Childhood rivalries often fade with age, but the bad blood between these step-sisters has lasted decades.
After growing up relentlessly bullied by her stepsister, one woman found success in her adult life, even though the odds were stacked against her.
But just when she thought she had moved on from her troubled past, her stepsister made an unreasonable demand that proved she hasn’t changed at all.
You’ll want to read on for this story.
When I was 8, my mom passed away, and my dad remarried my stepmother when I was 11.
My stepmother also had two children of her own, Erica (11) and Becky (13).
But these girls weren’t true family – at least they didn’t act like it.
Growing up, Erica and Becky made it clear they didn’t consider me their sister and would continuously exclude me.
They also recruited their cousins (from their mother’s side), and I was pretty much ostracized by them too, so family events were horrible.
Erica, in particular, really hated me, and I still don’t know why.
It seemed there was no line Erica wouldn’t cross to hurt her stepsister.
She would joke about my mom being gone, break my things (including a necklace that passed from my mom to me), and have massive tantrums when my maternal grandparents bought me anything.
I was either forced to share or it was confiscated (note: my stepsisters were never expected to share gifts they got from their dad’s family).
She would also “steal” my friends and boyfriends from me.
Then came another big betrayal – this time, from her parents.
When we were both 18, Erica ended up pregnant and decided to keep the baby.
Our parents gave her both of our college funds to help her with the cost of having a baby since she didn’t work and the father wasn’t in the picture.
I was devastated and pretty much gave up on the idea of college at this point.
Luckily, a guardian angel was looking out for her.
Thankfully, my maternal grandparents had been secretly building a separate college fund for me, and I won some scholarships, so I was able to go to college with minimal debt.
But it changed the trajectory of her relationship with her parents.
My relationship with my dad has been strained ever since.
So, when I got married, I had my maternal grandpa do all of the typical father-daughter stuff.
In her adult life, she thrived. But the rest of her family soon fell on hard times.
My husband owned multiple properties before we got married and has a successful business.
He helped me pay off my student debt, and we’re doing very well financially.
My parents recently got into some financial trouble and have to downsize their house.
Lo and behold, it’s now up to her to save Erica’s behind.
They’re now demanding that I let Erica and her daughter move into either my house or one of my husband’s other properties.
I flat-out refused.
Her parents argue that if she can help someone else out, she should be able to do the same for Erica right?
Their argument is that my husband’s sister (who is also a single mother) lives in one of these properties rent-free and that if we are willing to do it for her, we should be able to help Erica too.
They’re now calling me selfish for making a child homeless and saying my husband’s money has made me a snob.
Before this, Becky and I had started repairing our relationship and had actually grown closer, but now she’s stopped talking to me, and I’ve been shut out again.
My stepmother’s family has also reached out to call me horrible names.
But why should she, she asks.
The thing is, me and my husband could support Erica and her daughter, and I do feel like maybe I’m being petty for holding something she did to me when we were children against her.
She now wonders if she’s justified in refusing to help.
My niece is also the one who’s going to suffer if I don’t help.
My husband says Erica is an AH who never apologized, so she doesn’t deserve our help anyway, but he’ll help if it’s what I want.
AITA for refusing to help her?
Funny how after everything, this woman is still the villain in her family’s eyes.
What did Reddit think?
This commenter thinks the woman’s family have it twisted.
Her parents’ insistence on coddling Erica has actually hindered her in the long run.
This user supports housing her… under several conditions.
Considering how she’s always been treated like an outcast, Erica cozying up to her now is pretty rich.
When it comes to all of her sister’s past cruelties, she may have forgiven, but she sure as heck hasn’t forgotten.
You can’t just erase the past.
If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.
