Zem Cricket

Zem Cricket Behind every relationship is a story. At Zem Stories, we reveal the heartbreaks, betrayals, and shocking turns.

12/29/2025

Is It Fair to Set Guest Conditions When You’re Paying for the Wedding?”

12/29/2025

Last night my fiancée (38F) left around 7:45 p.m. to give a friend’s son a ride home. She said she would be back before 9.

By 10:15 p.m., she still wasn’t home. I texted her, and she replied that the drop-off had been farther than expected—about 30 minutes away—and that she was on her way back.

By 11:45 p.m., she still hadn’t arrived. I tried calling and texting again, but got no response. At first I was frustrated, but by 1:30 a.m. that turned into real concern. Her phone wasn’t answering, messages weren’t being read, and this was very out of character.

Around 1:45 a.m., I contacted the police. I didn’t file a dramatic report—I asked if they could check for any accidents involving her car and alert officers along the route she would normally take. I also called nearby hospitals. I waited outside for hours because I didn’t want the kids to hear me calling hospitals and because I was extremely worried.

She came home around 7:00 a.m. She explained that she felt too tired to drive safely, pulled over to rest, and discovered her new phone had stopped working. She slept for several hours and then came home to get the kids to school and go to work.

As soon as she arrived, I called the police back, gave them the case number, and confirmed she was safe. They told me they still needed to do a standard wellness follow-up.

Later that morning, an officer contacted me asking where she worked. I asked if they could call her instead of showing up in person, but they said they couldn’t guarantee that.

A police officer ended up visiting her workplace. She is now extremely angry with me, saying I embarrassed her, overreacted, and punished her for making a responsible decision by not driving while exhausted. She insists she was never missing and says I should have waited much longer before contacting anyone.

She’s now saying she feels afraid to go anywhere outside of work because she thinks I’ll call the police again.

From my perspective, she was unreachable for over eight hours after saying she was on her way home, and I genuinely feared something bad had happened.

So—did I overreact by contacting the police, or was this a reasonable response given the circumstances?

12/28/2025

My fiancé (28) and I (26) have been together for three years and got engaged three months ago. We’re planning to get married in November. I love him deeply, but a recent conversation has caused a lot of tension.

While discussing finances after marriage, I asked when my name would be added to the deed of the house we live in. That’s when the argument started.

For background, my fiancé inherited a large amount of money from his uncle when he was 23. He lives comfortably but isn’t flashy. Because of this inheritance, he’s always been cautious about people using him financially.

I moved in with him about a year into our relationship. He has never asked me to pay bills and only expects me to cover personal luxury items. About nine months ago, he suggested I stop working as a teacher because he could see how unhappy I was. We discussed it thoroughly and agreed on clear ground rules. He gives me monthly financial support through a legal arrangement so I have income and health insurance, and he encouraged me to focus on hobbies and personal growth since we don’t plan to have children. Quitting my job genuinely helped my mental health.

When I asked about being added to the house deed, he became quiet and said he wasn’t comfortable with that. He explained the house was fully paid off before we met and that he feels responsible for it. He said that while our life would be shared, the house was the first major thing he ever owned and he wanted to keep that as his. He added that if we ever buy or build another home together, both our names would be on that deed.

That response hurt me. It made me feel like he didn’t fully see us as a team or that he thought I was using him. We argued, and I ended up leaving to stay with my sister. When I told a friend what happened, she said I was overreacting.

Now I’m questioning myself. I feel upset, but I also wonder if I let my emotions get the best of me.

Am I wrong for being upset, or is this something I should have handled differently?

12/28/2025

I’m 22, and my older brother Jamie is 28. We’ve been roommates since I was about 17. Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of women come and go, sometimes even when he was already in a relationship. I don’t agree with how he treats women, but I’ve usually stayed out of it and kept my opinions to myself.

Jamie has four children with different women. His oldest daughter is 10. He pays child support for her but rarely sees her. He also has four-year-old twin boys with one of my close friends. She never took him to court, so I often help her when she needs support. He has another child, a son around eight years old, whom he doesn’t see at all. Jamie has said more than once that he never wanted kids and refers to them as “accidents.” He gets irritated when their mothers contact him.

About three years ago, Jamie met a woman named Natalie. They hit it off quickly, and she eventually moved in with us. I honestly didn’t expect the relationship to last, but it did. As I planned to move out soon, Natalie started talking about renovating my room and even joked that it could become a nursery one day. I laughed it off and assumed she was joking.

