I apologize for the long post. I'm not writing for attention, or sympathy. It's for therapeutic reasons and because this post is about a person that uses this app heavily. I figured if I write my this down, get my side of the story "out there", then maybe I'll get some relief or closure.

A little about myself. I was married for 10 years that ended in divorce because my ex-wife had an affair. I got primary custody of our 3 kids and the she moved a way to another state.

I did the dating app thing for a while. It was fun and entertaining. It took my mind off the stressors and monotonous of the single dad life. However, like all things, it got old and I was about to delete the apps for the umpteenth time but I met her

For the sake of the story, were gonna call her M. We clicked instantly and M didn't seem to mind I had 3 kids. She said it made me "more attractive." I ate that bullshit hook, line, and sinker. M stayed a couple of hours away, and every chance I got, I would spend weekends with her. She was just what I needed during a dark period of my life.

This went on for several months. I started to feel that maybe this could be a good thing. Over the span of a year or so, she met my mom. Mom's liked her. I introduced her to my kids; they warmed up to her.

We had our ups and downs. Periods of time where we would break up, only to end to making up and getting back together. Nonetheless, I invited her to move in with the kids and I. This ended being a huge mistake.

Initially, everything was fine. She helped me in the areas I needed, e.g. cooking, cleaning, and the kid’s homework. She gave me the stability I was lacking, and I told her so. I understood that helping taking care someone's else kids is really telling and I appreciated everything she brought to the relationship. I really thought that my new life with her was on the up and up.

That's where the good ends and all the bad started. She started slowly making jokes when I would leave for work. Jokes such as "Tell your "friend" at work I said hi.." or "Had to work late huh...I hope you had "fun"”. She slowly made her way into my social circle (which is extremely small) to learn more about my life. She befriended my best friend and started talking to him about me behind my back. I have a gay friend who I've known for over 10 years who she started to accuse me of messing around with. She got close to my son (18) and daughter and started following them on snap.

When we would go out to dinner. She would accuse me of staring at the waitresses. I would admit I do have a staring problem, but it stems from a really bad deployment. I constantly stare and watch people mannerisms and movements, I can't sit with my back to the exit, etc. None of its is because I have some intention of cheating.

Then the cheating accusations started to fly. From having a friend at work to secretly being gay with my friend I mentioned before. I haven't seen the guy in over 4 years, he lives in a different state, and we talk maybe once a month just to see how each other is doing. I honestly had no idea why I was being accused of cheating.

Then the arguments started. In front of my kids. When she's emotionally charged up she's gonna say how she feels regardless of the environment we are in. Arguing in front my kids is something my ex and I did constantly, and is something I vowed to never do again.

My youngest (6) would come to my defense when we argued. She took offense, which only made her angrier. My daughter (12) would only observe and report everything back to her mom. My home environment as a single dad went from peaceful and happy to one of hostility primarily aimed at her.

My daughter turned cold towards her and I'm not sure why. But tension between the two of them was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

I started dreading coming home from work. If the traffic was heavy or if I made an unplanned stop to Walmart, which would make me arrive home late, I would be questioned like a criminal for "cheating".

Here is the thing. I'm a loner. All my friends, I can count on one hand. I don't go out, I'm a home-body, I rather spend my weekends watching Netflix and playing videogames. My ex wife had an affair, so cheating is something I just can't bring myself to do. I say that because I honestly have no idea why I would be accused as such.

I even offered her my phone so she could go through it. She didn't take it. Instead she went behind my back and went through it. Only to mention shit to "confirm" what she conjured up in her head.

I could go on, but for the sake of the l time, I'll sum it up by telling what the last straw was.

Recently, everyone in my family caught the flu. My youngest caught it first, then me, then my daughter. When my daughter got sick, M tried to convince me that she was faking and only wanted to stay home because her brother was. I let her stay home because she was really sick.

M got pissed and was an absolute bitch the entire time we were sick. She sat on her phone, or watched Netflix. She didn't ever check to see how I was feeling.

That's when I knew it was time for her to leave. As I slowly started to get better, I became the ultimate asshole. I started to exclude her from everything. I wanted her to know that she was no longer wanted. I even told it to her face. It was mean but I didn't give a shit.

All this took place leading up to Christmas. The tension was unbearable. I had to fly my kids home for the holidays and left her at my house by herself. Honestly, the short break was a relief for both us.

A couple of days before Christmas, while I was in another state, she sends a text "I'm out ✌🏾 I left the key under the door" then blocked me.

I was relieved but I couldn't fathom how she was able to move everything by herself. I helped her move, and it took both of us and my kids help to get it done. I lose sleep wondering if she had some stranger in my house while I was away.

Fast forward to this past weekend. I had to fly back home to pick up my kids. While there, guess who has a bumble profile not too far from my parents’ house? You guessed it M. She moved to my home state, which she is originally from. I swiped right just to troll but I didn't get a response. I didn't expect to. I just wanted to tell her that I knew all along that she had an active bumble profile the entire time we were together. That I knew she talked to guys while in was at work. That I know she still talks to my best friend and my oldest son.

I tolerated it all because the stability she provided outweighed the bullshit I had to put to with.

This is my side of the story that I'm sharing with you internet strangers because I have no one else to talk to. My ex-wife shattered my hope in a relationship. M gave me hope and destroyed it.

Now I'm back to the single dad life again. I spent the holidays by myself, which I didn't mind. Solitude gives life to us introverts.

I'm open for discussion on this disaster, but as I mentioned in the beginning, this is M's hangout spot. I doubt she'll chime in, but if she does, I'll probably just delete this account and lurk.