avatar

    Absolutely NTA !! But I would make sure to block her on all platforms so she can’t cyber stalk you

  10. FelineGood8 Avatar

    I would open a new Instagram Ticktock Snap WhatsApp and not give her the time of day.

    Be polite and quiet around her if you happen to be at the same family event. She is TOXIC.

  11. GoodWin7889 Avatar

    NTA. It sounds like she’s jealous and competitive with you. She has focused her attention on you. Keep any text or communications if she or your ex still harasses you get a restraining order.

  12. Substantialgood4102 Avatar

    NTA for not forgiving her. Do yourself a favor. Quit keeping the peace. Shun her. If in the same place ignore her. Do not speak to her. Act as if she is not there. She speaks don’t acknowledge her at all. Cut her out of your life. Mom says anything tell if she wants to remain a doormat she can but you are done. She gets mad tough shit. She has no importance in your life. Pretty soon others will follow suit.

  13. Smooth_Ad4859 Avatar

    Will they stay at your house? If yes, then grey rock method.

  14. not-your-mom-123 Avatar

    You’ve been traumatized. Are you getting help?

  15. FarSoftware8497 Avatar

    NTA you have every right to be hurt.

    You have choices. You can continue keeping peace or you can blow everything up. .

    You could simply confront Kaylee in front of God and everyone or alone and tell her the kind of garbage person she is and to stay away from you when they visit and tell them all exactly what the ex did to you and how she helped him hurt you. (Be prepared the ex will be told.)

  16. Rimuru_The_Junior Avatar

    NTA and it’s horrible that your parents didn’t do much to report your ex to the police because you were still a minor when he SA’d you. You should have told your extended family what happened so they could have reported your ex to the cops and berate Kaylee.

  17. Vivid-Farm6291 Avatar

    You are NTA

    You have valid feelings towards a toxic person.

    Side eye to your mother because she truly sucks.

    My mother would have called Kayla out and ripped her to shreds. Then banished her.

    Also does your dad know this man SA you and mistreated you? He is also suss as hell.

    My dad would have his shovel out .
    You never have to keep the peace.

    If you don’t want to see Kayla then be somewhere else. You owe none of these people your respect or time.

    I’m sorry you suffered. Don’t allow yourself to be spineless like your folks. Pitiful parenting.

  18. Queen-Pierogi-V Avatar

    Story is simply not credible.