A few weeks ago, Jamie surprised her with a proposal at the apartment. I congratulated them. Everything seemed fine until a few nights ago when we were all drinking and talking. Natalie was excitedly discussing wedding plans and mentioned how she wanted kids soon and believed Jamie would be a great father.

Without really thinking, I laughed and said that he hasn’t been a great dad to the children he already has.

Natalie was confused and asked what I meant. Jamie immediately panicked, and it became clear she didn’t know about his children. I explained that he has kids he isn’t raising and that he has said he doesn’t want children at all. Jamie started yelling, so I left and stayed with a friend.

Since then, Jamie has been furious and says I ruined his engagement. Our parents agree with him and say it wasn’t my place to tell Natalie and that he should have told her himself.

I feel conflicted. I didn’t plan to expose anything, but I also feel like she deserved to know before marrying him.

Was I wrong for telling her the truth?

12/28/2025

My sister and her fiancé are getting married in September, and they recently sent out their wedding invitations. On the invite, they explained that they already have everything they need and that anyone who wants to contribute can give money toward their honeymoon instead of bringing a gift.

I understand their reasoning. They’re moving shortly after the wedding, so they don’t want to deal with traditional gifts. Still, I personally found the wording a bit awkward. To me, asking for money feels different than receiving gifts, even if it’s optional.

This weekend, they came over, and my sister asked what we thought of the invitation. She designed it herself and seemed proud of it. I told her that I liked the card overall, but I was honest and said that asking for money felt tacky to me. I wasn’t trying to attack her, just sharing my opinion since she asked.

I explained that if they didn’t want gifts, they could simply say that, without mentioning money. My sister got very upset and said the contribution was completely voluntary. I responded that gifts are voluntary too, which only made things worse. She stormed off, clearly hurt.

Now my parents are angry with me and say I was rude and out of line for saying anything at all. They think I should have kept my opinion to myself.

I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings, but I was being honest when she asked for feedback.

Was I wrong for saying what I did?

12/28/2025

I’m 28, and my wife is 26. We got married last Wednesday, and the ceremony itself was beautiful.

From the beginning, my wife was very clear that no guests were allowed to wear white. I understood that rule, since wearing white at weddings is often considered disrespectful.

The reception was going well until I noticed my wife walking quickly toward the bathroom, covering her face. I could tell she was upset, so I followed her. I knocked, told her it was me, and after a few minutes she opened the door. She was sitting on the floor, clearly crying, with her makeup smeared.

I asked what was wrong, and she told me that one of our nephews was wearing white jeans and a white bow tie. He’s six years old. My first thought was that this wasn’t a big deal, since he’s a child and obviously didn’t choose his outfit himself.

I tried to calm her down and told her, as gently as I could, that she was overthinking it and that she should enjoy the night. She texted her sister to come help fix her makeup, and eventually she went back to the reception.

Later, I saw her talking to my sister, who is the child’s mother. I assumed they were just chatting. About an hour after that, my sister pulled me aside and told me she was extremely upset. She said my wife had asked her to either change her son’s clothes or leave the wedding.

That crossed a line for me. I spoke to my wife privately and told her what my sister said. My wife insisted she was right and said it was her day and she didn’t want it ruined. I told her that if she asked my family to leave over this, I would leave too.

She started crying again and said she felt disrespected. At that point, I lost my patience. I told her she was being selfish and acting insecure for letting a six-year-old’s outfit affect our wedding day.

Since the wedding, she’s been staying with her mother, and we haven’t spoken. Her mom contacted me and said I need to apologize for being out of line.

I honestly don’t feel like I handled this unfairly, but now I’m second-guessing myself.

Was I wrong for saying what I did?

12/27/2025

I’m a 20-year-old woman, and I’m very close to my younger brother, who is 17. We’re biological siblings, and he’s honestly my best friend. He’s always said I’m the person he trusts the most.

My brother graduated high school last year. For over a year, he had been asking our mom and stepdad if he could get a car for his graduation party. He offered to pay 50–75% of it with his own money if they covered the rest. At first, they said no. For context, I have a car too, but I worked for it and they helped me pay part of it off.

My brother kept asking throughout the year, and the arguments slowly got worse. At one point, I even told him I’d help him with car expenses once I had my own car. He hugged me and said I didn’t need to worry and that he owed me way more than I owed him.

My stepdad and my brother don’t have a good relationship. My mom and stepdad got together soon after my parents divorced when we were young. My brother believes they may have been seeing each other before the divorce. I’m not sure, but I understand why he feels that way.

