AIW for treating this as break-up worthy? Partner intentionally hid my laptop out of spite
I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/Dizzy-University587 posting in r/amiwrong
Concluded as per OOP
3 updates - Long
Original - 14th December 2025
Update - 16th December 2025
Update - 18th December 2025
Update - 13th February 2026
​
AIW for treating this as break-up worthy? Partner intentionally hid my laptop out of spite
​
Some context, my partner (late 20s F) and I (late 20s F) have been together 7 years. We've had periods of breaking up and getting back together. We recently moved in together after a long period of what felt like stability and growth, but since the moving process and moving in, there's been a lot of strife and fighting--some of it old problems coming back up, and some of it new issues.
One recurring problem is my partner struggles with organization and will put her things (such as clothes, accessories, etc.) in piles in a specific but non-designated place for those things. For example, putting a pile of clothes and jewelry on the couch or entryway table. When I (or she) accidentally move these items, usually due to needing to use that space for its intended purpose, or some other purpose, it becomes a huge problem. She gets frustrated and overwhelmed quickly, has wanted me to drop what I'm doing to look for it (with an undercurrent of it being my fault it's misplaced and my responsibility to find it--which makes me not want to help anymore), and half the time it ends up in a fight. It's exhausting.
We're still in the process of unpacking and settling it and right now one of our bathrooms is filled with storage. She put a stack of her clothes, including a hat, on top of the storage items. I needed to get to those items to organize the house and I did my best to put her things together. I don't recall moving the hat. Cue breakfast time, we're having a fine morning, chatting and everything is good. She's getting dressed and goes to get her hat, which is not where she remembers putting it. Immediately she's upset with me, telling me I need to stop touching her stuff, and how I always do this and she is agitated and frustrated. I tell her calmly but firmly that I have no intention of moving her things, but if I need to get to the storage I will simply have to touch her stuff. And that it probably fell behind some things and to keep looking because I know she will find it. She didn't want to hear that, she became increasingly more upset talking at me, stormed around criticizing me instead of actively looking, and I lost my patience and left on a walk in the middle of her talking.
Fast forward to that afternoon. Partner is not home. I'm looking around for my laptop--I have finals due the next day and I need to start working (keep in mind I do have another laptop that I just bought to replace my old one, but I hadn't set it up yet; and to manage my fickle ADHD motivation, I was going to use setting up my computer as a reward for completing my finals on my old laptop). I can't find my laptop anywhere. It's not in the place I always leave it. My gut immediately says that she took it or moved it, but I decide to look around first and make sure I didn't miss anything. I look EVERYWHERE. I text her "Did you take my laptop with you?" She takes a while to text back "no I don't have your laptop." I ask if she's seen it and she can check her icloud since it used to be connected?-- "no it's been disconnected for a while." I text again "Okay so have you seen it?" No reply. I am now 95% convinced she's lying to me but I didn't want to believe that she would actually do this.
She comes home in the evening--I ask again about my laptop. She sits on the couch, not looking at me, focusing on something else while I'm asking to talk to her about it. She chortles at my suggestion that "the only other logical option if you don't have it and it's not in the apartment is that it's stolen" (we live in a building). I keep pressing her, she says offhandedly "i dont know did you check that closet?" She walks over to the closet to put away her jacket and I walk over, to watch her, suspecting she would pull it out of her bag or something. I didn't see her move anything and I ask "why would you suggest that closet specifically?" This goes on for a few more minutes with her smiling smugly and snickering and I'm getting increasingly upset. She's telling me she's too busy to help me find my laptop by answering my questions. Finally I walk over again to the closet, the tiniest piece of doubt wondering if maybe I didn't check it fully--and lo and behold it's sitting right there on top of some jackets, the same jackets I completely pulled out of the closet while digging through to find my laptop--it wasn't there before. I absolutely lose it. I am livid. I am yelling at her that she is weird and that was cruel and disgusting behavior. I tell her I don't want to be in a relationship with her and I do not want to be in a relationship like this. Once I say that, she doubles down since I "bro ke up with her" and just proceeds to dismiss that its just a computer and it's not that serious--and was attempting STILL to make it seem like it was there in the closet the whole time (turns out she hid it on a top shelf--the only place in this entire apartment I didn't check).
She still has not apologized and said she has no reason to "since we're bro ken up." Her response and the whole situation made me feel sick to my stomach. I absolutely hate "pranks" (she knows this) and this wasn't even a prank--she basically admitted to doing this because she was pissed at me for "losing her hat" (MIND YOU i found her damn hat while looking for my laptop, exactly where I said it would be!) This feels extremely serious to me. It doesn't feel like a petty little act. It feels disrespectful, like a breach of my privacy and our shared space, and genuinely cruel. I told her I don't think you can care for someone and love them and do something like this, intentionally cause them distress, confusion, and harm. I cannot fathom how she though this would play out...
