As hard as it can be to believe, there really are people in the world who think they have a right to something just because they looked at it or touched it one time.
The “Am I the A**hole?” (AITAH) subReddit cringed at the thought that someone might think that wanting something was reason enough for them to be entitled to it.
Redditor Fresh-Wrap-3929 had a comfortable living arrangement with his roommate, even when his roommate was married and had a wife.
But when the relationship later soured and they divorced, the Original Poster (OP) was shocked that the ex-wife came forward, demanding that she had a right to the property because she lived in it at one time and wanted it for herself.
He asked the sub:
“AITAH for snapping at my roommate’s ex-wife for demanding that we give her the house that was under my name?”
The OP had a comfortable living arrangement with his roommate.
“I (28 Male) have been living with my roommate (30 Male) for about three years now. We’ve been great friends and have had a fantastic living arrangement. I bought the house before my roommate moved in, and when he got married, his now-ex moved in with us.”
“He’s going through a rough divorce with his ex-wife (29 Female), and I’ve tried to be supportive.”
But the roommate’s ex wanted the property all for herself.
“Fast forward to yesterday. His ex-wife showed up at our doorstep, unannounced, and demanded that we hand over the house to her. Yes, you read that right. She claims that since she was married to my roommate, she has a right to the house, which is currently under my name.”
“I was taken aback by her audacity. I told her that the house is mine, and I’m not going to give it to her just because she’s going through a divorce. She started getting aggressive and accusatory, saying that I’m just trying to screw her over and that I’m not a good friend to my roommate.”
“I lost my cool and snapped at her, telling her that she needed to respect my property and boundaries. I told her that if she continued to harass me, I’d have to involve the authorities.”
“She stormed out of the house, leaving me shaken but relieved.”
“AITAH for snapping at her? I feel like I was justified in defending my property, but maybe I could have handled the situation better.”
“AITAH?”
As the comments started to come in, the OP shared their first update.
“Well, it looks like she’s taking us to court. I just received a summons in the mail, and we’re scheduled to appear in court in three days.”
“She’s suing me for the house, claiming that she has a right to it due to her marriage to my roommate.”
“I’ve spoken to a lawyer, and we’re preparing for the worst. Has anyone else had to deal with an ex-partner’s craziness? Any advice would be appreciated.”
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
- NTA: Not the A**hole
- YTA: You’re the A**hole
- ESH: Everybody Sucks Here
- NAH: No A**holes Here
Some encouraged the OP to counteract the roommate’s ex-wife’s delusions.
“Counter sue her for harassment, emotional distress, loss of pay due to frivolous cases, financial loss, impacted health due to stress add lawyer and court fees that should be paid by her.
She’ll change her tune.” – ProfileElectronic
“Sue her for court costs and lawyer fees. She’s going to keep doing this to be a pain in the a**. A countersuit will deter her from continuing this behavior. Especially if she’s ordered to pay a portion of the cost her idiocy has brought to your life.” – Jokester_316
“She had absolutely no standing, this story is ridiculous and fake.”
“You can’t sue your friends for marital property during a divorce.”
“Unless there are details the OP is leaving out, like if they helped her pay for the house, there may be some grounds to recoup some of that money…I guess. But that’d be a stretch.”
“If the Soon-to-be Ex is second place on the title, THEN it could be considered marital property and again, she could…in theory be entitled to a portion of it.”
“I’m really struggling to see how this case would ever make it past a motion to dismiss and I really can’t find one. This is fake or not the actual story.” – Scourge165
“You were not married to her. It is your property. And your roommate had no emotional stake when you bought that house.”
“Tell your lawyer you want to counter sue her for emotional distress, the lawyer fees, loss of wages for taking time off, and so on.” – TerrorAlpaca
“She has absolutely no legal rights to this house and if any lawyer said to prepare for a worst-case scenario then they are just trying to wrack up billable hours. ‘Oh, this $3k cost is me spending hours researching housing law.'” – 78october
“Make sure you counter-sue her for any and all legal fees. This bullsh*t lawsuit is something you should not have to foot the bill for. NTA.”