Eventually, my mom, stepdad, and brother agreed the car would be bought later so people wouldn’t talk at the graduation party. By June this year, the arguments started again and became intense. There were long fights, and my stepdad even yelled at my brother. They finally agreed the car would be bought last week.

That morning, my mom and stepdad took my brother outside to show him a “car.” It turned out to be my mom’s car, not his. They revealed it was a prank. They had used my brother’s money and my stepdad’s money to buy a different model and said it was for my mom. They laughed and acted like it was funny.

My brother didn’t yell or cry. He just looked at my stepdad and calmly said that this was cruel, that they clearly thought very little of him, and that one day they would regret treating him this way. Then he walked away.

My mom and stepdad were shocked and asked me what that was about. I told them they shouldn’t be surprised and that this situation was bound to hurt him deeply.

They grounded both of us. I feel terrible for my brother. Our parents are furious, but they don’t seem to understand how much this crushed him.

Was I wrong for saying what I did?

12/27/2025

I’m 16 and was in the hospital until a few days ago because of my heart. I was born with a heart condition and got sick again a few weeks ago. I needed surgery, but I’m recovering now and doing much better. While I was in the hospital, I had a serious argument with my mom and her husband, mostly with my mom, and I need outside perspective.

When I was six, my dad was in a terrible accident. He suffered severe brain damage and was never the same afterward. He uses a wheelchair, needs help with daily life, and had to relearn how to speak over many years. He’s improved, but he’s permanently disabled and has many health problems. My parents were married at the time, but my mom divorced him after it became clear his condition was permanent. My uncle, his brother, now takes care of him. My mom said it was best for us to move on.

Later, my mom married a man named Jason. I didn’t handle the divorce or her new relationship well and was very angry. Jason moved in, and they got married. After that, we found out Jason had a young daughter he didn’t know about, and she came to live with us. Then my mom and Jason had two more kids together.

A major issue for me is that my mom expected me to see Jason as my new dad. She encouraged me to let go of my relationship with my real dad and rely on Jason instead. She even tried to limit my contact with my dad, but the courts didn’t allow that. I still see my dad several times a month. My mom believes my life would be better if I accepted Jason as my father. Jason has told me it hurts him that I choose my dad over him, especially since my dad can’t fully care for me.

I’m not very close to my stepsister or my half siblings either. I know it’s not their fault, but being around them means being around my mom and Jason, which is difficult for me.

When I was hospitalized and told I needed surgery, I called my uncle and asked if my dad could come see me and be there. My mom didn’t want that. She said she didn’t want the other kids to see my dad because of his condition. I told her they didn’t have to see him, but I needed him there. She said that would mean my siblings couldn’t be there, and I told her I would rather have my dad with me than them. I said he is my dad and always will be.

I also told her that if she could walk away from him because of his disability, I never would, and that if she kept pushing this, she would lose me. My dad was with me before surgery and when I woke up.

Now that I’m home, my mom is still angry. She says my siblings feel rejected by what I said.

I was scared and wanted my dad. Was I wrong for saying that?

12/27/2025

I have three children. Twins, Ella and Steven, who are both 23, and my youngest son John, who is 17.

John was conceived during an affair I had while married to the twins’ father, Rob. John’s biological father is Harry. When Harry found out I was pregnant, he disappeared. Rob didn’t learn the truth until three years later. At the time, the kids were young, so we didn’t tell them why we divorced.

Even though John wasn’t his biological son, Rob loved him and raised him as his own. John has always seen Rob as his dad.

When John was 10, Harry came back into my life. I was angry at first, but eventually forgave him, and we later got married. My kids didn’t hate Harry, but they never bonded with him. This hurt Harry, especially because he is John’s biological father.

Things got worse when John was 16. Harry wanted to spend time with him, but John said no. Harry snapped and said they never did anything together as father and son. John replied that he didn’t hate Harry, but he didn’t see him as his dad and never would.

I lost my patience and asked John if he would feel that way if Harry were his real father. John looked confused, so I told him the truth. I also said his behavior was hurting Harry. John broke down crying and ran to his room. Ella comforted him, and Steven was furious, saying I hurt John because of my own feelings.

A year has passed. My kids have somewhat forgiven me, but they still aren’t close to Harry. Recently, on Harry’s birthday, he wanted to spend time with John. John chose to go to a movie with a friend instead. I told him Harry wanted to see him, but John said I could ground him if I wanted because he was going anyway.

When he returned, I told him his behavior toward Harry was unfair. John said he is polite, but Rob is his dad. I asked why I told him the truth if nothing changed. John said I didn’t tell him for his sake, but out of jealousy because he wouldn’t see Harry as his father. He then went to his room.

