When the Original Poster (OP) believed he had fathered a child, he dutifully signed away paternity rights and began paying child support. However, after over a decade and $50,000 later, a shocking revelation about the mother’s multiple partners at the time emerges. As he grapples with feelings of betrayal and seeks legal recourse, questions of ethics, responsibility, and justice come to the forefront.
Unexpected News
OP has a short-lived relationship with a woman, which results in a pregnancy. At first, he thought they might start a committed relationship together, but their differences made it evident that this was not in the cards.
Signing Papers
Recognizing his perceived mistake, OP quickly signs away paternity rights but acknowledges the child was his at the hospital the day after the baby was born. Without hesitation, he agrees to pay child support.
A Hefty Price
Over 12 long years, OP pays a staggering $50,000 in child support. He works hard, seeing a chunk of his wages siphoned off each time. His commitment remains unyielding, believing the money is for his child.
Dark Secrets Surface
OP uncovers shocking information. The woman he had dated was also seeing six other men around the same time. He realizes he was chosen as the “father” because of his financial stability and ability to contribute to child support.
Admission of Fault
OP acknowledges that he never got a DNA test at the start. The weight of this decision makes him feel like a fool in hindsight. Years later, OP finally gets the test. The results are clear and undeniable – the child is not his.
A Legal Battle Begins
OP decides to sue the woman for the years of deceptive child support payments for a child that was not his. He feels wronged and gullible and wants retribution from the woman who played him like a fool. The legal papers are filed.
Accusations Fly
The woman is livid, citing her difficult financial situation and OP’s comparative wealth. In her eyes, his pursuit is simply mean. She has no other family members to help support her and her child.
Harsh Words Exchanged
OP responds with a cold fury, telling her that her financial troubles are her own fault, a result of a lifetime of terrible choices. He wants his money back, no matter what. He will not give her one more penny to fund her bad decisions.
Garnished Wages
OP reminisces about the financial strain. His wages were forcefully reduced to pay for a child that wasn’t even his. The sense of injustice and humiliation festers and grows, affecting all aspects of his life.
Suspicious Spending
OP suspects where the child support money went. Instead of the child’s welfare, he believes she spent it on nights out and pyramid schemes that he knows she’s been involved in. His trust is shattered.
A World Divided
Many come to the woman’s defense, suggesting she might have made an honest mistake. Others stand with OP. The court of public opinion is split. However, OP is resolute in his belief, arguing she had a duty to identify the birth father.
Financial Tensions
Details of their financial disparities become public. While OP earns a comfortable $110,000 a year as a computer programmer, the woman makes just $35,000 as a daycare worker. The stakes of the lawsuit are high.
No Turning Back
OP is determined. He has set his sights on retrieving the money, regardless of the fallout. His resolve remains unwavering. Some see OP as justified; others see him as vengeful. The ethical dilemmas are profound.
The Weight of a Mistake
OP grapples with the repercussions of not getting a DNA test linger. Had he required it before signing the papers in the hospital, this entire saga might have been avoided. The lawsuit looms, and both sides brace for what’s to come.
Was The Man’s Behavior Appropriate?
OP posted his story online for feedback and perspective from the internet community. The readers in the forum had a lot of mixed views on the matter.
Forum Responds
One reader said, “I’d talk to a lawyer ASAP. In the US, people can still be obligated to pay child support for a kid proven not to be theirs because they accepted the responsibility in the past.”
Another Commenter Thinks
Another responder wrote, “You should know even with proof that you aren’t the father, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are entitled to your money back. Honestly, you still might even have to pay child support.”
A Third View on The Story
A different person stated, “You’re doing this to be vindictive. You don’t need the money, and there’s no feasible way that she will be able to pay you back. You’re just going to make her spend more money on legal fees that may have gone towards the kid.”
A Final Perspective on the Matter
Another reader commented, “OP is in the US, which means after 12 years, regardless of any paternity test that would occur, he is and basically always will be the father, and he would still be on the hook for child support. After a certain point, the law doesn’t care who the biological father is.”
