What would you do if someone mocked you for being single, in front of your friends? Just imagine you’re enjoying a night out when you’re hit with a snarky comment about your love life. And it’s not coming from just anyone, but your ex’s new wife. Well, the past seems to have a funny way of creeping back into the present, now, doesn’t it?
This is what the protagonist of our story, a woman who thought she had moved on from her heartbreak, experienced when she found herself face-to-face with her ex’s new wife in a showdown of snarky comments and bruised egos.
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Woman gets mocked in public by her ex’s new wife for being single, claps back and calls her out for being unemployed
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov (not the actual photo)
The woman and her ex have the same circle of friends, so they often end up in the same places
Image credits: Chance-Persimmon-164
Image credits: Kampus Production (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Chance-Persimmon-164
Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)
“Aw, it’s okay, some people just stay single”: the new wife commented on the woman’s single status in front of all their friends
Image credits: Chance-Persimmon-164
The woman fires back at the snarky comments from the new wife, calling her out for being jobless despite having a master’s degree
Our leading lady, who we’ll just call Amy, had been dating a guy for 1 year when he broke up with her, leaving her heartbroken. It was a messy split, filled with tears, plenty of sleepless nights and some embarrassing texts sent after a few too many drinks. But hey, who hasn’t been there? Fast forward a few years, and Amy’s ex tied the knot with a new lady.
Amy had moved on from the breakup. While she was not exactly friends with her ex, they still shared a few mutual friends, so they ended up in the same room every now and then. Life can be funny that way. Since the split, Amy’s career had really taken off. She was nailing it at work, and was determined to keep climbing that corporate ladder.
Meanwhile, the new wife, while holding a master’s degree, had been chilling in the unemployed lane for quite a while. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a stay-at-home spouse, but this woman’s employment status becomes a hot topic later on in our story.
Here’s where things get spicy. At a get-together with their shared circle of friends, someone asked Amy about her dating life and she replied that she was single. Out of nowhere, the new wife snarkily chimed in with, “Aw, it’s okay, some people just stay single,” saying it in front of all their friends. Ouch, right? That’s quite a verbal sucker punch. Amy was not about to take that lying down and she quickly fired back with a snarky comment of her own: “Yeah, just like some people are meant to stay unemployed.” Mic drop.
The wife did not take this blow too well, getting upset, crying and quickly fleeing the scene. Later, Amy received a message from her ex, telling her to apologize for the humiliation she caused. Amy replied that she’d apologize only if his wife did first, but he insisted that what Amy said was worse, apparently.
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
Bored Panda reached out to Aimee Hartstein, LCSW, a licensed psychotherapist for over 20 years, for some comments: “Social media has unfortunately thrust us into a complicated world of public bickering and public humiliation at times. My best advice for handling this sort of thing is to never take the bait. If possible, ignoring an attack is a good strategy. If it seems impossible to ignore, then being direct and succinct is also a good approach.”
When asked if it is ever justified to retaliate when insulted, Hartstein explained that “we all sometimes lose our cool and strike out. If you find yourself in this situation, and it’s in front of people or on social media, it’s mature and appropriate to call yourself out later and apologize. Not necessarily to the person but to the people around you who had to witness it.”
That said, was Amy’s comment over the line? Probably. Did the new wife deserve a taste of her own medicine? Maybe. But the real lesson here is that none of them handled the situation with grace. In the game of snarky comments, nobody really wins. It’s like a mud fight with everyone ending up dirty.
Sometimes, you might clash with a partner’s ex, and it’s best to try to keep yourself out of trouble. In some cases, that ex might still have feelings for your partner, struggle with their own happiness, or just enjoy throwing subtle jabs your way. This can cause tensions and create challenging situations, but the best way to deal with it is just to take the high road. According to experts, when dealing with a difficult ex, it’s best to avoid engaging and not take the bait.
In our story, Amy was the one dealing with her ex’s difficult spouse. “His wife and I have always treated each other with polite disinterest. I know she really doesn’t like me,” Amy recalls. Staying calm and collected in such situations is key, which, let’s face it, both Amy and the new wife failed at spectacularly.
What are your thoughts on this story? Have you ever found yourself in a similar scenario? Share your experiences in the comment section.