Ella and Steven later called and told me to stop forcing John to love Harry. They said Rob is his real father because he raised him. Steven even said he plans to help John leave when he turns 18. I asked Rob to talk to John, but he said he wouldn’t force him to love anyone.

I don’t understand. Am I wrong for wanting my son to love his biological father?

12/27/2025

I’m an 18-year-old only child. My parents divorced when I was eight. My dad remarried when I was twelve. At first, things were okay. But after a few years, I started noticing that my dad clearly preferred my step-brother, who is now 13.

My dad started doing more things with him. He went to my step-brother’s games, plays, and tournaments. When I invited my dad to things that mattered to me, he usually didn’t come. Out of ten events, he might show up to one or two. His wife always had excuses. She said her son was younger, that my dad and her son were very close, and that my step-brother’s biological dad wasn’t involved. She also told me I was lucky to have a dad at all and that he was “sharing his love.”

When I was 13, my mom went for full custody and won. That was the first time I saw my dad act really hurt. He said I was his little girl and felt like I was being taken away. After that, I only saw him if he made the effort to pick me up. Even then, he still missed most of my important moments. I’ve always carried resentment because of that.

This year is my last year of high school, and there have been a lot of important events. My last debate. My last volleyball game. I won best essay in my class. I made the top 20 alumni list. I even went to pick out my prom dress. He missed most of it because of work or things related to his other family. I finally reached my limit.

My high school graduation is on December 15. That’s the same day as my step-brother’s elementary school graduation. When I told my dad, he said he would “see if he could make it.” I knew that usually meant no.

I snapped. I told him that graduating elementary school and graduating high school are not the same. I’m moving on to university. I told him that if he chose my step-brother’s graduation, he could forget about me.

His wife exploded. She said I was taking my step-brother’s dad away on an important day and called me a spoiled brat. I told her I couldn’t be spoiled if I’d been ignored for years, and that I wasn’t talking to her. My dad looked shocked. I told him he could show up for me for once, or he could miss me forever. Then I left.

Now that I’ve calmed down, I feel bad. I love my dad. I just want him to be there for me too. I don’t want to hurt a kid who didn’t do anything wrong. I also know my dad is helping pay for half of my college, and I gave him an ultimatum. My dad avoids confrontation, while my mom and I don’t.

So… was I wrong for reacting the way I did?

12/27/2025

My husband (30M) and I (30F) don’t have children. He is the primary income earner, and I handle most of the errands, cleaning, and household management. I also run a small side business, but I have a serious physical disability that makes it difficult to maintain traditional employment. I had to leave my previous job after exhausting my medical leave.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been feeling uncomfortable with my husband’s attitude. He’s become noticeably short with me when I ask questions or remind him about things. In the past, if I said something like, “Hey, you forgot to send me back the $10 I lent you,” he’d respond casually and fix it right away.

Recently, his responses have changed. If I ask whether he took the trash out or remembered something, he’ll just say “Okay” in a flat tone and complete the task silently. I’m used to more warmth in our interactions, and the shift has made me feel like I’m bothering him.

This is where opinions may differ:
Is this just stress showing up differently—or does tone still matter in a marriage?

For context, he started a new work-from-home job in December. They recently began what he calls a major “quarterly software deployment,” which he says is extremely demanding.

Things came to a head this morning when I realized my ice cream had been placed in the refrigerator instead of the freezer and had completely melted. Earlier that day, I had told him he could have some, so I assumed it was an honest mistake.

I went to his office, explained what happened, and told him he needed to be more careful. I then asked when he would be going out to replace it.

That’s when everything escalated.

He suddenly broke down, yelling and crying—not directly at me, but loudly and intensely. He said something along the lines of, “Just take my debit card and get yourself more ice cream. Get yourself a new car if you want. Just take it.”

I was startled and honestly scared, so I left the house to cool off. Later, I texted him saying I expected an apology for the outburst.

Here’s where I’m conflicted:
Was I addressing a reasonable issue—or did I push someone who was already overwhelmed?

This may be relevant: about three weeks ago, he mentioned that he was tapering off a medication prescribed by his psychiatrist because he lost his job and insurance before starting this new one. During that time, we had to make difficult choices about expenses, and we prioritized medications related to my disability.

Still, I can’t shake the feeling that his reaction was extreme.

AITA?

When stress and health factors are involved, where’s the line between accountability and compassion in a marriage?

12/25/2025

I Refused to Adopt My Sister’s Baby and Told My Stepmom It’s Not My Job to Fix Her Choices | KHARA FAMILY

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