“And sue her for emotional distress and harassment! She will get a reality check. NTA.” – JJQuantum
“I just hate that it’s possible to ruin someone with court costs, even if they are completely in the clear. OP has to pay because of a lunatic.” – Schneeflocke667
“Why didn’t OP’s lawyer file a motion to dismiss because she was demanding a house her ex didn’t own? If they did, why wasn’t it granted? You can sue anyone for anything, but a frivolous lawsuit is not gonna make it to trial/hearing unless you have a crazy judge, and the judge in this story didn’t make a crazy ruling, so not crazy.”
“Civil lawsuits still have a jury. Why doesn’t OP include why he and the plaintiff consented to no jury?”
“Claims involving marital assets are handled in divorce court. No, this wasn’t a marital asset, but that’s just all the more reason it would never proceed to trial/hearing.”
“There ARE consequences for attorneys who file frivolous claims. Either the wife has a crazy attorney doing this pro bono, she’s already super-rich (and doesn’t need the house), or the house is a million-dollar mansion that could justify all this work for a frivolous case. Even the most selfish, unethical attorney has nothing to gain from pursuing a case with no basis.”
“The ex-wife is really just wasting everyone’s time. NTA.” – JuliaX1984
“I don’t know what’s more concerning. The fact that she thinks she has a right to YOUR HOUSE. Or the fact that you were actually scared. She didn’t put any money towards the house, and it’s under YOUR NAME. She wasn’t married to you. She never had a case and never will.” – Slice-Remote
In another update, the OP was nervous about the upcoming hearing.
“I’m posting this two hours before the court hearing.”
“Court prep is going well, but I’m getting anxious about the whole thing. My lawyer says we have a strong case, but you never know what’s going to happen in court. I’ve been rehearsing my testimony and gathering evidence to prove that the house is mine.”
“My roommate is being super supportive, but I can tell he’s stressed about the whole situation too. His ex-wife is just being ridiculous, claiming that she helped with the down payment (which is a total lie) and that she’s entitled to half of the property.”
The court hearing was haphazard but promising, according to another update.
“Today’s court hearing was a total circus. The ex-wife showed up with her new boyfriend (who looks like a total tool) and her lawyer, who seemed like he was straight out of a bad 80s movie.”
“They presented their case, and it was just a bunch of nonsense about how she ’emotionally supported’ my roommate during the purchase of the house.”
“The judge seemed skeptical, but you never know. We presented our side, and I think we did a good job of showing that the house is mine. Now we just have to wait for the judge’s decision…”
The OP then updated with good news.
“WE WON! The judge ruled in our favor, and the ex-wife’s claim was dismissed. We’re both breathing a huge sigh of relief right now.”
“The judge basically said that the ex-wife had no legal claim to the house and that she was just trying to take advantage of my roommate’s good nature.”
“I’m so glad this is over, but I’m also a bit annoyed that we had to go through this ridiculous ordeal in the first place. Thanks to everyone for their support and advice throughout this whole thing!”
The OP was grateful for the direction the situation was going in.
“I’m still on cloud nine after our court victory. My roommate and I celebrated with a nice dinner and a few drinks. It’s amazing how much stress and anxiety can be lifted off your shoulders when you finally get a positive outcome. I’m just glad that justice was served and that we didn’t have to give in to the ex-wife’s ridiculous demands.”
But in another update, the ex-wife wasn’t done trying.
“I just got a call from my lawyer, and it looks like the ex-wife is appealing the decision. I’m not surprised, but I’m still annoyed that she’s not willing to accept defeat.”
“My lawyer says we have a strong chance of winning the appeal, but it’s going to be a longer and more expensive process. I’m just hoping that the appeal court sees sense and upholds the original decision.”
At least in a final update, the OP had good news.
“We just received the appeal court’s decision, and… WE WON AGAIN!”
“I’m beyond relieved and thrilled that this whole ordeal is finally over. The appeal court upheld the original decision, and the ex-wife’s claim was dismissed once and for all.”
“My roommate and I are both breathing a huge sigh of relief, and we’re looking forward to moving on with our lives. Thanks to everyone for their continued support and advice throughout this whole process!”
The subReddit could not believe the ex-wife’s delusional thoughts that, just because she liked the house and lived in it at one time, she held some kind of right over it.
Rather, it seemed best for the ex-wife to take a page out of the OP’s and his roommate’s book, try to find the positive in the divorce and move on.