The whole process of "brea king up" is daunting and I historically have not been good at maintaining my boundaries and my resolve when bre aking up in the past (I initiated, but we were both expressing unhappiness). We live together now and while the apartment is spacious, it is challenging to split up rooms (only 1 bed) and the other room is still being used as storage. And finding a new apartment is even more challenging with financial constraints having just moved so recently. I have been feeling a lot of frustration with our dynamics aside from this situation, as has she. I love her a lot, but I'm at my wits end. I don't know if things will get better or if we are doomed. We've tried couple's counseling again recently, and it didn't go well--partner was shut down and didn't like the therapist. Our communication is not improving. I need advice on how to move forward in this situation.
TL;DR: I (mid-20s F) recently moved in with partner (mid-20s F), after being together 7 yrs. been having issues exacerbated by the move and old issues resurfacing. she blamed me for her hat getting misplaced when it was on a pile of storage and then intentionally hid my main laptop from me the day before my finals are due and lied about it for hours through text and in my face. I feel livid, hurt, and at my wits end. I love her a lot, but I don't know how to move forward or if this relationship can be saved. I would appreciate any advice or comments, and thank you for taking the time to read.
​
Comments
​
YouSayWotNow
This is not acceptable behaviour (from your partner). And it certainly doesn't feel like a healthy or happy relationship.
KittKatt7179
Love yourself enough to stop being in a relationship with someone who acts like that. People will only treat you the way you allow them to. She is obviously not ready to act like a normal, well-balanced person, nor is she ready to be an adult. If you love someone, you don't purposely cause them distress and anguish. Get your stuff together and leave as soon as you can.
Update - 2 days later
​
I (F-late 20s) posted a few days ago about my partner (F-late 20s) hiding my laptop in revenge for me accidentally misplacing her hat (allegedly)--and me breaking up with her for it.
An update: I've been avoiding speaking to her, sleeping on the couch, getting my affairs in order quietly. she's been finding ways to try and ragebait me. Last night at 2am she comes to the living room where I'm sleeping to ask where I put my rose toy (IYKYK). I put it away because it's mine, it was always meant to be my personal toy, but she took quasi-ownership of it-- and I simply don't want her using it anymore. She proceeds to harass me for 40 minutes straight to tell her where it is, to please give it to her, that she just needs it to sleep. As she disrupts my sleep. I had to lock myself in the bathroom twice because she wouldn't respect me telling her to leave me alone and kept coming back. At the end of this tirade, she asks "when are you leaving for holiday trip?" I tell her don't know and to please leave me alone and let me sleep. "No, I just need to know when you're going to be gone for an extended period of time cuz yeah I just need to know"--implying she needs to know when I'll be gone so she can get her rocks off with someone else in the house. I didn't get to sleep until after 3am.
She gets up at 7:30 am (she never gets up this early). Comes to the living room loudly, tries to hug me. I was sleeping. I tell her please do not touch me. She says "really? how long are we going to do this for?" I pull the covers over my face and try and ignore her and stay calm. She pulls them off my face to ask me a question. She proceeds turn on all of the lights, even though it is already bright. She blends something for (no exaggeration) 20 minutes straight. She stomps around, slams doors, loudly rummages through items. I stay under the covers and just contain my energy. Before she leaves she again tries to hug me after I told her multiple times to please not touch me. She forces a kiss on my head and says "i love you" and again asks how long we're going to do this. Finally she leaves for the day.
When I get up, I see that she turned the heater in the living room up to 86 degrees from 70 degrees to make me hot and uncomfortable. We have pets.
I just wanted to update because I needed to hear how messed up, manipulative, and abusive it is. And I just want to witness myself by writing this down, and be witnessed by others. I can't wait to get myself out of here.
​
Comments
​
Chay_Charles
When you get out, please take the pets with you. I wouldn't trust her to take care of them ot not hurt them out of spite.
>OOP: unfortunately some of the pets are hers. mine are coming with me.
​
Update - 2 days later
​
After this post I may have to switch to posting in r/abusiverelationships. I am ABUNDANTLY clear now that it was indeed more than break-up worthy. I started reading "Why Does He Do That?" After a couple recommendations (a book that I circled around for years but subconsciously avoided to protect my own denial). This relationship has been nothing but abusive. I feel like a veil has been lifted, a bubble burst, and I am so grateful for this clarity, although it comes at a high emotional cost.
I'm still getting things in order. I fear that she will find these posts, if she hasn't already, because she knows how much I use reddit and could find it with key words. I don't know if it matters though, as she just read my journal (where I wrote extensively about all her instances of abuse for my own records) while I was on a walk--I meant to bring it with me, but I left in a rush and was disoriented.
