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Have you ever been so determined to avoid drama that you followed someone’s wishes to the letter, only for the drama to find you anyway? In those cases, it’s quite easy to think that the world has something against you.
That’s essentially what happened to this Original Poster (OP) who believed his relationship had ended for good after his ex-girlfriend cut off all communication. Months later, however, an unexpected call from a government agency turned his quiet attempt at moving on into a brand-new emotional dilemma.
More info: Reddit
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Sometimes, just when you think a relationship chapter has finally ended, life decides to throw in a plot twist nobody saw coming
Image credits: SkelDry / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The author’s girlfriend abruptly ended their relationship over text, took her belongings while he was away, and told him never to contact her again
Image credits: syda_productions / Magnific (not the actual photo)
He respected her no-contact request for 10 months while trying to heal from the breakup and accusations surrounding an STI diagnosis
Image credits: freepic.diller / Magnific (not the actual photo)
He was then suddenly contacted by the government registry and learned his ex had listed him as the father of her newborn baby
Image credits: Individual-Fee6173
Upset she sprung this on him and unsure what to do next, he decided to wait for official paperwork and consider his options before taking any action
The OP explained that his relationship came to an abrupt end roughly ten months earlier when his girlfriend broke up with him over text messages. She also took things from his home while he was hundreds of kilometers away before making it clear that she never wanted him to contact her again. Although the breakup left him hurt and confused, he decided to respect that boundary instead of trying to reconnect.
The breakup stemmed from accusations that he had been unfaithful after both of them tested positive for an infection. While he believed there could have been another explanation for the diagnosis, he was left trying to make sense of the situation and heal from the end of the relationship.
Out of the blue on this day, he received an unexpected phone call from a government registry informing him that the ex had recently given birth and had listed him as the baby’s father on official documentation. The news came before he had even received any paperwork, leaving him shocked and uncertain about what would happen next.
Although the situation has left him questioning whether he should have reached out sooner, he explained that he’s trying to prioritize his own mental well-being after an emotionally difficult breakup. He also felt it was hypocritical of her to demand no contact, but drop such big news on him. Still, he planned to wait for formal documents before taking any action.
Image credits: fabrikasimf / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The emotional confusion in this situation is something many people experience after sudden breakups. According to Psychology Today, relationships that end without honest conversations or a sense of closure can be especially difficult to process. When people are left with unanswered questions, they may continue searching for explanations and replaying events in their minds, which can make healing take longer.
The conflict surrounding the STI diagnosis also highlights why assumptions can be misleading. Verywell Health explains that testing positive for an infection does not automatically reveal when the infection was contracted or who transmitted it. Some STIs can remain unnoticed for long periods because they may not cause symptoms, meaning a diagnosis alone cannot always prove when or how transmission occurred.
Now that the situation involves a newborn and possible parenthood, the issue moves beyond emotions and into legal territory. According to Custody Xchange, being named as a child’s father on official paperwork does not always conclusively establish biological parentage. Paternity may need to be formally confirmed or legally acknowledged before parental rights and responsibilities are determined.
Netizens urged the OP not to make any assumptions about fatherhood, recommending that he wait for official documents and request a paternity test before accepting any responsibility. What do you think? Do you think being named on official paperwork is enough reason to assume someone is the father? We would love to hear from you!
Netizens questioned whether the reported government call was legitimate and suggested he avoid direct communication with his ex until everything is verified
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JB 22 hours ago (edited)
100% someone is messing around with OP. As the first couple of comments said, Government Agencies DO NOT CALL to advise people of any kind of official information. It’s always in writing and, as initial contact, always a physical letter. He doesn’t need a lawyer, that is probably the whole point of this scam. Get him to panic and waste money, time, on trying to protect himself from the claim. Literally all he needs to do as a starting point is contact Births, Deaths, and Marriages through official channels - not whatever number he may have been given over the phone - and ask if he has been formally identified as the father of a/the child. I can almost guarantee the answer will be, “no”.
Man in the mirror 5 hours ago
That's not always true. I worked in a government agency. I didn't have to call people to inform them of things they were going to get through mail anyway, but for time-sensitive high stakes issues, I did.
Load More Replies...
Kristin 13 hours ago
Lmfao the person commenting above under the user name comfy bubbles is just, wow lol to believe a post isnt real cause it's "too clean" for a 24yr old to write!! Believe it or not there are some people out there that are smart, finished school, and college 🙄 psh even my daughter whos a junior in high school can write a sentence with correct punctuation better than a person in their 30s. Lol
Paul C 22 hours ago
If this is genuine, and a phone call about a birth / paternity is almost certainly not, then I think the penultimate two commenters had it right - she cheated, tried to make a go with her affair partner, who bailed as soon as she was pregnant, so she's blaming OP. Check with the births registry people if they confirm the registration then state it is not yours whilst demanding a paternity test. Only once there is proof, consider next steps (legal access to child, support etc). Not sure about Australia, but certainly in the UK, a person cannot be named as the father if he is not present at registration, unless he is married to the mother, in which case, it is the default to add him.
JB 22 hours ago (edited)
100% someone is messing around with OP. As the first couple of comments said, Government Agencies DO NOT CALL to advise people of any kind of official information. It’s always in writing and, as initial contact, always a physical letter. He doesn’t need a lawyer, that is probably the whole point of this scam. Get him to panic and waste money, time, on trying to protect himself from the claim. Literally all he needs to do as a starting point is contact Births, Deaths, and Marriages through official channels - not whatever number he may have been given over the phone - and ask if he has been formally identified as the father of a/the child. I can almost guarantee the answer will be, “no”.
Man in the mirror 5 hours ago
That's not always true. I worked in a government agency. I didn't have to call people to inform them of things they were going to get through mail anyway, but for time-sensitive high stakes issues, I did.
Load More Replies... Kristin 13 hours ago
Lmfao the person commenting above under the user name comfy bubbles is just, wow lol to believe a post isnt real cause it's "too clean" for a 24yr old to write!! Believe it or not there are some people out there that are smart, finished school, and college 🙄 psh even my daughter whos a junior in high school can write a sentence with correct punctuation better than a person in their 30s. Lol
Paul C 22 hours ago
If this is genuine, and a phone call about a birth / paternity is almost certainly not, then I think the penultimate two commenters had it right - she cheated, tried to make a go with her affair partner, who bailed as soon as she was pregnant, so she's blaming OP. Check with the births registry people if they confirm the registration then state it is not yours whilst demanding a paternity test. Only once there is proof, consider next steps (legal access to child, support etc). Not sure about Australia, but certainly in the UK, a person cannot be named as the father if he is not present at registration, unless he is married to the mother, in which case, it is the default to add him.
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