I Dumped My Cheating Fiancé and Took Our Dog—His Revenge Turned My Life Into Hell / Bright Side

Relationships can be complicated, and betrayals only make it worse. Like for this Bright Side reader, who wrote us a letter, telling us about how her ex-fiancé harassed her, to the point she had to go and call the cops on him. Clearly, this is not what love is supposed to look like, given that she was terrified at one point.

I broke up with my cheating ex-fiancé, and took my dog.

Dear Anna, thank you for trusting us with your troubles, and at the very onset, we’d like to say that all that you feel is valid and important. Your sense of mistrust arises not just from the fact that your fiancé cheated on you, but also how he behaved when you took Daisy away, as you moved out. We hope these tips can help you come through this situation with flying colors.

Grieve over the relationship, but don’t let it define you.

It’s completely natural to feel both grief and anger after a betrayal, so give yourself the space to really experience those emotions. At the same time, keep in mind that your ex-fiancé, Kevin, doesn’t define your worth or your ability to find real love. His dishonesty is his responsibility, not yours. You are, and will be, stronger than the wounds he might have inflicted.

Time is a healer and soon, you’ll be able to open yourself up to genuine connections once again. There’s no hurry, so don’t push yourself. For now, focus on taking care of yourself and reconnecting with whatever brings you peace and joy, including Daisy.

Your safety and well-being is top priority.

From the moment you discovered the truth and walked out, to when Kevin began stalking you, using Daisy as an excuse, your fears for your safety were valid. He also deceived common friends and tried to paint an incorrect picture of you on social media, so calling the police to deal with his strange behavior kept you safe. We applaud you for that.

His apology letter may tempt you into reconnecting with him, maybe over Daisy—but try to resist that temptation for now. Your first priority is to take care of yourself. Focus on preserving your emotional well-being instead of letting this situation consume more of your life. You deserve peace, not additional heartache.

Let common friends find out the truth.

This is also the time you may need some support, not just to get over the betrayal but the stalking and threatening behavior afterward. Make sure your common friends know the real story, and feel free to put it out, in detail, on social media as well — counteracting the lies he put out about you.

Keep your friends close and see if some of them can stay over for a couple of days to make you feel safer, and better about yourself. Share your fears to get support and healing, and if need be, talk to a therapist to air out any hidden concerns. Now is also the time to set your boundaries with everyone, new or old, and step into newer routines to heal faster.

The dog was a gift to you, make sure to prove ownership.

Firstly, your ex-fiancé gifted you Daisy, and that means, legally, she is your dog. The fact that you took care of her, be it financially or otherwise, and that she was more attached to you proves emotional attachments, but even so, it’s better to keep proof of all payments. While we hope you harbor no guilt over taking Daisy with you, and wish you both a wonderful life, legally, pets are considered property. The onus of proving ownership may lie with you if your ex decided to take legal action, so it’s best to keep all papers and proof safe.

It’s all a good idea to get a chipped collar, this way you can trace Daisy in case Kevin decides to take a drastic step and steal her away.

While getting over lies and betrayal is not easy, not all lies are bad. In fact, some lies can turn downright hilarious, as these parents proved with their genius hacks.