When I returned she said something that made it clear to me she read my journal (she has done this before, knowing that my journals are sacred to me). I stated "I assume you read my journal." She proceeded to verbally abuse me for over 30 minutes, calling me insane, mocked me repeatedly about the journal, called me all kinds of names. When I ignored her, she got in my face banging on the table to get my attention and tried to pull my headphones off. I have receipts of most of this tirade.
This is after two nights straight of her blasting music to continue to disturb my sleep. Last night she played the same song over and over again from 10pm-9am (a song by someone she was romantically interested in and almost hooked up with like Jan from "The Office"). It would be funny if it wasn't so wicked. I lost my patience last night and banged on the door and yelled for her to put on headphones. She wanted me to do this, because now she is saying I've been harassing and abusing her. Classic. There was maybe a 15 minute break and she started the same song up again at 9:30, screaming singing, stomping, slamming, etc.
My family is coming to get me and pets and I will be away and safe for a little while. I want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has commented and asked for updates. I have anxiety about these posts being up, but it is cathartic to write them and it helps me to hold myself accountable (and be held accountable) and strengthen my resolve.
​
Update - 2 months later
​
I think it's time for my (probably final) update on this situation. Two weeks ago I officially moved out and into my own apartment! I left with all of my stuff. I started a new job that pays me very well. I've been spending time with friends and family. I'm safe and in a much better place.
The past couple of months I've seen my relationship with my ex clearly and truthfully--thanks to some input and DMs from fellow redditors, I've done a ton of research into Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Abuse and have realized that my ex is a narcissist and I've been in the cycle of narcissistic abuse for years. The more I read into it, the more I see how textbook her behavior was, and it makes me feel a strange combination of validated and embarrassed. Validated that I see I'm not alone in this experience, and embarrassed that for all the research I've done into personality disorders and mental illness (I've dated people with APD and BPD in the past), I never once considered that she could have NPD. I was in denial and did not once look into it. Now I know better.
For a few months prior to our breakup I occasionally wondered if she was cheating on me, which is an issue I don't usually feel insecure or worry about. Now I know that she definitely was cheating, and she has already found her new supply in someone who lived in the same building as us. I found gross evidence to support my intuition. I realize that her hiding my laptop was a part of her discarding me, as she already determined (whether consciously or not) that I was no longer a viable supply for her--being that I was focusing on my wants and needs, working on my codependency (shoutout CoDA), going to school, and setting and upholding boundaries. She historically would treat me terribly for weeks to months until we reached a breaking point and I broke up with her. Then she would play victim and say how I abandoned her; this was her flavor of discard, getting me to do the work for her as usual (when we got back together she would hold that over my head as though me breaking up with her happened in a vacuum). It's devastating to realize this person I was so in love with for 7 years never truly loved me--she loved me the way one loves a useful object at best. But I am proud that her final discard came about because, without fully realizing, I finally showed her that I loved myself more than I loved her or our relationship. And that's a win.
She has already and will continue to jump from relationship to relationship, supply to supply, and that's a reflection of her broken personality. I've only ever been in one other long term relationship and when I was done with him I was DONE. No going back, no rekindling--I feel how I did then. A part of me is scared that the other shoe will drop, and some latent, traitorous attachment to her and that trauma bond will make me weak and vulnerable to her hoovering her way back into my life (or someone like her). But I'm taking it day by day, and I trust myself more than ever to protect myself. I will be staying single for as long as I need (probably a long time) and will not be dating, and I feel good about that. I'm genuinely scared to date again and I think that is a sensible thing to feel.
I'm really glad I posted here all those days ago. It helped me to validate my own feelings and actualize my outrage. I'm grateful to everyone who took the time to respond, offer advice and support, and ask for updates. I never have to deal with that wench again.
TL:DR: I realize my ex was a narcissistic abuser, and the laptop fiasco was her final discard. Now I'm FREE and safe in my own place and will never let her or anyone like her hurt me like that again. Thanks to everyone who cared enough to follow this story <3
​
Comments
​
popoPitifulme
I'm so happy for you and your future. I mean, like the guy in the bathtub celebrating when Truman (spoiler alert) finally leaves the movie set.
>OOP: lol thank you! i had to rewatch that scene to remember 😂.
rlyfckd
I'm so glad to hear you got out of that situation safely and that you're doing well.
I'd really urge you to go to therapy to process all this and work on yourself and your self esteem. Long term relationships with people that have personality disorders really leave a mark and affect self worth and confidence very negatively. People that attract narcissists or borderlines tend to struggle with boundaries and people pleasing. I hope you break the pattern. All the best to you! 💕.
>OOP: i appreciate that! I have a great therapist and will continue doing this work with them 💕 definitely part of why im not a complete mess right now
​
I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP.
Please remember the No Brigading Rule and to be civil in the comments